As the New Year approaches...

I've been thinking lately about the goals and resolutions I will set for 2010. I have been thinking about how I can simplify and live a more productive life, now that I am out of school (well, for a while anyway). I know, simplify and production don't usually go together. However, I truly believe that if I focus on what's important I will be more productive and life a calmer life.

So, here are some things I am going to attempt in 2010 (with some longer range goals included). These are meant to challenge me in areas of personal growth, ministry and faith. I will try to update you as I go along this coming year so you can know where I stand on each of these.

1. Read at least 1 book a week on a variety of topics. (faith, leadership, ministry, education, adult learning, cognition, fiction, economics, etc.)

2. Workout at least 4 times a week. (This may mean walking around the block...I want to participate in a 5k in 2011.)

3. Spend time being really present with people.

4. Journal and write reflectively (be it poetry, prose, or painting..just some form).

5. Work to simplify finances and dependency on others in this area. (Paying down bills, eating at home, etc.)

6. Take advantage of free entertainment and activities. (or those of little cost in the community.)

7. Begin researching ideas, topics and information for a DMin project.


Ok, so that list doesn't seem simple, but it will keep me focused on things I think are important, namely learning and living. We will see how it works out in 2010.

Grace and Peace.

Finished...but not really.

Yesterday I graduated from George W. Truett Theological Seminary. It has been a five year journey--well worth it. I have learned more about life and love and scripture than I ever could have hoped to know before entering. I have been changed for the better (at least, in my opinion).

And yet, I know this is not the end of the journey in learning, but the beginning. I have so much more to learn. So many things I want to learn. So many other fields I want to explore. In fact, I told three or four professors that I would be back in three to four years to begin work on a doctorate at Truett. I am already thinking about possible projects and areas of study.

So, now, it is off to find a place to serve full-time where I can use what knowledge I have and gain more knowledge along the way.

Reflection

I spent last night with an amazing group of teenagers at Immanuel Lutheran in Killeen. Vicar Heidi asked me to be an adult presence and I am more than grateful for the opportunity. Below are some of my reflections from the night and from life in recent days--written down between 3-4am when everyone started to fade. I am not much of a poet, but it seemed to be the most natural way to reflect and express the things I saw and felt. I may go back at a later date and work on them in terms of wording and literary technique, but for now I leave them as they came to me. Grace and Peace.


Light

It’s all around but rarely seen
The darkness comes and crowds it out
Glimmers and sparkles flicker dim
In this world of pain and sorrow

The Light is bigger, stronger, brighter
It shines in the midnight
Gives sight in the day
Makes things whole, puts the dark to flight.



Tears

A parent with cancer
A family split apart
Grieving friends left behind

Bitterness of heart
Aches without any words
Wounds that do not heal

Fears about the future
A Dad who lost his legs
Anger for injustice

And in the silence
Surrounded by candle light
Sniffles are heard and shared.

The Sacred Meal

The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher is the latest book I have read for the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program. She shares her experiences and reflections from her work as a Lay Eucharist Minister in The Episcopal Church. Her understanding focuses on three aspects of the communion meal: waiting, receiving and the afterward. In waiting she prepares herself for what is to come by allowing herself to "let go" of the past week. Then, she receives as she opens her hands and hears the familiar phrase "The Body of Christ, The Bread of Heaven." The afterward is a time of realizing the magnitude and holiness of sharing a meal together at the table of the Lord.

I really appreciated her approach to understanding the Eucharist. I found Gallagher's work as a minister at the table to provide a unique perspective for reflecting on the stages and sections of the meal. She helped me realize I need to slow down and experience the wonder of the Eucharist instead of seeing it as something to do and leave behind at the rail.

Gallagher challenged me in my understanding intellectually and spiritually. I am looking forward to approaching the table tomorrow morning as I seek to embody waiting, receiving and the afterward. I would highly encourage others to read and reflect on The Sacred Meal.

Below is a poem I wrote in response to reading this book:

Thanksgiving

We stand and move forward
We wait and watch the crowd
We take our place at the rail
Waiting.

We open our hands and prepare
We listen to words we know
We kneel in silence
Receiving

We stand to leave the front
We walk to take our seats
We stop briefly in the
Afterward

Reading and Reviews

Recently I signed up to be a blog book reviewer with Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am excited about being able to read some advanced copies of books and sharing my thoughts about them with you. I am currently reading a book about the Eucharist (Lord's Supper, Communion, Mass, etc.)

