Inklings About Life as a Follower of Jesus

Your Investment Counselor

2012-01-24T08:32:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

Ever heard it? Ever said it? “Gosh, if only I’d invested a couple hundred bucks in Apple stock in 2000…” “If only I’d bought just a corner of a field in 1980 out west of Richmond in Short Pump, I could retire now…” “If only someone with an eye for how values would change had told me where to invest…”

Such investment regrets come with the retrospect of changed value: i.e., that which was of very limited value is suddenly very valuable. Or, more exactly, that which seemed limited in value was in fact just hidden in value.

Might the day come when we look back on our lives and say, “If only I’d invested in…”? It surely will. But actually that day will have no regret, which like the other heartaches of a broken world will have been swept away in the Savior’s triumph. But that day will suddenly clarify what’s truly valuable. And if the words of Jesus are any indication, it won’t be what seems so valuable now – Apple stock, Short Pump real estate, etc.

“If only someone with an eye for how values would change had told me where to invest…” Actually, he has. Are you buying?

What a deal!

Keith

A Holy Spirit Testimony

2012-01-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

Two months ago John and Katie Francis and I went out to Natural Bridge one day to visit with and video Lou and Nancy Skidmore. Skid was one of the pastors here in the 70s and 80s, and had a huge impact on St. Giles.

Shortly before Skid came to St. Giles the Holy Spirit had filled him anew. That poised him to serve well here as the Spirit’s wind blew widely in our congregation. On this video Skid gives some vignettes of both his own and St. Giles’ renewal.

We sought out Skid and Nancy because 2012 is St. Giles’ 75^th Anniversary, and we’re focusing on what God has done here. He has done amazing things, changing thousands of lives – and that’s no exaggeration!

The point of attending to what God has done is not to glory in the past, but to learn to be more attentive to what God is doing now by having the horizons of our expectations expanded. And hearing what God has done here over the years is definitely stretching.

Watch and enjoy! And let’s seek God’s guidance through the various events of our 75^th Anniversary celebration, so that we can be about what he wants to do next through St. Giles.

To be continued…. (praise the Lord!),

Keith

God's Actionable Goals

2012-01-03T08:39:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

On the inside cover of my prayer journal I write my goals for the year. Then I look at them periodically through the year, and think about what I’m doing (or not!) to accomplish those goals. So far I’m still pondering on goals for 2012.

The common wisdom about goals is that they should be “actionable” – i.e., stated specifically enough that you can act on them and measure the results. That makes sense. Vague goals don’t provide much guidance for the daily decisions that apportion limited time and energy.

But this year I’m leaning away from actionable, and more toward “be-able.” When I look back at the end of 2012 to see what was most important, I’m confident that it won’t be check marks next to actionable goals. I certainly have some things that I need to do, and I intend to pursue them.

But if I read the scripture rightly, they are second tier. Jesus was very clear: the most important thing that any of us can do in 2012 is to love the Lord, and to love those he has given us in our daily interactions (Mark 12:28f). Such love proceeds from being – the state of the heart.

How would that look in 2012? What resources enable growth in such love? I think the actionable steps aren’t love itself, but they do posture me for what God would do to grow me in love – things like worship, prayer, study of the scripture, service, etc. The Lord finds such things “actionable,” and the change he brings shows in the heart.

I think my 2012 goals are beginning to shape up. How about yours?

Happy New Year!

Keith

2011 Christmas Greetings From the Hills

2011-12-21T19:58:00.000-05:00

Santa Can't Compete

2011-12-13T10:25:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

How did a 4^th century Bishop from Myra, in modern day Turkey, get morphed into a fat guy in red at the mall with kids in his lap? It’s hard to imagine.

Many have written in recent years tracing the course of the Santa legend. Bishop Nicholas was known for his generosity, and thanks to a couple of miracles associated with his ministry, he was designated a Saint. Over the centuries legends accrued about St. Nicholas, with each country giving the legends their own flavor. For example, the Dutch came up with the story of Sinterklaas (a “dutchification” of St. Nicholas) filling Dutch children’s shoes with nuts and candies, according to his magical knowledge of their behavior. Other spins on the story found curious combination in America’s melting pot culture, setting the stage for a formative twist on Santa, Clement Clark’s 1822 poem, “The Night Before Christmas.” From there it was but a hop to Coca Cola’s artistic embellishments of Santa’s rotundity, and then to his throne at the mall, where Santa is orbited by tearful children, fawning parents, and a photographer. While the steps are traceable, it’s still amazing how we got from the good Bishop to the photo prop Santa.

What a striking contrast to another story, one that has remained constant across the centuries and cultures – the story of Jesus’ birth. There have been some cute stories that have grown up beside the Christmas story, such as that of the drummer boy. But the central story of Jesus’ birth has remained the same since the gospels first told it. It’s hard to improve on the truth!

Parents often worry about whether Santa will eclipse Jesus at Christmas. They need not. Santa can’t compete. Certainly we must make sure that Santa is not all that our children hear. But when they hear the story of Jesus’ birth, they will surely be drawn to its wondrous mystery.

O come let us adore Him!

Keith

Discovering Our Sister

2011-12-07T10:33:00.002-05:00

An Inkling

I’ve posted pictures here that I’ve wanted to share with you since Thanksgiving. They show our grand Thanksgiving-eve venture with our sister church, Westwood Baptist. Pastor Michael Black and the saints of Westwood came that evening for dinner, and then we joined in worship. What a grand time it was!

Okay – what’s the big deal? So a couple of neighboring churches get together for a joint meal and service. Is this significant? Yes, I believe it is. Here’s why:

It’s a privilege. For years most of us at St. Giles didn’t even know that our closest church neighbor was an African-American Baptist Church. That’s because Westwood is tucked into the midst of a neighborhood that most of us had never seen. In the days of segregation it was supposed to be that way – unseen. But thankfully in this season God has brought down many of those barriers, and we have the privilege of building a visible relationship that shows how we’re joined in Christ with our neighbors.

It’s fun. The saints of Westwood have a joy about them that is contagious. We’re seeing that in the conversations we have in our planning meetings with them, in the joint ventures the women have held, and in the two Thanksgiving services we’ve had together. It’s fun to get to know a “long lost sister,” and all the more so when we discover she’s so joyful.

It’s stretching. Baptists and Presbyterians? Can you mix passion and reserve? We’re doing it, and it hasn’t been too arduous. To the denominational distinctives add our African and Anglo church cultural differences, and you can see that we’re getting a good stretching. That’s a sign in itself that God is at work.

It’s promising. What might come of this? We’ve had some intimation with these early joint ventures, but we’re just beginning to see the possibilities. This is something God is doing, which makes us all the more eager to unwrap this promising gift. Pray that the Lord will form this new relationship with our long lost sister in ways that bring him honor and joy.

Here’s to Michael and the Westwood saints,

Keith

Called to Preach?!

2011-11-29T09:24:00.001-05:00

An Inkling

Did you know you’re called to preach? “Who? Me? You’ve got to be kidding!”

Nope, I’m serious. And we had a great example this Sunday of how that can work. The video of Arlene’s witness touched the hearts of everyone who heard it. She is answering God’s call to preach!

How? By telling what God’s been doing in her life. She had “preached” to me in bits and pieces over recent weeks, telling about what she had seen the Lord do in and around her. She didn’t know she was preaching, but she was – only not in a pulpit expositing scripture. We need that flavor of preaching too. But her preaching arose from simply letting her observations about what God was doing flow into her daily conversation.

Having heard her “preach,” I asked if she would be up for sharing more broadly with the congregation. In her case the video provided a good means for doing so. And so many were blessed.

It’s how you’re called to “preach” as well. Whether you ever stand in a pulpit and exposit a scripture passage or not, every day brings you an opportunity through word and deed to hold forth on what God is doing in and around you. That’s a big part of what Jesus had in mind when he sent his disciples out to tell the good news. Now their calling is yours.

How can you find your preaching voice? Let’s help each other learn. It’s our common calling. And as the good news finds expression through you, someone’s going to be touched with the love of God.

Preach on!

Keith

A Long Obedience

2011-11-22T09:15:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

It’s a striking title: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. So Eugene Peterson entitled one of his books. How does that look? I’ve seen an example.

Some years ago Collie Burton, James Anderson, and Don Coleman sensed God’s calling to bridge the gaps here in Richmond. Knowing that Jesus has reconciled us to the Father and to each other, they determined that the gaps between churches, races, and sections of our city could not be ignored. Christ’s gifts of reconciliation and unity had to be realized. So they began a journey, and it has become a long obedience in the same direction – years spent in the pursuit of what God called them to do, and often without seeing much headway.

But they persisted. And not only did they persist, they kept finding new approaches. They wrote and distributed a book with their vision for reconciliation and unity. For years they facilitated a pastors’ breakfast here at St. Giles. When that ran its course, they gathered a couple of new pastors’ groups in other settings. From one of those groups, where I’ve participated, a new approach sprang forth, named “Bless Richmond.”

It was aptly named – a gathering of Christians with a single intent: to bless Richmond. How? By honoring Jesus in worship, by building relationships across the traditional lines of division, and by serving the poor.

You can see some of the worship in the cell phone video Sarah took, as we sang an African praise song. What a joyful time! The 2000 or so people brought with them over seven tons of food, which will be distributed through the Food Bank. Worship leaders from several churches joined to lead the praise, and pastors from various churches led the prayers. What a marvelous way to bless Richmond.

And it happened in large part because the Lord used the long obedience of some of his servants. Let’s travel that road together! Thanks Collie, James, and Don for leading the way.

