First Communion: A Christmas Poem
It has been a long time since I have written any poetry so I must first make the disclaimer that this might be pretty bad. Never the less, Bonnie and I are hosting Expressions Christmas gathering tonight and I thought for my part I would attempt a poem before celebrating communion. So I suppose without further ado:
First Communion came in a still dark night,
the angel Gabriel appeared and gave Mary a fright.
He spoke “Peace be with you” as the moon light glistened,
and Mary sat at rest and quietly listened.
“You are in God’s favor and shall bear a child,”
“his faith will be as a rock and the religious leaders he will rile.”
“His Kingdom will be great and he shall be called the son of the most high.”
Mary’s heart leaped in the Spirit while she let out a long sigh.
“You will call him Jesus, Emmanuel, for God is with us.”
And at these words Mary became troubled and began to fuss.
“How can this be that a child I will bear?”
“For I am not yet married and the whole town will see this as unfair!”
“The Holy Spirit will be upon you in righteous communion,”
“and through birth he will bring God and man to a great reunion!”
“Every knee shall bow, every heart shall repent,”
“He is Lord! The Son of God who was Missionally sent!”
So Mary bowed her head while saying, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord,”
And after a small quiet pause, “let it be to me within his accord.”
So it is with all who would follow as servants in Spiritual communion,
that we would lift body and cup in remembrance of Jesus and our incarnational union.
An expression of Luke 1:26-38:
”In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, ou will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
Heart for Home Mission
Some good friends of ours posted a video of there last trip to Haiti in the last month. We watched it last weekend at ‘An Evening in Haiti’ where they shared there hopes for the future as Heart for Home Missions looks to be a long term missional presence there within the next year and a half. Our Hearts are with you Ricot & Mandy!!!
Missional Training Network: Cam Roxbrough and a Vision for the Future of Canada
I spent most of this afternoon in the basement of Gateway International Church where Cam Roxbrugh and a group of about forty of us sat and discussed a vision for the future development of a Missional Network Training center for the Calgary region. I say center meaning that of what its function and vision would be and not at all in the sense of a building or location. Actually, in truth, the location gathering point brings up an interesting memory as Gateway was not really wheelchair accessible so I ended up being carried down the stairs for the meeting. On one hand, I missed the prayer time before the meeting. However on the other hand, I spend a good portion of the time being carried down and up the stairs in deep internal prayer (“Lord, don’t let them drop me!”). All kidding a side, I am glad and feel very blessed that I still have friends who are willing to rip the roofs off of houses in order to get me in!
Cam’s vision for the next six months was quit exciting as he drew a diagram on the white board which was similar to Alan Hirsch’s five point radial illustration around the value of “Jesus is Lord” (Click Here). As we discussed each briefly we realized that we would need a great deal of more time to reflect on each position. That was the point! Once a month for six months we would gather to explore each value in an in depth and practical way. As per usual, I am jumping the gun and starting to hash through them already! Here are some first initial thoughts that have come to mind in my review:
Missionality
To large extent this was pictured as a center hub which was detailed as any and all conversational dialogue relating to its definition. Definement which itself, I think, is still being pieced together as we put it into practical action. What does it really mean to be missional?
I suppose in my own sense of the word it means to practically and contextually engage within the community you find yourself in with the intent of embodying the mind set, spiritual focus, and physical actions of Jesus. Whew! That seemed like a mouth full and in truth I sometimes find it difficult to put into practice. Let’s face it, when I am cut off on Deerfoot Trail by a lunatic who is trying to kill me my mind set usually goes out the window!
Missionality however seems to envision a reality founded in our journeying together towards a common reality. “The Kingdom of God is near.” We are close but, we are not there yet. I suppose you could say communally we are on a Mission. The mission of realizing the Kingdom presence which we have in each one of us and the realities it brings to the art of potentiality!
I suppose though the greatest question we need to look at is in asking, “What does it really mean to be a church within our specifically called communities?” “What does a functioning Missional community really look like?”
