Where You Belong

Come with me for a few minutes…I want to take you on a brief tour…

 

It’s a tour of the inside of my church.

 

At the front of the church is a cross. You know, it’s only because of the Jesus’s work on the cross that we became reconciled or “back together” with God.

 

Then there’s the pulpit, where the Bible is placed and the messages flow from. Messages of loving God and loving one another, of daily following Christ, and of the Gospel – that tells of us being new creations, hurts becoming healed, the lost becoming found, and life coming from death – and that absolutely nothing can separate us from belonging to God through Christ.

 

Then there’s the baptism font. That’s where the grace of God becomes visible and we see how through the water, we are cleansed from our sins and promise that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are renewed and we belong to God and to the gathering of people.

 

The communion table is there too. It reminds us that because Jesus’s body was broken, we are restored to a relationship with God and that through Jesus’s blood that covenantal relationship is forever. In addition, that table also shows how we belong to God and one another by partaking in the bread and cup in unity.

 

Right in front of the communion table is usually where joining members promise to make for unity, purity and peace as they are received and to the church. It’s where husbands and wives promise to belong to one another in marriage until death parts them. It’s also where, when we have funerals, the casket is placed during the service and we remember, even through the tears, that the beloved person belonged to God and not even death could stop that.

 

Moving toward the back there are the pews, where perfectly imperfect and devoted believers (including me) sit, praise, pray, listen, give, love and serve one another. Looking to the right and to the left are people who have shared joys and tragedies, made the difference with meals, calls and notes, and have shared life together – who promised to belong to God and one another. You can see orphans and widows cared for, young people taken under wings, rides to church and doctor appointments, those who are weak and broken find strength, hungry are fed and hurts are healed, wisdom found and shared, marriages supported and even reunited, new and old friends welcomed, and a lot of understanding, forgiveness and second chances. To those who have known and experienced these things, this belonging is wonderful and priceless.

 

Finally, there are the doors. There is nothing magical about these doors. You don’t need a special “id” card or badge. Anyone can walk through them and find all of this blessedness of belonging.

 

Each Sunday morning, I celebrate those who God has gathered and brought through those doors as well as grieve and hope for those have yet to come through the doors. As a pastor, leader and brother in Christ, I insist that a church’s proper posture is to have its eyes on Christ, then one arm around someone who is already there and the other arm is outstretched – reaching for and welcoming someone who is not there yet.

 

See, I wanted to take you on this “tour” to highlight that nearly everything about the inside of a church, of our church, is about belonging. The geography and landscape of the inside of a church is of belonging. At the same time, you’ve heard of the unfinished symphony, well, a church is the unfinished community. There is never a cap or limit or threshold as to who belongs – when Jesus returns that is when it is “completed.” Until then, no church on this planet is “complete” or “done” with the people who are currently there. Now, I am well aware that to many who never come though those doors, nearly the opposite is thought of the “inside.” Thoughts that only select people are welcome – that only perfect, holy people are there, that the messages are only for certain people that will understand it – in other words, very exclusive. I am well aware that sometimes both wicked and well-intentioned people have distorted and warped what God intended churches to be.

 

But I also know this: That all of us from 5 year olds to 95 year olds want to and frankly, need to, belong. It’s not just a teenage phenomenon. God designed us to desire and seek community and fellowship with others.

 

And I believe with my whole heart, that more than a club/organization, or a team or workplace or even a neighborhood (and I’ve experienced all of those), that even with all its flaws, a gracious group of Christians sharing Christ and life together is the highest, purest form of community – because the bonds and connections are supernatural (the Holy Spirit) not performance or money or appearances or status – you just come and belong as you are. And it is the closest thing to thing to Heaven – it’s the closest thing to truly experiencing God’s love and presence. After all, a Christian community is an embassy of God’s Kingdom – where joy, love, justice and wholeness reign.

 

So, hey there, what are you doing this Sunday? I know many of you have been hurt by church and by Christians. I know that it is hard to trust again. I know you want to belong and to be a part of something real. I know you might think what I am saying sounds impossible. But remember, with God all things are possible!

 

I would love nothing more than to see you come through those doors, encounter God in new ways, as well as experience the loving embrace of people who may not know you but somehow have been waiting for you…the embrace of brothers and sisters to whom you can belong. I’ve prayed for it, I’ve dreamed about it, and one day…

 

 

Amen.