In addition to this reading opportunity, I found out last week that I will be attending a retreat the first week in January entitled "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching." I will spend a week with pastors and ministers from around the country (some friends and some friends-to-be). We will read a variety of novels, short stories and poems. Then, we will spend time discussing them and seeing how they can help us better understand the world around us. The setting will be the beautiful Camp Chrysalis in the Kerrville area. I had a wonderful time last year and am looking forward to this year's group.

Ultimately, both of these things will challenge me to read and reflect more than I would normally do. I hope to make these continuing practices as I head towards graduation and enter the real world.

Grace and peace.

Take Your Best Shot

In Take Your Best Shot, Austin Gutwein recounts his journey from sitting in his living room to founding Hoops for Hope, an organization providing AIDS relief in Africa. As a nine-year old Austin saw a video about the poverty and struggles children face every day. He knew he had to take action.
Austin began raising money by shooting free throws which has turned into an international effort to help orphans. Hundreds of kids now join with Austin to help people around the world.
I particularly like the way Austin encourages everyone to do great things that help others. No matter how big or small, every person can make a difference. That is the key point he makes throughout the book.
I also think the format of the book is wonderful for reflection and planning. Gutwein provides thought provoking questions and space to write answers at the end of every chapter. These questions are not just about making plans to help others, but they also help the reader reflect on his or her relationship with God.
Ultimately, Austin shows how he felt a call from God to do more for others. Then, he shares how God calls all of us to do more with our lives. Everyone who reads Take Your Best Shot will be challenged to find ways to serve others.

From where we come...

In Sunday School today we began a series about Baptist freedoms, or foundations. Walter Shurden lays out four freedoms that are pivotal to understanding what Baptists are all about. Today we explored what Bible Freedom means for us and what it meant for the first Baptists.

Originally, what we know as Baptists, were not interested in beginning a whole new denomination. They simply wanted to be free to be "faithful and obedient to Christ." So, they decided that people should be free to read and study the Bible under the authority of the Lordship of Christ. They said He was the ultimate authority and that the Bible had to be interpreted using Him as the norm. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus Christ, the Old and New Testaments.

In addition, the Bible is the final written authority for Baptists. This does not mean creeds and other statements of faith cannot exist or have no value. It simply means they are not greater than or equal to the Bible. No confession can adequately express all that person believes. It can show the main, core elements of faith, but not the whole. And so, the Bible stands far above them as authoritative.

Baptists have been known for many years as "people of the Book." This refers mostly to the idea that Baptists read and study and formulate ideas about faith and doctrine for themselves without a higher "office" dictating or suggesting interpretations and doctrine. While there are some groups today in some strands of Baptist life who seemingly would like to do just that, Baptists hold that the individuals are free to explore and express their faith themselves.

Of course, this begs the question about heretical doctrine and teaching related to personal interpretation of Scripture. Well, it must be remembered that Baptists hold to the idea of personal study under the Lordship of Christ, which means Christ and the Spirit are leading in the discovery of truth. In addition, it is important to recognize the years and years of Church history and tradition that feeds into our modern understanding. While we would say that we do not hold tightly to such Church doctrine tradition, we cannot say it has no influence in our thinking. Ultimately, if Christ is guiding, the truth found should be theologically sound.

One final note Shurden makes in this section is that this idea of Bible freedom is hard work because it means we must study, seek, read, think, work and dig to understand the Scripture to the best of our abilities with the best of the resources available to us. We should never take lightly the task of being able to discover Truth for ourselves.


More to come as we learn what it means to claim to be of the Baptist way.

Lory

Transition is.....

tough. We deal with it all the time and today I was reminded again how difficult change can be for groups, churches and individuals. It can bring out the best in people. It can bring out the worst in people. Ultimately, it means we are different today than we were yesterday. Different tomorrow than today.

We said goodbye to Coy and Tiff officially today at church. We watched some videos of the students saying how much they love them and a video of random pictures from the past four years they have served Trinity Baptist Church faithfully as Ministers to Students. We had a cake and prayed for them. We wrote notes and sang our favorite closing song for one last time with this particular group.

