Toward a Theology of Involvement

What does it mean to be involved for Jesus? Perhaps we need to periodically step back and ask ourselves basic questions related to our faith and our commitment to Jesus.

To begin with, we have to be converted to and committed to Jesus Christ first. If that is in place, we will then be willing to use our gifts for the work of the kingdom and the building up of the body of Christ. But, and this is important, we don’t do “religious stuff” in the name of Jesus. Anything we do considered “good works” comes from God’s agenda, we just have to realize that we are coming on board to what He is already doing.

Marlene Wilson suggests that theology is not something you merely study. It is the message of God that lives in and through us. And perhaps we need some strong images to remind us of that reality. Try these on for size:

Steel girders underpinning our actions
The skeleton holding our beliefs together
A Springboard that sends us out into life as unique persons of God
An application that makes computer hardware function

She concludes with this wonderful thought: “A person’s belief system (their theology) is meant to be personal, vibrant, and evergrowing; not static, impersonal, and boring. It’s the stuff of life—beliefs impacting life impacting faith impacting actions impacting beliefs—with God directing the scenario for each of us.” [How to Mobilize Church Volunteers. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1983), 13.

What image describes your belief and involvement? Why are you doing what you are doing? Why are you not doing what you should be doing? How does God, Christ and the Spirit fit into the picture?

In Christian love, Curtis

P.S. All of us in various aspects of ministry [teaching, preaching, working, etc.] have an operative metaphor that informs our theology. Do we know what it is? I spoke at Johnson Bible College’s Conference for Small Churches last Saturday. My topic was “Kingdom Teamwork: Building Positive Relationships for Effective Decision-Making.” I will write more on this later.

But suffice it to say here that involvement, teamwork, collaborative ministry are all encouraged and participated in by the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to always remember that we are partners with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ for the work of the kingdom in a dark world. The apostle Paul uses the word συνεργός, “fellow-worker” approximately thirteen times in his writings. It is this joint partnership in Jesus that makes a difference in using our gifts. There is a synergy that God uses to accomplish what would be impossible with one individual.

We need to think of ourselves as synergistic συνεργός! To God be the glory.

Church Under the Rainbow

This morning as I drove to work the most beautiful rainbow appeared in front of me. I was so moved by its distinct bands of coloration and the awesomeness of God’s creation that I turned the radio off. I sang hymns of praise to Almighty God in the car.

So many thoughts were racing through my head at once that I had a hard time sorting them all out. But when I pulled up into the church building parking lot, the rainbow encircled the building and I had an “epiphany” moment. This is what the church is all about.

God’s covenant people are protected by His love, encircled with His presence and claimed as His own. It is this sign of the covenant that marks us as His creation that is loved. In the Bible there are at least 3 major covenant signs initiated by God.

Rainbow for all of humanity
Circumcision for Israel
Baptism for the church

Sadly, too many people not in covenant relationship with God do not appreciate the rainbow nor its theological implications of God’s relationship with His creation. Baptism transforms the rainbow. Christians see it as a re-affirmation of the Faithful One who loves His creation, sent his Son to die and desires an intimate relationship with individuals.

A covenant people. That is who we are. Every time you and I see a rainbow we need to remember who we are and how awesome God is. His power, divinity, love and sovereignty come to the forefront.

If the rainbow is that beautiful, how much more is the beauty of God and the intimate life He desires with us!

In Christian love, Curtis

"Eureka! I Have Found It!"

Archimedes is credited with discovering how to calculate the volume of an object by the water it displaced. He apparently was bathing when he had a flash of insight. According to tradition he leaped out of his bath tub and ran up and down the streets shouting, “Eureka! Eureka! ( I have found it. I have found it!).”

We all have had our own “Eureka” moments. Yesterday I came back to the church building and could not find my study Bible. I searched high and low. I agonized, thought, retraced my steps, looked under and over, around and behind…still no Bible.

After my small group was over it dawned on me where I left it. I went over to the Providence House and there it was. I had laid it on a table right before eating lunch. “Eureka! Eureka!”

You know the kind of Bible I am talking about…the one that has all of your study notes written in the margins, special verses underlined…word study notations, even dates written above the chapters to remind you of life-changing events. That was my “preaching” Bible. I had to find it.

