Creation and missional theology

The Creation Narrative
In Genesis chapters one and two, we find God creating the world as he intended it to be. As we listen to the Creation story in chapter one, we can begin to feel the beating of God’s heart through the rhythm of the days of creation. “And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”(1) Here we can already sense that God is up to something more than just making a world. He is speaking an entire world into existence that echoes the movement, nature, and character of the One who creates it. At the end of the sixth day of Creation, we read, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”(2)
In the second chapter of Genesis, the camera changes angles and zooms in for a different view of day six, and we see a more intimate description of the creation of human beings. It is here that we are introduced to Adam and Eve and Eden’s garden. We hear for the first time about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We read of a beautiful garden where God and humans dwell together.
We also discover an integral part of our nature as beings created in the image of God. As God considers Adam, who was created to work and keep the garden of Eden, he says “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”(3) Eve, the ideal helper, comes from within Adam. It is though the creation of the woman, who completes man through relationship, that Creation reaches its climax. Things are as God intends them to be in the world.

Making All Things New
Starting in chapter three of Genesis, sin enters the picture. When we view it in the context of the Creation narrative, we can gain a more clear understanding of sin. While many people seem to believe that sin is a list of limitations God has placed on man, sin viewed through the lens of Creation takes on a different meaning. It is not primarily a violation of some arbitrary law, although the first sin did go against God’s advice to Adam and Eve. Rather, sin revealed fracture in the relationship between Creator and creation. By rejecting the relationship with God, Adam and Eve damaged not just their relationship with God, but also the relationship of God with all of creation. In Romans, Paul reiterates this when he writes:

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.(4)

God’s dream for the world has been damaged by the broken relationship between humans and God. As a result, the curse, which is more consequence than punishment, reveals a world that must now deal with the implications of sin.
However, God’s dream is not forgotten or completely destroyed. Instead, through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God enters the world and lives as a true human.(5) As Andrew Root says, “If our humanity is to be transformed, we need a fully human God. We need a God who bears our reality and takes it fully into Godself.”(6)
Through Jesus Christ, there is a significant turn in God’s plan for the renewal and restoration of creation. Paul hints at the import of the Christ event when he writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed; behold, the new has come.”(7) This is a glimpse of God’s final plan for creation. It is in John’s Revelation that we read the final realization of God’s dream:

And he who is seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new…Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations.(8) (Emphasis mine)

Engaging God’s Creative Imagination
So what are the implications for the missional church? We revisit Paul and his words of encouragement and challenge to the Corinthian church. He reminds them, and us, that our task as the body of Christ is to carry on the work of Jesus Christ: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”(9)
Missional theology embraces this idea of engaging in God’s continued work of reconciliation through the renewal and redemption of creation. We are called to partner with God, seeking to restore creation as all things move towards the eschaton. Scot McKnight supports this view of the role of humanity when he writes, “As the Bible moves forward into the New Testament, though, ‘Eikon’ morphs; it shifts from denoting a ruling-representative function to a redemptive role.”(10) Our purpose moves from the original role as seen in the first couple of chapters of Genesis to the one envisioned throughout the New Testament writings.
This re-imagined role causes our function to have an already/not yet nature. When we acknowledge that we are not escaping the world, but seeking to work with God to restore it, we must revisit what salvation and hope really mean in the Kingdom of God. Since our ultimate hope is not to leave this world, but to see it’s potential fully realized(11), we join with God today as his preferred future breaks into the present through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This requires us to take a fresh look at what it means to be a part of God’s Kingdom. We are not saved solely for the benefit of some future reward. Rather, we are called to actively engage in God’s future today by determining what God is already doing in the world and joining him in those efforts. Church is not a place to wait for God’s future salvation; it is a place where God’s salvation is revealed now in anticipation of the total fulfillment that awaits us in the eschaton.
God’s heartbeat is embedded in Creation. We witnessed it in the opening lines of Scripture and it continues today. Human beings, and this creation, are separated from the tree of life since sin continues to fracture our relationship with God. In the end, we will once again stand in the presence of this tree and the One who created it. Until then, the missional church must continue to pursue the inbreaking of God’s dream for the future in the midst of this broken world.

Notes
(1) In Genesis 1:3, we see the first of six repetitions of God’s rhythm in the Genesis 1 creation narrative. This phrase appears five additional times in Genesis 1:8,13,19,23,31. (ESV)
(2) Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
(3) Genesis 2:18
(4) Romans 8:20-22
(5) I owe much of my understanding of God as true human to Andrew Root through the ideas presented in his book, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry: From a Strategy of Influence to a Theology of Incarnation. In this work, Root examines Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology as a framework to explain the significance of the incarnation.
(6) Andrew Root, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry: From a Strategy of Influence to a Theology of Incarnation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007), 91.
(7) 2 Corinthians 5:17
(8) Revelation 21:5a; 22:1-2
(9) 2 Corinthians 5:18,20a
(10) Scot McKinght, A Community Called Atonement (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007), 19.
(11) In Romans 8:23 and 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, Paul advocates a bodily resurrection for all humans in the eschaton. The redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23) is the hope in which we live. It is in this hope that all creation will find its rescue and rest from the bondage and destruction of sin.

The mind of Christ

In the last two weeks I have been to Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, and Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. As I reflect on both experiences, I have been reminded that God is at work in the world, and in me.
I want to share a Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Philippians that the students at Harding reflected on throughout our weekend together:
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:1-11)
As I consider Paul’s words, I am reminded of something very important. Having the same mind doesn’t mean we agree on everything. Rather, it means that we share the attitude and spirit of Christ. We are called to be servants who serve others. We are called to be humble, even to the point of death.
Imagine how different our churches would be if we could have that kind of mind. What if we lived in a world where Christians really lived out the meaning of their name as followers of Christ?
When we make our faith primarily about embracing a list of beliefs, we miss something significant. The Kingdom of God is not about what we believe; it’s about what we embody. It is about the kind of life we live. This is why Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
When Christianity becomes something that consumes every part of who we are, we can truly begin to experience the world as God imagines it.

shine!
Jason

30 Hour Famine

Last weekend, thirty-three students participated in the 30 Hour Famine. We learned about hunger and poverty, served our church families and God’s Helping Hands, and raised over $2,300 to help Haiti earthquake victims (with some students still collecting).
During the weekend, we focused on the following passage from James:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:14-26)
I was so impressed seeing our students’ faith in action this past weekend. They listened and participated in discussions where Scripture engaged our lives. Some students helped sort and organize at God’s Helping Hands, which makes it easier to help those who are hurting economically in the area. Other students provided childcare for the parents who attended our parenting seminar. All of them worked to surpass our goal of $2,000.
I am so proud of the students who participated, not just because of how much they raised, but because of their actions and attitudes throughout the weekend. They served without complaining. Some even asked for more work when they finished their task. In devotionals and discussions they were engaged. They continue to grow in their faith and actions as they work together.
Thank you as well to the adults who helped with the weekend: Karen Benedict, Bill Flowers, Barb Huey, Laura Stewart, Holly Hebert, Dalaina Harrell. Your time and energy are greatly appreciated!!

