The Costly Way of Christ

I had the privilege of attending the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America this past week. For those not familiar, the General Synod is the highest assembly in the RCA denomination. It is an annual meeting where deep theological and pastoral discussion and decision-making happens. It is an intense week of large group meetings, small group meetings, worship, reflection, and prayer. I got to participate by way of the Seminarian Seminar which is a program designed to walk us through the 'church governance' process. Our group arrived a day and a half early to read and discuss the entire 545 page workbook, our denomination's polity (government), and some basics of parliamentary procedure.

The agenda for the week was set to address some really important topics including homosexuality, women's ordination, our partnerships with other denominations (ecumenism), and our denomination's priorities for the future. Needless to say, the dialogue was complex, requiring much patience, humility, and love. These are a few of the things that the Holy Spirit continues to impress upon me as I return home and continue in ministry.

As I continue to reflect on the General Synod experience -- the breadth and depth of energy and engagement that it required of all of us, and the breadth and depth of emotion that it continues to evoke in my soul -- I find that I am filled with both joy and sorrow, both disappointment and hope. And I'm discovering that both are necessary and even good. It is the both that reminds us that the work God has called us to is difficult and sometimes painful. This work calls us to the arduous pursuit of unity, humility, and servanthood. It demands a laser-like focus on Christ, that we might gain a broader vision of the Gospel. It requires utter reliance on the Holy Spirit. It insists that we acknowledge and honor the commitment to faithfulness in our co-laborers. And it calls us, above all, to truly sacrificial love. This is the costly way of following Christ. The joys and sorrows, the disappointments and hopes both strengthen and unite us for the journey and remind us as they reminded the Apostle Paul that the journey is not complete...we have not yet arrived. And so we press on, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3). I look forward to the blessings and the challenges of many years of ministry to come. And I continue to pray for the Church, that we, as the body of Christ might live lives worthy of our calling...bearing witness to the reign of God in our humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, and unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4).

Getting Engaged

Before everyone goes all crazy...this post is NOT about getting engaged to get married...but it did get your attention, right? I'm attending the National Worship Leader Conference in Leawood, KS this week and I heard a fantastic message from Scotty Smith on the very familiar prodigal son story from Luke 15. Now, I have heard more sermons on this text than I can count, but tonight I heard something so fresh and challenging. I was reminded how easily we are lured away from just abiding in God as we get wrapped up in "doing ministry." Over time, we too become prodigals as we gradually hand over our allegiance and affection to the things that don't really satisfy and as we allow the things of this world to take the place of God on the throne! Even things that we love and things that we believe we are doing for God can become idols...and soon we are worshiping music instead of worshiping the God of melody who gave us the voice to sing. We can go through the motions of "being a Christian" without actually engaging with God. We can go to church every Sunday and not actually engage with God. How easy it is, particularly for those of us working in ministry, to simply disengage and go on auto pilot. But if we listen carefully, we can hear a whisper that beckons us home. And if we're willing...if we pick ourselves up and trudge back up the road that led us down to the pigpen we sometimes find ourselves in...we will find our Abba, our Father God in a full-out run to meet us. As Scotty said, He'll be the first one on the dance floor, ready to get the party started. This is our God...who relentlessly pursues us and longs for us to live in fullness and abundance and rejoices when we are satisfied in Him alone. "Taste and see, taste and see that He is good. Blessed are they who run to Him for He is good. And He's worthy of our praise, He is worthy of our praise, here to fill our hungry souls, taste and see. Full of mercy, full of power, full of blessings, full of grace, full of praise and full of hope is our God the Holy One. Here to speak His words of life and surround us with His love, here with healing in His wings, taste and see oh taste and see. He's worthy of our lives, he is worthy of our songs, here to fill our hungry souls...taste and see" ... lyrics by Tommy Walker. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him" ~ Psalm 34:8

Every Season

Over the past several days, I have found myself reflecting on how God brings change and growth in our lives just as he brings change and growth to nature. Some seasons are filled with the flourishing and colorful change of autumn, some seasons are filled with the barrenness and death of winter, some seasons are filled with the rebirth and blossoming of spring and some seasons are filled with the radiant open sky of summer...every season serves a particular purpose, helping to form and shape us more and more into the image of Christ. I find such beauty and hope in this seasonal pattern of life...to know that I am a work in progress and God is not finished with me yet. There are good times and hard times, but they are not forever. No matter what kind of forecast we have for this particular season, we can find rest in our God who is relentless in his grace and mercy and provision. 

One of my favorite songs is called Every Season, by Nichole Nordeman...


"Every evening sky, an invitation to trace the patterned stars. And early in July a celebration for freedom that is ours. And I notice You in children's games, in those who watch them from the shade. Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder...You are summer. And even when the trees have just surrendered to the harvest time forfeiting their leaves in late September and sending us inside. Still I notice You when change begins and I am braced for colder winds. I will offer thanks for what has been and what's to come...You are autumn. And everything in time and under heaven, finally falls asleep. Wrapped in blankets white, all creation shivers underneath. And still I notice You when branches crack and in my breath on frosted glass. Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter...You are winter. And everything that's new has bravely surfaced, teaching us to breathe. What was frozen through is newly purposed, turning all things green. So it is with You and how You make me new with every season's change. And so it will be as You are recreating me...summer, autumn, winter, spring."  


