Are You Ready to Shift?

I was 28 years old when I learned to drive a standard (manual) transmission. I was really, really bad at it, too. I popped the clutch too fast, I ground the gears, etc. Yet, with perseverance and dedication, I finally mastered the art of driving a stick shift. Now, I love it. It gives me so much more control over the vehicle!
Well, friends, our mainline Protestant churches have been coasting along on cruise control for so long, that we've forgotten how to drive the gospel and reach the people God intends for us love and care for. We are at a place in the 21st century where we have to shift or wreck! In his book, Shift: Helping Congregations Back into the Game of Effective Ministry, Phil Maynard teaches us how to shift gradually and consistently as we try to get back into the driver's seat.
The first shift is FROM FELLOWSHIP TO HOSPITALITY. Every church thinks it is friendly, because everyone who goes there has friends to be friendly with! Strangers may not find the environment so cordial. "The biblical tradition of hospitality was focused on welcoming the stranger...Not only did Jesus urge his followers to generously welcome those in need, but he also promised that these acts of kindness were personally experienced by the Son of Man himself (Matthew 25)." It's not just about us!!! We are called to put the needs of others above our own! We are called to put the focus on God's grace, not our personalities. It's all about the relationships we build and maintain in the Body of Christ. Our relationship with God, our relationships with each other, and our relationship to the world are all a crucial part of growing in grace and into the likeness of Christ. "This relational dimension is the engine that drives our witness in the community and world, our worship as the body of Christ, and our growth in maturity as disciples of Jesus Christ." (quotes from Shift, p. 15)
Beginning in August, I will be focusing our attention in sermons and committee meetings on this first gear of our shift: From fellowship to hospitality. Watch the bulletin and Facebook pages for more information on this vital need in our congregation. Begin to join in prayer NOW for the revival that will come from following the lead of Christ in all we do!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Caren

Intelligence Lost

I've recently been moved to read Shakespeare again. The Sonnets moved me to pull out my old poetry books. I would get lost for hours in my books as a child and young woman. Poe, Dickson, Tennyson and others were my companions all through college. I even dabbled in poetry, having published a few by the time I graduated. 

Then, I entered divinity school. There was only time for assigned books and papers. Of course, I read the Bible, but the beauty and meter were lost in the dissection of each verse for the sake of scholarship. Now, I only read professional books and journals, or online articles arriving by the minute from various sources. Then, a quick check of Facebook and emails I'm responsible to answer. Finally, as I climb into bed, I take my book of Gaelic poetry to steal a few minutes of pleasure, and fall asleep before I finish a page. 

And the Bible? Yes, I still read it every day. Yet, as the English translations simplify, though increasingly more accurate through solid scholarship, they lose much of the poetry and beauty of earlier versions. I sometimes feel as though we have "dumbed down" the Word of God to the point no one actually studies it anymore except those who preach or teach it. 

Is it truly wise to reduce the scriptures to simple, short, manageable sound bites?

I think I'm going to pull out the old, worn-out Bible with all the writing in the margins written in the old King James English, and read the Psalms, just for fun. That is, if I can stay awake that long. 

15 Minutes a Day

I am into scrapbooks! I look at them. I make them. I gather with others at "crops" to learn new designs and techniques (or more often, to laugh, fellowship and eat!) I also teach the art of scrapbooking. My motto as a teacher is:

• A scrapbook a month in 15 minutes a day.

This is based on 5 days EVERY week. If you skip a day (or worse still a week!), you won't finish on time. Once that happens, I've found, the scrapbooker will:

1. Lose interest - especially if you don't have a dedicated space, you'll find yourself burying the materials, and then you'll have to deal with the pile-up before you can crop again.
2. Get discouraged - This happens because you missed your goal. And since most of us scrap for ourselves (not professionally for others), this means we've let ourselves down. This is often self-perpetuating, because we feel bad about not doing other things or we haven't taken time for ourselves or 100's of other reasons we find to beat ourselves up.
3. Take longer to get a book done - The simple reason is that scrapbooking is so personal, it depends on you - your ideas, creativity and attention. When you skip, you lose your train of thought. "Now why did I pick THAT paper to go with that picture?" "What WAS I thinking when I chose THOSE embellishments?" When you touch your art every day, you are much more inclined to remember lessons learned, and trains of thought don't jump the track as often.
4. Forget where the picture was taken and who was in it - I often work with people who've put boxes and boxes of pix in closets or basements and forgotten about them. This is especially true when the pictures are separated from their original roll (yes, many people still have photos on rolls!). Even on the smartphones, if pictures aren't tagged, sometimes they're forgotten.

