A Note From Brad

Going and coming...Home...

2012-01-24T18:25:00.000-06:00

It is interesting how they say that you can never go back again. I remember traveling back to my boyhood home where so many of my childhood memories still run rampant through the neighborhood. The memories were all there; but the place looked different somehow. the tree we planted when I was only six or seven years old (that I had to carefully mow around without mowing over!) was there, but it was now huge! The ballfield where I played Little League was still there, but the bases seemed so much closer together now than they did then. Perhaps the perspective of age, or the distance of time somehow managed to change everything around a bit. But still, it was good to go home again.

Next week at this time, I shall be walking the shores of the Sea of Galilee with Ron, Belinda, Carol, and Gracie. I am looking forward to making that trip again - having made it just last year. There is so much that I want to see again: the Synagogue in Capernaum where Jesus spent much of his teaching ministry; the Upper Room where the disciples had the final meal with Jesus before his betrayal and crucifixion; Golgotha, or "the place of the skull" where Jesus was proportedly crucified (it actually looks like a skull in the rock formation!); the shore where Jesus cooked breakfast for the disciples after the resurrection; and all the rest!

I cannot help but wonder if Jesus could somehow go back to his boyhood home of Nazareth, if he would recognize the place. What would he think? How would he feel? Of course, you might say its silly to think about whether Jesus would care about these things. But I wonder about what he would think if he were to look at the Christian Faith in the same way. Do you think that Jesus might be wondering where our faith has led us down these two thousand years or so? Do you ever wonder what he might say to the congregations that bear his name? What do you think He might say to you and me about the expectation He has of us learning the faith - and living it out daily? Would He say, "Well done, good and faithful servant"? Looking at our congregation, I'd like to think so, but I also know we can do better. There are still folks who are outside our doors who desperately need to hear the good news, and to feel the warmth of God's forgiving, sustaining grace. While we have been very faithful, there is much yet to be done.

Perhaps I spend a little too much time wondering about these things. But then again, I will have a long flight to ponder these things going home again to Jesus' home, and then coming home again to Jesus' other home!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Keep it going...

2011-12-27T12:31:00.000-06:00

It’s December 27^th (at the time of this writing). And for many folks, the Christmas season is wrapping up (no pun intended!). Gifts have been given, presents have been opened, and the exchanges of “thanks” have been shared all around. The colorful papers once beautifully adorned the carefully selected gifts placed beneath the tree has now been gathered together and dispatched to the garbage can. The Christmas music has turned back into the popular music of the day, and the stores have traded in their check-out lines for returns and exchanges. The decorations, once hung with such eager anticipation, now wait in the expectancy of being once again boxed up and stored away for another year. It is easy to think that the holiday rush is now past, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

But it wasn’t always this way. Shortly after Jesus’ death on the cross, the first Christian martyr, Stephen, took his faith to the ultimate level. The Stoning of Stephen is recorded in the Book of Acts 7:54 – 8:1, and has been historically attributed to December 26^th, the day after the Christian Church celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The irony of this death is that Stephen would be the first to die for his faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the one who has come to save humanity from its sin. It would be a young Pharisee named Saul (later to become Paul the Apostle) who would oversee Stephen’s stoning. Paul, arguably the greatest Christian Convert the world has ever known, never saw Jesus face-to-face. Instead, he saw Stephen’s faith first-hand.

Perhaps the most difficult transition to make in this time of year is the one that asks us to understand the rationale for Jesus’ birth. We’ve become so accustomed to the romantic and nostalgic flavor of the Currier & Ives Christmas that we’ve forgotten that the reason for this child’s birth was so that our sin would no longer separate us from God. And just so we don’t miss the significance of this birth, or worse, dismiss it as old, out-dated, and merely an historical issue of long ago, in just a few days we will be reminded again of the importance of the birth by some strange astrologers from a foreign country who will come to pay homage to this infant. The gifts the Wisemen brought were strange gifts for a newborn infant; gold – the symbol of royalty, frankincense – the symbol of priestly sacrifice and worship, and myrrh – a burial spice, the symbol for death. Still, the arrival of the Magi represents the universal nature of this Messiah, who brings salvation from sin to all who will believe, and begins the next holy season in the Christian Calendar year – Epiphany, which means the Revealing of God’s Son to the world.

From Christmas to Epiphany, we find ourselves in a curious place. The world has gone back to business as usual – planning parties and making resolutions for the New Year, returning gifts received for what we really wanted, and returning to our daily schedules and routines. But for the Christian, Christmas marks the beginning of Salvation History – that is being renewed every day. We do not - we cannot – forget what happened in that sleepy little village of Bethlehem, nor the journey that infant would take over the next thirty-three years that would lead him to a cross outside of Jerusalem.

Christmas is the reminder that we are forgiven. Epiphany is the reminder that all are given this gift of salvation. Our task is to remind one another, and everyone who is searching for this gift of grace. Please do not pack this away with your decorations for another year. Live in the glory of this Christmas gift that keeps giving all year long.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Family Lines...

2011-10-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

Above my desk at home hangs an old picture frame with my paternal grandfather’s family register. It lists in order his parent’s names, as well as all the children that were born to them. It shares their birthdays, as well as when and where each was married, and finally their dates of death. The last line was completed by my father when granddad died in 1990.

Granddad came from what we would call today a “blended family.” His father died when he was just a toddler, and when she remarried, her new husband wanted her to raise his children from his previous marriage. Her children were “farmed out” to other relatives, neighbors, and friends. Thirteen children in all, with my grandfather as the youngest.

At the top of the register scrawled in my granddad’s third-grade handwriting are the words, “to go to Bug and cate at my death. LD” (My dad’s nickname is “Bud”, and my mother’s nickname is “Kate”, but granddad did the best he knew how.

Family trees are a big business these days. Websites tout the latest is record searching databases and techniques, and promise that you will never really know what you will find, but that you just need to start looking.

Scripture is replete with examples of a people of faith attempting to keep their family lines in order, and preserved for the generations to come. Telling the stories of our ancestors ties us to the generations of the past in a unique and powerful way. Remembering our ancestry is an important clue in understanding our present, and helping us to move toward the future.

The same is true for the Church. We remember those who have guided us in our faith journeys as one of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit. The letter to the Hebrews recounts many of the ancestors of the faith, their faithfulness, and their careful witness to the goodness of God’s abundant mercy and grace, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. To recall these folks is to retrace the steps of the love of God across the generations to the very present place in which we now stand. It is a recollection – a re-collecting – of the memories of the faithful who have brought us to the faith, and who surround us as witnesses to the power of God’s mercy. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Sunday, November 6^th, we will celebrate the lives of the many Saints of the Church who have gone on before us in the past year, guiding us in The Way. Their lives have been a beacon of hope to us, as they have sought to faithfully live the calling of Jesus Christ in their lives. We honor their memory with a special memorial service including Communion. Their witness has given us a glimpse into life in the Kingdom. For this we are thankful to God.

It is a part of our family line. Our Family Tree. Join with me as we celebrate these special saints in the church on November 6^th. And consider how you can “run the race that is set before you with perseverance” and be the witness of Jesus Christ to those around you.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Urgent...

2011-09-15T10:07:00.000-05:00

Urgent. This word conjures up so many thoughts, feelings, emotions. When I read that word, or hear it spoken, I sense that there is something that must be done, and it must be done yesterday! Like getting the kids to school on time, or making it to the hospital when a parishioner has been taken to the emergency room. Or perhaps it is more like when you look down at the inspection sticker in the corner of the windshield, and you realize that what you should have done two months ago is now two months overdue. Urgency is that which is pressing, vital, or crucial. It is imperative that something must be done, and that it be done with expediency.

It is amazing how many things we allow in life to have that claim of “urgent.” Appointments, deadlines, crises, and the like, seem to zap our attention and energy. We seem to get “sucked into” the vortex of that which cannot wait. And we are exhausted from trying to keep up.

Time management gurus would have us believe that much of what is claiming our attention as “urgent” really isn’t. Or more to the point, can be avoidable, or rearranged so as to not be so pressing. “Better planning,” as they say, “prevents crises.” While there is obvious truth to this concept (I have yet to figure out who “they” are, much less how one can plan to avoid all crises!), there are also flaws. Sometimes events happen that do not lend themselves to much advanced planning.

And yet, there are some things that will forever be urgent, especially when contemplating the eternal. There is nothing so urgent as the salvation of a soul. Paul talked about the urgency of the Gospel message in his letter to the Romans.

“For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:13-17)

If we are serious about our faith, we know that there is nothing more important to us than what is most important to God. If God cares about the least, the last, and the lost, how can we care any less? To love God with all our being (our heart, mind, soul, and strength) is to love what God loves (love our neighbors as we love our selves). This is the urgency of the gospel. This the motive behind Jesus’ teachings and commands to “follow” him. There is nothing more urgent than this – for all eternity is at risk for that one soul who has never heard.

Our task as Christians (not just pastors!) is to share this gospel with as many people as possible – so that every person has an opportunity to be reconciled to God and to experience new life in Jesus Christ. It is our urgent task. Anything less is busy work.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Clients...

2011-08-24T11:31:00.002-05:00

For the last couple of days, I have been attending a Board of Ordained Ministry Retreat in San Antonio that was led by Gil Rendle, a consultant for the Texas Methodist Foundation and The Alban Institute. It was a thought-provoking workshop on what our tasks are going to be for the next ten years. Who we recruit and to what kinds of churches have as much to do with what characteristics we are looking for in our new clergy.

The main focus of the event was to begin to teach us to “ask the right questions” rather than seek the right answers. Oftentimes, we slip into a technical mode and think that every problem has a known solution, and if we just do the right things, everything will work. But what happens when we don’t know how to state the problem? Everyone knows that there is a problem (declining membership and participation in mainline churches), but no one has a clear solution to this problem. Part of the reason is that we might not be asking the right question.

A church was in a two-year-long debate as to what color to paint the sanctuary. Various palettes were examined, schemes and designers were consulted. Still, the problem of what color remained. Everyone had an opinion, and yet no one agreed with anyone else. Finally, one lady spoke up at a meeting. She said, “Maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Instead of asking ‘what color’ maybe we should ask ‘for whom are we painting the sanctuary?’ If we’re painting the sanctuary for ourselves, why bother? We all have been worshiping here quite comfortably for the last several years with the paint that is already on the walls. But if we are painting the sanctuary for those who are not yet here, what color should that be?” In essence, she changed the question from a technical one (what color to paint the walls) to an adaptive one (for whom are we painting?). (For an excellent example of changing the question, see Luke 10:25-37). Unfortunately, when we don’t know what to do in any given situation, we tend to do what we do know how to do. But trying to do the same things over and over again, each time expecting different results is, according to the old saying, the definition of insanity! To work harder and harder doing the same thing will not yield a different result. It will only get us more of the same.

In essence, our Board of Ordained Ministry was asking how we go about recruiting pastors to fill the churches that are dying in our midst (a technical question). We were asking how we could work harder at doing the same things. But by asking the adaptive question, we discovered something radically different: What kind of Church does God want us to be in the next ten years? From that point of the end result, we can work backwards to determine our Board’s course of action. Do we have the answers yet? Of course not. But we are on a new course, because we are asking the right questions now.

The same can be said of our church. We must ask ourselves who are client is – is it the current membership (in which case we are self-serving) or is it those who have yet to come to the church? In reality, neither is the correct answer. Our client is the Mission of the Church, which is stated very clearly in the United Methodist Book of Discipline: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” (¶120, 2008 The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church).

If our client is “the mission of the Church”, then the question then becomes, what are we doing as a church to be spent entirely toward that mission? Is there anything that we are holding back? Are we sacrificing ourselves for the mission, or are we serving a different client – perhaps, ourselves? – than the mission? By asking the adaptive question, we have to know that we are in uncharted waters. It will get messy. It will be painful. And there are more unknowns in this wilderness. But the mission of the Church in the 21^st Century is straightforward: We are to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To do anything less is, well, unfaithful to the One who has redeemed us.

Rather than stay in the same comfortable place yet be unfaithful, I would rather risk the unknown, walking in faith, following the voice of the One who calls us. Like Abram and Sarai, or like Moses and Joshua. Each risked. Each followed in faith. And each were led by the One who takes us by the hand and leads us to the Promised Land.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Being a Spectator...

2011-07-28T19:41:00.000-05:00

I’ve never liked to watch Tennis being played. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the game, even though I am absolutely horrible at it. (Once upon a time, I had a fairly wicked serve that was infrequently returned; however, if it ever was, the volley would not last. I rarely had the talent to return the ball again if it came to me. And if you ever wondered where I got my limp, I wish I could say it was from something more masculine, like Football, or Rugby. But alas, it came from a game of Tennis. Most folks get “Tennis Elbow” – I have “Tennis Knee”.)

Still, the sport is interesting to me. The thought of the “game of Royalty” intrigues me. I am fascinated with people who have the skills to play it well. Just not enough to watch the game from the grandstand.

I guess, I am a limited spectator at best. I like the ideas of people who have practiced and practiced for years – decades even – to become good, really good at something. But I’ve never been one to want to watch them practice and practice. I’d rather pick up a racquet, and try my hand at it, even if I wind up making a fool of myself. It is better to get in there and mix it up than to watch other people do it. And yet, many folks have become addicted to following this player or that on the pro tours.

Christianity is a little like that, I suppose. Most folks have become so accustomed to being spectators that they’ve forgotten that they’ve been invited to participate – to become one of the team. To get in there and “mix it up” as my dad used to say. They are more content to just sit on the sidelines and watch it all happen. Some would even say that they have earned their retirement from the Church – “I’ve fulfilled my obligation to teach the children. It’s someone else’s turn now” they say. As if you could retire from the faith the way we do a job.

Still, the Church calls. Because Christ calls. Because there are people who are desperately in need – with the basic necessities of life, as well as a basic understanding of who God is in Jesus Christ, and how we are all related to Him. The task is ever before us. And we cannot simply sit by watching and waiting for someone to pick up the banner and carry it forward.

In just a few weeks, our regular weekly programming will be kicking off for the fall. And there is something for every single person. From being fed by the fellowship and on the Word of God in a small-group Bible Study, to being a role model for a young child who is searching for someone – anyone – to show them how much God loves them. There are Sunday School opportunities for all ages – on both sides of the Leader’s Guide. (That means we need teachers as well as students!)

In the meantime, the benches are still there. But there’s plenty of room on the court. Or the field. Or the classroom. Or the Super Wednesday dinner table. And there are plenty of people of all ages who would love to share and learn with you. Or maybe its time to take another look at the Bible - and take a refresher course in what you believe. Think about where you sit. Have you been on the sidelines too long? Maybe it’s time to get back in the game!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Rest and Renewal...