Blessings,

Keith

Lifting Our Countenance

2011-11-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

An Inkling

Sarah sees it the minute I walk in – a tension in my brow, a drawn corner of the mouth, a dimness in my eye. And so she asks, “Hey, you look troubled. What’s happening?” I do the same for her when I see that “look” on her face.

As often as not we’ve not been aware that we were troubled. We’ve just been pressing on and tending duties, focused on the particulars of the day. But at a deeper level something was troubling the subterranean waters of the soul. And the “waves” showed in our countenance.

“Countenance” is helpful word, but not one we use much. It means our facial expressions in their full range, from the obvious to the subtle. We learn to read these reflections of the soul in those we know well.

And we bless them when we call forth an explanation of what we see, be it a bright or a dark countenance. The face hints at what the heart needs to speak.

When the countenance is dark, we serve each other by enabling our loved ones to express what’s stirring around in the deeps. Troubles identified and expressed verbally somehow become more manageable than those lurking in the depths and showing only in a wave on the brow.

It’s what Paul was getting at in his letter to the Philippians: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. When the Lord sees our troubled countenance, he offers the same question as Sarah offers me, “Hey, you look troubled. What’s happening?” He’s not too busy! He wants to hear! And we need to speak. Let your requests be made known to God.

Paul’s wise heart prescription is followed by a dear promise: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May his peace not only guard your heart and mind, but lift your countenance!

Speak forth!

Keith

Growing Up in Grace

2011-11-08T06:19:00.001-05:00

An Inkling

When each of our daughters turned 16 their most exciting gift was a set of keys for the family car. Talk about excitement. Keys! Wheels! Freedom! Great is the joy when coming of age. Do you remember?

The shine got taken off my joy very quickly on my 16^th birthday. I got my driver’s license in the morning, and that afternoon I went driving by myself for the first time. I still remember that feeling of freedom. Unfortunately, I also remember the crunching sound of the family Buick rear-ending a VW van. I was only going about ten miles per hour, so the dents were minimal, and the car was still drivable. But my ego was totaled.

What followed was an object lesson in God’s grace. I made the embarrassing call home, and my dad drove over immediately. He certainly didn’t brush the matter off – I had indeed made a mess. But neither did he condemn me. When it came time to go home I was ready to ride rather than drive. But he pointed me to the driver’s seat. It was a dramatic demonstration of forgiveness, the kind of forgiveness that brings a second chance – God’s kind of forgiveness.

You may recall that when the prodigal returned home, he wanted simply to be a servant. He had blown it as a son, and didn’t want to risk such responsibility again. But the father would not hear of it, and again outfitted his son with a son’s robe and ring (Luke 15).

When we blow it while coming of age, as we inevitably do, we often want to opt out of the new responsibilities, and to regress to some safer age and stage. But God’s forgiveness is such that we find ourselves back in the driver’s seat. He wants his daughters and sons to grow up, and that means taking up the full coming of age challenges. But it is his grace alone that makes those coming of age challenges bearable.

None of us drives far without some new dents. You can count on the Father to answer your call and come immediately. And you can count on a grace that will bring you back to the driver’s seat in the wisest of ways.

Drive on!

Keith

Time to Hear the Whole Story

2011-11-01T10:01:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Last week I was on study leave in Montreat (a Presbyterian enclave in the N.C. mountains). It was a week with many surprising turns of joy.

For one, there was the joy of unstructured time. While this wasn’t vacation (I did a lot of reading, sermon planning, etc), having no schedule was a joy, especially for one whose calendar is usually crowded. It was fun, and a good change of pace, to make up each day as it came.

Another joy came with the beautiful fall leaves. Who but the Lord could make even the “last throes” of something like leaves so lovely? A glance in any direction was a reminder of his creative brilliance.

Still another joy while we were there came with the visit of some friends from our years in Georgia. Through our church there Sarah was part of a covenant group with Susan, Tammy, and Cheryl. Since we moved here in 2007 we have managed to keep up with them in bits and pieces – often only at Facebook depth. So having some time to hear the next chapters of their stories was a joy. They gave both current perspectives on the dramas in their lives, and retrospectives on what had happened over these years. In both they honored the Lord simply by speaking aloud of his ways with their lives.

I can never get enough of that. One of the greatest joys in life is following people’s stories. Sometimes people apologize that they are “going on” as they recount what’s been happening, but I’m always fascinated to hear yet more examples of how God works in our lives, both “on stage” and “behind the scenes.” The only problem is that we seem never to have enough time to explore the stories fully. For the more we probe and reflect, the more amazing we see the Lord’s imagination and wisdom to be.

It just makes me look forward all the more to when we’ll be together in the presence of the master story teller himself, and have all the time needed to hear the whole story. If the joy we already have in the snippets we hear now is any indicator, then hearing whole story will be a joy (currently) beyond telling!

To be continued…

Keith

Money Talks

2011-10-23T22:03:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Here is the third of three Money Talks I gave in worship the last three Sundays. I was out of town for this one, so I put it on video. The dear St. Giles folks can’t escape me. Ha!

Thanks for your partnership in being stewards of what God has entrusted to us!

Blessings,

Keith

A Sight for Sore Eyes

2011-10-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Is that a real photo, or is it just my imagination? Did a black President really speak at the dedication of a memorial on the Washington Mall for Martin Luther King? What a change in the span of my lifetime! I’m proud of my nation this week.

This is a hard season in the United States – a stubborn recession, political dysfunction, street demonstrations, and a record-length war. We love our nation, and we like to trumpet its strengths. But honestly, most of us are worried about our land, and genuine pride has faded.

In 1964, when I was nine, my family moved to Huntsville, Alabama. My parents had taught us all along that all people are equal, and that we weren’t to use the “N word.” But I surely did hear that and worse all around me. And I didn’t know how to process the overflowing anger I observed.

In the spring of 1968 I was in the 7^th grade. Our schools had been integrated by then, and about a quarter of my class was African American. I remember the day after Dr. King had been shot someone mentioned the topic, and a lot of my classmates started cheering. Some of the black students had come to school that day, and of course this was horrifying and humiliating for them. And though I didn’t join in the cheering, I felt humiliated myself to be part of a people who would cheer such a crime, thereby stomping on some fellow students who had already been laid low. I don’t recall trying to do anything about it – I was too shy. I just wished I could be anywhere but there. And I’m sure my feelings were tiny compared to my black classmates.

Thus my question: did I really see that photo of a black President dedicating a monument to Martin Luther King? When you stop to think about the broad sweep of history, and the halting way things change, it is truly amazing that our nation has come this far. We have a long ways to go right here in Richmond. But what a satisfying sight. I’m proud of my nation this week.

And I’m proud to serve the same Savior who inspired Dr. King. May our love for Jesus and the people Jesus loves be used by him to break down even more barriers!

Blessings,

Keith

Of Silicon and Saints

2011-10-11T09:34:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

It seems like everyone is reflecting this week on the significance of Steven Jobs’ life and work. I won’t add to that. But I have been thinking about how church life and ministry have changed with computers. There is a whole generation who can hardly believe we had no computers when I began my ministry 30 years ago!

So here are some simple observations:

Spell checker makes me look much smarter than I am.
A google search makes me feel smarter too. With it I can find any quote or story, even with just a few words.
Email and google docs allow for brainstorming between meetings.
Big filing cabinets are becoming relics. We can store a “Library of Congress” worth of information in a shoebox now.
Our local ministries can have global effects. It’s surprising to see which countries connect with our website.
People seeking a church now know much more about us before they ever enter the doors. Thus the import of a good website.
Broad communication is much simpler, quicker, and cheaper. (Alas, the poor Post Office!) It’s especially wonderful to know that so many are immediately networked for prayer needs.
We can now have “face to face” conversations with our mission partners abroad via Skype. That’s good for both heart and mind – on both ends of the link.
We can forward the latest dire economic forecasts and guaranteed miracle cures to everyone on our address lists. (Oh well. It’s not all upside!)

Like any other part of our fallen world, bright spots have their shadow side, and that’s certainly true for computing. May the Lord who redeems our creativity give us guidance in how best to use these amazing tools to his glory!

And RIP, Steven Jobs,

Keith

Growing Things Change

2011-10-04T08:17:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

“Things are changing!” “And you were expecting….?”

Such is the answer I can imagine God giving to our complaints about change. Oh, you say you don’t complain about change? Listen carefully to your own prayers. If yours are like mine, many of your requests have as their subtext a basic resistance to change. As we ask God for this or that, our urgency often arises not from a desire to see things better than they are, but from a deep-seated desire to avoid change. And from what I can tell from the scripture, God is not inclined to grant such requests.

We have plenty of change about which to pray. Our families change as children grow and elders die. The careful plans we make for our financial security are shaken by erratic markets and world events. Our health changes. Our circle of friends changes. The patterns of our life together at St. Giles change. The world scene is rapidly changing. And on and on. Thus our prayers of alarm to God.

Because of our knee-jerk resistance to change, we must remind ourselves why the Lord uses change in our lives. I once heard John Huffman offer this simple seven point reminder:

Healthy things grow.
Growing things change.
Change challenges us.
Challenge forces us to trust God.
Trust leads to obedience.
Obedience makes us healthy.
Healthy things grow.

Change in itself is not good news. But change guided by the Constant One, whose love and wisdom direct us toward growth, is good news indeed! Count it an adventure! I thank God for your partnership as we together see what God has next for us.

Ready or not….

