On the Closing of Cokesbury Bookstore

This week I was saddened to learn that all Cokesbury Book retail stores will be closed.  For many years they have served our area well as both a church supply and Christian bookstore.  It was always great to be able to roam the aisle, peruse the books and other goodies.  They always had free coffee and often cookies or other snacks.  What I will miss most is the personal service.

I remember when I was ordained deacon some 28 years ago how proud my parents were to go there and purchase for me my first clergy robe as a gift.  Likewise a few years later when I earned my doctorate they went back to purchase the stripes that went on the sleeves.  The clerk there even know a seamstress who could sew them on for us.  It's a wonderful memory.

That personal service has helped me make disciples.  Traditionally, our church presented Bibles to those being baptized.  In my present appointment I find myself sometimes baptizing adults who come to the faith for the first time.  I purchased a supply of "Wesley Study Bibles" when they were on sale a few years back.  When someone is being baptized, I would take them back to the store to have the leather cover engraved with their name.  It's amazing to me how many people became more serious about studying and reading the Bible by that simple personal touch made possible by having a local Cokesbury store who remembered you when you came in and knew you by name.

I know that the world is changing and online/ phone ordering may be the wave of the future, but the little personal touches made possible by a local store was a witness to Christ and the love of His Church.  I will surely miss them.

Reflections on the Day after an Election

The First Epistle to Timothy 2:1-8 admonishes us to be in prayer for those in authority.  I know that many have deep emotional feelings about last nights election.  For some it was a time of triumph and hope; yet, for others there was deep disappointment.  This morning I was met by people who had deep heartfelt emotional feelings on both sides.  Now that the election is over and we are faced with many challenges, I believe the proper Christian response is one of prayer for all those in authority and thanksgiving for those who lost the election but had the courage to offer their gifts for public service.  How then should we pray?  I've found it helpful to return to the classical prayers of our faith for guidance in these times.  Below I have included several prayers from the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer that can serve as guidance for our prayers in these times.

18. For our Country
See also Various Occasions no. 17.
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

19. For the President of the United States and all in Civil Authority
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people inthy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

20. For Congress or a State Legislature
O God, the fountain of wisdom, whose will is good and gracious, and whose law is truth: We beseech thee so to guide and bless our Senators and Representatives in Congress assembled (or in the Legislature of this State, or Commonwealth), that they may enact such laws as shall please thee, to the glory of thy Name and the welfare of this people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

21. For Courts of Justice Almighty God, who sittest in the throne judging right: We humbly beseech thee to bless the courts of justice and the magistrates in all this land; and giveunto them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that they may discern the truth, and impartially administer the law in the fear of thee alone; through him who shall come to be our Judge, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Laboring for the Word - a Labor Day Sermon on Being a Doer of the Word.

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves"

               -- James 1:22 (New America Standard Bible)

Note: Last Sunday I began a sermon series on the Book of James.  Some asked if they could have copies of my sermons in case they were unable to attend.  I will blog an abbreviated form of each sermon here so those who wish to will be able to follow the series.

As a wedding present my wife and I received a cookbook from the Junior League of Northern Virginia -- "The Southern Hospitality Cookbook."  Leafing through the pages I discovered a dish a really wanted to try - Cheddar Cheese Cake.  My wife took a look at the ingredients and directions and said to me, "if you'd like this, I'll buy you a spring form pan and the ingredients and you can make it."  I learned a lot from that experience.  How hard it is to whip cream cheese.  How you really do need to follow the recipe when it says to add the egg yolks and egg whites at separate times.  I scraped my finger trying to grate the lemon peel and orange rind.  I made a total mess of the kitchen, but in the end it actually turned out pretty nice.  And now, 24 years later, I've become pretty good at making it.  But I learned a lesson.  It's not enough just to read the cook book and admire the pictures.  To truly enjoy the treat you need to follow directions, experience making it a few times and go through the struggle of learning new things.

Today our scripture from First James -- prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers -- teaches a similar lesson.  It's not enough to just read about living a life committed to Christ.  If we truly want to experience the precious promises God gives to all believers, we must live according to the book.  That means we may have to learn some new ways of living, experience a deeper spirituality and not make excuses or take short cuts when God's word asks us to take a difficult path.

The book of James has been a controversial book.  The great reformer, Martin Luther, called it "an epistle of straw," because it emphasized works rather than grace as Paul's epistles do.  I disagree with Luther, James is really just telling another side of the story.  The Apostle Paul was speaking to newly converted Gentile Christians who were hungry to hear about forgiveness and grace.  James, a leader of the Church in Jerusalem, was speaking to folks who had been raised in the Jewish faith before they came to know Christ as their Savior.  In this context he was instructing them on the importance of making their belief more than just an intellectual understanding.  He reminds them that their faith is of no use unless it is put into practice.

Many of us hear and read of God's precious promises for the joy and success we can find in our commitment to Christ.  We accept him as Savior expecting those promises to be fulfilled immediately.  We don't like the reminder that comes in the book of James that these promises come not simply by saying we believe but by living out our belief.  And in the living our expectations of what God's promises are and our vision of success might just be transformed.

What does it mean to be a doer of the word and not simply a hearer?