2011-07-11T15:32:00.000-05:00

It was a relaxing week in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Our family did the vacation-thing: we pulled the trailer to a campground in Hot Springs, then attempted to make the best of the record-setting heatwave that settled on south-central Arkansas for a week. (After two flat-tires on the trailer, we made it fairly uneventfully!)

There was plenty to do there. There were museums (a favorite of the adults) and the swimming pool in the evening (the kids' choice). Of particular note to me was the Bath House Row that lined Central Avenue there. Hot Springs got its name from the underground spring mineral waters that bubble up throughout the region. The springs are actually hot when it comes out of the ground - 143 degrees Fahrenheit! (Maybe that's why the pool was so warm every evening!) History has it that Fernando De Soto discovered the spring waters when he came across several Native Americans who had been bathing and drinking the water. (Little did he know that they had been coming there for several centuries before he showed up!) The Federal Government assumed control of the land in the mid 1870's and declared it a National Reservation, later changing it to a National Park.

It became a popular tourist destination in the early twentieth century when folks discovered how the waters seemed to help in the treatment of various diseases and conditions. For over 100 years, people had been making the journey - some by train, others by horse and automobile - to this place for rest and renewal. Several Bathing Houses were founded along the main road that settled Hot Springs, where people could come and bathe in the hot mineral waters.

Wandering through those old buildings made me ponder how many people had passed through their halls hoping to find the latest treatment for rheumatism and the like, and how many folks actually found relief. It made me wonder if the water had any mystical, magical healing powers at all. What made that water so different than the waters in their own home towns? Was it healing and rejuvenating? Did it cleanse and purify the inside as well as the outside? Did it last or was it merely short-term relief? What did the waters do for the soul? Or was it all snake oil?

But then I began to think even further about the healing power of water. That evening as we sat in the pool, I began to think about the waters of baptism. I began to wonder what powers it held for me. I began to ponder about the life-renewing power it has over me - and my sin. When I was baptized, I was declared a child of God - welcomed into the fellowship of the Christian faith, and redeemed from my sin. Forever marked as one of Christ's own redeeming, I am cleansed from within and without. But it was not the chemical composition of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen that did this miraculous healing - rather it was the Holy Spirit of God that did the work of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Every single person who comes to Christ through Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, receives this same healing power. The cleansing is real. The healing is eternal. And blessing is greater than any hot tub in the world.

There is renewal in remembering our baptism. And we can rest in the arms of the One who redeems and restores. I pray you will find this rest and renewal in your travels and experiences this summer. And know that the fellowship of Christian Believers is anxiously awaiting to get together again!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Holy Spirit Filled...

2011-06-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

In my daily devotional reading for yesterday, I read about the Pentecost speech from Peter, who quoted the Prophet Joel about the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all people:

"The pouring out of the Spirit is the signal for the beginning of the eschatological event - the pouring out of the Spirit upon all mankind... Spirit in this context, int eh Old and New Testament alike, is not used, as the world often was, in the sense of breath, or angel or demon (or ghost or spirit of the departed), nor in the sense of soul or source of life, nor in the sense of the seat of knowledge and volition, the living ego of a man. No, in this context the Spirit of God is referred to, the Holy Spirit; its holiness separates it distinctly from teh spirit of man and of the world." (From The Church, by Hans Kung, as quoted in A Guide To Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants, Nashville: The Upper Room, 1983. p. 191)

And it has occurred to me that there are people who did not know this. The Holy Spirit's arrival at Pentecost was not some wind or breath that filled every one's lungs. It was not some mystical encounter with a representation of the divine in some form or fashion. It was God. God came into that room and filled everyone with God's self! Their ability to speak in foreign languages at that time was not because their own spirits mingled with the divine Spirit. Their spirit's were replaced with THE SPIRIT.

It has further occurred to me that there are several people who mistakenly believe that in order to be fully faithful, we have to join our spirits with God's Spirit. In reality we must surrender our spirit to God. When we become filled with the Holy Spirit, there's not room for our own spirit (our will, our thoughts, our wants, our desires, our needs) and God's Spirit at the same time. When God's Spirit is present, God's Spirit fills all and is in all. Completely.

Perhaps in that Upper Room, for the first time, folks surrendered to the Holy Spirit in such a way that God could be fully present with everyone there. Not one of those folks there every even thought that he or she had become God. What a ludicrous thought! No, each one understood completely that they were in the presence of the Divine Creator and Sustainer of the world.

Wouldn't it be great if we could be filled completely with God's Holy Spirit - the very essence of God? Can you imagine what Pentecost could be like today?!!!

This is my prayer: "Lord, remove from me that which gets in your way - and fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may fully and completely serve your will today. In Jesus' name. Amen." Want to make that your prayer too?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Second Thoughts...

2011-05-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the world was supposed to end. At least, that’s what one radio preacher had predicted for Saturday. Evidently, his method involved a fairly intricate deciphering of the scriptures, and through some form of mathematical calculations, the date was set at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2011. People had sold property, cashed in assets and savings, and prepared for the Second Coming.

And this is nothing new. Folks have been predicting the end of time since almost the beginning of time! Even in Jesus’ day, there was curiosity about when the world will end. And Jesus’ response was simple – “I don’t know. No one knows. Only God knows when that will happen, and so far, God’s not telling.” But the fascination continues.

Hollywood has gotten in on the act as well. Countless movies and films have not only tried to predict when it would happen, but also how. Asteroids and comets, nuclear annihilation, cosmic alien invasions, catastrophic disease outbreaks, and so on and so on. The topic feeds our curiosity, and fuels our imaginations. But Jesus said, “no one knows.”

So in the hubbub this past Saturday, I wondered if there wasn’t some kernel of truth to the rumor. I wondered if somehow the end might come – that this radio preacher might have gotten lucky in guessing the date and time – like hitting the odds in the lottery. What if the world was going to come to an end – maybe not last Saturday, or even next week, but sometime soon. And I began to wonder about some of the teachings that Jesus had said. Mark’s Gospel is written in such a way as to give a sense of indelible urgency to respond to Jesus’ invitation to join him in becoming a Kingdom people. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near” we hear in Matthew’s Gospel. What if the nearness of the kingdom has nothing to do with the times, but with the soul? What if the nearness of the kingdom has to do with the proximity of the inviter, rather than the timeline of the world’s demise?

I actually had second thoughts. (I know, I know. I’m not supposed to fall victim to the ravings of a radio preacher.) It wasn't the radio preacher's prediction, but rather it was my relationship with Jesus himself that gave me pause to reflect. Jesus’ invitation to me (and to you as well) made me think about how faithful I have been lately, and wondered if I was “ready” should he come again today? And in that spirit, I began to evaluate my own life, my own faith, and my own witness. Jesus’ sermon kept coming back to me. “Repent…” Perhaps there might be some good that has come from the radio preacher’s message. If one person began to think about his or her relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and repents, then maybe the message wasn’t necessarily a failure.

Still, I chose not to cash in my holdings…I might need them for the next time the world is supposed to come to an end…In the meantime, take this “second chance” as an opportunity to draw closer to God. Find yourself growing nearer to the likeness of Christ. Allow your spirit to be filled by the Holy Spirit. And become the person God created you to become. Because, “…the kingdom of heaven has come near…” See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

On This Side...

2011-04-26T14:32:00.000-05:00

On Easter, I shared with the congregation a message that spoke to the fact that those early disciples encountered something that was so dramatic, it literally shook their worldview – that is, how they came to understand their world and how it works. When our worldview changes, we are changed. We can no longer operate with the same set of notions and ideas that define us. We are forced to redefine ourselves.

I gave as examples some dates in history that changed the way that we view the world: December 7, 1941, November 22, 1963, September 11, 2001. These dates changed the way our world operates. We began to turn around our world in late 1941, with an increase in manufacturing of war materials, of rationing, and of victory gardens. We saw the world differently after Pearl Harbor.

Camelot came to an end in Dallas, Texas that late fall morning. Suddenly, the hopes of a new generation were changed into a coping strategy as folks began to ask a whole new set of questions: “What will happen now in Cuba?” “What will happen in Southeast Asia?” “Will we be attacked by our enemies when we are so vulnerable?”

Our worldview changed again in our post-9/11 world. We even developed a new dictionary of terms: “9/11”, “Homeland Security”, “Airport full-body-scans” just to name a few. And our worldview has not stopped changing, especially with the turmoil in the Middle East and Northern Africa. The earthquake and tsunami have spawned concerns about global prices of goods and services. Oil prices have become a part of everyday dinner conversation in many households, as well as other topics that are too numerous to mention.

In short, our world has changed and evolved once again. The once-sacredly held beliefs that were built on rock-solid foundations have crumbled, and we are left standing in the rubble. To begin to pick up the pieces is but a small start in trying to understand what has happened, and how our lives will be different.

This is much the same as the disciples encountered that first Easter morning. Their worldview had totally changed! The man they saw dead and buried had come back to life – not resuscitated, RESURRECTED! And to top it all off, this man breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit! The same Holy Spirit that he had received when he was baptized – the same Holy Spirit YOU received when YOU were baptized! Death was no longer the end – it was just a stage. Sin was no longer a hindrance for us, but was wiped clean. The cross was no longer a symbol of shame, but a sign of hope and victory. With boldness, those disciples, who had been cowering just a few hours before, would now proclaim to the world that they have seen the Messiah! And the world took notice!

With the faith and perseverance, they shared a message of hope and good news that God’s love was permanent – and was not based on merit. It was a free gift of grace. And people were (are) invited to live into that newly consecrated relationship with God in the resurrected Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ has been raised from the dead – and so have we! We are on THIS SIDE of the Resurrection – and we’ve a message to proclaim! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

The Journey...

2011-04-04T14:56:00.002-05:00

It has been said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” (I’m not sure just exactly WHO said that, but I’ve heard it said…) With each step, though, the destination draws nearer. The markers that define the journey draw nearer, and gather behind us as we travel. The same can be true of life itself. As each morning dawns, an evening closes. As each season approaches, another one fades from view. As each year advances, another one ends. Ironically, when we were younger, it seemed that the future was so distant, so remote, so small, so slow and long in coming. Now, as I grow older, it seems as though my middle years have started picking up speed. But each new chapter is a new adventure in the journey. And when I look back, I can see that I was not alone. It was almost as if there was a pattern, or a momentum that was drawing me in a particular direction.

Surprisingly enough, our faith has many of the same characteristics. I am forever being asked by people how we can have the faith that seems to sustain others so wondrously when they are in great need. “I want the faith that they have – they seem to have everything together,” they say. And yet, so few people are willing to invest in the steps that it takes to make that journey become a reality. It is as if folks want the benefit of the destination without the hassles of the excursion.

But the faith journey is one that doesn’t work on the microwave principle – it doesn’t happen quickly. The journey itself is fraught with peril, headache, heartache, joys, thrills, fears, and everything in between. The journey is just that – a journey. There’s no magic time-portal that enables us to know God’s will completely, without taking the time to get to know more about God.

This past Saturday, a person in a Mission Matters Conference that I attended, asked a similar question about mission work, and how to discern what God’s will is. When the leader of the small group asked me to help her out, I shared with the group that part of the discernment process has to do with the fact that we need to take the time to get to know God. We need to know what moves God, what God loves, what breaks God’s heart, in order to know what God wants us to do. That which breaks God’s heart is what should break our hearts, too. And that should motivate us to move and act. But this doesn’t happen – indeed it cannot happen – if we do not first take the time to get to know God.

And that is exactly what the journey of faith is all about. It is about taking the time with one another to get to know God together. And it doesn’t happen all at once. It happens over time. With intention. One step at a time.

Have you taken the first step yet? How about the next one? The good news is that each step you take draws you closer to God.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Holy ground…

2011-03-07T11:31:00.000-06:00

“Moses! Come no closer. Remove the sandals from your feet, for the ground on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5, NRSV)

I’ve always been fascinated by this passage of scripture. God has told Moses that the place where he has encountered God (by the burning bush) is holy ground. During my recent trip to the Holy Land, I became intrigued by the many places that still had the same stone paths that were present during Jesus’ time. I saw steps leading up and down the hillside near Caiaphas’ house, as well as the entry ways to the many different gates to the city of Jerusalem. Just knowing that there were places where my feet touched the same paths as Jesus’ gave me a sense of elation and awe. Standing at the Western Wall, I wanted to take my shoes off, for the place where I was standing was holy ground!

Isn’t it strange that for many of us, we find that such places are holy ground, and yet we somehow can’t see where God’s Spirit is with us in our everyday lives? Just a moment ago, I went upstairs from my office into the sanctuary to retrieve my hymnal that I had left there yesterday after worship, and as I was leaving the sanctuary, it dawned on me how accustomed I had grown to this place. It was as if I were leaving any other room. Now, don’t get me wrong – that sanctuary is just a room with four walls and a ceiling! And yet, just a day earlier we had gathered in that place to encounter and worship the Living God.

But it made me stop and think. How many times have I been in the presence of the Almighty, and have not paid any attention? How many times have I shared the same space as the Holy Spirit, and been oblivious to my company? How many times have I entered a room with someone who holds the Spirit of the Living God deep within her or his soul, and have completely ignored it? This person may have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, and I have treated them as an object, or even an obstacle!

When we fail to see God in the other person, we miss the rich significance of the presence of the Holy. We are unaware of the fact that the ground on which we are standing is holy ground – that God’s mark is upon that other person. This true of not only the stranger, but our families and friends as well!

This week, as we enter into the season of Lent, I pray that we can all take a moment to reflect on the holy moments when we encounter the Divine in our lives. It doesn’t always have to be a brazen as a burning bush – sometimes God just whispers our name through the voice of a stranger, a child, a senior citizen, or even a loved one. Listen again for God’s voice as you are called.

And take your shoes off. You might just be sharing holy ground with the Almighty!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Chronos and Kairos...

2011-02-22T09:10:00.002-06:00

It seems that we now live in a time where time is not only relative, but fleeting. Yesterday I saw a commercial about a store issuing a new policy to “buy-back” any electronics purchase that would become “outdated” or “outmoded”. The surest way to have the latest gadget available is to buy it today and wait – tomorrow what you purchased would be outdated. Cell phones, cars, computers, tv’s…they all have progressed so fast that it is almost impossible to keep up.