And while this is a sad day, it is mostly a day of celebration. Celebrating what God has done, how God has moved, how God has led. It has been a day of memories, both funny and serious. It has been a day of laughs and hugs. Celebrating is good. It is fun. It is necessary. And, it is proper. Even God celebrated on the seventh day (well, rested...but things were done, which often involves celebration for us) by setting it apart and resting and marveling at His work.

And now, Coy and Tiffany move on to study full-time and pursue the call God has placed on their lives. Yet, we know that they have left a big chunk of their hearts with us--not just in their memories and actions, but in the ways they have impacted and changed us. And, we know that a big chunk of TBC's heart is with them--not just the t-shirts and pictures (and 10 lbs. we gained from eating two meals at church today!), but in the love and support and encouragement I hope we have given them on this part of the journey.

So, transition is tough. However, it is often necessary if we are to follow God and call we each have. These times of change will be different for all of us, but they will come. The question is: what will we leave behind and what will we take with us in those moments?

I pray that what the Jennings take is half as wonderful as what they left behind.

Lory

People are Hurting...

Today I am overwhelmed with grief for friends and strangers. In the last 24 hours I've discovered that a person very close to me endured a horrific situation a few weeks back, a church van carrying youth blew a tire causing major injuries and one death, and a news anchor I watched for years died long before he should have due to medical complications.

Many, many people around us are hurting all the time, yet we often do not notice. We tend to be so wrapped up in our own issues that we forget that others are going through things, often much worse than our own.

If you are hurting today, and want to share you struggle or leave a prayer request, email me at toe4@hotmail.com.

If you want to pray for people, start with my friend or FBC Shreveport or Brett Johnson's family or those around you who are suffering in silence.



Grace and peace to you this day.
lory

Simplicity...

I have several friends who have recently been talking about simplicity and decluttering on their blogs. As I have pondered their thoughts and discoveries about these two ideas, I have decided that I am WAY to busy, WAY to involved and WAY to complicated. My life is running me instead of the other way around.

I have decided to simplify my life. Granted, I'm not sure exactly what it will look like. I don't know what all it will involve. But, I do know that my actions are directly linked to simplicity or chaos. I want to make huge changes quickly, but that is not as feasible as I'd like. So, I will commit to do several smaller things each month, adding to the previous month's activities (I know, a strange word when speaking of simplifying!).

To start, I will commit to doing the following things through the month of June (since it's almost the end of May).

1. Eat at home or take my meals with me unless the meal is provided by someone else. (With the exception of 1 meal a week--I eat with a great group of ladies every Wednesday for lunch....the fellowship is worth the meal out!)

2. I will recycle what I can because in doing so I will be more conscious of what I buy and what I get.

3. I declare June "No-Buy Month" except for one grocery trip and the meals previously mentioned.

These things will help me to be a better manager of my resources and time. Let the simplicity begin.

The heart of God....

Tonight in small groups we talked about evangelism. Sharing our faith with others. The definition given: having a heart for people like God's. Wow. What a definition.

Our normal Western idea of evangelism is handing someone a track about Jesus, reading verses from Romans that tell how we are all sinners but can be saved, sharing how God has changed our lives. We usually think of it as a thing we do where we give our "testimony" to someone who does not know about the gospel. We tend to treat those who do not "know" as lesser than us. We treat them as many people have been treated by missionaries in past days. We often want to feel like we (believers) are superior to others because of our faith commitment. How does that reflect the heart of God? It doesn't.

When we begin to look at people (the man to the right, the kid down the street, the woman in the nursing home) the way God sees them, we will share His love and good news with them. When we see the world through the eyes of God, we will love the world. We will love the unlovable, the untouchable, the least of these. We will not try to "convert" the masses in order to add to our church roles. Instead, we will truly want to walk with them as we seek to be disciples together. We will walk hand in hand rather than holding a position over one another.

Evangelism is having a heart for people like God's heart for people. How is your heart?


Grace and peace.

The mission continues.....

Today I watched two of my best friends resign from their ministry position effective at the end of the summer. It was hard to watch and yet exciting because God is leading them in a new direction. In times of change it is easy to try to figure out why and what is next. It is easy to be angry or hurt or sad when change comes in a church setting. It is easy to forget that the message and mission continues even when individuals move on to a different role in that mission.

