The Backwash

If you watch LOST, then you will easily remember what follows.  If you do not, let me give you the paragraph catch-up. 

Plane crashes.  Survivors on remote Island.  Island strange.  Secret communities.  Surprise “stations,” or evidence of high technology.  In the clip to follow, you will see two people -- Desmond, the love-forlorn hero desperately trying to get off the island to find his true love, Penny; and Charlie -- the musician turned semi-hero.  In this clip, Desmond and Charlie are in an underwater station they have discovered, and Charlie receives a desperate transmission from…who else…Penny.  The season ended with a haunting scene of Charlie sending a message despite the odds:

I am someone who appreciates creativity that sends a message when it comes to teaching teens about the Bible.  I want to give some serious props to the PV Youth Ministry team (Steve Hovater, Ryan Rampton and Sarah Smith) for using the clip above to frame the youth group’s minds around the notion of “Urgent Messages.”  If it were your last message, what would you send?  Below is a video of some of the result.  I think it is worth watching.

Yesterday I was in complete New York mode.  I was headed out, trying to get to LaGuardia on the hope of catching an earlier flight.  I was out the door of the hotel at the time I was hoping to be, and to my benefit, the stoplight at 8th and 40th was red.  Behold a line of cabs.  I grabbed the first one, and from the start of the ride I could tell this guy was different.

Now understand, I do this enough that I have my standard line…”La Guardia – and take the tunnel…stay off the FDR.”  This guy engaged me in conversation right away.  Good conversation.  Not the type that is hoping for a larger tip, but something substantial. 

I usually retreat into the screeen of my Blackberry as the cab driver is talking in some language I don’t understand into his phone.  This ride was different.  It was in the tunnel that this guy starts talking about his family, and what he thinks is important.  I can tell you that this random cab driver in New York City has his head screwed-on better than most of the people I interact with.  After a few questions of my own, I realized this is the kind of guy that will move things around in his life to have more time with his family.  He didn’t seem interested in posessions, but more interested in the things that stay with you longer than life.  Yeah…this guy gets it.

My ride came to an end quicker than I realized or wanted.  It wasn’t until the plane was taking off that the thought ran through my head that I might have just had a brush with an angel.  You can call me cheezy if you like, but yesterday I was reminded that there are a lot of people out there who value the REAL things.  How refreshing.  I sure hope all of us can keep all the real priorities in the right place!

-MH

There are those churches that seem to clip along at a nice pace.  They grow, they seem strong, and 10 or 15 years later they seem to crash and burn.  Often, we wonder what happened.  We use words like “split” or “disagreements.”  We wonder who got mad over what, who left and why.

I would submit that our typical reasoning is not always the case.  Sure, there are plenty of times when members disagree – otherwise they would not be human.  Disagreement and learning to love through it is part of what makes church such an interesting dynamic.  Forget worship styles, discussions of where to spend money, mission efforts to support or not support or any other splinter of record.  Today I want to position two thoughts outside of our typical understanding in an attempt to create more dynamic, adaptive and relevant churches.

ITEM ONE:  ELDERS SHOULD HAVE TERM LIMITS

Show me the scripture that defines the role of Elder as a lifelong appointment, and I’ll show you the scripture that says “never use an instrument in worship.”  Neither exist.

The lifetime appointment of Elders, I submit, has done more harm than good.  Too many churches end up with a host of power-brokers rather than shepherds.  Too many good men have not had the spiritual cahoonas to bow out, or have suffered from a myopia that blinds them to the wisdom of when they should step down.  And, if one does step down, it is not seen as natural.  It starts the undercurrent – “wonder what is going on?”  or “is it his health?”  or “he must disagree with something.  We put a lot of good men in a very bad situation when we appoint them as an elder and seemingly say “see you at your funeral.”  So what is the fix?

First, under no circumstance should someone not meeting scriptural qualifications be ordained as an Elder (Yes…I said “ordained” and not our created word of “installed.”  Deal with it.)  When someone is found qualified, and if they meet whatever muster the congregation puts out (isn’t it funny how much outside-of-scripture process we put in place for this part), then they should be an Elder….for five years.  After that?  Sabbatical.  Head back to other work.  How invaluable would it be to have an elder who has served well re-immerse themselves into the work of that congregation, and have it feel normal?  How healthy would it be for a congregation to be able to tell an Elder that their service is so valued, they will get a break?