This kind of time is what they Greeks used to call “Chronos” or the measurable amount of time. Our days are filled with seconds, minutes, and hours. We can march to the “Chronos” or chronology of our calendars. What is popular today will likely be about as useful tomorrow as our old Neru jackets of yesteryear.

But there is another kind of time. It is called “Kairos” and it isn’t measured by minutes or days. It is measured according to God’s terms. It is witnessed not in minutes, but moments. It is measured in the ways that God has acted across the spectrum of human history. At the appropriate time, according to God’s view of things, God acts. For examples of this, we can see throughout scripture how God has chosen to act at the appropriate time: “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child” (Luke 2:6); and also “From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’” (Matthew 4:17). This sense of time is related to the events that have taken place, but refer more to the movement of God’s grace in the world.

March 9th is Ash Wednesday, and it marks the beginning of the season of Lent. For forty days not including Sundays (Chronos), we are drawn into a time (Kairos) of faithful discernment to reflect on our own lives, our faith, and our sinfulness. It is a time to recollect where our lives have diverged from God’s will for us, and to repent, to turn back God-ward. It gives us the opportunity to remember why Jesus came to us, what he did for us, and how we are redeemed in that act of selfless love.

What does all this mean? It means that in the midst of all the seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, etc., we are all invited to become more aware of the movement of God through the Holy Spirit in the moments that we are in. God has chosen this moment to speak to you – are you listening? God has chosen this moment to bring together all things necessary for you to experience God’s grace, accept it, and move closer to the One who loves you most. It means that you have been given a chance to inch your life forward toward that wholeness that can only come from the One who gives us the breath of Life!

We will be having a special worship service on Ash Wednesday, March 9th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary, where we will impose ashes, and remember that we are in need of the grace of God. We will follow this with a special sermon series regarding the Lenten Disciplines which will help us to move closer to God. It is an excellent opportunity to grow in your faith, and become the Disciples God created all of us to be.

The only question is, Are you going to set aside the time (Chronos) to experience this act of God’s grace in this season of Lent (Kairos)? See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Packing...

2011-01-24T11:46:00.000-06:00

It is interesting to me what I have learned in the last year with regard to packing. With our trip last summer to Romania, Kaitlyn and I had to learn anew how to pack our suitcases for an overseas trip. We learned that there were things that we could not just take for granted - like the use of our electrical devices - phone charges, camera battery chargers, and the like. We needed to have the right equipment. Voltage transformers and adapters became a quick purchase that we were not anticipating, until time to go. Remembering to pack a second, expandable bag (just in case) for souvenirs and for dirty clothes to return home. Packing a backpack, with books for the long flights, bathroom essentials in case we were held over some place for weather or other reasons, and of course money.

I've begun to make a new list for the trip to Israel. I've even called my bank and my cell phone carrier to let them know that I will be traveling overseas. I have all the above items, and then some, and I know that no matter how much I plan, I will definitely forget something! Folks who know I am going have already asked me for their list of souvenirs for me to bring back. (I'm trying to remember to bring the list, too!) It is hard to imagine that in a little over a week, I will once again be traveling to another world - a world that is at once present and ancient.

Preparing for the journey is not just something that we do with regard to lists, but is something that we do with our hearts as well. Last evening at Bible Study, someone asked me what I was looking forward to the most when I get there. I responded that I am a visual person - I like to see it, and then it tends to make more sense for me. I said I was looking forward to seeing all those places that I have been reading about for all these years! Being able to see it in person, I can then check that against my imaginations from having read about these places for so many years.

But I think there is something even deeper than this happening when one prepares for a journey. It is not just preparing to see it, but to be prepared to experience the feelings that will accompany the footsteps. Knowing that I will have walked where Biblical characters from both Old and New Testaments sends chills up my spine! Not long ago, I had the opportunity to travel to the Old Spanish Mission Churches in San Antonio. The experience of walking where faith pilgrims have been traveling for over 350 years was a blessing that almost defies explanation. I am trying to wrap my mind around walking where faith pilgrims have walked for almost 4,000 years!

Come to think of it, the same can be said about our everyday faith journey. While the geography may not be the same, the faith journey bears a striking resemblance to that of our forebears. Dealing with the common and the not-so-common issues of life, viewed through the lens of faith, brings us closer to one another in ways that can almost defy words. And yet, there is a connection there. Linking the footsteps of faith with the generations who have come before us helps us to see that we are not so different. Further reflection invites us to envision the footsteps that will follow ours - and one begins to ask, will those who follow us find our steps in line with Christ's?

Meanwhile, back to packing...can't forget my sunglasses, nor my camera...

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

How are you doing?

2011-01-20T11:51:00.000-06:00

Seems like a simple question to ask – one that we seem to ask an awful lot. “How are you doing?” “How’ve you been?” “How are things?” Sometimes we get an answer back that is almost as short as, if not shorter than, the question. “Fine.” “I’m okay, thanks.” “Not so good.”

When we ask such a question, what is our intention? Are we asking from an honest desire to hear how the other is doing/feeling? Or are we inviting the other into a conversation, and this was an ice-breaker question? Or are we merely making idle chit-chat?

It seems as though 2011 has gotten off to a roaring start, and I thought I had actually caught myself leaving as I was walking in! District and Conference meetings in Kerrville and San Antonio, church meetings here at the Lake, and the host of other year-end and year-beginning routines have had me on what seems like a dead run, and I’ve had to catch myself from tripping over my calendar several times!

Someone asked me the other day how I was doing, and I honestly had to stop and ponder the question. It really didn’t matter to me whether the person asking was truly interested or not; it was merely an opportunity to stop and take a pulse of my own personal status. What was I feeling? How was I doing? This year has started off in a blaze of activities for me, and such questions are re-centering for me. They allow me the opportunity to once again find my equilibrium, my center of balance. They are good questions for all of us, given many of our hectic lives and the demands on our time, our attention, our sanity.

One of the things that I did this year as a New Year’s Resolution was to take that question seriously. When I ask it, I make myself slow down enough to actually try to hear the response that I get – and then to honestly evaluate if the answer is a quick dismissal of the question, or if there is truth in it. (Sometimes folks will answer quickly to get the attention off of themselves, in order to avoid exposing something painful or uncomfortable in their lives at that moment.) I also pledged to answer the question as honestly as I could when it was asked of me.

Perhaps we might all take a moment or two each day and ask, how am I doing today? And then take the time to do a quick but honest inventory. What I have found is that when I do take that extra moment or two, I remember why I do what I do – and who I serve. And I need that. Don’t you?

So, how are you doing?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Homo Unius Libri...

2010-12-16T10:14:00.000-06:00

When John Wesley was trying to clarify a position to a correspondent about the importance of Scripture, he cried out, “God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it; here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri (literally, “a man of one book”).”

Wesley’s point was simple. When one looks at all the possibilities from which to base one’s life upon, all the writings, all the research, all the learning, for him, Sola Scriptura was all that was necessary. The primacy of scripture is all one needs in order to find the plumb line of faithful living. (Wesley would later define the importance of reason, tradition, and experience as substantive in the formation of Christian character; but Scripture would always be primary.)

In a conversation with some colleagues a few years back, a question was asked about what sources one should use to begin a dialogue between Islam and Christianity. The obvious answer to the one who posed the question was to take the Koran (to represent the views of Islam), and the Gospels for Christianity. The response we received from the one whom we believed had the knowledge we sought was rather surprising.

“Don’t use the Gospels to define Christianity. Use Jesus Christ himself. He is the truest representation of the Christian Ideal. Nothing else will do. All others fall short.”

The concept of placing Jesus himself up against the Torah and the Koran as a plumb line hadn’t ever occurred to us as an option. However, the more we thought about it, the more we came to realize that any other depiction of Christ would obviously fall short. Jesus is the only one who can stand up to the arguments of other world religions. His life, teachings, healings, miracles, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension are unparalleled in every other religious tradition. Others come close in a few areas, but all fall short.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth.” The living presence of God; the divine Reality, manifest in the flesh; the Real Presence. These are but a few of the experiences of the living, breathing, suffering, dying, rising, eternal love of God; incarnate for you and me – to raise us from sin and death.

These are not just theological ramblings – this is the love of God, that it should be made manifest in the form of an infant born to an unwed couple in a distant village in a backwoods section of the world. God’s love became flesh, and dwelt among us. To give us grace, hope, love. LIFE. Eternal. Everpresent. Now that’s what I call Christmas.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,

Brad

Home for the Holidays...

2010-12-07T14:45:00.000-06:00

He was tired. They both were. Traveling is never easy. The trip was long, and they didn't really want to go. But alas, when life tells you to go, you go.

It wasn't an easy trip. He hadn't been back home in years - not since he was a little boy. Going home to visit the relatives. Did they even remember him? He wondered. A lot of water has passed under that bridge. But it was time, and they had to go back home.

They say you can't really ever go back. I remember one time when I had traveled back to one of my many childhood homes. The house that I thought was so huge, wasn't. The tree that I remember being planted - it was just barely a twig - was now so large, I couldn't get my arms around it's trunk. The neighborhood had been developed - there were empty lots all the way around when I was growing up. Now it was a fully fledged neighborhood. I almost didn't recognize it. I imagine that's what he was feeling when he had to go back home.

I can see him as he entered town. His face was searching for something - anything familiar. When he finally came to the street he sort of recognized, that's when it happened. IT happened. And he was totally caught off guard.

Oh sure, he had known it was going to happen - eventually. But this was IT! It was happening NOW! Nine months before, it was a different situation. He hadn't known anything about a visit from an angel. She just came and told him - "I'm pregnant." They weren't even married yet. The talk around town was that she was "one of THOSE girls," or that "he must not be very smart." It wasn't supposed to be like this. There was supposed to be a small house, a couple of years to get to know one another, a raise in pay, a small nest egg, and then they would think and talk about starting a family. Sure, he had a job, but it didn't pay much, and besides, the taxes were always eating away most of his take-home. They were young, and on the road, and now they were going to be parents. Right now.

And they were strangers in town - searching for any place that would have them. Oh, and did I mention there's now a child on the way? Trying to find a place to rest from a long journey, and get a bite to eat. Trying to do what they were supposed to be doing - registering for the census. And now this.

It is interesting when God gets in the way of our plans. God has a way of doing that. But there was something that was more important, more significant, more profound, that had to take place. A world needed to be saved. Saved from the sin that was consuming it more than an out-of-control wildfire consumes a desert-dry forest. And the only way to do this once and for all was for God to come down from on high, and become one of us.

In the Exodus story, God told the Israelites to build for God a tent - a tabernacle - so that God may come and dwell among them. I like that word "dwell". It is a simple word. It means to "pitch a tent and live alongside of". God wants to come and camp with us - among us - as one of us.

And the fascinating thing about all of this is that it doesn't matter how much this salvation plan interferes with our own plans - God's plan is what makes our plans make any sense whatsoever. God's plan is what gives purpose to our lives.

So, they found a place to stay, and on that night so long ago, in a far away place, God drew near to dwell among us. And in that simple moment in time, the God of all eternity made sense of our lives. I would invite you to come home for the holidays this year. I mean - come HOME to God's house. Visit the New Tabernacle - the Child born in a stable. That is the dwelling place of God that is among mortals. Find yourself by the manger, and know that you, too, have come home.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

A Mad Dash...

2010-11-18T14:26:00.000-06:00

It seems that we're fast approaching the end of the eleventh month and heading into the homestretch of this calendar year. It hardly seems real! There are Christmas Carols being played on several radio stations, and stores have already brought out their Yuletide wares! I read only yesterday that Santa has actually made an appearance at a large downtown department store - before Thanksgiving! (Didn't he get the memo? He's not supposed to appear before the Macy's Parade!)

Just yesterday (or so it seems) we were celebrating the New Year, making resolutions while watching the Wise Men saunter their way across the desert sands toward Bethlehem in search of the Child King at Epiphany (Jan. 6th). (Ok, some of us were watching football, but still...) A couple of breaths later, and we were marching through those dusty streets of Jerusalem on the way to the Cross, watching all our hopes and dreams get nailed into death and despair, only to rise again gloriously on the third day! In the very next breath (or so it would seem), we were rejoicing at the delivery of the Holy Spirit's Pentecostal power!

And here, after only a moment or two of school being in session again, we pause for a Thanksgiving break, preparing for that last mad dash toward Christmas and the end of the first decade of the 21st century, and wonder, "Where did the year go?"

To be sure, it went quickly. But let us not think that for a moment it went so for everyone. For some, it was a painful year. Loss of a loved one or home or job, financial difficulties that the news media cannot begin to fully and accurately report, and serious health issues have affected many in this past year. For others, changes in family relationships or in personal issues have been a difficulty that few outsiders could begin to understand. Still, the year has gone by. And the question that lingers around like the leftovers after a holiday feast, "What have we to look forward to?"

The answer to that question is complex, yet straightforward: "God." God is what we have to look forward to. Immanuel. God with us. The season of Advent begins a new year for us all, and a new opportunity to draw near to the stable with wonder. To ponder again at the miracle, not just of birth, but of the miracle of this birth. To see once again that God has not abandoned us, nor left us alone to fend for ourselves. God has provided. God has come to dwell among us. To give us hope, peace, joy, love, and life. Abundant and full life.

So, when you're out and about in the next few weeks as you do your routines to prepare for the holidays, and you begin to notice the holiday music, or become discouraged that the Spirit of Christ seems to be getting drowned out by the spirit of consumerism and commercialism, don't let the world win. Don't let the world take possession of your soul. Just remember that Christ is on his way to bring hope, peace, joy, love, and life to us all. It may be a mad dash at the marketplace, but God has an amazing sense of timing - sending us an infant savior right when we need him most! See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Back to basics...

2010-10-21T11:21:00.000-05:00

It may seem difficult to believe, but I used to play football. I was a Split End. (Well, actually, I wore the uniform, and was assigned to the third string/kickoff and punt return team.) But our team won its division that year, and I still have the first place trophy to prove it. (Did I mention that I was only about nine years old when this happened?) It was a formative time in my life, and there were many things that I learned that year. For instance, I learned that I liked Gatorade more than water; and I learned that it is extremely difficult to catch a football when your shoulder pads won't allow you to bring your arms together in front of you. I also learned that "doing one's best really is good enough."

Another thing that I learned was that if you stick to the basic fundamentals, learn them, know them, and practice them, you cannot go wrong. It doesn't matter at the end of the game what the score is, as long as you tried your very best to do what you had learned about the basics. You were a winner. And we were winners that year. Not because we were more polished, or fancier than the other teams. I believe that we won that year because we practiced the basics. I've never forgotten that lesson. Stick to the fundamentals.

