The Hospital

We have been here since 4:15 this morning. And it looks like we will be possibly having a birthday party later tonight. We will see. Don't hold your breath or anything. The baby has not been in a rush all day so why start now.

And so the end of "my time" and the beginning of his/her time has begun for the rest of my known life.

More Ready Than You Realize Chapters 1 & 2

In the introduction, McLaren begins to describe evangelism as a dance. Not a bill of goods, not a salesman, or not even a strategy to "save" as many as possible. Dancing allows for the individuals to move freely with the music. "Evangelism as dance begins with something beyond yourself"--a song. You begin to hear a note here or a phrase there. Once you hear it, the song seems so natural, it seems like it is the rhythm of life--life the way it should be. This song is so mysterious and grand that it points to a composer far greater than any one of us. Once you begin to harmonize your life to it, it is natural for you to want others to hear the song and dance with it.

Chapter 1
McLaren invites us to explore a "spiritual friendship" with him. In a multitude of emails, he allows her to question, express doubt, and grow in faith in God. He provided a friendship that allowed her to listen to the call of God and embrace it when she was ready instead of forcing a set of doctrines and rules upon her right then.

He walks through the first email pointing out questions and attitudes that would easily have been missed with our "twentieth century view of evangelism." Evangelism is not a "win-lose" argument, it is not a pressuring technique to "save" people.

McLaren introduces the idea that Jesus was a great conversationalist. Most of the interactions with people during his life were conversations. Jesus did argue and confront people but mostly that was the religious folk.

He closes chapter one with the metaphor that an evangelist is like a midwife. "The evangelist is never coercive, pushy, combative, rather, she is patient and gentle like a midwife, knowing that the giving of life takes time and cannot be rushed without potentially lethal damage."

Chapter 2
In chapter 2, McLaren tries to reconnect us with the Story. We have out doctrine that we try to teach others and have forgotten about the Story. He uses the doctrine of the Trinity as an example.

He presents again an email from Alice. Many 'born again" Christians become judgmental, condescending and arrogant. Alice does not desire to become a Christian because she doesn't want to have to change into that.

He also presents Dan. Dan is learning the "ways of Christ" but doesn't believe in God. He too doesn't want to be changed into an intolerant, unforgiving person. McLaren writes that one of the elements of good spiritual friendship is knowing which questions are helpful and which aren't. He asks Dan "why don't you believe in God?" Dan responds that his brother became a Christian and nobody can stand him. McLaren challenges Dan that maybe someday he will see a way to believe in God and become a better person instead of a worse one. Dan says he had never thought of it like that.

To close the chapter he ends with three questions. What elements of Alice's email strike you the most? In what ways can you agree with her? What would you have said in reply to this message?


Overall, I thought a decent beginning to the book. I like the concept of dance. How would you answer the above questions?

Scripture

I have been raised in the Church all my life. From the littlest of age, I have always had the Scriptures near me. Whether it be a picture Bible for babies or a Bible for children or a teen study Bible or an "adult" Bible, Scripture has always been around me.

As I sit here in my office typing this, I have 5 Bibles to the left of me on my desk (ESV, NLT, NIV, The Message, TNIV). To the right of me on the book shelves boasts another 8 Bibles, each in their own translation and emphasis on Scripture.

Growing up my parents always taught me to spend time reading God's word. I can't say I was always faithful to that teaching. Sometimes the Bible seemed so out of touch and foreign that it didn't appear relevant to anything much less my life. My youth ministers and teachers tried to reinforce the practice of reading Scripture. How do you grow to love reading scripture when the world you are reading about is stuck in the past? Where is the connection today?

I went off to college to study to become a youth pastor/minister. My first class I took was Hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible). The class was steeped in rational thought and that all can interpret the Bible the same if they are "truly open to God." Even in a class of 30 where that was being taught, I bet not a one of us read and interpreted the Bible the same. We took our Greek classes to the learn the original language. We learned how to take a word and dissect it to the core and get at the original meaning of the word and by getting at the original meaning we would have the meaning for us today. I learned command, example, necessary inference and silence (even though that one was not taught verbally). Those were the rules of interpreting Scripture.

