“Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in all hearts of those who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.” – Patrick of Ireland (389-461)
When I think of devotion, I think of love. I think of couples who devote themselves to one another. I think of songs like the Everly Brothers:
Darlin’ you can count on me
Till the sun dries up the sea
Until then I’ll always be devoted to you
I’ll be yours through endless time
I’ll adore your charms sublime
Guess by now you know that I’m devoted to you
I’ll never hurt you, I’ll never lie
I’ll never be untrue
I’ll never give you reason to cry
I’d be unhappy if you were blue
Through the years my love will grow
Like a river it will flow
It can’t die because I’m so devoted to you
The definition of devotion is “1. love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity; 2. Religious worship or observance.” As Christians, we would like to believe we are devoted to Jesus Christ. But I think many distractions draw us away from our God.
To what or whom are you devoted? Where is your devotion focused? Your spouse? Your children? Your home? Your pet? Your job? Your popularity? Your church? Your volunteerism? Your hobby? Your entertainment? Your sports team? Your future? Your past?
Let me offer five marks of believers who are devoted to Jesus Christ. First, devoted believers are devoted to Scripture. They hunger to know the mind and will of God. They want to know the life and words of Jesus. They long to experience the touch of the Holy Spirit. How can they know these things better? By reading the inspired word of God. Like a sports fan who reads all the stories about their teams and knows all the statistics, a devoted believer knows the Bible.
Secondly, devoted believers are devoted to prayer. You might notice their knees are a little raw from kneeling at bedside, praying to God. They offer prayers of adoration for who God is and thanksgiving for what God has done and is doing. They confess their shortcomings and ask for God to cleanse and heal them. They offer prayers of petition, laying their worries and concerns at the feet of Jesus and asking Him to carry their burdens and the burdens of their loved ones. And at times, they sit in silence, waiting for God to speak to them in a still, small voice. Like a devoted lover who simply wants to spend time with the object of their devotion, a devoted believer spends time in prayer with God.
Third, devoted believers are devoted to living more like Christ. Reading about God and spending time in prayer are not enough. They desire to grow in faith. Scripture and prayer should transform us into the likeness of our Lord. Like a devoted spouse begins to act, look and think like their partner, so a believer should begin to begin to become more and more like Jesus.
Fourth, devoted believers are devoted to sharing Jesus Christ with others. As a believer’s relationship with Christ grows and blossoms, so their enthusiasm for Him grows. They want to tell others about who Jesus is and how He is changing their lives in new, unexpected, amazingly positive ways. Like the devoted hobbyist becomes excited to share about their collection or activity or whatever, a devoted believer should be brimming with excitement to share their relationship with Jesus to others.
Fifth, devoted believers are devoted to joyful generosity. As a believer grows in the knowledge and grace of God and His overwhelming love and generosity in their lives, it is a natural byproduct to become more generous. They recognize that everything is a gift from God. And they recognize that nothing of this earth will last. What will last are the eternal souls of those around us. Like the devoted character in the movie “Pay It Forward,” a devoted believer recognizes the benefits of joyful generosity.
We are coming into the summer months. I love these months because life slows down. Summers are a time for me to read and reflect. I take the opportunity to refocus and refine my direction.
I long to be devoted to Jesus Christ. And so I commit myself to be devoted to Scripture, to prayer, to living more like Jesus, to sharing my faith, and to joyful generosity. I hope you will join me in devotion to our Lord. May Jesus Christ be the object of our devotion today, tomorrow, and always.
May God richly bless us, even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Which Will Be for All the People
"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid: for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10)
"What do you want for Christmas?"
I suppose after the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" then, "What do you want for Christmas?" is the second most common question asked of children. And if you are around children at all, you know that they will readily, thoughtfully and thoroughly answer this question. They have a list and they are happy to share their list with anyone who will listen.
I remember when I was a child. One set of grandparents used to send me socks and underwear for Christmas. I wanted toys and games, nut they sent me socks and underwear. They didn't give me what I wanted; they gave me something I needed. In my youthful frustration, I remember one time throwing their gift under my bed and leaving it there for weeks.
Now that I am an adult, my children ask what I want for Christmas and my response is often, "I could really use some new socks and underwear." With time comes maturity. We watch our lives pass by and we see how the things we wanted have come and gone. What once was something we "have to have" becomes something to be sold at the next garage sale.
Christmas is the season we give gifts to family and loved ones. Why? The gifts we give are a symbol of the gifts brought to Jesus when He was born. But they are more than that. The gifts we give are symbols of the gifts that God has sent to us. What gifts did God send at this time?
This Advent/Christmas season, we will be focusing our attention on The Gifts of Christmas. What gifts did God send to the world when He sent His Son to be born here? We will focus on the gift of salvation, the gift of Emmanuel, the gift of peace, the gift of joy and the gift of a baby.
Sometimes I wonder if these gifts are really what I think we think they are. The people of Jesus' day were looking for a certain kind of savior, but Jesus did not fulfill their desires. They had their hearts set on a different kind of Messiah. God sent what the people of the world needed, not necessarily what the people wanted.
Are we at all like the people of the first century? Do we accept only the gifts from God we want and toss the gifts we need under the beds of our lives? We'll be wrestling with these questions as we seek to gratefully and humbly receive God's rich blessings this holiday season.
May God bless us, every one!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
"What do you want for Christmas?"
I suppose after the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" then, "What do you want for Christmas?" is the second most common question asked of children. And if you are around children at all, you know that they will readily, thoughtfully and thoroughly answer this question. They have a list and they are happy to share their list with anyone who will listen.