First, it means that we live a life where we love God.  That means we become faithful in worship.  Worship is the place we gather we fellow believers and express our love for God.  But it is also something deeper.  When we are in love with someone we need to be in communication with him.  How do we communicate with God? -- Through prayer.  We need to lead a life of prayer and devotion where we do something more than simply give God our orders for what we need him to do.  We need to express our feelings and emotions to God and listen for God's still small voice speaking to us how we might become the answers to our own prayers.  How do we listen for God's voice?  One key way is to study God's word and let the scriptures speak to the desires of our heart.  The first step to being a doer of the word that experiences the precious promises of scripture is to be a lover of God who is faithful in worship, constant in prayer and diligent in the study of the word.

Second, it means living a life where we love people.  This is challenging because God's word calls us to love our neighbor as our self the in the story of the Good Samaritan reminds us that our neighbors are not just the people we like.  We love others when we live a life as gracious to others as God has been gracious to us.  We learn to refrain from words that hurt and learn the words that bring healing.  We forgive as we have been forgiven.  We understand that our faith is not a solitary thing.  We gather with other believers so we can be encouraged and so we can encourage them.  The second step to being a doer of the word it to be one who loves people by leading a gracious and forgiving life that seeks the encouragement that comes in fellowship and is eager to offer encouragement to others.

Third, it means that we become a blessing as we have been blessed.  When God called Abraham he promised him many things, a special land, divine protection, numerous descendants, but it was not simply because he was faithful.  Genesis teaches us that God blessed Abraham so that through him and his descendants the world would be blessed.  We are reminded that when God blesses us, it's because of our deserving but to fulfill God's purposes of blessing.

What does that mean for us in concrete ways?  If we have been blessed with talents, gifts, skills, ability, wealth, security -- anything at all, it is so we can become a blessing to others.  When we lead a life in this ways the offerings we once offered grudgingly become tithes we offer with joy.  We aren't afraid to step forward and use our skills to help another person.  When someone is in need before it we don't resent it, but welcome it as an opportunity to be a blessing.  We lead a life where we find joy, not in what we receive but in what we can give.

When we live a life to be a blessing it changes our expectations of success.  Most define success in earthly terms - a high salary or title, a beautiful home, a luxury car, or comfortable lifestyle.  But when we live to be a blessing we find success not in monetary terms, not in titles or honors, not in cars or homes - but we see our success in the lives we've helped to change and in the way we have helped others discover the joy of becoming a blessing.

Jesus said, ""Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19 NASB), but build treasure in heaven.  We build treasure in heaven when we touch the life of another, when we care for the least, the last and the lost as if they were Christ himself (see Matthew 25).  We build up treasure in heaven when we become a blessing as we've been blessed.

This summer has been an incredible time at our church that many of you don't know about.  Three times this summer, someone has sat in my office and prayed with me to change their life, grow closer to Christ and accept him as their savior.  Some were folks we met at a cookout; some have come to our church for years, another someone who comes to our food pantry.  This was not something that happened by one person’s efforts alone.  Any of you who helped at our cookout or donated food, any who work at our food pantry, any who offered hospitality to visitors and welcomed them in our midst were a blessing to them.  And the fruit is the joy of knowing that we helped someone become a part of God's family.

When we lead a life focused on loving God, loving people and being a blessing. We embark on a life of joy and inherit the precious promises of God.  When one becomes a doer of the word, our vision of success changes.  We no longer focus on what we get for ourselves; our vision of joy is transformed as we take joy in the way we have blessed others.  One day we will all stand before the Lord and be transformed from this life to the next.  In that moment it won't matter what the size of our bank account was, the honors or awards posted on our wall, the size of the home we lived in, or what kind of car we drove. But what will matter is that we built up treasure in heaven -- being a blessing to others offering food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoner, caring for the least, the last and the lost as if they were Christ himself.(Matthew 25)  Then we receive God's greatest blessing and experience the greatest success -- an eternity with the Lord we love and fellowship with all those who have served Christ on earth and continue to serve Christ in heaven.

Be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.  Then we will experience the precious promises of scripture.  They may not be the promises we expect right now. For when we live a life that loves God, loves people and becomes a blessing our vision of success changes to God's measure of success:  how well we've used the gifts God has given us to be a blessing to others.

Reflections on Healing, Miracles and Faith

This week I've been planning ahead a sermon series on the Book of James.  Martin Luther called it an "epistle of straw" because unlike Paul's letters he felt it emphasized works over faith.  I see James' book differently. He simply has another emphasis - how those who have a friendship with Christ and a walk with God can live faithfully.  In James 5 he speaks of a special tradition of the Church -- anointing with oil for healing.

Sometimes Christians get busy in everyday life and our prayer life falters.  When crisis comes we turn to God  in prayer.  At other times, the gift of prayer is one of the ways we can show our concern for a friend in crisis.  The service of Christian Healing is an outward sign of the ultimate sovereignty of God where in faith we turn our brokenness over to the Lord and trust in his gracious care and providential will.  Sometimes miraculous things happen and the hoped for changes occur immediately.  Sometimes, God is asking us to be patient in bearing our burdens.  At other times, the healing may be God's spirit teaching us how we can accept our weakness and persevere in faith.  Whether the healing is immediate, over time, or of spirit rather than body -- each is a miracle of God's grace in its own way.

Likewise, physical brokenness is not the only concern we can bring to the Lord for healing.  Sometimes our spirit is flagging, our mental state in turmoil.  At other times we might seek help from God for the healing of a broken relationship.  But when we humbly come before God in prayer we admit our weakness and trust that when we are weak, God can remain strong.

