Rich aliens: possessions and God's Kingdom

This is a very interesting article on the relationship of church and culture. Listen to these challenging words:

Too often, of course, the contemporary church simply mirrors the culture. Increasingly, we are less a holy city drawn together around Christ and more a part of the suburban sprawl that celebrates individual autonomy, choice, entertainment, and pragmatic efficiency.

Sadly, I feel this statement is true. This morning I finished the excellent book God & Your Stuff: The Vital Link Between Your Possessions and Your Soul. In this book, the author Wesley Willmer, argues that the use of our possessions is our trademark as Christians and a test as stewards. Willmer argues that "if Christ is not first in the use of our money, he is not first in our lives." Jesus said it this way, "where your treasure is, there your heart is also." By this challenging standard, no wonder the church mirrors culture typically just creating a christianized subculture of the larger culture. Sadly, most in the Christians in the church mirror cultural attitudes toward money and possessions. Few Christians call into question our materialistic lifestyles.

And it is in large part the clergy's fault! Pastors have not been trained in a theology of stewardship and therefore are not training the church. My seminary education did not include a mandatory class on stewardship. And the church I grew up in tended to preach the subject when it was necessary.

This year I am planning on preaching on stewardship once a quarter. It will not be a desperate appeal for funds. It will be an invitation to discover the powerful spiritual discipline of giving. And hopefully, slowly but surely, the folks in my church and their pastor will begin shattering the mirrors of culture in our lives.


Technorati Tags: theology, materialism, money

The last bag of tortilla chips in town...

There are some unique experiences to living out in the sticks. Last night I had a particularly funny one.

At about 5pm, my wife asked me to go to the grocery store for a few items: tortilla chips, bananas, cheese, and a lime. The plan was to have nachos for dinner. All was going well until I turned down the chip aisle. I wish I had my camera with me. There were very few bags of chips left and not a single bag of tortilla chips.

"No problem," I thought, "I just go to Alco next door."

There were no tortilla chips at Alco. "I'll check Ampride," I thought.

After waiting at the train crossing for the train to pass, I entered Ampride. No tortilla chips! The last possible store is 7-Eleven.

There at 7-Eleven was one bag of Tostitos bite size tortilla chips! Dinner was saved!

Just another day living out in the sticks!

Commercialization, Aslan, Hobbes, and the Church

This is a fantastic article, dealing with commercialization and Narnia. It is utterly amazing to me how the church is seen as an opportunity to make a buck selling worthless books and tons of unecessary knicknacks!

A Tale of Two Kitties - Christianity Today Magazine

In an age in which any notable spiritual movement immediately begets a plethora of associated products (calendars, Bible covers, journals, T-shirts), the logic and form of commercialism demand our critical attention, not merely our easy acceptance. When does the logic of commercialism not make sense? When is it a problem to turn certain ideas or realities into merchandise? When is defying popularity and consumer demand an act of integrity? When should form outweigh marketability? When should a lion remain bookish, and a tiger remain cartoonish?

Great questions for us to consider (even though I really liked the movie!).

Technorati Tags: Narnia, commercialism, church, culture

Pat speaks, God listens!

Pat strikes again! Yesterday, Robertson suggested that Sharon's stroke is God's judgment. This guy is truly unbelievable!

``God considers this land to be his,'' Robertson said on his TV program ``The 700 Club.'' ``You read the Bible and he says `This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, `No, this is mine.'''

Sharon, who ordered Israel's withdrawal from Gaza last year, suffered a severe stroke on Wednesday.

In Robertson's broadcast from his Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach, the evangelist said he had personally prayed about a year ago with Sharon, whom he called ``a very tender-hearted man and a good friend.'' He said he was sad to see Sharon in this condition.

He also said, however, that in the Bible, the prophet Joel ``makes it very clear that God has enmity against those who 'divide my land.'''

Sharon ``was dividing God's land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU (European Union), the United Nations, or the United States of America,'' Robertson said.

Technorati Tags: religion, evangelical

Finding True North

This is a great article. I have felt much of what the author feels. Many times serving small churches (especially after serving in large even mega churches) is difficult especially when it comes to comparing what you are doing with others. But I know God has called me here.

Yet I do not know for how long. In September 2005, the session of the Presbyterian Church I serve voted to end the yoke relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This decision is effective when I leave. Yet both churches are not in a hurry to see me leave. Kind of a crazy situation.

This is why this article is so great. Especially powerful are these thoughts:

As appealing as the church may have been, we had not been given the liberty to leave. I chose to remain at my post.

I had several other opportunities to change churches. Most of them seemed like "better" opportunities—larger congregations, more staff, nicer locale. Some were opportunities I had solicited.

In most cases the thing that kept me from accepting a call, even when I wanted to say "yes," was the lack of a personal sense of release. Yes, this is subjective. But I did not feel that I could go until I sensed that the Holy Spirit had said, "You are dismissed."

So that's where I am. Praying, waiting, seeking God, asking, "Am I dismissed?"