Passionate Spirituality
We pose the question within the context of our individual communities, “Do they experience the living presence of Jesus?” “Does the character and persona of Jesus exude from us as individuals? As groups? As communities?” These can be tough questions! Maybe not in our ability to answer then but, in the answers we have. I am sure in many cases we find connecting points where we can say “Yes, I think they do.” but, we might also find huge gaps where individuals or even groups just don’t seem capable of meshing together as one body in Christ.
Denominationalism is probably one of my favorite “Holy Discontents”. If we are so enamored with the unity Jesus embodied and the love which he shared in the acceptance of all, why do we struggle so hard in unifying as one community, one body? It seems to me that every time I tell some one that I am a follower of Jesus (a Christian) or I go to a large forum gathering of Christians the first question which is always asked of me is “What denomination are you?” Forgive me but, every time I hear that my first immediate response internally is “What does it matter?” Why are we always trying to box each other into neat little categories to which we can whip our hands clean of having any kind of personal and relational connection with each other?
Perhaps the question of “What is Spirituality?” is far more important to a person’s faith then “What church do you go too?”
Incarnational Living
in•car•na•tion \ˌin-(ˌ)kär-ˈnā-shən\ noun
(14th century)
1 a (1): the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form
(2) capitalized: the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ
b: a concrete or actual form of a quality or concept; especially: a person showing a trait or typical character to a marked degree 〈she is the incarnation of goodness〉
2: the act of incarnating: the state of being incarnate
3: a particular physical form or state: version 〈in another incarnation he might be a first vice-president —Walter Teller〉 〈TV and movie incarnations of the story〉
Merriam-Webster, Inc: Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 10th ed. Springfield, Mass., U.S.A. : Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993
I don’t know about you but I have always felt like this was self explanatory! However, in my maturity I have come to see the value of incarnational living becoming less and less appreciated. More and more I see people limiting their beliefs and responsibilities to a “manageable” level. Manageable in that they have little to no communal responsibilities and faith has become more about themselves then about how they care and build relationships with one another. I won’t say much more then that right now but I will leave it with a favorite quote of mine from Kathleen Noris:
“One so often hears people say, ‘I just can’t handle it,’ when they reject a biblical image of God as Father, as Mother, as Lord or Judge; God as lover, as angry or jealous, God on a cross. I find this choice of words revealing, however real the pain they reflect: if we seek a God we can ‘handle’, that will be exactly what we get. A God we can manipulate, suspiciously like ourselves, the wideness of whose mercy we’ve cut down to size.”
Intentional Community
I suppose I find it difficult to know what it is that Cam meant by ‘Intentional Community’. What do you think it means to be an Intentional Community? On the one hand, I can see a need or a calling for the community to move outwards by intentionally building relationships with those who might be considered outside of it. Building into these relationships with the intention of witnessing the kingdom of God coming from within them and being made visible through the rebirth of communal practices.
On the other hand, intentional community can seem to point towards the strength we can find through communal social action. We intentionally act as a community towards bringing the Kingdom of God near through non-violent practices. I remember a comment made last weekend at the Global Citizenship Conference where it was said, “There are two remaining super powers in the world. The United States and the General Public.” Maybe it is true and maybe it’s not however, we can recognize a great power to which we have in acting as one community, one body!
Transformational Discipleship
Discipleship it seems as a traditional point was practiced with the intent on “winning them to our side”. The transformation was more about whether they were going to heaven then are they living a Christ centered life today. This kind of discipleship seems out of balance. Yes, the churches are filling up Sunday morning but a good number of the people there do not recognize how their attendance relates to what they do throughout the rest of the week.
Even more so, discipleship seems to be projected more as a question of “How much of the Bible do you know?” rather then “When was the last time you went and fed the power?”, “How is it that you show your neighbor that you love them?”, or “Where is it that you seek justice?” Perhaps, that is where we can find the discipleship of the future!