We see the same picture in the transition from Moses' leadership to Joshua's leading. The Israelites had placed a great deal of trust in Moses. He had encouraged them to leave Egypt when Pharaoh was oppressive. In fact, he led them out himself. (Exodus 12-14) He led them to the desert and then God used him to provide food and water. (Exodus 15-17) He led them to the edge of the Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 1-2) They disobeyed God by not continuing on into the Promised Land, so they wandered in the desert for 40 years. (Deuteronomy 2) Then, Moses dies. (Deuteronomy 34)

Before he died, Moses passed on his mission and role to Joshua. God has appointed Joshua to continue with the mission that Moses began. The Lord spoke to Joshua in chapter 1. He told Joshua that he would cross the Jordan River and would give him and the people every place he had promised to Moses. God promised to be with Joshua just as he was with Moses.

In this part of Scripture we see that even though Moses died and his part of the mission ended, God prepared Joshua to take the reigns and lead on. Just as with days of old, God continues to provide leaders to step up and continue to the work started by others. We never minister alone. Our ministries are impacted by those who have come before us. Our ministries impact those who come behind us.

As the song says,

"Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way,
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful."

As times change and people move to and fro, may we remember that God's mission is not dependent upon our work alone. We are in this grand mission of the ages together.

Grace and peace to you.

Life Update

Things have been a bit crazy around here lately. Finals have come and gone....over 60 pages turned in between three classes. Chip has been super sick with some kind of sinus/strep stuff. Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow for Chips graduation Monday night, which he may or may not be able to attend.

So, I've been playing nurse and maid the last few days. And it's been a job!

It's been a job because I don't do nurse duty well. I don't have tons of patience and I want to do what I want to do, which does not usually mean taking care of sickly people. In addition, I don't deep clean my house often. So, when the parents come, I have to spend several days vacuuming, dusting and making sure everything is where it belongs. It would be so much easier if I would do a little bit more often.

That's how my spiritual life is a lot of the time. I go for long periods without a good, deep cleaning or examination. Life just goes and goes and goes okay for a while. Then, I begin to notice things are going as smoothly. I am less patient. I am angry more often about more things, most of which are really insignificant. I am bitter more often. I am frustrated more.

If I would just take some time on a regular (say, weekly or even DAILY) to really examine my spiritual life, to really dig into who I am and where God is leading, these moments of completely crashing and getting stuck with sickness and stinky-ness would not come as much..nor would they be as bad.

Where are you? Are you in need of some cleaning and medicine? Are you seeking fully? Are you spending time evaluating your life? Am I?

"Jesus Camp"

Ok, so I watched "Jesus Camp" yesterday and while I found it to be extremely scary, I also found some positive things that might be good for us to consider. Here's the summary: An evangelical, fundamentalist children's pastor holds a camp in North Dakota for kids from what appears to be age 6-12. So, typical kid camp ages. They do all the camp things, sing, sermons, crafts, etc. but they also talk about topics such as government corruption, abortion and other hot button issues in the USA. The worship times are very emotionally driven and the kids tend to be really "in to" it. This camp is of a Pentecostal/Holiness tradition, I believe, so there is some speaking in tongues and a large emphasis on the Holy Spirit. (Please note: I'm not saying anything one way or the other on that, just giving the back ground.) So, here are my pros and cons from what I saw.

CONS:
*They deal with subjects that I do not believe children can comprehend and make informed decisions about (for themselves) based on the developmental levels. An eight year old cannot grasp enough about the political system to promote specific people for supreme court justices. Also, six year olds cannot grasp all that the abortion issue covers. Yet, the leaders had the kids chanting "Righteous judges! Righteous judges!" and eight year olds were calling down curses upon the USA for the abortion epidemic. I'm fine with the stances they took here, but I'm not sure a kid can really understand what they are saying or calling on the government to do.

*Some of the language used in the sermons were not on a level where most kids could understand. At one point the pastor told them that she had a vision that some of them were not living the same way at church and school. She then used words like "stop being a hypocrite." Again, not a problem in theory, but not sure the kids can understand.

*All of the language and concept issues I've pointed out are a problem for me because of the age of the children. It is indoctrination at it's finest. They point out that other religions are doing the same thing. True, but I think it is necessary to allow people (children) included to understand what they are supporting and saying instead of just blind adherence to what others around them are saying. It seems very militant in the approach.

