Christmas Then & Now

Christmas has come and gone. All that is left is the tune in my head perpetually asking, “what are you doing for New Year’s Eve” and a dried out Christmas tree. Oh, and a huge mess of dishes and wrapping paper and no room to store the new toys. But this isn’t what strikes me the most.

Satisfaction. That is what is striking me. Never before has this been the post Christmas feeling. As a kid I threw all my weight into Christmas Eve, Santa bringing me what I wanted, and the chaos of Christmas Day. I’m not sure if it’s having two daughters or the mental preparations, specifically designing everything from Black Friday with everything Christmas, but in the end here I am, content.

Having kids at Christmas is awesome. The lights, the chocolate & candy, the presents, the family, the concerts and more are all new for a 2 year old and so I too get to see it al anew. And over that she’s already getting the basics of baby Jesus. It’s triggered more bible times for her and I. Just last night, getting home late from the city, she asked for bible with her snack.

But in this Christmas season I’ve embraced the word “season.” No more hyped anticipation of Christmas Eve. Christmas is a month long and needs to be taken as such. Cookie baking, decorating, signing, it’s all Christmas. Christmas isn’t a day, it’s a season. Advent has helped me with this. It truly is a season of preparation. But the key is the preparation is the event.

Preparation is not simply necessary in order to get to the destination. Like Christ preparing us for himself and eternity, today is no less salvation then when we enter that glorious kingdom in its fullness. So I embrace the season and find myself content. And tired. And ready for New Years.

Content with Christmas and what it has brought, content with my souls and it’s preparation, I now go back to asking my beautiful wife in lustrous notes, “what are you doing New Years, New Year’s Eve?”

 

Powerful Christmas Songs

Old hymns can sometimes not hit the mark in worshipful attitude and theology, the two components to a great worship song. But of course hundreds of christian worship songs are written monthly and a lot miss the mark as well. However, as I prepare and lead advent and Christmas services I began to reflect on these hardy little tunes that have endured so long. Often their music is so full and robust you can miss the message and worship of the song. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was never a song intended to live past 1868, but fits the bill here.

The first stanza is perfect for advent. It sings,

“Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.”

Advent is a time of waiting and often in darkness. Everything compared to Christ is dark and we await his second return as Israel awaited the messiah those many years ago. From darkness to light is not only the message of Christmas but of the gospel as well.

The last stanza also hits me in the theological heart,

“O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!”

As we live in this dark world and know how great God’s kingdom is, we can only pray as Jesus taught us, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Matt 6:10. Descend to us Lord. Only he can “cast out” our sin and make us pure. John 3 concerning being born again is here as well as John 15 of abiding with us. How amazing to have a God who not only casts out sin from our lives but he also lives with us.

As we sing songs like this one this Christmas, may they not be simply nostalgic candy to our ears but robust worship moments, engaging our lives with God’s to see a glimpse of his kingdom as he brings it.

 

A Youth Pastor’s Reflection

I had lost this post a few months ago after a youth leaders meeting, after which I was pumped for life. I was disappointed I could not find it. But bam. Now it’s back, so I wanted to publish it. Though it is a couple months old the idea and thought is still current for me.

Mid June 2013
Tonight the faithful youth leaders gathered to envision what The Lord has done this past year and where we are heading for the upcoming year. Reflection and refocusing. These are some of my favourite times of the year. This is especially true of this year as a purpose and a plan has been formed in years gone by and watching it evolve and develop into effective discipleship is joyful.

Here’s where we landed: action with teaching. Youth need to experience to learn and grow. The classroom is only good for so long. How can we do as Jesus did and walk and teach. Feed the masses and teach a lesson or heal the lame on the sabbath and teach about The Lord of the sabbath. How can we experience the gospel and embody biblical truths as a youth group? That is our upcoming struggle and I am excited for it. Here we come 2013-14! Lord, your kingdom come!”

 

For God’s Sake

“For God’s Sake Johnny, pull up those pants.”

Maybe I have been watching too many 80s and 90s shows but this phrase strikes me as an odd one. It has been labeled to me as a swear. Of course, scripture doesn’t bode well for those who misuse the the name of God, but I want to examine this phrase a little closer, according to some words of Jesus.

Jesus taught us to pray (Matt 6) and in turn to hallow the name of God. As Jesus prays to the Heavenly Father, he states, hallowed be your name. To hallow the name of God is to set it apart as holy. To hold it up in high regard. But what of this name? What does it matter about God’s name, it’s His character and being that matters after all.

Within scripture a name means so much more. Living in a culture where children a named to sound unique and not get picked on at school, we don’t initially get what this phrase from Jesus means. The name meant the very character of the person. Naming a child meant labelling his or her character. Jacob, from birth, was known as the trickster. It’s what his name meant and it held up. He tricked his brother into giving up his birthright. Hollowing the name of God is holding Gods character as holy and set apart. Which, if we call ourselves Christians, means we bear the name of God and need to keep it holy in our lives. Which for me is absolute surrender to God.