Radical Stewardship
Global Warming. Environmental Catastrophe. Extinction. Social Insecurities. Poverty. These are some of the words which I think of when I consider the lack of stewardship we still demonstrate towards God’s creative genius. Let’s face it, the world is full of beautiful things and yet we seem intent on destroying it all in the name of ”My Rights!” My right to prosper over that of others. My right to self preservation over the life of others. My right to build into my own ego at the exclusion of everyone else. Does this seem “right”?
I think God calls us into a radical relationship which embodies social equities, environmental responsibilities, and holistic realities. I am sure it can be said that you can add to my list. What do you see in a “Radical Stewardship”?
Loving Jesus is the Core of Who We Are
Last Sunday Bonnie and I had the excitment to share our Expressions group with my three little cousins from northern Alberta. It was a small group this Sunday but that is ok. God still showed up! I video taped it so that my Uncle and Aunt would be able to see their expressions when they returned from San Antonio and their 20th Anniversary. I thought I would share it here too.
Remembrance Day : Seeking Out the Kingdom of God
I spent the day today touring the Calgary Military Museum with my three little cousins. It was very moving as I reflected on the costs that war and violence has had and is having on our country and on us as humans. I pray that we are soon able to find peace and rekindle the fires of what it means to really build the Kingdom of God here on earth where the guns will no longer be firing, bombs will no longer be blowing, and neighbors can embrace one another as sisters and brothers. May the real Empire take shape in our hearts and minds rather then the political conceptualizations which we have made it out to be. I hope you find peace this Remembrance Day!
“If You Go God Will Show…a New You!”
“Cure yourself of the condition of bothering about how you look to other people. Be concerned only…with the idea God has of you.”
A few weeks back my dad had invited me out to a four day conference being held at Southside Victory Church called ‘Rivers’. I agreed to go but to tell you the truth, I was pretty nervous about actually attending. See Southside Victory is one of those “Holy Roller” churches and I am a Holy Roller for sure, just in a different way (I am after all in a wheelchair:). But, I did go!
So there I am sitting in the third row from the front (I think my dad had us up front on purpose) and they began to worship with lively music. People were shouting, dancing up and down the isles, jumping and waving their brightly colored banners (it was actually quit elegant and beautiful), and of course “slain in the Spirit” laying and rolling on the floor in the open spaces at the front. One guy runs by me a few times and then grabs my hand and try’s to pull me up to the front. I smiled and politely said no thanks.
Then this couple, probably in their mid fifties, takes out these three to four foot long ram horns from under their seats and start blowing them as hard as they can right in front of me! I thought, are those things real (I later on asked them and sure enough, they were)! So here they were blowing these things for all they were worth, cheeks ballooned outwards, their faces getting redder and redder, and this strange kind of “ahhuuuga” noise coming from out of the horns. I got this big smile on my face as I thought, “No wonder these guy’s are getting slain in the Spirit. Their passing out from lack of oxygen!”
That’s when it happened. A moment and spirit of spontaneous unity that I did not expect. My father reached over, grabbed my hand and raised it in worship with his hands. It was in that moment that I two very real realizations. First, there is great Joy in real worship. No fluffy acts of trying to fulfill the requirements of performing a religious theatrical or professional presentation to the theme music of the day and no fake acts of trying to guard against the feelings of “what will they think of me if I do this?” The pure unadulterated and unrestrained spirit of Joy! And second, my father has faith in a mighty awesome God! But, if I did not go God would not have shown me that!
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”
Jesus told his disciples, “Go your way…” Not Peter’s way. Not James or John’s way. Go your way! It seems clear that throughout history and time God values human free will more then anything else and Jesus makes no hesitation in imparting that free will to his disciples when he sends them on ahead of himself. He wants their destinations to be set by their own dreams, goals, passions, and inner stirrings. Peter and Andrew were fishermen so maybe they would head for the fish markets and coastal communities. Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans so perhaps he might head for the Roman communities and military postings. In any case they were going where God was showing their dreams and aspirations for the Kingdom of God here on earth.