 

 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

 

Christopher B. Wolf is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and the forthcoming, With You: Every Step of the Way (September, 2011).

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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One Bread, One Body

Remix of Sunday’s Sermon

Sharing…

Sharing Communion is one of the most powerful and meaningful experiences for Christians. The language, the theology, the unity, the presence of the Spirit, the tastes, the music – for a few moments, it often does feel transcendent and “heavenly” – as it should.

But as you know sometimes we get so used to it that the experience is dulled, or sometimes we are excluded or exclude ourselves.

But think of the word – Communion. Some definitions beyond partaking of the Eucharist (remembering Christ’s sacrificial death); the act of sharing, an intimate relationship with deep understanding, sharing one’s thoughts and emotions with another.

Everyday communion living like this is what the apostle Paul was writing about long ago. He was actually addressing some issues of division, arrogance and hierarchy at the church in Corinth when he shared the idea of the body of Christ. Some people at the church in Corinth had decided they were more gifted and therefore more important than others and it was causing problems. Many churches today face these same issues. And a lot of times, it’s elitism and arrogance that wounds churches and keeps people from coming back to church or visiting at all.

“Churches are dying today because they are not doing anything which the world should look at and say: “There is evidence that God is real and that he is glorious,” said pastor and author John Piper. In some cases, churches are acting in ways that make people hide their eyes – not just ignore it.”

So Paul described how it was actually supposed to be – the way God intended church to be in terms of fellowship and community. Here are some things he wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ (12); “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be (17)?”; “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose (18)”; “On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (22); “that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another (25).”

So we get three main ideas about the body of Christ from Paul’s description

First, as much as we want people to be attached to their church and have a healthy sense of ownership and commitment, we need to remember that it is God who arranges the body and that it is Christ’s body, a resurrection body – dependent on the Holy Spirit. God shapes the body and purposefully places people in that body – not decided by groups or agendas. And it is by being a part of the body that people are sanctified and made holy. It’s not, as some would make you think, that you have to be holy, then you can show up and be a part of a church. Wrong! Come be a part and then watch your life be transformed by God’s Word and a loving fellowship of believers.

Second, Paul’s description redefines success, making it based on the resemblance to Christ – unity, health and functionality. According to this passage there is direct connection between a church’s health and unity and its ability to authentically resemble Jesus. So that, it doesn’t matter the size, its worship “performance,”  or its income – worldly measures of success. Do people experience the salvation, love, forgiveness, healing and transformation of Jesus? These are things that can’t be faked or fudged – a church that is depending on God and depending on one another will be obvious.

Finally, how can we more effectively approach being the body of Christ? By deepening and developing authentic relationships with one another. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together (essential reading!), “Through him alone (Christ) do we have access to one another, joy in one another, and fellowship with one another.” In other words, the medium or bridge for relationships in the context of a body of Christ is Christ. Shared experiences, history, common interests, family – all good things – but can easily lead to factions. The most basic, essential, and unifying element of relationships in churches is being brothers and sisters in Christ. Sharing about sports, weather, kids and restaurants are good icebreakers but it has to go beyond that and does when there are relationships in Christ. Because if we are depending on Him, we are more likely to be enabled to authentically share with others – to learn to depend on others – this is what Paul was trying to show in this passage.

Yesterday, during the children’s message I invited the kids to stand up and we tried to do a group hug with our arms folded in front of us. We all laughed because it was impossible. But when we opened our arms and embraced one another – it worked! Same thing with young people and adults – real fellowship requires openness and sharing.

This is about belonging to one another – to need others in the best and worst times of life and faith. It’s the difference between being a part of a religious social club and being part of the body of Christ – huge. In Christ means taking relationships from purely social – to eternal and authentic and of substance. All the things we add to relationships – status, performance, wealth, success, appearance – all the things the world defines acceptance and belonging – undone by simply being in Christ and depending on one another, sacrificing for one another.

So then it looks like this…

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it (26). According to Paul in this verse, it goes something like this…If you have ALS, we have ALS. If you have breast cancer, we have breast cancer. If you are lonely and isolated, we feel that too. If you are crying, we are crying. If you feel defeated and discouraged, we feel it. If you are lost, we are lost. If you are being bullied at school, we feel that powerlessness. If your marriage is falling apart, we are grieving too.