Keith

Your Strong Suit in Sharing Your Faith

2011-09-27T10:08:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

I like this video. It’s not sophisticated. It’s not logically compelling. But it is fetching. Why? It’s genuine.

What is it about sharing our story that connects with people? It’s not our sophistication or logic. Few of us have either as a strong suit, be we teens or seasoned adults. That’s why many of us are reticent to share our faith.

But we do have a strong suit. It’s the genuineness in our stories. That and the fact that we’re not the center of our own stories. That’s what makes them different. That’s what piques curiosity – which opens the way for us to introduce someone to the One who is at the center.

Pray for the right moment to play to your strong suit. Share your story.

Blessings,

Keith

What Does Java Have to do with Jesus?

2011-09-20T09:16:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Last week I connected you with the fun video about welcoming folks to church. What if you do? What if they come? Are we ready to receive them? St. Giles is a truly friendly church. But maybe there’s more to it…

Fair warning – the satire here makes for strong brew. But maybe with a little cream and sugar you’ll be prompted to reflect a bit on just how welcoming our welcome is. It prompted me.

Learning as we go…

Keith

Hey, Wanna Come With Me?

2011-09-13T08:38:00.000-04:00

An Inkling,

I didn’t know there was such a thing as National Welcome Back to Church Sunday. But indeed there is, as I discovered through this cool video someone shared with me. Whom might you invite?

But wait! Before you answer, consider whom you know that might be open to an invitation. Do you have a friend who is not already connected with a church, but is interested in the Lord, or at least in learning more about the Lord? That would be a good one to invite. Forget the store clerk you just met, or the co-worker who makes fun of your faith. Unless God directs you by writing in the sky, now is not the right time to welcome them to church. A different type of outreach is best suited for them. We’ll be considering such outreach moments for the next few Sundays.

But for this Sunday, how about that friend who does wonder about the Lord, or who used to be part of a church? Might this be the time for “Hey, you wanna come with me?” And if you think the video might help them with their questions, pass it on.

Blessings,

Keith

Intentionality

2011-09-06T10:27:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

There are some things I’ve wanted to do for a long time: parachute, learn guitar better, go to Africa, walk the Virginia part of the Appalachian Trail, figure out the Hill family genealogy, lose five more pounds, see a President, and make more time to read. Do you know what I’ve done in the last year to make any of those happen? Nothing.

I’ve also wanted for a long time to lead a tour group to Greece and Turkey through the course of Paul’s journeys. But with this I’m actually taking some steps to make it happen. It’s moving from want to intentionality – setting a date, talking with Barbi Partlow about travel options, etc. That will lead to action.

Almost every Christian I know wants to be used by God to welcome others to know Jesus. And yet most of those Christians are not intentional about doing so – including me. We want to; we just don’t do anything that actually leads to action. Wanting and intentionality are not the same.

So if you want to be used by God to welcome others to faith, what would it take for you to move from wanting to intentionality to action? We’ll be talking about that some in various settings over the next few weeks. And as we do, you can think and pray about it yourself – do you really want to be used by God to welcome others to know Jesus? Okay – how might you move from wanting to intentionality?

Blessings,

Keith

A Gospel for Tiger

2011-09-02T10:14:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

This is the final blog in a series I commenced on August 16 about our denomination’s unfaithful choice to change ordination standards. It’s not just a minor adjustment of church government. It’s a matter of whether the leadership of the church will embody the gospel or the spirit of the age. And I’ve saved the most important reason till last.

I once heard Tom Gillespie (President of Princeton Seminary at the time) say that we must not celebrate what God would redeem. The revisionists have persuaded a voting majority in our denomination that homosexual behavior is to be celebrated, not redeemed. This despite the list in 1 Corinthians 6 of those God had redeemed: “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, robbers.” Paul’s list includes some of the behaviors he had seen God redeem in the lives of the Corinthian Christians. Thus the happy conclusion to his list: “and such were some of you.” Past tense. Redeemed!

What does redemption entail? Is it just a “get out of jail free” card for the next life? Or does it offer real hope for changed lives? I’ve heard no one in the church making the case that idolaters, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers are beyond transformation. But we have now singled out sexuality as immutable. Really?

Then what would we say to Tiger Woods, had he come to our church when he was beginning to deal with his compulsive sexual patterns? Would we have had anything to offer him? When he made his public statement he said that it was up to him to change. That’s commendable. But given the power of sin’s compulsions in sexuality and many other areas of life, it’s not very hopeful. What a tragedy to exclude a whole range of dysfunction (be it homosexual or heterosexual) from the transformational power of the gospel!

We must not! And that message is spoken most winsomely by those who have been redeemed themselves from various patterns of sexual brokenness. Check out the testimonies on the One by One website (http://www.oneby1.org/). They have come out of all manner of sexual dysfunction, and are a living example of “such were some of you.” Frequently their testimonies include gratitude that their congregations neither condemned them, nor celebrated what God would redeem. And wisely they offer their ministry only to those who want to deal with their sexuality – i.e., they are not out crusading against anyone, but simply offering the full gospel hope to those who want it.

I wish we as a whole denomination had a gospel for Tiger. But we can trust that God’s faithfulness and transforming work will continue through those who do avail themselves of his full redemption power. And let it begin with us.

Blessings,

Keith

Both Halves of Grace

2011-09-01T11:00:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

I’ve been writing blogs since August 16 describing why I believe our denomination has crossed a line toward unfaithfulness through its decision to change ordination standards. I’ve offered these reasons in no particular order – just a stream of consciousness theologizing – till now. I’ve saved the two main reasons for last with today’s and tomorrow’s blogs.

So, let’s see: I’m up to eight reasons why I think we’ve crossed a line. Isn’t that making a bit much of a sexual ethics debate? It would be if it were just that. As important as biblical sexual ethics are, they are clearly not essential tenets of our faith. But in our generation they are one of the main stages on which we are playing out our understanding of some essential tenets, namely the nature of grace and forgiveness.

The best single gospel story I can think of for grasping the full nature of grace and forgiveness is that of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Even people who don’t follow Jesus quote these red letter words – at least in part.

Let the one without sin cast the first stone. Wow! With a single phrase Jesus makes plain what the accusers have in common with the accused. The point is not that we’re to forego all judgments. Many scripture passages direct us to judge. The point is that we are to enter such conversations, in this case our sexual ethics debates, with a full awareness that all of us have our own sinful patterns in this area of life. That totally changes the conversation.

Neither do I condemn you. The only one present who had the right to condemn did not. Wow again! There is grace demonstrated – but only part of it. Jesus wasn’t done.

Go and do not sin again. This is the red letter phrase in the story that somehow goes unquoted. It’s the other half of grace, which is not biblical unless the loving acceptance of neither do I condemn is inseparably joined with the call to accountability and change in do not sin again.

Notice the order. If we’re to embody grace we must speak first what Jesus spoke first – loving acceptance. Otherwise even a grace-full message sounds condemning. Only then, but essentially then, do we speak the call to accountability and change. For without the last half forgiveness is rendered mere indulgence. And the last thing we need in our brokenness is indulgence.

And the last thing the church needs in its leadership standards is truncated grace. Let those who lead do so with full awareness that they have no right to cast stones. Let them receive in full God’s loving acceptance, which is tied inseparably to a call to turn from sinful patterns. Let them demonstrate in their way of life, including their sexuality, the full-orbed grace of the gospel.

That postures our leaders, like those they lead, in readiness for God’s transforming work, to which I’ll return in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings,

Keith

Avoiding a Millstone Necktie

2011-08-31T11:13:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

I’m offering a reason each day for why I believe the PCUSA crossed a line with its decision to drop the ordination standard “fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.” Today’s reason is: marriage is next.

It has to be. Those who pled for the revision of our ordination standards claimed justice as their basis. They apply the same rationale to marriage – i.e., that it’s only just that same sex couples be able to marry too. And a civil union won’t satisfy, lest they be deemed second-class.

This reasoning has prevailed in a number of states now. Revisionists have persuaded some state legislatures that justice demands a redefinition of marriage. And the defenders of traditional marriage have cited natural law, studies about optimal conditions for child-rearing (i.e., families with a mom and a dad), and the witness of hundreds of cultures across thousands of years.

Legislators cannot simply draw upon the biblical witness as we can. For us the scripture’s teaching is decisive, both in its account of how God created marriage for a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18-25), and in its various bans of homosexual behavior. The scripture is very clear (see the blog for Aug. 18 for more on its clarity). Just because our culture is confused about God’s design for the family, the church need not be. Indeed, given the culture’s confusion, the church should make sure that its teachings are biblically based and crystal clear.

When states change their marriage laws, they don’t really change how life works. They can’t. That is the Creator’s prerogative. If the states decided to repeal the law of gravity because it weighs more heavily on some than on others, that wouldn’t change the results of stepping off a cliff. Nor can they change the long-term consequences of attempting to recast God’s design for the family.

May it be that the church would not presume to bless what God has not blessed. And may it be that we would not cause our own little ones to stumble with confusing teaching about something so important as marriage. It would be better to wear a millstone necktie while swimming – so said Jesus (Luke 17:1-2).

Let’s not,

Keith

Where Flesh Meets Spirit

2011-08-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

With power now restored after the hurricane, I am renewing my quest to post a daily blog on why our denomination has crossed a line toward unfaithfulness by removing our “fidelity and chastity” ordination standards. Today’s reason seeks to address the question “why make a big deal out of sex when there are more important matters?”

Good question. There are more important matters at risk in our larger church, such as the uniqueness of Christ, the nature of forgiveness, the authority of scripture, etc. But such huge matters don’t lessen the impact of this large matter. They only lend perspective.