I have known many great men who have been fantastic shepherds; and almost all of them have burned-out.  Why do this to them?  Why put that much pressure on them and their families?  It is hard work if done correctly – and any Elder who serves well should be worthy of not just double honor, but also a break.  Sure, they should be able to serve again in a few years, but there should be a limit.  This provides a natural progression for the leadership of the congregation to always reflect the cadence of what is going on.  I submit that any Eldership and congregation would benefit from such a radical departure from what has always been….at least what has always been from the 1930’s until now.

ITEM TWO:  TERM LIMITS FOR PREACHERS

This one will get several people stirred, but let me share my reasons.  First, I have been in the situations where a 20-plus year preacher decides to leave.  It is horrible – even if it is well past time for that person to be gone.  This is one of the most precipitating factors in a lot of church splits or church distress.  Churches that experience the departure of a long-time preacher typically go through the following pattern:

• Members wonder “what will we do?”
• A segment (appx. 10-15%) will not be happy with any replacement
• Approximately 5% of the members will leave if there are alternative congregations
• An average of two preachers will come and either be chased off or leave of their own accord before a preacher that will be there a while will land.  Body count – at least two preacher families and the few in that congregation that tried to make it work
• By choice number two, Elderships will start to make uninformed decisions regarding the “next guy”
• The church loses about 5-7 years of effectiveness, membership stagnates or declines, and wounds that will always be sore are formed between some members.

For the preacher, this approach does a few things:

• Preachers burn out, too.  Some churches have taken to giving their preacher a sabbatical to avoid this, but that approach typically just delays the burnout.
• No preacher, no matter how good, is at the top of his game every week – especially at a congregation with multiple services.
• “Preacher Atrophy” is very real.  How many of us hoped we would have the same teacher for 10+ years of our school life?  Apply that principle here.

My suggestion for churches is simple – inform the preacher going in that they have 5-7 years.  The reasons are for the good of the congregation.  First, the preacher does not have to be run out of town – they can move to another area of work.  Second, Elders (who are supposed to be able to teach, anyway) should be REQUIRED to preach at least once a year.  Third, churches should make more use of those in their congregations who can preach, anyway.  I find it comical that most churches simply will not utilize talent that sits in the pews for preaching.  Oh, I know all the arguments…including  that tired old “we need consistency in the pulpit.”  Let’s just call it what it is – too many Elderships are scared of what someone will say.

Please don’t hear what I am not saying.  I am NOT saying that preachers or Elders have no value.  On the contrary, I think we diminish their value by continuing to push these guys into pressure situations with no relief valve.  Plus, everything I am positioning here is just as scriptural as what we do today.  Just think about it.  We set-up our leadership to burn out and our preachers to fail.  Is it any wonder so many congregations see crises?

-MH

It is hard not to be a bit introspective at the start of a new year.  I guess that is why everyone talks about what they are doing as a resolution or a focus for the year…at least for the first two weeks of any year. 

For the last two years, I have worked on my body.  I hate to say I was a fat lard, but life is not exactly where I desire to be living it when I go to by a new pair of trousers and the sales guy asks “are you looking for a buffet pant?”  I’m sure I looked at him like a pig looking at a watch.  A buffet pant?  What the heck is that?  Well, anyone who has ever rented a tuxedo knows what this is.  ADJUSTABLE WAISTBAND.  FAT PANTS.

That was nearly two years and 40 pounds ago.  I have actually enjoyed learning to like exercise.  I feel good.  I feel healthy…and short of plastic surgery, I’m not sure what else to do. 

This year I need to put more effort into my spirit.  I have done the auto-pilot thing long enough, and I’m officially tired of giving the same answers to spiritual questions I gave even five years ago.  If I am going to be part of the body of Christ, I do not want to be body fat.