So back to our phrase, “For God’s Sake.” It’s known as cursing when in fact it should be redeemed as a phrase meant to bring awareness to how we bear the name of God. Our issue is we use the phrase when we are fed up with something, usually that something is moralistic. So Johnny pulling up his pants is for Gods sake because its a matter of Gods name being smeared.

But what if “for God’s sake” was less of a moralistic phrase and one of surrender. What if it meant, I give up everything in this day to God. If I wake up in the morning and exclaimed, “for God’s sake,” it would be to remind myself for whom I live. An odd thought from an odd phrase.

Of course this is a flippant phrase that is simple jargon in our society, but here it goes: For God’s sake Christians, hallow his name.

 

YOLO in Romans 8

“YOLO” the philosophy that’s changing the youngins. Or is it? The philosophy of YOLO is not a new one, but merely a justification for an old philosophy.  For some reason we think that yelling or hash tagging “YOLO” justifies our comments and actions. For a good definition of YOLO check out AJ Crocker’s thoughts. Basically it’s this, “You Only Live Once then you’re dead so do whatever the heck you want.” Nike says, “Just Do It.” The past has captured the philosophy in such phrases as “whatever man,” and pretty much every action or movement in the 60’s. You only live once, so “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” This philosophy gives us the justification to do what we want with ourselves. We use it as an excuse as though it is the end all be all authority. But, this movement lacks one conviction, eternal life. Without that conviction we can do whatever we want and I would. I love to live in the moment without a care. But, there is another life that we hope and live for. It is the life that will fill the void within us. And this hope is Jesus. 

Paul had to deal with YOLO. He wrote to the Romans and gave a contrast between living in the sinful nature versus living in the Spirit. Paul says this: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live”(Rom 8:12-13). Since the body does die we should act as we only live once(#YOLO), but with the hope of fulfillment in Christ. If the world does not believe in Jesus and the fulfillment he will bring, then yes YOLO is the end all, be all. But Know this: The very nature of the body is to die, but the nature of the Spirit is to live, so why not live?

Our bodies and minds lie to us. They tell us to do whatever feels right. Pure selfishness. The problem is that we are broken people. It doesn’t take much to look around our world or even internally to see that, “wow, we are broken.” Scripture teaches this. So why listen to what is broken when truth is right in front of our eyes. He is called Jesus and He has given us His Spirit to live in, through, and by. Paul says this: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Gal 5:16). By living in the Spirit we can YOLO with a purpose and without being destructive. Death is unavoidable, even YOLO admits it, but know that that death is not the end. Paul says this, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Rom 8:11). Maybe it’s time we ask Jesus for His Spirit and spend some time walking in Him.  

 

 

Fitting Into a Church

Fit. Do I fit here or there? Since coming into ministry part time and full time the past 6 years, I see something that’s either concerning or encouraging. You be the judge. People often come to a church or leave a church based on what is available for themselves and their family. Maybe rightly so. We all need to find a fit, but soon our attitude changes. “If I am a senior and there is nothing for a senior to do then I’m out.” Or “if I have a child and there is nothing for families , I’m out.” The list can go on. Here is a concern I see in our view of church:

Let’s just get together, aka, “The social club affect.” We do need to be a community. This means there can be events that we go to and are organized as simply social. They can be social for specific ages, genders or stages in life. The Issue: Most churches in Canada are small. There are often 200 or less people, busy people. People who only have so much time. Let’s say we plan a family event, a senior event, a children event, singles event, and a young adult event. All social in nature. Where is there time to teach people scripture? Where is the time to disciple leaders? Where is the time to pray for one another? I wouldn’t mind the social events if we were such great disciples that the events turned into a prayer meeting for our towns, or if we encouraged one another in prayer or scripture. But let’s face it, 2-10% of people are mature enough to do this. In result, church becomes just another social organization. Is this bad?

We have to look at the mandate of Scripture. What does God tell us the church is? Acts is clear that it is a gathering of believers. They shared everything together, including meals and money. But let’s look at what they were doing. Even their Trustees (who wiped tables and served) were preaching the Gospel to those who have never heard. They were men filled with the Holy Spirit and desired to see Christ fill the world. Is this our passion? Jesus told us to “make disciples” (Matt 28:19). The church cannot put on events or programs for every single group of people or we’ll die.

When we evaluate a church to say we don’t fit, I ask why? Why do you not fit? The answer is usually this: “There is not enough for me and I don’t see the church having anything for my family.” My question is this: Have you asked about the vision of the church and at what stage the church is at? Are they in development of leaders or programs? Are we concerned with social events more than growth of disciples? The church is more than its face value.

COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS: When the church says its a community, it means we’re family. It means we are a family who are striving for the kingdom of Jesus! The question need not be “what is there for me,” but how can we grow spiritually and work for the kingdom together?

Churches: We need to be asking this question and evaluating consistently.

Believers: Be patient. Especially if the church is attempting to move forward. Be a part of the solution not the transient crisis we are a part of.