shine!
Jason

Bearing the Spirit's fruit

What does it look like to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit in your life?
I would argue that it’s much more than a change in behavior. Ultimately, it requires a change in your attitude and fundamental approach to life.
Let’s consider something that Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke:
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first." (Luke 11:24-26)
If all we do is attempt to act out the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives without undergoing a transformation on the inside, we will experience the same fate as the person Jesus is describing in the above passage.
If we are going to bear the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, the change must come from the roots up. It calls us to change what is going on inside, even in the areas that no one else sees.
In Romans 8:9-11, Paul writes…
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
The question we must always ask ourselves is which Spirit is dwelling in us? To borrow Jesus’ analogy, who is living in your “house?” Is it the Spirit of God or is it the spirit of hostility towards God?
If we are going to truly bear fruit of the Spirit, we must clean house and invite the Spirit of God to dwell in us. We must, in the words of Paul, be “filled with the Spirit.” This is an ongoing practice that requires time, effort, and energy. It is not something that happens just because we go to church, or even church and class.
Spiritual growth will only occur when we allow our whole life, all of our humanity, to be consumed by the Spirit of God. This means that every action, every thought, every word, must flow from the work of the Spirit.
This will require most of us to clean our “house.” There are attitudes and habits that must go. We must make room for the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our whole being. We can no longer simply allow God to have one corner room that we visit a few times a week. He must be present in every room and in every moment. Then we will bear the Spirit’s fruit.

shine!
Jason

Fasting for 30 Hours

In preparation for this week’s 30 Hour Famine, I am sharing Isaiah 58 for our students to meditate on. I am encouraging them to read this Scripture throughout the week:

1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
4Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
6“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
12Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

shine!
Jason

Avoiding temptation

I had a student pose a question to me. Here is the question:
Let's say a person is weak in a certain area and they struggle with a temptation, but they remove themself from or avoid any situation that would cause them to stumble and give in. Does this make the person strong for not giving in, or just safe? Because if the person were in that situation, they probably would give in.

I wanted to share my response, so here it is...

This is a great question. Let me offer a few Scriptures and then a few thoughts.

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:12-14)

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:3-16)

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:20-26)

A few thoughts...
We need to have the wisdom to discern areas of weakness in our lives. When we realize those areas, I believe that Scripture is pretty plain that we should flee from things that we know are weaknesses.
While that seems pretty clear, there is an even bigger picture we need to consider. Let me share one more verse and then a few concluding comments.

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:1-7)

Not only do we need to be aware of our own weaknesses, we must be aware of the weaknesses of others. As we continue to examine this idea of sin and community, this becomes vitally important. If what we do causes another to be tempted and sin, we are bringing sin into the community. (Go back and read that last sentence a few times.)
This has so many applications, but I will offer a few that I feel often take shape in a community of teenagers.

When a girl dresses in a way that provokes a boy's lust, she is inviting sin into the community.
When a boy flirts with a girl in a way that leads her to have an unhealthy need for relationship, he is inviting sin into the community.
When someone wears name-brand, expensive clothing (especially when it is with the intent to portray themselves as part of a certain socio-economic group) they can create division and invite sin into the community.
When someone uses hurtful words to talk about another person, whether they are there or not, it can damage the other person's worth or value and invite sin into the community.

I am sure I could come up with more examples if I had more time, but I think you get the idea.
We are called, as individuals and as a community, to discern areas of weakness to temptation and make every effort to flee from those. Not only does that mean we may need to change some of our choices for our own sake. It also means we may need to make some changes in our choices for the sake of the other. This may call us to sacrifice something that is not a temptation for us, but could be for a brother or sister in Christ. We are not just called to take steps to protect ourselves from temptation and sin; we are commanded to show love to our brothers and sisters by doing what is in their best interest as well.

Patience in a "Your Way, Right Away" world

It’s so hard to be patient. We live in a culture that wants things now.
In the 1990’s, Burger King had an advertisement that said, “Your way right away!” That has become the mantra of our society today.
Rather than eat healthy and exercise, we want pills and surgery to make us skinny.
Rather than save money to buy something, we run up credit cards so we can have it now.
Instead of developing and growing a relationship, we rush to bed with someone of the opposite sex to develop false intimacy.
Instead of starting with a small house and an inexpensive car, young adults buy outside of their standard of living to have the lifestyle their parents took years to get to.
I could go and on and on, but I hope you get the point.
As people of God, we live by a different standard. We should be patient and diligent as we both live in the present and look to the future. But we don’t always live that way.
When we are impatient, we tend to fall to one of two extremes. Either we don’t care or we get so anxious we try to numb our anxiety. Just think about all of the things we do to deal with our impatience when it comes to the suffering in this world.
Some people would rather escape and pretend everything is OK. Others want to swim in their despair. Some try to medicate their anxiety away.
Our society, which often lacks the perspective of the Kingdom of God, encourages all three. We offer books, movies, and television shows to help us “escape” from reality. Or, we are entertained by people whose lives are worse than ours so our problems don’t seem as bad.
Alcohol and drugs become numbing agents to help people escape, even if just for a little while, from the pain. Some music simply amplifies the anxiety, making it easier to remain in the darkness.
Let me conclude with Paul’s advice in his letter to the Colossian church…
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
(Colossians 1:9-14)

shine!
Jason

In the midst of suffering

Since I was asked to preach on "Marked with Patience" a few months ago, I have been surrounded by suffering. A girlfriend from high school was diagnosed with breast cancer and has been going through chemo treatments. An ex-fiancee just lost her mother to a battle with cancer. Today at a youth ministers' meeting, one the ministers shared that his father had just passed away last week. Not only is there localized suffering going on around me, there are situations like Haiti that break the heart of the whole world.
In addition to the physical suffering we see around us, I talk with numerous people who are suffering emotionally and spiritually. Often those who suffer in these ways have the added stress of dealing with conditions that cannot often be seen. While those who are homeless, dying of cancer, or caught in an earthquake have something tangible to point to for their suffering, these others often suffer in silence, often unable to understand or explain what they are going through.
In times like this I often hear the following question: Why would God allow this to happen?
I don't have all of the answers, but I do feel like I am gaining a better picture of what is going on and why there is so much suffering in the world.
In the beginning, God created the world as He intended it to be. At the end of each day in the Creation account, God says it is good. At the end of the sixth day, God says that it is very good. So what happened?
Human beings, the part of creation that God intended to partner with him as caretakers of this new world, lost their way. Instead of embracing their partnership with God, they wanted to be God. Instead of relishing their relationship with the Creator, they selfishly wanted to be God. Satan, ever the deceiver, convinced these two people that they could be more. They bought the lie and death entered the world.
From that day forward, all of the earth, human beings and the rest of the creation, have suffered from the consequences of a broken relationship with God. Because God's partners, God's caretakers, no longer had a complete, unbroken relationship, their role was compromised. The creation suffered as a result of the sin of human beings. Paul describes this in Romans 8:20-21, when he writes, "For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."
Until the arrival of the eschaton, we will face suffering and difficulties in this world. In the next two verses, Paul writes, "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:22-23)
God does allow us to live in a fallen and broken world. I believe that is true. But it's not because God doesn't care. God cared so much, that in the person of Jesus Christ, God Himself came and suffered with us. Don't miss this. The God that sees us suffering because of our choice to fracture our relationship with the Creator and damage our role as caretaker of Creation, turned around and chose to become a part of Creation to suffer with us.
Rather than blame God for what is happening, we should join God in His mission to make things right in the world. One day our bodies will be redeemed and Creation will become what God intended it to be all along. In the meantime, my desire is to partner with God to move this world in the direction that He wants it to move. I am still imperfect and I still sin. I still make choices that damage that relationship with Creator God. But if Jesus was willing to suffer for me, even though He was innocent, why shouldn't I be willing to suffer as a partner in making things right in the world?

