From Welcoming to Winning to Welcoming

Recently I participated in a discussion with a group of theologians who participated in an event hosted by an organization that works for full inclusion of all people in all churches. One person made a comment, meant to be encouraging at the time, that with changes in society and stories in the press, we had won. The idea, and language, of “winning church” stuck with me for the rest of the day as it bulldozed its way through my thinking and most of my individual conversations the rest of the day.

Wouldn’t we all be very happy if everyone else’s theology came into perfect alignment with our own? I have never met anyone who did not like the idea of winning, and “winning church” probably ranks as the biggest.

Deep inside, I think we all desire an end to conflict between the faiths so that the most contentious argument in Church is whether to serve regular, whole-wheat, or gluten-free communion wafers. Sadly, within major religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam most of the divisions, denominations, or sects agree on the big concepts of the religion. The minutia and practice around those concepts, though create schisms large enough to dwarf the Grand Canyon. To cement the “rightness” of each point, they become so enshrined in ritual across generations that if the Torah/Bible/Koran did not say it, it should have.

Truthfully, though, I do not want another denomination or, for that matter, another individual to come into sync with my personal theology: it would diminish my personal, individual, relationship with God. I came to where I am in faith through my life experiences and my encounters with God. They are uniquely mine and have shaped nuances of faith no one else can have. The big ideas align to my faith tradition but have been buffed and polished by my experiences with God. The biggest idea in Christianity is having a personal relationship with God.

Similarly, congregational experience grows the same way through corporate worship and shared experiences. Each congregation develops its its history and tradition around those experiences. Some use the history as a guide for future work. Some get stuck in the history.

While it the idea of winning sounds nice, it does not support the value of welcoming all in the church. For someone to win, someone else loses - becoming disenfranchised and feeling unwelcome in the church. The welcoming and affirming movements within the different denominations have to recognize that we have not been successful until every child of God is welcome in every congregation. As more congregations and religious organizations adjust rules and statements of faith the more we will encounter individuals and groups who opposed those changes. They are as worthy or our love and gracious welcome as the previously excluded populations.

Welcoming is not a value extended only toward historically marginalized individuals and groups. Welcoming is a value extended to everyone. Christ left no ambiguity about who could be his follower. He traveled amongst the sinners and unclean while engaging the religious elite. He welcomed everyone.

Society may proclaim winners and losers on various issues, but we who seek justice for all cannot let ourselves adapt this kind of thinking. We have long worked to develop a kingdom view of people that welcomes everyone and affirms their value.

I admit that I am encouraged by the increase in congregations and organizations who are recognizing that Christ welcomed and affirmed all people and are seeking to become more Christlike by following his example. Meanwhile other congregations reinforce their theology that defines who can worship with them. As long as the dichotomy exists there are no winners. The best we can do is to practice grace and demonstrate the love of God.

The Mission of the Seventy Today

Each week as I do my personal devotional using the weekly lectionary texts as a guide, I find a theme and write a reflection. Sometimes one of the passages does not fit the theme and so I mention it only in passing or not at all. One passage from a few months ago completely stood apart from the other passages, and while it did not fit the theme I pulled from the rest of the passages, it is the passage that has stayed on my mind since then and I continue revisiting it as event after event reminds me how relevant the passage is today.

The first verses of Luke 10 marks the first time Jesus sends his followers out to do ministry work on their own. The seventy Jesus sent may actually be a symbolic rather than an actual number, but it clearly indicates the ministry extends beyond the twelve apostles. He gave them very specific directions as to their conduct and their mission. Those same directions are ones we Christians could well heed today as we continue the mission into the world.

The first direction Jesus gave the seventy as he prepared for them to go out in pairs was to take nothing but the clothes on their backs. They were wholly at the mercy of acceptance in the towns they approached. They only carried with them the Peace of the Lord (pre-cross message of Jesus). They went out with humility before those they encountered.

His second command was “to greet no one on the road,” meaning, go with urgency and do not get delayed by distractions. They had a purpose to their journey and Jesus did not want them getting sidetracked from that purpose.

