check out the new posts over at my current blog: http://theinneraroll.com.
if you haven't updated your RSS feeds to my new blog, please do so!
~aroll
Showing posts with label missiongathering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label missiongathering. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
several new posts on my new site
if you haven't migrated over to my new site, please update your links, blogrolls, and RSS feeds to my new blog site:
http://theinneraroll.com
several new and fun posts up...and i'm keeping up with it!!
see you there...
~aroll
http://theinneraroll.com
several new and fun posts up...and i'm keeping up with it!!
see you there...
~aroll
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
a new civil rights movement…part 2
so i know that i said in my next post in this series that i would discuss the separation of church & state...it's coming, but something has been pressing my heart more lately. we as a church, and me as an individual, have talked about the need to put a face to this fight/movement/"issue." this movement is about human beings - not religion, not faith, not legislation. it is about people made in the image of God, children of God equal and loved in His eyes...just not apparently in the eyes of a majority of His followers.
john smulo posted about our billboard and emailed me a note of encouragement. this led to him asking if i would do an interview. the entire interview can be viewed here, but i wanted to post a relevant part of it:
i challenge all of us to remember that we, on both sides of this "issue," are dealing with real live human beings - with brains, lives, emotions, experiences...if you are reading this and don't know someone directly affected by this movement (which i would honestly find hard to believe), then check out this link and see the faces of many - gay and straight - who are simply asking to be treated as an equal...as a human being. ~aroll
john smulo posted about our billboard and emailed me a note of encouragement. this led to him asking if i would do an interview. the entire interview can be viewed here, but i wanted to post a relevant part of it:
John: In one of our emails you said something that you wished people would stop talking about this as an “issue”, and instead see that they are actual people that are impacted here. Can you expand what you mean by this?
Alex: There was a very real sense for me, and several members of our community, that the Prop 8 campaign was very “us vs. them.” The gay agenda is out to corrupt children, destroy the church, break up families....which is all false. When we first got a postcard at our offices about The Call at Qualcomm, our volunteer coordinator (straight, 19 yo female) immediately wanted to be there with a group of people wearing shirts that said, “I am the face of those you hate.” She felt the need to put a face to this fight. If they say we are out to destroy families and corrupt children, what about the countless straight families who brought their kids to the candlelight vigil? What about the young girl standing on the sidewalk during an equal rights march with a sign that says, “I love my two mommies”? This “issue” within the church does have scholarship and texts to understand...but it is also real human beings made in the image of God earnestly seeking to live a life more like Christ. And outside of the church it is real human beings with the created need for companionship who are wanting to COMMIT to one another in devoted love, and that is something that should be celebrated. Beyond that, I could spend a few pages talking about the need for the separation of church and state and legislating morality (see my blog for more thoughts on that).
From my experience, many conservative Christians do not have relationships with gay & lesbian men and women, or they do and don’t know that their friends are gay. When someone close to them comes out, they are forced to deal with real life, not just words and arguments. Look at the story in Acts of the Church in Antioch...the Gentiles who were choosing to follow Jesus were being asked to subscribe to Jewish laws and customs, but Paul presented the fact that without living under that law they were still showing signs and fruit of the Spirit. The Council of Jerusalem could not argue with the living proof of God’s presence in their lives. When you begin to deal with people instead of an “issue” it does get messy, but you have the opportunity to learn from their experience and witness the presence of God in their lives...or in the context outside of the church you see couples that have been together 20+ years who simply want to have their commitment recognized and be afforded the same rights as straight couples, rights as basic as hospital visitation. Throughout Scripture we see how God constantly sought to redeem people not an institution. Jesus was about people not about religion.
i challenge all of us to remember that we, on both sides of this "issue," are dealing with real live human beings - with brains, lives, emotions, experiences...if you are reading this and don't know someone directly affected by this movement (which i would honestly find hard to believe), then check out this link and see the faces of many - gay and straight - who are simply asking to be treated as an equal...as a human being. ~aroll
Friday, December 12, 2008
a new civil rights movement…part 1
in june of 1969, people began to stand up for the rights of gay and lesbian men and women following the raid on the bar at the stonewall inn in new york city. ever since, baby steps have been taken to recognize members of the lgbt community for exactly what they are – human beings no different than any other person on this planet. it’s interesting to me that in the same time period when tens of thousands of people fought for equality for people of color – a battle that was long overdue and vital to the continuation of society – another group of people fighting for equality battled in silence without gaining much ground. please do not hear this as comparing the plight of the african-american community to that of the lgbt community. that will always be The civil rights movement (capital “T”), but nonetheless this is “A” civil rights movement. but 40 years later, people are still fighting to be considered equal. this is not an “issue” but is about human beings.