shine!
Jason

Image, vocation, and mission

As I reflect on the inter-relationship of the image of God, vocation and the mission of the church, I see something significantly more encompassing and holistic than what the majority of churches and Christians typically embrace and embody.
While most church members would agree that being a Christian means "being a good person," most would limit that definition to primarily mean living a moral life as modern society defines morality. And whether they admit it or not, most of them would likely tie that morality to a "works" mentality of salvation where they earn their stripes so their soul will make it to heaven.
If we are going to help shape a vision where missional practices will become the lifeblood of Jesus-followers, we will need to significantly alter the way most people understand what it means to be "images of God," and in the process, reconsider how we embody mission.
If we help people re-imagine Creation and our role as co-partners with God in the care of Creation, they will likely begin to have a different understanding of mission. Rather than mission being a task to go out and invite other people to save their souls from eternal banishment, mission becomes a lifelong pursuit of engaging in re-creation. When we can envision this new way of looking at ourselves as imagebearers and co-partners, we will gain a more holistic view of our role in the world.
Many Christians today see a secular/spiritual dichotomy that is neither biblical nor Kingdom-oriented. Therefore, people can often fall into one of two (or both) traps: They can either "look the other way" when aspects of their work stand counter to Kingdom ethics or they can discount their work as a source of income and not as an opportunity to partner with God in bringing forth the inbreaking of the Kingdom.
When we can help people change their vantage point and consider Christian vocation and calling as an all-encompasing endeavor that includes roles in family, society, and workplace, we can begin to reorient people to a healthier understanding of our bearing the image of God, our vocation, and the mission of the church.

shine!
Jason

What's your story?

In his Philippian letter, Paul writes,
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:1-11)
This passage reminds us that God’s way of doing things is different than the world’s. Jesus didn’t establish his kingdom with an army, weapons, force, or coercion. Rather, his Kingdom is based on the Fruit of the Spirit. Love, not hate. Joy, not happiness. Peace, not war. Patience, not selfishness. Kindness, not harshness. Goodness, not evil. Faithfulness, not dishonesty. Gentleness, not cruelty. Self-control, not indulgence.
If we are going to truly be followers of Christ, God’s story must be the story that determines the direction of our lives. There are many stories competing for our attention and our devotion. Stories of pride. Stories of possessions. Stories of privilege. Stories of power. These stories seek to draw us near and pull us away from God with their promises of easy happiness.
But the reality is that only God’s story of humility and Spirit-led living will bring true joy and ultimate satisfaction. This is the story that reveals our true calling to seek and embody the character and nature of our Creator God who loves us and desires relationship with us.

shine!
Jason

Bearing fruit

According to the dictionary, fruit is, “The ripened ovary or ovaries of a seed-bearing plant, together with accessory parts, containing the seeds and occurring in a wide variety of forms.”
The apostle Paul writes:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-26)
There is an important lesson here. The Fruit of the Spirit are not something you can create on your own. We cannot simply be loving or create peace. Goodness does not come naturally to most of us all of the time. Self-control is not easy to manufacture.
The kind of fruit we bear depends on what kind of seed we plant in our lives. You cannot plant apple seeds in your backyard and expect to grow an orange tree. But, for some reason, people seem to think that they can plant seeds of sinfulness in their lives and hope to bear fruit of righteousness.
If you want to see the Fruit of the Spirit exhibited in your life, don’t start by simply trying to make outward changes. Yes, we need to make efforts to change our behavior. But, the reality is that real change, change that takes root and lasts, can only come when we examine what is watering and feeding our inner-self.
Jesus said, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” (Matthew 12:33-35)
The question we have to ask ourselves is: What are we planting in our hearts? What are we allowing to shape the way we think? Are we, in the words of Paul, living and walking by the Spirit. Only when we are can we truly bear the kind of fruit in our life that God desires.

shine!
Jason

Commitment

What are you committed to?
We all make a lot of commitments. We make commitments to friends to stand with them in good and bad. We make commitments to teams that we join. Those of us who are married make commitments to our spouse. Parents make commitments to their children. Commitments are a vital part of any relationship.
When it comes to Christianity, what are you committed to?
Are you committed to a set of ideas and beliefs? Or are you committed to a person?
If we are going to be honest, many of us are probably as committed or more committed to a set of ideas and beliefs than we are the person of God. This is why churches split and Christians are known as much for their infighting as anything else.
Early in his gospel, John writes:
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)
The Jews, who had studied what we call the Old Testament for centuries, were waiting for the Messiah to arrive, and when he did, they missed it! They had become more committed to the words of the Bible than the One whom the words of the Bible point to. Aren’t we often guilty of the same thing?
Commitment to doctrines and beliefs above commitment to the person of God leads to things like legalism and the compartmentalization of our lives. When Christianity is about a set of doctrines and beliefs, it can be a part of our lives.
When our commitment is to the person of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Christianity becomes a valued relationship that should stand above all others. It should color every aspect of our lives.
For centuries, people have used Christianity to justify murder, racism, sexism, oppression, and much more. When we think we have the right doctrine, we can find ways to justify almost anything.
Our challenge as followers of Jesus is to follow Him along a radical path of complete commitment. This may call us to reconsider every aspect of our lives. The way we think about other people. Our spending habits. How we treat others who are different. Maybe even the way we think about church.
Ask yourself this question: What is your primary commitment in life?
When I ask myself that question, if I am honest, the answer is often not what it should be. I need to focus more on my commitment to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so that every aspect of my life reflects the nature and character of God. Isn’t that what we all need to focus on more?

shine!
Jason

The Word became flesh

I am coming home from a great week in St. Louis with my head and heart swimming in ideas and possibilities. I have been stretched and challenged both personally and with regards to our ministry. I have heard from other ministers who God is obviously speaking through.
If I had to choose one word that I am bringing home this week, I think I would choose incarnation. This idea that God lived as a man is probably best described by the Apostle John…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5,14)
One of the unique and beautiful aspects of Christianity is that God becomes one of us. He enters the world in human form to show his grace and truth.
Later in the same gospel, Jesus prays for you and me, and in that prayer he invites us to join Him, although in a different way, to be an incarnation, humans in which God lives…
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:20-26)
The beauty of God’s plan is that after God became flesh and dwelt among us, He invited man to allow God to dwell in each of us. When we are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit, we invite God to live in us, and we offer our lives as a continuation of the Jesus story.
The incarnation is more than just an amazing story about a God who chose to dwell among men. It is also an amazing story about a God who wants to live within and among us. It is your story and my story. It is our story. It is the story that is the foundation of our relationships, our community, and ultimately, the foundation of our lives.

shine!
Jason

Plan to be resolved

Welcome to 2010!
It’s hard to believe that 2009 has already come and gone.
This is typically a time when people make resolutions to change a habit or begin a new one. Whether it’s weight loss, better time management, a change in attitude, or dozens of other aspects of life, we often make promises to ourselves and others to change something.
First, I want you to think back to January 2009. What New Year’s Resolution did you make? Did you keep it? Or did it fall to the wayside as the challenges of life piled up around you?
If you followed through, what helped you keep that resolution?
If you didn’t, what was the biggest obstacle that prevented you from following through?
Now…fast forward to today.
What is your New Year’s resolution for this year? Even if you don’t have one, what is something you would like to improve on this year?
Let me narrow things down a little more. What is your spiritual resolution for 2010?
When I say spiritual, don’t necessarily think it has to be some lofty, “churchy” thing. Sure, you could say something like read your Bible more or pray more. But it could be something much more earthy. And it probably needs to be a little more concrete than “I will ______ more.” Here are a few ideas:
• I commit to reading a chapter of the Bible with my family three times a week.
• I commit to helping my elderly neighbor by shoveling her snow and mowing her lawn for free.
• I commit to going to Cass Park every month.
• I commit to serving in the Children’s Ministry for at least three months this year.
• I commit to giving 10% of what I earn to the church and it’s ministries. (This includes for students with jobs. It’s good to develop habits early.)
• I commit to praying with my family once a week, including a time to pray for each other.
These are just a few ideas consider.
Let me challenge you to take this a step further. Plan a time as a family to sit down and share your resolutions with each other. Find ways to hold each other accountable and encourage each other. Write these down and post them somewhere in the house. (It doesn’t have to be public where visitors see.)
Take time as a family to develop a plan for growing spiritual both individually and collectively. You might be amazed what God can do.

