When I hear the word "Anticipation" all I can hear is Carley Simon's voice singing her song and an enormous catchup bottle slowly pouring out its deep red contents. We live in a time when anticipation is not a happy word. Everything about American culture is instant. We need instant gratification, fast food, fast service, we are fast talkers, fast walkers and live for the day. Anticipation would suggest a delay in all of that. Anticipation would suggest putting my gratification aside for a while so that something even better might happen.
Here is where Ancient Christian tradition can help us. In the ancient Christian tradition, Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and goes for 12 days to the day of Epiphany (January 6). The season before that is not the "Christmas Season" nor even the "Holiday Season". Instead, the early Church developed a season they called Advent (Advent means coming or arrival and is used in reference to the coming of God's Son, Jesus at Christmas). Advent is the four Sunday's before Christmas day (beginning on November 30 this year). Advent was designed as a time to prepare for the great celebration on December 25. Christian homes were decorated slowly over time, the advent calendar was opened on a daily basis -- with a little sweet in anticipation of the great day coming. Advent wreaths were displayed and lit (this was a family event rather than a Christian worship event). We remembered the reasons for Jesus birth, he is our Hope, he brings Joy, he is the Prince of Peace and is the full expression of God's Love.
With all the hustle and bustle and the month (2 month?) long party that the "Holiday Season" has devolved into, why not go retro this year? Stop the madness, sit quietly at home with your family. Create and light an Advent wreath on the Sundays leading up to Christmas. Read the story of Jesus birth. On Christmas Eve (In the older tradition the day began on sunset not at sun rise), and throughout Christmas Day celebrate the greatest gift of all -- the birth of Jesus. But take your time getting there, walk through the month, and enjoy the full flavor of anticipation.
Dr. BJ
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Imitation: Not flattery anymore
I came across 1 Corinthians 11:1 in my Life Journal reading this morning. It is a curious and challenging little sentence. St. Paul has just finished a long dissertation to the Corinthian Christians about the importance of watching out for others and keeping a faithful witness. He has just finished saying that he strives to put aside his preferences, needs and desires so that he might communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. After all of that comes this phrase "imitate me as I imitate Christ."
My initial reaction is one of astonishment! What an outrageous thing to say! It borders on the arrogant. Paul seems to be suggesting that he is setting such an extraordinary example to the Corinthians of a faithful Christian life that they can copy his example. I find this stunning. However, when I give it some deeper thought I realize that what Paul says is what every Christian ought to be able to say. The bold truth is that people watch what we say and do every single day. They watch our language, our behaviors, our values, our honesty and our ability to follow through on the very principles we espouse. On further review, this is not some bold, wild statement from Paul of Tarsus it is essentially the call for every Christian.
As a pastor I am often uncomfortable about living in a fish bowl. I am aware, like it or not, that my life is measured, my life is evaluated, my behavior is closely monitored by those who are under my spiritual leadership. I could resent this but the truth is the moment I stepped into a pulpit and dared to speak on behalf of Jesus Christ my life became the tablet upon which my speaking would be displayed. Even though I am fully aware of my own brokenness and my own inability to be all that I pray I can be, I must strive to live this life with integrity.
Paul's was a life of integrity. It is in the context of his "walking his talk" or, to put it another way, "practicing what he preached" that he can say "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
That is not so outrageous, after all. In a world and society that craves and profoundly lacks integrity. This simple statement is the essential minimum standard expected of Christian leaders.
Dr. BJ
My initial reaction is one of astonishment! What an outrageous thing to say! It borders on the arrogant. Paul seems to be suggesting that he is setting such an extraordinary example to the Corinthians of a faithful Christian life that they can copy his example. I find this stunning. However, when I give it some deeper thought I realize that what Paul says is what every Christian ought to be able to say. The bold truth is that people watch what we say and do every single day. They watch our language, our behaviors, our values, our honesty and our ability to follow through on the very principles we espouse. On further review, this is not some bold, wild statement from Paul of Tarsus it is essentially the call for every Christian.