many people, especially in the conservative church world, have to continued to advocate exclusion, judgment, and condemnation of the lgbt community. in spite of their efforts, progress has been made. one of the most significant steps forward came when the state of massachusetts legalized gay marriage. several years later, may of 2008 to be exact, the california supreme court overturned prop 22 (a ban on gay marriage) as unconstitutional which then launched the creation of proposition 8. in the midst of the battle over prop 8, connecticut even legalized gay marriage. then on november 4, 2008 the fight for equal rights for the lgbt community suffered an emotional blow: not only did prop 8 pass in california, but arizona and florida both passed constitutional amendments further defined the right of marriage away from the lgbt community, and arkansas passed a ban on adoption by gay couples. in one day, rights were taken away from a group of people who had been given rights, and rights were distanced from others even further.
throughout history, the church has been a voice of fighting for the rights of others: john wesley & william wilberforce in the fight to end slavery; William booth and the salvation army fighting poor working conditions for women & children in match factories; dr. martin luther king, jr. and the battle to end segregation. and now the church is leading the charge to deny a group of human beings equal rights under the law…the law. in the justification of “loving the sinner and hating the sin,” many within the conservative church compare homosexuality to rape, murder, adultery, etc. those “sins” are acted on other people against their will...people are entitled to their convictions, but voting yes on prop 8 acted those convictions on a group of people against their will. the right to live as the men and women God created them to be is not acting on anyone against his or her will. government’s role is not to legislate morality; it is to protect the rights and well-being of its citizens – all citizens, especially the rights of the minority.
my next post in this thread will be on the separation of church and state…
journeying in life, love, and the pursuit of Jesus…~aroll
many people, especially in the conservative church world, have to continued to advocate exclusion, judgment, and condemnation of the lgbt community. in spite of their efforts, progress has been made. one of the most significant steps forward came when the state of massachusetts legalized gay marriage. several years later, may of 2008 to be exact, the california supreme court overturned prop 22 (a ban on gay marriage) as unconstitutional which then launched the creation of proposition 8. in the midst of the battle over prop 8, connecticut even legalized gay marriage. then on november 4, 2008 the fight for equal rights for the lgbt community suffered an emotional blow: not only did prop 8 pass in california, but arizona and florida both passed constitutional amendments further defined the right of marriage away from the lgbt community, and arkansas passed a ban on adoption by gay couples. in one day, rights were taken away from a group of people who had been given rights, and rights were distanced from others even further.
throughout history, the church has been a voice of fighting for the rights of others: john wesley & william wilberforce in the fight to end slavery; William booth and the salvation army fighting poor working conditions for women & children in match factories; dr. martin luther king, jr. and the battle to end segregation. and now the church is leading the charge to deny a group of human beings equal rights under the law…the law. in the justification of “loving the sinner and hating the sin,” many within the conservative church compare homosexuality to rape, murder, adultery, etc. those “sins” are acted on other people against their will...people are entitled to their convictions, but voting yes on prop 8 acted those convictions on a group of people against their will. the right to live as the men and women God created them to be is not acting on anyone against his or her will. government’s role is not to legislate morality; it is to protect the rights and well-being of its citizens – all citizens, especially the rights of the minority.
my next post in this thread will be on the separation of church and state…
journeying in life, love, and the pursuit of Jesus…~aroll
Monday, November 3, 2008
a missiongathering siting...
so i stopped by one of the many local markets walking home from the office to pick up a few items for the impromptu gathering at my house tonight, and had a cool little encounter. when i walked in, a middle-aged women wearing a lovely pink track suit was at the counter purchasing her items. i wandered around the store seeing what snacks i could come up with, and decided upon some gluten-free corn chips and salsa and some popcorn. after grabbing some cranberry juice and coke, i proceeded to the register.
while standing there waiting to check out, i noticed out of the corner of my eye that the woman kept staring at me. i turned and she said, "are you that guy from that church?" i said, "yes." she said, "i thought so...you look much taller on the stage." we chatted for a bit about her love of singing gospel music that keeps her attending another church while she loves what we say at our church and do in our community. she wants very much to get involved in our street angels ministry, our outreach to homeless teenagers. after suggesting she sing in the morning then join us for the 7:00p service, we said goodbye and she went on her way.
just a fun little encouragement in the midst of crazy times that this funky little expression of God's grace is spreading the message of grace and hope in our community...and people are listening! ~aroll
while standing there waiting to check out, i noticed out of the corner of my eye that the woman kept staring at me. i turned and she said, "are you that guy from that church?" i said, "yes." she said, "i thought so...you look much taller on the stage." we chatted for a bit about her love of singing gospel music that keeps her attending another church while she loves what we say at our church and do in our community. she wants very much to get involved in our street angels ministry, our outreach to homeless teenagers. after suggesting she sing in the morning then join us for the 7:00p service, we said goodbye and she went on her way.
just a fun little encouragement in the midst of crazy times that this funky little expression of God's grace is spreading the message of grace and hope in our community...and people are listening! ~aroll
Thursday, October 30, 2008
the need for dialogue between differing opinions
sorry it has taken me so long to get these posts up, but here we go...