The third direction was that if they were welcomed into a house, then they were to stay there, not hop from place to place and they were to accept whatever was offered to them in the way of food and lodging. They were expected to be as good as guests as the hosts were generous in hosting. Moving from home to home projected the image that they were seeking something better than the current host offered which could shift the message from the blessings they could bestow to an implication of desiring comfort.

The fourth guideline dealt with acceptance and rejection. If the town accepted them, then they stayed, shared the message, and performed miracles as they had been given power by Jesus to do. For these towns, the message that the kingdom of God has come near was a blessing of salvation. Likewise, if a town rejected them, they went out, wiped the dust off their feet, and delivered the same message, but instead it was a notice of loss.

The directions Christ gave apply to us today - maybe even more than to those seventy disciples he sent to the towns ahead of him. We need to have that same humility in the world that the seventy took. Being Christian does not grant us any power or status to hold over those we encounter in the world. Instead, our service in the world becomes the beacon that draws people to Christ. Christianity is a religion to which one is drawn, not driven.

Jesus recognized that we need to have a sense of purpose in the work we are doing. Today, even more than in the time Jesus was on earth, we are surrounded by distractions. Work, media, family, social events - the list is lengthy. When Christ sends us on a mission, though, our entire focus is that mission.

Accepting people where they are and as they are remains one of the greatest challenges of the Christian church. The Gospel is clear that no one can become perfect to get into the kingdom of God, but after accepting Christ we have the best chance we are going to have. Unfortunately, I have heard too many messages in the media and from pulpits that affirm the message of “if you are not like us, you are not welcome.” Change your ways and then you can approach will lead to very few approaching. As the seventy sent by Christ illustrate, we should do the approaching, not waiting for those to come.

The final instruction, though, may be the hardest to follow. When the disciples were rejected, they went on their way and did not look back. There were no angry confrontations. There were no pleas to change the minds. They simply did as Jesus instructed and went on their way, wiping the dust off their feet. It is only natural that we want everyone to experience the joy, peace, and hope we have as Christians. Unfortunately, being confrontational shows none of that.

The same caution applies to any religion in the public sphere. Whether through broadcast religious-based talk and news shows or worship services, the humility, purpose, and acceptance are essential parts of the message. Sadly, as religious organizations have played a more prominent role in the political system over the last thirty years those tones have continually diminished as the leadership has been more vocal. Anyone who disagrees is in for a confrontation and stands to be attacked, especially if they have a different understanding of the scripture: believe my way or else.

Amazingly, it is exactly the same kind of legalistic, theocratic posturing Jesus fought within the Jewish establishment of his time. Most of his interactions with the Jewish leadership could be summarized with, “you have it memorized to the letter, but you are completely missing the point.” Legislating Biblical principles is exactly the opposite of what Jesus would have done.

Christianity is a religion to which people are drawn, not driven.

Legislating one sect’s beliefs guarantees a backlash against the faith as a whole. That is already being seen in the churches shuttering their doors and the empty pews of the ones hanging on. Even Christian groups that do not support the actions of the vocal minority are being harmed by the vociferous “spokesmen” for the faith. People hear a reference to faith and these are the voices they remember.

Jesus closed the experience with the seventy after their return to him by reminding them not to take any pride in the power they had in his name, but to rejoice that they were saved. He sent them out with humility and brought them back to humility. It is time the whole church revisited Jesus directions to the seventy and consider its next steps.

Holy Places

I recently wrote:

“The location for the event set the mood for contemplation nicely. Spending a day in a building 199 years old and worshipping in a building 238 years old (for a congregation celebrating 375 years years together) forces you to consider a broader span than we normally contemplate. Holy places draw us in, safely, opening us to more than we could get elsewhere.”

Upon rereading that passage later, I wondered, “did I leave the reader thinking holy places had to be old?”

For me, at the particular event, at my point in life, the historic nature of the buildings greatly enhanced the spiritual renewal I experienced through the events of the weekend. The history, role, and impact the buildings possess in relation to the spiritual history of the nation shaped my thinking as we contemplated ideas concerning the future of the broader Church - capital C. The age of the buildings helped, me at least, put the ideas into historical context. Similar discussions occurred in these buildings over their years of service.