I remember when I was a child. One set of grandparents used to send me socks and underwear for Christmas. I wanted toys and games, nut they sent me socks and underwear. They didn't give me what I wanted; they gave me something I needed. In my youthful frustration, I remember one time throwing their gift under my bed and leaving it there for weeks.
Now that I am an adult, my children ask what I want for Christmas and my response is often, "I could really use some new socks and underwear." With time comes maturity. We watch our lives pass by and we see how the things we wanted have come and gone. What once was something we "have to have" becomes something to be sold at the next garage sale.
Christmas is the season we give gifts to family and loved ones. Why? The gifts we give are a symbol of the gifts brought to Jesus when He was born. But they are more than that. The gifts we give are symbols of the gifts that God has sent to us. What gifts did God send at this time?
This Advent/Christmas season, we will be focusing our attention on The Gifts of Christmas. What gifts did God send to the world when He sent His Son to be born here? We will focus on the gift of salvation, the gift of Emmanuel, the gift of peace, the gift of joy and the gift of a baby.
Sometimes I wonder if these gifts are really what I think we think they are. The people of Jesus' day were looking for a certain kind of savior, but Jesus did not fulfill their desires. They had their hearts set on a different kind of Messiah. God sent what the people of the world needed, not necessarily what the people wanted.
Are we at all like the people of the first century? Do we accept only the gifts from God we want and toss the gifts we need under the beds of our lives? We'll be wrestling with these questions as we seek to gratefully and humbly receive God's rich blessings this holiday season.
May God bless us, every one!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Monday, November 1, 2010
If My People Pray
"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
(2 Chronicles 7:14)
There's power in prayer.
I forget that. I try to follow Christ's teaching. But I get so busy. I try to do things that will honor God. I try to do all I can to further God's Kingdom here on earth. But I get side-tracked sometimes. I do the best I can.
What I don't do as well as I would like to do... is pray.
After King Solomon built and dedicated the Temple to the Lord, God spoke these words to the young king: "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." God desires to forgive us, to heal us, to prosper us. But God also desires us to humble ourselves, to seek Him and to pray.
At our September session meeting, our elders made a commitment to pray. While we continue to pray for the concerns and needs of our church family and community, we purposed to pray intentionally for our budget. We feel God has called us to this specific place for such a time as this. But we are deeply concerned about our finances and our resources.
Now, we can make cuts and we probably will. We can put a task force together to study the problem and offer recommendations. We can ask the congregation to give more. We can hire outside consultants to study our current budget and make recommendations.
But in September I was proud of our session. While they didn't eliminate the possibility of doing any of the above listed actions, they decided to pray for our budget. There are 14 active session members, so two were assigned to each day of the week. Your session is intentionally praying for our church budget.
Ironically, a week after we started to pray, NBC contacted the church office asking if they could use our parking lot and facility while they were shooting an episode of the series, "Outlaw." Suddenly, we had several thousand dollars donated to the church for use of the facility.
Now, some might say that was a coincidence. As my friend, Steve Murray, likes to say, "I don't know if it was a coincidence or not. I just know that when I pray, a lot of coincidences happen!"
And I know that a few thousand dollars aren't going to solve all of our budget woes. But I thank God for this provision. I believe that this donation was an answer to prayer. And that spurs me to want to pray more. To thank God for the way He has supplied our needs in the past. Wow! He has done amazing things through the faithful members of this church who have gone before us. And I believe God will continue to do amazing things in our church today and into the future. If...
Yeah, that's the "conditional phrase" in the Bible. If my people humble themselves. If my people seek my face. If my people pray.
Will you join us? Will you pray with us? Will you pray intentionally for our budget? Will you pray that God will continue to guide our leaders into His vision for this congregation? And will you pray that God will supply our needs to fulfill that vision?
I believe that where God provides the vision, God will provide the means.
But the funny thing is... God wants us to ask. I can't think of a single time Jesus performed a miracle that was unasked for. Can you? So lets ask! Let's pray for God's vision. Let's pray for the finances to carry out that vision. Let's pray for a miracle!
As we consider the context of the passage from 2 Chronicles, lets ask ourselves what happened following the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. The nation of Israel reached its zenith. King Solomon was the wealthiest king in the nation's history; some suggest he was the wealthiest monarch in all of history! Tales are still told of Solomon's treasures. And the kingdom of Israel spread in all directions.
Now, I'm not suggesting that there's something formulaic about prayer. I'm not saying that if we say certain words we'll be blessed. And I'm not suggesting a prosperity gospel. But I do believe this, if we do not pray, God will not respond to our need. As scripture reminds us, "You do not have, because you do not ask." (Js 4:2) So let's pray!
Please join with your session as we pray for the budget of First Presbyterian Church Santa Ana.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
(2 Chronicles 7:14)
There's power in prayer.
I forget that. I try to follow Christ's teaching. But I get so busy. I try to do things that will honor God. I try to do all I can to further God's Kingdom here on earth. But I get side-tracked sometimes. I do the best I can.
What I don't do as well as I would like to do... is pray.
After King Solomon built and dedicated the Temple to the Lord, God spoke these words to the young king: "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." God desires to forgive us, to heal us, to prosper us. But God also desires us to humble ourselves, to seek Him and to pray.
At our September session meeting, our elders made a commitment to pray. While we continue to pray for the concerns and needs of our church family and community, we purposed to pray intentionally for our budget. We feel God has called us to this specific place for such a time as this. But we are deeply concerned about our finances and our resources.
Now, we can make cuts and we probably will. We can put a task force together to study the problem and offer recommendations. We can ask the congregation to give more. We can hire outside consultants to study our current budget and make recommendations.
