Love

Not boxes of chocolates, thoughtful cards or well planned dates.  Though all of those are wonderful expressions of love, that’s not the kind I’m thinking of this afternoon…

The passages of scripture I’m drawing thoughts off of are specifically 1 Corinthians 13, one familiar to most everyone, and Romans 14, maybe a bit less recognized.  As I look back and reflect on the sermon I heard this morning, I feel like I need to extend a bit of confession, if that’s the correct phrase.  At any rate, I think there have been times, either explicit or implicit, on this blog, that I have expressed my genuine, Christ-like love in a degree that it probably didn’t seem that I have ever been filled with such a love.

What we discussed this morning is the simple fact that the kind of love modeled by Christ himself and so beautifully expressed by Paul in Romans and 1 Corinthians, is one which, I would argue, makes statements similar to this one.  I think the way you are behaving is not an accurate depiction of the life Christ modeled for us…but, I think his grace is big enough to cover us both.

You see, for too many years, we have been people who have claimed to have it right.  We exist in an immovable state of pride that points the finger everywhere, claiming fault and unfaithfulness.  For my part, I am sorry.  I intend to begin living a life that lives in, and invites others to live in, the bountiful grace God freely offers.  Jesus Christ lived a life that was holy, set apart, other.  Isn’t that what God’s people are invited to be?  People who live and breathe and act, not as this world, but as a reflection of He who has called us his children.

So, in direct reflection of both Romans and 1 Corinthians, by God’s grace, I intend to reflect a love that does not envy or boast, or live a self-seeking lifestyle.  I want to be okay with someone eating food that I may not agree with. I don’t want to lose sleep over someone living a lifestyle that is different than mine.  Who am I to judge whether or not others are right in how they live?  If someone is wholeheartedly convinced they are living for God, why must I expend so much energy trying to persuade them to act and live opposed to their convictions?  In my mind, I believe that is a violation of the example of Christ as well as the inspired writings of Paul.  And that’s some pretty dangerous ground to be treading.

So, if we really believe that scripture is God-breathed, living and active, let’s allow God’s word to totally and completely change not just the way we think, but the way we live and interact with this world.  Now, take as much time as you need to let that thought digest…

A growing concern…

These past few weeks as I’ve patiently waited for a signal or flare or something from God indicating some sort of direction, I’ve been thinking about a few things.  One of the possibilities I’ve been considering again is youth ministry.  I know that may come as a shock to those of you who know what we’ve been doing for the past two years, but my feeling is that youth ministry, unlike other “ministries” in the church carries with it many more freedoms than one might think.

With that being said, my initial feeling is that, just by it’s very nature, youth ministry is primed and ready for God to do some pretty amazing things.  And so, as my wife and I consider diving back into student ministry, I’ve got a few reflections from my time here.

1. Family Ministry vs. Youth Ministry

One of the oddities I’ve observed during my time here is the disturbingly obvious disconnect between parents and the lives of their kids.  This disconnection travels all the way down through middle school even into elementary, so it’s not just limited to high school aged kids.  Plug in a movie, video game or iPod and then mom and dad don’t get home until 6:30, TV and dinner til 8:30, then the kids are off to bed… something sounds a little off kilter (Please forgive my generalities).  So, my feeling is that it’s time for those in student ministry to start blazing a new trail.  Instead of a youth minister who, for lack of a better term, babysits and entertains “good church kids,” we need someone who is going to engage the entire family on a spiritual journey that (sorry for the cleche) moves beyond the walls (think prison walls) of our church buildings.  I get the sense that youth and students ministers, in order to be effective for the kingdom in the future, are going to have to find ways to walk along side parents, encouraging and leading them to do the very thing that God has called them to do; to be the spiritual guides for their children.  Ministers cannot carry the responsibility to be solely responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of our children.

2. Studying the actual Bible vs. Studying a book or curriculum that sometimes uses the Bible

This may seem a bit of a duh statement, but think about it for a moment.  I know that there are many, many good Christian books available to us.  In fact, I would argue that God very well could be speaking clearly and articulately through many of these writers.  However, we must consider the authority of scripture and the simple fact that it has stood the test of time as well as, as it is stated within it’s own pages, we discover that is is the living Word of God. So, if scripture cuts to the very core of the human experience, why in the world do we spend so much energy studying, albiet great, books like Purpose Driven Church, Transforming Discipleship or The Wrath of God, among many others?  Basically, what I’m getting at is that is is fine for us to know our stuff and to use the brains the God has given us, but what would it look like for us to use other books as perhaps a suppliment to Scripture?  And, this may sound crazy, but it worked for several thousand years before there was any sort of written text; what if we read large portions of Scripture out loud?  If scripture really is living and active, we should give it a chance to come alive and act in our lives!

These are just a few thoughts… I’m sure there will be more on the way.   But, seems to be a good start.