The Church is in a world of transition right now. All about us the world is changing. We've seen more technological advancements in the last ten years than in the previous hundred years - and more in the last hundred years than in the previous two thousand years. But we've seen other changes as well: changes in the ways that we treat one another. Hatred and violence today is more easily recognized for what it is. Bullying has recently made the headlines as teens have been bullied to the point of suicide. We've learned that how we treat one another is important. Self-respect is only as important as the dignity we give to others.

Sounds familiar. Sounds like something a rabbi said two millenia ago. He was asked a question: What is the most important of all the laws? He responded with "Shema, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul." To Jesus, this was the most important law. No other is more important than keeping ourselves in that deep, passionate relationship with our Creator.

But he didn't stop there. He went on to say, "And love your neighbor as yourself." While that first one we can almost all agree on, many folks have a difficult time with the second. Even the fellow that asked the question had a problem with it, and wanted clarification about the word "neighbor". But Jesus was adamant. Love is not conditional. Love is not selective. Love is absolute. In fact, Jesus even summarized his selection of these two with the comment, "Upon all these hang the law and the prophets." In other words, everything points to these two laws as being the basic fundamentals of the faith. Everything else is "commentary."

Maybe this is oversimplification. Or maybe we are so accustomed to looking for a "catch" that we can't seem to wrap our minds around these simple rules. John Wesley put them into three simple rules that he called the "General Rules": Do No Harm; Do Good; Stay in Love with God. When we abide by these simple rules, we're following the will of God. We're doing what we're supposed to be doing, and not doing what we're not supposed to be doing.

If the world seems to be getting out of hand lately, or if your life seems to be somehow getting lost in the shuffle, perhaps its time for you to consider getting back in touch with the basics of the faith. Following these fundamentals will give you a clear sense of direction; a convicting sense of calling; and an absolute resolve to make it through. Get back to the basics. Be grounded in the fundamentals of the faith again, and renew your spirit in the One who loves you most. See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Through Valleys...

2010-09-20T21:38:00.000-05:00

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me."

These words from the 23rd Psalm have meant so much to so many over the centuries. People have turned to this psalm in particular because it reminds them that God's presence is ever nearest when we are in uncertain times. David, the author attributed to this wonderful work, was no doubt a reflective shepherd. Sitting out in the pastures day after day often would give time for one to think, to ponder, to reflect. Somehow, in the midst of his upbringing, David was introduced to God as one who looks after God's people; tending them, much like a shepherd tends sheep. Making sure there is food, water, safety, and a place for rest. It would not be hard to imagine a young shepherd boy feeling comforted by a gracious, loving God.

But there's that line in the middle: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." It seems to stop us cold when we get there. We were just reading about green pastures and still waters, souls being restored, and righteous paths. Then there's that reference to that valley of shadows. We fear this valley for that which is unknown brings fear. Who or what is waiting for us, lurking in those shadows? What does "the shadow of death" look like? (some folks might even conjure up those horrible, dreadful shadows at the end of the movie "Ghost" - but I think Hollywood loses something here in translation!)

Reflecting on some valleys that we've all been through is not a pleasant endeavor. We seldom like to revisit such places for they often bring about feelings of despair and foreboding. But occasionally, true healing doesn't occur unless one is willing to travel back through such valleys. Hopefully, prayerfully, the faithful will be looking for those signs that are unmistakable: the journey was not done in solitude, but with a holy, shepherding escort. As I reflect back on some of the valleys I've traversed over the years, I have become more gratefully aware of the ways in which I was guided by the One who has also journeyed down those nights and days, those haunted highways that showed little light. (How many times I prayed for a rapturous event to remove me from the torment I was going through, only to suffer through and emerge on the other side, scathed a bit perhaps, but intact. Looking back, it was my guide who took the brunt of the trauma in my stead, shielding me; protecting me; loving me.)

Certainly there is something more sincere, more vulnerable, more humbling when one stares into the abyss of death. Humanity is its most vulnerable when we are faced with our own mortality or the mortality of a loved one. The unmistakable words: "Cancer. Malignant. Inoperable." And time becomes a precious gift one dare not waste.

But David's words continue on: "...I shall fear no evil for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." For David, valleys are a place one travels through. With the rod and staff of the Shepherd, we've nothing to fear. We're not staying here among the shadows that frighten. We're traveling onward. The faithful have this assurance - this guarantee: We do not travel alone through this journey called life. We have a constant companion. And even in the darkest of moments, those moments when we stare straight at death, we are reminded that the one with whom we walk is the "Light in whom there is no darkness." Shadows vanish, shades flee into the recesses, and we are shown the path with great clarity.

In this we are called to live, and move, and have our being. The eternal THOU (forgive me, Dr. Buber!) is with us. We are God's beloved. And our God provides for us in life as well as in death.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

My Next Thirty Years...

2010-08-21T10:45:00.000-05:00

There was a country music song a few years ago that was titled, "My Next Thirty Years". It was sort of a reflection of what has happened in the first thirty years of the singer's life, of all the things he'd done, and what he wanted to do differently over the next three decades. I liked that song because it made me take a moment and reflect on my own life over the last few decades. In the last thirty years, I managed to graduate high school, complete a four-year college degree (in only five years!), complete a master's degree, get married, get ordained, have two children, complete a doctoral degree, and serve a total of seven churches!

As I have aged though, I wondered what I might do differently. I wonder how I would act, what I would believe, where I'd be when I reached a certain age. The goals I had set for myself so many years ago - how had I done in achieving them? The reflection set me on a journey of my mind - and how the goals might have been acheived differently.

It seems that our culture is driven to set goals - we're often asked where we'd like to be in five, ten, twenty years or more into the future. The problem with this is that oftentimes, we are confused when those goals are not realized by a given timeline. Have we failed? Was there something we did wrong? Could we have done something differently? What happened? It can send the mind reeling, and the spirit crashing.

And yet, Scripture says that we ought not worry about these things. Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." In this passage there is grace. Grace for the exiles to whom Jeremiah was writing, but also to you and me. When we live in the faith of the one who has planned out the entirety of creation - including our own lives - we are kept secure. God knows our lives better than we do, and we can rest assured that those plans God has for us will be far better than anything that we could have dreamt.

Where this comes in most handily is when we begin to remember and reflect. Looking backward, it is easy to despair, especially when our own plans fall short of our expectations. But God's grace is sufficient. And in this grace there is a subtle reminder that when we trust in God's plans, we'll never be disappointed.

So, as we reflect this week about the past thirty years here at Canyon Lake, we can be proud. Proud of the many accomplishments - new members, baptisms, weddings, confirmations, and all the celebrations that a faithful people of God take part in. Proud that we've managed to share the gospel message of hope and grace for over three decades.

And we can be assured that, as a people of God, our faith in the plans that God has for us will take us into the next thirty years - and beyond - with grace and hope as well. The plans God has for us will not only amaze and astound us, but will call out across the community - We've a story to tell to the nations! Here's to our next thirty years! And Beyond!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

The Next Step...

2010-07-13T16:03:00.000-05:00

Many of you have commented to me about how great Jan looks these days. She has changed a lot of her eating habits, and has begun an exercise program to help her to maintain these changes in behavior. She looks fabulous, as many of you have attested. I cannot tell you enough how much it has changed not only her appearance on the outside, but the way that she feels about herself on the inside. She is like a brand new woman!

Some have asked me how she has managed to accomplish this goal. When I begin to share what she's been doing, it always comes back to the acknowledgment of it being a "lifestyle change." She isn't starving herself, nor is she on some fad diet that will make her want to bounce back in a year or so. No, she's changed her whole mindset - not just about food, but about life itself. She is feeding herself what she truly needs, and she is not being deprived!

It is not just about what she eats, or how much. It is about her attitude toward food. She has begun to grow and mature in her understanding that food isn't just about filling her belly, but about nourishing her whole being. But it isn't just about the food - She has begun to exercise as well. She is training her body to become healthier - as a way of praising God.

All too often, it seems as though most folks think that the Christian walk is characterized by just one thing: our participation in worship alone. But this is ludicrous. If we expect to be spiritually nourished through only one hour of worship a week, the soul is deprived. Starvation sets in. Just as we cannot hope to be nourished on only one meal per week, we cannot hope to be spiritually fed and nourished during only one hour of worship each week. Daily sustenance is needed for our life, health and wellbeing, especially in our faith lives.

This past week, I was sharing a plan that a friend of mine and I have been working on that is loosely modeled after the Walk To Emmaus image of the three-legged stool of a Life in Christ. We called the program "Companis," which comes from the Latin meaning "to break bread with someone." It is designed to draw us into a closer communion with one another in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is an invitation for those who claim Christ to grow in their knowledge, piety, and action (as the Walk to Emmaus model goes). Working on the idea that we Wesleyan Methodists are rooted and grounded in our covenantal relationships, the Rev. George Bradley and I developed a model of discipleship that has three components: Spiritual Discipline, Communal Worship, and Social Outreach. These three aspects, when viewed as an integral part of one another, move the disciple along a path toward a more fulfilled life in Christ.

Worship is an active part of the Christian experience. We surround ourselves with other Christians in order to reaffirm who we are, and whose we are. We surround ourselves with others of the faith in order to hold one another accountable. We surround ourselves with others of like minds and like hearts so that together, we can support one another in our various needs. Together, our voice is stronger when we praise the living God.

The invitation is designed to draw one deeper into communion with Christ through the learning and adopting of the classic and contemporary spiritual disciplines of the faith - daily Bible study, prayer, reflection, meditation, journaling, etc. Participating in a weekly small group Bible study with others will inspire you and challenge you in ways you've never imagined. Drawing on the experiences of those who have gone on before us moves us closer to what God had in mind for us from the very beginning. Spending time with God individually allows us to hear and discern the will of God more clearly, and moves us into a deeper relationship with Christ. We become more in tune with the Holy Spirit's direction and guidance in the everyday issues and problems of life. The more we practice these disciplines, the more in tune we become. The more in tune we become, the closer our walk with Christ will be.

Such discipline informs and inspires us to begin to see the love of God in our neighbor, to hurt when our neighbor hurts, and to act accordingly. This model of social outreach shares what we've learned of the love of God with those in need, and inspires a deeper commitment to Christ, not only in ourselves, but in those whose lives we have touched. Both of these help us to daily fall in love with God all over again, and to become a part of the worshiping community of Christ.

Companis. It means to "break bread with someone." It is a gift of growing closer to Christ. It has been said that "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The next step is simple: will you grow closer to Christ? Start with the basics. The spiritual disciplines of the faith. Then see your neighbors the way God sees them. And above all, come to the community of faith in worship of our God. The next step is right in front of you. Will you take it?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Twenty Years...

2010-06-23T11:12:00.000-05:00

Twenty years...Doesn't seem like that long ago. It seems as though it was only yesterday. But the days have flown into weeks, months, years, and now two decades have passed since she said, "I do." Boy, was I nervous! I didn't know if she would say "yes", or just laugh at me! She said, "yes", and now we're twenty years down the road.

I wish I could say that all twenty years have been easy, fun-filled, and full of everything we've ever dreamed. Truth be told, most of it was, but some of it wasn't. The day we got the news that Jan's father had Pancreatic Cancer was a day that I will never forget, and the day we heard that he had died is a day that still breaks my heart. The day we lost our second baby is another that lingers in my memory as well as a dark time of great sadness. Moving days were never painless nor easy. Saying goodbye to good friends has been difficult over the years.

And yet, there things for which I am grateful as well. Two healthy, adorable children. Ordination. Friends that still communicate more than just at Christmas time. Most especially, a beautiful, intelligent, gracious, thoughtful, helpful, loving companion, who is not afraid to hold me accountable and keep me in line when I most assuredly need it. I wish I could say it was a storybook romance. But I can say that it is filled with passion, adoration, and absolute love.

You may think me odd, but that is exactly the way that God looks at the Church. We are God's bride, and God is eager to hear that we are as deeply in love with God as God is with us. God wants only the best for us, and wants us to be the best we can be. God is passionately in love with us, and there is nothing that God wouldn't do for us.

And what breaks God's heart is not so much our going through the rough patches in life. It isn't about the troubles that we've seen and endured. It isn't even the dark moments of despair. What breaks God's heart is when we don't see God with that same passion and intention. When we fail to love God back in return with our whole heart. When our hearts have grown so accustomed to having God around that it isn't special any more, and we more or less take it for granted.

Sometimes we don't even know we're doing it. We fall behind in some task that we don't take the time to speak with God in the morning. Or we somehow only manage to remember God when things get scary. Sometimes, we've gotten so accustomed to being away from God we don't even know God is waiting for us. And it breaks God's heart. God, who is so much in love with us, keeps waiting. Never giving up hope. Never quitting on us. Because God loves us. And God has given everything for us. "For God so loved the world that God gave his only Son..." What great love is this!!!

This past month, Jan and I renewed our vows at La Mancion on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Truth be told, there was this small tinge of fear that she might not want to re-marry me! She did, and I am more convinced now than ever before that I love her. She's still my heartthrob, and I am grateful.

We're still God's heartthrob. Spend some time today with the one who loves you so much. And give thanks.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Seeing the Present from the Perspective of the Future...

2010-06-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

In a bible study series that I have taught in the past, a statement was made that helped me to gain a fresh perspective on Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of Luke. To be able to understand the present, Jesus' teachings to his disciples offered a glimpse into the future reality of the coming Kingdom of God. He began to illustrate for them the vision of what the Kingdom will be like, and in so doing, began to line out for them the necessary changes in the present in order to be in accord with what is going to be. Jesus, who has already seen the future, had a radically different perspective on the present than most of his contemporaries.

A couple of weeks ago, several folks from Canyon Lake UMC met with about 1,500 other United Methodists in Corpus Christi to engage in our annual gathering of "holy conversations" - what we have come to call Annual Conference. During that time, we worshiped, and did the business of the church. We gathered the first night to sing praises to God for having the blessing and privilege of having been touched by the saints of the church who have died during the year since our last meeting. We lifted up the pastors and pastors' spouses who have gone on to that great reward - who have transferred their membership to the Church Triumphant.

Then, on Thursday, we celebrated the ministries of ten retiring pastors who have reached the end of their appointive ministries. While their calling is still valid - only God can take that away - their active ministries will take a new turn, and for their many years of service, we are thankful.

Friday evening was the opportunity for us to witness the next generation of ministers who have come into the calling actively, and we watched them receive the blessing of our Bishop, and the command to be faithful to the tasks of serving the Church through Word, Order, Sacrament, and Service.

Saturday witnessed the setting and fixing of appointments for all the clergy and churches in the Southwest Texas Conference.