You can make a good case that sins of the spirit are in fact more deadly than sins of the flesh. That is, sins of the spirit (like pride, racism, and contempt) burgeon in their ruinous effects over time, whereas sins of the flesh (like drunkenness and promiscuity) eventually do us in physically, and thus are self-limiting. You can only party hardy for a season before life collapses (think Amy Winehouse). But the effects of hatred and egotism multiply exponentially, to the harm of untold numbers (think Moammar Gadhafi). Reinhold Niebuhr made this case very well.

Too often the church has majored in sins of the flesh and ignored sins of the spirit. The old rhyme “I don’t smoke, drink, cuss, or chew, and I don’t go with girls who do” is a caricature of an all too real tendency to make piety all about avoiding sins of the flesh. Ironically the smugness of “I don’t smoke, drink, etc,” is often exceeded by the smugness of those condemning such smugness – a sin of the spirit! We sinners never have done very well fixing other sinners. We need a Savior.

We have a Savior. His intention is to save us body and soul, breaking the power of sin in our flesh and spirit. And to tell the truth, the distinction between the two is really only for discussion. They are inseparable. And in our day those who would redefine various sins of the flesh rely upon spiritual justification – “we must celebrate who God made us to be.” “We must liberate the oppressed.”

While the apostles knew that sins of the flesh were not the biggest thing, they recognized that they, too, were finally spiritual in their effect. Recall what proscriptions the Jerusalem council preserved even as they liberated the newly Christian Gentiles from many particulars of Jewish law: abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality… (Ac 15:20). If we mute our Christian witness in an area of great impact in people’s lives (the nature of marriage, fidelity in marriage, and chastity in singleness), an area in which a biblical ethic is increasingly counter-cultural, then we mute the impact of the gospel’s gracious and transforming effects – not only on the flesh, but on the spirit.

May our Savior give us wisdom and courage to proclaim the full gospel. We need it all.

Blessings,

Keith

Well Meaning McCoys

2011-08-24T04:31:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Riding the horse of this Hatfields and McCoys metaphor a bit farther, let me offer another reason why I believe our denomination has crossed a line with its decision to change our ordination standards: the primary motive of the revisionists. They have said that it’s for the sake of justice.

What does that mean? It means that however well-intentioned the McCoys (who won this round) were in offering to stand by the Hatfields, who for conscience’s sake cannot abide this change, the McCoys’ sentiment won’t stand for long in the PCUSA. It can’t. Why? Because if it is really a matter of justice, then forbearance with those who don’t agree can only go so far. The pull of justice is just too strong.

We’ve seen this before. Back in the 70s the McCoys were trumpeting the importance of justice for women who were being excluded from ordination. A Hatfield (named Kenyon) said that he could not affirm that mandate by the Assembly. Presbytery said that he had to if he were to be ordained. So the contention worked its way up through the church courts, and finally the ruling was that yes, he had to affirm women’s ordinations if he were to be ordained. Why? Because it was a matter of justice, and justice trumped room for conscience. That was one of the issues that led to the creation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Many of the McCoys, who wanted this change in standards, don’t want the church to split. They say they want us Hatfields to be a part of the church, and that the church will be less without us. They even took out a full page ad in The Presbyterian Outlook to tell us that they would stand by us. Bless ‘em. They know that many of us Hatfields believe that we would be disobedient to God if we affirmed the ordinations that they believe are a matter of justice.

I trust that the McCoys are sincere in telling us that they want us to stay, and that they will advocate for us to have room for conscience. I just don’t think that their sincerity and good intentions will finally carry the day. Justice for those “excluded” trumps room of conscience for “excluders” every time – if not immediately, then eventually.

I myself believe that the Kenyon decision was right. Women’s ordination is a matter of justice, and it is biblically founded. And while I believe others can make a decent case for a different reading of scripture regarding women, I do not believe that there is really room for both positions in the same fellowship over time. At some point one of the clans needs to find a different room in the household of faith. Why? Justice trumps room for conscience.

So maybe this time the denomination will find a way to offer genuine protection to the Hatfields for their freedom of conscience – non-geographic presbyteries, or some such. But I’m not betting on it for the long haul. Having made their claims on the basis of justice, eventually the McCoys won’t be able to tolerate exceptions, and we Hatfields will be run off the mountain.

May the God of the Hatfields and the McCoys have mercy.

Blessings,

Keith

Life Among the Hatfields and McCoys

2011-08-23T08:58:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

I’m offering a reason each day for why I believe the PCUSA decision to change ordination standards has pushed us across a line. Yesterday’s reason was that this change, far from bringing peace, will only ramp up our conflict. Today I’ll not add another reason, but seek to add some nuance to yesterday’s reason.

Simply saying conflict will increase doesn’t quite describe how it works. Actually some presbyteries are peaceful in the sense that they have a clear voting majority around sexual ethics issues (ordinations, blessing unions, and in some states, weddings). In Hatfield presbyteries, where there are only a few McCoys, every time “the issue” comes up, a few of the more vocal McCoys will make pro forma speeches, but the vote is known before it is ever taken. And there is peace, of sorts. Ditto in McCoy presbyteries with a few Hatfields.

The leadership patterns are predictable in such clearly defined Hatfield and McCoy presbyteries. When it’s time to choose people to serve in the real decision making positions (COM, Coordinating Council, etc), a Hatfield presbytery will include some McCoys for the sake of being inclusive. A particularly polite McCoy may even be chosen as Moderator. But the McCoys will never be allowed a voting majority. Ditto with the choosing of General Assembly commissioners. The elephant of “the issue” dictates that unspoken quotas be preserved. You won’t find these operating procedures in the presbytery manual, but you can be sure that they do hold sway. And it works the same way in McCoy presbyteries, preserving a peace, of sorts.

Then there are presbyteries like where I serve: the Presbytery of the James. Here the Hatfields and McCoys are closely divided. We actually had a tie vote on 10-A. That means that every time “the issue” comes up, we have something more than pro forma speeches. We maneuver and turn out the votes, and we try to persuade the dozen people who haven’t already made up their minds to vote with our side. Gratefully, here in the James, the Hatfields and McCoys are cordial. But cordial and peaceful are not the same thing.

But hasn’t it always been so? In some measure, yes. Across the 200+ years of our denomination (for simplicity’s sake, let’s keep “denomination” singular and ignore the various divisions and reunions along the way), the issues have changed, but there have always been Hatfield and McCoy and mixed presbyteries. Sometimes, despite the differences, a meaningful common life could be preserved. There was a substantial unity on essentials, which allowed a freedom on non-essentials, and charity all around. But now the Hatfields and McCoys disagree even about what’s essential, which doesn’t bode well for unity, freedom, or charity.

It’s a good thing Jesus is Lord of this mess, and that the Lord of this mess is merciful. Tomorrow another reason…

Blessings,

Keith

The Elephant Just Got Bigger

2011-08-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

With a new week I’m renewing my quest to offer a daily blog on why I believe our denomination has crossed a line toward unfaithfulness by removing our “fidelity and chastity” ordination standards. I’m bearing down on this, doing a daily blog rather than a weekly blog, because I want to get on to other topics. I don’t want to stretch this matter out to two months! There is so much ministry to do, and so many other matters to address. But, given the power of these changes to undermine how the gospel finds expression in our denomination, I’m pressing on with this topic until I run out of reasons!

For today I want to think about part of the rationale offered by the revisionists for dropping “fidelity and chastity” – namely, fatigue with the fight. We’ve been fighting about this for over 30 years. I’ve been ordained 30 years this month, and I’ve never been part of a presbytery in which this was not the elephant in the room. We’re all tired of it. And so a winning vote margin was gained for dropping the standard largely through the well-meaning but naïve rationale that we’ll just kick the discussion from the national level down to presbyteries and sessions, where we all know each other well, and we can give each other space, and voila – finally, peace in the church. (Forgive me the caricature of that rationale, but it is only a slight caricature.)

With that line of thought in mind, a bunch of former General Assembly Moderators wrote the church immediately after the vote saying, “Ok, we’ve had our debate and vote. Now let’s get on with the mission and work of the church.” Would that we could.

In different context my brother, Kirby, and I have been able to bring that off. He’s a Presbyterian Minister too, and has been on the other side of this debate from me. When we were in the same presbytery, we found ourselves standing in opposite lines at microphones for the endless debates. But for the family’s sake, we decided some years ago to leave such topics aside. That means that our family conversations don’t have the depth they once did, lest we somehow pull the bell string of “the issue.” But all in all we’ve been able to get on with being family.

We could do that in the family because we don’t have to vote. Not so with presbyteries and sessions. We have to vote, over and over. And now, not on a clearly stated denominational standard to be applied graciously in a particular situation, but on a fuzzy standard to be applied one way in one place and another way in another place, depending on who has the vote margin. The elephant in the room just doubled in size. And oh, the shoveling to come!

Tomorrow another reason…

Blessings,

Keith

Torn Apart

2011-08-19T08:17:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

Jesus prayed that the church would be one. Agreed.

Given a choice, Luther and Calvin wouldn’t have left the church, bad as it was. Agreed.

Schism is wrong. Agreed.

If a congregation cannot agree with the new ordination standards (and the consequent changes coming in how our church embodies the grace, forgiveness, and transformation of the gospel) and leaves the PCUSA for another denomination they are schismatic. Agreed.

Ergo, it is better for a congregation to stay put in the PCUSA, even if they cannot abide this change, lest they be schismatic. Disagreed.