so as i said before, the first sunday of two gatherings was great...exhausting but great. it reminded us of the fact that there are people who haven't heard the story of missiongathering and the expression of God's grace that we strive to be. the people who typically find out about mission in our neighborhood have seen a billboard, a rave card, an ad in glt or citybeat, or better yet have been invited by a friend. most of those people are checking us out because they have been searching for a progressive church where they might experience the healing of God's love and grace.
in bringing future of forestry in to do the music for the kick-off of our evening service, it brought people who haven't had any context for who we are - a Jesus-centered, loving church with progressive theology. that sunday also happened to be the launch of our sanctuaries (our small groups) for which there was a flier inserted in the bulletin listing the groups. as soon as i finished announcements and stepped off the stage, a young man approached me. it was his first time at mission, and was there for the band. he introduced himself, and immediately pointed at the flier and asked, "what's this all about?" he was directing my attention to the gay men's and lesbian women's sanctuaries. i said, "those are groups for gay men and lesbian women to meet together and discuss their faith journey." he immediately launched into his (what seemed rehearsed...) argument against homosexuality. this was all taking place right next to the stage in the middle of our service during our "pass the peace" (ironic?) time when we mingle and meet new people. he was still arguing with me as rich was taking the stage to start preaching. i let him know that i'd love to visit more with him after the gathering, and he then walked out, taking several friends with him, and they didn't return.
it's a shame they didn't return, because i think they could have benefited from the message that night. rich talked about the need for people of differing opinions - nations, churches, politicians - to sit together at the table of dialogue. people aren't always going to agree on everything...how boring would that be?! and granted, dialogue is difficult. yet people seem too often to take the road of rallying around those different than themselves to create a common enemy...that seems to be easier than wrestling with the possibility that your ideas could change. (i've got a whole post coming on the topic of "the other.")
what did i learn from this? information in print doesn't communicate the same thing to everyone if everyone doesn't know the story of the one printing it. i have gotten comfortable in the fact that a majority of the community/neighborhood in which i live has been exposed to the story of missiongathering. when we invite people from outside of that microcosm, we need to use the lens/filter of retelling our story in the midst of communicating things that are going on in our church. then maybe in the context of that story dialogue can ensue with those who differ with us. ~aroll
so as i said before, the first sunday of two gatherings was great...exhausting but great. it reminded us of the fact that there are people who haven't heard the story of missiongathering and the expression of God's grace that we strive to be. the people who typically find out about mission in our neighborhood have seen a billboard, a rave card, an ad in glt or citybeat, or better yet have been invited by a friend. most of those people are checking us out because they have been searching for a progressive church where they might experience the healing of God's love and grace.
in bringing future of forestry in to do the music for the kick-off of our evening service, it brought people who haven't had any context for who we are - a Jesus-centered, loving church with progressive theology. that sunday also happened to be the launch of our sanctuaries (our small groups) for which there was a flier inserted in the bulletin listing the groups. as soon as i finished announcements and stepped off the stage, a young man approached me. it was his first time at mission, and was there for the band. he introduced himself, and immediately pointed at the flier and asked, "what's this all about?" he was directing my attention to the gay men's and lesbian women's sanctuaries. i said, "those are groups for gay men and lesbian women to meet together and discuss their faith journey." he immediately launched into his (what seemed rehearsed...) argument against homosexuality. this was all taking place right next to the stage in the middle of our service during our "pass the peace" (ironic?) time when we mingle and meet new people. he was still arguing with me as rich was taking the stage to start preaching. i let him know that i'd love to visit more with him after the gathering, and he then walked out, taking several friends with him, and they didn't return.
it's a shame they didn't return, because i think they could have benefited from the message that night. rich talked about the need for people of differing opinions - nations, churches, politicians - to sit together at the table of dialogue. people aren't always going to agree on everything...how boring would that be?! and granted, dialogue is difficult. yet people seem too often to take the road of rallying around those different than themselves to create a common enemy...that seems to be easier than wrestling with the possibility that your ideas could change. (i've got a whole post coming on the topic of "the other.")
what did i learn from this? information in print doesn't communicate the same thing to everyone if everyone doesn't know the story of the one printing it. i have gotten comfortable in the fact that a majority of the community/neighborhood in which i live has been exposed to the story of missiongathering. when we invite people from outside of that microcosm, we need to use the lens/filter of retelling our story in the midst of communicating things that are going on in our church. then maybe in the context of that story dialogue can ensue with those who differ with us. ~aroll
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
and so it begins...2 gatherings!