Why would your pastor give you a newsletter article about the ins and outs of scrapbooking? Well, it's because the same principles apply in our spiritual lives! Want to grow spiritually? It just takes 15 minutes a day! Pray for 15 minutes. Read the word for 15 minutes. Meditate for 15 minutes. Every day. For a month. Then tell me what's happened in your life! In my personal and professional experience I have found that, if we skip a day or a week, we will:

1. Lose interest - If we only pray once in awhile, we don't see consistent results. The prayer requests mount up. The worries and trials multiply. By the time we finally get around to praying, we are in a very dark place. Why put ourselves through that?
2. Get discouraged - time with God is time for us to re-fuel. So many things in our lives make demands on us. We have lost the whole idea of Sabbath time. It's not just a good idea, it's essential to our health and well-being! If we don't pause for "me & God" time, it's like constantly writing checks on our account without ever making a deposit! So we get used up, burned out and hopeless very quickly. Some people never come back to prayer after a long absence because they feel guilty. Again, why put ourselves through that?
3. Take longer to grow into the likeness of Christ - How can we follow someone we don't trust? How can we be like someone we don't know? I'm a huge fan of Billy Graham, but I could never be like him because I don't know that much about him. If you don't spend time with God, how will you know you can trust him? How will you know you are His beloved? How will you know how to love in His name?
4. Forget - In one of Jesus' last acts on earth, he told his followers to "Remember me." We remember by using the means of grace he gave us. We pray. We study. We read His Word. We gather with other believers. We renew our commitments. We prioritize. We choose. We remember in Holy Communion. We remember in living our lives to please God, not others.

So, as we approach the season of Lent, think about committing to 15 minutes a day spent with God. Every day. Every week. Every month.  And remember, if you don't do it perfectly, there is ALWAYS forgiveness!

Love in Christ,
Pastor Caren

Every Day is a Do-Over

As a teenager, my church youth group was my most important social network. Each week, we started with either volleyball or 4 square (or both!) I was LOUSY at both. Yet, what was so uplifting about my youth group, was that everyone accepted me as I was. All the other kids who weren't athletic were accepted, too. Whenever we messed up badly, someone in the pack would shout out, "Do-over." And I would get a second chance and loving support, just because!

A life in Christ is to have a daily "do-over."  He forgives us, accepts us, and cheers us on. Sometimes we forget that Christ is counting on us to forgive, accept and be cheerleaders for the less-than-perfect people around us.  

As I contemplate the new year, I'm not interested in making resolutions. I've made the same ones over and over - lose weight, save money, get healthy. Yet, resolving to do these things has never resulted in actually accomplishing a single one of them!  However, putting Christ first every day of my life has given me the courage to tackle them all. And when I fail, I know I'm forgiven. And no matter how badly I fall, no matter what sin I commit, each day reconciliation in Christ is offered freely and fully for me and all humankind. Please join me in 2015 in the challenge to turn over more and more of our lives each day to the care and keeping of God Almighty. 

Mindfulness

There's a catch word that's the latest thing in the business world today: Mindfulness. Psychology Today defines mindfulness as "a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience." I've got news for all those who think this is a new thing - Jesus was doing it over 2000 years ago!
In the last 10 years or so, companies such as Google, Intel, Target, General Mills and Aetna have all embraced the concept on a corporate level. There are actually policies in place that encourage this practice. The benefits of practicing mindfulness include improved mental health, resilient physical health, lowered stress hormones, better leadership skills and sustained focus on what is most important. Duke and Massachusetts University Medical Schools are not only promoting the practice, but also beginning to produce statistical results for it. The practice of mindfulness involves meditation, yoga and other ancient pan-Asian practices. Though some would say it is Buddhist, the current trend is often among decidedly non-Buddhists. The point of mindfulness is to take a step back, pause, and, most importantly, to be compassionate with yourself and the world around you. (The word Sabbath comes to mind...)
Jesus was always in the moment. Meditation was modeled for us when he went up on the mountain alone to pray. He noticed things. He saw things around him that no one else saw: a tax collector who would walk away from his lucrative business and follow the stranger from Galilee; an outcast Samaritan woman at the well who would become an immediate evangelist; a woman who touched the hem of his cloak and was healed. Jesus stopped and gave his full attention to each of these.
Jesus  only passed judgment on those who were abusing God's plan for their own personal gain (like the Pharisees) or those who were abusing and /or ignoring God's people, the least of these. He taught us great lessons, and there are current studies showing that his leadership style was nothing short of miraculous! (pun intended)
Jesus was too blessed to be stressed! We have no recorded or anecdotal evidence that Jesus ever showed signs of stress. He was sad several times, and he wanted to remain with us just a little longer than God's design. But he didn't stress over it! He talked it over with his dad while some of his closest friends stayed nearby. Then he went on about the business of saving the world from sin and death.
Jesus was completely in the moment when he told his parables, using whatever analogies his listeners could understand. He knew his audience was eternal, so he used universal truths to teach us a better way. He used whatever was on hand when he fed the 5000.  He just took the loaves and fish and blessed them and multiplied them until all were satisfied.
Jesus had compassion. He cried over Jerusalem because he knew they didn't get it.  Even as he died on the cross, he was compassionate - "Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing."
Jesus was all about love, and you have to be present and pay attention to truly love and be loved. So, Christians, let's remember to be mindful as we meditate on His word and our service each day. I encourage you to read up on the whole mindfulness movement, and not be scared away by the religions of many practitioners. Like prayer, meditation is simply one of the many tools we can use to approach the throne of grace. As my mom used to say, "Can't hurt; might help!"