Why? Because we’re already in schism, simply by being a part of the PCUSA. Our denomination has taken us into schism with the global and historic church. Our choice is no longer between schism and no schism, only between which form of schism. That’s hellish, but that’s where we are.

The members of the PCUSA comprise a little over ½ of 1% of the population of the United States, which holds about 5% of the global population. We are tiny. The path apart that we have chosen will hardly register in the global church. One billion Catholics and 300 million Orthodox will hardly notice. Nor would the burgeoning churches of the global south, except that we were the mother church to many of them. Because of our history they at least notice that we’re leaving them, and they grieve. And they are commencing with the severance of our much treasured mission partnerships. Alas.

But wait – haven’t we already been out of synch with many such churches through our readiness to affirm the leadership gifts of women? True. Many churches have chosen a similar course, but many have not. Yet even those who disagree with us on women’s roles have not rejected us outright as a faithful church, for they recognize that we have made the case from scripture, even if they interpret the scripture differently. They rightly recognize no such justification for the changes we are making in our sexual ethics. Thus they are deciding if this is a departure of sufficient magnitude to break fellowship with us. Many already have. We will see many more if the PCUSA does what the revisionists hope it will at the next General Assembly, namely redefine marriage.

In these blogs I am offering reasons why I believe the PCUSA has crossed a line toward biblical unfaithfulness with its ordination standard changes. To that list add schism – not if some congregations leave. We’re already there. God may guide some congregations to leave and others to stay. But he has not given us an option for avoiding schism altogether. It’s a good thing he’s merciful!

With this, I’ll pause the daily blogs until Monday, and then another reason…

Blessings,

Keith

In Spite of the Scripture

2011-08-18T10:04:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

I am continuing this series of daily blogs on why I believe our larger church has crossed a line toward biblical unfaithfulness in its decision to revise our ordination standards. Here’s the next reason: this time the church has changed its standards in spite of the Bible and not because of it.

Those supporting the standard change don’t appreciate being tagged as unbiblical. They say they read their Bibles as intently as those opposing these changes, and that they have simply come to different conclusions. I understand that they value the Bible, but I believe their different conclusions are based upon an intellectual sleight of hand.

When we revisit the church’s teaching on some contested matter, we go back to the scripture, we look again at why our forebears concluded what they did, and we consider whether the proponents of change have a good case. That’s what happened when the church changed her views on slavery, divorce, and the role of women in leadership. In each of those cases the church concluded that the proponents of change made their case, and so the church changed her standards – not in spite of the scripture, but because of it.

Not so this time. Here’s where the intellectual sleight of hand comes in. We entrust our presbyters (elders and ministers) to make these decisions. As they search the scripture they rightly consider the insights of biblical scholars, and particularly when some passages seem pitted against others (a la slavery, divorce, and the roles of women).

In the 1970s, when our church began to revisit teachings on sexual ethics, Bible scholars went to work. Cases were made for and against the proposed revisions. In 2001 Robert Gagnon’s book, The Bible and Homosexual Practice, made a definitive case in favor of the traditional Christian sexual ethic, including clearly reasoned distinctions between this matter and the previously contested areas of slavery, divorce, and the roles of women. And none of the proponents of change have been able to answer him. There have been a few notable efforts (e.g., Jack Rogers’ Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality), but they are notable in part because they have pretended to make the case while totally bypassing many of Gagnon’s key arguments.

Given how the scholarly underpinnings of this debate have worked out, I believe it is intellectually dishonest for the revisionists to claim a biblical basis for their argument. They simply have not made their case. Even so, they have persuaded the church to make these changes – not because of the scripture, but in spite of it.

We have crossed a line. Alas. May the Lord of the church and the scripture have mercy on us all. Tomorrow another reason…

Blessings, Keith

Lessons from the Unitarians

2011-08-17T09:14:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

As I wrote yesterday, I am writing a daily series of blogs on why I believe our larger church has crossed a line toward biblical unfaithfulness in its decision to revise our ordination standards. Here’s the first reason, chosen as first because it also serves as a caveat: this decision destabilizes foundational doctrines of the church, and will, in time, lead to a broader crumbling of those foundational doctrines. Among those foundational doctrines I would include our understanding of God’s grace, the nature of sin, and the meaning of repentance, forgiveness, transformation, and sanctification. This is not simply about sexual ethics. That’s the arena in which we’ve had this debate, but what’s at stake is much, much more. I’ll return to some of these in posts yet to come.

But first an historical example. When the early Unitarians decided that the Congregational Church was wrong about the Trinity, and went their own way in 1825, it resulted in the tearing of many congregations and relationships – painfully so. (Sound familiar?) Here’s the caveat part of the example: those who went with the Unitarians did not immediately become non-Christian. Indeed, many of them showed a greater resemblance to the character of Christ than did many of the Trinitarians who remained in the Congregational Church. They continued in a personal relationship with the Lord, and looked to Jesus as Savior. That sounds Christian to me.

Nonetheless, in setting aside the Trinity, a foundational doctrine inextricably joined to other foundational doctrines, they made a choice that so destabilized their overall Christian teaching that it put them on the course toward what they have now become – something quite apart from Christianity. Check out the Unitarian-Universalist website if you want to see just how far apart.

Some of those affirming the change in our standards are good friends of mine, and some are family. We love each other. I can look at their lives and see that they display the character of Christ much more broadly in their lives than I do. That does not change the fact that they are embarking on a course that will, over time, inevitably lead their congregations quite apart from anything recognizably Christian.

Thankfully, the One who is judge is also our Savior. We all need his mercy. Tomorrow another reason…

Blessings,

Keith

A Line in the Sand

2011-08-16T10:52:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Has a line been crossed? This summer our larger church decided to remove the “fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness” language from our ordination standards. Although it’s complicated to explain the history of our sexual ethics debates and how that impacts ordination, suffice it to say that the effect of removing this language is to open the door to ordination for those sexually active outside of marriage between a man and a woman, be they heterosexual or homosexual. The advocates for this change have been telling us all along that this is no big deal, and that we’ll either learn to like it, or learn to live together with this as just-one-more-difference in the great range of diversity in our church – i.e., no line has been crossed.

Next week there will be a gathering of those who disagree. About 2000 elders and ministers, from hundreds of congregations, will gather in Minneapolis to discuss the change. During August the thermometer in Minneapolis is certainly to be preferred over points south, but not enough to justify the days and dinero necessary to get there. So the five of us going from St. Giles are making this effort for another reason: we do believe a line has been crossed, and we need some partners in trying to discern how God would have us respond.

After the Minneapolis gathering we’ll have a congregational forum to discuss what we learned about emerging options. But for now it’s important to know why we’re going to all this trouble. It’s not as if we couldn’t find many more appealing ministry options for the days and dinero this will take. So it’s well to think through why this is important. I usually try to blog once a week. But for the next few days I’ll blog a reason each day for why I believe a line has been crossed, for however many days that takes.

Pray for the five of us going to Minneapolis. Pray for all 2000. And pray for those who say no line has been crossed. May God’s mercy be apparent for all.

Blessings,

Keith

How One Preacher Does It

2011-08-09T11:21:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

Sometimes people ask how I write sermons and how long it takes. There are some pretty good sermons available on the internet with a few clicks. But over time the Lord has guided me into the following pattern.

Preparation for no sermon in particular: Whenever I read whatever, my mind is asking, “might I someday use this in a sermon?” So I tag interesting stories in Time or Christianity Today, or the book I’m reading. Then I enter these tags with a title and page number in an excel file, so that I can search by theme or scripture passage. My illustration file is now up over 6000 entries. Most of my sermons use one or more of these entries, be they from ten years ago or ten days ago. That’s part of what makes it hard to figure exactly how long a sermon takes.

Preparation for a season of sermons: Mostly I preach series of sermons, lasting anywhere from several weeks to a whole year. This summer we’ve focused on Exodus, and this fall we’ll center on the opening chapters of Revelation. Next year we’ll spend the whole year in the gospel of John. And then there are special days, such as the tenth anniversary of 9-11, which falls on Sunday, for which we’ll focus on Psalm 90. We also give attention to the emphases of the church year – Advent, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.

Preparation for a particular sermon: I begin studying the particular scripture passage a week and a half out, in order to prepare the Marinate guide for small groups and individual study. More study comes during the week of the sermon, including commentaries, theological works, and possible illustrations. Sometimes old sermons on the same passage, though typically not helpful in the particulars, will have a story or image that is useful. Next I brainstorm on paper until an overall idea becomes apparent. Then I write a detailed outline and put it on my iPad to use in the pulpit. On Saturday and early Sunday I read through it multiple times. I can’t really memorize it, but by worship time I have a general idea of where it’s going, and then use my notes as needed.

That description is as long winded as a sermon! Sorry. But that’s how it works, except for one more piece, which you supply. God’s Word has its effect as it is heard. And it is best heard (either through me or in spite of me) as we prepare through praise, confession, and so on during the first part of the service. I’ve preached in lots of churches, and I can tell you that you saints of St. Giles do your part marvelously well. Your eagerness to hear from God covers a whole multitude of preaching sins! Thanks for the partnership.

Blessings,

Keith

With Cigars to Follow

2011-08-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Today as I write I have joined with many here at St. Giles in answering our Session’s call to fast and pray on Tuesdays this month. This call is in response to our denomination’s recent decision to change our ordination practices in ways that both put us on a track toward schism with the global church, and render our church councils as caricatures of biblical leadership. And the call is in anticipation of a Gathering in Minneapolis at the end of August, at which hundreds of leaders from concerned congregations will consider our options. The seriousness of such matters certainly warrants a call to fasting and prayer.