well, missiongathering is now officially a multiple-service faith community after our first 7:00p gathering last sunday. it was a crazy and long day, roller-coaster of emotions (see subsequent posts...i've got about 4 that i'm currently trying to get out of my head and onto the blog), but was an exciting new chapter in the story of missiongathering. between the two services we had over 225 people walk through the doors of missiongathering and experience our expression of the story of the grace of God. i know i was incredibly nervous about whether or not anyone was going to show up on sunday night, but we had 130+...apparently covering an entire college campus with bright orange rave cards is somewhat effective. future of forestry brought a great vibe musically, but i must admit i'm ready for the beautiful rescue to rock it next week. plus it means i don't have to break down my gear after the 10a gathering. wahoo! it's the little things, eh? alright...now the more thought-provoking posts as a result of sunday's experiences. ~aroll
Thursday, October 16, 2008
new gathering times at missiongathering
i can't believe that it's already here, but we launch our 2nd gathering at missiongathering this sunday. i'm not sure that it really has hit me (or most of the staff) yet, but it's exciting. hopefully we'll have people show up...if you go to mission, don't forget that sunday morning gathering time moves to 10:00 this sunday. we'll see you there. you can still download and save the card below by clicking here to send to your friends! see you sunday... ~aroll
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
remember Jesus...the offensive Gospel
i have heard and spoken frequently on the "offensive" nature of the Gospel for several years. it's the idea, and the reality, that the basic message that God tells through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, is offensive and off-putting to those steeped in the institution of religion.
in the time of Jesus, it was the sadducees, pharisees, and other religious leaders who were upset by the fact that Jesus lived and taught that the kingdom of God was for all people while hanging out with lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, and others marginalized by society. they were offended that someone would dare discuss the scriptures and things of God, Yahweh, with those not good enough to be allowed in the temple...the unclean in their eyes. how dare Jesus defile religion in this way.
"love God. love others. everything of the Law and the prophets hang on this." the very words of Jesus, God in the flesh. this Gospel is still offensive today, and it's offensive to those steeped in religion. starting with our Easter ad campaign, our public "branding" (for lack of a better term) has been a direct reflection of our theology: Christianity for ALL. with our current round of fliers and billboards advertising our new service times, we have been trying to get them in college newspapers. we just got an email last night from a local Christian university saying they won't run our postcard insert because "it violates our mission as a university." and apparently the message of Jesus scares large evangelical megachurches to the point of taking shots at "a certain urban church" for preaching such an offensive message.
please...because of the love of God: remember Jesus. ~aroll
in the time of Jesus, it was the sadducees, pharisees, and other religious leaders who were upset by the fact that Jesus lived and taught that the kingdom of God was for all people while hanging out with lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, and others marginalized by society. they were offended that someone would dare discuss the scriptures and things of God, Yahweh, with those not good enough to be allowed in the temple...the unclean in their eyes. how dare Jesus defile religion in this way.
"love God. love others. everything of the Law and the prophets hang on this." the very words of Jesus, God in the flesh. this Gospel is still offensive today, and it's offensive to those steeped in religion. starting with our Easter ad campaign, our public "branding" (for lack of a better term) has been a direct reflection of our theology: Christianity for ALL. with our current round of fliers and billboards advertising our new service times, we have been trying to get them in college newspapers. we just got an email last night from a local Christian university saying they won't run our postcard insert because "it violates our mission as a university." and apparently the message of Jesus scares large evangelical megachurches to the point of taking shots at "a certain urban church" for preaching such an offensive message.
please...because of the love of God: remember Jesus. ~aroll
Monday, October 6, 2008
sermon notes - remember Jesus
here are my sermon notes from this past sunday if anyone is interested. the two books that supported me the most in this sermon are by don everts: Jesus with Dirty Feet and God in the Flesh. you can listen to the podcast here. enjoy. ~aroll
Remember Jesus by alex roller
I am going to do everything I can to make this message as apolitical as I can. And I am going to tell this opening story with as much grace and compassion as I can muster. So, with those disclaimers, here we go…
Adams Ave. Story
- young woman
- heard about us from someone who attends MG
- seemed very planned
- round and round disagreeing
- “I appreciate that you’ve done research and studied, but I want to take Scripture in context.”
o Uh…that’s what I was doing…the ORIGINAL context
- “Well, I have to go with what I have been taught and what the Holy Spirit has confirmed in my heart”
o Uh…that’s what I am doing too…listening to the Spirit.
- “scripture says the church should be unified”
- Around what? - truth…what is truth?
- Rolls eyes…Jesus is the truth
- I said exactly…and that’s what I want to talk about today…Jesus.
I know it may seem rather simplistic. In the last couple of days when I have been asked what I was preaching on this morning, I would almost feel lame in saying, “Jesus.”
God Reveals Himself in Jesus
• This Book, the Bible, is the story of God and His people.
• God has a long history of revealing Himself to His people.
Walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden.
Burning bush, pillar of fire, still small voice…a donkey (Numbers 22).
But God’s people didn’t always, and still continue not to, get it nor pay attention.
• From the time of the last prophet of the Old Testament – the Italian prophet Malachi – until the time of Jesus, God was silent for around 400 years.
• And then something happened. God grew tired of the meaningless sacrifices and the separation between Him and His
• John 1
Jesus was fully God and fully human…but being fully God He is a perfect revelation of God.
Logos – all logic, reson, reality – everything that has ever been true, real and resonated with the universe.
Sarx – literally flesh or skin
God in the flesh…
God wasn’t in the Holy of Holies anymore…He came out!!