“Eureka! Eureka!” I wonder if we are as excited about our own spiritual insights, experiences and discovery of a deeper relationship with God as Archimedes was with his mathematical formula? What “Eureka” experience have you had lately? Have you been excited to run up and down the streets and share it with others? Am I as excited about finding Jesus and helping others find Jesus as I am finding my study Bible?

In Christian love, Curtis

Trapped

“I do not understand my own behavior; I do not act as I mean to, but I do things that I hate.” (Romans 7:15)

“Paul’s cry of anguish has a universal ring to it. Who of us has not felt deeply the frustration of being trapped in addictive behaviors from which we would like to be delivered? Those behaviors that have become deep wounds in our spirits? Those that keep our true selves in bondage?” [Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections, by Macrina Wiederkerhr; page 9.]

This reading was part of my devotional time this morning. I suppose it is reassuring to know that Paul also struggled with giving in to his false self. He did not understand his own behavior at times, and why he went ahead did the very thing he despised and hated.

In our daily struggle against sin our most difficult battles are with those addictive behaviors that trap us. We feel trapped because we can so no end in sight. We have seemingly tried everything, but nothing has freed us.

What are some of those behaviors that cause deep wounds in our spirit?

Work that reinforces alienation
Religious activities borne out of guilt
Gluttony designed to comfort our inner wounded-ness
Domination of others to cover our own inadequacies
Compulsive behaviors that are self-destructive
Financial scrooge to create our own safety net
Enabling dysfunctional family members
Neurotic sense of illness to vie for people’s attention

The list could go on and on. It is only a life in the Spirit that can courageously confront and expose these addictive behaviors. This is the true freedom for the true self that the Spirit of God offers. The Christian life lived in the resurrection power of God and the indwelling presence of the Spirit is the only way to escape entrapment. It is not fair, but the Devil is trying to entrap us. My own personal reflection makes me too painfully aware of how successful he has been in the past.

“But thanks be to God…because through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death!” (Romans 8:2)

In Christian love, Curtis

P.S. Those of us in Christian ministry know all too well how our own addictive behaviors can be disguised as "Religious Work." This can actually build a wall between us and the Lord we say we are speaking and ministering on behalf of. Unfortunately, much of traditional ministry expectations do not lend themselves for a minister's openness and transparency. But we have to constantly monitor our hearts because we are in heart business.

"Pain Bank" at Highland View

There is a little known ministry that goes on behind the scenes here at Highland View. I want to introduce you to it and encourage you to participate. My understanding is that our leaders conceived of this idea a few years ago and it works as follows:

If you have experienced some pain in life that you feel God has used to prepare you to turn around and ministers to others, call the office or talk to one of our elders, and they will put your name on the list. Case in point—my name is on the list for suicide. Since my father took his own life fifteen (15) years ago, God has used me to minister to, listen to, and reach out to numerous individuals, either contemplating suicide themselves or who has a family member who has taken their own life.

What made me think of this was an article in the Knoxville News Sentinel about a coach who was made aware of the Jason Foundation, which apparently provides resources for coaches dealing with depression. This is the same sort of model we have here. We desire that all members of this congregation see the body of Christ here as resource which God can use to make a difference in others’ lives.

Have you struggled with drug addiction? Has there been unwanted pregnancy in your family? Have you had a miscarriage? Have you been on the verge of bankruptcy? Has there been a specific medical problem you have had to deal with? Have you been depressed?

We need for you to sign up to help someone else. The apostle Paul expressed it this way: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

If we could see ourselves as a conduit of grace when others are hurting, just think of how many opportunities for ministry would come our way! God bless you as you allow Him to work through your pain experience to bring healing, caring and relief to others in the name of Jesus!
In Christian Love, Curtis