All in all, it was a wonderful conference. But there was a lingering feeling in my bones - something that was different this time (or perhaps I just noticed it fully for the first time this year). As we were saying goodbye to several of our brothers and sisters, and thanking God for their ministries, we were also saying hello to our newer brothers and sisters. Stepping back, taking a longer look, our beloved Church is not finished yet. We can see clearly where we've been. But we worship a Savior who sees very clearly where we're going. And that faith is what will inspire us to come into line with what Jesus has been teaching us all these years. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we will become what Jesus has been calling and guiding us to be. What he sees as the Kingdom of God is where we are headed. I have been inspired by those who have come before us, and I am equally inspired by those who will come after us! I can see God's hand in the present, because God sees us from the perspective of the future. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

A Growing Family...

2010-05-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

I remember as a child, during one particular time in our family's history, my father had gotten a new job out of state, and my mother, sister and I had to remain behind to sell the house before we could move to the new city. As a matter of course, the house had to be spotless - and remain that way at all times - because we never knew when the realtor would call and want to show the house to some prospective buyers. Getting the house clean was not the problem for us kids. KEEPING it clean was! It always seemed more difficult to maintain that level of cleanliness after it was clean, because it always felt as though we didn't really live there. Nevertheless, at the drop of a hat, the house had to be ready for inspection by strangers.

When I was writing my final paper for the degree program at Perkins School of Theology, I came across a book that quintessentially defined for me the notion of what "Welcoming" meant. I hadn't thought about it for a long time, until my daughter Kaitlyn gave her sermon yesterday and mentioned it. While her sermon was absolutely wonderful (ok, I may be bragging just a little bit, but I'm allowed - I'm a dad!) it was that brief comment she gave concerning how we welcome people into the kingdom.

The question was asked, "What would be your level of preparation if you knew that someone was coming over to your house for a visit? Would you clean or tidy up the house? Would you put out the good guest towels in the bathrooms? Would you prepare a meal for your guests and serve it in the formal dining room? To what extent would you prepare for these visitors? Perhaps more importantly, what would your attitude be toward them? If you knew they were just coming over for a visit, would you go to great lengths to be hospitable to them? Would you secretly hope that their visit would not last long?"

The responses would be indicative of how we feel about our visitors to our homes. Sometimes they are truly welcomed, but there are occasions when their visits seem to be intrusions into our spaces. Not all visits are announced, and a few are surprises.

But what happens when that visitor comes home with your college-aged child, and has the potential to become a member of the family? Suddenly, getting the house ready takes on a different kind of meaning. Suddenly, the visitor has the potential to become more than a one-time intrusion into one's schedule. A relationship becomes not only possible, but absolutely essential.

Such is the case when a visitor comes to worship at God's house. The attitude changes, because we know that the possibility exists that this person may very well become part of the family. Even the term "visitor" suddenly becomes inaccurate; "honored guest" seems somehow more appropriate. We tend to treat visitors with a different tone than we do those who might become family, don't we? Radical hospitality has that kind of potential - the potential to make visitors into guests into family.

Next Sunday, when we take that time to greet one another after the Call To Worship and before the Opening Hymn, take a moment to look around you and see if there are any guests that may become family among us. Make a special effort to get around to them, and welcome them, not just to worship, but to the family of faith. And we can all watch our family grow...

See you in church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Borrowed Language...

2010-04-21T06:50:00.000-05:00

When I was in high school, I took one of those “tests” that was supposed to help me to determine a career path. As a senior, I was anxious, nay, excited, to have some glimpse into what destiny my life might attain in my pursuit to find meaning and fulfillment. At last, someone would share with me that destiny, and point me in the general direction. I would finally know beyond the shadow of a doubt where my fate and future would take me. My results were less than hopeful.

It seems that, given my particular gifts and graces, I was destined to be (gulp!) an English grammar teacher. Now, I have nothing against these fine folks, who struggle to make fools like me attempt to learn what is arguably the most difficult language on the face of the planet. Not just learn it, but to master it. To be able to convey with words (written and spoken) the very thoughts that my brain has conceived. To be able to articulate concepts and ideas in such a way that comprehension and dialog can be achieved. To be able to express myself with clarity so that growth may be attained. (Ok, enough with that dribble.)

My only problem is that – well, I hated English grammar. I detested graphing sentences, learning split infinitives (which I have mastered, by the way!), sentence, paragraph, and chapter structures, as well as all the no-no’s that go along with them. I didn’t mind reading others’ works, but I hated having to write my own. I despised the thought of the tasks that were before me to write, phrase, and express myself. I could not imagine the notion of becoming a teacher of this stuff!

It is interesting that I make my living using words. I use words to describe grace, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, repentance, redemption, salvation, hope, love, peace, joy, relationship… well, you get the idea. Words are the tools by which I work, and the building blocks of my trade. Without the ability to express these concepts, how could one share the most important idea the world has ever known, and indeed, needs to hear?

What language shall I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end?
O make my thine forever; and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee.
("O Sacred Head, Now Wounded," UM Hymnal p. 286)

These words, anonymously written and translated in the seventeenth century to describe the indescribable – the debt each of us owes but will never be able to repay to the one who has died for our sins. Over the years, I have learned that my struggles with the English language have not been in vain. I have struggled so that I might better listen to others. I have struggled so that I might be better able to communicate. I have struggled so that others might come to the faith. It isn’t easy. And the words do not always flow easily. And, like the author of those words above, I often ask in prayer, as I sit down to write sermons, newsletter articles, and letters, “What language shall I borrow?” What words shall I find that will help me to express this grace to another soul who needs to hear it?

Maybe you have had a similar situation, where you struggled to find the right words to help someone in need. Maybe you’ve struggled to express the love of God to someone who is hurting. Trust God. Even when the words are hard to find, God knows. God has a way of giving us what we need when the time comes – of putting the right words in our mouths. And when there aren’t any words, “The Spirit intercedes on our behalf with sighs too deep for words.” Thanks be to God! See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

No Resurrection without the Cross & Tomb...

2010-03-16T11:05:00.000-05:00

It seems odd to have to say it, but every year it seems I must. For there are people - good Christian folk - who somehow have become so familiar with the story that they have forgotten why we need to repeat it each year. They have become so accustomed to it's details that they don't want to make the trek.

Early on that Friday morning, there was a great deal of turmoil in many peoples' minds and hearts. There were Scribes and Pharisees who were attempting to gather together to make the case before the Sanhedrin that this rabble-rowser had stirred up enough trouble, and now needed to be dealt with swiftly. Earlier that week, he had the audacity to upset the sacred customs of the Temple Treasury in a fit of rage, turning over tables, screaming in the courtyard like a madman, and chasing away the livestock that had been assembled for the holy sacrifices.

There were ordinary citizens of Judea who had taken the trouble and the time to make an arduous journey to Jerusalem to make that pilgrimage a reality - already dealing with the difficulties of long-distance travelling by foot, and dealing with the unpleasantries of the Roman guards and centurions who would harrass them along the way. Only to find as they arrived that the whole city was in turmoil, and the coming trial of a criminal who had disrupted the order of the day.

Then there were the followers. Men and women who had been travelling - some as long as three years - with this man, only to scratch their heads in wonder at why he was doing what he was doing, why he was saying what he was saying.

Last of all there were the disciples - that close-knit band of brothers who had been with him from the beginning. They were confused by the late night feast the evening before, confused by the changing of the centuries-old customs of the seder. Then, there was the arrest, the surrender without a fight, and the disgrace of that mock trial. Had they backed the wrong horse? Had they followed the wrong Messiah? Had these last three years been a waste of time?

The events of that Friday made it difficult for a lot of people. It is no wonder that there are so many folks who live in the moment of Palm Sunday's parade, and exist for an entire week, hoping to land safely on the other side of the Resurrection without having to traverse that dark hillside shadowed by a cross, and then watch as the stone sealed up the last remaining hope for a new order, a new way of life, coming to a halt in the silence of that evening. It is easier, and much less painful to move from the Hosannas of Palm Sunday to the Alleluias of Easter without having to make that trek through Good Friday.

As tempting as it may seem, please do not allow yourself to skip over the darkness of that day. We truly do need the darkness in order to appreciate the brightness of Easter morning. If there is no cross or tomb, there can be no resurrection. Experience it, reflect upon it. Allow God's Spirit to walk with you - even through the darkest valley - the valley of the shadow of death. For the other side of that valley is life everlasting.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Offensive...

2010-03-08T10:42:00.000-06:00

"One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling. "This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!" (Luke 15:1-2, GNT)

This was the passage of scripture today for my morning devotions. As I read it, I began to wonder about Jesus' reputation. That was surely the question the teachers and Pharisees were raising. They were amazed that he would dare to associate with "the wrong kind of people." Didn't Jesus know the law? Didn't he understand the rituals concerning clean and unclean? Didn't he understand that those people weren't politically correct to associate with? There is a decorum that must be maintained. There are certainly standards that have to be upheld. And there are laws! "Jesus! How could you possibly eat with those folks?!"

The harshness of their criticism stung in my mind. How dare they challenge Jesus! How dare they distinguish between who Jesus can associate with and who he may not! How dare they raise their noses in the air in superiority! Don't they know who Jesus is?

Then I began to wonder about their comments. Who were these "tax collectors and other outcasts"? Tax collectors in those days were people of unscrupulous greed, willing to sell out a relative for a larger cut of the take. They were unconcerned about who they were taxing - as long as they managed to get their part from Caesar. "Other outcasts" is a sanitized way of saying "just about everyone else who doesn't deserve to be included in community." Sinners, to be sure, but of such a voracity of sinfulness that this translation chose not to itemize. Immorality, self-centeredness, greed, those suffering from disease and dis-ease, and so many more that the list was virtually endless. "Other outcasts" pretty much says it all.

My reflections meandered their way down to where I am in my ministry, in my own discipleship, and even to my own soul. I began to wonder, "what do others think of me? Do others care if I associate and even eat with the "wrong kind of people?" And then the conviction hit. Am I more concerned with my reputation with the Pharisees and teachers of the Law than I am with those who desperately need to hear a word of hope? Am I more concerned about what the "right crowd" thinks of me, that I am afraid of being bold enough to associate with the ones who need to hear the word of grace the most?

Ultimately, how I behave in the world - who I associate with, what and how I share what I have and who I am, and how available I make myself to others - comes down to being the visible result of who I am in my inmost being. If I have aligned myself with the world, I will value what the world values - possessions, power, prestige. If, however, I have aligned myself with Christ, I will value what Christ values - people, relationships, the soul. Christ's values are simple - they are directed toward bringing people back into a right relationship with God. In Christ, the sin is outcast, not the sinner. In Christ, the value is in the person and the relationship between her/him and God, others, and the self. To be aligned with Christ is offensive to the world's values. To be aligned with the world's values is offensive to Christ.

I pray that God will have mercy on me when I forget these values, because it directly affects how I behave in the world. I pray that God will grant me the boldness and courage to share a meal with those who are desperately in need of being "cast back into the fold". I pray you will find that same grace in strength also, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflections...

2010-02-18T10:48:00.001-06:00

On a retreat some time back, I was asked to take a moment or two to reflect on my ministry thus far. I remember thinking that it had been a long, winding road, from a college student in Abilene, through the Rocky Mountains of seminary, to the wind-swept plains of western Nebraska, to the deep south Texas Rio Grande Valley. It had been an interesting journey, one filled with mountaintop highs, and deep, dark valley lows. It was always exciting, never boring, and filled with the signposts that marked where the Spirit's guiding had led the way.

Early in my ministry, Jan gave me a notebook that resembled an old, tattered spiral-bound notebook that her grandfather had kept as a record of his ministry. In that old, lined ledger, Grandpa Otto had written down every baptism, every wedding, every confirmation, and every funeral over which he had ever officiated. Page after page, line after line, names were written - recorded for all history. The new, leather-bound notebook was engraved with my name. Jan had given it to me to begin to record my own ministry's milestones, perhaps as a way to carry on the tradition of her grandfather. The names that are written there are more than just names. They are the people whom I have encountered on my own faith journey - not just as a pastor, but as a fellow traveller. From the baptism of my own nephew, to the burial of my grandmother and grandfather, and the many names in between, I have been blessed to witness what this faith journey is all about.

As I sat reflecting on that journey, and where it has taken me thus far, I am amazed at how much it has been the people who have shaped my life. Not the books, nor the lectures, nor the sermons, nor the degrees. It has always been the people - people that I believe God has placed in my path to show me the way. People that have been loving enough, and bold enough, to point out when I have fallen away from the path I am supposed to be on. People that have been gracious enough to forgive me when I have messed up royally. More than names. People.

Perhaps that is a small part of what Lent is about. It is about how we have managed to share with one another the path that we know is truth - the path that comes from knowing and following our Lord Jesus Christ. The path that is light. Lent is a wonderful time for us to get back in touch with our faith, to re-learn the practices and disciplines that distinguish us from the worldly, and help us to be more in tune with the Godly.

Perhaps you also might take this time to get back in touch with your faith-roots, and re-learn your spiritual disciplines. You might just bump into God there!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

The User's Manual...

2010-02-04T10:07:00.000-06:00

I have a new cell phone. My old phone began to be "unreliable" (which is a nicer way of saying that it was not working all the time!). I began to notice that there were names and dates missing on it, which made it difficult to keep track of appointments and phone numbers - especially when I needed them. So, I got a new phone.

It's called a "smart phone," although I'm not sure why. Supposedly it does lots of things, just like my old phone did, only it wasn't called a "smart phone." It has a calendar, a camera (both still and video), and can access my email and the internet. It even allows me to update my Facebook page whenever I want. I can read and create Word and Excel documents on it. It even has a calculator on it, wherever it is. I haven't located it yet. There's even an application for a GPS, although that costs extra. Oh, did I mention that it has a phone?

Technology seems to be getting more and more advanced. A few years ago, telephones were stilled wired into the walls of your home, although a few were "cordless." A few years before that, much like Henry Ford's words, you could get a phone in any color you wanted, as long as it was black. Now there are arcade games and programs on them, and you can take pictures of sunsets, and flowerpots, and whatever else you desire, and upload them to the World Wide Web. One of these days I'm going to read the user's manual and find out exactly what all is on that new phone.

Dr. Grace Imathiu, a United Methodist Pastor, once shared a brief story about the Garden of Eden scene in which God went searching for the wayward couple after they had eaten of the forbidden fruit. God asked, "Where are you?" And Adam replied, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." And God said, "Who told you that you were naked?" Dr. Imathiu said that this was the most important question in all of scripture - "Who have we been listening to other than God?"