Holy places that shape many do gain more recognition through time. Holiness is a characteristic separate from the construction and comes from the spiritual power felt in the location. The place does not require sanctification or dedication. It does not even require construction. Throughout the Bible, we find holy places wherever people encounter God. Moses had the burning bush and how many other natural locations. Jonah had the belly of a big fish. Prophets and apostles had mountain tops.

I have a small clearing in the wooded area at the back of my parents’ property.

The holiness of a place is always personal. I have been to many grand cathedrals in Europe and been dazzled by the art and architecture but felt nothing spiritual despite centuries of worship in the building. I have been in unordained sheet-rock halls and been silenced by the spiritual power in the place.

My experience in Providence motivated me to consider the holy places I have encountered. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without these various holy places. My holy places shaped my life. That natural clearing in the wooded area at the back of my parents’ property has possibly never had another human in it, yet it was a place where I had a deeply heartfelt conversation with God. When and where I will find the next holy place that shifts my life’s direction is up to God. My job is to be ready when it happens.

Birthday Cake Alone

My birthday cake this year was a Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Chip Cookie that I ate alone in my hotel room.

Cry me a river. Boo hoo!

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! That chocolate chip cookie, alone in my hotel room, capped the best birthday I have ever had.

(Disclaimer - I was attending a conference that day and the leadership and attendees recognized my birthday and had a small party for me and one of the organization’s leaders celebrating a birthday on the same day that included cake and cupcakes. I never ate any because I was too busy visiting. The recognition is much appreciated - sugar rush or not.)

I am not someone who enjoys getting much attention on his birthday. Well-wishes and greetings are welcome, but anything that draws much attention is not. For many years, I would invite some friends to dinner and treat them without ever letting them know it was my birthday. Their company was the gift I sought.

This year, I attended a pastor/seminarian workshop and enjoyed a worship service in The First Baptist Church of the United States (and when they say first - they mean it!). I do not qualify in either category, but the idea of spending a day in spiritual discussion attracted me. It also happened to be sponsored by an organization I have supported since discovering - AWAB: The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. The topics and ideas that stuck with me have provided ample food for thought for the next few months. I went into the day, knowing that I valued and respected the opinions of the people present.

I exited the day valuing and respecting the opinions of the people present even more than I expected.

As enjoyable as the educated thought and discourse was, the disconnect from technology and the interaction with individuals in a small enough setting to connect with them, enhanced the spiritual renewal of the day. Many of the deep and sincere discussions connected to questions I had been pondering while seeking to reconcile my personal feelings with my social-justice theology. None of the conversations resolved any of the theological questions, but they provided fodder for my meditation and writing for some time.

The location for the event set the mood for contemplation nicely. Spending a day in a building 199 years old and worshipping in a building 238 years old (for a congregation celebrating 375 years years together) forces you to consider a broader span than we normally contemplate. Holy places draw us in, safely, opening us to more than we could get elsewhere. Even the grounds around the sanctuary for the buildings presented a holy feel.

Following the worship service, I arrived back at my hotel, bounding with energy. As I sat at the desk reading the email, Twitter, and Facebook birthday well-wishes, I indulged in the cookie and rejoiced at the day I had.

The Church is Becoming Christian Again

In the last few weeks several news articles about religious responses to social justice issues have caught my eye in a way, that, for the first time in a long time, led me to believe that there may be some hope for the Church. Pope Francis’s speeches on poverty and social justice issues that were the matched by his actions during the recent visit to Brazil also caught my attention. Suddenly, the voices preaching the message of the entire Bible have begun to rise above those that limit their message to the passages that provide a theological basis to match their views.

The Belief Blog on the CNN website recently gave voice to one who explained why many were leaving the church from anecdotal and survey data. While the article focused on millennials, the author recognized that it applied to people across generations.

Changes within the Church do not happen rapidly, but the theological foundation of the worldwide church has historically swung between extremes. When the the pendulum goes too far, the ideas are rejected and it goes back the other way. The political involvement of some of the most extreme religious leaders backing legislation that violate contemporary ideas of justice may have been the tipping point.

