The Gospel of Welcome

serving food at the mission
Serving food at the Mission | Photo by Theo Hughes

You know, it’s interesting to read through the Gospels in the New Testament and see how Jesus responds to various people throughout his ministry.

He never seems to respond the same way to anyone.

Each person is unique and he offers a response suited specifically for their life and their situation.

But as you read about his interactions with the pharisees and other religious leaders of his day, you can’t help but be struck by a common thread.

He doesn’t seem to happy with them.

It’s these same religious leaders that both he and his cousin, John the Baptist, call a “brood of vipers.”

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” (Matthew 23:33)

This isn’t just a random accusation Jesus throws their way — it comes towards the end of Jesus’ long rant against the religious leaders (Matthew 23).

“Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn’t think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called ‘Doctor’ and ‘Reverend.'”

If you read the entire text here (and the other places Jesus comes down hard on the pharisees) it really seems to me that Jesus’ big problem with these guys is their exclusivity.

Rather than welcoming all (as Jesus did and does) these leaders had built their reputation on being on the “inside.” They had staked their entire career upon building up their fashion shows and creating rules and regulations to keep the outsiders out.

So when this new Rabbi shows up on the scene and starts having dinner with “the least of these” and tells the woman caught in adultery that he doesn’t condemn her — it’s no wonder that they began to plot against him.

He’s bucking the entire system! He’s welcoming those who they felt should be left out on the streets away from the banquets! Heresy!

For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many.

When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’

Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses.

The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’

Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’

And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’

The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’

The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded—and there’s still room.’

The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!’ (Luke 14:16-24)

As I read this, I see the Gospel of Jesus as one of welcome instead of the exclusiveness the pharisees preached.

It is good news to the poor, the outsider, the marginalized, the hurt and the broken — and it’s good news to the “insider” as well.

It’s good news that will change a person’s heart — and life.

May we learn to love like that.

May we learn to carry this Gospel of Welcome wherever we go.

May we learn to throw huge banquets. May we go into the streets and invite everyone who’s there.

And may we lay aside our differences and see the beauty inside each and everyone of God’s creation.

When atheists and Baptists agree

But Half a Man
But Half a Man | Photo by riebart

“In matters that are so obscure and far beyond our vision, we find in Holy Scripture passages which can be interpreted in very different ways without prejudice to the faith we have received. In such cases, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search for truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it.”

– St. Augustine

A brilliant quote from St. Augustine, as referenced by Rachel Evans in her Washington Post column.

I interviewed Rachel for our podcast a week or two ago and just finished reading her book, “Evolving in Monkey Town.” A great read.

In the book (and somewhat in the column) Rachel lays out her memories and discusses how being given the space to ask questions and have doubt actually helped save her faith.

It’s a great example of why building spaces of grace have become so important to me.

Hug a pastor

Day 125: HUGS!
HUGS! | Photo by Crimsong19

For an upcoming episode of the podcast, Travis interviewed author Anne Jackson about her story and her two books Mad Church Disease (a great read) and Permission to Speak Freely.

As Johnny Laird and I did the show wrap this weekend, we focused a lot of the discussion on the issue of burnout in ministry — a major focus in Mad Church Disease.

As we talked I was reminded of some of these stats from Pagan Christianity…

At the time of this writing there are reportedly more than 500,000 paid pastors serving churches in the United States.

  • 94 percent feel pressured to have an ideal family
  • 90 percent work more than forty-six hours a week
  • 81 percent say they have insufficient time with their spouses
  • 80 percent believe that pastoral ministry affects their family negatively
  • 70 percent do not have someone they consider a close friend
  • 70 percent have lower self-esteem than when they entered the ministry
  • 50 percent feel unable to meet the demands of the job
  • 80 percent are discouraged or deal with depression
  • More than 40 percent report they are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules and unrealistic expectations
  • 33 percent consider pastoral ministry an outright hazard to the family
  • 33 percent have seriously considered leaving their position in the past year
  • 40 percent of pastoral resignations are due to burnout

It’s shameful that the church has come to a place where so much pressure is put on our leaders (intentionally or not) and there are so few support mechanisms in place for them.

I would personally love to see people really step up and see themselves as the priesthood believers and realize that they too can care for the people in their faith communities as well — and avoid “passing the buck” off to the “paid professionals.”

I dream of a day when groups come together on a regular basis for the sharing of life and community and these same people rally around one another, viewing their role as pastors to their small community and share in the pastoral ministry of one another — giving the “paid professionals” an opportunity to find some relief in their jobs.

But until that day happens — how about calling your pastor (and perhaps his wife) and inviting them over for dinner? Invite them to coffee. Invite them to come with no strings attached and simply give them an opportunity to unwind, feel free to be themselves and offer your encouragement and support for all that they do.

When our Church leaders can find the time and opportunity to care for themselves, the entire Church benefits.

Five questions with Joe Rawlinson

Joe Rawlison
Joe Rawlison

What does an average day look like for you?