More importantly Jesus was telling them to go! This was like that moment (for those of you who have seen the movie ‘Transformers’) when the beat up Camero had sped up to them, its door flung open, and Jesus was turning to them saying “Fifties years from now when you are living in the safety of your comfy, white picketed home; are you going to look back at this moment and ask yourself, ‘Why didn’t I go?’”
What if Simon turned to Jesus and said, “If they want to go that’s o.k. but, I think I will just stay here with you Jesus where I know that it is safe.” Jesus would be like, “I am offering you the riches of life in its fullness and wonderment. Why would you just want to stay here and settle for the scraps? Nevertheless, the Kingdom of God has come near.”
Don’t miss the boat! Don’t recognize the call to move in upon your calling, your dreams, your hopes for a better future, a better you and not act upon it! Listen closely to that inner voice and when Jesus says go, then go!
It was the fall of 1993 and I distinctly remember walking down one of the side streets close to my best friend’s house when I had one of those moments of being called to go somewhere. It was as though someone was asking me “How would you feel if you were in a wheelchair?” Looking back I can recognize it as God speaking with me. I answered with what seems now like a lack of complete understanding to what I was being asked. Being in a wheelchair would be great. It would make me unique, I would stand out from others, and I would be special. And it did! I just didn’t count on or expect all the challenges that would come with it.
There was another time several years ago that I had a different calling to go. It was to the Mustard Seed and the homeless people of Calgary. While I was down there God showed me something I will never forget. It was a cold February evening. A number of the college students and I had been down there since early morning serving, cleaning, and walking/wheeling the streets while visiting the homeless beggars on 8th Avenue. The sun had pretty much set and the only light was coming from the street lamps and the natural aura from the moon.
We had lined up with the rest of the homeless outside of the Seed’s main building and were waiting for them to open the doors and allow us to come in for dinner. A couple of the students and I were chatting about the days events while shivering from the cold and jumping up and down with the anticipation to getting in where it would be warmer. Then I noticed a scruffy and some what dirty native man a little ways off looking over at me. When he walked over we chatted for a few minutes and then he asked me if I would mind if he prayed for me! I was a little taken back by the faith of this homeless man but I of course said, “Yes, of course you can!”
I will neither forget that moment nor the face of this broken, native, scruffy, homeless man as he kneeled down and put his hands on my knees while praying for me. God called him to go and he listened and God showed up! I didn’t walk and nothing supernatural happened but a miracle did in fact take place that night sitting and shivering in the cold with this homeless man. The miracle of human unity. The miracle of my brotherhood with this man and his faith. The miracle when realized that when God calls, if I go God will show a new me!
If you go God will show… a new world to you.
If you go God will show… great character in you.
If you go God will show… changed lives because of you.
If you go God will show… transformation within you.
If you go God will show… a New You!
Coming to the Table in a New Light
“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.”
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
A Sense of Preparation and Anticipation
In a lot of ways I some how can’t help but feel like the liturgical setting and practice of the last supper or communion has eroded the natural and much more creative practice to which Jesus and the disciples first practiced it. That’s not to say that it had little or no value within liturgy as it first was constructed, I just think that value has slipped away through time and lost the appeal of what Jesus meant to say through our remembrance of it.
In the gospels it is not a 5 minute setting where each disciple passed the tray of wafer like crackers and little plastic cups of grape juice, said a quick prayer and “gobbled” them done. In fact Jesus branched the Jewish festival of the Passover feast as a reflection to the New Covenant he was bringing! The Last Supper or Communion was something different something more then a simple wafer or even a feast. It had meaning and personal spiritual significance to those who were apart of it.