Yet…

If you are healing, we are healing! If you are being restored, we are being restored! If you are hopeful again, we are hopeful again! If God has vindicated you, we are vindicated! If you are tearing down walls, we are right beside you! If you have been found, we are rejoicing! If you are finding new strength, we are emboldened! If you are wiping away tears, we are wiping away tears! If you are celebrating, we are celebrating!

Sharing. Communion. The Living Body of Christ.

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it (27).”

Amen!

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, New Jersey. He is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and the forthcoming, With You: Every Step of the Way (2011).

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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The Biggest Sinners

So I know that I am late in grasping the phenomenon of the television show The Biggest Loser (the finale was last night). But having watched just a few episodes, I wanted to share some interesting spiritual connections. As you may know it is a reality show where people who are dangerously overweight, with professional medical, nutrition and fitness help, compete to lose the most amount of weight – thus the bigger loser (of weight).

Well, in order for this to work, I need you to switch weight for sin. In other words, if the contestants on the show have serious weight problems – I want us for this discussion’s sake to imagine what sin makes us look like on the inside. Both sin and weight can have devastating effects on our lives – internal and externally.

For example, Psalm 32 tells us about the effect of sin on us internally, “When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up (The Message).”

On the show, people acknowledge that there is a serious problem and that it is time to change. The reasons often given are improved health, overcoming the past, or being a good example for their kids.

How is this different from sin? They’re no different – with possibly the exception that sin can be easier to hide (for a while).

The show is about the journey of the participants to change their lives – to make a real, actual transformation. It’s visible as they lose the weight. Jillian and Bob, the trainers, are part counselors, part drill sergeants, but they’re always focused on one thing – transformation. Through dieting, exercise, and reflection; owning and trying to cease negativity about themselves; and getting to the core of related issues, these people push and are pushed and challenged.

How is this different from the way Christianity and churches often operate? Unfortunately, it’s very different. Here’s how… (And remember, we’re switching the very visible issue of weight for the often less-visible issue of sin in our lives.)

For example, churches often don’t take the problem (sin) very seriously out of a desire to not offend anyone. In terms of the show, it would be like having contestants who all weigh 400 pounds and talking about their cars or their hair or just giving them different outfits – anything else but the actual situation. Listen, if we don’t talk about and take sin seriously, it will destroy people and churches – as it has already. Also, if we don’t take sin seriously, there’s no need for a savior; Jesus didn’t have to go to the cross. Please hear me – if there is no sin, there is no grace – in theory or in real life.

Now it doesn’t mean we dwell on the sins – because once confessed, God remembers them no more. Again, Psalm 32, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Gone. Done. But how many of us carry around sin as if it were 400 pounds of weight – afraid to confess it to God out of guilt or pride as well as not being able to talk to others about it either. It is a silent killer.

Now, on the show, even when trainers Bob and Jillian are hard on contestants, there is little to no judgment – their focus is on transformation. And even though competitors, other contestants are rarely judgmental.  Rather, they are encouraging. It creates an encouraging, authentic atmosphere where transformation is fostered.

Unfortunately, churches and Christians, usually because they don’t want to face their own sins, often focus on others’ sins and thereby create unsafe, judgmental atmospheres. Authentic confession is just not going to be possible there.

Guess what else won’t be possible there? Well, if no one is a sinner and we’re all “good people,” and if there actually are any sinners, but they can’t be honest about it – there will be no grace, growth or transformation. I mean, there is no need for them in that scenario. It sounds comical when I re-read it, but that is how many churches are operating.

On the show, weight loss and progress are met with celebration and the encouragement to do more. The amount of weight loss and progress determines winners for the show. But I can see how Jillian and Bob are encouraging of anyone who is trying – whether they win the show or not. Jesus talked about those who battle for new life, “Count on it – there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue (Luke 15:7, The Message).”

In churches, are growth and transformation celebrated? It’s kind of hard to when we’re pretending that it’s not necessary 😉 So that’s why churches often start to take too much pride in other things that are nice but aren’t central to the cross and to grace. There is a great book on this by Richard Stearns called, The Hole In Our Gospel.

Because the central thing is becoming more like Christ. We’re called to produce fruit in our lives and for the Kingdom. Christianity is, by its very nature, at its core, transformational – lost to found, hurt to healed, weak to strong, blind to seeing, sinful to forgiven, dead to alive and many others. Anywhere it is staying the same by choice or lack of effort – it is dying.