Why not just prayer -- why the symbol of anointing with oil.  Certainly God can heal whatever God wishes without this symbol but from ancient times holy oil was a powerful symbol of faith.  Remember how the prophets anointed the Kings of Israel an outward sign of God's favor and presence.  To receive the anointing however, the King was admitting his weakness that the strength he relied on was not his own physical prowess or force of arms, but God's wisdom, grace and guidance.

So too when we kneel and receive the anointing we admit that when we are weak, God's strength can still be shown in our life.  Too often we like to think that we can handle things but in reality whatever wisdom or skills we developed to deal with our problems -- they are gifts from God.  We trust physicians for our physical issues, but in reality whatever knowledge they have is a gift from God as well.  Receiving the anointing does not replace the help of physicians, counselors, pastors, or even our own abilities.  But when we receive the anointing it is an outward sign of the spiritual grace that the healing of any brokenness has it's basis in God's grace.  Whatever else we use to help, it is just an instrument God uses to make his grace felt in the world.

Are there still miracles today?  A biblical scholar once said that miracles were really mighty acts of God that show signs of God's rule and reign.  Whether the healing is in an instant, as the result of a long series of treatments, or an inner healing of peace in spite of infirmity, they are all mighty acts of God showing God's rule and reign.  So yes many miracles happen, but we may not always have the eyes to see them -- or may only realize it in long hind sight.  The tradition mentioned in James 5 of anointing with oil for healing is important because in it we demonstrate our faith to trust in God's gracious care and providential will.

In my parish once again on September 30 we will be having a special service of Christian healing as we study  James 5 in our Sunday sermon.  I hope my congregation can have the eyes of faith to see the many miracles that can happen when we admit our weakness, trust in God's strength and give ourselves over to God's grace and providential will.

On the Proper Use of Scripture

Christians are fond of saying that the scripture is our rule of faith and practice.  However, we often differ on the correct interpretation.  A popular bumper sticker reads, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it."  Such simplistic understandings often lead to misunderstandings.

The Bible is less a book than a library.  It is a collection of books and letters.  Some are historical reflections on the history of Israel and Judah, some are letters.  Parts of scripture contain poetry, other parts creative writing not unlike today's novels.  The truth in scripture is not always in the literal history, but in the spiritual truth the story is point toward.

When we read scripture carefully we discover that there are a variety of opinions expressed.  Some are peculiar to the culture in which they were originally written, sometimes the Bible shows two different views on an issue so we can gain guidance to find the the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

One of the greatest errors in the way we use the Bible is that we come to the Bible with a notion we think the Bible should support.  We get out a concordance and look up a verse or two that we think supports our idea.  The we say -- see the Bible said it, I believe it, that settles it.  We really haven't come to the Bible seeking guidance -- we used the Bible incorrectly to support our preconceived ideas and prejudices.  As Shakespeare warned us in the Merchant of Venice, "the devil can site scripture for his own purpose! An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek."

How then can we use Scripture?  We need to grow beyond finding a text to prove a point we already think is true.  First, we need to study Scripture in its entirety.  Become familiar with its basic themes and the consistent teachings which God gave to His people throughout the centuries.  Second, we need to understand the history, background and culture of each book and discover what the author was trying to say in the context of the author's own time and place.  Finally when we discover the major teaching, we need to interpret it in way that is relevant to our own time and place.  For example, St. Paul's teaching about women keeping their hair long may be more about showing respect in a place of worship than what is the proper hair style.   Many of the laws in Leviticus were not meant to dictate what we should eat or how we should keep our animals.  They were intended to be public health regulations for a people camping out on a long journey from Egypt to Palestine.  Once we understand the original intention, we can interpret it's meaning to our own time and place.

When we focus on literal interpretations we ignore the intent of the original authors and try to twist scripture to fit our preconceived ideas.  If our study of scripture challenges us and causes us to think deeply and change our ideas and our lives -- well we probably are understanding its meaning more accurately.

Biblical interpretation is never easy.  It is more an art than a science.  We also rely on others in translations and commentaries.  We also rely on a larger Christian tradition of understanding and belief.  However, many of opinions we cite scripture to support -- abortion, birth control, homosexuality, family structure etc. were really trivial matters the scripture seldom speaks clearly about.  By understanding the larger themes of grace and blessing found in scripture we hear God's call that God's people throughout the ages are to be a blessing to others as God has blessed them.  We learn that sin generally occurs when we just focus on selfishly counting our blessings and become deaf to God's call to be a blessing.  Sin is not so much a prohibited behavior, as it is a break in our relationship with God that causes us to focus on selfishness rather than graciousness and generosity.

So how is the Bible God's word?  The words in print, neatly bound are not in and of themselves God's word.  The Bible becomes God's word when read under the influence of the Holy Spirit and it speaks to our heart convicting us of our selfishness and calling us to not just be blessed but to be a blessing.  If you read scripture and find it confirms what you already think -- you are probably not studying the Bible carefully.  God's word, when it touches our heart, almost always calls us to change, grow and take the focus of ourselves and put it on being a blessing to others.

Reflections on the Return of Christ -- or Celebrating the Presence of Christ

I remember when I was in Eighth Grade in Mrs. Starner's Geometry Class.  One afternoon someone had predicted that Christ would return at noon and the world would be destroyed.  A few Sunday's before this our youth leader showed a movie "A Thief in the Night" four our evening youth fellowship.  We were all afraid.  One of my friends said this would be the day we'd discover if the Bible was true or not.

