Thursday, September 30, 2004

Abnormal Hurricanes

"Forecasters had expected a busy hurricane year. The number of storms varies cyclically with conditions in the North Atlantic, and period of high activity that started in 1995 is expected to last 25 to 40 years.

Hurricane Jeanne ripped into the east coast of Florida...marking the first time four hurricanes have hit the state in a single year since record-keeping began in 1851." Link

New record of 8 hurricanes in August. Link

"Weather records are being set all the time now. We're in an era of unprecedented extreme weather events," McCarthy said. Link

It's getting crazier. On the radio this week I heard further discussion about how abnormal these hurricanes are. Some of these hurricanes are moving in unpredictable fashion. They're fairly unpredictable to begin with, but they're making some moves that no forecast model expects. The radio host mentioned at least one that headed out over a large desert area, which the host said was unheard of for hurricanes paths.

Crazy is getting crazier.

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

One Body

Rough Draft:
Re: We Are The Church?

1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Romans 12:3-8
Ephesians 5:28-30

Wednesday, September 8, 2004

Big Brothers

I'm thinking about joining the Big Brothers organization and mentoring a Little Brother. They have a building on Oxford Street that I pass on my way to church on Sunday mornings. It has a sign in front that says there are 75 boys waiting for Big Brothers. I think that this might be right up my alley.

One of my co-workers was a Big Sister so I asked her about it this morning. She said that the screening process is extremely thorough and then they test you quite a bit to match you with a young person. You have to commit to between 3-5 hours a week for at least one year. She did it with one girl for almost a year and half, until her girl reached the age of 16 (which is the age limit for the program). My co-worker said that she's still friends with this girl and they still keep in contact by e-mail.

My interest is piqued. I already think that mentoring/discipleship/coaching is crucial for any young person. In the context of Christianity, I think of it as one of my primary callings in life (another being worship ministry). So, what do y'all think? Does anyone know about the program personally?

Sunday, September 5, 2004

We Are The Church?

My pastor made a comment a few weeks ago: If Christians curse the church, they curse themselves.

It's like a teenager complaining, "This family has major problems." Um, guy? You're part of the family. If the family has problems, then you must have problems as well. Curse the family and you curse yourself. Curse the church and you curse yourself.

It's become common place for me to speak with people that have problems with "the church." Some came to that place because of a bad experience so they haven't gone to a local church in several years. Some no longer attend a local church because of theological differences or a judgement against a particular leader. Some still attend a local church but readily decry the problems with the modern church.

I'm certainly not one to claim that the modern church is picture perfect, but I do have some thoughts on the matter.

1) It's one thing to offer criticism. It's another thing to offer possible solutions. It's still another thing to implement those solutions. Tearing down the church only harms ourselves. Offering theoretical solutions without being directly involved is dust in the wind. The thing that really counts is when Christians work together to accomplish something real and tangible.

Is there a problem with "the church?" Show me how you are working to solve that problem. If you are not attending a local church and are not actively contributing to that church, please don't ask me to accept a list of faults as if you're helping.

2) I often hear about the problems of "the church" as if the members are themselves unaware of the problems. I often hear about it as if these criticisms/observations/prophecies are shining light to dark places and speaking words that have not been heard. Why do we so easily believe that our revelation is somehow new?

So the church needs to be like the New testament church. So it needs to focus on relationships. So it needs to evangelize more effectively. So it needs to disciple young Christians. So it needs to help the wounded find healing. So it needs to care for the poor.

Yes, each and every one of these points is entirely true. And for every comment like this I can show you a church leader or a church member that already knows this and is already working on it. I can show you a Bible verse that addressed the issue thousands of years ago. Not to minimize the importance of the message we're giving, but I think it's funny that we so easily assume that we've come up with something new.

3) I often hear these kinds of comments boiled down to one big issue, one main concern that's at the root of the church's malaise. Lately, I've boiled it down to my own statement: If we're not getting people saved, we're not effective Christians.

And yet, God's call on His church isn't as short-sighted as we sometimes think. Everyone has a part to play, and there are numerous different roles to fill and different problems to solve. Some need to help the poor. Some need to disciple young Christians. Some need to teach and care for kids. Some need to lead worship. The view from each position is different and if we blame "the church" because we see an unmet need we only hurt the others that are fulfilling God's calling.

The Christian church has problems, sure. I challenge you about them, you challenge me about them and God and the world will challenge us both. I'm saying that we are not on the outside looking in, we are those we speak to. Hurt the church, in word or deed, in public or private, and we hurt ourselves.