*Also, I find the emotional aspect troubling. It seems like the adults were wanting lots of emotions and tears, which broke the kids down and helped with the indoctrination. Kids should not become a well of tears and sniffles every time they hear some leader speak. Yet, this is what happened at this camp. The kids were emotionally and spiritually spent most of the time, but the leaders pushed harder and harder while telling them that they were responsible, even as kids to change the world. In the midst of the emotion, they were told to accept a burden that I believe it too big for them to bear at six or eight or ten.

*A final con: The adults and students interviewed in the film made very clear that they were opposed to separation of church and state. While the US may have been founded upon some beliefs consistent with Judeo-Christian beliefs, as a Baptist Christian, I cannot support a merger of the two. I believe that every has the right to their beliefs. I may not agree with them, but I will not tell them the MUST believe like I do. (Which does nto mean I am against evangelism....I'm not) I believe that people have the freedom and intellect to decide for themselves. As such, I believe that a merger of church and state would mean that any religion or belief would have to be protected. I don't want to have to listen to a prayer to another diety over the PA system anymore than someone of a different faith wants to hear me pray to YHWH over the same system. The group at Jesus Camp wanted a complete Christian take over of government so that Christian beliefs could be made the norm for society. I disagree.


PROS:
*They do begin teaching their children very early about their faith. They expect their kids to know what is taught and to live by it. We might do well in our home and churches to do the same thing.

*They do take their faith very seriously and see it as the most foundational part of life. Most of us tend to see it an one aspect of life, not much more important than any other part.

*They do promote evangelism. We often brush it aside becaue it is hard work.

*They are very, very pasionate about what they believe . They make no excuese for their openness about thier faith. We might do well to have a little more passion in our faith lives.


Summary:
While I did find the majority of Jesus Camp to be deeply disturbing and scary, we must also realize that they offer some pictures of things that we all should be doing. I don't agree with their methods. I don't always agree with the message they proclaim. I don't think their approach is the best. However, they do believe strongly in their practice. They do believe strongly in their faith. For that, I cannot fault them.

May the words above be a true reflection of my heart and a fair representation of what I saw and observed.

It's been forever!

So, it's been forever since I've posted anything. School and life have kept me more than busy lately. I will try to have something more substantial for your reading during the summer. Until then...it's off to write papers and finish projects!

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 25, 2009

Revelation--Part 4

John's Vision between the 6th and 7th Seal
-144,000 Sealed Saints
-Represents 12,000 from the 12 tribes.....meaning the whole world.

-Multitude with White Robes
-Robes are made white by dipping them in the blood of the Lamb.
-Although Christ died and offers eternal life, we must actively participate in faith. --It's like a gift. It isn't a gift just because it's offered. It becomes a gift when it is accepted and taken.


Seven Trumpets (This begins the plagues ...remember the 4th seal from last week??...Rev. 6:7-8)
(Also, you will begin to notice that there are many stories within stories here....like when I tell a story that has fifteen stories in the midst of the first story!)

*Trumpet #1
Hail, Fire mixed with Blood, 1/3 of earth is burned
*Trumpet #2
Mountain on fire thrown into sea...1/3 of sea turns to blood, 1/3 of sea creatures die, 1/3 of ships destroyed
*Trumpet #3
Stars fall from sky on 1/3 of rivers and fresh water sources...1/3 of water becomes bitter...people die!
-The star is named "Woodworm" which mean bitter.
*Trumpet #4
1/3 of sun, moon and stars struck with darkness....1/3 of day and night was dark
*Trumpet #5
The fallen start (#3) is given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. Smoke covers everything. Locusts
come out and attack everyone who does not have the Mark of God on them for 5 months. They
want to die but don't.

All of this is considered the FIRST WOE....there are two more to come!

*Trumpet #6
Four angels at the Euphrates River (present day Iraq) are set loose to kill 1/3 of humanity by fire,
smoke and sulfur. (Those who remain still do not repent!)


Vision Between the 6th and 7th Trumpets
The people have still not repented. Therefore, 2 witnesses testify about God and have power to kill those who oppose Him. They will be killed, mocked for 3 1/2 days and then called to Heaven. There will be an earthquake, 1/10 of the city will collapse, and 7,000 people will die. The remaining people will turn and praise God.


The SECOND WOE has passed.

*Trumpet #7
The Kingdom of God has come. The 24 elders around the throne worshiped God. The Temple in Heaven opened and the Ark of the Covenant could be seen. There were flashes of lightening, peals of thunder, rumblings, an earthquake and a great hail storm.