But to what end? Isn’t God going to do what he’s going to do whether we pray or not? No. Sovereign though he is, our prayers count – they actually affect the outcome. And are more pray-ers actually more effective than a few? Though it’s certainly not magic, that’s what the scriptural promises affirm about agreement in prayer. I can cite chapter and verse for those and many other affirmations about prayer. And yet much mystery remains.

Gratefully we can serve God in prayer even with our limited understanding. Indeed our grasp of some aspects of prayer deepens more in practice than analysis. A season of urgent fasting and prayer will deepen our understanding of prayer’s mysteries in ways that theological discussions cannot.

That’s how it works, too, with one of the scriptural metaphors for prayer – travail. By “travail” I mean the old sense – the struggle to birth new life. A woman who has travailed appreciates birthing in ways beyond what birthing classes can teach. Classes and discussions have their place, both in prayer and in birthing. But the deepest understanding comes in the travail.

What new life might God call forth through this season of travail in his church, and in its focused expressions of fasting and prayer? I don’t know. But we can be sure that in God’s good time we’ll be lighting up some celebratory cigars. And it can’t come too soon!

Blessings,

Keith

Active Duty

2011-07-26T09:18:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

Last week I received this letter from James, an elder here whose reserve unit got called to active duty in Afghanistan. James had already been to Iraq twice, and had hoped that he would not be called up again. But so he has, and he is counting this not just as a call from Uncle Sam, but from the Lord. So he is plying his physician talents, but also seeking every opportunity to minister in the name of Christ.

I found his letter so inspiring that I asked him if I could share it, and he said yes. So here it is.

***************

Dear Keith,

It has been a month since leaving home for Afghanistan. It is no use to bore you with news about being homesick and missing Dodie and family. That goes with the turf.

I work in the outpatient clinic here at Bagram Air Field in Northeast Afghanistan. The command has not assigned me to the ER; neither do I expect them to. This is a very nice one-story concrete hospital building (in Iraq we had doublewide trailers) with an excellent staff.

The sadness is the horrific injuries brought to the hospital by helicopter. The military’s strategy is obvious. They try to serve the Afghan people by consistently showing up and trying to build goodwill with the people. This strategy makes our troops very vulnerable to ambushes, IED’s and land mines. Please pray for President Obama and our leadership to have wisdom on how to handle this war.

I had a young Air Force woman (36 yrs/old) that I was out-processing today for return to her home station. As I listened to her story about going home and planning to run a marathon in Alaska, I discovered she was a nurse on a FAST team (forward advanced surgical team). Then my focus changed because I knew she had been in some heart breaking situations. We get their patients in our ER after they do the initial stabilization surgery down range. All I could think was, ‘she is just like our daughters’. I started to communicate with her about being aware of how hard her tour must have been, and the tears began to flow. She reduced me to tears as well. All you could do is just hold her and let her sob. This war has not made her heart hard because she already knew the Christ who can bring hope out of despair, light out of darkness and life out of death.

Last night I accompanied a group from this hospital and stood outside a cargo plane as 100 troops loaded a coffin on a plane for home. The Chaplain talked about Psalm 23 and 24, and then everyone walked on the plane in groups of five, saluted the coffin, then knelt beside it and had a moment to pray for the family back home. Life is far bigger and harder than I can handle. He who holds the Universe together by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3) is gentle enough to hold the broken hearts too and bring healing.

On being here, when I consider home, I feel an urgency to take the influence of Christ from within our churches out into our communities and city. We need to utilize the opportunities that we have in America to love and serve the poor and the broken. If we do not intervene with God’s love, then the farther a culture gets away from the influence of Christ, then the uglier it gets. Selfishness only does damage. It seems worldwide that if a culture is not influenced by Jesus Christ, then fear is used to control and power is used to oppress. Let us not waste our lives on ourselves.

Because war strips the veneer off and so many of these soldiers hearts are wide open, probably 6-8 times a day I am communicating with soldiers about their fears, their relationship wounds, or their hopes in life. I get to talk to army rangers, jet pilots, infantry and support staff and the truths of the Gospel are mesmerizing. One of my favorite statements to build from is, “American Christianity has dumbed-down God. Most define Christianity in terms of behavior modification. Most of us try to put God in a box with formulas so we can control Him and then get what we want. If He really made the Universe, can we control Him? Either Jesus is who He says He is or He is schizophrenic. The doorway to intimacy with the God of the Universe is through a relationship built on trust”. Because they live in a military culture, they understand trust. Please pray as these soldiers let me into their hearts, that I plant the truths of Christ such that they follow Him. I pray for grace to care more about their souls rather than to impress them.

John writes in 1^st John, “God is light and in him is no darkness at all”. Let us live in this truth. Jesus bless you, James

***************

Afghanistan seems very far away. But we all have our call to active duty, and frequently with assignments to places we would not have chosen. It’s no more random for us than it is for James. So let’s be in prayer for him, and for our own eyes to recognize the ministry possibilities God has opened for us on active duty.

Blessings,

Keith

Whacking Away

2011-07-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

One more whack at how we use time. Last week I wrote about getting a handle on how we use our time. This week’s focus is on deciding where to trim.

For most of us the problem is not just in eliminating all of the evil and worthless things we do. Even after shop lifting, drunken brawls, and drug dealing are crossed off our to do lists, we still have too much to do! And I mean too many good things – which is not a good thing.

So how do we decide which good things to prune from the schedule vine? As any good gardener knows, some of what must be pruned is living, and that smarts. But there are smart ways to prune.

Here’s a tool for pruning your schedule. List all of your repeated activities. By “all” I mean everything, such as: watch the news, mow the lawn, teach Sunday School, go to work, read the children a bedtime story, meet monthly for lunch with the book club (with the attendant book reading), meet with my small group, etc.

Then go down that long list of activities (you’ll have visual evidence of why life feels so busy), and mark next to each one the letters C,B, or E. C is for committed, B is for burden, and E is for enjoy. You will have two letters next to many, and maybe even three.

The activities with just a B are prime candidates for pruning. When I see B’s on my list I wonder, “Why am I still doing this?!” Most of these activities can be eliminated.

The problem is that eliminating only the B’s is usually not enough. The more painful choices come with pruning back C’s and E’s. But even some of those must be pruned for the vine of our schedule to bear fully. And as with any vine, it needs to happen regularly – say once a year.

You may have a better spin on how to do this. Gardeners do well to share their discoveries. So let us know. And may the fruit abound!

Whacking away,

Keith

Where Does the Time Go?

2011-07-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

More thoughts on last week’s blog pursuit: being busy with what matters most as servants of Jesus… Wanting to be busy with what matters most, and actually living in a way that makes this possible, are not the same thing.

That’s how it works with money too. We want to use this finite resource wisely. Yet it’s amazing how few people actually have a plan to make that desire practical – i.e., a budget. Some folks think budgeting is fun. I worry about them! But fun or not, it’s a simple tool to bring sanity and purpose to one’s financial life.

Back to time. Time can also be budgeted. Of course if you’re going to budget time, you have to have some sense of how you’re using your time. Two tricks for that have been helpful to me.

The first is to spend a month keeping track of how you use time. Do you have any idea of how much time you actually spend in a week watching TV, or surfing the internet, or working, or doing ordinary chores, or exercising, or studying scripture and praying, or conversing with your family, or sleeping, or serving others? For almost all of us, the answer is “No.” Not no, we don’t do all of that and more, but no, we don’t have any real idea of how we apportion our time and energy. We spend less time than we would guess on some pursuits, and more than we would guess on others.

Why guess? Set aside a month to keep track of how you’re using your time. Create a chart with your major activities (you’ll have to add some as you go), and then every 2 or 3 hours, stop and jot down what you’ve been doing in 10 or 15 minute segments – before you forget. Then add it up at the end of the day. Then add the categories up at the end of the week. And since weeks vary, do this for a month and get an average for how you’re using your time.

Then look at what you’ve learned. Is this how you want to use your finite amount of time? If you want to be busy with what matters most to you as a servant of Jesus, are these time choices furthering or frustrating that ambition? What needs to be trimmed? Dropped? Expanded? Added?

These are hard choices. But until you know how you’re using your time, you’re not really choosing to be busy with what matters most. You’re simply busy.

Next week I’ll write about the other trick, which helps with discerning which of your activities is really about what matters most.

Blessings,

Keith

Busy is as Busy Does (and Doesn't)

2011-06-28T10:51:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

I’ve just finished Eugene Peterson’s memoir on being a pastor. It’s wonderful. I commend it, and not just for pastors. It offers much wisdom for growth as a disciple in company with other disciples – i.e., the church.

In it Peterson touches upon one of his favorite themes, namely how pastors (and others) are too busy. For years I have felt guilty about being too busy. But I’ve given up on that – not on being busy, but on feeling guilty! I’m taking Peterson’s exhortation to heart, but I’m reframing it. I don’t want to give up being busy with what matters, just on what doesn’t matter. As for what matters most, I want to pursue that intensely for as long as I can. And I’m happiest when I’m doing so.

Actually, it’s a bit more complex than that. Unlike God, we live with finite time and energy, which means that we can’t pursue everything that matters. Thus we must pursue the part of what matters that God gives to us for this season of life. Getting specific about our part in what matters is what makes busyness faithful.

That and having busyness paired with “unbusyness.” For along with a calling to be about what matters, the Lord has given us another calling, the Sabbath – a day apart from busyness. The Lord sets the pattern himself. He creates the universe in six days (how’s that for busy?!), and then takes a day to be unbusy – to go slow and enjoy what he has made (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3). Then he tells us to do the same, as one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11).