shine!
Jason

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my family at RCC

Thank you to everyone who blessed us with a Christmas card or gift. We continue to feel extremely blessed to be a part of the family here at Rochester. It’s hard to believe that it was a little over four years ago that we moved here. In the time since, we have grown to love the people here and value the relationships we have developed.
In a time when hundreds of commercials tout the latest toys, gadgets, clothes, and more, you have given us the greatest gifts there are: love and family. We wouldn’t trade anything for the way you have welcomed us, embraced us, and made us part of the Rochester family.
In addition to celebrating the past, I am looking forward to an exciting future. When I think about everything God is up to, I can’t wait to see what He has in store for us in 2010! I continue to be amazed at the power of God’s grace and mercy.
Please allow me to share the words of Paul to express my feelings for you and as a prayer for you as we begin a new year together:
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace…in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-11)
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

shine!
Jason

A gift to remember

It’s almost Christmas!
This is the time of year many people look forward to all year. For some, it means gathering with family. For others, it represents a week or two off. For others, especially children, it’s a chance to get some new gifts.
But for others, this is not a season of joy. For them, it may remind them of a loved one who has died. Others will be working just as hard simply to assure their family can eat. Some will face the prospect of little or nothing under the Christmas tree.
As you approach Christmas, what is your situation? Do you resonate more with the first group or people, or the second?
More importantly, especially if you are in the first group, what is your attitude?
We live in a culture dominated by want. Let’s be honest. How many of us as children were encouraged to write a list of what we want to give for Christmas? Even if we were, which list was longer? The list of what we wanted to receive or what we wanted to give? Which list is longer today?
Consider the words of the apostle Paul as he spoke to the elders of Ephesus near the end of his final visit with them:
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:32-35)
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Do we believe that?
More importantly, do we act that way?
During this week of Christmas, I want to challenge each of us to take a minute and consider what we can give.
How about letting that mom with three small children go in front of you in line at Walmart?
What about stopping over to visit your elderly neighbor who doesn’t have any family around?
Smile instead of some other reaction when someone cuts you off or takes “your” parking spot.
Students, what are you giving up for iChristmas? Another video game? An iTunes card? Getting $30 shoes instead of $60 ones? Giving up a gift card that could buy a meal for a family that can barely afford to eat?
In this season where our culture begs us to get, get, get, let’s go against the trend and give, give, give. We should strive to be people that seek the greater blessing. Long after something you gave someone is gone, the memory of giving will continue to linger. That is the best gift of all.

shine!
Jason

Cards for Cass Park

We want to do something special for our friends in Cass Park this Christmas season by sending as many Christmas cards as possible down to Cass Park.

On (or before) that Sunday, December 20, there are several ways you can help:

1) Donate Christmas cards.
Whether they are last year's unused cards or cards you purchase and donate, we hope to gather as many blank Christmas cards as possible by Wednesday, December 16. To donate cards, please drop them off at the Cards for Cass Park table in the main lobby beginning Wednesday, December 9.

2) Students to Volunteer for Set Up.
We need 3-4 students to come early (8:25am) December 20 to help set up. Contact me to volunteer.

3) Breakfast Donations.
On Sunday, December 20, we need 6-8 families to offer to bring 2-3 dozen donuts or breakfast baked goods. Contact Trudy Kesler to sign up to bring these food items.

4) Assist at Card Signing Tables.
We need at least 4-6 students to "man the card tables" between services on December 20.

5) "Attend the Christmas Card Party".
Sunday, December 20, between services, there will be a Christmas card "party" where you can sign cards in the main lobby. There are no classes between services on that Sunday, so there will be coffee (and donated donuts/breakfast foods) that will be available as well as several tables set up around the lobby with blank cards to sign. Please grab a cup of coffee, a donut, and sign some Christmas cards.

6) Students to Volunteer for Clean-Up.
We need 4-6 students to assist with clean up and putting away tables.

After second worship on Sunday, December 20, our Cass Park team will take these cards and distribute them to our friends at Cass Park. What a great opportunity to bless our friends during this holiday season.

shine!
Jason

Spending passion wisely

We all have it. We all exert it. It's passion.
For some, it goes into a hobby, sport, or talent.
Others spend it on an entertainer, sports team, or TV show.
Our culture today provides hundreds of options for using our passion.
I was reminded last night of how much work it takes to redirect our passion in a direction that is both healthy and helpful as a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
Last night, I went to Buffalo Wild Wings with family and friends to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play against the Cleveland Browns. As a fan of the Steelers, it was a pretty frustrating game to watch. If you know the outcome of the game, you know that I was disappointed by the final score. But what happened after the game reminded me of how far I have come.
This morning would have been significantly different for me several years ago. I would have woken up in a bad mood, still bitter about the loss. I likely would have been in a bad mood for several days. Comments from my friends who are Browns fans would have gotten under my skin and fueled the anger and frustration lurking just under the surface.
Today is different. Am I disappointed that a football team I support and cheer for lost? Sure. But once the clock read 0:00 and I walked out of B-Dubs, it only took a few minutes to get past it. This game is not consuming my life.
That's right, it's just a game.
What I have learned over time is that it's just a game. It's a bunch of men playing a game and getting paid millions of dollars to do it. Is it entertaining? Sure. It is fun to watch. Sometimes. Is it worthy of a passion that consumes my life? Not really.
Before those of you who don't get into sports start shouting, "Amen," this doesn't just relate to sports.
I see friends who have that kind of passion about television shows, movies, or books. They talk about the characters throughout the week. They often quote those characters a lot more than they quote Jesus.
Others show that kind of passion for a sport or hobby. They will spend hours upon hours practicing and playing, while leaving little or no time to engage in activities of the Kingdom. It can even become their primary source of identity, rather than their identity as a child of God.
Others invest their passion in things such as the way they look, the labels on their clothing, the lifestyle they work to maintain, and their social status.
Most of the things I mention above aren't inherently evil or sinful. However, when they become the recipient of so much of our passion that we have little or none left for Jesus and His Kingdom, I believe that we have seriously misdirected our passion.
I will be the first to admit that I have not arrived when it comes to this. I still misappropriate my passion sometimes. I elevate some things to a level that is wrong. I am by no means perfect.
But I can tell you that last night's game was a reminder of how far I think I have come. Ten years ago, if I had witnessed this kind of loss, I would have likely ignored certain phone calls, avoided certain people, and been somewhat unpleasant for a few days.
Today?
Well, last night I slept peacefully. And this morning I woke up and my passion was focused on other things. Passion for my God. Passion for my wife. Passion for my son. And passion for people who need to see Jesus in me today.
There are people in the world who genuinely dislike each other simply because of the football jersey they wear. I watched a few of those people get into a fistfight a few months ago at a Steelers-Lions game I attended. Seriously? You're going to punch a guy because he likes the other team? How ridiculous is that?
That, my friends, is misspent passion.
Imagine if those of us in the church poured as much passion into worship, prayer, social justice, and spiritual growth, as we pour into our sports, hobbies, entertainment, and other pursuits. How different would our lives look and how different could the world around us look? Just a thought from a guy who's still on the journey of figuring out how to spend his passion wisely.