We need to improve at being a like Jillian and Bob by challenging people (including ourselves) to lovingly, fearlessly face sinfulness, embrace grace for themselves and others, and grow and transform closer to God’s best for us. After all, “Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new (2 Corinthians 5:17, The Message).”

Churches should be the places where the “biggest sinners” are welcomed, loved and grace-fully transformed. It’s exactly what Jesus did when he dwelled among us in the flesh. And you and I know, people in our families, communities, nation and world are crying out for help – crying out for a new start!

The most inspiring, touching stories of transformation and new life should come, not from a reality television show, but from communities of Christians who understand and acknowledge they are the biggest sinners and therefore the biggest winners (of grace), and in light and joy of that grace, radically love one another, and seek out others to radically love and restore.

Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the state of your spiritual health? What are some ways to effectively measure it in terms of your relationship with God (in other words, not just using “activities.”)
2. What are some areas that need transformation and growth? What can you do about them?
3. If you belong to a church, what is the approach to transformation there? How is that working?
4. Do you need a new start or second chance today? Please feel free to email or contact me to talk about it more

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and the forthcoming, With You: Every Step of the Way (2011).

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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What If?

What if…we started each day with the prayer and thought, “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God”?

What if…we really let go of our sins and remembered them no more – just like God after we confess them?

What if…we gave faith and/or a loved one a second chance?

What if…we replaced all our judgmental thoughts with ones of grace?

What if…we loved others fearlessly and without a thought to the cost or getting hurt?

What if…we put Jesus first in everything we did?

What if…we looked for the grace in everyone?

What if…we took time everyday to be with God in His Word, silence and prayer?

What if…we were vessels of healing and encouragement each day?

What if…we spoke the truth in love to one another?

What if…we were as devoted to God as we are to our favorite sports team or hobby?

What if…we asked for and granted real forgiveness?

What if…we reached out to people that no one else remembered or cared about?

What if…we put God’s will before our will in all that we do?

What if…we believed without a doubt that we were loved for who we are by God and others?

What if…we added some risk to our faith?

What if…we tore down some idols in our lives and replaced them with the only One who can give life?

What if…we stopped trying to save ourselves?

What if…we honored the less honorable and thought of the weakest ones as indispensable?

What if…we started following God as a “thank you” because He has accepted us through His Son instead of what many of us do – obeying so that we can be accepted.

What if…we worshipped God in Spirit and Truth?

What if…we lived our lives as evidence of God’s love and what He has done for us?

What if…we stopped focusing so much on ourselves and what we want?

What if…we went to church to give our whole selves?

What if…we went on a mission trip or signed up to serve others in a way that we never have before?

What if…we returned to the Lord with our whole heart?

What if…we stopped all of our “busyness” and sat at His feet?

What if…we overflowed with passion for sharing the love of Christ with others?

What if…we were more concerned with faithfulness than success?

What if…we gave of our time, talent and money sacrificially and with the cross in mind?

What if…we took our faith from private to public?

What if…we called out to God and to brothers and sisters when we needed help?

What if…we sold all our possessions and gave them to the poor?

What if…we did this in remembrance of Him?

What if…we didn’t cross the finish line until we could cross it together?

What if…we became a disciple and discipled another?

What if…we loved one another as Christ has loved us?

What if…we embraced and participated with God in making all things new?

What if…we prayed without ceasing?

What if…we lived and served together as with one heart and soul?

What if…we let the Holy Spirit lead?

What if…we showed our love for one another in addition to telling?

What if…we relied on God’s strength above our own?

What if…we applied the same measure to ourselves as we apply to others?

What if…we celebrated like crazy when someone who was once lost comes back to God?

What if…we did all of these things and the Kingdom of God was more visible for the world, for the community and for us to see?

What if…

Amen.

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How’s My Witness? 1 800 123 4567

Hello: Here is this week’s Living Water. Blessings, Christopher

                                 

John 13:34-35

How’s My Witness?

 

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

 

You know those bumper stickers on most trucks and buses today that say, “How is my driving? 1 800…”? I don’t know how many people actually use that, but it does communicate that the company or organization is interested in accountability and its perception.

 

At the same time, we have often heard that it is important to not worry too much about what people think of us. This is true to some extent.