But in September I was proud of our session. While they didn't eliminate the possibility of doing any of the above listed actions, they decided to pray for our budget. There are 14 active session members, so two were assigned to each day of the week. Your session is intentionally praying for our church budget.
Ironically, a week after we started to pray, NBC contacted the church office asking if they could use our parking lot and facility while they were shooting an episode of the series, "Outlaw." Suddenly, we had several thousand dollars donated to the church for use of the facility.
Now, some might say that was a coincidence. As my friend, Steve Murray, likes to say, "I don't know if it was a coincidence or not. I just know that when I pray, a lot of coincidences happen!"
And I know that a few thousand dollars aren't going to solve all of our budget woes. But I thank God for this provision. I believe that this donation was an answer to prayer. And that spurs me to want to pray more. To thank God for the way He has supplied our needs in the past. Wow! He has done amazing things through the faithful members of this church who have gone before us. And I believe God will continue to do amazing things in our church today and into the future. If...
Yeah, that's the "conditional phrase" in the Bible. If my people humble themselves. If my people seek my face. If my people pray.
Will you join us? Will you pray with us? Will you pray intentionally for our budget? Will you pray that God will continue to guide our leaders into His vision for this congregation? And will you pray that God will supply our needs to fulfill that vision?
I believe that where God provides the vision, God will provide the means.
But the funny thing is... God wants us to ask. I can't think of a single time Jesus performed a miracle that was unasked for. Can you? So lets ask! Let's pray for God's vision. Let's pray for the finances to carry out that vision. Let's pray for a miracle!
As we consider the context of the passage from 2 Chronicles, lets ask ourselves what happened following the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. The nation of Israel reached its zenith. King Solomon was the wealthiest king in the nation's history; some suggest he was the wealthiest monarch in all of history! Tales are still told of Solomon's treasures. And the kingdom of Israel spread in all directions.
Now, I'm not suggesting that there's something formulaic about prayer. I'm not saying that if we say certain words we'll be blessed. And I'm not suggesting a prosperity gospel. But I do believe this, if we do not pray, God will not respond to our need. As scripture reminds us, "You do not have, because you do not ask." (Js 4:2) So let's pray!
Please join with your session as we pray for the budget of First Presbyterian Church Santa Ana.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Getting Back Into the Rhythm
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." (Eccl. 3:1)
Rhythm is an important part of life. By it the farmer knows when to sew and when to reap; the athlete knows when to train and when to recuperate; the student knows when to study and when to rest. Pet owners are taught to stay within a regular routine so pets will be at ease. New parents are instructed to stay with a regular routine so babies will have a stronger sense of security. Dieters are trained to establish new routines so their weight loss lasts.
Summer is coming to an end. It's time to get back into the rhythm of life, balancing work, family, school, friends, hobbies, and other interests. Unfortunately, life is very busy these days. I see parents setting priority on studies and sports, while they neglect the Spiritual nurture of their children. I see adults setting priority on work and recreation, while they neglect work and Bible study.
In order to set up a healthy routine, we must establish our priorities. What comes first on your list? Family? Work? School? Where does God fit in? There are several areas we should all consider when thinking about our regular routine: 1) a personal devotional time; 2) corporate worship; 3) small group fellowship; and 4) servant ministry to others.
If you're anything like me, you need to set a regular time for reading scripture and praying. If I simply say I want to do it every day, but I don't schedule a time to do it, then I never get around to it. Like a good workout routine, we must be disciplined with our devotional time. If we do not spend time alone with our Lord, then we become spiritually flabby and lethargic.
One of my favorite verses is Luke 4:16, "and as was His custom, [Jesus] entered the synagogue on the Sabbath... This verse reminds us that Jesus went to worship on a regular basis. Jesus Christ set a priority to go worship every week. If the Son of God made worship a priority, then what about us? Be sure to include worship in your regular rhythm.
As a pastor I have read countless books on church growth and church health. One of the overwhelming statistics for healthy, vital churches is a strong, small group ministry. If you are not currently involved in a regular small group Bible study, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It will become a place of growth, of support and of community. I have seen people transformed by their involvement with a small group. Don't let other priorities rob you of this much needed place for spiritual transformation.
Finally, love is not love until it is given away. God loved the world so much that he sent His Son. God still loves the world so much that He sends you and me. As I mentioned in my sermon on August 22, we understand God's love for us so much better when we express God's love to others. Don't hoard God's love, give it away. Let the compassion of our Heavenly Father well up inside of you as you allow that love to overflow to others. Set some kind of ministry as a priority in your regular rhythm. If you are not sure how you might be involved in a servant ministry, contact the church office; we have many opportunities.
I pray that we will have a fantastic year this year. Let us establish a regular routine that includes God. No, let me reword that. Let us establish a routine that prioritizes God in our lives, as individuals and as a church body.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love and Service,
Lance
Rhythm is an important part of life. By it the farmer knows when to sew and when to reap; the athlete knows when to train and when to recuperate; the student knows when to study and when to rest. Pet owners are taught to stay within a regular routine so pets will be at ease. New parents are instructed to stay with a regular routine so babies will have a stronger sense of security. Dieters are trained to establish new routines so their weight loss lasts.
Summer is coming to an end. It's time to get back into the rhythm of life, balancing work, family, school, friends, hobbies, and other interests. Unfortunately, life is very busy these days. I see parents setting priority on studies and sports, while they neglect the Spiritual nurture of their children. I see adults setting priority on work and recreation, while they neglect work and Bible study.
In order to set up a healthy routine, we must establish our priorities. What comes first on your list? Family? Work? School? Where does God fit in? There are several areas we should all consider when thinking about our regular routine: 1) a personal devotional time; 2) corporate worship; 3) small group fellowship; and 4) servant ministry to others.