I’m usually up at or around 6am to exercise and/or get ready for the day. The kids wake up shortly thereafter (or before on bad days) and I help them get breakfast and dressed while my wife gets ready for the day.

On weekdays I’m off to work at a tech company where I spend lots of time in meetings, conversations, and in front of the computer. I return home for dinner with the family and then we begin the night routine. I give all four kids baths, help them get in their pajamas, read stories and scriptures, say prayers, sing songs, and say good night (hopefully by 7:30). My wife and I then usually spend about an hour cleaning up the kitchen or house in preparation for the next day.

Once things are settled, I’ll get to work on my projects. These include my Pepe’s Chile site (pepeschile.com), my Dad’s Guide to Twins blog (dadsguidetotwins.com) or our private family blog service (familysays.com).

What’s been the best day of your life?

The best day of my life was my wedding day. Marrying my wife was the best decision I’ve ever made.

What’s been your greatest achievement in life thus far?

My greatest achievements are my kids. They are happy, healthy, and already I see them making good choices at an early age. Surely the types of people my kids become will be the visible manifestation of my abilities and efforts as a father.

What made the biggest difference in helping you achieve that goal?

My wife. She is my outstanding companion in the home and helps keep our family on track and moving forward.

If you could solve one problem in the world – what would it be?

That kids could have stronger families with a solid home foundation. A lot of the world’s problems would be prevented if we all learned moral discipline and responsibility in the home.

Joe Rawlinson is the father of four children: two boys and identical twin girls. By day he is a Senior e-Commerce Product Manager, by night an entrepreneur, and a family man all of the time.

How should we love?

Laundry Love Red Oak
Laundry Love Red Oak | Photo by Jen Hunt

When I think about love and what true love means, my heart, mind and soul always go back to the points in my life where I’ve screwed up… when I did something wrong… when I realized I made a mistake… and someone took the time to show me grace and compassion.

I’ve been lucky to have several moments like that in my life. I know others aren’t as lucky.

Perhaps that’s put a rose-tinted lens on my view of love, but I think its truer, more beautiful (and more biblical) view of what love really is.

You see, anyone can point out our mistakes. (Ever watch the pundits on cable TV?)

But it takes something special, something extraordinary to look beyond a person’s failings and offer grace and compassion instead.

It’s easy for me walk away when someone’s hurt me or done me wrong — but far harder to stay by someone’s side and forgive them 70 times 7.

It’s easier for me to cast judgment and ignore someone for their past — but far harder to see real beauty in their life and the potential they have within them.

It takes a power outside of me to love the un-loved. It takes a power outside of me to forgive when I’ve been wronged. It takes a power outside of me to love the friend who’s stabbed me in the back over and over again.

My standard response is to cast a judgment over someone quick enough that I can make excuses for why I shouldn’t have to get to know them or love them.

But in the movie, “Lord Save Us From Your Followers,” (which is now available for instant viewing on Netflix) Tony the Beat Poet makes the point, “If we love somebody — we go out of our way to find out who they are.”

And I don’t think that means, we go out of our way to find out all their faults and mistakes and screw-ups. I think it means we go out of our way to find the beauty that’s inside of them.

Now does that mean we ignore every wrong we see?

I don’t think so.

I think we can all agree that there is a time and place where wrongs, mistakes and even sins should be discussed.

But I don’t think it’s in the judgmental, condemning ways we’ve become accustomed to — and quite honestly I think the Holy Spirit does a fine job of convicting people and doesn’t need my help at all.

In my mind, I see the Church functioning best when lay down our swords, turn them into plowshares and begin to wrestle with the struggles of life together.

And to me, that’s a people starting out, by offering a space of grace. A space where you’re free to be yourself, express your doubt, express your frustrations, talk about the issues you’re dealing with and know that you won’t be condemned or shunned by anyone because of your decisions in life. And a space where everyone is honest, authentic and open before they start expecting it of others.

Think of an AA meeting. No one is expected to talk and share until they’re comfortable with the group. And that level of comfortableness comes from the honesty, authenticity and grace of others.

Secondly, I see us taking those spaces of grace and being intentional about the relationships within our spheres of influence. We make a point to meet with friends over coffee. We make it a point to invite someone over to dinner. We make it a point to break bread together. We make it a point to grow our relationships.

And finally, I see us sharing relevant truth with one another. This is where the Holy Spirit can do some really cool things. Because we’ve been intentional about our relationships and because we’ve built our relationships around love and not condemnation, people tend to be far more willing to listen to truth than when they’ve had their faults flaunted in front of them (at least I know I have).

And it’s in these moments that I’ve seen the Holy Spirit do some really cool things.

Suddenly, I’m sharing something that I’m wrestling with — and before you know it, three other guys in the group are realizing they’re dealing with the exact same issue and they admit their own struggles and failings. And then we wrestle with the Truth together and find out how to really apply to our own personal situations.

And it’s in those moments of wrestling together that we learn to love even deeper, we learn to encourage even move and we learn to see how broken and desperate we all are.

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.