 

But as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be very concerned about the way our words, our appearances, our demeanors, our actions represent…Him. Now there is nothing you and I can do to take away from who He is – God. But as we have all seen, we do have an impact – helpful and destructive – on brothers and sisters in Christ as well as people who have fallen away from faith or have never believed or from other faiths.

 

Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).”

 

According to this and other Scriptures, we are called to stand out from others and offer a different – radically different approach to living and relationships as well as it needing to be visible. And I would add, within just these two verses is something very important. And that is, the ability to show everyone that we are disciples of Jesus by loving one another flows directly from the knowledge of, and responding to, Christ’s love for us. PS – the root word for love in the original language of this text is “agape” which is understood as sacrificial love. The kind of love that says, “I love you no matter what it costs me, because it is for you.”

 

My wife Jenny, and frankly my children as well, are those kinds of people – that you notice something is different about them. The principal at the elementary School in Lebanon, NJ, used to say to Jenny in the morning after dropping off Brian, something to the effect of, “Hey, you are so bright and cheery – what is in your coffee?” If you know her that is just the way she is – and as she would tell you and I have seen, it is because of her love for the Lord and for others. It just shines. I can remember meeting her in college and thinking, “She is really happy and joyful – all the time.” It stood out then too.  

 

Love for the Lord and for others can be visible in many others ways too, to be sure. Acts of compassion, caring and serving, joy in worshipping, sympathy cards and many other ways.

 

At the same time, it can also be rather obvious when we are not loving others. And rightly so, it is pointed out by people rather quickly when Christians are involved. I’ve had many conversations about the hypocrisy of Christians. Like it or not, because of our Jesus’ example and words we are held to a higher standard.

 

I will be the first to admit that my own witness is not always the best. And when I fall short, I seek forgiveness and understanding. You see something often gets in the way of loving others as Christ would have me love them – me. And the times that I have loved the way Christ would have me love others – I can’t take any credit for it. It was all Him. But I can tell you that those are and were some of the best times of my life.

 

See, we are talking about a commandment here, as Jesus said. And I think it is okay to point out that we don’t do very well adhering to the original ten on our own power either – that is why we need His grace. This is to say that when Jesus offered this new commandment of loving one another, given His knowledge of our sinful natures, that it would not be easy, and we would have to rely on Him to be able to show people that we were his disciples. And it doesn’t offer any disclaimers. It doesn’t say, “you are excused from loving one another and showing what God is about if – things aren’t going well, or if you are sick, or if a loved one died, or you don’t feel loved or even if someone else was out of line.” Essentially, we always have to be “on,” showing the love of Christ to one another.

 

Wouldn’t it be easier if Jesus said something like, “Everyone will know you are my disciples – if you know Bible verses, or attend church regularly, or appear holy? No, he had to choose the hardest and the best indication of following Him – loving others, which requires a lot patience, perseverance, forgiveness, losing ourselves, grace, trust, passion, did I say forgiveness – everything He demonstrated on the cross, actually. Almost anybody can memorize words, be somewhere on time and put on a face. But, how many people are willing to love when it doesn’t make sense – agape – through loving Jesus and loving one another in such a visible way that people can see it in a grocery store, on a field, in a school, in a restaurant, on the highway, at the mall, mowing the lawn, walking the dog, in the home and at church – any place people are?

 

So not only are we invited and called to believe in Jesus Christ; it has to show, especially in the way we love others. I have always remembered this quote from the movie Jerry Maguire, “You can’t love anybody, until you love everybody.” It’s true. How often do we just want to love the people around us and call it a day! That isn’t the kind of love Jesus was talking about. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about how if we have all these gifts and can even move mountains with our faith, but don’t have love (for others), it is nothing. Likewise, if we have gone to church all our lives, and every Sunday we walk into the sanctuary and judge and hold grudges and agendas against brothers and sisters, we have nothing – and worse, we unwittingly confirm all the hypocrisy and play right into Satan’s hands.

 

But by leaning on Jesus, and remembering His love for us, our loving others in very visible ways, it just might mean everything to someone, someday. Loving beyond ourselves in His name would completely transform our homes, churches and communities and nation. It’s what everyone is watching and waiting for us to do. I think it is clear from this passage that by our loving others wherever we are, the world would see and know God a little better. What a gift that you and I could be used in this way! What a challenging way to live life! What a rewarding way to live life!