A couple of areas where I will spend time:

-Reading the Daily Bible (chronological order) – and actually doing it on a daily basis.  I have read through the bible about three times in my life (as a year-long effort).  If you do the math, it amounts to an average of three chapters per day every day of the year.  I’m probably more excited this time around because A) I’m reading it in chronological order and B) the church I attend is having every member do the same thing this year.  I am anxious to see exactly how God works through a church where every member spends time reading His word every day.

-Find more designated “meditative” time.  I have an iPod full of bible studies and sermons that don’t get listened to as much as could be.  I am designating at least one day per week where that will replace my music for the day.

-Re-learning to give:  I have heard it said that there are three types of giving:  Obligation giving, giving until it hurts, and giving until it doesn’t hurt anymore.  To this day, I am still teetering between the first two. 

I would love to learn a lesson from the most famous non-named woman ever to live.  You know who she is, but you (like me) don’t know her name.  Her story is couched in a scene where Jesus and his disciples are watching people giving to the temple treasury.  Our bibles record only a few short words and we have inserted the label of the story of “The Widow’s Two Mites.”  In reality, though, this woman shakes foundations.  She is a seismic catalyst in a scene where Jesus’ disciples thought others were creating the earthquakes.  Picture the rich, the well-to-do, the church leaders all coming in and giving lavish amounts.  I don’t question their hearts.  Most of them probably did it out of desire and not out of selfish ambition.  That is not the difference Jesus notes here, though. 

Jesus asks his disciples “did you see that?  Did you see what she just did?”  Odds are at least one of them thought Jesus might have been pointing out a thief.  No, Jesus points out that this unnamed woman who threw in “thinnies” gave more than all of those others  because she gave out of her poverty while everyone else gave out of their wealth. 

To my knowledge, Jesus never spoke directly to the woman.

For all we know, she never even knew the coversation was happening.

For all we know, she left that day not knowing that Jesus Himself not only took note of her, but would include her story in the Gospels that would touch mankind for the rest of time.

For all we know, she went hungry that night because of her gift.

THAT is the kind of giving into which I want to grow.  I hope I can meet this woman someday in eternity.  I would love to know her full story.  For now, though, I’ll be content with having her as a goal – a level of maturity I have not yet reached. 

My hope is that at the end of this year, I will know God more fully, become more familiar with His word, and be a little more amazed at how He works.  Happy 2010!

-MH

So I’ve been on this quest to re-read the Proverbs.  Admittedly, my reading velocity has been sluggish, but I’m continuing.  Today I ran across something that corresponds to today’s economic situation.

First, let me be clear that I do NOT think this is the “worst economic downturn since the great depression.”  That phrase is not only incendiary, but simply not in-line with the facts.  I, rather, believe this is the worst economic downturn since 1975.  The unemployment rate is not even 1/3 of what it was during the great depression, and the majority of Americans are not eating dirt.

Now with that said, I, like most of us, know first-hand situations of friends, relatives, and maybe even some of you good readers who have experienced job loss due to this downturn.  I certainly don’t mean to minimize the situation – I just want to look at the reality in line with the facts.

So how does Proverbs fit in?  Well, today I read Proverbs 23 and a couple of verses there hit me between the eyes.  Consider this from Proverbs 23: 4&5:

Do not wear yourself out to get rich
have the wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Wow.

Solomon, richer than any human before or since (yes…Warren Buffet has only a percentage of the total worth of Solomon), describes wealth for what it is:  fleeting.

Can any scripture more aptly describe the last six months beginning in September?  Aren’t the stock market boards as well as banking institutions a case study that riches can be gone in a glance?  Haven’t you, like me, seen your 401-K value “sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle?”

Maybe it takes a (fill in your word here: downturn, recession, correction, bust, etc.) to help us realize that even many of us who are God-believers have been gorging ourselves on spending.  Maybe we are learning the lesson to “have the wisdom to show restraint.”

Don’t believe the hype – believe the facts.

