On Ash Wednesday, Facebook's Timeline, and Life

Ash Wednesday was not that long ago as I write this. I did something that evening I haven’t done in quite a while: I went to an Ash Wednesday service. (Yes, I took ashes.) To me, this is a time of reflection on my own mortality and sinfulness. 

This also coincides with Facebook’s impending rollout of their timeline. So I’ve been adding stuff to my timeline, and I’ve been struck with a new sense of my mortality, if nothing else. It’s been easy to look at my life in small chunks; with the short-term memory problems I’ve had since long before high-school, that’s easy. But to start adding things like the beginning and ending of schools, my marriage (now twenty years strong), a little employment, some travels, and few events that helped shape who I am today...and one thing occurred to me.

Despite myself, my failings, my feelings, and my sheer stubbornness...I’ve spent my entire adult life either chasing God, or being chased by God. (And in a few cases, both.) Bible school, seminary, church work, my current ministry with Master’s International School of Divinity (coming up on twelve years there). Starting with high school, going back to church. Going on a mission trip. Then a year plus later, leaving church for a time (for reasons I won’t publish). Getting my business straight with Jesus in 1984. Surviving with my faith strengthened after my Navy time. Surviving re-entry to college and the civilian world. Dealing with God’s call on my life. Surviving Bible college, for all that. Surviving my first ministry position (and learning from my mistakes there). 

But to see all that, in a linear form also reminded me of a lot of good things. Life hasn’t all been in survival or crisis mode. Deena and I have traveled a lot together. We’ve been to Ireland, the Grand Canyon, Canada...and all over the US. (I’m not going to put in all our travels-but some highlights will be added.) We’ve seen a lot, learned a lot, laughed a lot. You have to laugh a lot on long car trips with your spouse or you can get cranky in the middle of Kansas. Or Nebraska. Or Iowa, Wyoming, Georgia...you get the idea.

It also reinforced that I don’t always understand today’s culture. I don’t watch a lot of TV; if I’m not singing barbershop somewhere or doing something online, I’m probably reading something. What TV I do watch tends to be oddball stuff: some news; hockey or other sports (like Canadian football); Food Network or Weather Channel (remember the days when you could actually get a weather forecast there?), on occasion the Discovery Channel, PBS and National Geographic. Movies? I think the last movie I saw in a theatre was The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The last movie I watched the video for? The live-action Speed Racer. (I can hear you all now: Geek!) Modern music? My poor iPod must feel like it’s stuck in a time warp. A lot of stuff from the 70’s and 80’s, and a lot of that is what we used to call “Contemporary Christian Music.” There’s also a boatload of Southern Gospel and Praise and Worship...much of which is from the late 80’s and the 90’s. (Yes, there’s a lot of barbershop-both quartets and choruses-on it as well, as well as some Celtic and Hawai’ian.) 

But what struck me the most was the pursuit of the Holy. My entire adult life has been spent studying the Bible, learning about how God and Jesus work in our lives, learning theology from several different angles. I remember the kind of person I was prior to 1984, prior to that time when Jesus grabbed me and shook me and said “Follow Me!” I told him I accepted His gift, and would go where He sent me and do what He asked. I’ve never regretted it. (I’ve questioned my sanity and His sense of humor at times, but never once regretted it.) It took three years of His prevenient grace before I got the hint, and some reminders-gentle and otherwise-along the way. 

Earlier on, I mentioned both my mortality and my own sinfulness. He died for me and my sins, and He died for you and yours. That’s what Ash Wednesday’s about, really. I’ll be spending a little less time online, and a little more time thinking about being a better Christian. Spending a little more time in the Bible, and in prayer, and some quiet time where it’s just me and my thoughts. 

The best news of all: He rose again. That’s why we celebrate Easter.

Enough for now.

On "Simple Church"

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers” (Attributed to Harry S. Truman).

I may not be a leader in the conventional sense, but I am a reader. Sometimes too much so; I dislike getting rid of any of my books and so about 60% of my library resides in cedar-plastic tubs in a 10x10 climate controlled (read: inside access) storage bin. While I wait for my dissertation for what will be my third doctorate-this one a Ph.D-to move forward (the writing’s done, and I’m waiting for permission to send in the rough draft for review), I’m reading. Books on prayer and contemplation, preaching, some Wesleyan theology, and some books on leadership and church development. 

Just finished one today called “Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus”, and am about 40% done with a book called “Simple Church.” “Change the World”, by Mike Slaughter, basically is about the concept of getting out from the walls of one’s church and doing ministry, especially to those who have little. “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11, NRSV) is still true; Slaughter’s book essentially asks the question “What if Church was a verb instead of a noun?” (Part of the Rethink Church question, for all you Methodists out there), and “Which is better: Expanding your facilities or your impact?” Good questions-but before you read his book, read Simple Church. 

No, really. I mean it.

Simple Church-for those of you reading this that either know me, are or have been one of my students-focuses on one thought that I’ve said, taught and harped on for years on end: The Church Universal is programming their people to death! The concept of Simple Church (as I’ve read to this point) is that it’s not enough to have programs, unless they are part of a streamlined growth and disciple-making process. You can do more with less-and probably should be. A great companion book to this is Easum’s “Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers.” This book stresses that sometimes, you need to get rid of certain ministries that have been there since dirt was new (hence the ‘sacred cow’)-to make Ministry happen. (Catch the difference?) I’m reading it in conjunction with the other two books. In fact, Simple Church states that...well...The Church is programming their people to death, and they are burning out instead of growing deeper in their faith. Too many churches have too many programs that don’t do anything but make one feel like a hamster. You know, running on the holy habitrail wheel, never getting outside the walls of the church to meet, much less minister to others...and having a faith as a result that’s an inch deep. Jesus didn’t call us to make church members, but to “...make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20a, NRSV). It’s challenging reading...but I find I am resonating with it. You might find the same thing. So I challenge you to read these books as well. 

Who knows? Maybe you’ll find their message resonates with you, too.

Enough for now.