Well it was noon on that special day that we were sitting in Geometry Class.  The old Simpson Street School in Mechanicsburg, PA had an interesting central clock system.  If you listened closely you could hear a loud click as each clock in the school in sync would switch from one minute to the next.  At 11:59 AM we all started staring at the clock waiting for the loud click.  The room became silent.

Similarly at noon the Mechanicsburg Fire Companies would test their fire sirens.  One was outside in the school's playground.

My heart pounded with anticipation for that moment.  We heard the click of the clock turn to Noon.  Then there was a moment of silence -- the fire sirens sounded and our hearts raced even faster.  After a minute the sirens stopped.  Class continued and 20 minutes later the class bell rang and we all went off to lunch and the rest of our day.  That was the first time I remember being affected by an end of the world scare.

Christians often in difficult times look for the return of Christ to take us out of the mess of this world.  But as I grew older and studies scripture more closely I discovered that most of the popular "prophetic" stories about the end of the world had little basis in scripture.  St. Paul looked for the coming of Christ in his own age.  Indeed the prayer of the early church was the Christ would come quickly.

I've often wondered if in our rush through life we miss seeing Christ's return among us.  St. Paul taught us that the Church is the body of Christ.  Each of us using our spiritual gifts to minister and care for hurting world, each of us using our talents to share reconciliation and grace makes Christ present in the world.  Maybe what we missed was that Christ HAS ALREADY returned.  Christ is presence in the work of the Church.

As we care for the poor, give comfort to the hurting, help those alienated from God find grace and share God's love we show the face of Christ to others.  Our eyes should be Jesus' eyes seeing the needs of the world.  Our ears should be Jesus' ears hearing the cries of the oppressed.  Our hands should be Jesus' hands offering healing and wholeness. Our feet should be Jesus' feet carrying us to places of need.  Our voice should be Jesus voice offering God's amazing grace and infinite love.  Perhaps rather perusing scripture trying to predict a date for Jesus' return, we should get about the business of being Christ for others.  If we put the effort into trying to predict Christ's return into making Christ present in our life, community and world -- we might just be instruments of making God's commonwealth a felt reality.

The truth of scripture is that just saying you understand the right doctrines so your name can be on the right list so that you can avoid hell is an empty and meaningless faith.  Our faith is not best .lived not by talking about empty doctrines but living out Christ's love.

On the Ministry of Bishop Middleton

Soon the Susquehanna Conference will say goodbye to Bishop Middleton.  She has truly been a blessing and an encouragement to me.  Unlike many of our Bishops she did not actively seek the office.  Eight years ago at Jurisdictional Conference folks just seemed to turn to her in their voting and she was asked to take on the mantle of leadership.  What I have appreciated most about her has been her ministry of encouragement.  When ever I ran into her she always had a word of greeting and a smile.  Often when I faced challenges in my parishes a little note would come across my desk letting me know that she was praying for me.  That little personal touch has been a blessing to me.

Too often our Bishops get bogged down in administrative matters, solving problems or the weightier matters of being a connectional leader.  I am glad for eight years we had a Bishop who was a person of deep prayer and spirituality who took the time to be an encourager to her small church pastors.  I wish her the best in her retirement - and I pray that our next Bishop might have that same sense of being a spiritual leader and encourager to those he/she superintends.

The Dwelling Place of God - In our Buildings or In our Hearts

David longed to build a temple to symbolize the dwelling place of God with God's people.  Because David was a warrior the Lord prevented him from accomplishing his dream.  Later David's son Solomon built the great temple in Jerusalem along with an extravagant palace for the king.  However, the cost was so high, the debt so great that from the time the temple was built there was no peace in the kingdom.  Eventually after Solomon's death the kingdom divided and never again would it achieve such greatness.

In Moses' time the presence of God was symbolized in the tent that was erected around the Ark of the Covenant.  A tent I think is a more fitting symbol of God's presence because you can take it down and move it where ever you are going.  It seems, however, that religious folks love their buildings.  We pour vast amounts of money into construction, upkeep and repair.  Often great growth occurs in a church when they unite around a new building project, but also great conflict can arise over competing visions of exactly what this building should look like.

Where does God dwell today?  I think God encouraged the building of tabernacles and temples in the ancient world because that was how folks understood the presence of God among them at that time.  It was really an acquiescence to human frailty.  In Ephesians 2:14-22 Paul writes about how when the dividing walls between people are broken down God dwells in the hearts of his people.  We carry God's spirit with us wherever we go.

I have felt the presence of God in the lovely architecture of grand cathedrals and in the simple white washed walls of an early 19th century meetinghouse.  Each can be a tool that allows us to focus on the reality beyond the four walls.  However, I've also experienced God presence even more deeply when I put a bed sheet over the hood of a HUUM-V in Afghanistan and lead communion for troops who hadn't seen a chaplain in a long time and needed the comfort of the sacrament and the assurance of God's grace.  I've experienced God's presence in hospital rooms at the birth of children, in the beauty of a sunset on the beach or the vast view from a tall mountain peak.  God is present with us when we have the sensitivity of faith to see beyond this reality to the reality that is beyond.

What then is the place of our church buildings -- are they holy ground?  In a sense I think they are very much like our communion ware -- vessels which can be used to experience the holy but not holy in and of themselves.  What makes a place holy is not the sign on the door or the architecture but the faith of the people who gather there in love and share God's grace with those around them.