 

It’s probably not a good idea for us to put our phone numbers on a bumper stickers, but we could have them say, “How’s My Walk With Jesus?” or “How’s My Witness?” The old hymn goes, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love.” Another bumper sticker could be, “Do They Know We Are Christians By Our Love?”

 

Amen.

 

 

Discussion Questions

1. How is your witness? In other words, what would people say of your Christian walk?
2. Please think about some of the best and worst times of your witness. What can be learned from both sets?
3. What do you think about the power of our individual and community witness? Have you ever thought about its importance – or what is at stake before?
4. Can people know Jesus through the way you live, work, serve? What are some ways this can be enhanced?

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Question No. 1

I have been in ministry for more than five years now. All my life I have been thinking about God. I can’t think of a time when I was not aware of God’s existence. All this time I have been relating to people of varying degrees of faith. Many running away from God; many running toward God.  

I have seen people turn to Him in emergency rooms. I have seen people struggling to find Him in funeral homes. I have sat with people wondering if God existed and what that had to with their lives. I have listened to people weep at how long it has been that they have prayed or gone to church. I have listened to people who are very angry with God. I have listened to children ask insightful questions and grasp the depth of faith in God in the simplest terms. I have listened and watched denominations and traditions wrestle with issue after issue. I have read book after book about God and about trying to be a disciple of Jesus.  

And yet, after all the thinking, learning and listening, I think I can boil it down to one question. It is the one question that keeps coming up – emerging from many different places. Places of faith and doubt. Places of hope and despair. Asked directly and asked from beneath a whole bunch of other things. It is a question that is said, and unsaid many times.

It is the “main” question about God as far as how I am hearing. It is part question and part hope and part yearning.  I would love to tell you that most of the questions I am asked or issues I am involved at church have to do with the Bible, theology and church order. I do get those questions and that is great. But it is this question that I hear most often being asked directly and in not so many words… 

Here it is –  “Will God and you (pastors, fellow believers, church members, humans) still love me even if – I mess up, keep messing up, despite all my problems, though I will never be perfect, and even if I am convinced and act as if I am not loveable nor worthy of it?”  

It is at the heart of so many things. It is often why people join churches; and why they leave. A lot of effort is put into trying to find the answer to this question as well as proving the answer – sometimes over and over. This question is the driver for a lot searching and seeking not only for God but often then through other faiths and belief systems. It is often why people hide and why people act out to be noticed.   

The idea of belonging to, or being rejected by God and others, other Christians in particular is so powerful. It is a fear and a dream. It is the source of unspeakable joy and comfort for many; and unspeakable pain for many too.   

Even in Jesus’ time it was. He arrived at a time when the religious people of the time had taken the wonder, mystery and grace of living in covenant, grace and promise with God and turned it into their own “club.” They got very good at saying who was “in” and who was “out.” I suppose this is a human nature thing. Because we could say the same thing about many churches today.  

So for then and today, Jesus’ answer to the above question is found in Luke 15. The club people were saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable…(Luke 15:2-3).” And it is the story of having one hundred sheep and losing one and going and finding it and rejoicing in that. “Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (turns to or turns back to God) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:6-7).” Translation: “When you are lost; I am going to come and find you and make sure you are back with the group. It doesn’t matter how or why you got lost – what matters is that you are back and we are celebrating.”  

As well, later in the same chapter for the son that went away and spent his portion of the family fortune on “dissolute living.” “So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20).” Translation: “Welcome home; what happened before doesn’t matter; I am just so glad you are home where you belong and I never stopped loving you. And you belong here because of how I love you not for what you have done or haven’t done.”  

The answer to this question of belonging and returning and being loved in spite of ourselves by God through Jesus Christ is “yes.” When it comes to demonstrating this to one another, well, the answer is a “yes” but I think we often fail on this. We get caught up in fear and the past and many other things. I do know this – I think the lowest times of my life have been when I have failed to participate fully in God’s grace for others and people have felt rejected. Likewise the highest moments have been when either I have been the recipient of undeserved grace or I have been an instrument of it – when people have felt like they belonged or welcomed back. 

“All of this is from God, who reconciled (Greek word means “make friends with”) us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).”     

And whether it is about God or one another – there is the part of believing it – believing that God and others can be that gracious and loving.  

A matter of faith.  

Amen.   