shine!
Jason

Living to the max

We talked during circle time Wednesday night about how we can know what God desires and the idea of being filled with and led by the Spirit. Rather than using words, I decided that this week I would let Paul’s words speak for themselves:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:1-17)
Being led by the Spirit is not checking a list of rules. It’s much more. It calls us to look at God’s commands not as a list of minimums. Rather, they are guidelines that free us to live to the maximum. Following Jesus is not about restrictions; it’s about experiencing real freedom.

shine!
Jason

Recognizing some students

I wanted to take an opportunity this week to compliment some of our students for answering a few challenges that have been placed before them. The first one is the significant increase in the number of students who have been bringing their Bibles with them to class.
Several months ago, I noted that in a class of 30-40 students, we were averaging somewhere between two and five Bibles in class on a given Sunday. With the transition to a new curriculum that is more anchored in the text of the Bible and the challenge to bring Bibles, students have responded. We had 28 students in the high school class this past Sunday. Twelve of the students had a Bible with them. While that is still a little below half, it is a considerable improvement.
For those who have been bringing your Bibles all along, thank you for setting an example. For those who recently started bringing your Bibles, thank you for answering the challenge and showing an increase of devotion towards your study of the Word of God. For those of you who haven’t been bringing your Bible, let me encourage you to start doing so. If you don’t have a Bible, please let me know as we will get you one. One of the keys to improving your relationship to God is having a better understanding of His Word. Bringing your Bible to class is one way to take a step down that path.
The other thing I want to comment on is the increase in the number of students sitting towards the front during worship. While I have not been encouraging this as strongly or as often, it has been something I have mentioned to a number of students over the last several months.
Students who sit in groups towards the back of the auditorium tend to talk much more during service and often pay little attention to the lesson or participate in the singing. When groups of students sit closer to the front they are generally more engaged and get more out of what is happening around them.
I want to commend the students who have taken the initiative to sit towards the front. Not only are you setting a good example for the preteens and others, you are taking actions that may very well help improve your spiritual growth.
When it comes to growing spiritually, so much more often comes from the small, steady things than the big, mountaintop experiences. While there is nothing wrong with mountaintop experiences, if you do not have ongoing, intentional actions in your daily life, your faith will likely not thrive just from spiritual highs. True discipleship and true spiritual growth comes from a life dedicated to the daily development of disciplines and choices that slowly and surely draw us closer to Christ. What these students have been doing is taking them down that path.

shine!
Jason

iChristmas Kick-off

With “Black Friday” less than a week away, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone about our annual iChristmas campaign. Here is what has been previously announced:

The ARISE Ministry will once again be celebrating iChristmas. This is an opportunity to live out the true meaning of Christmas. Here is the challenge to our students:

As you are making a Christmas list for your parents, write this on the list: “Please buy me one less gift and put the money you would have spent on that gift into an envelope marked ‘iChristmas’ and put it under the Christmas tree with my other gifts.” The one gift should be more than a pair of socks, but what you are willing to sacrifice is up to you.

Starting on Sunday, December 27, students can turn in their iChristmas money. They can either put it in the ARISE Black Box on the wall in the main lobby, or you can drop the money in the iChristmas gift box.
Each year, the money raised for iChristmas supports a ministry of the Rochester Church. In the past, the ministries we have supported include our missionaries in Rio and Uganda as well as Cass Park. This year, we are planning to contribute all iChristmas funds to the Rochester Church Member Care Fund, which helps our members in need.
Thank you to all of the students who participated in iChristmas in previous years. Continue the iChristmas tradition this year. For those of you who didn’t have an opportunity to give an iChristmas gift last year, make this the year to start a new tradition.

As the push for Christmas begins, please consider what you are going to sacrifice for iChristmas this year. We have around 75 people actively involved in our youth group. Imagine if each person contributed $20 this year. As a ministry we would collect $1,500. That amount could probably pay someone’s mortgage and utilities for a month.
As you think about iChristmas, consider the blessing you could be to another family in our church. You might think $20 isn’t much, but together we could have a huge, positive impact on some of the families with worship with each week.

shine!
Jason

The View on accountability

This morning while I was sitting in a hospital waiting room, I watched a little bit of the television show The View. They were discussing an interview with Sarah Palin and her reflections on her youngest child, who was born with Down's Syndrome.
Much of the conversation centered around abortion, Palin's pro-life stance, and a woman's decision whether or not to carry a baby to full term, if she discovers during the pregnancy that her baby has Down's Syndrome.
I am not sharing this information to turn this particular post into a pro-life/pro-choice conversation. Rather, I am simply providing a framework for one particular comment which was made in the context of this dialogue.
In the middle of the conversation, Whoopi Goldberg made a statement that captures much of what is troubling in our culture today. I made sure to type the comment in my phone as soon as I heard it, so I wouldn't forget. This is what she said:

"Nobody outside of you can judge you for the decisions you make."

Read that a few times and think about the implications.
Now, let me take the liberty to change the pronouns and alter the perspective, but not the attitude, of the statement. Nobody outside of me can judge me for the decisions I make.
This, in a nutshell, is a philosophy that is undermining our society. And, unfortunately, I think this way of thinking has even pervaded many corners of the Church.
Think about all of the ways this attitude has permeated our society. The abortion debate, where this comment first emerged, is one example. But there are a variety of other areas. Sexuality. Substance abuse. Greed. Selfishness. So many of these issues are supported by the foundation of this attitude. "You can't judge me for (fill in the blank). It's my decision."
But before we start pointing fingers, we should look in the mirror. I have seen Christians defend their decisions by (mis)quoting Scripture. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "Do not judge others. Then you will not be judged." (Matthew 7:1)
I don't believe Jesus is advocating the "I'm OK, you're OK" philosophy that some Christians use this to advocate. Rather Jesus is calling us to a deep self-evaluation before we evaluate others. Jesus' call is actually the opposite of "Nobody outside of you can judge you for the decisions you make." Jesus demands a significant self-examination because we are all responsible for holding each other accountable. The church is not a place to ignore sin or take it light-heartedly. Rather, it is a place where we first hold ourselves accountable to a higher standard, and then we challenge others to do the same.
The problem Jesus was confronting is our tendency to measure our sin against someone else's "bigger" sin. He was not telling us to look the other way when we sin, but to be so intentional in our own lives about becoming more like Jesus that we can find ourselves in a better position to help those around us.
In this age of humanism, individuality, and relative moralism, so many people want to allow our society to sink to the lowest common denominator instead of striving for the highest possible calling. For those of us who belong to the Kingdom of God, we can settle for no less than living our lives so that our community is a place where everyone is able to judge the decisions we make in the context of the Way that is following Jesus Christ.

shine!
Jason

Laying down your life

What does it mean to lay down your life? In the Gospel of John, Jesus uses this phrase to describe real friendship.
We might think about the cross as the ultimate embodiment of this idea. And we would be right. But what does it mean for us as Christians? For many we would think of martyrs who gave their life in defense of their faith. From Stephen, who is stoned to death in the book of Acts, to Cassie Bernall, who was killed in the Columbine shootings in 1999, there are thousands who have died for their faith in Christ.
Is this all there is to laying down your life?
In the book She Said Yes, written my Cassie Bernall’s mom, she recounts something that Cassie’s youth pastor said in one of the first Sunday services after the shootings:

Cassie struggled like everyone struggles, but she knew what she had to do to let Christ live in her. It’s called dying to yourself, and is has to be done daily. It means learning to break out of the selfish life…It’s not a negative thing, but a way of freeing yourself to live more fully.
The world looks at Cassie’s “yes” of April 20, but we need to look at the daily “yes” she said day after day, month after month, before giving that final answer.