• This is not the worst time since the Depression
• Proverbs 23 has a few things to tell us about times EXACTLY like this

And while you consider the facts, say a prayer for those affected by job loss during this time.  When I worked at Comcast, a gentleman I worked for named Kevin Gardner one day told me “good people don’t get laid-off” when I was considering hiring a person who had experienced job loss from another company.  Ten years later, I realize just what an idiotic and pathetically short-sighted comment this was (I hired the guy, by the way, against Kevin’s wishes).  Unfortunately, good people DO get laid-off, and they all need our prayers.  Despite your circumstance, though, don’t miss the lesson from Proverbs 23.  It can help us all to look at riches in a completely different way than the roaring 90’s and early 2000’s.

-MH

We know them.

All too well.

Heavy, dark, hard and seemingly ever-present.

So many Christians, so many anvils.  We wear them around our necks and they represent the worst in us.

What is your spiritual anvil?

-The lust that you continually revisit?
-The lie you continually tell?
-The deceit you continually live?
-The pornography you continue to view?
-The doubt you continue to allow shelter in your heart?
-The alcohol that you just cannot walk-away from for the last time?
-The affair that has entwined your soul so completely, you cannot see a way out?

Every Christian from century one until now has dealt with the anvil.  Some plurally, others with just one – but all with them.

The spiritual anvil is that sin…that propensity that you try but just continue to fall into…that you just cannot rid yourself of…that you carry around your neck.

Weighing you down.

Slowing your progress.

Continually reminding you of your own failings.

Satan has this knack of never letting us forget – and in so doing reminding us of how weak we can be.  For most Christians, it’s not murder or “traumatic-massive” sin that gets us.  It is more subtle than that.  It’s the lie told in the heat of the moment, or the glance that lingers too long, or the step from a casual drink to drunkenness that gets us.

At that point, the anvil creates the “look.”

You know the “look.”  That look of “It’s over.”  It’s the look of the spouse who just cannot give it another day.  The look of a parent who has had all they can stand.  It is the look of one who just cannot see any reason to press on.  Peter himself provided one of those looks when Jesus put just one sentence to him.

The scene is so Galilee.  Peter and crew have fished all night and caught nothing.  Jesus tells him to cast his nets.

The look.

The look that says “we’ve done this all night and caught nothing.”  The look of “Seriously??  Again?”  The look of “It won’t do any good, but I’d rather do it than argue.”  Most of us know the end of that story – a net-bursting catch of fish.

Fast-forward to a fire in a courtyard on a chilly night.  Peter, warming himself by the fire while the creator-son endures a sham-trial.  Three times he is asked, and three times he denies.  Each time, another anvil.  Another weight to be carried.  Another load of guilt to be borne.

And that third time…the eqivalent of “No, dammit!  I don’t know him!”  A crow in the distance, and a look from the saviour.  At that point, the weight of the anvils break Peter’s back.  The tears come, and the weight is overbearing.

If we hit the track-forward button on the story to the next chapter, we see Peter retreat to what he has known.  Again, a lake.  Again, no catch.  Then a voice from the shore:  “have you caught anything?”  Peter probably stifles several answers and simply gives up a “no.”  Then the voice:  “put your nets down on the right side of the boat.”  How long did it take Peter for the stem cells to connect?  Was it the difference in sound?  Was it the creak of the nets?  Was it the weight of the catch?  Exactly how long did it take for him to realize that the one he denied with curses made an appointment to be on that shore at that moment to speak those words to him?

Scripture says Peter put his clothes on and then jumped into the water and swam straight to Jesus.  The boat followed, but for one quick moment the elation of presence with the Messiah outweighed the anvils.

And how fitting.  Jesus was sitting near a fire – just like the one Peter was near when he denied the Christ.

The key to unlocking the chains that bind the anchors around our necks is to realize that we must meet Jesus at the point of our failures.  I think it is no coincidence that Jesus re-created a fishy miracle and questioned Peter’s loyalty next to a fire.  I also think that it is in the heart of failure where we learn that we cannot bear the weight of the anvils alone.  Maybe that is why he used phrases like “cast your burdens on me,” or ” my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

If you do not turn to Jesus at the point of failure, you will carry the anvils.  Eventually, they get hard to hide and become as much a part of us as an unsightly mole we continually try to cover.  Jesus is the savior that came to release us from those burdens – and it is high time Christians learned to look to him in our failures rather than trying to fix them ourselves.  I, for one, am ready to release my anvils.  How about you?