Jesus says to his followers earlier that they should go into the city and prepare for the evenings activities. I don’t know why but I picture Peter and his brother Andrew going off and hitching a boat to go fishing so that maybe they might bring a fish to the evening’s meal. Maybe James and John went to the local market to find bread, cheeses, fruits, and other good stuff while Philip, Thomas, and the others searched for a room in which they could host the event.
I don’t really know the order but they all had a part in organizing and preparing for the Passover meal. There was still something deeper about it though. There was this sense of preparation but also the greater sense of anticipation. Anticipation as to meeting up with the others and hearing about the adventures they encountered while preparing for the night. Anticipation as to whom else might be there and anticipation to what Jesus might have planned for the evening. The feast once it arrives becomes alive and full of laughter, joy, and the excitement of people talking with one another as they share their different stories, memories, talents, and gifts.
Unity in the Body
Jesus grabs there attention as he stands with a loaf of bread in his hands. He begins breaking it up and handing it to them as he says “Take, eat; this is my body.” What a peculiar and strange thing to say. I don’t know about you but when I picture the idea of eating a “body” I kind of loose my appetite. That being said, I don’t think Jesus intended us to think of it that way!
I think Jesus intended for the disciples and us to see it metaphorically. So let’s picture it for a moment… what thoughts come to mind as we imagine the disciples taking part in one body? The thought that comes to my mind is that Jesus was reminding them of the unity to which they had with one another through his relational participation with each of them.
The problem though is I think when we start reflecting on that word “unity”. Typically when we hear this word I think we tend to assume it means a grouping of individuals or elements which have all things in common. Like we find unity with the jocks of our schools or we find unity in those who believe, act, and follow the same endoctrinization or denominational system as ourselves. That’s not the unity Jesus was describing here though through the picture of his body.
Picture a single strand of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). Do you know that if all the molecules of DNA in a single human cell were laid out end to end, they would stretch 2 meters. How many cells do you think there is in a human body? It is estimated that the average human adult has over 10 trillion cells in there body; each one with their own unique, specific, and extraordinary DNA strand! That blows my mind!
I can remember watching a film on the Intelligent Design Theory several years ago that stated the language used within the DNA structure is so complex that it is virtually impossible to be considered accidental or random in nature. If that is so, God in essence spoke each one of our identities into existence and in so doing left his imprint on each one of us.
“Take, eat; this is my body.” This unity Jesus spoke of was a relational interjection which he has with each one of us as we also have with one another through our expressions of love, kindness, compassion, joy, and fellowship. The things we think about affect those around us. The words we speak transform, for better or worse, the people we are close too. The actions we take, either for ourselves or others, begins a processes of change which is inevitable whether we accept it or not but we do have the power to choose whether we do it in remembrance and reflection of our unity in his body, his character, his persona, or not.
Missional Agenda to Pouring Out a New Covenant
Jesus then takes his cup and says, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Looking back we can easily see the tie Jesus was figuratively placing between his death on the cross and the cup he held in front of himself but, what about the disciples? What do you suppose they were thinking in that moment and time?
It might seem radically different but blood was considered to be a life giving element. So I imagine the disciples were not seeing Jesus’ cup of the New Covenant as a representation to his actual death but rather a picture of the way he lived his life! Jesus lived a life which was poured out not for himself and not just for those of his friends. He lived a life that was poured out for many so that they might remember and follow his lead by pouring their lives out into the hearts, minds, and spirits of many more!
Jesus’ life was filled with the imagery and acts of a missional focus to reach out to others in need in whatever way that took shape. That same indwelling call that Jesus had is passed on and shared with us as we in essence drink from the same cup. As we are empowered through his body we are sent out to do his work and incarnate his presence with the rest of his people regardless to there beliefs, life styles, or outer image.