So, what can we gain from this section?

1. God is the God of all creation.
2. God is working in the world, even when it seems like He is not. Even when it seems evil is winning, He is at work.
3. God desires repentance.
4. Those who testify about God will face hardship, but some people WILL turn to God because of their witness.



Tomorrow....a woman, a dragon and 2 beasts!....Read Revelation 12-13!

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 18, 2009

Revelation--Part 3

This past week we looked at chapters 4-6. Here's a recap of what we shared.

THE THRONE
*A lot is happening at the throne
The throne itself (4:1-3)
Surrounding the throne (4:4-6a)
The center of the throne (4:6b-11)
The Four Creatures
*Lion
*Ox
*Human
*Flying Eagle

THE SCROLL
*What is the purpose of the scroll?
-The scroll is held by God. It contains the plans of the world, but no one can open it because no one has the proper credentials.
*The Lion of the tribe of Judah can open the scroll!
-But instead of a lion, John sees a LAMB who is SLAIN. This is JESUS.

THE SEVEN SEALS
*Seal #1---(6:1-2) It is a WHITE HORSE with a CROWN OF CONQUEST. It is a picture of VICTORY.

*Seal #2---(6:3-4) It is a FIERY RED HORSE with the duty to take peace away so humans will kill one another. It is a picture of DESTRUCTION.

*Seal #3---(6:5-6) It is a BLACK HORSE and the rider is holding scales. It is a picture of JUDGMENT.

*Seal #4---(6:7-8) It is a PALE HORSE. The rider’s name is Death and Hades follows close behind. They were given power of 1/4 of the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts. It is a picture of WORLD-WIDE DESTRUCTION.

*Seal #5---(6:9-11) It is a WHITE ROBE given to the people under the altar. (Those who had been slain, or martyred.) It is a picture of HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT for those facing persecution and death.

*Seal #6---(6:12-17) It is an EARTHQUAKE where the sun turned black, moons turned red, and stars fell from the sky. It is a picture of TOTAL DESTRUCTION. The day of wrath was upon them.

Between the 6th and 7th Seal, John has a vision of 144,000 being sealed. He also sees a great group of people with white robes.

*Seal #7---(8:1) It is SILENCE. This is followed by trumpets, incense and prayers of the saints, and angels who sought to destroy earth with fire from God’s altar. The trumpets begin a series of PLAGUES.


What does all this mean????

*The scroll, which had the seven seals to be opened, held God’s plans for the world. As a means of encouragement, John was saying that rough days are a part of living in this world. If they were faithful and persevered, one day God’s plans for the world would become a reality. Ultimately, they were also encouraged to know that what was happening to them was not what God had originally designed for the world....when sin entered the world, these plan could not be put in place immediately. So, the Christians in the Roman Empire were hopeful that one day God's good and perfect plans for the world would be reality....on the other side of their present sufferings.



For tomorrow, read Revelation 8-11.

Another Week...

Well, another week has come and gone (at least in school terms) and life has gotten busy. REALLY BUSY! I've already had one group presentation and have two more (all in the same class, mind you) in the next two weeks. That doesn't include the major projects, papers and presentations in my other two classes. All that said, I am trying to figure out the secret to "time-management"...if you have the secret, help me out!

Also, have you ever noticed how often we react to situations in poor ways when some good time management would help? I am usually the worst at procrastination. Really, I am. But so far this semester, I am fairly close to the mark in my reading. I am not stressed out (well, at least I don't know it yet...I always feel the stress long before I know it is there...my neck and shoulders tell me!). Hopefully I am learning to procrastinate when it comes to procrastination...meaning, I'm getting stuff done when I should. We will see as the semester goes forward.

What things stress you out the most? How do you deal with stress? Or do you deal with it?

lory

PS. Tomorrow I will post the Sunday school info from last week. It takes a while to post and I don't have that much time tonight.

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 11, 2009

Here is the outline for last Sunday's lesson...sorry it has taken a while. School has started! lmh


THE PROLOGUE

*This is GOD'S revelation to the APOSTLE JOHN.
*"The time is near..."
-Some say this means that the things described in Revelation are about to happen. (kind of a futuristic idea)
-Some say it references the return of Christ that so many believers waited on. (with emphasis on destruction of the current world and the reign of Christ and His kingdom.)
-Still others say this phrase is a means of hope for the people, calling them to remain faithful in the face of trials. (I tend to hold to this idea.)

