Apprentice2Jesus

Ramblings of a Confessing Pentecostal

Archive for the month “January, 2010”

29 Jan 2010
4 Comments

Age Segregated Worship

For years I have preached against becoming some niche church. I don’t want to pastor a “40-something” church, or a “30-something” church… I want to pastor THE CHURCH. The Church reflects a family, not just people my exact age with my exact income level, education level, and life circumstance. Yet, that is what we are starting these days, and have been for years.

Unfortunately, it’s on both ends. I now know of “60-something” churches. They don’t want younger families. They want the fall foliage tours and old time gospel sings. They want to talk about the good ol’ days.

We have a new form of segregation and it’s lousy. This article articulates it so much better. I am thankful for the church I pastor. We have a gamut of ages that ADDS to the life of the believer. I remember a few years ago when my oldest son was in high school and he asked one of our deacons who was my dad’s age to be a mentor. It added to my son’s life, and it was huge for that deacon.

Let’s do life together! It’s messy. That’s life.

Posted in Church Life and tagged , ,
26 Jan 2010
3 Comments

The Politics of Power

For years I have had the realization that American politics is ONLY about power. I have carried no delusions about my party winning and then God would bless America once again. It is straight up power. They can yack about how they have the will of the people in mind, but when they get elected… game over. It’s about power.

David Brooks hits the nail on this head in this column. He says it far more articulately that I ever could. This paragraph is spot on:

“…populism is popular with the ruling class. Ever since I started covering politics, the Democratic ruling class has been driven by one fantasy: that voters will get so furious at people with M.B.A.’s that they will hand power to people with Ph.D.’s. The Republican ruling class has been driven by the fantasy that voters will get so furious at people with Ph.D.’s that they will hand power to people with M.B.A.’s. Members of the ruling class love populism because they think it will help their section of the elite gain power.”

Home run, Mr. Brooks.

On the Republican/conservative side (which is the source of my political upbringing), it was about saying to the right people, “Vote for us and abortion will be illegal. Vote for us and we’ll defend marriage.” Guess what? Nothing happened. They controlled the White House and both houses of Congress and did nothing on either issue.

On the Democrat/liberal side, it was about saying to the right people, “Vote for us and the poor will be taken care of. We will have healthcare reform. We will end global warming.” Guess what? Same story.

It’s about power. Their power. Now, with the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations and unions to pour millions of dollars into campaigning for their candidates, you really need to know your voice will never matter again. We will just shift from PhD’s to MBA’s and back. We’re the tennis ball in the rich boys’ tennis tournament.

Posted in Politics and tagged , , , , ,
25 Jan 2010
1 Comment

Quit Competing with the Entertainment Industry

Stanley Hauerwas on Liturgy.

Posted in Church, Worship and tagged , ,
24 Jan 2010
2 Comments

Book Review: “The Voice” New Testament

“The Voice” is a New Testament translation coming from Thomas Nelson.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This is a new translation that will eventually include the Old Testament. The translation work combines the work of scholars and artists. This translation has as its stated goal to be a work for ” a church in great transition.” What is different about this translation is they combine translation scholarship with the work of authors, musicians, and other artists to make a translation that is incredibly flowing and easy to read. They actually call it a “literary project.” The goal is to get people back into the Word of God.

The format is interesting. They will put in blocks of writing that help explain the text. It has a flow that makes it much more readable than a commentary, and it does a good job setting the context for the reader. They are also faithful to translation work, in that if they added phrases within the text that are not in the original languages, they italicized them so readers will know this is something just to help explain the text a little better.

It is also written like a movie script. Dialogue is set off by marking the person speaking at the beginning of the verse. It doesn’t really detract from the reading.