As a pastor I am often uncomfortable about living in a fish bowl. I am aware, like it or not, that my life is measured, my life is evaluated, my behavior is closely monitored by those who are under my spiritual leadership. I could resent this but the truth is the moment I stepped into a pulpit and dared to speak on behalf of Jesus Christ my life became the tablet upon which my speaking would be displayed. Even though I am fully aware of my own brokenness and my own inability to be all that I pray I can be, I must strive to live this life with integrity.
Paul's was a life of integrity. It is in the context of his "walking his talk" or, to put it another way, "practicing what he preached" that he can say "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
That is not so outrageous, after all. In a world and society that craves and profoundly lacks integrity. This simple statement is the essential minimum standard expected of Christian leaders.
Dr. BJ
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Crazy Season is Coming
The volume increases following Halloween. The trappings were up, the drum beat had already begun but the volume increased following Halloween. The drum beat is the enticement to enter into the secular, commercial observance of an event corporately known as “the Holidays”. The “Holidays” extend from Thanksgiving through the observance of the change of calendar we call “New Years!” They now include Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice and an event called by many names (Yuletide, X-Mas) but is usually known as Christmas.
It is chic and popular to decry the “Commercialization of Christmas”. But I have come to observe that most of us give our annual lip service to how commercial Christmas has become; we wag our heads we make those tsk tsk noises, we even vow to not “get sucked in"; but, in truth, very few of us do anything about it. Knowing there is a problem and doing nothing about it is to choose to simply be a part what we hate. In the Celebration of Discipline study group we have just studied the discipline of “simplicity”. In the interest of “simplicity” here are some “do’s” and “don’ts” I would suggest to help us reframe the “Holidays”.
1. Unplug: The Holiday drum beat pounds us down. Radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, Internet, stores, malls and cities and towns are all blaring out the same commercial message. BUY, BUY, BUY!!! Your children will be miserable if you don’t give them the biggest, latest and best. You won’t LOVE your family unless you buy, buy, buy! UNPLUG the noise making machine. Give you family a Media respite. Take an evening and play some board games together, spend a day at home without the noise. Unplug.
2. Set Limits: Do this now before the noise gets too loud. Set a reasonable limit on what you will spend for gifts – better yet make some space and time and create something unique and give them as gifts. Set a reasonable limit on the time you will spend at parties, gatherings, extra outings, shopping, etc. Set a reasonable limit on the extra activity. Christ Community will have ONE Sunday School program (on December 14). We will offer a variety of Christmas Eve celebrations to fit your schedule (December 21; December 24 at 5, 7, and 11).
3. Refocus: Here’s how:
A. Choose to have fun. Rather than the miserable, worn out, I hate the holiday’s attitude that many of us adopt, why not choose to have fun. Celebrate the sparkle, revel in the differences, and be playful and creative. Let your inner child out to play!
B. Choose to focus on relationships. Instead of form letters make a phone call. Instead of formal greetings meet a friend for coffee. Instead of material things give the gift of time, of fellowship, of relationships.
C. Choose worship. I could expound on the reason for the season and all the other trivial and common expressions that are popular this time of year but the truth is the celebration of Jesus birth is all intermixed with all the gift giving, party making, and overindulging that make up the holidays. What matters is what will I choose? Will I make it all about the material, the funny foods, and the external trappings of the season? Or, will I make it all about remembering that the savior of the world has arrived, born in Bethlehem to a young mother named Mary. Adeste Fideles (O Come all ye Faithful) has my favorite refrain of all the Christmas songs. It puts it best:
Venite adoremus
Venite Adoremus
Venite Adoremus, dominum
O Come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Dr. BJ
It is chic and popular to decry the “Commercialization of Christmas”. But I have come to observe that most of us give our annual lip service to how commercial Christmas has become; we wag our heads we make those tsk tsk noises, we even vow to not “get sucked in"; but, in truth, very few of us do anything about it. Knowing there is a problem and doing nothing about it is to choose to simply be a part what we hate. In the Celebration of Discipline study group we have just studied the discipline of “simplicity”. In the interest of “simplicity” here are some “do’s” and “don’ts” I would suggest to help us reframe the “Holidays”.