Thank you God for this summer season, for rest from an intense academic work-load, for the simple joys of life like eating ice cream with friends, walking barefoot in the grass, giggles and smiles and kisses and hugs from the people i love, reading a book for fun, thunderstorms and warm rain and more beauty and blessings than I deserve...You are so good, faithful, loving and kind...in every season!

Healing in Lent

Lenten Healing Tree

During Lent, my pastor is preaching on John 14...Setting Troubled Hearts at Rest...each week during worship, our church family has the opportunity to surrender something that is troubling their heart, to lift up the troubles of loved ones, the troubles in the community or the troubles in the world...these troubles are written on leaves. As our journey through Lent brings us closer to Easter, the tree is gradually blooming with dangling leaves. As I was hanging the leaves tonight, I was struck by a certain paradox. These construction paper leaves are wispy like a warm summer breeze and yet they contain the weightiness of our collective hopes, disappointments, sorrows, fears, uncertainties, losses, failures, and brokenness. I was also struck by the honesty and openness that people have in sharing their burdens...anonymously. Reading these leaves was an important reminder for me about the heavy loads that each of us carry and how often we carry them alone, afraid to let down our guard, to show that we struggle, to admit that we might not have it all together after all. So in addition to being a place of healing, maybe this tree can also be a place of growing...of re-learning how to bear one another up, to walk with one another in our struggles, to honor and care for one another. The Apostle Paul writes, "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer...rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:9-15).

Community - A Shared Rhythm

I recently attended the Calvin Worship Symposium in Grand Rapids, and thought I would share one of the worship experiences I had there. It was a surprising and moving time of worship that I am not likely to forget.

I attended a seminar entitled, "Drum Circle Worship" led by Eric Nykamp. There were no other details listed with the seminar title, so I wasn't really sure what to expect...but it sounded somewhat musical in nature, so I decided to check it out! Plus, I have an ongoing joke with one of the drummers at my church (who is phenomenally talented) that I really need to learn 'drum-speak'! So, I thought I might learn a little 'drum-speak' at this seminar. I arrived a little early and found myself in a large room that had rows of chairs arranged in a circle with a fairly large space in the middle. It was reminiscent of sitting around a campfire. The room quickly filled up with other curious worshipers and more chairs had to be added to the circle. There were people of various races and traditions with ages ranging from high school students to elderly folk.

As the seminar began, everyone was given some sort of instrument (drums, tambourines, maracas, shakers, guiros, etc) to play. The seminar instructor, who referred to himself as the "circle facilitator" gave us some instructions. He showed us several motions that he would use to guide our worship time...motions that encouraged us to play loudly, motions that quieted us, and an emphatic motion to stop playing altogether. He asked for 3 volunteers (who had some drumming experience) to 'keep the beat' with big African bass drums.
With these preliminary and very helpful instructions, worship began...and words were not spoken again until the seminar ended about 60 minutes later. The circle facilitator tapped out a beat on his hand drum for the 3 volunteers playing the bass drums to echo. He then turned to other sections of the circle and gave them specific rhythmic patterns to play. Once all of the worshipers had joined in, he lifted his arms toward the sky and the room crescendoed with pulsating praise. After awhile, the facilitator signalled for our attention using only motions, encouraging us to watch him carefully. He gradually changed tempo and rhythm, building again into a chorus of embodied exaltation. As this new rhythmic pattern took hold of the room, he went to one section and had them shout "Hallelujah" in rhythm with the drumming. He then signaled the whole room again, prompting us to play slower and quieter, slower and quieter, s l o w e r   a n d   q u i e t e r until we were barely tapping on our drums. In this suprisingly deafening quiet, as we maintained this gentle rhythm, we sang the simple chorus "Alleluia". After this, the facilitator again built the tempo and volume. He then came over to the section where I was seated and handed each woman seated there a long, colorful scarf. He then motioned for us to stand and follow him to the center of the circle. He led us in a beautiful dance while the rest of the room continued drumming. He then let us continue with the dance on our own and exhorted one section of the room to call out a shout of praise and for the other side of the room to respond. The facilitator used his whole body, jumping into the air and crashing to the floor, his stomps leading us in a grand and glorious finale.

Words cannot begin to describe the embodied experience, can they? When I try to think of descriptive words for these moments of worship, a few that come to mind are: visceral, guttural, earthy, physical, and rooted. Yet, these words seem somehow inadequate. I have never felt so strongly connected within a community of worshipers as I did that day...each of us offering something unique and creative, yet held together within shared rhythm...if that isn't a profound picture of community within the body of Christ, I'm not sure what is!

Here Goes...

Well, it's official! I have finally given in and decided to join the blogging world! I guess it is considered an 'in' thing to blog and tweet and such...I just haven't understood the appeal. However, over the last few months, I have had the pleasure of reading the blogs of new friends and colleagues from my seminary community and I have been richly blessed as a result. While these types of electronic communication can be used in destructive ways, they can also be used in healthy and edifying ways. Yes, this is a new means of testifying to the move of God in our lives...bearing witness to the Gospel in the community and in the world. 

So, I join in the chorus...the voice of the Church gone viral and global! I join, not because I believe I have anything extraordinary to say, but because I know that God can use ordinary people like me and you to speak truth, love, peace, forgiveness, inspiration, encouragement, and healing into the lives of people...I know because he has used some of you to do just that for me!

So, here goes...