I am a translation junkie, but with our recent translation “wars” over the TNIV, ESV, etc., I was leery of looking at another translation. I was especially leery when I noticed some of the names (not translators) attached to the project. What theological damage they could have done to the text seems minimal at this point. I may discover it on another reading. The translators used are solid, in my opinion. For my own ministry, if I had this translation, it would be useful to give to people who had never read the Bible, or had a hard time getting into the story. This translation is helpful.

Posted in Bibles, Book Reviews and tagged , , ,
21 Jan 2010
4 Comments

New Book for Review Just Arrived

It’s actually a new translation called “The Voice” from Thomas Nelson. They sent me a complimentary copy for review. I admit, seeing one of the contributors (not one of the translators) had me skeptical. But I took it to my son’s swim meet tonight and read through some passages. I am pleasantly surprised! I look forward to a deeper look into this fresh translation. Review forthcoming.

Posted in Blogging, Book Reviews and tagged , , ,
21 Jan 2010
6 Comments

Why I Must be Prophetic

One of the tough lessons I am not learning very well over these past few years is the prophetic call of the Church. I can talk a good game, but I don’t act on it very well.

Confession time. I’m a political junkie. I try and avoid it here, but if you follow me on Facebook, I’m full of it. I am addicted to news. I’m not as addicted to talk radio, but I still read the news voraciously. My political opinions are fairly strong.

When I speak of the Church having a prophetic voice, I mean we should not tie ourselves to any political party. It’s easy for mainline churches to wag their fingers at conservatives for trying to hitch the evangelical wagon to the Republican Party. It’s not a lie. It’s the truth.

Yet, mainline churches consistently hitch their wagon to the Democratic Party and act sanctimonious. Give me a break. We’re all guilty as charged at some point in time!

That said, I used to have a belief that the voter had a voice. That belief has been eroding for the past several years. When I first moved to Minnesota, I could actually call my congressional representatives and get answers. Now, they won’t give me the time of day.

Here is why, and let’s be honest: I DON’T GIVE THEM ANY MONEY. If I did, it wouldn’t be in the range of say, MILLIONS of dollars. What it has come down to is this: If you don’t donate HEAVILY to a political cause, you have no voice. Period.

Today’s Supreme Court ruling only solidified that obvious fact. Make a note. Politicians will not even fake listening to “the people” anymore. They will make their appeals to corporations and labor unions. Why? Because those entities will have huge pots of money to throw at advertising to persuade us, the voters, as to who is right and who is wrong. It was stupid before. It’s about to get insane.

It’s sad for me, as an American. I used to call my congressional representatives with an expectation of being heard. Now, they don’t care. I can almost hear them filing their nails or checking their email while I am trying to talk to them about an upcoming vote. They don’t ask for my name, number, address, nothing.

So, I am being forced into the true understanding that we MUST act prophetically as the Church. It will matter so little in the shadow of the mountains of campaigns dollars being spent on advertising, but stand I must. Stand WE must, as the Church. We may not be heard, but that should not keep us from speaking if that is what the Lord is asking of us.

Posted in Culture, Holiness and Christian Culture, Politics, Theology and tagged , , ,
20 Jan 2010
7 Comments

Why I am Evangelical

I love the Word of God. Bible study is a deep passion of mine. The story of God. Learning the text, the context, the story, the lessons, etc. All of it. As an extension, I love what the Bible can do to bring me into a deeper communion with God. The Psalms are my prayer book. Any part of the Word has such a deep place in my heart.

In Bible college I took Bible Study Methods from a professor who had a love for the Word. In a four-week summer class he gave us several basic methods to use throughout our lives and ministries. When the class ended, he gave us the challenge to go through each Book of the Bible and outline it. Have some basic notes. Get the basic understanding of each book. Then, spend the rest of our lives becoming experts in particular books of the Bible.

I took up that challenge. I determined to finish that project in 18 months. When I was leaving school a few months early, I made an appointment with the professor and brought my notebooks to him. He asked, “What’s all this?” I said, “It’s what you challenged me with in that class! I’ll be done in 6 months with this phase. Then, I’ll spend the rest of my life studying a few books of the Bible every year. You have equipped me like you’ll never know.”