Cassie’s story reminds us that laying down our life is not a one-time event or only a single act of the willingness to physically die. This is a life-long, daily endeavor. Laying down your life, dying to oneself is something we must pursue every day.
It shapes how we deal with gossip and temptation. It impacts our attitude towards our parents and our friends. When we see an outsider or outcast in school, it will determine our reaction.
Jesus tells us, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) As you consider laying down your life, reflect on Jesus’ words and ask what selfish ways you need to turn from.

shine!
Jason

What is God doing in your life today?

As we at the Rochester Church strive to explore what it means to be a community, I am about to embark on a new adventure that I am inviting the families in my ministry to join with me. I want to be more intentional about engaging in dialogue about how God is working in our lives individually and as a community.
One of the ways I will be doing this is by sending out an email to several members of our ministry every week with the following question:

“What is God doing in your life today?”

All I ask is that they respond to the email. They can answer with a sentence or write a number of paragraphs. I will also ask whether if it’s ok for me to share the responses. Unless they request otherwise, any responses I am allowed to share will be anonymous and I will change any necessary details to keep them that way.
We usually don’t have a problem talking about our school activities, our hobbies, our sports teams, and other parts of our lives. For some reason, our conversations are generally absent of discussions about how God is moving in us, around us, and among us.
I will be sending these emails to parents and students. I will typically not email two members of the same family in the same week. I want to hear from as many people as possible.
In Mark 5, Jesus encounters a demon-possessed man and commands the demons out of him. After this happens, we see the following interaction between Jesus and the man:
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. (Mark 5:18-20)
I hope our families join in the conversation as we seek to go to our friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for us, and how he has had mercy on us.

shine!
Jason

Singing with the big kids

I am cleaning up my emails and came across something I wanted to share. A group of teens led Kids' Worship earlier this Fall. The younger children at church go to Kids' Worship during the sermon in what I fondly call "Big Church."
I wanted to share some feedback we received from a few parents of the children who were in that Kids' Worship:

"I just read your note about the teen praise team that led our youngsters in kids worship last week. I was finally able to make sense of some of the conversations I’ve had with my 3 year old! I just wanted to let you know that he LOVED it! He has talked about the “big kids singing the same songs we do in big worship” for two days! "

"Just wanted to let you know that EmmaKate really enjoyed the "singing with the big kids" on Sunday. She mentioned it a couple of times throughout the day. She also told me that she would be able to sing to the little kids when she "gets bigger".

So often, I think teenagers fail to realize how much younger children look up to them. That can be a blessing or a curse.
From the comments above, it's obvious that something as simple as leading worship for children can have a huge positive impact. Both children talked about the impact of what the teenagers were doing. One even commented that he wanted to follow their example.
Unfortunately, that desire to follow their lead isn't limited to good examples. If they see teenagers doing things like texting during worship or treating adults disrespectfully, they will often seek to emulate that as well.
I am proud of our teenagers for the example they set for the children at our church in Kids' Worship. This is a good time for teenagers (and adults as well) to remember that "little eyes" are often watching us. What we say and do has an impact. We should live every moment like someone is watching.

shine!
Jason

Stuck in the middle trying to figure it out

This is a powerful highlight clip from last week's episode of Law & Order where they deal head on with the issue of abortion (You'll have to sit through a brief commercial first):

An uncommon promise and common people

Last Sunday in our Student Spiritual Formation class we discussed Jesus’ genealogy. Our primary text was Luke’s genealogy, but we also used Matthew’s. It was interesting to hear some of the things our students observed during this study. Here are a few that I remember:

Luke starts with Jesus and works back to Adam, and eventually God. Matthew, on the other hand, starts with Abraham and works forward to Jesus. We talked about the significance of how Luke traces Jesus’ lineage all the way back to the original man while Matthew starts with the man to whom God made promise that found fulfillment in Jesus. Luke seems to pointing towards the importance of Jesus as the Savior of all mankind, while Matthew wants to remind his readers about Jesus fulfilling the promise made to Abraham.

There are 77 people in Luke’s geneaology while Matthew has three groups of fourteen. We noted that the number seven was significant to the Jewish people as a symbol of perfection. If it’s more than coincidence, Luke seems to be saying that Jesus is perfect perfection by the use of 77 people. Matthew has three groups of double perfection. One of the students even commented about the seven days of creation.

We also noticed that Luke’s genealogy simply gave people’s names, while Matthew often provides a description of who he is talking about. Several of those descriptions point out the women in Matthew’s genealogy (none of whom appear in Luke). We find mention of Tamar (a woman who became pregnant after she posed as a prostitute to have sex with her father-in-law), Rahab (a prostitute), Ruth (a Moabite), and the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba, who committed adultery with King David).

Even in something that may seem boring to many, there are a lot of things we can learn about God. In the few verses of Jesus’ genealogy we learn some important lessons. We learn that God is faithful and keeps His promises. In Genesis 3:15, God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head,?and you shall bruise his heel.” In Genesis 15:5, God told Abraham, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be.”
In addition to His faithfulness, we learn that God can work through common people to accomplish His purposes. Even people who feel like they have messed up are important in God’s Kingdom. From prostitutes to adulteresses to unknown ancestors, God used a variety of people to fulfill his promises. Imagine what God can do through us if we look to Him and allow ourselves to be a part of His unfolding story.

shine!
Jason

A week of reading

This past week on vacation, I had the opportunity to read five books. I wanted to share with you something I learned from each book.

Raising Boys to Be Like Jesus by Sharon Norris Elliott
I was reminded of the importance of relationships. Throughout this book, the author consistently focused on the importance of character in the midst of relationships. Whether it was his relationship with his mother, his father, or others he encountered, we see an integrity and character that we all should strive for in our lives.

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
Faith is more than belief; faith is action. Whether it’s a Rabbi who dedicated his entire life to one community in New Jersey, or a drug dealer and convict turned pastor, who pours his life into a ministry to the homeless in Detroit, faith is something we must live out. I was reminded that God works through the most unlikely people and faith is more about God than it is about us.

A Brief History of the Future by Jacques Attali
History repeats itself. Never before has this fact been so reinforced as it was in this book. As the author reviewed history and speculated about the next century or so, his insights (some of which are already unfolding) reminded me that history is cyclical. There is much to learn about our future by examining our past.

A Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
Prejudice is alive and well I our country. While things are improving, people still judge others by the way they look. Whether it’s skin color, clothing, or the way we speak, we often jump to conclusions about someone before we get to know them. In this book, I was reminded that some of God’s greatest blessings come from our diversity and willingness to listen to those unlike us. As a rich art dealer and a homeless man develop a rich, warm relationship, God is able to work in incredible ways.