As a lifelong protestant from a conservative denomination, I have rarely paid attention to the Pope. The things he does did not affect me beyond the way his words and actions, as the most prominent face of Christianity to the world, shape the world’s view of the faith. When Pope Francis was elected earlier this year, the stories of his humility fascinated me, but the skeptic in me doubted it would continue into the papacy.

So far, the Pope’s actions - rejecting the elaborate attire worn by most pontiffs, rejecting the lavish papal apartment have lived up to the stories of his piety. The tone of his messages reflect a shift from social conservativism to social justice. The content may be largely the same, but the tone indicates he views scripture from a different side of the verse than his predecessors. Whether protestant or Catholic, the tone makes a difference.

Protestants deny the authority of the Pope, but the reality is that his voice carries authority to almost twice as many people as all the protestant denominations combined. When that many people begin to shift their thinking in the faith, it influences the thinking of others. Not only does it shape the thinking of others, it also gives weight to other religious groups who share a similar message.

Pope Francis has only been Pope a few months and broader media coverage focusing on Christian groups that promote social justice has only emerged more prominently in recent weeks. The restrictive voices of faith have not gone away but there has been enough shift that my hope for the Church has begun to flicker. I see signs that the Church is becoming Christian again, accepting the big message of the Bible, rather than focusing on small messages found in various passages.

We are not there yet, but I am looking forward to the day when I can again say, “I am a Christian” without feeling the need to add an explanation of my beliefs.

Adventing Advent

         I grew up in a Southern Baptist church that never taught the liturgical seasons practiced by many Christian denominations around the world. As an adult, when I first worshipped with churches that followed the liturgical calendar I became fascinated with Advent and Lent in particular. Both seasons carry such weight in the mission of the church. Both seasons have so much meaning and symbolism that shapes the world – even the secular world.

         Advent, as the start of the liturgical year, focuses on hope and so has been my favorite season of the year. With the Advent calendars and the daily focus on something to do in the anticipation of the coming Christ, I have always had something to focus on in the month before Christmas that is not commercially centered.

         Last year I started a separate blog to daily post my reflection on the Advent calendar. It turned into a weekly Bible study blog that connected me with a new dear friend and helped me find a focus for my spirituality. In anticipation of the daily blog posts that would require, I started adventing Advent in August this year.

         Yes – Advent means so much to me in my spiritual journey that I began planning for it in August.

         Advent starts this week and I am ready. Scriptures have been gathered, notes have been taken and drafts of scripture reflections have been made. Now it is time to finalize them and prepare myself, not only for Advent, but for Christmas and all it means to us.

Joy that Matters

         The World English Dictionary defines joy as “a deep feeling of happiness or contentment.” I use that definition over the American standard definition of joy as a synonym for happiness. Happiness, though, comes from a surprise or something in life that delights being present: it is short term. Both life experiences and my faith have lead me to the more solid definition grounded in the words, “a deep feeling.”

         Unfortunately, as a counselor, I see too many people coming into my office with fast food emotions: they are fleeting, here now and different in a moment. Emotions are not valued and very often people do not invest in them the effort it takes to make them meaningful. Emotions exert great influence on our daily lives. Days can be ruined (or made) by those fleeting experiences to which no one else gave the least thought.

         For the last 20 years, since I came to understand that joy, real joy, cannot exist as a fleeting experience, I have sought to live my life in a search for joy. It has been both a personal and a spiritual journey to find out what it means for me. Living in joy does not mean I am happy all the time; very often I am cranky about something. Smiling does not come naturally to me; it never has. Frowning, or a non-happy expression on my face, is normal it does not mean I am unhappy or upset about something. It means I am being me. No matter my expression, my driving core emotion is joy.