Out of The Message – “God moved into the neighborhood.”
Pulled back the curtain.
He was no longer hidden from the world
Immanuel – God with us…
Passage from Jesus With Dirty Feet (p.32-35)
Through the life, words, and actions of Jesus we see the heart of God:
Compassion, Grace, Love, Community, Instruction, Life, Sacrifice
The disciples got an incredible understanding of who God is in the 3 years they spent with Jesus 24/7.
• The disciples who were rejected from being rabbis because they weren’t good enough got a better understanding of God than the rabbis themselves.
• There was still mystery…certainly things that they didn’t understand about what Jesus said or did sometimes, but they saw the heart of God.
When It Comes Down To It…
• The reality is that God is all there is to know. It sounds simplistic and churchy, but it’s true.
• God created everything and is therefore the true source of all we need to know.
• There are a lot of things about life, the world, other people, science that are definitely important and good to know…we would be in a world of hurt if we didn’t know some of those things.
o But when it comes down to it, God is what we need to know.
o As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2: “I’ve resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
• In the midst of knowing God, though, there will always be a tension of mystery and revelation.
• Regardless we look to what we do have and know, and that is the life and person of Jesus, the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) who was the fullness of God (Colossians 1:19).
• There are a lot of questions that we have, other issues about Scripture and life that the church has made important, has argued about, has even killed over in the course of history.
• Let’s go back to the early church, though.
o Focused so much on Jesus
o Gospels were written to tell the story of Jesus…the details of how He lived, who He touched, hung out with, healed, talked to, didn’t talk to.
o The teachers of the Law wanted to focus on the list of things to do and not do, but Jesus lived a bigger picture of that…a picture that we are called to follow as “Christ-ones” or “Christians” as it became.
o The church was about telling the story of Jesus…every detail, every person’s story, every miracle.
o “That’s church. Transmitting from person to person the truth about Jesus.” – Don Everts from God in the Flesh, p.17
• Jesus lived a life of grace…
o He went to the outcasts and sinners
o He defied the religious leaders of his day
o It was about grace and love
o Matthew 22:34-40
• “love God with all your heart, soul, mind & strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
• This is the basis of it all…everything about the life of Jesus and His ministry
• All the other things that we may have confused don’t really matter.
• Are there things in scripture that we need to know? Yes
• Are there things that are right and wrong for our lives? Yes
o We are called to be followers of JESUS…
• Not the idol of Scripture, but the LIVING WORD.
• Not the idol of Paul’s letters, but the One Paul pointed to.
• Not a set of moralistic rules, but the One who fulfilled the Law.
Live the Person of Jesus
- So as we follow the person of Jesus, we are called to live our lives modeled after Jesus, transmitting the truth about Jesus from person to person.
- St. Francis: “preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.”
o Sometimes what we’re doing in life speaks so loudly people can’t hear what we’re actually saying with our words.
o Colossians 3:12-14, 17
• Every part of our lives should and can reflect and reveal the reality of God.
• It’s our attitudes, how we treat people, how we think.
- But it’s bigger than our attitudes.
- Sometimes love requires action.
- We are called to reveal the love and the compassion of God to all people.
- Following World War II some German students volunteered to help rebuild a cathedral in England, one that had been badly damaged by the Luftwaffe bombings. As the work progressed, they weren't sure how to best restore a large statue of Jesus with has arms outstretched and bearing the familiar inscription, "Come unto Me." They were able to repair all the damage to the statue except for Christ's hands which had been completely destroyed. Should they even attempt to rebuild these? Finally, the workers reached a decision that still stands today. They decided to leave the hands off and changed the inscription to read: "Christ has no hands but ours."
- It breaks down to those cheesy little bracelets that were everywhere about 10 years ago: WWJD.
- Jimmy t-shirts – the reality is more like: HCIDWJWDIIDKWJD
- We have let our picture of Jesus become blurred.
o Gnostics – separation of physical (bad) & spiritual (good)…led to them believing and teaching that Jesus wasn’t human.
o In recent years in order to make the idea of Jesus more palatable, we have focused on Jesus as human, a great teacher.
o They may have been well-meaning, but it has eroded our picture of Jesus.
o Even those of us who have spent most of our lives in the church can become “home blind” to the person of Jesus and the stories we’ve always known.
- Paul writing to Timothy…leader of the church, one day a Bishop, reminded him of what was important.
o 2 Timothy 2:8-9
o Remember Jesus…this is my gospel
o Resolve to know Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Prayer
- God in the Flesh p.22-23
Remember Jesus by alex roller
I am going to do everything I can to make this message as apolitical as I can. And I am going to tell this opening story with as much grace and compassion as I can muster. So, with those disclaimers, here we go…
Adams Ave. Story
- young woman
- heard about us from someone who attends MG
- seemed very planned
- round and round disagreeing
- “I appreciate that you’ve done research and studied, but I want to take Scripture in context.”
o Uh…that’s what I was doing…the ORIGINAL context
- “Well, I have to go with what I have been taught and what the Holy Spirit has confirmed in my heart”
o Uh…that’s what I am doing too…listening to the Spirit.
