Category: faith

Chew on this

Blogger Sara Miles writes about her marriage to her same sex partner Katie in San Fransisco last year. From the Beatitudes Society:

But what had happened to us in the blessing of our marriage was outside both the law and the Law. Our marriages had happened on God’s time, in God’s space. The irregular rites became an icon, a metaphor for the difficult and vital imperative to love others. And they belonged not just to individual couples, but to the community —to everyone reaching out a hand for blessing.
I cried as I read over the prayer from the marriage rite in the Book of Common Prayer. It had new meaning for me.
“Make their life together a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world,” the prayer said, “that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.”

I understand the need to be accepting and loving of everyone, despite their sin. But supporting them to continue on in sin by blessing their same-sex marriage in church is a bit much for me. Yet I look at the opposite side and think about what Jesus said about divorce:

“Remember the Scripture that says, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights’? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are ‘legal.’ Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you’re responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you’re automatically an adulterer yourself. You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure. – Matthew 5:31-32

Should the church bless marriages of individuals who have split a previous marriage in divorce? Is there a difference? I think there is. One side is publicly acknowledging that they plan to continue living in sin. The other may likely (though not always the case) be repentive of their previous sin. As an American I struggle with the idea of granting equal rights to some but not all – regardless of their religious beliefs or convictions. But as a Christian I don’t believe we as a church should bless those who are choosing to continue living in sin. What about you?

Church ministry in focus

Brian and I attended the Church Ministry in Focus conference today at Dallas Theological Seminary, where Andy Stanley was the keynote speaker. We had a good time. I ordered a DVD of his two sessions today as well as the church pastor panel if anyone’s interested in watching it later.
I thought I’d share some notes from the conference before I head to city council tonight and I’d love to hear some feedback.
These first notes are from the pastor’s panel, which included Carl Anderson (Trinity Fellowship Church), Gary Brandenburg (Fellowship Bible Church), Dr. Phil Humphries (Clearwater Community Church), Dr. Andy McQuitty (Irving Bible Church), Dr. Maurice Pugh (South Arlington Community Church) and Matthew St. John, (Scofield Memorial Church):

  • We must raise the level of unification in our churches to the Kingdom of God – regardless of race, age, or demographic. If we are unified around the Kingdom of God then people will unite.
  • The Kingdom of God transcends era and generations.
  • People want something bigger than themselves to look towards.
  • We must put feet to our faith and get involved in actually touching lives.
    And here are some notes from the workshop over Developing Mature Believers, taught by Todd Wagner (Watermark Community Church):

  • We must first ask what do we want to produce? What is a mature believer?
  • Christ said a student will not be greater than the teacher.
    – sounds like Star Wars to me
    – if we want a mature church we must be mature and seeking Christ fully ourselves

  • Local communities (churches) do not expect enough out of Christians
    – we don’t expect what God expects
    – we’re happy if they show up, bring a few friends, leave money in the plate and come back next week

  • There must be a ripple effect
    – we can only reproduce after our own kind
    – if we’re not living as mature Christians we can’t expect others to

  • Our goal should be to make people like Christ
    – not getting them to read and fill out three notebooks on how to be like Christ
    – focus on the goal

  • A fully devoted follower of Christ is someone who, when shown an area of their life that needs improvement, will say, “Thank you,” and move forward and take steps to make corrections.
    – you can be a fully devoted follower of Christ the second you accept Christ
    – there’s a difference between a devoted follower and a mature Christian

  • Spiritual leadership is not a question of knowledge, it’s a question of passion and seeking Christ.
    – a spiritual leader can lead without a lot of book/Bible knowledge if they make every decision based on what scripture tells us. they may not know themselves but they can seek God’s will and direction from others.

      A mature believer:
      1. Spends time in God’s Word
      – buy a Bible you’ll read
      – knowledge does not equal maturity
      – we will be what we are now becoming
      – it is up to us to build the means for people to find God
      2. Runs with other disciples
      – avoid isolation
      – if people are not willing to build community they are not really seeking Christ
      – community is transforming, authentic and relational
      – authentic community brings about conflict
      — think about marriage
      – conflict is not a problem, it’s an opportunity to glorify God
      – when working through conflict we’re making disciples
      – any moving machine has conflict or friction
      – if you want to avoid conflict, live in a cemetary
      3. Is involved in the game and other people’s lives
      – push people into other’s lives
  • Communicate why being a mature believer is important
    – tell people what their marriage will be like
    – tell people what their funeral will be like
    – tell people what their job will be like
    – tell people what their relationships will be like

  • Are you being shepperded?