How can we do this? I remember reading a friends blog a few months ago and he referred to another article on the site ‘Towards Hope’ called ‘Ten Tips for Living the Incarnation…[Plus One]‘. John Santic has outlined a beautiful picture of what it means to live incarnationally and I encourage you to read is article but for the sake of pouring it out for you here is a synopsis of his 10:
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Attentive Listening
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Formative Practice
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Proximity
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Holistic Gospel Proclamation
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Patience
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Generosity
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Advocacy
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Hospitality
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Reading the Culture
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Pathos
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[Plus One]…Simplicity or ‘Here’s to Nothing’
Coming to the Table in a New Light
I don’t know about you but when I reflect back on what the disciples may have experienced and encountered at that supper table in a dimly lit room, I begin to see myself coming to that table in a new light. A light filled with hope, promise, future, and purpose. A light filled with communion. Communion with God. Communion with Jesus. Communion with my brothers and sisters. Communion with many!
Expressions of Epiphany: Taking the First Steps
O.k. O.k. It has been awhile since I have had the chance to blog!!! In truth, I have a good reason! Actually, an excellent reason!! Expressions has been a dream Bonnie and I have had for some time and we are finally taking the first steps in making it a reality.
That is where my time has been going. I have been writing and developing a website for Expressions (Click Here) with the aid of my good friend David. As well as planning for the coming month and kickoff of our group starting this weekend. With that in mind, I am looking forward not only to the kick off this Sunday but also to hearing Brian McLaren speak at the First Christian Reformed Church here in Calgary on Saturday (Click Here for Details).
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention the excitement of having been able to see the Blue Man Group a few weeks ago. Bonnie got us tickets for my birthday and we both agreed that it was possibly one of the best shows we have ever been too. I could also really see what Leonard Sweet meant when I heard him speak on the effective ways in which we as a church can communicate with one another as the Blue Man Group communicated with the audience.
This past weekend I spent sometime at my Dad’s “Holy Rollers” church. I guess I was rolling in my own way (Ha, ha – if you know what I mean). In honesty, it was a great time of seeing what it really means to experience the joy of the Spirit! It reminded me of a poem a friend gave me along time ago.
“When God puts us back together again; (with the aid of our willingness to cooperate); this great church will be marked by; the dignity and scholarship of the Anglicans, the order and sacraments of the Roman Catholics, the warm fellowship of the Methodists, the Presbyterian desire for good preaching, the Lutheran respect for sound theology. There will be the Baptist concern for individual salvation, the congregational respect for the rights of lay members, the Pentecostal reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Quaker appreciation for silence. We will find there the Mennonitesense of community, the social action of the Salvation Army, the social justice of the United, and the Reformed love of the Bible, all wrapped in Orthodox reverence before the Mystery of God.”
Expressing the Music of Your Soul
“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Baghdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.”
Donald Miller – ‘Blue Like Jazz’
Since I was a teenager I have always been drawn to the artistic abilities of Soul and Blues artists. I am not quit sure why but it is almost like there is something tangible behind the music itself. It gives a feel of raw emotion, a connectedness to the realities the artist is expressing. I can’t help but love music which you can tell is being created not just for the purpose of self seeking talents but, something more. Maybe something spiritual! Without the sense of the artists heart felt desire to express an inner burning which is meant to convert your soul, music ceases to be an art and simply exists as a monotone dribble of rhythm and noise.
Funny…When I think of the times the church attempts to engage in worship I find myself asking the most harshest of questions in terms of reality. Do we honestly express heart felt inner burnings with the intent of transforming ours or others souls? Are we willing to let the Spirit shape what our worship gatherings look like or do we simply rely on a monotone dribble of rhythmic tradition and predictable noise?
Picture it… It was dusty and dry as the hot sun beat down on Jesus and his followers while they walked into the town of Caesarea Philippi. At least, that is how I imagine it (Matthew 16:13-20). They all laugh out load with their chapped lips as Jesus cracks jokes about the day’s voyage and the heat. A hush falls upon them as Jesus turns in front and while walking backwards asks them with complete sincerity written on his face, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
His followers looked puzzled. What prompted Jesus to ask such a mysterious and loaded question! They stammered back with what they thought was the public opinion as they had encountered throughout the other villages, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Jesus then paused, looked around at them, and with his coffee auburn colored hair blowing across his face, his deep brown eyes centered on Peter as he asked again, “Who do you say that I am?”