-MH

Call me a recycler – but I ran across an old article I wrote back in 2003 for New Wineskins magazine (which is now totally an online mag and still one of my favorite publications – check it out at www.wineskins.org or check the link on this page under “blogroll”).

Anyway – below is the article which ran under the heading “Can You Pray at the Board Room Table?”  Soon I’ll write an update to it regarding God in our vocations, but for now you’re stuck with the old piece.  If you want to read it in the Wineskins format, click HERE.

______________________

The moment was a bit surreal, but extremely powerful. On Monday March 3rd at 3:33pm, I sat in a conference room with ten other people in prayer lifting up to God our concerns regarding Iraq, asking for safety for our soldiers, and praying for God’s blessing on our president. The entire moment was surreal in that we had two other locations conferenced-in by phone and each person whether in the conference room or over the phone prayed and shared scripture. The moment was powerful in that we were simply a group of believers making our requests known to God. It was also powerful in that is was a national day of prayer designed to ask for God’s guidance in this present crisis.

This scene is happening more and more in organizations across the country. The organization for which I work delivers marketing and data services to Fortune 100 companies across the globe. It is an organization that generates annual revenues to the tune of $1 billion each year. And it is also an organization where God is working in the life of the people who work there.

Five years ago, had you told me that I would be sharing prayer time at work with work associates, I would have called you crazy. However, this group of people, all from different backgrounds, is a group within my workplace that has committed to a weekly bible study. We have also committed that we will let our Christianity permeate the way we deal with people and situations at work. Oh, there are those who are completely unabashedly non-Christian. But in much the same way God revealed believers to Jonah, he has revealed believers within the organization where I work.

This is a shock to a system engrained in my head for many years growing up. For years, I was taught:
• The professional workplace is full of money-hungry God-hating rats
• Talking about Christ at work = persecution
• Even if there are believers at work, unless they believe like you they are not “real” believers

My experience has been that all of the above do not hold true in all cases. While there are isolated instances where these occur, I have found people in general to be seeking to fill the spot in their lives that only God can fill. People care about their families, their children, and want to have a “happy” life. In many cases, the last part of that equation is where they are misled. Higher salaries, better cars, more leisure time and stability are just temporary fills for the part of our souls that is only satisfied by a relationship with the creator.

How do we make an impact? How do we become a magnet that attracts others to the power of the living God? Let me offer two suggestions to consider when you take your relationship to God into the workplace.

• Realize that attracting people to the living God does not necessarily mean that they must be converted to your way of thinking

This was a fundamental roadblock that took me years to get beyond. My background taught me that religion was exclusive rather than inclusive. Conversion meant conversion to my way of thinking rather than conversion to Christ. However, as I have continued to work and be around people who are searching for God, I have realized that Jesus truly did come to call all to repentance. In other words, I had to learn that many of my “non-negotiables” were not found in scripture. This was evident to me in the prayer time I shared at work the other day. Over 20 people from different backgrounds but all with faith in the same God can make for powerful prayer.

• Understand that discipleship is a key component to the marketing aspect of the church

I spend most of my days helping large companies develop strategic marketing to drive bottom-line profit. In doing so, I have seen that society has an expectation of how to be addressed when being sold. For example, we expect flashy commercials that give us the meat of the issue in 20 seconds or less. We expect print ads to catch our eye. We critique Super Bowl commercials (almost more than the game itself). When solicitations hit our mailbox, they had better be compelling or we simply will not open them. And let’s face it… few people like phone solicitations.

As we carry out the Great commission, we are in essence performing a marketing function, albeit the most important one with which we will ever be involved. Face it – when someone tells you about a product, they better know the product well and believe in it (Michael Jordan can talk all day about Nike, but the fact that he wears the shoes makes people believe in the product). In the same way, there are too many Christians who have taken on Christ without counting the cost and therefore they really are not completely bought-in to the “product.” Ours is a “product” with a great reward, but a substantial cost. Jesus described the price tag in Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Discipleship is truly a cost we must pay if we are to perpetuate Christ in the workplace. Every time I read Matthew 16:24, I am reminded of a line from a DC Talk song – “Taking up my daily cross has brought its share of splinters.” Discipleship of Jesus is costly. Jesus taught over and over that choosing him would mean disappointments in life, challenges and, well, cost.