Staining the Deck

I had the distinct pleasure of staining my deck last week. Between the smell of the stain, the perspiration in sweltering heat, and the muscle strains of lower back I had time to reflect on the entire process and its meaning.
Protection is what it is all about. I have seen decks, as you no doubt have also, that have been neglected and left unstained over the years. The weather is not kind to the wood left untreated.
In my mind as the stain was being applied “theological thoughts” kept running through my brain. The power of God protects my soul from the weather of life. Listen to what Peter says:
“…Through faith we are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” [1 Peter 1:5].
What a comfort to know that my soul is not left bare to the wind and weather of life, and to the damaging effect of Satan’s influence. God’s power shields us and protects us. It would be so easy if staining the deck was a one time event. But every so often the entire process has to be repeated so that protection remains.
We have to constantly monitor our souls and make sure that we are allowing God’s power to protect us. Pray and meditate. Pour out the stain and apply it. Sweep and hammer down loose nails. Let the Lord cleanse your heart and nail down your convictions of faith. Allow Him to apply the coating of his power to protect you!
In Christian love, Curtis

Amish Friendship Bread

Yesterday some kind individual gave us some Amish Friendship Bread. This morning I laid the loaf on a cutting board and carefully sliced a piece off to have with my cup of coffee. The moist, sweetness and buttery nut flavor just melted in my mouth! The smell of coffee with the aroma of the bread made it a perfect way to begin the morning. And as I supped and savored this delectable treat, thoughts about bread and fellowship emerged from my sleepy brain.
Amish Friendship Bread is made to be shared. I cut the slice in half and offered it to Nancy. Somehow bread shared is much better. Something about friendship inherently knows the value and joy of sharing.
In the community of faith pictured in the New Testament the breaking of bread was fellowship around the table. Sometimes this seems be just a fellowship meal, and at other times there appears to have been table fellowship as the setting for the Lord’s Supper, or communion.
There is a fascinating story in Acts 27 where Paul is on a merchant, grain ship in the Adriatic Sea during a fierce storm. For two weeks the soldiers and sailors on board barely had anything to eat because of the storm’s threat to end all life. At this point Paul urged everyone on board to take some food, and he promised them that no one would lose their life, even though the ship would eventually be destroyed by the waves and wind. After Paul said this, “he took some bread [Amish Friendship bread, no doubt!] and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged”[Acts 27:35, 36a].
This has the ring of communion about it: took, gave thanks, broke it, and began to eat. Though this was not a communion setting, I am taken that Paul gave thanks to God in the presence of pagan soldiers and sailors. He used this occasion of breaking bread to give thanks in the hearing of folks who did not know God.
A God-centered view of breaking bread has so many advantages to it.
· It sees bread broken as an answer to prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.”
· It re-inforces the bonds of friendship and provides a context of joy.
· Table fellowship defines bread as the sustaining of communal life.
· Every time we take, give thanks, break bread and eat it, we hear ringing in our ears Jesus inaugurating the Last Supper with his disciples. As one Christian writer has said, “It eucharizes the common meal and invites the presence of the risen Lord into our table fellowship.”
· Breaking bread together is an encouraging act. We experience this in our small groups and our fellowship meals.

We do not have to be Amish to extend a hand filled with bread! Let us invite others into this vibrant relationship and joyous community of faith that gathers around a table.
In Christian love, Curtis

Is There Life After Death?

This question was forced upon my family and me in a stark and graphic way with the passing of Myrtle Campbell, Nancy’s mother. It was amazing that right before the funeral I checked our mailbox and received the AARP Magazine. It had an article entitled, “Life After Death” by Bill Newcott (Sept/Oct 2007; Volume 50; number 5A; page 68.) The author asked people 50 and over about their views regarding the destination of life and what happens after our loved ones die.
In the survey AARP found that 73 percent agreed with the statement, “I believe in life after death.” Women were more likely to believe in the afterlife (80%) than men (64%). But one of the most amazing statements for me in the article was the following:

“Two thirds of those who believe also told us that their confidence in a life after death has increased as they’ve gotten older.”

I wonder why this is?

Getting older forces upon us the reality of the brevity of life.
Getting older forces us to see the frailties of our body.
Getting older forces us to accept the losses forced upon us.
Getting older helps us see that without a destination life’s journey would be meaningless.
Getting older makes us desire to live a meaningful life.
Getting older makes us outlive our loved ones and friends, thereby making us realize that
one day our time will come.
Getting older allows us to grow closer to God.
Getting older helps us weed out the insignificant and replace it with the eternal.
Getting older makes each birthday anticipate our own passing and getting ready for our
own resurrection.