If you're anything like me, you need to set a regular time for reading scripture and praying. If I simply say I want to do it every day, but I don't schedule a time to do it, then I never get around to it. Like a good workout routine, we must be disciplined with our devotional time. If we do not spend time alone with our Lord, then we become spiritually flabby and lethargic.
One of my favorite verses is Luke 4:16, "and as was His custom, [Jesus] entered the synagogue on the Sabbath... This verse reminds us that Jesus went to worship on a regular basis. Jesus Christ set a priority to go worship every week. If the Son of God made worship a priority, then what about us? Be sure to include worship in your regular rhythm.
As a pastor I have read countless books on church growth and church health. One of the overwhelming statistics for healthy, vital churches is a strong, small group ministry. If you are not currently involved in a regular small group Bible study, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It will become a place of growth, of support and of community. I have seen people transformed by their involvement with a small group. Don't let other priorities rob you of this much needed place for spiritual transformation.
Finally, love is not love until it is given away. God loved the world so much that he sent His Son. God still loves the world so much that He sends you and me. As I mentioned in my sermon on August 22, we understand God's love for us so much better when we express God's love to others. Don't hoard God's love, give it away. Let the compassion of our Heavenly Father well up inside of you as you allow that love to overflow to others. Set some kind of ministry as a priority in your regular rhythm. If you are not sure how you might be involved in a servant ministry, contact the church office; we have many opportunities.
I pray that we will have a fantastic year this year. Let us establish a regular routine that includes God. No, let me reword that. Let us establish a routine that prioritizes God in our lives, as individuals and as a church body.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love and Service,
Lance
Sunday, August 1, 2010
A Personal Response to General Assembly
"And when Paul and Barnabus had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabus and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue." (Acts 15:2)
The above quoted verse reminds us that dissension and debate are nothing new to the Church. In the first generation after Christ's death, resurrection and ascencion, the Church began to have arguments, disputes and divisions. The Church has gone through seasons of contentious splits and celebrative reunifications throughout the centuries. At every General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, issues are debated, sides are taken, lines are drawn, votes are tallied and results are sent to the presbyteries. Some of the recommendations of GA are ratified by the presbyteries and other decisions are overturned.
I'd like to offer my own personal responses to some of the recommendations that are coming from the 219th General Assembly. One area of question is our current Book of Confessions. This book is part of the PCUSA's constitution and includes eleven confessions of faith from different times and different places. A confession of faith reflects the church's faith and itentity in the context of a particular circumstance and a unique situation. Oft times the confession of faith is in response or reaction to a distinct heresy within the church or a specific injustice in society or at a point of the reunification of two seperate denominations.
There are two recommendations in regard to the BofC before the denomination at this time. One is to bring a more authentic and reliable translation of the Heidelberg Catechism of 1562. Scholars have informed the denomination through the years that the version in our current BofC is a poor translation with several inaccuracies. Like a good version of the Holy Bible, a good translation of our confessions is important. And so, an updated translation of the catechism is in order.
The second motion was to add the Confession of Belhar to the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Confessions. In 1984 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa. This creed was adopted by the URCSA in 1986. It was written to build unity in the church and reject apartheid in society.
While the emphasis is overwhelmingly focused on unity - almost to the exclusion of purity, holiness and righteousness - the document is Biblically based and there are no glaring heresies that I can see. In studying our confessions, our denomination recognizes them to be "subordinate standards to the authority of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, as the Scriptures bear witness to Him." (Book of Order G-2.0200) Perhaps we can take the opportunity here at FPCSA to study and discuss the Confessions of Belhar and its meaning in the context of apartheid in South Africa as well as in the context of the whole church.
There are two other recommendations coming to the presbyteries that I am deeply concerned about. Ons is to adopt a simplified form of Gevernment section to the denomination's Book of Order and the other is to change the standards of ordination. The simplified form of Government would set aside literally 100's of rules. I have read this document and I jokingly call it "Government-Lite." I believe or current rules were written because of years of struggles and difficulties within the church. They came into being through bad experiences, thoughtful debate and prayerful discernment. There have been a number of times I have thanked God for our Book of Order because it brought clarity to particularly difficult situations. This new Form of Government muddies the waters. One reason I was attracted to the PCUSA was because of its thoughtful constitution. This change would cause me great concern.
Our denomination has been debating ordination standards, with particular emphasis on same-sex partners, for years. The GA is asking the presbyteries to amend the constitution by removing the requirement that candidates for ordination live a life of "fidelity within marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness," and replace it with the requirement for officers to submit "joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ" in all aspects of life. The discernment of what that Lordship looks like is left to the discretion of the governing body that will ordain the candidate.
No matter which side a person takes on the subject of same-sex partnerships, the deeper question raised by this amendment reminds me of basic civics: what belongs to the federal government and what belongs to the states? I believe that the standards for ordination of church officers should be consistent throughout the denomination. Rather than bring unity to the denomination, this amendment would further drive a wedge of division.
If this amendment passes, we will see a deep rift among the denomination. Presbyteries will be lumped into an "us and them" mentality. What will happen when a particular church wants to call an ordained minister from another presbytery to serve as their pastor, only to discover that their choice does not meet the standards for ordination in their presbytery? Division. What will happen when a church member is ordained to serve as an elder in one church, then moves across country and joins another church but is disallowed from serving as an elder because their current church has a different set of standards than their former church? Contention.
This question of same-sex partnerships and church leadership standards has brought pain and frustration to countless church folk on both sides of the issue. People on both sides of the issue have left their church families. Congregations on both sides of the issue have left the denomination. Many churches have left the denomination in the last ten years because of this one issue. The amendment will not fix the problem. It will only exasperate it.