Too often today we have an unhealthy view of our Church buildings.  We struggle to maintain them to keep alive memories of the past.  But they are only truly holy places if they become tools in the present to help people come into loving relationship with God, learn to love others, and empower folks to be a blessing as they have been blessed.  What makes a building sacred is not its past -- but how useful it is as a tool to make God's presence felt in the here and now.  It need not be large or fancy, it need not have the latest equipment.  Perhaps what makes a place holy, is really the spirit of God in the hearts of those who gather there.

God dwells with his people not in a building.  Where two are three are gathered, God is in the midst of them -- whether it be a dusty village around a HUUM-V, a beautiful sea side, or a large cathedral.  The important thing is not the building, but being open to how God might use the setting, the gathering of friends, and a touch of His grace to make God's presence more vivid in our lives.  The Church would be stronger if we found God's spirit more in the gathering of faithful friends and in a heart turned to God, and relied less on ancient buildings and past memories.

After Vacation Reflections on The General Conference of The United Methodist Church: Perhaps We Have The Wrong Focus

During my vacation many of my new Twitter and Facebook  friends kept me up on all the news and opinion surrounding the recent General Conference.  I was amazed to hear the crowing of the right wing of Methodism proclaiming they maintained doctrinal standards.  I keep wondering what those standards are because it seems the only focus is homophobia and sexual mores.  I was also sent a number of laments that the lack of organizational reform at the world-wide church and national level marks the beginning of the end of The United Methodist Church.  I think both are far from the truth but in this blog I'd like to share some reflections on the proposal for organizational reform.

In a previous blog I shared my thoughts on how effective organization change in religious groups is almost always preceded by a revival or renewal of purpose.  Many have been citing the great commission and are touting "making disciples for the transformation of the world."  Others have been promoting a "change the world" day as a witness to the church's transforming presence.  In the end it all seems to me grasping for headlines, grasping for more seats in the pews, grasping for funds.  I regret there is not a call for greater holiness.

Our Buddhist sisters and brothers have learned the feebleness of grasping after worldly things.  Indeed they believe it is the root of all suffering.  This is something United Methodists could learn from.  Much of the call for reorganization and change is rooting in grasping for more members, grasping for power, grasping for significance.  I heard little actual explanation of how this new organization helps us accomplish our purpose other than saving local churches around $70 a year in apportionments that can be redirected elsewhere.  What did this grasping get us:  frustration, blaming, fear and recrimination.

I think we need to take a lesson from Buddha -- stop grasping, stop seeking power and wealth.  Then we can reclaim our purpose.  The purpose of all churches is to make disciples.  But we never think about why we want to make disciples in the first place.  A Church of the Brethren pastor I know often comments about the increasing number of churches in our area -- then remarks -- "It sure hasn't changed the crime rate any."  What is the purpose of the church beyond attracting folks to contribute to keep competing bureaucracies running.

The clearest purpose of the Church is found in Jesus teaching of the final judgment in Matthew 25.  We fulfill our life purpose when we feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the prisoner, heal the sick -- as if they were Christ himself.  The prophet Micah put it another way, "to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God."  Years ago when I taught Bethel Bible Study we emphasized that we were "blessed to be a blessing."  All of these ideas focus on us growing in holiness where we take the emphasis off of grasping after things for ourselves and begin finding our meaning, purpose and fulfillment in serving others.

This lifestyle may not be popular.  Proclaiming this message may not make us the largest church in the nation.  It indeed my drive people away.   However, it is faithful to Christ's message and brings with it the promise of a friendship with God that deepens in this life and continues for eternity.  Let's put aside the struggles of General Conference and dreaming of being the largest denomination in the US.  Let's refocus on seeking justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with God.  If we are faithful to what God is calling us to do, I believe God will be faithful in providing the resources in both people, talent and money to do the job.  This weekend is change the world Sunday in the UMC.  Sounds pompous and arrogant to me.  Let's focus on being a blessing -- and God will change the world using our gifts and graces.  To do any more is the grasping  that leads to death.

Just Wars, PTSD, and God's Grace: Spiritual Healing for Military Members

Last Sunday I was preaching on the theme "Do no Harm" from Bishop Ruebin Job's book Three Simple Rules.  I spoke about how when I was a military chaplain I realized that when I lead worship overseas we needed to be intentional about praying for our enemies.  I spoke about the spiritual tension I felt in that setting.  And afterward I was asked a difficult question.  One of my church members lived through Nazi occupation in Europe.  She asked me wasn't it justified to want to do harm to Hitler given the injustices of the Nazi regime.  This lead me to reflection on my own experience of military service in wartime and the counseling I did with folks affected with PTSD.

War is never a good thing.  The classic doctrine of a Just War affirms that war is only tolerable as the lesser of two evils -- when the evil of going to war is less than evil of letting an injustice continue.  Too often we try to explain away the spiritual torment those in combat feel by saying they did the right thing or they were only doing their duty.  But that does not take away the tension we feel.  In some ways I think trying to explain away the anxiety only exacerbates the stress.

I think a better approach is to be honest about the evil of any war -- even a just war.  It may be the lesser of two evils but still an evil.  The hell of life is that sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we can make no choice but a choice to sin.  Then we try our best to find the least wrong path.  War is one of those situations.  I think the doctrine of original sin has less to do with the garden of Eden and more to do with the inevitability of sin while living in a world in which God permits evil.

I have found in counseling with folks affected by PTSD in the war on terror that being honest about our sin is the first step toward finding health.  We  must first admit we found ourselves in a difficult situation and chose what we believed at the time was the least wrong path.   It may have been less sinful, but was sinful nevertheless.  It is only after we admit the sin that we can be open to the healing grace of God and find the redemption we need.