1. Unplug: The Holiday drum beat pounds us down. Radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, Internet, stores, malls and cities and towns are all blaring out the same commercial message. BUY, BUY, BUY!!! Your children will be miserable if you don’t give them the biggest, latest and best. You won’t LOVE your family unless you buy, buy, buy! UNPLUG the noise making machine. Give you family a Media respite. Take an evening and play some board games together, spend a day at home without the noise. Unplug.
2. Set Limits: Do this now before the noise gets too loud. Set a reasonable limit on what you will spend for gifts – better yet make some space and time and create something unique and give them as gifts. Set a reasonable limit on the time you will spend at parties, gatherings, extra outings, shopping, etc. Set a reasonable limit on the extra activity. Christ Community will have ONE Sunday School program (on December 14). We will offer a variety of Christmas Eve celebrations to fit your schedule (December 21; December 24 at 5, 7, and 11).
3. Refocus: Here’s how:
A. Choose to have fun. Rather than the miserable, worn out, I hate the holiday’s attitude that many of us adopt, why not choose to have fun. Celebrate the sparkle, revel in the differences, and be playful and creative. Let your inner child out to play!
B. Choose to focus on relationships. Instead of form letters make a phone call. Instead of formal greetings meet a friend for coffee. Instead of material things give the gift of time, of fellowship, of relationships.
C. Choose worship. I could expound on the reason for the season and all the other trivial and common expressions that are popular this time of year but the truth is the celebration of Jesus birth is all intermixed with all the gift giving, party making, and overindulging that make up the holidays. What matters is what will I choose? Will I make it all about the material, the funny foods, and the external trappings of the season? Or, will I make it all about remembering that the savior of the world has arrived, born in Bethlehem to a young mother named Mary. Adeste Fideles (O Come all ye Faithful) has my favorite refrain of all the Christmas songs. It puts it best:
Venite adoremus
Venite Adoremus
Venite Adoremus, dominum
O Come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Dr. BJ
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Back from Africa
Hi everyone:
Sorry I haven't written in a few weeks. I've spent the past 17 days travelling to/from and being in the East African country of Uganda. I am working with a training program called Nexus Seminary Uganda that was the brain storm of Ugandan Rev. Davis Matovu and is being supported by my good friend Rev. Alan Howe.
In the past two weeks we have journeyed into the rural areas of Uganda, we led seminars in places like Kayebe and Kikyusa and participated in the graduations of students in Gombe, Kayeba and Luzinga. The goal is to train 2000 rural Ugandan pastors. We have about 1930 to go. We also launched a new training site in a place called Caini.
These journeys are life changing and world altering. I am amazed and occasionally overwhelmed by the hospitality, deep desire for learning, and passionate love of Jesus Christ that my friends in Uganda have. These good people have little or no material belongings but what they do have is a commitment to relationships and to the Lord Jesus Christ that has twice now restructured my heart and renewed my faith.
It was great to go, it is good to be home.
Dr. BJ.
Sorry I haven't written in a few weeks. I've spent the past 17 days travelling to/from and being in the East African country of Uganda. I am working with a training program called Nexus Seminary Uganda that was the brain storm of Ugandan Rev. Davis Matovu and is being supported by my good friend Rev. Alan Howe.
In the past two weeks we have journeyed into the rural areas of Uganda, we led seminars in places like Kayebe and Kikyusa and participated in the graduations of students in Gombe, Kayeba and Luzinga. The goal is to train 2000 rural Ugandan pastors. We have about 1930 to go. We also launched a new training site in a place called Caini.
