Wow! The hustle and bustle has been unreal this year. I cannot believe how busy things have been. So much seems to go on at any one moment. A party here, basketball practice, winter concerts.
All month long, I have been thinking about things I'd like to blog about like incarnation. I enjoyed preaching on the incarnate Christ and how we too are to be incarnate. Truth be told, I like to think of myself as missionally incarnate in my thinking. For those of you who aren't readers of modern books about issues relating to church; it basically means I see all of us as missionaries to the world in which we live and that church is not our escape but our anchor in the depths of the deep lostness of the world.
Today, however, I was reminded I still have a long ways to go in taking on that full way of thinking. I was reading some of Rick Warren's response to the criticism he has taken for agreeing to offer the inaugural prayer for president-elect Obama and for openly admitting that he loves the music of Melissa Etheridge all while participating in a muslim relations forum. Criticism has naturally followed, some from groups who are offended that a Bible-believing conservative would be allowed at the inauguration. The harshest criticism comes from those who think he is a sell out to participate with people who have an agenda that is not Bible-based.
I'm not sure I could do what he has done, but I hope that I can get to the point where I am more concerned about making a difference in a lost world than pleasing those who hide behind their church walls hoping for heaven on earth. Christmas really doesn't make sense. Could not the angels have asked why God would soil his name by taking on human flesh? Joining Christ means to join Him in all the lost places in the world, in places where lost people hang out and loving them right where they are.
It requires another type of re-birth in my life, to grow up all over again in my faith. Incarnation means, I will go to that length to reach those I can. Join me in incarnation!
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Midnight Shopping
Only once have I ever braved the early morning shopper thing. Waking up early to go shopping just lacks something for me. However the local outlet mall opened at 11:00 pm...now count me in for that. The benefit for me is that I got to sleep in on Friday morning while everyone else was out and about at 4:00 am. Not only that, I got to eat some Chinese food at about 1:00 am. To a night owl, that was fun and beat the socks off the early morning stuff.
I've often been amazed at the lines of people waiting to get into certain stores. I was even more surprised to find a line of cars backed up 2 or 3 miles on the highway. It made me glad I came from an opposite direction. I have to admit, the outlet mall found a great way to get to shoppers who don't like getting up early but don't mind staying up late.
I remember when I was little, nothing ever opened on Thanksgiving and store might open an hour earlier. I wonder what kind of insanity will exist when my kids are in my shoes. I'm sure it will look different then as well. Stores will continue to look for ways to get people to come pay them a visit.
For the most part, we do church the same way. We are always trying to market ourselves in such a way as to get people to come to us. We really don't know any other way, it is ingrained into who we are. Its not all ad or wrong; there should be something compelling going on in every church preaching Christ worth marketing.
In my mind, the problem we encounter is that we have become so marketing-minded that we have forgotten to be Christ-minded. We are to be a people who find more ways to go and less ways to draw a crowd. I think its funny how the crowd had to follow Jesus all over the countryside until they were tired and hungry. He wore them down with his actions and then they were able to listen and encounter a miracle of God's provision.
How about using our energy to get involved with lost people; how about wearing down a lost person with your loving involvement in their lives.? That's the skinny behind incarnation. God became flesh and dwelt among us. Be sure to give Christ this Christmas season.
I've often been amazed at the lines of people waiting to get into certain stores. I was even more surprised to find a line of cars backed up 2 or 3 miles on the highway. It made me glad I came from an opposite direction. I have to admit, the outlet mall found a great way to get to shoppers who don't like getting up early but don't mind staying up late.
I remember when I was little, nothing ever opened on Thanksgiving and store might open an hour earlier. I wonder what kind of insanity will exist when my kids are in my shoes. I'm sure it will look different then as well. Stores will continue to look for ways to get people to come pay them a visit.
For the most part, we do church the same way. We are always trying to market ourselves in such a way as to get people to come to us. We really don't know any other way, it is ingrained into who we are. Its not all ad or wrong; there should be something compelling going on in every church preaching Christ worth marketing.
In my mind, the problem we encounter is that we have become so marketing-minded that we have forgotten to be Christ-minded. We are to be a people who find more ways to go and less ways to draw a crowd. I think its funny how the crowd had to follow Jesus all over the countryside until they were tired and hungry. He wore them down with his actions and then they were able to listen and encounter a miracle of God's provision.
How about using our energy to get involved with lost people; how about wearing down a lost person with your loving involvement in their lives.? That's the skinny behind incarnation. God became flesh and dwelt among us. Be sure to give Christ this Christmas season.
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