SEVEN CHURCHES

*Each of the churches receiving letters were given good news and bad news with the outcomes should they continue or should they return to God.

EPHESUS: Ephesus was known for their hard work and perseverance in the midst of persecution. They did not tolerate wickedness from those in the church and they tested what was taught in order to make sure it followed what they knew to be true about Christ. However, they had forsaken their first love. They forgot what they should have been and the result was dire. They would be stamped out!

SMYRNA: This congregation was afflicted and in poverty, both of which were seen as good and proper things for the church of Christ in that era. But, they had liars in the synagogue. They were told not to fear. Although prison was coming, they would receive a crown of life. (Note: A crown of life seems to us to be a great reward, but for them it probably meant death was coming. In this era and in future generations believers would greet each other saying, "May you receive your crown!" In effect, they were telling their friend, "May you DIE for the sake of Christ!" As a martyr, one who dies for their religious beliefs, they would be seen as heroes and worthy of a "crown.")

PERGAMUM: They has remained true to the name of Christ, and yet they had some serious charges brought against them. They held to false teachings. They were faithful, but to things that weren't true. These false teachings included issues of sexual immorality, food offered to idols, and pagan ideas. If they turned around, they would receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name on it.

THYATIRA: This church was known for their deeds, love, faith, service, perseverance and growth since initially starting the faith journey. But, they tolerated Jezebel (which means sexual immorality and food for idols). Those who continue will suffer, but thse who return to God wil have authority over nations and the morning star.

SARDIS: A few people in this congregation are worthy and clean, but for the most part, people are doing their own things. They have a reputation for being alive, but they are spiritually dead! If there is no change, destruction will come like a theif in the night. If they do change, their names will be written in the book of life.

PHILADELPHIA: This church kept the word and did not deny the name of Christ. They endured patiently as they were persecuted and as false teachers tried to lead the astray. There is NO bad news mentioned for them!! Their reward will be a crown, the name of God and the new City. They will be a pillar in the new temple.

LAODECIA: This group is neither hot nor cold. In fact, God says he will spew them from his mouth. They have material wealth, but spiritual poverty. There is NO good news for this congregation!! For those who overcome, they will sit at the throne with God. (Note: Being lukewarm was not a good thing. It's like Velveeta. It's good cold..well, some would say....and it's great hot. But room-temperature Velveeta is gross! It is not good for anything. Basically, the church at Laodecia is not good for anything in the spiritual world because they are lukewarm! So, God says he will spew them....which literally means "throw up" or "hurl"......that is how serious God is about being lukewarm!)


All of these churches can teach us something about how we live our lives. Yes, we are looking at the historical and contextual frameworks for Revelation in this series, but we MUST see how it informs our own faith practice as well. So, are our churches mostly filled with the good news or the bad news of these ancient churches? Are our personal lives filled with things God wants or despises? Am I living in a faith of good news, or bad news?

May 2009 be a year of change and growth as you seek to be what God would have you be.

Some thoughts for tonight...and apologies.

First, the apology. This week as school gets under way, I am falling behind in blogging about the Sunday school lesson. It will be up by Friday night...or Saturday! Sorry to keep you waiting. (Actually, does anyone read this at all?? If you do, leave some love in the comments!)


Now for some thoughts. Tonight we talked about a very hard parable Jesus told. In Matthew 22, he described a wedding banquet given by a king for his son. The guests were invited and none came. In fact, they killed the servants who came to invite them. So, the king sent other servants to invite everyone they found, even those on the streets. As the party began, the king noticed one guy was not dressed properly. (Remember, folks were invited from everywhere, even off the streets) In his anger, he had the man bound and cast out into the darkness. What a harsh picture!

There are many disturbing things about this parable. I am not sure about all the answers to questions that I have. I may never have answers that satisfy my head and heart. But, as we talked about all the possible meanings of various lines and different characters, I realized several things. 1) I know so very little. About the Bible. About life. About ministry. About myself. 2) Sometimes scripture is hard. Hard to read. Hard to understand. Hard to grasp. Even hard to believe.