Discussion Questions

1. Would you agree this is the most asked question on people’s minds when it comes to faith and church? Why or why not?
2. If it isn’t – please send me what you think the most asked question is – I would love to hear your ideas.
3. Do you believe that God is this gracious and loving? Why or why not?
4. How has the desire to belong to a church or Christian group played out in your life?
5. Is today the day for you to be reconciled with God or someone in your life – to experience grace or be an instrument of it?

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What it means to be a pastor

By Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” says the LORD in Isaiah 43:18-19.

Though these words were written thousands of years ago, they speak anew for being a pastor today.

What does it mean to be a minister today? There are five cornerstones:

Leading with Vision

Spiritual leadership requires the ability to listen, to respond to, and to effectively communicate God’s desire and will for a congregation – His vision for His people at a given time. At the same time, spiritual leaders must also be able to perceive and name the very real challenges that the community faces. It would be easier to look away or focus on “other things” or leave in place the illusion of “everything is great.” But spiritual leadership calls for something much more daring – to speak the truth of the Gospel to the truth of life today. All over the nation, families are struggling economically, young people are falling into self-destructive behaviors like drugs and inhalants; and there is also the problem of violence and abuse in homes and relationships; and there seems to be a collective turning away from God. Therefore, leading with vision is acknowledging, and yet seeing through, the sin, chaos, and confusion, in order to steadfastly communicate what God’s wants to accomplish.     

Preaching with Urgency

The humorous image of the congregation falling asleep during a sermon is on one hand all too often true, but is also the very opposite its purpose. Given the power of the Gospel, and given the terrifying prospect of so many aspects of life today, each Sunday, each sermon, should be a rallying wake-up call for congregations, not a time to hit the snooze button. The Bible addresses the issues that young people face, choices that parents and older adults have to make, as well as all other life situations. It is up to preachers today through the power of the Holy Spirit, to show how the Word of God speaks boldly to this very moment. The radical love of Christ, the clear calls to sacrifice and prioritizing, as well as concern for neighbors, are all articulated in the Scriptures and must be communicated above and through the noise and confusion of life today.

Caring for Congregation Members

The vocation of ministry carries such responsibility and demands great compassion – which cannot be manufactured. There is no other job or position in which people allow you into living rooms, hospital rooms and often the darkest places of their lives. And frankly, there are very few jobs that require the amount of love and compassion it takes to truly and effectively care for God’s people. Consequently, to be a pastor today requires the constant remembrance of this awesome privilege and the trust that is granted.

Caring for Self and Family

As complex and rewarding as ministry has become, there have also been destructive results. Minister burnout appears to be up in all faith traditions in addition to fewer people joining the ministry. It is crucial for pastors to care for themselves and their families as they care for the congregation. This also means that a minister has to let the congregation care for him or her. It is often hard for those who enter into caregiver professions like ministry to let others care for them. But I think of it this way: If I am not at my best, my service and care for the congregation suffers. So caring for myself is part of ministry.

Empowering Church Members to Meet Community Needs

Many pastors and churches have neglected their role as voices and agents for faith and values within their communities. Isn’t it clear now that the “decline” of our society, as far as values and morals, corresponds with the dissipating voices and influence of churches and other faith communities? Therefore, it is time for pastors and churches to regain and restore their prophetic voices when speaking to power and when speaking to society. To be a minister is to educate, energize and lead congregations to greater involvement in their communities. The head of the church, Jesus Christ, fully engaged His context. Likewise, the body of Christ – the church – must also.

And that is why wherever there is pain, wherever there is oppression, wherever there is suffering, injustice, loneliness and hopelessness – that is where I must go and lead others to bring the loving, hopeful, liberating, saving words and presence of Christ. In sanctuaries, living rooms, neighborhoods, hospital rooms, streets, classrooms, workplaces, courtrooms, and legislative chambers – this is where I must go.

And I must – despite all the rage, destruction, and desolation of this world – have the faith to believe that God is doing new things in our communities and in our lives and to perceive them springing forth.

Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. What shapes your view of pastors today? How does that image compare with these above cornerstones?
2. What do you think being a pastor means today?
3. What role does the congregation play in the success or failure of a pastor?
4. Are the above realistic expectations or are they too much? Can anyone realistically fulfill these? Why or why not?
5. How would you prioritize the above five cornerstones? Please explain why.

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