We forget that in war, our military not only puts their lives at risk, but also their souls.  I could not overcome the trauma of my own experience in war, until I realized the reality of my sin in participating in it.  It was then I could accept the abundance of God's grace and mercy.

To Grow Again The United Methodist Church needs a Holiness revival based on Matthew 25 not an Evangelical Revival based on Matthew 28

How Can The United Methodist Church experience renewal and revival?  In my last blog I shared some of my thoughts about why reorganizing our denomination is unlikely to have the intended effect of renewal.  Truth be told, without spiritual renewal any reorganization is simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic before it sinks.  What is really needed is rediscovering the purpose John Wesley gave to the people called Methodists -- "To spread scriptural holiness throughout the land."

The Discipline of our Church tells us that the church's purpose should be "to make disciples for the transformation of the world."  It is true that this restatement of the great commission is a good general purpose for all churches.  But I think we need to think about what is the particular purpose of our Church not churches in general.

For many the call to make disciples seems to be more about increasing the names on membership rolls or perhaps the numbers in worship or involved in projects.  Do names on a list really mean disciples? And if other churches do this better than us, what makes us unique?

John Wesley's call was to "spread scriptural holiness throughout the land."  These words may seem old and outdated.  We often think of holiness as acting "holier than thou" or living an austere lifestyle but true holiness is much different.  John Wesley gave us his "General Rules for the United Societies" to explain what living a holy life might be like.  Until recently they were almost forgotten. The details were enmeshed in 18th century culture and we often wrote off the rules as an outdated historic document.

Recently Bishop Rueben Job in his books, "Three Simple Questions" and "Three Simple Rules" reminded us of the importance of these "General Rules."  I like to call them the "method" of Methodism.  Bishop Job reminds us that at its heart the General Rules were there principals easy to understand and difficult to live out:

     1. Do no harm
     2. Do Good
     3. Do what you need to do to stay in love with God (attend upon the ordinances of the church in Wesley's words.)

The main point seems to be that the measure of our faithfulness isn't the type of worship we attend, the creed  we give assent to, or pious words we speak.  The measure of our faith is living out God's commands to love our Lord, love each other, and be a blessing as we've been blessed.

When I think about it, we've focused so much on the Matthew 28 command to make disciples; we've forgotten Jesus' story in Matthew 25 outlining what a true disciple who inherits eternal life will be -- one who acts toward the least among us as if they were Christ.

I truly believe all the reorganization of the Church will be in vane unless we take the "General Rules" and Bishop Job's writings to heart.  We must rediscover the "method" of Methodism.  Growing in our ability to do no harn, do good, and stay in love with God is to grow in holiness.  Calling and inviting others to share this lifestyle is to spread scriptural holiness.  I believe there will be no renewal in our Church until we once again embrace holiness as the measure of our faith and invite others not simply to worship, not simply to programs, not simply to membership, but to living a holy life in which we love God, love others, and become a blessing.

Changing United Methodism's Structure Alone -- Only Delays Death

Will Changing Structure Revitalize The United Methodist Church?  Many are lamenting the decline in membership among United Methodists.  Some think changing the structure will produce revival. I'm inclined to believe it is more a re-arrangement of the deck chairs on the titanic than a genuine renewal.  Truth be told even if we eliminated the entire national bureaucracy in our denomination it would only save two or three dollars per church member.  To most small and medium size churches this makes little difference and honestly, does saving money really produce revival.  Let's take a look at how religious movements rise and grow for an answer.

Nineteenth Century German Sociologist Max Weber extensively described how religious movements rise and grow.  They arise out of the charismatic ideals of a visionary leader.  Over time, however, one person's vision can't sustain the growth of the movement.  Through a process he calls the routinization of charisma the original vision becomes encapsulated in an organization that supports even further growth. 

Why then does decline come?  Over time, as the organization becomes larger it begins to forget about its original purpose and simply works to perpetuate itself in a process Weber calls bureaucratization.  Ironically the model Sociology professors often use to describe this process is the Catholic church that has developed an extensive organization over time.  The United Methodist Church is in that stage of bureaucracy.   We have a committee and an organization for everything.  Each has their own agenda and promotes their own programs; however, the original overarching vision that gave our church meaning and purpose as been nearly forgotten.

Some knowing this process think simply getting rid of bureaucracy will solve the problem; however, church history teaches us something very different.  Throughout the history of the church revitalizing spiritual movements have occurred to remind us of that original vision and structures modified in light of that renewal.  Without spiritual renewal any reorganization will at best only slow  our decline.

In the Middle-ages when the church lost it's vision, new monastic groups would emerge from within the church to remind us of our purpose.  Over time however, Popes decided there were enough monastic groups and forbid new ones.  Guess what happened then?  Within a century there was the Protestant Reformation.  The rise of Protestantism gave birth to new energy in the entire Christian Church.  New Protestant expressions of faith adapted to a new age and within the Roman Church, what was known as the Counter-Reformation gave birth to new vitality which expressed itself in a new monastic order -- the Jesuits among others.  This process of   a Charismatic Vision, transforming into a bureaucracy that at times needs spiritual renewal continued as the Church moved to the United States.