He said softly, “In all the times I’ve taught that class, no one has ever taken me up on that challenge.”

I was stunned. At the time, the school was operating primarily as a ministry training school. NO ONE had gone out to study the Word like that? And we were filling pulpits?

Part of being evangelical is a dedication to the authority of the Word of God. It’s not something to simply say. It needs to be lived. I don’t always meet that standard, but I know I have a deeper passion for the Word than I did 23 years ago when I finished that class. That professor ignited a passion that the Spirit has not let die down, and I am deeply grateful.

Posted in Bible Study, Theology and tagged , ,
18 Jan 2010

Why I am Sacramental, Part 2

I need an addition to my affinity for the sacramental life. Another deep appreciation I have for the sacramental life is the love for the Church. There is a solid connection to the Body of Christ.

There is probably not one person in the Church that has not suffered some form of abuse in the institutional Church. Yet, I hear of more and more Americans who are “burnt out” on Church. They become a “church” unto themselves. They’ll feed themselves through the internet or TV or books. When I hear that I am grieved. It’s not because I am a pastor. It’s because I am a part of the Body of Christ. The CHURCH is his body.

I don’t think we understand the grief our Lord goes through when someone says, “I don’t have to be a part of a church.” Christ is the head. That is not “head” in sense of “general of the army.” It’s “head” in the sense of being attached to a body. When we “self-amputate” ourselves from the body, Christ is hurt. Not just the Church. Christ. We damage our Head!

Abuses and all, I understand the Church is made up of humans. It makes mistakes. That does not mean Christ is still not attached! Let us love one another. Let us love his Body. Let us celebrate together. I love the Church.

Posted in Church, Church Life, Theology and tagged , | Leave a Comment
16 Jan 2010
3 Comments

Why I am Sacramental

Really, I’m probably not. I tossed between “Orthodox,” “Liturgical,” “Mainline,” or something else. What I appreciate so deeply in my life is the addition of the meaning of the Lord’s Table. I have a deeper love for liturgy. Public prayers. Reading of Scripture.

I have a deeper appreciation for the love of the Church. I believe in the Body of Christ. The Church is not a building. It is the Body of Christ. I cannot lightly dismiss the Church, as other seem so ready to do. (EX: Saying, “Church is a box. My God does not dwell in a box.” Silly.) Christ is the head of his Church. I am part of that. I love others in the Body of Christ. I love public worship. Together. Not over the internet or by Twitter. The Body…together…loving Christ.

I am not fully Sacramental, and I realize that. Yet, it is part of my life and I deeply love it.

Posted in Church, Spiritual Formation and tagged , , ,
15 Jan 2010
9 Comments

Why I am Pentecostal

This is an attempt at a series. I doubt I will post regularly enough on it to be meaningful, but there are some things I want to try and lay out, even in rudimentary form.

I begin with I know best: I am a Pentecostal. I was born into a family that went to a Pentecostal church. My earliest memories are an Assemblies of God church in Leavenworth, KS. My experiences and memories with church have been basically good. Certainly I remember bad examples, but for the most part I grew up loving church, being at church, and seeking God.

My Pentecostal heritage is something I embrace. I have not been one to go on to higher education and then chuck my roots. I have broadened my understanding and theology, but I stick to my Pentecostal roots. I believe in the power of the Spirit. I believe in the gifts of the Spirit. I believe the miraculous still happens today. I speak in tongues. The prophetic is alive and well (and sometimes flaky).

So, I begin with the declaration that as a believer in Jesus Christ, my particular “flavor” happens to be Pentecostal. It does not make me better than any other believer. It does not make me LESS than any other believer. It does, however, powerfully inform my worldview.

Posted in Church, Church Life, Theology and tagged , , ,

Post Navigation

← Older Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 34 other followers