For One More Day by Mitch Albom
You never know the last time you will talk to someone you love. Life takes strange twists and throws us curveballs. We should cherish every moment and treat it like it could be our last. Life is too short to waste time and relationships are too valuable to neglect.

This was a diverse stack of books, but each challenged me in a different way to live life more fully. May God call you to do the same.

shine!
Jason

Submission and respect

Why do we have such a hard time with submission? It is a lack of respect?
It seems like our society is replete with people who don’t respect others. Think about the number of marriages destroyed because of a lack of respect. People illegally download music off the Internet, stealing it from musicians who invest their life in making music. Students cheat in school showing a lack of respect for teachers and themselves. Television, from reality shows to dramas to sitcoms, shows people treating each other with disrespect.
Paul has some advice for Christ-followers struggling with respect…
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:16-33)
Relationships are built on the foundation of respect. Respect for covenant and for the other person. This is the foundation of Christ’s love for the church.
Love and respect go together. Whether it’s a parent, a friend, or a spouse, love and respect are essential to a lasting and healthy relationship. Without them, relationships will struggle to survive.

shine!
Jason

Remembering Bill

This week a number of my friends are gathering in eastern Ohio to celebrate the life and mourn the death of a servant of God. Bill Covan, who was 66, passed away Tuesday morning, September 29, 2009, from complications following open heart surgery.
Bill served as the minister for the Struthers Church of Christ. I knew him as one of the co-directors for Senior Week at Northeast Ohio Christian Youth Camp.
There are a few things I will always remember about Bill...
His smile. As soon as Bill saw you, his face greeted you before you said a word. His smile would speak volumes and you could feel his warm, sincere love from a distance. I'll miss that smile.
His sense of humor. Bill was a jokester. He was always good at making you laugh or getting into mischief.
His love for teenagers. There was never a doubt in my mind that he loved every teenager at camp. You could see in his eyes that there was a deep compassion. Some of what I learned about loving teenagers, I learned from Bill Covan.
His love for God. Bill was a man after God's own heart. His smile, his sense of humor, and his love for teenagers were all products of his love for God. Bill was a conduit for God. He not only preached God's love; he lived it.
Bill and I didn't agree on everything, but we agreed on the things that matter most: love God and love others. This philosophy defines Bill Covan. Once you met him, you knew this was a man who was serious about following Jesus.
The last time I saw Bill was this summer. He was doing what he loved doing, telling teenagers about God. I was visiting NOCYC and Bill was speaking that evening. You could see the pure joy as his smile, his humor, his love for teenagers, and his love for God were all there.
Bill has touched countless number of lives, and I am blessed to be one of them. He will be missed, but his mark will carry on into eternity.

shine!
Jason

Harwell, Albom, and faith

This is a great testimony by Ernie Harwell, the 91-year-old former Detroit Tigers broadcaster who was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer.

Living love

This past Wednesday in ARISE Connections, we focused on the importance of love in all relationships. Here is what we centered our thoughts on:

Love…
is patient
is kind
does not envy
does not boast
is not arrogant
is not rude
does not insist on its own way
is not irritable
is not resentful
does not rejoice at wrongdoing
rejoices with the truth
bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things.

It was evident to me that the Holy Spirit was moving powerfully in some students’ lives Wednesday. If you were there Wednesday night, take a few minutes to review the list again and ask God to continue to move in you. Think about what you heard from God and ask yourself what you have changed or want to change in light of what you heard.
If you were not there, ask someone who was how God spoke to them. Consider the list above and ask yourself which aspects of love are the most difficult for you to live out in your life.
The reality is that we all struggle with embodying authentic, God-centered love. But the good news is that love doesn’t start with us. John writes, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Let’s rejoice in God’s love for us and share that love with those around us.

shine!
Jason

Spirit-filled relationships

Relationships are at the core of our identity as human beings. Without relationships, it is hard to imagine what our existence would be like.
Whether it’s family, friends, or those we date and marry, much of what happens in our life is determined by friendships. And the best friendships occur when we live lives that are filled with and controlled by the Spirit. Who wouldn’t want to have relationships filled with the following traits?
Love.
Joy.
Peace.
Patience.
Kindness.
Goodness.
Faithfulness.
Gentleness.
Self-control.
So, ultimately, our relationships are the best when we are in relationship with God. In Romans 8:5-6, Paul writes…
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
We can choose to have relationships full of life and peace, if we live according to the Spirit. What does that mean? It means we submit to God’s will. We allow the Holy Spirit and the word of God to shape who we are. What if we don’t? Then imagine relationships full of the following: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. (Galatians 5:19-21)
We can ultimately decide what our relationships are like by what we allow to shape us. If we want to have relationships that bring wholeness, peace, and fulfillment, let the Spirit fill and lead you.

shine!
Jason

Have you been with Jesus?

This week our students start a yearlong journey through the Gospel of Luke. I am excited to see what we will experience and learn about Jesus throughout the next year.
My experience has taught me that some Christians know the Bible well and others not as well. But even for those who know the Bible fairly well, there are many who may not know Jesus very well.
One of the main purposes of spending a year in Luke is to get to know Jesus better. In his follow up to his gospel, Luke says the following about Peter and John:
The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
The officials weren’t amazed because of the Peter and John’s education. It wasn’t because there was something special about them. As a matter of fact, it was their ordinary nature that made their bravery so unique.
Imagine how much different we might act if we knew Jesus. Obviously, we can have the same experience as Peter and John, but there are four accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry to help us better understand who this Jesus really was. By spending a year traveling with Jesus from birth through the resurrection, we are hoping to get a better glimpse of the man from Nazareth.
Here is how Luke opens his account of the Life of Jesus Christ:
Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard. (Luke 1:1-4)
My prayer is that this year, we can join Jesus through the words of the gospel of Luke. Hopefully we can walk alongside Him and see people the way He does. Then maybe people can say about us that we have been with Jesus.

shine!
Jason

Lord, save me from myself

There is a sign hanging in my office that I made early in my ministry. It reads as follows...

My Priorities:
1) My God
2) My Wife
3) My Family
4) My Ministry

I have to admit that for the better part of the last ten years, this sign has been more of a decoration than a description of my life. If I were to remake the sign according to the reality of how I have lived, it would read like this...

My Priorities
1) My Ministry
2) My Ministry
3) My Wife
4) My Family
5) My God

Yes, I intended to list ministry twice, because that's more like the way it has been. I have allowed ministry to define me, shape me, and give me much of my identity.
I have gotten it all wrong.
Over the last several weeks I have listened to God in my life like I never have before. I have a long way to go, but I believe that God has been trying to speak boldly into my noisy life. Here is what I think he is trying to say:
Repent of your "savior complex" and let me (God) be God. For too long, you have been trying to be the savior. You have tried to do what only I can do.
Repent of your primary identity as a youth minister. Youth ministry is a calling, not an identity. Your identity is as a human being, one created in my image.
Repent of your need for affirmation from people. Affirmation from others is good and necessary, but your first source of love and affirmation should be from me. I created you. I know you. I saved you. I was there when you were created and I will be there when you die. I will never fail you. I will never just tell you what you want to hear.
Repent of your misguided priorities. After your relationship with me is your relationship with your wife. I have made you one flesh. You dedicated your life to this woman. Return to the vows that you made and make her the top human relationship in your life. Stop being distracted at home. Give her your attention. Your second most important relationship is with your son. Molding and shaping his image of me and of the world starts with you. Show him he is more important than everyone else except your wife. Make time for him.
Repent of your busyness. There is nothing wrong with working hard, but make time to be quiet. Make time for rest. I included the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments for reason. You must make time to recharge.