Without an established Church, a number of denominations grew up in our nation.  Each with their own visions and organizations.  At times they lost sight of the vision and what tended to remind them of their purpose were spiritual revivals.  Indeed one can trace  much of the history of American Christianity through a series of revivals and awakenings that not only gave birth to new Denominations but called established churches to rediscover their purpose and once again become vital and growing.

The key was that spiritual revival preceded the bureaucratic reform.  Indeed much of the structure we have now was the product of a revival that occurred in the post- World War II era.  During that time Church Attendance in the United States reached a record level.  That system served us well in its time and yes new structures may be needed -- but only if they come out of a revival that helps us once again see clearly the vision of why God has called the Methodist people together.

If we truly want our church to become a vital spiritual force again, our first step must not be playing with organizational structure but recapturing the Charismatic vision of leaders like John Wesley, Phillip William Otterbien, Francis Asbury, and Jacob Albright.  When we re-connect with that original vision "to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land" effective organization change will naturally flow.

As I read our denominations leaders talking about making disciples for the transformation of the world, I realize they too have lost sight Methodism's vision.  It seems to be more about increasing contributions and contributors to keep an aging bureaucracy going another generation.  I hear little talk of spiritual revival or scriptural holiness.  The vision I believe God is calling us to is the subject of a blog yet to be.  But I do indeed believe that without a genuine spiritual revival ( that re-presents our ancient vision for a new age) our church will die regardless of any organizational change.

Check back in a few days for my thoughts on what that vision should be and some simple tools we already have in our tool box (thanks to Bishop Reubin Job) to share our vision for "spreading scriptural holiness".   When we once again have a passion for our purpose, then the necessary changes will naturally flow  Forcing them will only lead to death.

Why Are So Many Churches Conservative?  I often wonder why it is that so many churches lean conservative, not only in their handling of finances but also politically.  The word "conservative" never appears in scripture.  Indeed the word "liberal" appears many times and usually in relation to giving.

I have a couple of thoughts about this.  First, so often we have mistakenly defined being faithful with not doing sinful activities.  Sometimes Christians become so afraid of doing something wrong, they neglect to do something right.  Luther's phrase, "Sin boldly" reminds us that sometimes we must trust in God's grace and take the risk of doing something when doing nothing might be the great sin.

Second, Christians in trying to be nice try their best to keep everyone happy.  Being afraid to upset someone makes us indecisive.  A better way is to ask, what is pleasing to God and act on that.  You can't please everyone so why try?

Third, those of us who lean more toward the progressive have let ourselves be bullied.  We see the popularity of the conservative voices and we are afraid to speak out even if we are more in line with the way of Christ.  We have remained silent and timid for fear of backlash.  The result is that only conservative voices get heard.  Those who speak loudest bully the larger church into following their way -- even if it is not the way of Christ.  We must no longer be silent in our pulpits for if we don't speak for Christ who will?

For too long we have tried to please and placate, but we have not been faithful to scripture's call to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

Will Power Grabs Harm The United Methodist Church?  This month the General Conference of The United Methodist Church will be meeting.  They will be considering a proposal by our Bishops and some Mega-Church Pastors to restructure much of our Denomination.  Many of our Denominations boards will be eliminated and power concentrated in a small 10 person committee dominated by our Bishops and larger churches.  Likewise, while the system of appointing pastors by a Bishop will remain, they are proposing to eliminate the guaranteed appointment of Pastors.

These changes I believe would have two tragic and perhaps unforeseen effects.  First, by eliminating the guaranteed appointment yet retaining the Bishop's power to appoint clergy, the Bishops will have the sole power to determine which pastors serve churches and which pastors will be removed from the ministry.  It is said that this will eliminate incompetence, yet procedures already exist to remove incompetent pastors and Bishops seldom use this power.

Why is this dangerous?  Sometimes as a matter of conscious Pastors speak in opposition to established policies and procedures.  Sometimes we are called to question the intentions of those in authority.  With this new power Bishops can use the threat of removal to get those who question to "tow the line."  The result will be less diversity of opinion in our clergy and more pressure to conform.  If the appointment system is outdated, how about letting the Pastors apply to churches when their is an opening and remove the middle management of the Bishops and District Superintends.   This would at least make for a less arbitrary and vindictive process.  We should be suspicious of all grabs for power that can inhibit freedom of thought.

Likewise the power grab of eliminating many of our Boards and Agencies can likewise inhibit free thought and expression.  Yes, bureaucracies can at times be unwieldy.  I am sure there are cost savings that can be made by efficiency.  However, we are not only a nation-wide, but a world wide church.  It is important that the concerns of the diversity of cultures, backgrounds, ethnic groups and theological perspectives be respected.  A small group dominated by Bishops will most likely not be representative.

I'm suspicious of all power grabs.  This seems to be another one which is not only being pushed by our Episcopal Leaders, but also by some Mega-church pastors who have been flexing their muscle to get their opinion out there, but also to influence the election of delegates.  Such radical change should not be made suddenly without adequate prayer and study throughout the entire church.  If we trade efficiency for tyranny, we might regret it in the long run

In my 27 years of full-time service in our Denomination, I've seen a lot of changes.  But many of them have been to favor and encourage larger congregations to grow larger and to cripple smaller ministries which may be just as vital in their own settings.  In the past items like Pastor's health insurance was shared among all the churches on their ability to pay by means of the apportionment system.  Now as each church is billed for their Pastor's health insurance a larger burden is placed on smaller and poorer ministries.  Likewise, we are not allowed to seek more affordable insurance outside the church's structure (for example buying into a spouses program).  Cost was transferred from larger churches to smaller churches.  Thus many smaller ministries went to part time service.  This only contributed to the further decline of small churches.