These journeys are life changing and world altering. I am amazed and occasionally overwhelmed by the hospitality, deep desire for learning, and passionate love of Jesus Christ that my friends in Uganda have. These good people have little or no material belongings but what they do have is a commitment to relationships and to the Lord Jesus Christ that has twice now restructured my heart and renewed my faith.
It was great to go, it is good to be home.
Dr. BJ.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
On a Mission for God
Hi everyone, sorry I haven't written in several days. Life has a way of getting overwhelming and it has been all of that since my last post. I am now amid preparations for a return trip to Uganda. Alan, Wayne, Ray and I leave from JFK this Sunday evening. We will be working with the Nexus Seminary Uganda as we continue to provide training and teaching for rural Ugandan pastors. Most of these pastors cannot get into seminary for a variety of reasons (some economic, some linguistic) so we are taking seminary training out to them.
There are many interesting aspects of this kind of mission. The one I found the most intriguing is that most of the pastors we were privileged to work with were first generation Christians. That is they have no family history of being Christ followers. Some of them were Muslims but most of them came from the more traditional animistic religions of the region. I have never encountered first generation Christians before. Nearly everyone I knew growing up, going to school and my other journeys had parents, grand parents etc. who, even if they were only nominally connected to the church would readily and easily identify themselves as "Christian."
The experience was world view shaking and, to a large degree, life altering. I found a passion for Jesus Christ and a willingness to do "whatever it takes" on a level that I had never encountered in the United States. I remember when I was a young Christian, fresh off the passion and fire of a radically transforming conversion in my own life, that I was fearless about Jesus. I was willing to talk to anyone anywhere at any time about my love for the Lord Jesus Christ and how turning your life over to Him could and would change your life too! Somehow through schooling, serving an institutional church and just life in general I lost this fearlessness and forgot what it was like to be head over heels in love with the Lord. My trip to Uganda reconnected me to this personal history and reminded me that I am not my own.
So, I go merrily along on a mission for God. I travel to Uganda because I know in my heart and mind that God has called me to do so. I do not know what awaits me on this return journey but I know I have a divine appointment. God has prepared my life for (to quote Ester) "such a time as this." Pray for me as I will be off line and out of touch into early November. I'll write about what happened when I return.
God's peace be with you all,
Dr. BJ
There are many interesting aspects of this kind of mission. The one I found the most intriguing is that most of the pastors we were privileged to work with were first generation Christians. That is they have no family history of being Christ followers. Some of them were Muslims but most of them came from the more traditional animistic religions of the region. I have never encountered first generation Christians before. Nearly everyone I knew growing up, going to school and my other journeys had parents, grand parents etc. who, even if they were only nominally connected to the church would readily and easily identify themselves as "Christian."
The experience was world view shaking and, to a large degree, life altering. I found a passion for Jesus Christ and a willingness to do "whatever it takes" on a level that I had never encountered in the United States. I remember when I was a young Christian, fresh off the passion and fire of a radically transforming conversion in my own life, that I was fearless about Jesus. I was willing to talk to anyone anywhere at any time about my love for the Lord Jesus Christ and how turning your life over to Him could and would change your life too! Somehow through schooling, serving an institutional church and just life in general I lost this fearlessness and forgot what it was like to be head over heels in love with the Lord. My trip to Uganda reconnected me to this personal history and reminded me that I am not my own.
So, I go merrily along on a mission for God. I travel to Uganda because I know in my heart and mind that God has called me to do so. I do not know what awaits me on this return journey but I know I have a divine appointment. God has prepared my life for (to quote Ester) "such a time as this." Pray for me as I will be off line and out of touch into early November. I'll write about what happened when I return.
God's peace be with you all,
Dr. BJ
Thursday, October 2, 2008
It takes a village . . .