I know you could think of other things that getting older forces upon us. But this gives us an inkling of what ought to be going on in our hearts as time and life march on toward our appointment with eternity. Death is but the passage into the eternal presence of Almighty God. May each one of us live with the confidence that the risen Lord gives us in the face of death. Each day is a God-given gift. May we give it back to Him at the end of the day in faithful stewardship, being responsible with the precious 24 hours we have been given. To God be the glory.
In Christian love, Curtis

Preparation: Can't Get There Without it

Preparation: Can’t Get There Without it

It seems that each day and each week God chooses to impress upon me various aspects of the Christian journey that are easy for me to forget or lay aside. The vital concept and reality He has chosen now is “preparation.”
Preparation is the necessary step of a process leading to fulfillment and a goal achieved or an end result desired. It is easy for us to think that preparation time is wasted time. Let me share with you some recent experiences.
First, I am grateful beyond expression for the academic preparation demanded of nurses and doctors before they are licensed to practice. Myrtle, my mother in law, is still in the CCU at Methodist Medical Center as I write this. The machines, the beeping noises, the blinking numbers, the IV lines and ventilator all testify to specific preparation by the medical staff that was taken seriously.
Secondly, I am in the process of building a gazebo in my back yard, getting ready for a pond tour where the public gets to come and see your yard, landscaping and pond/water feature. With fascination and awe I have watched God and my wife, Nancy, cooperate to create a beautiful back yard that needs to be on the front of Southern Living magazine! The preparation of plants for this years growth and the attendant landscaping has taken three years. The preparation of the lumber for my gazebo is a careful, painstaking task, but necessary if I want the structure to be presentable and not an embarrassment.
Last of all, I have seen the personal preparation that God has utilized in the lives of so many people so they can be effective in ministering to others out of the context of their own hurts, disappointments, rejections, pains, etc. Only a cancer patient knows the reality of another cancer patient. Only a diabetic knows the reality of another diabetic. God’s desire is that we remain open to His working in our lives in those areas where we have been humbled. Out of our own thorns in the flesh, we like Paul, have learned that God’s grace is sufficient.
So, preparation comes in the form of training, patience, painstaking sacrifice, and personal thorns. Without all of this we could not be prepared to enter ultimately into God’s presence forever. Why do we always resist what is most needful?
My dear travelers, think of each day as preparation for being in God’s presence forever. May God bless you and make his face to shine upon you.
In Christian love, Curtis

Take Your Shoes Off, Please

Take Off Your Shoes, Please

I remember when I was growing up that one of the most cardinal sins of our household was tracking mud through the house. We knew that taking off our shoes was mandatory. This image of taking off one’s shoes is appropriated by Macrina Wiederkehr in her book Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers and Reflections.

The submissive act of taking one’s shoes off has good scriptural precedent. Remember Moses at the burning bush? God said to Moses, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground”(Exodus 3:5).

Interestingly, just before this theophany, Moses was minding his own business, tending the sheep of his father-in-law. All of a sudden God was revealed in the midst of the burning bush, speaking to Moses. It is this revelation of God that marks the place where the bush was as a sacred place, a place where God reveals his will and his ways.

We need to think of ourselves taking off our shoes as we too stand on holy ground. Such a sacred stance before God recognizes and celebrates the following:

The holy ground of our life
Life-changing theophanies
A submissive and obedient heart to the commands of God

The holy ground of our life are those times and places where we seek to give God the awe and reverence He so richly deserves. It is feeling free to designate our own “burning bush” as a sacred place to meet with God and converse with Him.

The life-changing theophanies are those unexplainable events where it is clear that God was present and active and revealing himself in transcendent moments. We have all had them.

A submissive and obedient heart allows us to take off the shoes because we know the character of the one who asks us to remove them. We lovingly comply because we know God loves us and has our best interests at heart. When we accept this our heart will be at peace within us.

“Take off your shoes, young man. Do not mess up my clean floor.” I can hear my mother’s voice still. Little did she or I realize that nascent training was preparing me for the sacred act of removing my sandals before the Lord. It is very humbling!

In Christian love, Curtis

Journey as Metaphor and Motif

One of the most basic metaphors and motifs in the Bible to describe our Christian life is that of “journey.” As we live and go from day to day our God takes the journey with us. When we walk with God as He shows his face, we call that Revelation. When we walk with God and talk to him, we call that Prayer. When we walk and talk with Him, we call that Communion. When we reflect with him on the time of our journey, we call that Seasons. [Macrina Wiederkehr, Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers and Reflections, p. xii.]