- “scripture says the church should be unified”
- Around what? - truth…what is truth?
- Rolls eyes…Jesus is the truth
- I said exactly…and that’s what I want to talk about today…Jesus.
I know it may seem rather simplistic. In the last couple of days when I have been asked what I was preaching on this morning, I would almost feel lame in saying, “Jesus.”
God Reveals Himself in Jesus
• This Book, the Bible, is the story of God and His people.
• God has a long history of revealing Himself to His people.
Walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden.
Burning bush, pillar of fire, still small voice…a donkey (Numbers 22).
But God’s people didn’t always, and still continue not to, get it nor pay attention.
• From the time of the last prophet of the Old Testament – the Italian prophet Malachi – until the time of Jesus, God was silent for around 400 years.
• And then something happened. God grew tired of the meaningless sacrifices and the separation between Him and His
• John 1
Jesus was fully God and fully human…but being fully God He is a perfect revelation of God.
Logos – all logic, reson, reality – everything that has ever been true, real and resonated with the universe.
Sarx – literally flesh or skin
God in the flesh…
God wasn’t in the Holy of Holies anymore…He came out!!
Out of The Message – “God moved into the neighborhood.”
Pulled back the curtain.
He was no longer hidden from the world
Immanuel – God with us…
Passage from Jesus With Dirty Feet (p.32-35)
Through the life, words, and actions of Jesus we see the heart of God:
Compassion, Grace, Love, Community, Instruction, Life, Sacrifice
The disciples got an incredible understanding of who God is in the 3 years they spent with Jesus 24/7.
• The disciples who were rejected from being rabbis because they weren’t good enough got a better understanding of God than the rabbis themselves.
• There was still mystery…certainly things that they didn’t understand about what Jesus said or did sometimes, but they saw the heart of God.
When It Comes Down To It…
• The reality is that God is all there is to know. It sounds simplistic and churchy, but it’s true.
• God created everything and is therefore the true source of all we need to know.
• There are a lot of things about life, the world, other people, science that are definitely important and good to know…we would be in a world of hurt if we didn’t know some of those things.
o But when it comes down to it, God is what we need to know.
o As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2: “I’ve resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
• In the midst of knowing God, though, there will always be a tension of mystery and revelation.
• Regardless we look to what we do have and know, and that is the life and person of Jesus, the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) who was the fullness of God (Colossians 1:19).
• There are a lot of questions that we have, other issues about Scripture and life that the church has made important, has argued about, has even killed over in the course of history.
• Let’s go back to the early church, though.
o Focused so much on Jesus
o Gospels were written to tell the story of Jesus…the details of how He lived, who He touched, hung out with, healed, talked to, didn’t talk to.
o The teachers of the Law wanted to focus on the list of things to do and not do, but Jesus lived a bigger picture of that…a picture that we are called to follow as “Christ-ones” or “Christians” as it became.
o The church was about telling the story of Jesus…every detail, every person’s story, every miracle.
o “That’s church. Transmitting from person to person the truth about Jesus.” – Don Everts from God in the Flesh, p.17
• Jesus lived a life of grace…
o He went to the outcasts and sinners
o He defied the religious leaders of his day
o It was about grace and love
o Matthew 22:34-40
• “love God with all your heart, soul, mind & strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
• This is the basis of it all…everything about the life of Jesus and His ministry
• All the other things that we may have confused don’t really matter.
• Are there things in scripture that we need to know? Yes
• Are there things that are right and wrong for our lives? Yes
o We are called to be followers of JESUS…
• Not the idol of Scripture, but the LIVING WORD.
• Not the idol of Paul’s letters, but the One Paul pointed to.
• Not a set of moralistic rules, but the One who fulfilled the Law.
Live the Person of Jesus
- So as we follow the person of Jesus, we are called to live our lives modeled after Jesus, transmitting the truth about Jesus from person to person.
- St. Francis: “preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.”
o Sometimes what we’re doing in life speaks so loudly people can’t hear what we’re actually saying with our words.
o Colossians 3:12-14, 17
• Every part of our lives should and can reflect and reveal the reality of God.
• It’s our attitudes, how we treat people, how we think.
- But it’s bigger than our attitudes.
- Sometimes love requires action.
- We are called to reveal the love and the compassion of God to all people.
- Following World War II some German students volunteered to help rebuild a cathedral in England, one that had been badly damaged by the Luftwaffe bombings. As the work progressed, they weren't sure how to best restore a large statue of Jesus with has arms outstretched and bearing the familiar inscription, "Come unto Me." They were able to repair all the damage to the statue except for Christ's hands which had been completely destroyed. Should they even attempt to rebuild these? Finally, the workers reached a decision that still stands today. They decided to leave the hands off and changed the inscription to read: "Christ has no hands but ours."
- It breaks down to those cheesy little bracelets that were everywhere about 10 years ago: WWJD.