Father, forgive me for neglecting our relationship. I have tried to sit on your throne for too long and it is wearing me out. Save me from my selfishness and desire to seek my ultimate fulfillment from anywhere other than you. I have let important relationships suffer because of my own selfish desires. I have permitted my calling to become my identity, and in the process, I have sometimes forgotten who and what that calling is about.
Father, forgive me for allowing my ministry to distract me from being a better husband and a better father. Save me from my desire to receive the praise of men before your praise. Help me to see that when my relationship with you is stronger and my relationships at home are stronger that I can be a better servant of yours.
Father, forgive me for all of the times in the past I have gotten lost along the way. Thank you for your years of patience as you watched me struggle along. Thank you for speaking to me, even when I wasn't listening. Thank for you giving me a wife with supreme patience and a heart of gold. Thank you for giving me a son who loves me, even when I am not as attentive as I should be. Lord, thank you for loving me, even when I frustrate you and let you down. Save me from myself so that I can be more whole.

What's the big deal about Kanye's stunt?

I have to admit, I am pretty culturally clueless much of the time. Well, maybe that is a bit extreme, but I don't spend a lot of time keeping up with celebrities and popular culture. When I am in line at Wal-Mart, I often look at People or Us and wonder who these people are on the cover.
I say that to set the stage for what I am about to talk about. I have been intrigued over the last twelve hours or so to hear about what Kanye West did last night at the MTV Video Music Awards. Honestly, if it wasn't for every third or fourth Facebook status mentioning it, I would have probably never known what happened. But, since everyone seems to be talking about it, I thought maybe I should do a little research. (Side note: I have been trying over the last couple of weeks to be more intentional about having some clue about pop culture without spending too much time in that world.)
Well, first, I watched what happened. I have to admit that I thought it was pretty rude. Here is this young woman who just won an award and some other guy comes up on the stage, interrupts what she is saying, and basically insults her by saying someone else should have won.
After I watched the video, I reflected on what people were saying (primarily via FB statuses). I saw people really getting down on Kanye for his behavior, his attitude, and his apparent intoxication at some level.
Well, in the spirit of research, I invested a little time this afternoon watching all of the videos that won awards - or at least the ones on the MTV website. Before I get to my point, I have to say I was intrigued by the artistry some of the artists displayed in their videos and music (Whether I agree and appreciate the lyrics and messages or not).
As I reflected on the videos I just watched and then thought back to the Kanye incident, what's the big deal about what he did? Seriously.
I watched videos where women paraded themselves around as sex objects, sang about the sexualization of their bodies, and engaged in movements and actions that hinted (sometimes not very subtly) at sexual activity. I watched one video where Britney Spears is in a sauna naked (with carefully concealed breasts) singing a song that includes the following lyrics:

Womanizer
Woman-Womanizer
You're a womanizer
Oh Womanizer
Oh You're a Womanizer Baby
You, You You Are
You, You You Are
Womanizer, Womanizer, Womanizer

Does anyone else see the irony in her displaying her body in a way that displays her as a sexual object while deriding a man for treating her like one? (To be fair, maybe Britney intended this irony. But it seems to me that she undermines her point even if that is her intent.)
Ok, so back to where we started. When videos are being shown that could be considered soft pornography and men and women sing about women as sexual objects, what's the big deal about what Kanye did? When musicians are using their craft to teach our culture - especially young minds which are still forming their value systems - that women should use their bodies to get what they want and men should use women's bodies to get what they want, what's the big deal about what Kanye did?
Sure, we should be offended that Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift's moment in the spotlight. But shouldn't we be more concerned about the messages that are shaping our culture's approach to the way we view our bodies and how we live as people created in the image of the Creator?

shine!
Jason

Community

Why are so many people of all ages getting into Facebook? I am convinced one of the reasons is because they crave community. In a day and age where families (aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even adult children) are spread all over the country, we are starving for a place to belong.
For most of history, families were in the same community and often the same house. Today, that is no longer the case. As we become more and more of a transient society, the hunger for connection becomes even more acute.
So how do we respond to this need as followers of Jesus? In a word… community! Our theme for the 2009-2010 year in the ARISE Ministry is COMMUNITY. The focus of our events, activities, and ministries will be designed around this theme.
Last year’s theme, “Arise,” helped us develop an understanding of a life of service. From the 40 Hours of Service, to the drive for 2009 hours of service, to monthly service time at God’s Helping Hands, to the 30 Hour Famine, we were very intentional in creating venues and motivation to integrate serving into our lives. We even adopted ARISE as the new name of our ministry because it became a focus to get outside of ourselves, let our let shine, and rise to face the challenges God has put before us.
This year, as we strive to create stronger community, we will engage five areas of community: God, youth, families, church, and world. God is community. In the Trinity, we see Father, Son, and Spirit living as three persons in absolutely unity. God said, “Let us make humankind in our image.” (Genesis 1:26, emphasis mine) Our identity and primary community call us into relationship with the Trinity, the perfect community of the Creator. This will occur through a variety of avenues, including, but not limited to, a more intentional interaction with the Scriptures, times of reflection, and a call to prayer.
Beyond that, our students will have ways to experience community with one another in small groups and a variety of events.
While peer interaction for teens is important, there is a crucial need for students to connect with parents and other age groups in the church. We will be seeking ways for families to grow closer together and imagining new ways to bridge the gaps between generations, from children all the way up to senior citizens.
Finally, if we are true to our calling, we must find ways to engage the world. When we are “being rooted and grounded in [God’s] love,” (Ephesians 1:17) we can build community with all who share in the common heritage of being children of Adam and Eve. God made us for community with all who are created in their image.

shine!
Jason

God's ongoing story

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the present that we fail to learn from our past or dream about the future. Others either become trapped by their past or consumed by the future.
I believe God calls us to a healthy combination of past, present, and future. In the community of the Trinity we see how God wants to be involved in every moment of our life.
In the Father, we find that all in the past has brought us to a particular moment. Through His dream we were created. Our past is a place where the Father looks to teach us. It is a place where we can look to find wisdom. We should look at failure not as a place of ending, but rather as a place of beginning. Through our past, especially mistakes, the Father is the anchor that shows us grace and mercy.
The Holy Spirit is always seeking to break the future into the present. It is through the Spirit that God moves and acts towards God’s preferred future. It is through the action of the Spirit that God’s dreams – not ours – take shape.
The Son is where the past and future come together. It is through the incarnation that God’s past and God’s future meet. The Father, who has been our Rock and our Refuge, provides a launching pad of sorts. We are able to look back into our past and ask questions like, “What is God teaching us?” We can ask those questions without fear, but rather with hope, because of the Father.
This frees us to be open to the leading of the Spirit into the future. We are able to ask God what His dreams are. What is it that God is calling us to? It is important to remember that God’s dreams are bigger than any one person’s past or future. We are a community that God is calling together into the unity of the Spirit.
The lessons of the past and the dreams of the future find themselves meeting in the present. While Christ serves as the perfect embodiment of God’s present, each of us is called to continue living as this embodiment. We are not individuals seeking personal salvation. Rather we are part of a living, breathing organism known as the body of Christ. We are each a part of God’s dream for this world. We are invited by God to join in His dreams and to hear His voice.
The abundant life Christ speaks of in John 10 is not something He simply spoke about. He lived it out and was the ultimate illustration of how it looks when God’s past and future come together to live in the present.

shine!
Jason