Discipleship, however, is the component of us that will unlock more doors in the workplace than debating religious issues or guessing as to someone’s allegiance. It opens up dialogue. It provides us courage to speak about our savior. It drives us to study and pray in quiet on our own time so that we can provide answers for those at work who have homes falling apart, children in trouble, and those who are still trying to fill their heart with things that only God can satisfy.

The fact of the matter is that our society is one that expects marketing in many forms. Many churches “market” ministries, services and teaching without ever touching on the fact that discipleship of Christ is the first most important step in carrying out the Great Commission. Of course, it does not make for good headlines to advertise that one must pick up a cross daily. However, it is in that daily cross carrying that Christians know we truly find freedom, release and salvation.

-MH

The HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers” is a case study in unity. In 1942, The U.S. Army assembled a volunteer parachute regiment to jump behind enemy lines. Within this unit was a company of men who found themselves at the forefront of the war in Europe. They parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, fought for the liberation of Holland, held the frontline in the Battle of the Bulge, and captured Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. This company sustained one of the highest casualty rates of the war. These were the men of Easy Company – 506^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division.

In a letter written to his commander long after the war had ended, Mike Riney, a member of Easy Company, wrote: “I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day, when he said ‘grandpa, were you a hero in the war?’ Grandpa said ‘no, but I served in the company of heroes.’” Trust was essential for those serving together. Whatever the circumstances among those within their unit, whatever their disagreements or misunderstandings, they fought as one against unspeakable odds with a unified front. This unity was typified by teamwork – the ability to realize that no one person was a hero and that the goals were achieved as a team.

Maybe you have felt a taste of that type of unity. Maybe it was as part of a team, facing a larger, stronger opponent. Maybe it was a business goal achieved only with time and the commitment of co-workers. Perhaps it came during a particularly challenging time in your marriage, facing financial or family difficulties, when you and your spouse pulled together and made it work. That type of unity, the kind where you know you can count someone to weather the storm with you, is something that is hard to describe – but we know it when we feel it.

We Stand Alone Together

Easy Company was formed in July, 1942 at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Part of the extreme training of the time was to run up mount Currahee every morning. The name Currahee is an Indian name meaning “We stand alone together.” The run was one of the more difficult dynamics of the training, yet many soldiers would run it together at night on their own time to better prepare. This additional effort only strengthened the bond between the men.

How do we as Christians even begin to gain this type of unity? What experiences or training can push us to approach life with the attitude that “we stand alone together,” and is that even a legitimate thought?

One of the most beautiful passages on unity comes in Jesus’ prayer the night before his murder. Consider His words from John 17:14-23 (NIV):

“I have given them (Jesus’ disciples) your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (all emphasis mine)

Jesus makes it very clear to all of us who read his words that we are not of the world. The disciples were not, He was not, and we are not to be. We stand alone. He is also very clear that he wants us to be unified – in fact he prays for complete unity. A unity so evident, that the world gets the message that Jesus loves us and he lives in us; a unity so complete that even though we stand alone, “we stand alone together.”

A unity that is anything but complete?

Does the Christian community of faith have a unity that will hold-up under battle conditions? Or do we forget that the battle rages outside the walls of the church and deconstruct our unity with skirmishes inside?

Many of us with children have witnessed more than the typical disagreement. In fact, there are times when the sibling dialogue can get fairly heated. It is at that point that the parents come in with referee shirts and explain that as siblings they need to care for one another – even take-up for one another. How agonizing is it as a parent to witness children who do not look out for each other, and even maliciously create tension between each other? Is it the same feeling God has with us when we do the very same? How must God feel when we launch our attacks that do anything but build toward Jesus’ prayer for a complete unity? What must the father feel as he watches Christians who can read the prayer Jesus prayed the last night of his life; a prayer prayed with tears, a prayer prayed even for those who had not yet lived, and go into mutiny against each other?