I left those classes with renewed vigor to dive deeply in to the Holy Writ and let the Spirit of God change me. But, again even though the intent is good, I left Scripture wanting more.

A transition has been happening over the past 6 years. I still value diving into the Word and looking at the original languages. When I have the time to really look at the cultural values and historical settings of the authors and recipients, I cherish it.

Recently I have been approaching Scripture differently. A friend of mine, a couple of years ago, introduced me to the practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading). The practice approaches Scripture with the intent on letting the Spirit of God speak through the passage. You are not trying to prove anything or let your presuppositions ruin an interpretation. You simply let the passage speak. The more I practice this type of reading (some would call it devotional), Scripture has been transformed into a living and vibrant Story that continues today.

Saint Jerome would write:

"In the field of Scripture multicolored flowers, ready for the picking, are to be found everywhere. Every species is present there, red roses, white lilies and flowers of every color: there is an embarrassment of riches. It remains for us but to collect the flowers which seem to us the most beautiful. And if we gather up roses we should not be unhappy that we have not picked lilies; and if we have gathered lilies, we are not disdaining the humble violets. All is beautiful and fascinating in the sweet land of promise to generous souls who have agreed to labor a little among the holy books."

Scripture truly has become a vibrant field of flowers to be enjoyed and savored! The world that was so out dated and foreign has transformed into a story that I am actively a part of. My life takes meaning and identity from the Story of God in Scripture. That meaning and identity gives me the part I am to play in God's story.

Thank you mom and dad for encouraging me to read the Scripture. Thank professors and mentors for providing new ways. Thank you Spirit of God for developing a love of reading the Words of Life in all their wondrous and magnificent colors.

How has the love of reading Scripture changed your life?

Missio Dei

I found this article on Western Christianity. Here is an excerpt. I would recommend reading it the whole article.

But behind all this stands God with a mission (the redemption of his whole Creation from the wreckage of human and Satanic evil). The mission of God is what fills the Bible from the brokenness of the nations in Genesis 11 to the healing of the nations in Revelation 21-22. So any mission activity to which we are called must be seen as humble participation in this vast sweep of the historical mission of God. All mission or missions that we initiate, or into which we invest our vocation, gifts, and energies, flows from the prior mission of God. God is on mission, and we, in that wonderful phrase of Paul, are "co-workers with God."

This God-centered refocusing of mission turns inside-out our obsession with mission plans, agendas, goals, strategies, and grand schemes.

We ask, "Where does God fit into the story of my life?" when the real question is, "Where does my little life fit into the great story of God's mission?"

Prayer

I came across this prayer. May you rest in peace.

While I sleep, O Lord,
Let my heart not cease to worship you;
Fill my sleep with your presence,
While creation itself keeps watch,
Singing psalms with the angels,
And taking up my soul into its paean of praise
Amen

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Another Doctors Visit

Tomorrow is another doctors visit for Julie and baby Tibbs. We have now entered the every two weeks and will probably be told after tomorrow that we will be visiting every week from now on. I am so excited about the new baby! I can't wait to hold baby Tibbs in my arms. The countdown continues.

Discipleship

I was reading one of my new tomes, Presence-Centered Youth Ministry by Mike King and found this quote from Brennan Manning:

"Paschal says that the truest test of discipleship is the way we live with each other in the
community of faith. It is as simple and as demanding as that. In our words and deeds, we give
shape and form to our faith every day. We make people a little better or leave them a little
worse. We either affirm or deprive, enlarge or diminish the lives of other."

What are some encounters in your life with other people that have affirmed and enlarged your life?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I pray God blesses the new year. May he bring peace in Iraq and all the civil wars in Africa.

What is in store you in the New Year?