Raving Fans

It's here, it's here, that most wonderful time of the year!!!!!!  March Madness is here! I love it! I watch all the ACC games I can and record those I can't. I won't promote any particular team here, but just to set the record straight my team doesn't wear red or navy or gold or maroon or green or black or orange or yellow. I'm just sayin'...I eat, sleep, and drink basketball this time of the year.  I watch other conferences and teams, too, but only college basketball. Pros bore me.

Come tournament time, I can be found in front of the TV for every ACC game. I sit dressed in my team colors, in my logo-decorated rocking chair, with my 64 ounce cup of water and some healthy snacks. I don't leave the games unless nature calls, and I try to time that for timeouts and halftime. I am an avid (some would say rabid!) ACC basketball fan.

There are many reasons for this. Probably the most influential was my father. My dad and I were so much alike, we clashed over almost everything. But when it came to our team's basketball season, we were united in cheering them on. He taught me the ins and outs of the game. He used his clout with Dean Smith to bring one of my favorite players to my school to speak at the Fellowship of Christian Atheletes meeting. He came to our house for dinner, and it was like having your teen idol come to dinner! I was awed! My dad supported my "habit" and joined in with the screaming at the refs and yelling at the coach. My dad was impressed when I became a statistician for the local Jaycees team. My dad and I came together in ways we couldn't in any other area of life (except our faith in Christ).

In his book, Raving Fans, leadership coach Kenneth Blanchard maintains that the employees of your company need to be its greatest fans. I think this applies to our faith as well. What if we were as rabid about our support for our church as we are for the Panthers, the Tar Heels, the Knights or the Checkers?  Do we make sure we hear every sermon and record the ones we miss? Do we eat, sleep and drink the Great Commision to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? Are we loyal to our "team" - Sunday school, small group, Bible study, etc.?

Do we carry our faith's brand with us? Can people tell we are Jesus fans? It was said of my maternal grandfather that "If the church doors were open, Charlie Borts was there." In fact, he probably opened the doors and stayed behind to lock up! Can that be said of any of us? They used to name classrooms and small groups after people who were so faithful they stood out among the faithful. As a child, at my house, you didn't miss church unless you were in the bed sick with a fever or worse!

Are we as parents upholding that kind of faith at home? Do we put a premium on time spent in prayer or Bible reading? Do we hold our children accountable for church attendance and youth group? Do we make it clear that homework needs to be done before Sunday so it's no excuse to stay home?

In this time of decline in the mainline churches, we all need to be RAVING FANS of our Lord and Savior. We need to pass that passion on to our children. I hear parents say things like, "I want to let them chose for themselves if they want to go to church or not." My response is, "Do you let them decide for themselvesif they want to use drugs or not?" There are certain values and non-negotiables that we hold dear, and it's our responsibility to pass those on to our children. Too many people today leave character education to churches, Sunday school teachers and pastors instead of starting and enforcing it at home. If Jesus matters to you, He matters to your children, whether they know it yet or not; whether they accept it for themselves or not.

What team means the most to you? Stand up, cheer and be proud of the Savior that gave his life for you. Go team!!!

THE BIG "DUH"

I have things all over my desk that occasionally catch my attention. Sometimes it's a God-thing which one I see exactly when I need it.
Today I was frustrated. Computer glitches. Phone issues. Life was challenging today. I kept trying to stay focused and get my work done. Did you catch that - MY work? Therein lay the problem!
So as I poured my fourth cup of coffee, I noticed a knick knack out of position on my desk. It was a fat little angel holding a placard that says simply, "God is in Control." DUH!!! No wonder I couldn't get anything done! For starters, I put together my to do list last night without consulting with God in prayer first. Then, as the wheels fell off, I kept trying to fix and do in my own power!
God must get so tired of us omitting the blessings from our lives by trying to do it our way. How patient he must be to wait so lovingly for us to get the point!

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

So, I started over about three o'clock this afternoon, and things are going much better, AFTER I turned it all over to God and let HIM set my priorities.