What a profoundly deep and personal question to ask Peter and in some ways I can’t help but feel as though Jesus has not yet stopped asking the question to those who would listen. If we are to truly answer, we too like Peter, need to articulate it from a deeper soulful expression! One which is unreserved and without qualification. One which is filled with awe inspiring, spur of the moment, creativity, and with a subjectively personal manifestation of its internal existence!
When we are willing to allow ourselves to set our imaginations free, embracing an eternal centralization of God’s words within our hearts, and the courage to express them through our own subjective, dynamic, and culturally relevant ways; perhaps then we will truly be worshipping and expressing the music which is in our souls.
Newworldson – I Like Sweet Soul Music
Loving God: Pursuing His Utmost With Our Utmost
At the core of all things Jesus tells us that we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Love at first seems a simple term however; the love that Jesus describes seems to be lost in the translation.
By the English definition love is described as a “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties or affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.” This kind of love seems tied to an understanding that it is a reactional response to something which is mutually experienced, beneficial or acquired between two individuals. Love is something which is earned through a relational development rather then a characteristic which is always present.
Although often interpreted this way by many unsuspecting believers this is not what Jesus meant when he called us to love God. The love which Jesus asks of us is in the Greek form of ἀγαπάω love which has the deeper meaning of “a God like love that loves regardless of the circumstances, a deliberate love that decides it will keep loving even if it is rebuffed. We are challenged to live out the highest love and to do so with the highest sincerity. Our love is to be genuine, not counterfeit.”
This is a love which seems most difficult to instill in the hearts of many people today. It is as though we do not trust that it has already been created within us. With the wear and tear of a consumeristic, competitive, self driven, and fallen society we have callused the relational sides of our hearts and hidden, even from ourselves, our own identities of ἀγαπάω love and the connection to which it gives us to God. In spite of this, the apostle Paul is still right in saying, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” We may hide from the love which is in our hearts but love is always present. Jesus knew this and calls us to acknowledge, revel, and bring that love to the surface of everything we do.
Mrs. A. E. Janzen describes the story of a college professor by saying, “A college president not long ago made this arresting statement to a class of graduating seniors: “It gets easier and easier for man to dominate his universe … and harder for him to dominate himself.” He went on to say, “It matters little what you learn or express if in the end you cannot find some ways of working things out with your neighbors.” We cannot dominate the universe, but, with God’s help, we can dominate ourselves.”
Similarly, Michael Frost quotes Vaclav Havel, “There is such an enormous gap between our words and deeds. Everyone talks about freedom, democracy, justice, human rights, and peace; but at the same time, everyone, more or less, consciously or unconsciously, serves those ideals only to the extent necessary to defend and serve his own interests, and those of his group and state. Who should break this vicious circle? Responsibility cannot be preached: it can only be borne, and the only possible place to begin is with oneself.”
Both Janzen’s story and Vaclav’s articulation point to the truth that love is not something which we can earn or acquire from God or others but is rather a conscious choice which we are free to express starting solely within ourselves. We are free to express love by choice and are not confined to expressing it through a consumeristic “what do I get out of it” mentality.
Loving God first starts by the words and deeds we begin within ourselves allowing others to see the transformation to which we experience and freeing them to recognizing God’s love within them. It starts by loving God with all of our heart by seeking the incarnation of Christ like character from the inside out and then extending that love outwards to all of our soul by living faith as a holistic expression of who God created us to be.
Expressions
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By Donald Miller
Eternity in Their Hearts By Don Richardson
Follow Me to Freedom By Shane Claiborne & John Perkins
Journey to Significance By Neil Cole
Organic Leadership By Niel Cole
Forge Canada
Friend of Missional
Missional Apologetics
The Missional Network
Verge Network
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