It looks to me like God was pretty busy for a while there. Read on, and you’ll find that he has stayed busy guiding the universe he made, along with the jillions of people made in his own busy image. But he pairs that busyness with unbusyness, as a pattern for joyful living. The unbusy day stands as a shield against the megalomania that comes with being all-busy all the time. It’s easy to get an inflated sense of one’s importance in the Kingdom, especially if our busy pursuit of what matters is not punctuated by God-designed and God-modeled Sabbath unbusyness.

There’s more to be said about how we can be busy with the portion of what matters that God has specifically given to us. But that will wait until next week’s blog… I’m too busy with several other pursuits to take that on right now!

Blessings,

Keith

Vibrant

2011-06-21T07:30:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Brennan Manning tells about a note found in the office of a young pastor in Zimbabwe soon after his martyrdom for his faith in Jesus. He had written:

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made—I’m a disciple of his. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions are few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me...my banner will be clear!

The old saying is that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. If so, the blood of such martyrs will produce a vibrant strain indeed!

May it be that we would find the Spirit moving in us such a vibrant fashion! May we, too, be “part of the fellowship of the unashamed,” living the joyful adventure of service to Jesus with an abandon that reflects his own.

Blessings,

Keith

The Maker of Great Moments

2011-06-13T07:52:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

The greatest moments of my life have taken place in worship. A lot of honorable mentions occurred in other contexts: family vacation at the lake; graduations; the fellowship of small groups. But far and away the best moments are eight which took place in worship: when I exchanged marriage vows with my dear Sarah, the baptisms and weddings of our three daughters, and recently the baptism of our grandson, Hilton.

I both anticipated and enjoyed each of those moments greatly. Oddly enough, the moments have not faded into nostalgia. Rather, with the passage of time, their meaning has grown. For it is only with time that the meaning of a marriage or a baptism comes to full flower. And the buds are still opening.

Over the years framed reminders of those great moments appeared in our family room – a wedding, followed by baptisms, followed by weddings, and now again baptisms. Cherished pictures of vacations and graduations may prompt nostalgia, but reminders of weddings and baptisms are the ones that prompt awe: "See what God has done!"

My appreciation of those moments is dependent in part upon a moment I can't remember myself. But I've been told. And I've seen a picture of a fat cheeked baby boy on his way to the First Presbyterian Church of Baird, Texas, for his own baptism. Even before my memory took hold, God was reaching out to me in love. So, too, the bud that sprang forth that day is still coming to full flower.

Many are the memories of human making. But the greatest moments of life are the work of God. And he's still working.

With you!

Keith

God's Birthday Gifts

2011-06-07T10:42:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Today I’m completing year 56. Here are my random observations as I try to gather enough breath to blow out a forest of candles…

Fifty-six sounds old to me. I don’t feel that old. I also don’t feel mature enough to be that old. I would have thought that by now I would be bearing the fruit of the Spirit more abundantly, and that I would struggle less with the works of the flesh (see Galatians 5:19-23). So I’m most grateful that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning – even after a bunch of mornings!

On the other hand, I do feel that old – at least physically. For the first time in my life I get winded by climbing stairs fast. And with a changing metabolism I am also discovering what my heavy friends meant by not being able to lose weight. I’ve always thought that they just didn’t try hard enough. I’m starting to understand. So the fantasies of forever young are fading – another of God’s gifts, since fantasies don’t serve well for long.

As those fantasies fade I’m also all the more amazed at God’s persistence with me. Even after decades of mixed results working with me, he has not diminished his expectations. He still intends to reshape me to be more like Jesus. And that’s no fantasy (see Ephesians 4:13-15). What a gift!

Such growth, while tailored to who I am, is not private. It comes only in partnership with others whom the Lord is forming. I count you, my partners in Christ, as the best of God’s many birthday gifts. Thanks for being you.

Blessings,

Keith

Knowing Your Place

2011-05-31T09:15:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

“Where’re you from?” I felt like I needed an answer, and “Texas” was as close as I could get. But it wasn’t true. My parents were from Texas. I didn’t know where I was from. The only place we had was where Boeing assigned my dad, and that turned out to be plural, not singular. I was not alone in that. Most of my peers in the suburbs were like me – they had wheels, not roots.

“Where’re you from?” Now I answer, “Richmond, Virginia.” I’ve never felt so quickly at home anywhere I’ve ever lived. Even after being here four years, there is still a delight for me in being here. Maybe at the ripe old age of 55, a fellow who learned young how to roll, is finally learning how to root.

Both skills are useful in life, for God directs us toward each at various times. The scripture recounts multiple occasions of each for our instruction. For example, God rooted his long-transient people in a land of their own. And Jesus uprooted his disciples, who left their nets to follow the one who had no place to lay his head.

It’s well to ponder such stories, for over the course of our lives we have multiple occasions for both rolling and rooting. These play out geographically, vocationally, relationally, congregationally, etc. For most of us one or the other tends to be more familiar, more comfortable. But God works in both ways, and is with us in both modes. And finally, even in this life, we begin to learn what we will fully know in the Kingdom, that our place is with him.

Blessings,

Keith

Fixing Our Wanters

2011-05-24T07:41:00.001-04:00

An Inkling

The scripture says it many ways, but this one is particularly lovely: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). On first reading we take that to mean that God gives us what our hearts desire. But there’s another way to read it – that God transforms what our hearts desire. Not only does he give us what our hearts desire, he gives us new desires for our hearts! In other words, he fixes our “wanters.”

Most of the time people do what they want to do. Occasionally people will discipline themselves to do what they should do even if they don’t want to do it. But that usually doesn’t last very long. Witness the shelf life of New Year’s resolutions. It’s when we really want to do something that we find a way to do it, and we keep at it.

I was reminded of this last week on our Kazakhstan trip. One of our team members, Tim, went because he really wanted to go. And he had to want to go strongly, for there were dozens of reasons not to go – e.g., it cost a lot of time (half of his annual vacation), it cost a lot of money, it took him apart from his wife and two teenagers, and the trip came at a pressure-packed time in his banking job. But Tim went. People do what they want to do. And what Tim really wanted to do was lovely indeed – to see and to bless the two children that he and his family sponsor.

We can tell people what they ought to do, and occasionally they will do it. This was the Pharisees’ approach, and they were perplexed that their directives didn’t work better. (Actually the “ought to do it” approach didn’t work so well in their own lives either, despite their careful efforts to project the image.)

Jesus took a different approach, the Psalm 37:4 approach. He wanted the delight of our relationship with the Lord to reform our desires – to fix our “wanter.” And so he described our new life in him with images like this: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44). The man doesn’t see it as a burden to sell it all so that he can acquire the treasure; rather he joyfully does, despite the cost! People do what they want to do, and so Jesus strategically shapes what we want to do, wedding freedom and obedience in a union of great joy.

May it be that our delight in the Lord would give him full access to our “wanters.” They need fixing! Upon repair, those wanters put us to doing some amazing things, some Jesus things – and we’ll not let anything stop us.

Imagine that!

Keith

Adorned by Love

2011-05-16T20:41:00.003-04:00

An Inkling

I am writing this week from Kazakhstan. Do you know where that is? I know I didn’t, until I came to St. Giles and learned about our partnership with an interchurch group that enables us to join in blessing orphans ten time zones to the east. I first came here in 2008, and am most grateful to be able to come again.

Many of the state’s orphan care efforts are admirable. But even where it works as well as possible, there is a huge love deficit. That’s where we come in. We just show up and love the kids. They show us their rooms, what they’ve made in school, and their pictures of family – if they have family. I’m not particularly gifted in working with children. But this takes no great gifting – just a willingness to show up and love.

That love has found a particular focus for me this week in Anastasia. She is the little girl that Sarah and I have begun to sponsor through Interlink. She’s eight years old, and has been in the orphanage for most of her life. She’s not an orphan in the classic sense. Her parents are living, but they have yielded her and her brother to the orphanage, due to their inability to care for them. If anything, that’s a sadder legacy than having no parents at all.

Anastasia is like the other kids, hungry for love, and for someone to be especially focused on her. That’s been my job this week. My tear ducts have gotten a good workout in the process, and especially so the second day I saw her. I had brought her a box of brightly colored ponytail holders that Sarah found for her as a gift. We weren’t certain what she would like. But all doubt was removed when I saw her on that second day, with all of the ponytail holders in her hair at once – as you can see in the picture.

I lost it. Just seeing her with every color in her hair at once – her proud effort to receive this simple gift fully – was as beautiful a sight as I’ve ever seen. May it be that we would receive the full rainbow array of adornments given by the One who has not left us as orphans (John 14:18). In his love he would make us beautiful. And my guess is that our eagerness to sport his adornments might well bring tears to his eyes.

Of course in my case I trust he has something other than ponytail holders… Ha!

Blessings,

Keith
P.S. – My friend, Tim Brown, who is on the trip too, saw my blog post and made this youtube video to fill out the picture a bit. Thanks Tim!

In the Blacksmith's Shop

2011-05-09T09:27:00.002-04:00

An Inkling

One value of conflict is that it makes us think through why we believe what we believe. Unchallenged beliefs can remain vague and confused. Not so beliefs that are challenged. As they say, “Iron sharpens iron.” We find ourselves in the blacksmith’s shop courtesy of a biblically unfaithful choice made by our denomination this week.