And yet, as we talked several truths were evident (whether they were really in this particular text or not is another matter!). 1) We have a task to do...namely, share the gospel and make disciples. 2) We can get so caught up in keep the "rules of our faith" that we miss the actual faith part. We are so religious that we ignore our relationship with Christ.

So, are you sharing gospel with people? Are you following rules or living in a relationship?
(By the way, rules aren't all bad, except when they replace the relationship!)

Do you really care about folks?

This past week Tiffany and I went to a retreat in the Hill Country of Texas. It was a wonderful time of reading, reflecting and refreshing. As we talked about the week, we realized that we now had life-long friends...after just one week. On the way home, we shared stories from the week and realized what an amazing group of people gathered there and lived life together that week.

So, why did I title this post "Do you really care about folks?"...well, because each person at this retreat showed how much they cared by the little things they did. One man used peoples' names in the middle of talking to them, making the conversation personal and intentional. Another guy continued to ask questions (even on the last day) in a genuine effort to get to know each person there. One of our leaders encouraged us by mentioning specific things we said (even days earlier) as he expressed his appreciation for the participation. One woman shared her experiences because she knew it would help those in the room. They cared, but the ways they cared were a part of their normal lives. They care, not just about people at a retreat, but all people.

So, do you really care about folks? How do you let them know? What can you do to let people know you are concerned about them?

Seek to truly care about people. Your life will be richer and the lives of those you meet will be richer.

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 4, 2009

This past Sunday, we began a series on the book of Revelation. It is important to know that the treatment of this book/work/writing will be from a historical/literary standpoint with applications made to life today. It will NOT be an attempt to place current leaders/countries/etc. into the text to make it a vision of the present-day world. While we can learn many things and find meaning for our lives today, we must remember it was written to a specific people in a specific situation for a specific reason..all of which we will look at through the coming weeks. Below is the outline for the first lesson.


Revelation—Part 1*
(Historical and Literary Context of the Apocalypse)


Historically

*Revelation was written during a time of CONFLICT between the church and the Roman Empire.
*It was written from the island of PATMOS where John had been exiled for his faith. (1:9)
*The author is concerned by persecution of saints for refusing to ACCEPT EMPEROR WORSHIP.
*This persecution and conflict actually began within JUDAISM. The government continued on with this practice.
41 AD--HEROD AGRIPPA instituted persecution of Christians.
49 AD--CLAUDIUS expelled "Jews" from Rome
64 AD--NERO killed Christians for a fire that destroyed Rome.
(He probably set it himself and needed someone to blame!)
81-96 AD--DOMITIAN followed in the footsteps of Nero.
112 AD--TRAJAN received a letter from Pliny the Younger asking what to do about believers. His response was to continue the cruelty already in place.

* The date generally given is 95 AD, during DOMITIAN'S reign.



Literary Context

* The category Revelation falls into is:
~LETTER--with salutation/closing….seven churches
~PROPHECY--according to 1:3
~APOCALYPTIC--which means "revelation" in Greek
~CRISIS LITERATURE--which is typical of apocalyptic literature.

*John's goal is to encourage the believers to be faithful even in the direst of circumstances.


Structure of Revelation--The Road Map

I. Prologue (1:1-8)
II. Prophet's Call (1:9-20)
III. Message to the Seven Churches (2-3)
IV. Heavenly Vision (4-5)
V. Seven Seals (6:1-8:5)
VI. Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19)
VII. Great Conflict (12-14)
VIII. Seven Bowls of Wrath (15-16)
IX. Fall of Great City (17:1-19:10)
X. Victory of Christ (19:11-20:15)
XI. New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
XII. Epilogue (22:6-21)

*The bold/all caps words are the answers to the blanks in the weekly handouts.

Sabbath and Retreat

This morning I was pleased to find that TBC's Spiritual Formation/Prayer Time focused on Sabbath. I am not good at practicing this, at all! I would much rather run fast and never slow down. However, I have had opportunity to rest and reflect in the past week. It has been a welcomed time of discovery and understanding.


My resting and reflecting has all been in preparation for a retreat/conference I am attending this coming week. I leave tomorrow for the hill country of Texas: Kerrville. A group of about fifteen are headed to the Lutheran retreat center there to spend time reflecting on "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching" (or, Teaching, in my case!). I have read some wonderful novels and great short stories to prepare. I will let you know how the week turns out when I get back.


And, Sunday school outlines will be up by next Sunday...stay tuned.


Lory