With my whole heart, I believe that this issue will never be favorably resolved for all parties concerned. For this reason, I believe the denomination should split. I know that many good Presbyterians, who I respect a great deal, would balk at my opinion. But I believe this issue will continue to bring dissension and strife to our community of faith. Like a cancer, it will bring a slow death until we deal with it aggressively. We spend too much time and energy pouring resources into this one issue. We have become a laughingstock to the world. And the enemies of the gospel rejoice at our distraction.
I believe two denominations should be established: one that would maintain the historic standards for ordination and the other that would open the door to ordain those in same-sex partnerships. To illustrate my point, the greatest difference between PCUSA and the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) is that the latter does not ordain women. These two denominations have recognized their differences and have respectfully lived side-by-side in communities for decades. I think establishing two seperate denominations along the lines of marriage would be a similar distinction.
Ordained pastors could choose the denomination with which to be affiliated. Individual congregations could do the same. Congregations that have formerly left the PCUSA could be invited to affiliate with the newly formed denomination that best relates to them. If we split, we can set aside the constant bickering.
Ironically, even as I write this, I recognize that FPCSA is one of the few congregations that would have difficulty choosing which denomination with which to affiliate. Our membership is pretty evenly split. Somehow, we have learned to live in the tension. Then again, who wants to attend a church where there's tension? We have lost many members - on both sides of the issue - because of the debate surrounding ordination standards. In many ways our particular congregation is a microcosm of the denomination.
For these reasons, I do not think removing the current standards for ordination is a good idea. I forsee it will bring more division, more dissension and more desertion.
I very much doubt that a split is in the future for our denomination. I am an isolated voice on this subject, but that's my two cents... for whatever it's worth. I do know that I want to focus my energy and time carrying out the mission of our denomination and our congregation. I hope my church family is committed to the same.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
The above quoted verse reminds us that dissension and debate are nothing new to the Church. In the first generation after Christ's death, resurrection and ascencion, the Church began to have arguments, disputes and divisions. The Church has gone through seasons of contentious splits and celebrative reunifications throughout the centuries. At every General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, issues are debated, sides are taken, lines are drawn, votes are tallied and results are sent to the presbyteries. Some of the recommendations of GA are ratified by the presbyteries and other decisions are overturned.
I'd like to offer my own personal responses to some of the recommendations that are coming from the 219th General Assembly. One area of question is our current Book of Confessions. This book is part of the PCUSA's constitution and includes eleven confessions of faith from different times and different places. A confession of faith reflects the church's faith and itentity in the context of a particular circumstance and a unique situation. Oft times the confession of faith is in response or reaction to a distinct heresy within the church or a specific injustice in society or at a point of the reunification of two seperate denominations.
There are two recommendations in regard to the BofC before the denomination at this time. One is to bring a more authentic and reliable translation of the Heidelberg Catechism of 1562. Scholars have informed the denomination through the years that the version in our current BofC is a poor translation with several inaccuracies. Like a good version of the Holy Bible, a good translation of our confessions is important. And so, an updated translation of the catechism is in order.
The second motion was to add the Confession of Belhar to the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Confessions. In 1984 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa. This creed was adopted by the URCSA in 1986. It was written to build unity in the church and reject apartheid in society.
While the emphasis is overwhelmingly focused on unity - almost to the exclusion of purity, holiness and righteousness - the document is Biblically based and there are no glaring heresies that I can see. In studying our confessions, our denomination recognizes them to be "subordinate standards to the authority of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, as the Scriptures bear witness to Him." (Book of Order G-2.0200) Perhaps we can take the opportunity here at FPCSA to study and discuss the Confessions of Belhar and its meaning in the context of apartheid in South Africa as well as in the context of the whole church.
There are two other recommendations coming to the presbyteries that I am deeply concerned about. Ons is to adopt a simplified form of Gevernment section to the denomination's Book of Order and the other is to change the standards of ordination. The simplified form of Government would set aside literally 100's of rules. I have read this document and I jokingly call it "Government-Lite." I believe or current rules were written because of years of struggles and difficulties within the church. They came into being through bad experiences, thoughtful debate and prayerful discernment. There have been a number of times I have thanked God for our Book of Order because it brought clarity to particularly difficult situations. This new Form of Government muddies the waters. One reason I was attracted to the PCUSA was because of its thoughtful constitution. This change would cause me great concern.
Our denomination has been debating ordination standards, with particular emphasis on same-sex partners, for years. The GA is asking the presbyteries to amend the constitution by removing the requirement that candidates for ordination live a life of "fidelity within marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness," and replace it with the requirement for officers to submit "joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ" in all aspects of life. The discernment of what that Lordship looks like is left to the discretion of the governing body that will ordain the candidate.
No matter which side a person takes on the subject of same-sex partnerships, the deeper question raised by this amendment reminds me of basic civics: what belongs to the federal government and what belongs to the states? I believe that the standards for ordination of church officers should be consistent throughout the denomination. Rather than bring unity to the denomination, this amendment would further drive a wedge of division.
If this amendment passes, we will see a deep rift among the denomination. Presbyteries will be lumped into an "us and them" mentality. What will happen when a particular church wants to call an ordained minister from another presbytery to serve as their pastor, only to discover that their choice does not meet the standards for ordination in their presbytery? Division. What will happen when a church member is ordained to serve as an elder in one church, then moves across country and joins another church but is disallowed from serving as an elder because their current church has a different set of standards than their former church? Contention.