    • re: Christ is the head

    Last week I said I’d post the podcast from Brian’s message on Christ being the head of the church – to go along with the activity we did as a church on Sunday morning.
    I finally got a chance to do that last night. So listen away on the encounter podcast.
    And subscribe now to get all the weekly messages or subscribe via iTunes.

    Is America too damn religious?

    As if it weren’t provocative enough to hold a debate on religion in America, panelists in a recent debate were tasked with answering the following: “Is America Too Damn Religious?”
    The event was part of a series of Oxford-style debates called Intelligence Squared U.S. Produced in New York City by WNYC, it is based on the Intelligence Squared program that began in London in 2002. Three experts argue in favor of the motion; three others argue against it.
    In a vote before the debate, about 67 percent of the audience agreed with the motion. After hearing the debate, more than 70 percent agreed with the motion, roughly 24 percent were opposed and about 5 percent were undecided, concluding that America is in fact “too damn religious.”
    NPR has a 50 minute edited version of the debate as well as some of the highlights like this one:

    The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, says: “What is a damned religion? Damned religion is a religion so weak-willed and unsure of its own capacity to persuade others to support it or live by its guidance that it seeks the blessing of government. That it seeks financial aid from government. And that it even tries to convert its theological beliefs into legislative fiats. This damned form of religion is a corruption both of faith and of constitutional democracy. And it makes a mockery of the best in our history….”

    and one against the motion:

    Jean Bethke Elshtain, a professor of social and political ethics at the University of Chicago: “One should not, from any direction, separate America’s citizens who accept a secular world from those, the religious, who alleged do not. Citizens of religious commitment are among the most enthusiastic supporters of a secular government. They don’t want established religion, but they also understand that to support a secular government and state does not commit us to a thoroughly secularized society, shorn of religious voices, symbols, activities and commitments. We would be a greatly impoverished country were this to come to pass. So too damned religious? Nope. Just pretty damned American….”

    Edwards fires bloggers

    A while back I subscribed to Bill O’Reilly’s e-mail newsletter. I’m not sure why. I rarely read it yet I was struck by his latest column about the John Edwards campaign. Apparently Edwards hired two anti-Christian bloggers to work for him. When questioned Edwards didn’t comment but fired the bloggers after O’Reilly took issue with the hires on his show.

    Yet former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards apparently felt comfortable hiring two anti-Christian bloggers named Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan to work on his campaign. Both women have a far-left, bomb-throwing history that was vividly illustrated on their respective Internet sites.
    But let’s give Edwards the benefit of the doubt because he’s a busy guy. Let’s say he wasn’t aware of the vitriol the ladies were spitting out, and this led to the hiring mistake.
    Fair so far? Now comes the crusher. The Catholic League informed Edwards that Ms. Marcotte wrote a description of Mary, the mother of Jesus, having sex with the “Lord” on her website. It was a vile piece of business that can’t even be printed in this newspaper.
    And what did John Edwards do? He said he “disagreed” with Marcotte’s words, but would not fire her or Ms. McEwan, who wrote on her blog that Christian believers were “mother-f—ers.”
    I couldn’t believe it. So I had my TV producers call Edwards and ask his Chief of Staff what was going on. Neither Edwards nor anybody in his campaign would talk to us about the issue.

    I remember being impressed with Edwards during the 2004 campaign but I can’t support anyone who supports those who would condemn or criticize those of other faiths and beliefs — especially when they’re my own.
    What about you?

    Spiritual lessons from Starbucks

    Marni found a spiritual lesson at Starbucks today.

    “Many people lack a spiritual belief system and fill that void with obsessions about celebrities. The celebrities are raised to the rank of gods, and these earthly gods will always fail the expectations the masses have set for them. The cycle runs thusly: adoration turns to obsession, obsession turns to disappointment, and from disappointment it is a just a short emotional jump to contempt.”
    — Donna Phillips Freelance writer. She lives in Claremont, California.

    Where did you last find God?