In a few days, we will be beginning the season of Lent, starting with Ash Wednesday services on Wednesday, February 17th at 6:30 p.m. Lent is that time of year when Christians begin to reflect on their walk of faith with our Lord Jesus Christ. We begin to look at how closely we are following in our Master's footsteps. We reflect on how much we have come to depend on things other than Jesus. Things like money, position, status, which team will win the Super Bowl, etc. Even things like new cell phones.

Perhaps I should take out the "other" user's manual and read up on what it has to say during this season of Lent. How about you?

See you in Church!

When the Earth Trembles...

2010-01-18T12:38:00.000-06:00

In a moment of reflection this morning, it dawned on me that we may have fallen into that same trap that comes along every so often. We get excited about the newest, the latest, the labor-saving, the time-saving, the solution to all of our needs. We become consumed by the latest trends that promise to make life easier, and we try it, and lo and behold it works! We become enamored with how our lives seem to coast along pretty nicely, and we begin to believe that we have actually "arrived." It seems so odd that our world has come so far, and yet, when something dramatic happens, something traumatic, it always seems to knock us back on our heels.

Last week, people got up and began their day thinking that it was just another Tuesday. Breakfasts were eaten, jobs were attended to, and life was going along fairly smoothly. Few folks noticed that in a specific place not far from here, people were still starving, still homeless, still in need of basic medical care, still in need ofthe basic elements of human existence. Those few folks gathered together to discuss and plan how they could help the rest of the world take notice of this small country that was struggling to just survive. And then the unthinkable happened.

It was unthinkable because no one had ever imagined that there would be a plate-shift in that region of the world. It was unthinkable because earthquakes don't happen there - especially with that kind of magnitude. It was unthinkable because it wasn't on our minds. At all. This tiny country seemed the world away to most of us. We knew about where it was, we'd studied it in geography class in school. But other than the distant memories of conflicts from years gone by - ousted leaders, civil unrest, disease and poverty - it seemed as though it was just another country in need. "The poor you will always have with you..." we seem to recall Jesus saying (Mark 14:7).

Several United Methodist mission executives were in Port Au Prince last week to discuss and plan for a way to help the poor of that nation to get the resources they need to have a quality of life that we take for granted. In the midst of their time together, the earth shook. Buildings fell. People were killed. Including two of those executives. Rev. Dr. Sam Dixon, head of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and Rev. Clint Rabb, head of Mission Volunteers for UMCOR, both died from the injuries they sustained when the Hotel Montana fell upon them. Our prayers naturally go to their families who are experiencing great loss at this time. And yet, they are but two of the tens of thousands of victims who perished in this tragedy.

Their mission was to get the world to take notice. While it seems painful to say, their mission was accomplished. The world has noticed. Not because the earth shook. It has been doing that since the beginning of time. The world has noticed, perhaps because we aren't as self-absorbed as we thought we were. When people suffer, we notice, and many of us are moved through compassion into action.

I hope and pray that the events of this past week have us all thinking and praying. Haiti is not all that far away - especially when we consider that they are God's children just like us. Maybe, because of the earthquake we'll take notice, not just of the devastation of this natural disaster (which still seems so unnatural to me), but of the devastating effects of poverty for an entire population. I hope and pray that these events will move us beyond thoughts and prayers into action to make a difference in the lives of so many people who are so affected by this disaster. And maybe, just maybe, at least two deaths will not have been in vain.

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

An Epiphany...

2009-12-23T09:59:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while, someone will ask me why we do the things that we do in church. Many of those questions arise from some of the customs that we have or practice in the center of worship, such as the liturgical colors, or seasons. Much of the time, these questions come from folks who are not just inquisitive, but because somewhere along the way, the church has failed to educate and explain what we do and why.

The Seasons are the greatest example of this. While the rest of the world begins its secular celebration of Christmas with jolly old elves checking lists and decorating trees and cookies long before the leftovers from Thanksgiving have been consumed, the Christian Church quietly goes about its somber, soul-searching preparations for the coming of the Christ Child in Advent. And when the Christmas music of winter wonderlands, snowfalls, and bells jingling have all turned back to the regular secular music of the rest of the year on the 26th of December, the Church’s music turns to joyous angelic singing, shepherds being summoned, and heaven rejoicing for twelve more days because the babe of Bethlehem has finally arrived. And the greeting card companies have wise men visiting the stable, when there is no mention of that location in the Gospels.

It may even seem as though the Church has somehow gotten out of sync with the rest of the world, or that we have fallen behind the times! The reality is just the opposite. The Church has it right while the world rushes ahead. What is missing in the world’s approach? The capacity to be still, reflect, and meditate on what this most peculiar yet precious gift truly means for us. Those wise men – star gazers – astrologers – likely visited the child after he had grown into a toddler (See Matthew 2:13-18 for the rest of the story!). Their visit is the beginning of a revelation that this child Jesus is not intended to be for just a single group of people for a single generation. Because these star gazers were from another land and another tradition, their visit was a symbol that this child was intended to be for all peoples and places and times and generations…

Epiphany – a word that literally means “the manifestation of Christ to the world” – is the season that follows the twelve days of Christmas. It is the season in which the Church celebrates the baptism of Jesus, and the visit from these strangers from the East. And it is our opportunity to proclaim that this child, born out of wedlock in a barn in a backwoods village in a foreign occupied territory, is truly the Son of the Living God. And that means that our God is doing something fantastic – truly fantastic – out of a great love that knows no boundaries.

It has been revealed to you – it is your epiphany! Who are you going to share it with?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

The Birth of a Child...

2009-12-02T10:34:00.000-06:00

It is interesting to see how new families adapt when a little one is on the way. From the moment when I buckled our newborn daughter into her car seat for the very first time, I knew that life would be tremendously different than it had been for the previous five years of marriage. She seemed so small in that enormous car seat! It was as if it had swallowed her up! So tiny, so fragile, so new.

Still, I remember that drive home. I think I drove slower than I had ever driven before – like I was carrying eggs in each hand as I attempted to climb a ladder! Jan was still recovering, and every bump in the road made me nervous and aware that this trip – and every trip hereafter – would be different.

Jan and I had been married five years. Oh, we had a dog that we had raised as a puppy, and practiced our parenting skills on that poor fella, but this was going to be for real. We had a daughter! And she was going to change things tremendously. Our life was going to involve a whole new set of priorities. Getting up and going out at the spur of the moment would now take at least a half-hour to get diaper bags, coats, blankets, bottles, formula, wipes, strollers…all gathered up and loaded into the car. Date nights would now involve advanced planning and insuring that the sitter could be there at the appointed time. And on and on…

Someone once said that the most powerful person in a family system is often the most vulnerable. I think that is true, especially when that person is an infant. The entire family’s lifestyle changes to accommodate that little one because it cannot fend for itself. Schedules change, priorities change, even people change, and as a result, relationships change. It is never the same again. And that is not always a bad thing.

A young woman discovered that she was expecting – rather unexpectedly – and it changed her life. She wasn’t married, and had never been with her fiancé. He was supposed to leave her, and she would be publicly humiliated, even tortured for her infidelity. He decided not to when he was told that this birth would be different. When she went to visit her cousin who would watch over her during her pregnancy, she uttered some fairly powerful words about what was happening with her, and how this child would turn the world upside down. Within thirty three years, that child would turn the world around, and we would never be the same again. The birth of a child has that effect.

This season, I pray that you will take some time, in the midst of all your holiday preparations, to dwell, if even for a moment or two, about how that one child has changed your life. I pray that you will contemplate how your life is different, more meaningful, more purposeful, because of that child’s birth. Then I pray that you will join my family and me as we celebrate his birth in one of our three Christmas Eve Services (5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. & 11 p.m.).

“I once was lost, but now am found…” The birth of a child changes things.

See you in Church!
Grace and peace,
Brad

Learning to walk again…

2009-11-16T12:05:00.000-06:00

I wasn’t feeling very well, and he wanted me to do something that I wasn’t sure I could do yet, let alone wanted to do. But he made me. Physically. He lifted me out of my bed, stuck a crutch under each arm, and made me stand up. I mistakenly told him that I needed to go to the bathroom, and he said, “Good! Let’s go.” Left.

Just after knee surgery, I thought, was a poor time to try to walk on it, and see if it was going to work. But my physical therapist decided that there was no time like the present to re-learn to walk. I was only seventeen, had torn my cartilage playing tennis with my dad, and had just come out of surgery that morning. “Carefully,” he said, “take a step forward.” Right.

It was strange thinking that I needed to learn how to walk again. Step, check your balance, step, check again. Left. Right. Left. Right. With each step, forward motion was made, and I found myself making my way up and down the corridor of that hospital in Tucson. Left.

It is amazing how many times in life that we find ourselves having to learn to do things over and over again. Hip replacement means weeks of therapy, learning to walk, to bend, to function all over again. The recent economic downturn leads to a “reduction in force,” thereby causing someone to learn a new skill or job. A middle-aged father finds himself without a life mate for the first time in years, and has to learn to start dating again. Retirement leads a man to re-learn to prioritize and reschedule. A recent widow finds herself struggling with the balancing of checkbooks and paying the bills after her husband’s unexpected death. With each new stage in life comes a re-tooling, a re-learning, a re-training. It is like learning to walk all over again. Right.

Churches even go through cycles like this from time to time. Families move away from the community. New families come into the congregation. Babies are born. Children grow up. An adored Associate Pastor retires to care for his health. A beloved organist receives her eternal reward. People learn to adapt and step forward so that the gaps are filled. We don’t forget. We remember. Because that is what we were commanded to do by our Savior. And we are stronger and we are blessed. Left.

Ironically, we don’t learn these things alone. We are surrounded by a congregation of people who care. We are accompanied by a Holy Spirit that sustains, encourages and strengthens. We are blessed by a God who loves enough to remind us that we are not alone. Right.

It is a part of growing in Christ. It is a part of becoming what God has created us to be. It means moving into a realm that we might not cross into of our own accord. Still, we trust, that
we’ll be sustained and upheld by the power of the Holy Spirit as we respond to God’s promptings to move us forward in His name. Left.

“You’re doing fine,” he said. My knee hurt, but I could tell that I was going to be alright. I somehow knew that he wouldn’t let me fall. And, truth be told, he was right. I was going to be alright. I still have pain in my knee. But every time the wind changes, I am reminded by that pain that comes back that I did learn to walk all over again. If I could do it then, with the power of God, then I can do it again. And so can you, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Right.

See you in church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Outstanding Loans and Feudin'...

2009-11-02T11:11:00.000-06:00

My family has a strange heritage. On my father's side, we have the story of an un-paid debt owed by the Continental Congress dating back to the late 1770's, where Jacob DeHaven reported loaned George Washington and the Continental Army a fairly substantial amount of money to fund the growing war debt against the British during our Revolutionary War. While the story has lots of facets to it, and there is some question as to its absolute validity, it is one of the stories that adds color and flavor to our family's heritage and history.

Another facet to my family's name is that my father's mother was a bonafide McCoy - from the Hatfield-McCoy fame. Her grandfather was one of the elders involved in the feud, which purportedly had to do with a stolen pig, and a set of nuptuals involving a "youngun'" from both families. Again, legend oftentimes tends to be more colorful than fact, but as someone once said,
"when legend is more powerful than fact, print the legend."

No doubt, you and your family have similar stories - tales that when told give one a sense of identity, and meaning. Perhaps your family's stories are more colorful, or are more patriotic, or more grace-filled than mine. Perhaps they aren't. Regardless, they are your stories, and they share with the world a little about how life has shaped and formed you, how these have touched you in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

I would also venture a guess that some of your stories involve those people who's lives have intersected with yours and critical junctures, and have influenced you in profound, spiritual ways. People with whom you have interacted, and in those interactions, you were changed, transformed, and because of that, you haven't been the same since. If you are reading this, chances are pretty good that you've had an interaction with someone who has taken the time to share the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with you, and has given you the opportunity to make a decision for Christ. (If you are reading this, and that has not yet happened, I pray that it will soon!)

The stories that we have are who we are. They make up our lives, and fill us with meaning and purpose. They share with the world that we are who we are. I pray that you will somehow allow those special stories that have shaped your faith to be the ones that will be your defining stories.

In the meantime, keep practicing the faith! See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Hopefully Devoted to Prayer...?

2009-10-21T12:36:00.000-05:00

The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Colossian Christians to "devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2, NRSV). Many of us think of ourselves as devoted to many things. We are devoted to our spouses, to our jobs, to our families, to our pets, to the maintenance and upkeep of our homes and cars, and to our favorite sports teams (College and Professional!). We are devoted to our favorite pasttimes - card games, social clubs, hobbies and interests. We are a devoted people.

But what does that word mean? DEVOTED. (Say it often enough and it begins to sound a little strange - like something you would do on a bizarre reality show on TV! "She was devoted off the island!)

Devoted: adj. 1. Feeling or displaying strong affection or attachment; ardent. 2. Having been consecrated, dedicated. (source: American Heritage College Dictionary)

It seems we all understand that first definition - which is what I was referring to in the above paragraphs. When we are devoted to something, we tend to show strong affection for that something. We are ardent Aggie or Longhorn supporters (or Red Raiders, or wherever it was that you attended or support currently!). We are devoted!

But I believe that Paul was trying to get at the second meaning in his verse to the Colossians. When Paul commands (notice he did not ask his readers!) that they be devoted to prayer, he is talking about something deeper than a feeling of attachment or affection. He is talking about something that is consecrated, dedicated, holy. When we devote ourselves to prayer, and keep alert in it with thanksgiving, we are participating in a holy moment - a holy connection with the Lord of all creation.

This past week, my mother has undergone a battery of tests to determine if she has a blockage in her heart. Nuclear stress tests, EKG's, MRI's, and all those other alphabet soup tests were conducted. While there was little I could do for her, the one thing that I could do was to pray. And so I did. Fervently. Ardently. And most especially with consecrated dedication. I also asked everyone I knew to pray with me for her. And they all agreed.

I have shared this with many people, and they have all shared with me similar stories - the power of prayer works. We cannot explain it, but it does. Physicians, psychologists, and a host of other scientists have attempted to get at why prayer works for people. Without any firm evidence, the only conclusion drawn is that it just does.

I think I have an idea why it works. I think Paul did too. It has to do with that consecrated, dedicated connection with the Holy when we pray. Keep alert in your prayers, and you'll have a reason to be thankful, too!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Maintenance or Mission

2009-10-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Brian Stoffregen wrote: “I recently received our Rocky Mountain Synod (ELCA) newsletter. There was a short article in it adapted from Herold Percy, "Good News People," which makes a contrast between "maintenance" and "mission".