This question of same-sex partnerships and church leadership standards has brought pain and frustration to countless church folk on both sides of the issue. People on both sides of the issue have left their church families. Congregations on both sides of the issue have left the denomination. Many churches have left the denomination in the last ten years because of this one issue. The amendment will not fix the problem. It will only exasperate it.
With my whole heart, I believe that this issue will never be favorably resolved for all parties concerned. For this reason, I believe the denomination should split. I know that many good Presbyterians, who I respect a great deal, would balk at my opinion. But I believe this issue will continue to bring dissension and strife to our community of faith. Like a cancer, it will bring a slow death until we deal with it aggressively. We spend too much time and energy pouring resources into this one issue. We have become a laughingstock to the world. And the enemies of the gospel rejoice at our distraction.
I believe two denominations should be established: one that would maintain the historic standards for ordination and the other that would open the door to ordain those in same-sex partnerships. To illustrate my point, the greatest difference between PCUSA and the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) is that the latter does not ordain women. These two denominations have recognized their differences and have respectfully lived side-by-side in communities for decades. I think establishing two seperate denominations along the lines of marriage would be a similar distinction.
Ordained pastors could choose the denomination with which to be affiliated. Individual congregations could do the same. Congregations that have formerly left the PCUSA could be invited to affiliate with the newly formed denomination that best relates to them. If we split, we can set aside the constant bickering.
Ironically, even as I write this, I recognize that FPCSA is one of the few congregations that would have difficulty choosing which denomination with which to affiliate. Our membership is pretty evenly split. Somehow, we have learned to live in the tension. Then again, who wants to attend a church where there's tension? We have lost many members - on both sides of the issue - because of the debate surrounding ordination standards. In many ways our particular congregation is a microcosm of the denomination.
For these reasons, I do not think removing the current standards for ordination is a good idea. I forsee it will bring more division, more dissension and more desertion.
I very much doubt that a split is in the future for our denomination. I am an isolated voice on this subject, but that's my two cents... for whatever it's worth. I do know that I want to focus my energy and time carrying out the mission of our denomination and our congregation. I hope my church family is committed to the same.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Into Africa
Our Presbytery and our church have a longstanding relationship with Kenya, Africa. The Presbytery of Los Ranchos has a sister relationship with the Presbytery of Limuru in Kenya. In 1999 members of our church, the Becker family, went on a Presbytery mission trip to Kenya. Afterwards, Laura and Allison launched the "Kids for Kenya" mission project. Members of our church have hosted visiting Kenyans on several occasions. One of our church members, Taylor Morrison, has been serving at the Limuru Home for Girls since the beginning of this year.
Recently our Presbytery hosted a delegation of Africans from our sister Presbytery in Limuru, Kenya. They visited many of our churches and saw things unique to Southern California. And they chared with us their love for God and community. Lator this summer, our Presbytery will be sending a delegation to East Africa. This delegation will include two of our church members: Jim and Laura (Becker) Rutherford. I have been invited to pastor on this trip and I am thrilled at the prospect!
In the Christian world, Africa plays a key role in Scripture and in the history of the Church. Africa was the refuge for the family of Jacob. In Africa, that family became the nation of Israel. Centuries later, King Solomon made an alliance with an African nation by marrying the Queen of Sheba. In fact, if you visit Jerusalem today, you can walk up the stairs behind the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, through a gateway in an old stone wall, and suddenly find a small African village with low mud huts. In the middle of the courtyard rises the small, elegant dome of Deir es-Sultan, the home of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. On the interior walls are ancient paintings of the wedding between the Queen of Sheba and Solomon. These Christian Africans have a permanent home on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem!
When Jesus was a child, Joseph and Mary fled from the threat of the evil king Herod to Africa.
On the day of Pentacost, there were representatives from Africa in the crowd who responded to Peter's sermon. In Acts 8, Philip led an African - who had come to Jerusalem to worship the one, true God - to receive Christ. When Saul and Barnabas were commissioned as missionaries in Antioch, one of the four named leaders of the church was from Africa. Another key leader in the New Testament church was an African named Apollos.
A contemporary of Jesus, the great historian, Philo, was African. In the history of Christianity. the African city of Alexandria, Egypt, was the most active intellectual center in the late, second century and played a hey role in the development of the early church. Several great leaders in the early church were from Africa, including Clement, Tertullian, Origen, and, of course, one of the most influential early theologians, St. Augustine.
For years now, we in the United States have referred to un-industrialized nations as "Third World Countries." To the people of these nations, this reference is ignorant, arrogant and offensive. Certainly the people of Africa should be insulted by such a statement. To many of them - and much of the modern scientific community - Africa is the origin of the human species. If anything, most Africans think of themselves as being from First World Countries.
When I was at Princeton Theological Seminary, I spoke with the international students who talked about their community's frustrations with missionaries who had come to evangelize without listening to the people. Many of these indigenous people had a profound and rich faith that went back for generations. They were deeply aware of the God of creation, of Jesus Christ who had come to die for the salvation of humankind, and of the Holy Spirit's power in the world.
And yet, many of the misisonaries regarded these people as savages and pagans. Much of what they preached was more cultural than it was theological. And they often disregarded the villagers' genuine faith. Other early colonizers used Christianity to manipulate the local people. Still others quoted the Bible to justify the enslavement of human beings, sisters and brothers of villagers.
Green Belt Movement Founder and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Wangari Maathai of Kenya, wrote this: "What becomes clear is that the Christian religion that the colonized people were exposed to was commercialized and trivialized. While the Christian priests may have claimed they were committed to the community they served, and while some may have actually been concerned with the indigenous culture of their community, the majority were committed rather to the colonizing power and its people, with their God and their destiny.