         Living a life in joy means making decisions about career, relationships, faith, and budget that impact daily quality of life. My career (and the specific job I have now) reflects my personal values of social justice and social responsibility: as an educator, I have impact. I confine my relationships (friendships) to people who add value to my life – even if we disagree on key issues. My faith guides my personal values (particularly those that shape my career) and it determines my religious affiliation. How I spend my money shapes my happiness. Though I am a self-described tech-geek, I do not purchase every new toy that comes out: I have what I need. The decisions I make lead to that deep feeling of contentment with my life. I lay down at night with few regrets and wake up each morning excited about the opportunities in the day. Consciously making decisions with such a goal in mind impacts everything.

         The concept of joy in the Christian church comes from the direct connection to God. Nothing in that connection is temporal which is what makes joy different. The Old Testament and the Gospels and Epistles list joy as a characteristic of believers. Believers gain joy by having a personal connection to God that leads to the eternal promises that come with their belief. The connection to God presents itself daily.

         In the fast paced world with changes taking place faster than we can track them, contentment and joy seem like antiquated ideas. Joy, real joy, keeps us grounded like no other emotion and gives us a way to navigate the turmoil around us.

Food and Spirituality

         Making and eating food are among the most spiritual acts I perform. From gardening, ranching, and hunting in childhood, I have always had a close relationship with much of the food I ate. From the fresh vegetables raised in our garden, to the beef from the calves we raised then sent to slaughter, to the venison and other game meats we hunted, my hands had a role in the processing from beginning to end.

         Living in the city now, I have a modest garden in my back yard that produces more squash and tomatoes than I can eat, but certainly comes nowhere near sustaining me. The back yard definitely will not support a herd of meat animals or even a flock of chickens, so I am forced to rely on the grocery store or meat market for them. Until the time comes for me to slice and cook, I have no connection to most of the food.

         Despite the void between ground/hoof and table, the act of preparation remains spiritual for me. I do not exercise enough. I do not sleep enough. I drink too many high-caffeine drinks. Cooking and eating well prevent my body from going totally to pieces. Cooking and eating well honor who I am. I enjoy it and gain great satisfaction in preparing something delicious from the ingredients I am given.

         The relationship between each part of the meal encourages reflection on the connections between parts of my life. Too much of any one ingredient puts the dish out of balance. Friends, work, family, and God all shape who I am; they are the ingredients to me. Just like a recipe, any one out of proportion alters me and the person that I am. Food connects every aspect of life – friends, work, family, and God. At the table, at a restaurant, or even in passing, food offers that moment of connection – even if it is in passing.

         Perhaps, at a certain point, my career will allow me the opportunity to live on land again instead of being confined to the small spaces of the city and will allow me the chance to raise the majority of the food I eat. I like that connection, but it is not necessary for food to be a central spiritual aspect of my life. God is present no matter how many hands touch the food and I take solace in that knowledge.

 

Sharing the Faith

I have never been a very good evangelical, though I have been a lifelong Baptist. I do not deny my faith and frequently work it into conversations, but I never run around seeking converts. Still, until I began working on a blog that focused on my personal faith, little was ever said publically about me regarding my beliefs.

Then a few months ago I began collaborating with a friend on that blog which focuses on the weekly lectionary scriptures. Initially we met through the blog, but I wondered how any kind of collaboration would go. However, at the time we began discussing working together I had spent too much time neglecting the blog that began with daily posts for over a month. The challenge to collaborate by my friend reignited my energy and determination to continue at least a weekly post to the blog that had a specific purpose.

 

For the last few months, we have each made a weekly post to the blog – one with a protestant perspective on scripture for the week and one with a Roman Catholic perspective.

 

The competitive me wants to be first with the post for the week, but the passionate me wants to have real meaning to everything I write (at least there). I do not know if on any week I achieve either goal, but it does force me into a reflective time which fulfilled my goal of starting the blog in the first place.

And the competitive me wants to see whose posts get the most reads (based on the reports, it depends on which site – since all the posts go to at least 3 sites).

Despite the competitive me, I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to spend some time each week working on my personal spirituality while sharing it with others. I enjoy even more the collaboration with another person who feels the same way and shares his heart genuinely through his faith and work. Each week I look forward to discovering what connections I can make and what insight he offers and I am looking forward to the continued collaboration.