- Jimmy t-shirts – the reality is more like: HCIDWJWDIIDKWJD
- We have let our picture of Jesus become blurred.
o Gnostics – separation of physical (bad) & spiritual (good)…led to them believing and teaching that Jesus wasn’t human.
o In recent years in order to make the idea of Jesus more palatable, we have focused on Jesus as human, a great teacher.
o They may have been well-meaning, but it has eroded our picture of Jesus.
o Even those of us who have spent most of our lives in the church can become “home blind” to the person of Jesus and the stories we’ve always known.
- Paul writing to Timothy…leader of the church, one day a Bishop, reminded him of what was important.
o 2 Timothy 2:8-9
o Remember Jesus…this is my gospel
o Resolve to know Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Prayer
- God in the Flesh p.22-23
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
tattoos galore!
last weekend, our church had a booth at a local street fair (adams ave. street fair). it was my first time to that street fair, and i was blown away. the fair was huge with multiple stages for live music, carnival rides, and of course food, food, and more food. thousands of people from all over san diego came to hang out, eat, listen to music, and be inundated with tons of businesses trying to sell them things.
at our booth, we did free airbrush tattoos. most people were surprised that we weren't charging, and that a church would be doing tattoos. there was a group of elementary-aged boys who kept coming back to get more, and i'm pretty sure they had every stencil that we brought tattooed on them somewhere...well, except the little butterfly one. i enjoyed seeing the smiles on people's faces - kids and adults - having fun with it. more than once we had adults who wanted to get one to scare a spouse. i wish i could have seen the spouses' faces! i will say, though, that the sound of an air compressor at this point might send me to the mental institution! here are some photos from the weekend:
at our booth, we did free airbrush tattoos. most people were surprised that we weren't charging, and that a church would be doing tattoos. there was a group of elementary-aged boys who kept coming back to get more, and i'm pretty sure they had every stencil that we brought tattooed on them somewhere...well, except the little butterfly one. i enjoyed seeing the smiles on people's faces - kids and adults - having fun with it. more than once we had adults who wanted to get one to scare a spouse. i wish i could have seen the spouses' faces! i will say, though, that the sound of an air compressor at this point might send me to the mental institution! here are some photos from the weekend:
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
"a change will do you good..."
well, in the immortal words of sheryl crow, "a change will do you good." i have been waiting to post this bit of news until it had been officially announced. starting monday, september 22, i will be full time at missiongathering as the pastor of connection and spiritual formation! i have resigned my full time position at west elm, but i will be staying on in a casual role there working one day a week or so. while i have learned a lot in retail management and the world of sales, it's not who i am wired to be.
i have known since i was in high school that i wanted to be in ministry. while in college i served as the junior high intern then as the junior high director at asbury united methodist church in tulsa, oklahoma. i then moved to san diego to be the middle school pastor at journey community church. after 3 years there and volunteer hours at the national youth workers convention, i joined the staff of youth specialties to help train and encourage youth pastors. my journey into retail began when zondervan bought ys and my job was downsized. thankfully in the midst of these and some other circumstances, i had found missiongathering - a community of faith where, on my first sunday there, i felt like i was home.
i have been playing in the band at mission for two years and have been on part-time staff for a year as part of the teaching team, helping with programming and production, and coordinating special events. now that i am full time, i will be overseeing leadership development (we're growing and can't afford to have the staff driving everything), spiritual formation (small groups, retreats, spiritual direction, spiritual growth), community connections (connecting people within mission and connecting mission to the community), and providing some structure to new ministries and programs within mission. we are growing in some great ways at missiongathering, but boy do i have my work cut out for me. regardless, though, i am very excited to be serving my church in this way and am excited about being able to wake up looking forward to going to work.
so there we go...a new adventure ahead...more to come, i'm sure. ~aroll
i have known since i was in high school that i wanted to be in ministry. while in college i served as the junior high intern then as the junior high director at asbury united methodist church in tulsa, oklahoma. i then moved to san diego to be the middle school pastor at journey community church. after 3 years there and volunteer hours at the national youth workers convention, i joined the staff of youth specialties to help train and encourage youth pastors. my journey into retail began when zondervan bought ys and my job was downsized. thankfully in the midst of these and some other circumstances, i had found missiongathering - a community of faith where, on my first sunday there, i felt like i was home.
i have been playing in the band at mission for two years and have been on part-time staff for a year as part of the teaching team, helping with programming and production, and coordinating special events. now that i am full time, i will be overseeing leadership development (we're growing and can't afford to have the staff driving everything), spiritual formation (small groups, retreats, spiritual direction, spiritual growth), community connections (connecting people within mission and connecting mission to the community), and providing some structure to new ministries and programs within mission. we are growing in some great ways at missiongathering, but boy do i have my work cut out for me. regardless, though, i am very excited to be serving my church in this way and am excited about being able to wake up looking forward to going to work.