1. In measuring the effectiveness, the maintenance congregation asks, "How many pastoral visits are being made? The mission congregation asks, "How many disciples are being made?"
2. When contemplating some form of change, the maintenance congregation says, "If this proves upsetting to any of our members, we won't do it." The mission congregation says, "If this will help us reach someone on the outside, we will take the risk and do it."
3. When thinking about change, the majority of members in a maintenance congregation ask, "How will this affect me?" The majority of members in the mission congregation ask, "Will this increase our ability to reach those outside?"
4. When thinking of its vision for ministry, the maintenance congregation says, "We have to be faithful to our past." The mission congregation says, "We have to be faithful to our future."
5. The pastor in the maintenance congregation says to the newcomer, "I'd like to introduce you to some of our members." In the mission congregation the members say, "We'd like to introduce you to our pastor."
6. When confronted with a legitimate pastoral concern, the pastor in the maintenance congregation asks, "How can I meet this need?" The pastor in the mission congregation asks, "How can this need be met?"
7. The maintenance congregation seeks to avoid conflict at any cost (but rarely succeeds). The mission congregation understands that conflict is the price of progress, and is willing to pay the price. It understands that it cannot take everyone with it. This causes some grief, but it does not keep it from doing what needs to be done.
8. The leadership style in the maintenance congregation is primarily managerial, where leaders try to keep everything in order and running smoothly. The leadership style in a mission congregation is primarily transformational, casting a vision of what can be, and marching off the map in order to bring the vision into reality.
9. The maintenance congregation is concerned with their congregation, its organizations and structure, its constitutions and committees. The mission congregation is concerned with the culture, with understanding how secular people think and what makes them tick. It tries to determine their needs and their points of accessibility to the Gospel.
10. When thinking about growth, the maintenance congregations asks, "How many Lutherans live within a twenty-minute drive of this church?" The mission congregation asks, "How many unchurched people live within a twenty-minute drive of this church?"
11. The maintenance congregation looks at the community and asks, "How can we get these people to support our congregation?" The mission congregation asks, "How can the Church support these people?"
12. The maintenance congregation thinks about how to save their congregation. The mission congregation thinks about how to reach the world.

Isn’t it interesting that for so many folks, maintaining the church satisfies only ourselves and our own needs? Jesus' mission was all about serving others. “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NRSV). What about us?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

The Relationship Between Disease and Dis-ease...

2009-09-22T16:19:00.001-05:00

I've been reading a book of prayers written by a well-known seminary professor from the east coast. His prayers are comforting, and yet they are discomforting. He speaks of our faith, and then mentions how we live in an aura of entitlement. He writes of how God has blessed us, and it is welcomed and needed - desired even. And then he shares with us how these blessings relate to those around us who need our help from our abundance of blessing.

Today's prayer was especially poignant. He mentions our dis-ease with the ways that our world is lived. The expectations of our entitlement are enjoyed - and rightfully so, but then he mentions that when we stop and look around at our entitlement, we are confronted with those who are not so entitled, who are not so blessed. And while this is cause for reflection, what usually happens is that we, like that Pharisee at the other end of the chancel railing look up to God and give thanks that we are not like old so-and-so, because of the ways they have chosen to live their lives.

But this isn't the dis-ease part. No, the author of this book of prayers tells us that the dis-ease comes from our recognition (or perhaps our failure to recognize) that in our Baptism, we united ourselves with that one who showed a preference for the poor, the lame, the outcast, the downtrodden, the misfit, the ex-con (and the still imprisoned)... By our baptism, we are confronted with the reality of who we are, and who we are called and redeemed to be. And there is a great dis-ease with that disparity.

And if we are honest with ourselves, that dis-ease should make us more than a bit queasy. Nauseous. Disturbed into action. This gospel is a difficult one at best. Our blessedness is not our entitlement. Our blessedness is intended to be functional; practical; utilitarian. We are blessed to be a blessing. And when we fail to live into this blessedness, we become less than what we were intended to be. And this creates dis-ease, and can even make us diseased.

It's what happens when we look at our blessedness as entitlement instead of opportunity. It is truly a difficult thing to behold. But there is good news! There is a cure! There is a treatment plan that will enable us to live into the great potential that God has ordained for us! When we sign up for the Kingdom (through our baptism) we become a part of something that is greater than ourselves. We become a part of God's great plan for reconciling the whole world. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not reliy on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Sabbath Timing...

2009-09-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

Just recently, Jan, Kaitlyn, Braedon and I were invited to attend a Bat-Mitzvah for the daughter of a friend of ours in Girl Scouting. The young lady was the first to celebrate this coming of age ritual in their new congregation. (It was a milestone for more than one reason!) It was held on a Saturday evening, thus ending the Sabbath. (Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and extends to sundown on Saturday.)

She and her mother had planned the service from the very beginning in consultation with their Rabbi, and the worship service was wonderful! While much of it was sung in the ancient language of the Hebrews, there were translations in English and Aramaic. Still, it was an impressive service, and throughout it all, I could definitely sense that we were worshiping God, and celebrating the faith of this young woman.

The conclusion of the service seemed to be the most memorable for me, for it was the tradition of the congregation to end Sabbath with a special service of lights, the breaking of bread, and the sharing of wine. The congregation stood in a circle around the Rabbi and this young lady as she would celebrate her first Sabbath as an adult.

But what was most memorable was a few brief comments made by the Rabbi. He said, (and here I paraphrase from memory!) "Friends, we have gathered together to honor God and to remember what Sabbath means. For twenty-five hours we step aside from the busyness of the world, and we focus our lives on God." It struck me: twenty-five hours. Twenty four hours for Sabbath time as a family, and then one hour to conclude that time as a community.

How often do we give God that kind of commitment in our daily lives? How often do we stop - I mean completely stop - what we're doing and focus our entire lives on God? How often do we step away from the busyness of our worlds - from work, from chores, from school, from hobbies, from tasks and to-do lists, from ... How often?

Jesus came to his disciples after a long night of being in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and asked them, "Could you not keep awake for one hour?" (Mark 14:37b)'' One hour. It seems such a short time...

Lord, help me to not only stay awake, but to stay focused on you for more than one hour. Amen.

Walking Modestly...

2009-08-25T09:15:00.000-05:00

I was recently at a continuing education event where Dr. Paul Escamilla shared with us a few thoughts about his book, "Longing for Enough in a Culture of More." He shared with us that he had encountered a cross-stitched wall hanging in a synagogue in Dallas that quoted Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O Mortal, what the Lord requires: to do justly, to love kindly, and to walk modestly with your God."

At first glance, one might think that the word modestly is out of place, or is incorrect. We know that last segment to read something like, "and walk humbly with your God." Humbly we get. We understand that. It's core essence is in our humility - especially when we tred next to the Almighty. Who are we that we might walk with the Creator? But modestly? Where and how does that fit in?

Escamilla shared with us that in its original context, modestly and humbly are interchangeable in the original Hebrew. In fact, the subtle differences of humble and modest are so slight, one might not notice at all. But take note. When we think of modesty, what are we implying? "My daughter ought to dress more modestly when she goes out with her friends," we might think. Or "he should be more modest when he flashes his wealth around." It almost connotes a conscious decision to live in a certain way. Humility admits to being simpler. Modesty decides to living so.

So, what was Micah suggesting? In our world that is so filled with the urges and pushes to acquire more and more and more, modesty asks us to stop, step back, and see what it is that we already have - the abundance of life given to us by God. And we are asked to ponder, "how am I living in grace with what I have?" "How can I live more faithfully, more nobly, more modestly with what I have been given?"

John Wesley determined early in his ministry just how much of his salary he absolutely needed to live on. He promptly determined to give away whatever was left over. By the time of his death, Wesley had managed to keep fairly close to that same amount of money to live on, even though the salary he was earning was many times that amount. Still, he lived on what he NEEDED, and gave the rest away. His rationale was simple: live on only what one needs. The rest would be wasted on the self - it is holier to give it away to those who should need it.

How modest are you? How modestly do you walk with God?

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

For Helen Backlund....

2009-08-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

We received word yesterday evening that our dear friend, and church organist, Helen Backlund died suddenly and unexpectedly. Her death came as a tremendous shock to all of us, and the news is still filtering through our congregation.

Such a tragedy is difficult to fathom. The loss of one so close to us all leaves us with a gaping hole, and the grief hits much too close to home. Helen's gift of music was not only spectacular, it was only overshadowed by her beautiful smile, warm laughter, and gracious spirit. Many's the time when I would be sitting in my pew in the chancel in front of the organ during the prelude or offertory piece that Helen would be playing, and I would find myself mesmerized by her melodic skills and the spiritual blessing of the music. I know I was not the only one.

Helen was the first to ask me after I arrived to take part in the annual Pilot's Club musical last fall. She coached me on the music we'd be singing, remind me of the tunes and melodies, and guide me in the pronunciation of the words. Her knowledge of music was a gift from God, but her spirit was a blessing to us all.

Not long ago, I had the privilege of just chatting with her about her past, her musical tastes, and what we had in common with piano. It was a delightful conversation, and I came away amazed at this beautiful woman whose love for the piano and organ is only overshadowed by her love for her Lord.

Saying goodbye to friends is never an easy task. It is only made more difficult when that opportunity is never offered due to tragic circumstance. The loss is difficult to bear, but the joy of knowing someone - through God's grace only - always seems to somehow outweigh the pain and grief. Certainly our prayers are with Helen's husband, Jack, and with her family and friends. And we will surely miss her.

Thank you, Helen. Somewhere, I have the feeling that you are raising the roof with a pipe organ, pulling out all the stops, and playing for your Lord. God Bless You, Helen. Thank you.

Grace and peace,
Brad

Breathing Room

2009-07-27T11:10:00.000-05:00

It is a typical Monday morning here in the office. I’ve had fifteen visits from folks who have just wanted to talk with me; three phone calls; one phone message; a fax; sixteen emails; two text messages; and all the mail that was in my mailbox. Not to mention the fact that I have yet to clear away my desk from yesterday’s worship service, and last night’s bible study. I am not complaining, mind you. I like people. I like life when things get busy. It is invigorating – most of the time. Mondays are like trying to play catcher to about fifteen little league pitchers who are all throwing wild!

Mondays are strange. It is the beginning of the work week, however, it isn’t the beginning of the week. I start my weeks on Sundays. (I know, Sunday is supposed to be a Sabbath time for Christians, or so someone once said. I take my Sabbath rest on Fridays. The common misconception is that preachers only work an hour a week. A pastor friend of mine once told me that “preachers work more than that. We work weekends and holidays!” I think he may be on to something there.)

Truth be told, being a pastor is fun. It is filled with opportunities to make a difference in peoples’ lives, to watch each generation draw closer to God in their daily walks with Christ, and to be the link to God in the midst of all the craziness of life. To watch that smile that comes over a sweet, innocent face when a small child takes that piece of bread and the juice while you say to them that “this means God loves you very much,” is to reach out and touch God’s face. To be there when someone “gets it” and catches that glimpse of the eternal, that makes it all worthwhile.

But it is also a difficult task. To sit at someone’s bedside and watch the last breath God has given them exhale into nothingness, and to hold their hand into eternity, is a moment that no pastor ever forgets. To watch as a marriage that has been barely held together by wishful thinking fall apart like so much dust in the wind, can break your heart. To have shared the life-giving, life-sustaining message of hope and salvation to someone who is struggling with all the entrapments of worldliness, only to watch them walk away, rejecting the God who loves them so much that not even the only begotten Son was spared, can rend the soul.

Ministry requires that you have the ability to do several things at once – kind of like that circus performer who spins the plates on a series of dowels. Ministry means that you have kind of a double vision – able to see the immediate faith issues before you while at the same time being able to focus on the long distance vision and direction that the church is called by God to go. It means being able to know that sometimes, not everyone is going to be happy. It means that occasionally, someone’s feelings may be hurt. And while it is never a pastor’s aim to have that happen, it still, nonetheless happens.

Since I started writing this article, I’ve had three more people knock on my door for a short visit. I’ve also had two more phone calls. It is a typical Monday morning. Still, it is a good day, because God is still good. And God’s grace is still very much present, and definitely appreciated. After a moment or two of reflection, I believe that it is precisely that Amazing, Holy Grace that allows us to have a moment of breathing room – especially when we need it most. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

To Infinity And Beyond!

2009-07-16T13:39:00.000-05:00

One of Braedon's favorite movies a few years ago was the Disney animated "Toy Story." It is the story of a little boy's toys, who have to deal with change, especially when the boy is getting ready for a birthday party with lots of friends. Ultimately what this means is, friends + party = new toys. Fear and pandemonium breaks out when they come to the conclusion that some of the toys will be given up and sold at a garage sale. Still, the greatest issue comes when the new toy somehow replaces the older, "favorite" toy, and the conflict begins. The new toy, a "Space Ranger" named "Buzz Lightyear" takes the coveted place of honor on the child Andy's bed, and Woody gets accidentally knocked down onto the floor behind the bed. Conflict builds as the family's garage sale is the precursor to the family moving day.

Buzz Lightyear's favorite slogan is "To Infinity and Beyond!" He says it frequently, and it begins to irritate Woody. But there's something about this movie that sets the mind racing. Obviously it is a children's movie, but there are some very real grown-up concepts being presented.

Change, for one. Suddenly, the thought of being replaced is frightening. The thought of someone or something new coming along may upset the delicate balance that has been worked on so hard to maintain. Change is never easy. But it happens. All the time.

Last week, while we were at Ft. Davis, our family visited the McDonald Observatory. The information that we gleaned there was fascinating for an amateur scientist like me. I have always loved looking at the stars, but couldn't begin to tell you about the constellations, or even find the North Star. Now, however, I have been educated! I know exactly how to find it! I have been given a glimpse into the concept of "To Infinity and Beyond!"

But as we were driving away from the observatories, I mentioned to Jan that I had been thinking about all the changes that have happened over the last hundred years. I was musing about our attitudes toward the past, how we thought then we were so advanced, and yet today, we're so much farther along in our critical thinking and scientific research than back then. I mentioned that I wondered what people will think a hundred years from now! What will they think about all the great advances in the Internet, and mp3's, and digital phones and television, and on and on. We'll probably look very primative to those folks a hundred years from now! Change is inevitable.