"A genuine priesthood stands between a community and its God, who chooses that priesthood for itself so that it can stand between it and its people to interpret the will of their God to them. A genuine priesthood nurtures the community, identifies with its aspirations and concerns, and guides it toward their God and their destiny. Such a priesthood cannot be imposed from above; it cannot exist in the absence of culture.
"A foregn priesthood cannot recognize the God of the colonized or its destiny; nor can it take them toward their God and destiny. Led by a foreign priesthood, a people will perish, either because the foreign priesthood is genuinely unable to lead them or because it deliberately leads them toward the wrong God and the wrong destination. This is one of the reasons why the destruction of traditional priesthood, through the destruction of culture, becomes necessary to any colonizing power."
Quotes like this remind me that the way I look at myself and my culture may not be the way the rest of the world looks at me and my culture. While I may go on a mission trip to helo those in need, I must recognize that these people may not want my help nor feel a need. People from these countries may be impressed (more likely, overwhelmed) by the wealth of the United States: the homes where we live, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the activities that we participate in. But I have discovered that these same people are rich in faith, family and community.
One day, we will all stand with our brothers and sisters in the presence of our Heavenly Father. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with believers from every time, from every place and from every circumstance. Among those who will be with us are our sisters and brothers from Africa. They are part of the rich tapestry that is the family of God. We celebrate that diversity and look for the handprint of the Creator upon it.
I come to this point of my life with a profound sense of wonder at the idea of visiting our friends in Kenya, Africa. They are citizens of God's Kingdom here on earth and as such are our sisters and brothers. I look forward to seeing the image of God imprinted on the faces of those I meet. I look forward to listening and learning from these dear people. I look forward to experiencing the Spirit working in and through the Church in Africa. I look forward to offering what gifts I can to these people to support them in their faith. And I look forward to visiting and encouraging Taylor Morrison at the Limuru Home for Girls.
Please pray for the mission team and its leaders; pray especially for Jim, Laura, and myself. We are all seeking to raise money to pay for this trip. So please pray for our finances. Pray for our health and safety. And pray that we might be a source of compassion, of encouragement and of humility while we are in Africa. We covet your prayers.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Recently our Presbytery hosted a delegation of Africans from our sister Presbytery in Limuru, Kenya. They visited many of our churches and saw things unique to Southern California. And they chared with us their love for God and community. Lator this summer, our Presbytery will be sending a delegation to East Africa. This delegation will include two of our church members: Jim and Laura (Becker) Rutherford. I have been invited to pastor on this trip and I am thrilled at the prospect!
In the Christian world, Africa plays a key role in Scripture and in the history of the Church. Africa was the refuge for the family of Jacob. In Africa, that family became the nation of Israel. Centuries later, King Solomon made an alliance with an African nation by marrying the Queen of Sheba. In fact, if you visit Jerusalem today, you can walk up the stairs behind the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, through a gateway in an old stone wall, and suddenly find a small African village with low mud huts. In the middle of the courtyard rises the small, elegant dome of Deir es-Sultan, the home of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. On the interior walls are ancient paintings of the wedding between the Queen of Sheba and Solomon. These Christian Africans have a permanent home on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem!
When Jesus was a child, Joseph and Mary fled from the threat of the evil king Herod to Africa.
On the day of Pentacost, there were representatives from Africa in the crowd who responded to Peter's sermon. In Acts 8, Philip led an African - who had come to Jerusalem to worship the one, true God - to receive Christ. When Saul and Barnabas were commissioned as missionaries in Antioch, one of the four named leaders of the church was from Africa. Another key leader in the New Testament church was an African named Apollos.
A contemporary of Jesus, the great historian, Philo, was African. In the history of Christianity. the African city of Alexandria, Egypt, was the most active intellectual center in the late, second century and played a hey role in the development of the early church. Several great leaders in the early church were from Africa, including Clement, Tertullian, Origen, and, of course, one of the most influential early theologians, St. Augustine.
For years now, we in the United States have referred to un-industrialized nations as "Third World Countries." To the people of these nations, this reference is ignorant, arrogant and offensive. Certainly the people of Africa should be insulted by such a statement. To many of them - and much of the modern scientific community - Africa is the origin of the human species. If anything, most Africans think of themselves as being from First World Countries.
When I was at Princeton Theological Seminary, I spoke with the international students who talked about their community's frustrations with missionaries who had come to evangelize without listening to the people. Many of these indigenous people had a profound and rich faith that went back for generations. They were deeply aware of the God of creation, of Jesus Christ who had come to die for the salvation of humankind, and of the Holy Spirit's power in the world.
And yet, many of the misisonaries regarded these people as savages and pagans. Much of what they preached was more cultural than it was theological. And they often disregarded the villagers' genuine faith. Other early colonizers used Christianity to manipulate the local people. Still others quoted the Bible to justify the enslavement of human beings, sisters and brothers of villagers.
Green Belt Movement Founder and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Wangari Maathai of Kenya, wrote this: "What becomes clear is that the Christian religion that the colonized people were exposed to was commercialized and trivialized. While the Christian priests may have claimed they were committed to the community they served, and while some may have actually been concerned with the indigenous culture of their community, the majority were committed rather to the colonizing power and its people, with their God and their destiny.
"A genuine priesthood stands between a community and its God, who chooses that priesthood for itself so that it can stand between it and its people to interpret the will of their God to them. A genuine priesthood nurtures the community, identifies with its aspirations and concerns, and guides it toward their God and their destiny. Such a priesthood cannot be imposed from above; it cannot exist in the absence of culture.