Our journey with God, thankfully, is one of acceptance. The first journey we read about in the Bible is one of rejection. Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden and took a journey from Paradise into the world filled with sin and corruption. Our journey now is in the opposite direction. We are traveling in the world of sin and corruption and journeying toward Paradise.
Where are we on our journey? Perhaps the best place to start is a recognition that God is faithful. No matter how difficult the travel seems, no matter how impossible the conditions become, no matter how lonely the trip is, God is faithful as a traveling companion. He will always be with us in the most trying of times. He will help us negotiate the terrain and give us directions.

What time is it in our journey? Is it sunrise—have I just begun the Christian life? Is it noonday—have I been a Christian for a little while? Is it in the afternoon—have I experienced the heat of the day? Is it in the evening—do the shadows of yesteryear now begin to cast their long memories in my walk? Is it night—has the darkness crept up and is death now approaching?
What season is it in our journey? Is it spring with the freshness of new life? Is it Summer with the joy and vitality of life? Is it autumn with the colors of memory? Is it winter with life nearly over?

Traveling on. That expresses our vacations. Mile after mile. Exit after exit. Place on the map and destinations to achieve. What is the difference between vacation and journey? Vacation is built around pleasure, while journey is built around a life’s purpose and direction.

How do we describe our journey at present? Are we in close relationship with God pressing on to those things that are ahead and forgetting those things that are behind us? Do we keep our eyes on the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ?

“Have a safe trip” we call out to our loved ones when they leave. “Have an eventful, faithful and meaningful journey” God calls out to us when we begin the destination to be with Him eternally.
In Christian love, Curtis

Not Much of An Impression

Not Much of an Impression

“There are…many who often hear the gospel of Christ and are little affected by it because they lack the Spirit of Christ.” [Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, I.1.2]

Is it possible to overhear the gospel? Is it possible for the Word of God and the good news of Jesus to have little impact on those of us who hear it the most? Is it possible to be so familiar with the words of the gospel and miss the Spirit of it all?

I have noticed the dulling effect that advertising has on me. After seeing the same commercial over and over, it loses its impact. I know all of the arguments that are made in favor of subliminal, subconscious imprinting. But on the other hand, we can become so familiar with something that we no longer pay attention.

A spouse’s words of communication, the whining of a child, the beeping of a machine in the hospital, the continual ringing of an office phone, harping of a boss for project deadlines, etc.--we could add to the list.

Worst of all is the actual hearing of the gospel of Christ over and over with not much of an impression left on us. We need to hear afresh, anew and again. It is not so much an overhearing as it is an “under-hearing.” It is impossible to hear all that God intends for us in the Good News if we lack the Spirit of Christ. This is what Thomas a Kempis reminds us of.

What does it mean to “lack the Spirit of Christ”? The attitude, intention, openness and humility before God are lacking. We do not expect to be “affected” by the word of the Good News and the inner working of the Spirit, and consequently nothing is ever “effected” in our lives.

How much impression does my hearing of the Word every day really affect me? Does God use it to impress my heart, shaping and molding it to the image of Christ?

Just think of how many things we hear that do not make much of an impression on us. May it never be said of us that we have allowed the same thing to happen with regards to the Good News. May that Good News allows be vital and new! May that Good News be allowed to daily replace the bad. May that Good News be received with the Spirit of Christ.

Take advantage every day, every week of the opportunities to hear the gospel of Christ with new ears and clean hearts and sound minds. With the heart and Spirit of Christ we will be impressed for eternity.