Jesus prayed it because He knows we can get there. The unity can be achieved, but it is a unity that has to transcend our internal skirmishes. Our own commander-in-chief pointed out that “…whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:40). Jesus made this point as the disciples began to launch an attack at someone who they felt was not authorized to cast out demons in the name of Jesus. Maybe we would do good to remember the mindset of Jesus when it comes to doing battle. His focus was on fighting sin and saving the person.

A dream or an answered prayer?

I have had a dream that has been perpetuating itself for several years now. It is a dream that in my lifetime, I will be able to taste just a drop of the prayer of Jesus – to taste just a bit of “complete unity.” Imagine – those who call themselves religious coming to agreement on at least one thing, the fact that Jesus is the ultimate unifying force. He is the one constant on which we must agree. He is the only chance for redemption. Is that so much a dream, or will it be the answer to a 2000 year old prayer?

One thing is certain…when those who call themselves religious come to just that much agreement, the world will be changed. The world will hear of Jesus more loudly than ever before. The battle will take a significant turn, and we will truly begin to stand alone….together.

When I go back and re-read some of my drivel posted over the last couple of years, I find that some of my words intended to be a bit sarcastic can come off sounding just plain negative. It is certainly not my intent. I guess sometimes my attempts to be “edgy” end up painting me as a pessimist – which is certainly not where I would plant myself on the continuum of attitudes.

So, as we wind down a whirlwind of a 2008, let me call-out some of the blessings and good things that I am excited about, and for which I am thankful (yes…intentionally posted AFTER Thanksgiving so I won’t be EXACTLY like everyone else):

• Family is cool – Growing up around drug-headed brothers with police records longer than my educational transcripts have taught me that having a family that is stable, puts up with me, and has fun together is not only irreplaceable – but priceless.
• Not normal is the new “normal” – Growing up, a label of “normal” was placed on all families except mine.  As I have aged, I have realized that anyone who wears this moniker is simply lying.  Everyone has something in the closet they are not proud of – or that they don’t want to advertise.  I am thankful to have friends that actually care for me despite the warts all over my pre-married life.
• I love spending time with my wife and kids – right now, I’m sitting across the table from my daughter (who has no idea what I’m typing), and we’re just hanging out in a coffee shop (the only one that has Internet access) in Harrison, AR.  Who knew that sharing a muffin top and a cinnamon roll with a 14-year old could be so fun?
• I love church – how’s that for a phrase that is not overused?  I really do, though.  I am thankful to be at a place where the old brotherhood hang-ups don’t keep us from actually ministering to community, for a place where there are open minds, and for a place where the spirit of Christ is actually allowed to impact people’s lives.
• The economy is tough, but we’re still driving two cars – I hope I will not be blinded to the fact that the reason life can go on, for the most part, like we have been used to is because of God’s rich blessings.  Tough times are ahead, but I am thankful for every blessing.
• Need a release?  shoot a terrorist – My vice is playing an occasional video game or two.  If my mid-life crisis consists of virtually taking out a few terrorist cells via PS3 or XBOX 360, so be it!  I’m thankful for such a release!  (and, the occasional Guitar Hero tournament)

I would love to spend more time writing in the future, but my time tends to be ravaged by other things.  I will still post as much as possible.  Realizing this is only my second post this month is a bit of a disappointment to me…but hey, it’s a built-in goal for 2009!

This is my favorite time of year.  May all readers be blessed during the holidays, and here’s to an exciting holiday season!

-MH

We have all been there.  We have been in the church service where someone we just visited with about a football game or (name the subject) gets up to lead a prayer and it sounds like they are a different person.

I was reminded of this again last Sunday as I visited a congregation in Branson, MO.  This is a congregation of people that are very kind, friendly and open to visitors.  Every time I go there, though, I am surprised by those who get up to lead prayers or to read scripture. I feel as if I have been transported to a surreal plane inhabited by King James himself.  “Our most righteous Heavenly Father, we thank thee…” was spoken and then we dove into a plane of existence where I was struggling to translate in my head the meaning of English that is not used in current day-to-day existence.

Funny, isn’t it, how some feel like the use of the King James language somehow makes things holier?  Why in the world would we not speak to God in the language we use every day?  I am of the mind that it is time to stamp-out this “church clothes of speech” approach – and continue to make the Gospel relevant to our time.  (Please note – I did not and will not support changing any scripture – but let’s at least read it and speak it in a way that most can understand).