"A foregn priesthood cannot recognize the God of the colonized or its destiny; nor can it take them toward their God and destiny. Led by a foreign priesthood, a people will perish, either because the foreign priesthood is genuinely unable to lead them or because it deliberately leads them toward the wrong God and the wrong destination. This is one of the reasons why the destruction of traditional priesthood, through the destruction of culture, becomes necessary to any colonizing power."
Quotes like this remind me that the way I look at myself and my culture may not be the way the rest of the world looks at me and my culture. While I may go on a mission trip to helo those in need, I must recognize that these people may not want my help nor feel a need. People from these countries may be impressed (more likely, overwhelmed) by the wealth of the United States: the homes where we live, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the activities that we participate in. But I have discovered that these same people are rich in faith, family and community.
One day, we will all stand with our brothers and sisters in the presence of our Heavenly Father. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with believers from every time, from every place and from every circumstance. Among those who will be with us are our sisters and brothers from Africa. They are part of the rich tapestry that is the family of God. We celebrate that diversity and look for the handprint of the Creator upon it.
I come to this point of my life with a profound sense of wonder at the idea of visiting our friends in Kenya, Africa. They are citizens of God's Kingdom here on earth and as such are our sisters and brothers. I look forward to seeing the image of God imprinted on the faces of those I meet. I look forward to listening and learning from these dear people. I look forward to experiencing the Spirit working in and through the Church in Africa. I look forward to offering what gifts I can to these people to support them in their faith. And I look forward to visiting and encouraging Taylor Morrison at the Limuru Home for Girls.
Please pray for the mission team and its leaders; pray especially for Jim, Laura, and myself. We are all seeking to raise money to pay for this trip. So please pray for our finances. Pray for our health and safety. And pray that we might be a source of compassion, of encouragement and of humility while we are in Africa. We covet your prayers.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
In His Love & Service,
Lance
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Training Our Young Ones
"Train young ones in the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray." (Proverbs 22:6)
We are very excited to introduce Mr. Kevan Hanson as our new Director of Youth Ministry. We feel truly blessed that God has led Kevan to our church family! We offer prayers of thanksgiving to our Lord!
A native of Salem, Oregon, Kevan earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies (Biblical languages emphasis) at Azusa Pacific University and he is just finishing up an M.A. in Theological Studies (Old Testament Emphasis) from APU right now. He has served as Youth Director of Village Presbyterian Church in Arcadia since 2008. In 2009 he took five months to live and work in Jerusalem, Israel, teaching English to high school aged, Arabic speaking, Gypsies. In his time there, he developed a deep appreciation for the country of Israel and for other cultures.
Kevan has also been involved in various volunteer capacities. He has been a worship leader, a deacon and an orientation leader for APU. For the last three years, he has participated as a team member of a Mexico outreach that travels to a community center in Mexicali once a month and volunteers with children who have Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
We are very excited to introduce Mr. Kevan Hanson as our new Director of Youth Ministry. We feel truly blessed that God has led Kevan to our church family! We offer prayers of thanksgiving to our Lord!
A native of Salem, Oregon, Kevan earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies (Biblical languages emphasis) at Azusa Pacific University and he is just finishing up an M.A. in Theological Studies (Old Testament Emphasis) from APU right now. He has served as Youth Director of Village Presbyterian Church in Arcadia since 2008. In 2009 he took five months to live and work in Jerusalem, Israel, teaching English to high school aged, Arabic speaking, Gypsies. In his time there, he developed a deep appreciation for the country of Israel and for other cultures.
Kevan has also been involved in various volunteer capacities. He has been a worship leader, a deacon and an orientation leader for APU. For the last three years, he has participated as a team member of a Mexico outreach that travels to a community center in Mexicali once a month and volunteers with children who have Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Because he has commitments through June, Kevan will not be able to start as Director of Youth Ministry until July 1st. But he will be in church on Sunday, June 13th, to meet our church members. He is excited to meet our youth and get to know them.
How might you support Kevan and FPCSA's youth ministry? First recognize the incredible importance of youth ministry. Most Christians (estimated 80%) no matter their age, say they committed their lives to Jesus Christ when they were in their youth. Over and over again, a phrase is repeated in scripture, "since my youth." We must recognize that the years of youth are a pivotal point in a person's life. And we must seek to fulfill the Proverb to train young people in the right way.
Secondly, if you have a relationship with a young person in Middle or High School, invite them to come meet Kevan. I think they will really like him. He is the total package: a nice balance of theological knowledge, playful enthusiasm and hip coolness. Just don't tell your young person that the pastor said "hip coolness" or that will negate everything else I've said about him!
Thirdly, WE NEED SOME HELP. Kevan is taking a huge step of faith here. He's leaving the familiar area of Azusa, he's not returning to his home in Salem, and he's moving to Orange County for a part-time (20 hours a week) job with a part-time salary. In the past, we have provided housing for our seminary interns. I wonder if anyone would be willing to give Kevan housing during the summer months, or until he figures out different accomodations.
Also, Kevan needs a second job. So if you know of anything for an energetic, well-educated, trustworthy young man inhis mid-twenties, we would be very appreciative of the information. He will obviously need Sundays to work here at the church, but the rest of the week is pretty flexible.
Finally, pray. E.M. Bounds wrote, "God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who utter them." Pray for our young people. Pray that God will bless them, help them grow and help them become all that He has designed them to be. Pray for Kevan that his relationships with the young people would develop quickly and deeply. Pray that the other areas of his life would fall into place. Pray for our youth ministry. Pray that it would flourish, that new young people would be drawn to it and families would follow. Pray that they would grow in faith. And pray for our church, that we would continue to follow God's leading in every area of ministry.
May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!
Lance
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