I've been preaching this fall on the Christian Home. In the past three weeks I have talked about the importance of Sunday School -- and especially how important it is for Sunday School lessons to be reinforced at home. I've talked about Youth ministry and how important it is for churches to encourage youth to get hands on involved in ministry and mission. Last week I talked about how important it is in the Christian Home for parents to be vital, growing, maturing Christians themselves.
There is a myth in American culture that a "nuclear" family -- mom, dad, kids in isolation -- is somehow healthy and/or the proper way to raise children. I remember hearing the old African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child" and was interested when I read Senator Clinton's book by that same title. But the truth, for Christians, has to run much deeper. Any village won't do. In fact, I would suggest a rewrite of the proverb that says "it takes a COMMUNITY to raise a child."
The Church is one of the very few organizations (organisms) on the planet that is intentionally and essentially a multi generational gathering. It takes a healthy community to help parents raise their children. This healthy community would include healthy growing adults (of all ages), engaged and involved teens and growing maturing children. I asked one of our young mothers, as she came out of worship a few weeks ago, how she was doing. She replied, "my son has a few new grandparents and aunts and uncles after this morning." I thought to myself, that is exactly what we, as a church, are supposed to be. It takes a community, intentional, focused, committed, growing community to raise a child.
Dr. BJ
There is a myth in American culture that a "nuclear" family -- mom, dad, kids in isolation -- is somehow healthy and/or the proper way to raise children. I remember hearing the old African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child" and was interested when I read Senator Clinton's book by that same title. But the truth, for Christians, has to run much deeper. Any village won't do. In fact, I would suggest a rewrite of the proverb that says "it takes a COMMUNITY to raise a child."
The Church is one of the very few organizations (organisms) on the planet that is intentionally and essentially a multi generational gathering. It takes a healthy community to help parents raise their children. This healthy community would include healthy growing adults (of all ages), engaged and involved teens and growing maturing children. I asked one of our young mothers, as she came out of worship a few weeks ago, how she was doing. She replied, "my son has a few new grandparents and aunts and uncles after this morning." I thought to myself, that is exactly what we, as a church, are supposed to be. It takes a community, intentional, focused, committed, growing community to raise a child.
Dr. BJ
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
An image of determination
In Luke 9:51 we run across one of the more powerful images of determination I've ever seen or read. It says "Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem." Jesus has already told his followers, at least twice, that they are going to Jerusalem where he will be betrayed, crucified and in three days rise. I've always wandered at what point did Jesus know this information? Was he fully aware of his divinity as a baby? Did he know he was the Son of God as a toddler? We know from Luke 2 that he knew he "must be about his father's business" when he was 12, but at what point did all of this become clear to him? At what point did Jesus know?
Regardless of when he knew it, by Luke 9:51 he is fully aware of what awaits in Jerusalem and yet he has set his face to go there. I am overwhelmed by his inner strength and challenged by Jesus faithfulness. How often do I turn away from conflict even though to face the conflict is the most faithful thing I can do? How often do I flee from uncomfortable responsibility because to do the right thing or the faithful thing might prove to be inconvenient? Jesus "set his face" to go to Jerusalem.
Do you have an unpleasant task ahead of you? Do you have something you know you need to do, know it will be uncomfortable to do so, but to be faithful you have to follow it through? Use Jesus as your example, be resolute, set your face toward the task and do what you need to do.
Dr. BJ
Regardless of when he knew it, by Luke 9:51 he is fully aware of what awaits in Jerusalem and yet he has set his face to go there. I am overwhelmed by his inner strength and challenged by Jesus faithfulness. How often do I turn away from conflict even though to face the conflict is the most faithful thing I can do? How often do I flee from uncomfortable responsibility because to do the right thing or the faithful thing might prove to be inconvenient? Jesus "set his face" to go to Jerusalem.
Do you have an unpleasant task ahead of you? Do you have something you know you need to do, know it will be uncomfortable to do so, but to be faithful you have to follow it through? Use Jesus as your example, be resolute, set your face toward the task and do what you need to do.
Dr. BJ
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