North Americans(we) are consumers: We shop shop shop. If we don’t find what we like at Walmart, we go to Costco. If Costco is mistreating us, we go to Superstore. If one church is isn’t serving exactly our tastes, it’s time to move on. This mentality kills the church.

To be the church we must invest ourselves in a community for the purpose of growing each other in CHRIST through tough and joyous times alike. Jesus put up with us. He died for us. Let’s work together for the Kingdom of God. Let’s keep watch of our priorities and “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things(needs) will be added to you.” We must listen to Jesus’ words and the rest of scripture in how to be the church. Then we can be as creative as we like in being the church, but we must keep our Identity.

 

A Point to New Years

December 14 marked my musical debut as Henry in Four Tickets to Christmas. I sang, I acted, I had a good time. In the musical I have this one line as I reconnect with my Father whom I have not had a good relationship. It goes like this: “Christmas is a good time to start things.” Though New Years resolutions have a bad rep New Years can be a great time of reflection.

My wife and I enjoy road trips. Our most recent 6.5 hour drive helped us meet our new niece! But, the reason we enjoy the road trip is because it sparks reflection for us. New Years helps spark that along and we begin to dream in the new year in light of the last. New Years doesn’t have to hold a cliche but can be a powerful time of re-evaluation of where you’re at. Low and Behold here are some results of what Nadine and I talked about:

1) Time to de-clutter and focus: Our lives are cluttered with too much that we cannot focus on our passions and gifts the Lord has given. We lose who we are in the midst of massive responsibility and a refusal to say no. Even though my job is ministry in a church, I am not the church and cannot fill every gap.

2) Spiritual Conversation is Important: We received a classic gift this Christmas: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers and for 2013 we are going throughit together. Two days already accomplished! Woo! It has already strengthened our marriage in 2 days. I look forward to strengthening our marriage Spiritually this entire year.

3) My Passions: This season has helped me reflect once again on who I am. I love pastoring people into their passions and mentoring them into what this Christian walk is. Preaching & Teaching (when I can focus on it and not rush a message) is where I thrive. Though I enjoy vision and constructing a purpose and plan for ministry and though I love music and leading people in worship, unless they are coupled with the above gifts, my life is too cluttered and not lending itself to what I made to do.

Of course lots was talked about and this is a mere synopsis of it all. As Oswald has been teaching me, I need to pass it all over to God and let God himself tell me what to do. I hear a Carrie Underwood song coming on . . .

 

Lessons Learned from the Poor

Lessons Learned from the Poor. By David Guertzki

The link above is a post from a professor and mentor of mine. At first I thought it was simply another account of a missions trip. But not with David. Thanks David for this post.

Context: David is observing a class in Ecuador. Its a partnership class with Briercrest and Compassion International to combine in-class theology with the outworking of theology. Love the idea of this class and hope to join one day.

 

To Post or Not to Post

When you look at my last post you may say, “Wow! That was a long time ago.” To those who continuously check my blog, I say sorry for that. But, let me explain this interesting journey I have been on.

I started reading a book called, The Imitations of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis and if you have ever read any of his material, he focuses a lot on humility. The second chapter hit me in regards to my blog. There was a statement, “If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing” (9). To put it in context, Kempis is talking of fighting pride and thinking more highly of others than yourself. At this point I asked myself, “Why am I writing my blog?” I have been aggressive in creating a nice looking blog and commenting on other people’s blogs so they would read mine, but to what end. My motives have been mixed.

On one hand I desired to reflect on culture and speak from a Christian world view and also post sermons and thoughts from sermons. But I had this conflicting motive that wanted to be known. I wanted to spread prove to the world I could write and had ideas that the world would love to hear. I desired fame. I feel weird even writing that out. Of course, in order to becomes a writer that may be necessary, but my heart was full of pride. I feel as though this has been a part of my life all along. I want to be known. In the end my life is one of anxiety and anxiousness. It is a life that is not content.

Identity. I am forgetting who I am. I am in Christ. He is who I am. Why do I need to be known. My purpose is not to be known, my purpose is in Christ and to make him known.

Kempis says, “All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself,” meaning I can sin at any moment. Who knows how long I can hold up before I relapse into sin? Into pride?

So this is why I have not written a post. I am working through motives. I probably will continue blogging regularly again. But I will probably sift through my motives each time I write. Until then, Blessings, Merry Christmas. May this season be one of Joy and Love in Christ. May you sense his Spirit, our Emmanuel.

 

What Christians Should Know about Halloween

What Christians Should Know about Halloween | The Resurgence.

Here’s an interesting article on Halloween (Click the link above!). The part I disagree with the most is the very end where he talks about mocking the devil. I would be weary about mocking him. Jude warns us well,

In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them. (Jude 1:8-10).

Though we have authority in Christ, we must remember that the authority stays in Christ. Though he is intricately woven into our lives, he still holds the authority.

Besides that point, this read is very interesting. Check it out.