In Christian love, Curtis

Spider Webs and Morning Dew

Spider Webs and Morning Dew

The other morning Nancy and I went bike riding early before the sun came up in full view. We saw the most astounding sight. Spider webs were hanging everywhere clearly defined by the morning dew.
Dew drops of beauty defined the work of the night. The symmetrical webs hanging in suspension revealed beads of moisture lined in perfect rows. This portrait of an architectural wonder caused me to pause and offer the following observations.
1. Some things you cannot see unless you get up early in the morning. In the Psalms and in the ancient church it was readily recognized that the early morning held something special with respect to seeing and listening for God. God’s revelation of self is unique in the morning before the day dawns.
2. Order and purpose point to the Creator. How can anyone view such divine beads of moisture-laden orbs and not conclude or even believe in the Creator? If even the little spider has purpose, does not that in and of itself point to an ultimate purpose?
3. A Christian perspective of the world is imbued with divine aesthetics. The beauty of creation is evident everywhere we look. It is indeed the handiwork of God and has his fingerprints all over it.
4. Diversity and individuality are important within the community. The community of spiders must be myriad. We saw hundreds upon hundreds of webs hanging in lifeless suspension. And yet, each spider web was woven in a unique way, and not exactly like another one around. Within the community of faith God has created each one of us with diverse personalities and unique gifts. What a testimony to the multifaceted essence of God himself!

Water and web. Divine drops of heavenly pearls. Beauty suspended between heaven and earth. Open your eyes today early and see what God has in store for your faith walk!

In Christian love, Curtis

Our History of Spiritual Formation

I have been reading and reflecting today on the history of spiritual formation, especially as it has connection with the Restoration Movement and the Stone-Campbell heirs. J.W. McGarvery was not overly thrilled with the work The Spiritual Side of our Plea when it was originally published around the turn of the twentieth century. But I think at that early date some were beginning to sound the alarm that our rationalist approach to faith was quenching the Spirit.
I had a most interesting experience a couple of years ago, and one in which I am following up on with specific research. During a retreat which was taking place at a Methodist Camp, one evening late I picked up a hymnal and began thumbing through it and singing the good oldies that I had known from years gone by. After awhile I was intrigued, and then shocked to find out how many hymns had been changed in our own hymnals to remove any hint or reference to the work of the Holy Spirit. I think that evening I counted over twenty songs where I could specifically determine that some editorial quenching had occured. I became angry and since then have had to extend historical forgiveness to my forebearers in the faith who did not know any better.
I see signs that are encouraging and healthy that we are reclaiming a rightful role for the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. Here is my question for all of you...What healthy signs are you seeing that we are once again allowing the Spirit into the life of the church?
Shalom, Curtis

Self-Esteem Issues for the Minister

Monday, June 11, 2007
“Self-esteem poses a dilemma for the Christian.” So says Joanna and Alister McGrath in their book, The Dilemma of Self-Esteem: The Cross and Christian Confidence. As I pick up this book and read this first sentence of the Preface, I immediately lay it down and ponder on the corollary that is so close to my heart: “Self-esteem issues pose a dilemma for the minister.” I would suspect that for most ministers this is the sinister work of the devil, like termites quietly, efficiently and effectively eating away at the foundation of our identity. Too often these self-esteem issues define our ministry.
I remember reading years ago an alternative view that helped me at least address this dilemma in a healthy way. The Christian counselor and psychologist, Gary Collins, called it “Christ-esteem.” Our sense of personal value, our self-worth, who we are and our true identity is not based on self. Rather, it is the love of God demonstrated through the loving sacrifice of Jesus that determines our self-esteem and worth. Just by looking at the subtitle of McGraths’ book, I have a hunch this is where they are headed.
What is the dilemma that we ministers face with self-esteem? We want to be perceived as individuals who have it all together, with our personal savvy and swagger proving to others that we are worth something. The ongoing jokes about ministers that we constantly hear do not help with the perennial problem. We often bend over backwards to prove to our churches and church leaders that we are worth our salt and that the money the church is paying us to perform ministry is not wasted money.
Criticism, negative yearly evaluations, leadership opposition, personality conflicts, philosophical differences, theological differences—all of these realities create the cauldron of self-esteem soup that tastes bitter to the soul and nauseating to the spirit. And the church wants us to take it on the chin, just grin and bear it. We cannot voice our displeasures, our hurts, our pain and our own personal disillusionment. We are paid to be nice and put on a smiling face.
I am eagerly anticipating in the next week or so reading and digesting this book. As I begin, and will share with you insights gathered and garnered from reading it, allow me to pose this question to get conversation started:
“How do self-esteem issues pose a dilemma for you in the context and practice of your ministry?”

Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ

I would suspect that after the Bible, the single most influential Christian devotional work is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. Several English editions are now in print and it is recognized the world over as a Christian Classic. It was originally published in 1427, which means it has influenced readers now for 580 years!
Every morning part of my quiet time and contemplative silence is spent before the Lord immersed in Thomas a Kempis’s work. I have been reading it regularly now for twenty years as part of my daily spiritual diet. God has worked on me in unfathomable ways, and of course, He still a lot of work left to do!
This morning’s reading was from Book 2 chapter 8 entitled, “Friends with Jesus/Friendly Conversations with Jesus.” This is such a powerful chapter and it underscores the benefits of living close to our Lord. Listen to this reminder:

“When Jesus is present everything is well and nothing seems difficult, but when Jesus is absent everything is hard.”

Does this ring true for you? The abiding presence of our Jesus seems to make things ok, even those things, circumstances and people that seem to be difficult. I suspect in my own life that the difficulty has always been my attempt to manage, control or change whatever does not fit my fancy.

But the most astounding part of the quote is the second half-- but when Jesus is absent everything is hard.” I know we all have already in one way or another figured this one out. Why is my life hard? Why are my relationships falling apart? Why does nothing seem to work for me? The blame game could stop once and for all if I would just see that when Jesus is absent from my heart, my desires, my intent, and my daily life then the only option left is that things will indeed be hard!

I am especially interested in feedback and conversation with you fellow ministers in how you have found this principle and reality to be true in your daily ministries. And, if it is true that friendship with Jesus is so vital to a faithful, dynamic and life-changing ministry, then why do we push Jesus away with our busyness and wonder why things are hard?

Church History issue on Benedictines & Devoted Life

Dear Colleagues:
The retreat at the Benedictine Monastery was renewing indeed. John York left behind his copy of Christian History, Issue 93, Winter 2007 on the topic of “A Devoted Life.” If you have not seen or read this issue let me encourage you to get a copy and do so. In addition to the helpful theological, historical and cultural backgrounds to the monastic movement, several of the articles make mention of the challenges of our current culture and why the contemplative life is becoming more and more appealing to individuals.
The managing editor, Jennifer Trafton, makes this comment in her editorial…”In the midst of a frenetic, fragmented culture that glorifies independence, busyness, and material gain, many are seeking out a countercultural lifestyle that values prayer, silence, simplicity, liturgy, hospitality, community, and care for the poor.”

What struck me about her comments was the thought…wasn’t this what the early church was all about? Based on this let me get the conversation going with this question: Do you see the characteristics of culture she has described as infecting the church? If so, how can we, the church, be a countercultural alternative that values the very things she identifies?

5th Annual Sermon Seminar Contemplative Retreat

Fellow colleagues:
I feel that the 5th Annual Sermon Seminar Contemplative Retreat was a blessing indeed. As you know, I publicly announced that this would be mylast one connected with the Rochester College Sermon Seminar. I am working with Dr. David Fleer on a project that may continue this contemplative retreat for ministers, but this time instead of being in Michigan we will have it in the Smokies. I am thinking about re-naming it "Manna on the Mountain" and we can continue next year in Tennessee.
"Contours and Context for Hearing Jesus"--this past retreat focused on the Gospel of John and learning about friends. This word "friend" carries with it 3 significant connations associated with the concept: loyalty, frankness, commonality. This was especially rich in providing new ways of thinking about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit's friendship with each other, with me, and vice-a-versa. I pray that the retreat helped you to become a friend to yourself once again by the renewing presence of God.
Let me propose this question: "What do you think your greatest need is as a minister, and what focus on next year's contemplative retreat will help you to address it the best?"
Your friend in Jesus, Curtis

Silence and journaling

It seems that so much of our lives are lived in chaotic noise that we are strangers to true silence. And yet it is my experience that without this time and space created for silence we cannot really come to know God. Consequently, we have no time to journal and let our hearts pour forth their language of searching, discovery and joy. What has been your experience of silence?
Your fellow pilgrim, Curtis

Small Beginnings

I am trying to get this blog going. My heart's desire is to create a community of interchange with like-minded pilgrims who are seeking God with all their heart. I am slated to give another presentation this July at Lipscomb's Summer Celebration on spiritual journaling. Let me know if you are interested in continued dialogue.
Yours in Him, Curtis