I am actually beginning to think that the King James version of the Bible is hindring evangelism.  In fact, it probably does as much to drive people away from the word of God as anything. Consider the facts:

• The KJV was a bad translation when it was originally published in 1611. It underwent numerous “corrections,” and was eventually republished several times with the most significant changes coming in 1769. So, in essence, the KJV is a translation of a translation…not the best of situations right out of the gate.
• King James’ intent was good.  He was continuing an effort started during the reign of Elizabeth (1558 – 1603) to reduce the diversities of the bible in the English tongue.  Granted, there were some rotten translations at that time (King James noted the Geneva translation as particularly poor).
• King James’ intent was not to have a bible that everyone would use on a day-to-day basis (most KJV lovers don’t know this little tidbit).  Consider King James’ words from the following resolution:  “That a translation be made of the whole Bible, as consonant as can be to the original Hebrew and Greek; and this to be set out and printed, without any marginal notes, and only to be used in all churches of England in time of divine service.“  It was a translation that started with the intent of being high-church only.
• We can thank King James (the wimp) for continuing the TRANSLITERATION rather than TRANSLATING the word for Baptism (baptizo).  (The transliteration, as I recall, started when the Bishop’s bible was translated in 1561.  The story goes that john Calvin convinced John Knox that the mode of baptism i.e. immersion / sprinkling / etc. was of no significance.  So, Knox convinced the bishops of England that it was immaterial and they transliterated the word, replacing the “o” with an “e.”)  Had KJ had the guts to TRANSLATE it, we would all be talking about immersion.  Since the church of England didn’t like that, he continued what was out there in the Bishop’s bible and left the interpretation up to the reader.
• The translation uses the King’s English, and is relevant for that time period.  Fast-forward to today when many are communicating with emoticons and acronyms.  Most LOL at the KJV, or ROTFL at some of the language rather than thinking it is gr8.  Honestly – for a generation of people using text language, do we really think the use of “thee” and “thou” and “whither” and other long-deceased uses of the English language are really going to communicate effectively?
• I can hear it already – many will say “the word of God can communicate regarless of the language.”  I agree 100% – and this is the basis of why I think we should retire the KJV version of the Bible.

When it gets down to it, I’m not trying to stir anything up…I’m just asking how effective a communication tool the KJV is.  There are many other better translations out there that are relevant, and are easily understandable.  Unfortunately, though, there are still many who consider the KJV to be the only “authorized” version of the bible.  For all of us, please consider the following:

• The hard-to-understand language and bad translation of the KJV are a significant barrier to entry for those who seek God.
• God has done a remarkable job (like only He could have done) getting the Bible to us over time and in different versions – reinforcing the fact that the word of God is always relevant and always timeless.
• For those die-hard KJV-ers – feel free to continue using.  Just don’t expect a lure a lot of people to the church unless you are willing to use a version that resonates with this generation.
• Let us all remember – as far as we know, Jesus did not speak one word of English while on the earth – so there simply cannot be one “authorized” English version.  Remember – we’re talking about the God that let everyone hear the message in their own tongue at Pentecost.  If versioning were so important, then He would have just used one language and forced them all to understand it.
• Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “The Medium is the Message.”  If the word of God is to dwell in us richly, then we ourselves should be the message.  How evangelical a thought.  Our actions, love and gentle spirit are going to resonate a lot more loudly than a cacophony of tired old-English phrases from a KJV bible.  If people don’t first see Christ in us, they likely will not listen to any version of the bible.

Finally, consider what we have called the Great Commission.  Jesus commands us to “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus did not specify the “how?”  Our command is to go and teach.  He totally leaves the tools and methods up to us.  Make no mistake – this is the same God that wrote Leviticus.  He could have easily included “and use this type of translation,” but he did not.

The message of the entire Bible is timeless.  It should be translated into every tongue the world-over, and made available to all.  There is no reason to encumber it within language that has not been used in general speech for centuries.  If we force that, then we create a barrier that was never intended.

-MH