Here’s the short of it. Last summer the General Assembly (our national governing body) voted to remove from our church constitution the requirement that ministers and elders must live in fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness. The proposal then went to the 173 presbyteries around the country for their consideration. Three times in the last ten years we have defeated similar proposals in the presbyteries. But this time it passed, with the majority gained this week.

Knowing that this biblically unfaithful proposal would likely gain a majority vote sometime in May, our Session has begun to talk about how we will respond. The Session’s letter to you can be found on our church website (see the link just below). In the coming months the Session will enable us as a congregation to discern God’s guidance. There will be several options for faithful response, and we will be seeking the one to which God is guiding us.

In the process the iron of our beliefs will be sharpened about such basic matters as:

· Sexual ethics – what does the Bible teach? Considering the ferment in our society about sexual ethics, it’s well to have clarity.

· Biblical authority – why should we care what the Bible says about sexual ethics?

· The nature of God’s grace – is God’s grace a love and acceptance that prompts transformation, or is it simply an unconditional positive regard?

· Our relationship with the historic and global church (beyond our denomination) – what does it mean that this action divides us from the historic position of the church, and from almost all of our global partners?

· The nature of the church – yes, we’re one in Christ, but how much diversity of belief can a church handle without making itself crazy? Whatever that threshold is, it looks like we’ve passed it.

· Etc, etc, etc. These are just some of the basic matters that we’ll be addressing as we seek God’s guidance.

I don’t know what all God is going to do through this. But I know the blacksmith shop in which we find ourselves belongs to him. And I know that we’ll be sharpened for more effective service. That’s to the good.

Blessings,

Keith

Reporting From Japan

2011-05-03T17:24:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

How was the trip? The short answer is, “very good.” Sarah and I had never been to the Far East, and so when our daughter, Dorothy, and her new husband, Brandon, landed there courtesy of his Navy Chaplain duties, we decided to make the big journey.

It has been a wealth of new sights. As I write this on my way home, I’m still processing it all. Here is some of what I observed (along with a few pictures):

It was fun to see Dorothy and Brandon’s new life together. Family traits and values show, but they show differently in a new setting and season. The greatest joy of the trip by far was seeing how they are serving the Lord in such a different place.

We visited lots of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. I was fascinated by the various facets of these faiths, as adherents seek to make sense of life and its limits. I prayed for those we saw burning incense and bowing to various idols, that they might come to know the One who sent his Son for us.

At one of the shrines we saw a hillside of baby Buddhas. We were told that they place such images to remember lost babies, some of which are by miscarriage, and most of which are by abortion. It was one of the saddest sights I’ve ever seen. Abortion is a scourge in their land, as in our own. May all such heartsick moms meet the One who alone can heal the heart. And may both their land and ours be delivered of this scourge.

We saw lots of young Japanese people wearing shirts and jeans with English phrases emblazoned on them. Most of them were either misspelled or entirely nonsensical. Apparently English is fashionable in appearance, and the sense of it is irrelevant. I didn’t know what to make of that. I’m eager to be back where English at least makes some sense!

And I’m eager to be back with the St. Giles family! You’re the biggest part of why “there’s no place like home.”

Homeward bound,

Keith

Confirmed

2011-04-19T09:27:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

It doesn’t get any better for the Elders of our church than this: we were gathered to hear Rachel, Geoffrey, and Matt tell about their faith in Jesus. Dwight Hedges, our Director of Student Ministries, had been meeting with them for ten weeks, and they were more than ready – even if a bit nervous.

Here are some of the questions they answered:

§ If Jesus Christ has shown us what God is like, then what do you know about God from having observed Jesus?

§ Can you affirm that you are ready to follow Jesus, and that you consider him as your Savior and Lord?

§ What people or events have led you to trust Jesus?

§ What does the word “Trinity” mean?

§ What are some meanings of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper?

§ What are the missions of the church? What part of the mission appeals to you?

The zeal and understanding with which they answered truly blessed the Elders. Now they’ll complete their profession of faith during worship this Sunday.

What qualifies them to do so? The right answers to the questions? No. They are no more qualified to be a follower of Jesus now than they were five years ago, when defining the Trinity would have been a stretch. They’ve not been qualified; they’ve been confirmed. Thus our term for this process: confirmation.

They have a role in this. They have studied so that they can profess their faith with understanding. So they are confirming their faith.

But more importantly, they are being confirmed by the One who has used all manner of things to form them in Christ: from the vows their parents spoke at their baptisms, to a thousand family prayers, to scores of Sunday School classes and student ministry outings. Having been confirmed, they are now ready to stand in worship this Sunday and confirm what they believe.

Then, with the rest of us, they’ll get to confirm that belief by the ways they live. And it only adds to the joy that we get to do so together. God’s goodness has been yet again…

Confirmed!

Keith

A Week that Rubs Off on Us

2011-04-12T08:20:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

We call it “Holy Week.” But that doesn’t mean that it’s made of silver or gives off mysterious smoke. In the scripture the word “holy” first describes God, and the quality of his being that sets him apart from the ordinary. God is holy, and through Jesus we are welcomed into his holy presence, and are even made holy ourselves.

What is Holy Week? Its celebration goes back at least to fourth century Jerusalem. It’s no surprise that the saints there, with the places of the passion all around, would come to celebrate the events leading to Jesus’ resurrection. The custom soon spread, and so Holy Week has been celebrated ever since.

So how is a week holy? The simple answer is that it is not. It’s no different than any other week, in that we celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection every week. Yet the church discovered that our every week celebration is enhanced by a special week with a singular focus on the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. For in that week the holiness of God was most clearly revealed. Thus its celebration is called “Holy Week.”

Holy Week begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday. We’ll celebrate the Lord’s glorious entry into Jerusalem and his reign in our lives. Then comes Maundy Thursday. “Maundy” is from the Latin word mandatum (mandate), recalling that Jesus mandated his remembrance in bread and cup. Our service is at 7:00 p.m. On Good Friday we will gather at noon for a service that focuses upon the cross. Then on Easter, we’ll have a grand resurrection celebration at each of our worship services.

What are you doing for Holy Week? How about following a centuries old tradition by gathering with other Christians to worship the One who is wholly holy. Part of the good news is that it (God’s holiness) does rub off, making for…

Holy Presbyterians!

Keith

Sloganeering

2011-04-05T08:11:00.002-04:00

An Inkling

How do we describe ourselves? At St. Giles we describe ourselves via website, mission statement, E-News, and signs. Each has its purpose.

Now we also have a slogan. A slogan has to be short and catchy – short enough to fit on a sign or a website banner, and hopefully catchy enough to be memorable without being trivial. We wanted something that captured our essence as a church.

The Session has been seeking a slogan for months, and now we believe we have it: Christ for All – All for Christ. That’s not a play on the Three Musketeers’ slogan. It’s who we are in brief. Here’s what we mean:

Christ…

· The One God sent for the salvation of the world is Jesus Christ. He is the beginning and end of what God is doing in the world, and in our lives.

· Not Christ reduced to convenient size, but Christ in all his fullness and scandal, Christ in his radical claim to be God’s unique provision for salvation, and in his equally radical outreach to all, Christ the Lord of each life and all creation.

… for All…

· We respect all people and religions, but we humbly take up Christ’s own radical claim to be uniquely the Savior and Lord of the world.

· We seek to love as Christ loved, reaching across all divides, be they personal, global, or something in between.

… All…

· Through his love Jesus Christ has captured us: heart, soul, mind, and strength!

· We intend to live under his lordship, and to practice the spiritual disciplines that foster this intention.

· Those disciplines include worship, study, prayer, solitude, silence, service, fasting, simplicity, and fellowship. Through such disciplines God advances his reign in our lives.

… for Christ.

· Finally a purpose big enough to live for! All we have, are, and do is for Jesus Christ – not Christ as we imagine him, but as he is portrayed in the scripture, and described in our creeds.

· Thus we decide how to use our time, energy, and money by no lesser standard than this: is it ultimately for Christ and his Kingdom?

How’s that for bold? We’re not there yet, but we’re on our way – with Jesus! What a privilege!

Blessings,

Keith

As It Is Not Written

2011-03-30T07:51:00.000-04:00

An Inkling

Lent always brings a spate of passion plays. Have you seen one? They can be both enjoyable and inspiring.

But I feel for the folks who portray Jesus. No matter how able they are, few in the audience are satisfied with their interpretations of Jesus. He’s always too wimpy, too spacey, too stiff, or too something. It’s odd that we’d be so picky, since we have no description whatsoever of Jesus’ appearance. In the early centuries of the church, artists depicted Jesus every which way. It was several centuries into the church’s life before the standard artist’s conception that you’re thinking about emerged.

Why do the gospels not tell how Jesus looked? Maybe for the same reason they don’t tell us what happened with him between the ages of twelve and thirty. Nor do they give us much detail about his suffering on the cross. (Can you imagine how cable news would have covered the crucifixion?!) Nor do the gospels describe exactly what sort of body Jesus had after his resurrection, a body which could be touched, but which could appear and disappear. What a long list of questions we could make about Jesus!

The story is told of John Calvin that he was once asked what God was doing before he made the earth. Calvin’s reply was, “Making hell for people who ask questions like that!” That was Calvin’s not so subtle way of saying that God tells us as much as we need to know to follow him, but not all we would like to know. The serpent’s temptation to Eve and Adam was to seek to know all they would like to know (Gen 2:17, 3:4-5).

We’ll have to trust the portrayal of Jesus to the artists’ conception. Let’s go with what we’ve got in the gospels: a risen Savior and the faith he gives us. That’s more than enough!

Blessings,

Keith