A few weeks ago during a meeting, our group was presented with a phrase that is absolutely stark and powerful in its meaning: "When you are through changing, you're through." Change is inevitable. But how we learn to deal with that change makes all the difference in how well we will survive. Failure to change leads to stagnation, and ultimately death. Resisting change leads to exhaustion, fatigue, frustration, disappointment, anger, hurt and pain.

Unfortunately, acquiescing to change is not necessarily always good either. Going along to get along does little for growth. Sometimes change needs to happen. Other times, change just for the sake of change is not necessarily the best option. Just going along with change in an effort to avoid conflict is not a healthy way of dealing with the change. Perhaps this is why change can be so painful. So, what are we to do?

First, we must recognize that change is going to happen. With or without our blessing, it will happen. Ten years ago, who would have ever believed that the single largest corporation in the world, General Motors, would be in bankruptcy and threatened with extinction? And yet, in the midst of a restructuring process the world has never before seen the likes of , the giant auto maker is having to rethink its entire existence. Entire lineups of automobiles are being sold off, or dropped completely. Divisions that have been the bread and butter of the company's profits for the last several decades are suddenly flooded in sales lots across the land. Ten years ago, change meant how to redecorate or remodel the existing lineup of cars and trucks. Today, change means rethinking every single thing the company does, right down to the amount of paperclips it buys. Change is going to happen. Those that refuse to believe it, are destined for some dramatic and very bumpy rides ahead.

The same is true of our churches and pastors. Twenty years ago, when I was in seminary, we were taught that ministry was relatively unchanged. Churches could continue on, business as usual - potlucks in the fall, spring yard sales and bazaars. Bishop Robert Schnase once compared it to learning how to row a scull, those long, sleek, thin, multi-person canoes with the oars that all row together. If you've ever watched that sport, you'd see all of them rowing together, in sync with one another. The water is placid, almost glasslike. Rowing a scull together in unison takes practice, skill, and dedication, and a dedicated caller, who shouts out, "Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!" in an almost metronomic fashion.

The problem is, we don't live in a placid world, do we? We live in a world that more closely resembles a whitewater world, where the rapids are rated at 8's and 9's and even 10's sometimes. Our boat cannot be a scull - long, sleek, hard-sided. It would get destroyed fairly early on as it encountered the rapids and the rocks. No, what we need is a pliable, inflatable rubber craft - one that gives and takes the abuse of the rocks and volumes of water rushing by. We need a craft that is able to withstand the possibility of getting wet - really wet! And we need to have a guide that is able to see what is coming up quickly, and shout commands to those who are rowing, steering us quickly and safely through the rapids.

Changes are coming, and we need to be ready for them. My prayer is that we'll not be so afraid of them that we won't want to change at all; and that we'll not be so used to changes that we'll simply give in to them. My prayer is that we'll be able to walk with God in the midst of them, knowing that changes can be used for the most important work of all - the Kingdom of God. I pray we'll focus on how our changes will help to bring people to Christ, and how their lives (and ours) will be transformed for the better. Maybe it won't be for infinity, but certainly, as Jan likes to say, "To Eternity and Beyond!"

See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad

Looking backwards...

2009-06-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

In a recent telephone conversation, someone asked me about how we were doing with our Five Practices small group teams. I shared that I thought we were doing well. The groups have been actively asking the pertinent questions about how we can become more fruitful, and what we need to do to be better at what we're already doing. We talked a bit more, and the topic turned to future plans. Short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals seemed to pose a slightly different challenge. Change (see my last blog, June 22, 2009) was not something that was going to come easy for a lot of people. It usually doesn't. (Just ask any first-time parent, especially after the first eighteen years!)

Nevertheless, I began to think about what it would look like if we could see what today would look like from the perspective of five years from now. I would like to be able to say that the difficult work that we're doing right now was the turning point in our congregation's growth explosion, propelling us toward a great new place in our history as God's people of faith. What would this year look like from the perspective of the future? Would this be a year of growth? Would this be the year that made all the difference?

I read somewhere that the Gospel of Luke was unique in its way of presenting a view of Jesus who ministered during his time on earth from the perspective of what the Kingdom of Heaven was supposed to be like. Seeing the present from the perspective of the already arrived future Kingdom. What he attempted to help those around him see was that the Kingdom was a different place than what folks were experiencing. He painted a view of life lived under God's rule, rather than life lived in revolt of Roman rule. He painted a view of life where everyone was given a chance at redemption, forgiveness, and a new beginning. He spoke about life that could be lived in community where everyone was invited. He turned the current views of what society valued on its ear. It meant changing one's perspectives, one's values, one's understandings of God. It was difficult to do, and as a result, many people, out of the fear of that change, rejected him and his teachings.

How does a people of faith begin to envision what could be? How do we begin to see that what could be is a matter of the decisions we make today? How do we overcome our fear of change, knowing that it could mean the difference of salvation for someone we've not yet met? If we were to look back on the present from the perspective of the future, what would we see - today? Who would we see? And how would that affect who we are called to be in Christ?

Just a few thoughts I had...

Changes...

2009-06-22T09:38:00.000-05:00

Boy, was I scared. I wasn't sure if it was going to hurt. I had never had one before, unless you count the ones my mom had given me as a toddler. But this was my first real one. I wasn't sure what it was going to look like when I got done. But I knew something would be different. Haircuts usually do that to you.
Why do we always fear change? Psychologists and psychiatrists have been asking that question for years. What is it about change that scares us so? Is it that we are afraid of how others will perceive us? Is it that we ourselves will have changed so much that we might fear being unrecognizable? What is it about change?
Maybe it has something to do with our control. When we initiate change, it is because we have mustered the courage somehow and have determined that what will happen afterward will somehow be better than where we are right now. Maybe its because we're in control of the change process - or at least part of it. And when we are not in control, that's when we get scared.
Let's face it. We don't really like being out of control, or worse yet, not having any say whatsoever. It frightens us. Change is always difficult, but somehow, we believe, if we are in control of it as it is happening, then we can say to ourselves (and anyone else who might be listening) that we meant to do it. We were in charge of our change.
But what happens when our control is no longer an option? What happens when we are not asked our opinion? What happens when our opinion doesn't much matter? What happens when our lives seem to be taken over by others, or when our decisions don't carry much weight anymore? What then?
At the end of the book of John, Jesus and Peter have a touching reunion, where grace and forgiveness are shown in a purely redemptive fashion. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him and three times his response is 'yes Lord, you know I do.' Three times Jesus gives a command to tend to the sheep of his flock.
And then Jesus goes on. He says, "Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go" (John 21:18). Disturbing. Frightening. Being led where you do not wish to go? Being out of control?
Sometimes, it seems, Jesus just asks too much from us. "Go, sell what you own, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me" (Mark 10:21b). "Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens , and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28, 30). "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26-27).
Sell everything? How will I live? Wear a yoke? Isn't that oppressive? I'm not a beast of burden! Hate my family? Hate myself? Carrying crosses? No, Jesus it is too much. It is just too much. You are asking me to give up myself.
Exactly. We are called to give up making our own decisions and to trust in God. Radical. Outrageous. Extreme.
But if we really want God to be God, that is what is required. To submit our control to God. To allow God to be the one who can change us and transform us. "See, I am making all things new!" (Rev. 21:5). That includes us! And when we see what God is doing, how can we believe, even if only for a moment, that what God is doing could not possibly be better than what we have now?
I think its time for another haircut. And this time, I'm not going to worry about whether or not the barber does what I ask. After all, I'm becoming a new creation in Christ.
What about you?

Grace and peace,
Brad

Systems...

2009-05-19T10:56:00.001-05:00

One of the classes that I had to take in seminary had to do with Systematic Theology, which, in a very basic way is an attempt to understand the entire body of Christian beliefs as a system of truth. Each doctrine in that system is related to every other doctrine. In essence, the means by which we talk about our faith can be framed into a system of understanding, and one starts with the basic presupposition that the truth of our faith starts with God revealed in Jesus Christ. (Yeah, I know. My head hurt, too, when I was trying to learn it!)
Ironically, when we step back and examine everything around us, even everything about us (immune system, respiratory system, circulatory system, etc.), we are usually able to discern that there are systems in place for everything we do. There are systems for how we pay our bills, for how we prepare meals, for how we keep house, and for how we buy gas for our cars. We have systems for how we study our school lessons, and how we prepare for a big business meeting. We even have a system for buying groceries (do you get the frozen items first or last when you shop?) The systems are not always clearly visible, nor do they always make sense, but they are nonetheless systems.
Even in the church, there are systems in place. We have a system for introducing people to Christ. We have a system for counting the offering, and for teaching Sunday School. We have a system for greeting our guests among us, and we have a system for preparing this newsletter. The systems don’t always make sense, nor are they intentional, but they are nonetheless systems.
When we begin to examine our systems, we can begin to see where we are excelling, and where we need a little extra effort. The important thing about systems is not that we have them, but why we have them. For instance, when a guest comes to our worship service for the first time, how do we greet them? Do we introduce ourselves to them? If they are not sitting near them, do we attempt to find them after the worship service? What is our system for encountering the guests in our midst?
Or, when it comes to teaching and learning the faith, what are the systems in place? What are the expectations that every person should know about God? Jesus? The Holy Spirit? The United Methodist Church? How do we share that information? Is it formally or informally? Is it intentional or is it more happenstance? Regardless of whether we know it or not, there is a system in place.
John Wesley had a system for discipleship that would enable people to continue to learn and grow in their faith every day. His system included accountability groups with other Christians who would remind each other of the basic tenets of the faith. They would ask such questions as, “What have you read that increased your knowledge and love of God in Jesus Christ?” and “How is it with your soul?”
Part of what it means to be the Church in today’s world means that we begin to see how our faith can interact with the world outside of the church walls. When we leave the parking lot, what system do we use to share our faith? Is it intentional, or is it happenstance? When we leave the church grounds on Sunday morning, what system do you have in place to continue to dwell on God’s Word? How is it with your soul? What system do you have in place that will help your soul to grow in grace? Is it an intentional system of discipleship? How might you begin to “tweak” that system to make it more effective? Certainly food for thought!!!
See you in Church!
Grace and peace,
Brad

There's a Sermon in there somewhere!

2009-03-30T10:45:00.000-05:00

Kaitlyn and I were on the way to school this morning reflecting on yesterday's worship experience with Dr. Billy Abraham. We were sharing some of the more memorable moments of his sermon when our conversation turned to the general topic of preaching. (Many of you know that Kaitlyn has been flirting with a call to ordained ministry - one that I have tried hard not to push on her, but one that makes me stand about a foot taller when I think of her following in her old man's footsteps!)
She mentioned that she wanted to know where I get my stories from when I preach. I answered her, "Everywhere!" And that is true. I shared with her that I have learned over the years that there is a sermon in just about everything you can see or hear or experience. We were passing the VFW in Sattler when I spotted the sign regarding the Burn Ban being in effect. I shared with her that just off the top of my head, that could be a paradoxical sermon - A burn ban means that because the conditions are so dry, fires can quickly get out of control, and so therefore, burning trash, brush or other debris is banned. "Imagine if you will," I said, "that being a Christian is like a burn ban. It means if you are saved, you will be saved from burning in hell. However," I added, "turn it around. Imagine the world is telling us Christians that we cannot burn - burn with the Pentecost fires of the Holy Spirit! It is as if the world is trying to tell us that we should not attempt to burn uncontrollably. The world doesn't like it when the Holy Spirit is unleashed upon the world - because that means that the world is not in control!"
Ok, so it is a sermon that needs some work. Still the idea is, if you are paying attention, there is a message in everything. There is a message being proclaimed, if you are looking for it, listening to it. There is a sign that will point you back in the right direction.
The problem isn't with the signs. They are everywhere. The problem more often lies within ourselves, and our willingness and ability to be observant.
The challenge lies within us. But there is hope, and help in Christ. The more we spend time with the Word, the more we come to understand about God, and know God's character, God's nature, and God's will. The more we know about God, the more we get to know God.
There truly is a sermon in there somewhere. I'm convinced!
See you in church!
Grace and peace,
Brad

Taking a Break...

2009-03-23T10:21:00.001-05:00

Spring Break is finally here for my kids. Jan's Spring Break was two weeks ago, because she works in a different district than the kids attend. So, our family is coping as best as possible.
Spring Break. It is a strange custom. I know that someone somewhere had a notion as to why it is needed. Perhaps it was because we needed to take a break in order to recognize that the long dread of winter has come to a close. Perhaps it is because we know that we need to acknowledge that Spring is here! Perhaps it is because we just flat-out need a break from all the school work!
For whatever reason, it comes to us as a welcome reprieve from whatever we've been invested in recently. And as such it can become for us an opportunity for reflection. I don't think it is an accident that we remember the events of Holy Week early in Spring. To know that Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and resurrection are remembered in this season is a testimony to the grace God gives us - a chance to repent and believe again anew.
With all the things happening in our world around us, it is good for us to stop and take a break. But I pray that we may use that break wisely - by taking time to reflect on the new beginning that is happening, not just around us as the seasons change, but through us in the redemptive act of a loving God through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
See you in Church!
Grace and peace,
Brad

The Word of Hope

2009-03-20T17:25:00.000-05:00

Life has taken us down a strange path recently. Maybe it would be more accurate to suggest a roller coaster rather than a path, for we find ourselves being driven on a crazy, hectic rail of emotions, fears, anxieties, and anger all rolled into one big bundle of nerves. The financial world's upheaval, the employment and unemployment tug-of-war, and the political bantering (that seems anything but playful) occupies much of our attention these days. Unless you are hiding under your bedsheets, we all seem to be inundated with a host of crises - one right after the other, and sometimes on top of one another.
Where does one turn when it comes to security? Where does one turn when it comes to stability? Where does one turn when the world seems to be spinning out of control? Actually one doesn't turn very far. One merely has to look God-ward.
Without trying to seem overly optimistic, there is one assurance that we can all count on: God is still God. And in this assurance are the following assurances: 1. that God loves us totally and unconditionally; 2. that God's grace sustains us when we seem to be out of control; and 3. that there is absolutely nothing that we can do to mess up #1 and #2.
The Psalmist wrote: "I lift up my eyes to the hills - from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Ps. 121). And the Apostle Paul wrote, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,, nor angel, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:35, 38-39).
If we have all this in our favor, we can be assured that our hope is not in stock markets, or bailout plans, or mortgage negotiations - as important as these things are. No, our hope is in God, who has given us Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior, and through the Holy Spirit, we can be assured that we are never left alone to face the world.
I pray that you will find comfort in the one has saved you - Christ Jesus - and that the power of the Holy Spirit will bless you and keep you. See you in Church!

Grace and peace,
Brad