so there we go...a new adventure ahead...more to come, i'm sure. ~aroll
Friday, June 27, 2008
making a statement
several weeks ago missiongathering hosted the church basement roadshow. that tour is partially sponsored by compassion international. members of our church sponsored several children, and we took a special offering to donate to compassion in lieu of our normal offering. here is the bulk of a letter i just finished on behalf of our church that we will be sending with the donation:
One of the couples that are a key part of our leadership at the church sponsored a child and brought something to our attention. While going through the materials about what they are and are not allowed to send to their child, they read this section: “In addition, we will not forward materials depicting persons dressed in immodest clothing or engaging in activities inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs, including the living out of a homosexual lifestyle.” This section specifically was brought to our attention, as our church is an open and affirming church with several homosexual men and women in key and active roles in our community. While I understand the reality of other cultures where Compassion is working, this policy and perspective on a group of people is very disappointing to hear about an organization I have supported for years.
The message of Jesus is one of grace and inclusion, not judgment and exclusion. Jesus reached out to the marginalized and oppressed, the tired and hungry, the poor and the needy, and the shunned and outcast alike. The gay and lesbian community has been for so long condemned and ostracized by the church, and even those that have found a connection with their faith again (or for the first time) are very sensitive to language of exclusion. Are you suggesting that homosexuals are not or cannot be Christians? Missiongathering believes in the Grace and Love of Christ, and we seek to extend that to all people. Could the language of your materials take more into consideration the cultures to which sponsors are writing instead of imposing a set of beliefs on someone who might believe in the cause of social justice? Beyond the gay and lesbian community, even those in our church who aren’t gay but have been marginalized or hurt by the church are sensitive to the reality of exclusive language instead sharing the reality of the Grace of God for all people.
I don’t expect one letter from a small church to change the opinion of a large, international organization. I don’t expect the story and heart of one group of believers to affect the beliefs and doctrine of the executive leadership. I wrote this letter with a sense of hope. My hope is this: that Compassion International as an organization will open its eyes to the reality of those still marginalized by the people of God even as it endeavors to help the needy and oppressed in the name of God. We as a church are firm believers in speaking for the orphans, the widows, and the helpless. Missiongathering does so in many ways including supporting Invisible Children and through our own Street Angels Ministry, which is an outreach to homeless teenagers in San Diego. We also believe firmly in the truth that God’s Grace extends to all people, and we stand up for that message in every arena possible.
i believe in the work that compassion is doing, i was just struck by the wording of the statement. as the leadership of the church discussed this, we decided to still send the money as a matter of integrity, but to also voice our beliefs and understanding of the gospel of grace of Jesus. we must continue to stand for the truth as people of grace. it's not always easy to find the ways to do that, but we start where we can with what we know and what we do. ~aroll
One of the couples that are a key part of our leadership at the church sponsored a child and brought something to our attention. While going through the materials about what they are and are not allowed to send to their child, they read this section: “In addition, we will not forward materials depicting persons dressed in immodest clothing or engaging in activities inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs, including the living out of a homosexual lifestyle.” This section specifically was brought to our attention, as our church is an open and affirming church with several homosexual men and women in key and active roles in our community. While I understand the reality of other cultures where Compassion is working, this policy and perspective on a group of people is very disappointing to hear about an organization I have supported for years.
The message of Jesus is one of grace and inclusion, not judgment and exclusion. Jesus reached out to the marginalized and oppressed, the tired and hungry, the poor and the needy, and the shunned and outcast alike. The gay and lesbian community has been for so long condemned and ostracized by the church, and even those that have found a connection with their faith again (or for the first time) are very sensitive to language of exclusion. Are you suggesting that homosexuals are not or cannot be Christians? Missiongathering believes in the Grace and Love of Christ, and we seek to extend that to all people. Could the language of your materials take more into consideration the cultures to which sponsors are writing instead of imposing a set of beliefs on someone who might believe in the cause of social justice? Beyond the gay and lesbian community, even those in our church who aren’t gay but have been marginalized or hurt by the church are sensitive to the reality of exclusive language instead sharing the reality of the Grace of God for all people.
I don’t expect one letter from a small church to change the opinion of a large, international organization. I don’t expect the story and heart of one group of believers to affect the beliefs and doctrine of the executive leadership. I wrote this letter with a sense of hope. My hope is this: that Compassion International as an organization will open its eyes to the reality of those still marginalized by the people of God even as it endeavors to help the needy and oppressed in the name of God. We as a church are firm believers in speaking for the orphans, the widows, and the helpless. Missiongathering does so in many ways including supporting Invisible Children and through our own Street Angels Ministry, which is an outreach to homeless teenagers in San Diego. We also believe firmly in the truth that God’s Grace extends to all people, and we stand up for that message in every arena possible.
i believe in the work that compassion is doing, i was just struck by the wording of the statement. as the leadership of the church discussed this, we decided to still send the money as a matter of integrity, but to also voice our beliefs and understanding of the gospel of grace of Jesus. we must continue to stand for the truth as people of grace. it's not always easy to find the ways to do that, but we start where we can with what we know and what we do. ~aroll
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