Another change was the elimination of membership size from the apportionment formula.  Most of the costs of maintaining a congregation are fixed costs for building utilities etc.  When membership is not included in the calculation the apportionments go down for large congregations, up for small congregations -- another injustice.

What has been the result of this reward for "growth".  It's actually been an increase in our decline.  Small churches may seem inefficient but they are often filled with a vitality of service and devotion.  Some of them are in rural communities that can't support larger endeavors.  Others are in difficult urban situations struggling to find new meaning and purpose and to reach out with limited resources.  We complain that our small membership churches are loosing more members.  I contend it's not because they haven't been faithful, but because the system as become stacked against them.

This year we saw the "Occupy Wall Street" movement remind us that while 1% may be benefiting from changes in tax policy, the 99% were suffering a great injustice.  In the United Methodist Church, I feel like I'm part of the 99% who seeks to serve faithfully and well a difficult situation, but our system is changing to benefit the 1% who already have much and want to hold on to what they have rather than share to become a blessing to others.

I pray that our General Conference delegates won't be mislead by a movement to trade efficiency for freedom.  I also pray they won't forget about the small churches.  Not every church can be a mega church and not everyone wants to attend one.  If we eliminated all our churches under 100 in attendance would our people really flock to the United Methodist Mega Churches -- or would they find a smaller congregation of another faith?  I am fearful that this drive for efficiency might just leave our Denomination with a few mega churches, many less members and a bitterness from which we will never recover.  If the Christian model of success was a mega-church then Jesus was a failure.  He had 12 disciples and all but one abandoned him when he was on the cross.  Yet that small fearful group changed the world.  Restructuring may be necessary, but grasps for power are always dangerous.  I pray our General Conference can find a better way.

Will Their Be a UMC Schism over Homosexuality?

On the Upcoming General Conference of The United Methodist Church:  A good friend just sent me an article by Thomas Oden of Drew University Theological School about the upcoming General Conference of the United Methodist Church.  He strongly indicates his fear that should our denomination’s policies regarding homosexuality change there will be schism in our Church.  I find it amazing how many people think this one particular issue seldom mentioned in scripture is central to their faith.

Jesus never spoke one word about homosexuality, yet he clearly condemns divorce.  We welcome divorced people into our church family, ordain divorced folks and seemingly have little problem with it.  Why then are we so afraid of homosexuality.

Jesus never spoke one word about homosexuality, yet he clearly calls the wealthy to share of their abundance to care for the poor.  I hear no one in all church calling us to give what we have to the poor, only a call to support on overblown bureaucracy.

Jesus never spoke a word about homosexuality, but calls us to love our enemy.  Yet we are so quick to condemn homosexuality and so slow to call for peace.

I think the issue is this – remember how Jesus said we should take the log out of our own eye before we remove the speck in another’s eye.  The log in our own eye is the blindness to see beyond this one minor issue and unite behind the larger issues that could truly unite us.

Poverty is rising, the world is at war, and hurting people need to know the grace and love that can only come from a vital and growing friendship with God.  Let’s move beyond triviality and focus on the big picture.  Let’s unite around Christ’s call to serve the least, the last and the lost as if they were Christ himself.  Let’s put aside petty bickering and learn to truly love each other as God loves us.  When we get beneath it, I suspect all the rancor over homosexuality isn’t about morality as much as it is about grasping for power.  All such grasping leads to spiritual death -- let us listen for the spirit's voice and not the rages of competing parties in the church.

Prayer and Riding a Harley:  Motorcycle riding is very conducive to a great time of prayer.  The wind in your face, the scent of spring in the air and the constant noise of the engine block out the normal distractions and you can be alone in your thoughts.

I wonder how much distraction we find in the world.  The constant noise of media pulls our thoughts in one direction or another.  The constant pressure to do more with less.  All of these keep us from being able to be still and know that God is present.

It's ironic that a Harley is considered noisy and distracting.  However, the white nose leaves a silence in the mind through which God can speak encouraging me to examine my life, my ministry and my calling.  No matter where it is, I think everyone needs to find  a place where you can be deaf to the world around you so God's still small voice can speak to your heart.

Can the Year of the Bible Break the 10 Commandments?

This year the Pennsylvania State Legislature passed a resolution declaring 2012 as the "Year of the Bible."  At first it seems harmless enough, however it has become controversial.  Billboard sponsored by Atheist groups touting the verse "Slaves obey your masters" have popped up and they have made the national news.

I think the year of the Bible can be a great thing, especially if it was promoted by group like the American Bible Society or similar religious group.  But i do not believe that promoting the Bible is the place of government.  It seems this simple piece of legislation wasn't meant to honor the scriptures but to try to trap political opponents in voting against something that could be used in a later election.  I'm tired of politicians trying to claim God or Holy Scripture as their own.

In the 1980's President Reagan did a television add he shared how he relied on scripture for guidance.  Any of us, even politicians should be able to share their faith and beliefs as individuals.  It's different when it becomes an act of law.

The ten commandments remind us not to take the Lord's name in vane.  That's exactly what we do when we try to use God or Jesus' name, or the scriptures as a political weapon.  Let's leave legislation to the government and religion to churches synagogues and other religious communities and honor the Lord by not using Him as a tool to attack political opponents.  Otherwise we take the Lord's name in vane.