Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE SO CLOSE

Familiar with this image? It was shot at the finale of this year's American Idol competition. The guy smiling in the middle, David Cook, won. The short dude applauding on the left, David Archuletta, finished second. This was a bit of a surprise. Archuletta dominated the head to head round in the mind of the judges and the fans in the theater. Pundits predicted that he'd win the online vote in a landslide. But he didn't. He got so close to his dream. Then things headed a different direction. Sound familiar? Not all turning points are good or welcomed. Sometimes we feel like we're on the right track- heading in the right direction. Then instead of moving ahead, we take an unforseen turn.

SO "CLOSE"
These kinds of turning points don't just happen to you and me. People in the Scriptures experienced them too. Like the "Rich Young Ruler". Probably not his given name. And although you might not guess it by a title like that, he was very close to getting the life with God that he wanted. He approached Jesus with excitement, humility and honor and asked a great question. He kept the commandments. Evoked a certain affection from Jesus. Heck, Jesus said the guy was only missing ONE thing spiritually speaking. (Not sure I'd want to see how many things would show up on my "stuff I'm missing with God" list!) Of course, "close" is a relative term. Ever tried to hike over to that mountain "right over there"? What kind of gap separated this man from his stated quest? Only complete and voluntary poverty.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR
Why did Jesus make such a demanding request? Because he answered the man's question. Although it is easy to see this as a conversation about money or even salvation, I think Jesus' words are about something even more important- eternal life. Sometimes when we're so close, Jesus has the nerve to offer us what we're asking for. And what we want from God may not look like we expect it to. Instead of eternal life = salvation after death, Jesus offered this man a quality of life that comes from living in relationship with God and people in the here and now.

DECISION TIME
The problem with having Jesus offer us the thing we say we want? Then we've got a decision to make. Do we REALLY want the thing we've asked for? Are we willing to do what Jesus says we have to do to get it? Jesus invited the rich young ruler to trade the good in his life for God's better. He'd been keeping rules. Jesus offered him a relationship. He had riches. Jesus offered eternal treasure. He had assets to hold on to. Jesus offered him freedom through simplicity. Even though the exchange looks good on paper (or computer screen)- it obviously wasn't an easy decision.

My guess is that if God offered us the things we say we want, it wouldn't be easy either. Do we really want to be humble? Enough to fail? Do we really want to be forgiven? Enough to forgive ourselves? Or others? Do we really want to be mature? Enough to endure hard times? Do we really want God to lead and guide us? Enough to have faith and venture out into uncertainty?

BIG SWINGS & PROBABLE REGRET
This conversation between Jesus and this wealthy young guy must have been brief. Each speaks only twice and the whole exchange is captured in one paragraph. I'm guessing that this encounter took less than one minute. 60 seconds is long enough change our emotions and path in life. When this guy approached Jesus he was so excited and so "close". A moment later he walks away from Jesus- dejected. Where did he end up? We don't know for sure. But I'm guessing that he replayed this encounter in his mind and had some sense of regret. At least that's the way I've felt about similar turning points that led me away from Jesus. How about you?

REFLECT
Q: The guy in this story came running up to Jesus- full of questions, respect and humility. How do you bring yourself to Jesus? What do you communicate to Him?

Q: Mark (who tells this story) somehow knew that Jesus loved this guy. Whether Jesus verbalized it or Mark read it on his face or in his voice- we don't know for sure. How and when do you sense the love and affection of Jesus in your life?

Q: If you were in this story, what question would you ask Jesus today?

Q: What do you think Jesus would say you are missing or is keeping you from the thing you'd ask Him for?

Q: Do you feel like you are close to any decisions or turning points when it comes to Jesus?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE DESPERATE (Pt 2)

Lisa and Wade Shelden were kind enough to share a piece of their story with our community last Sunday. Here's a recap from Lisa in case you missed it:

I grew up in a very religious family. Went to private (Lutheran) schools, elementary & high school. Went to Sunday school and church every Sunday, had chapel 2 times per week in school, had theology class every day in school and took confirmation class once per week for three years in junior high. During summers I attended Lutheran overnight camp and vbs. So .... there was a TON of "church" in my life. Once I got to college my participation in church tapered off dramatically. Once I graduated from college and was pretty much completely independant of my parents I attended very infrequently. Why, because I was completely burned out. Too much of what I thought was the same exact stuff week after week, year after year. I still maintained a prayer life on my own and never stopped believing but my church experience became an obligation that was meaningful in my life.

Skip ahead nine or so years. Wade and I were married and had Avery already. Wade was agnostic I guess you'd say. He grew up sort of hit-or-miss going to church but never really bought into it. We had Avery baptized in my parents Lutheran church as an infant because we thought it was the responsible thing to do -- but we were not church goers. We talked about it, but never really put much effort into finding a church to attend. December 2002 changed the lives of our entire family. Levi was born with a severely life threatening birth defect that we were unaware of until delivery. He had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. He was born by c-section, we got to see him for about 1 minute and he was rushed from Raleigh Community hospital straight to Duke to the NICU. We were in shock. We were scared to death. We had never heard of this condition before and were clueless if he was going live or die before he arrived at Duke.


My OB was the father of 8 and a Christian. After he sensitively explained what was wrong with Levi he asked us if he could pray with us -- and did. Then our parents came in and prayed with us. Those few hours were the turning point for our family.

Wade told me later that he prayed for the first time in years during the days that Levi was being treated -- and that he meant the prayers, believed they were being heard. Wade's dad told me later that he'd made some very big promises to God that he knew he'd have to make good on, now that Levi was "saved". Wade's sister decided after Levi was okay to be baptized and confirmed in the Catholic church -- to become a participating, practicing member of the church she'd been married in. Many, many of our friends and family prayed on their own, with their respective churches, bible studies, small groups and prayer chains for Levi's healing. We were blessed and God evidently wanted the same outcome we did.

Once we brought Levi home we started church shopping. Went to Grace and new that we found the group of people we wanted grow in Christ with. Our special group splintered off from Grace, became Connections and here we are. Wade was baptized by Jeff Tippett through Connections -- a huge deal for our family. He was saved and is a believer! Levi was dedicated, not because we felt obligated, but because we wanted to thank and praise God for the miracle he gifted to our family. Wade's parents also have since joined and become heavily involved in church, Sunday school, Bible studies and mission work.

Needless to say it was a HUGE turning point for all of us -- and this is just the story from my perspective :-).

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE DESPERATE

Desperate Times Call For...
...self-guided field surgery??? Well, not usually. But that's what happened to Sampson Parker when his hand got caught in a corn picker. Listen to Sampson tell his story on the Today show. Maybe we haven't faced the choice of having to cut off our own arm to save our life, but chances are we've all been in desperate situations. One redeeming quality of these challenging times? They often lead us to turning points. That's exactly what happened for a lady with health issues who encountered Jesus.

Might As Well Try God
When we find ourselves facing urgent times, we're forced to be proactive- trying things we've never considered before. Including God. The Bible tells the story of an unnamed woman who had struggled with health issues for 12 years. Somehow, she hears of Jesus' reputation as a healer and decides to take a shot and track him down. Seeking healing from Jesus isn't the her first attempt at getting well. She tried lots of cures, spent lots of money- and actually got worse. Sounds like us. When we're struggling, sometimes God is the last person we turn to. Instead we try lots of other things. Some not only fail to help us, but they actually degrade our situation.

The God Who Lets Us Touch Him
I've been paying a bit more attention to this election cycle than normal. One thing I've noticed? Everyone wants to touch the presidential candidates. Be it a handshake, hug, high five or pat on the back- most folks want to get a little piece of their favorite candidate. I think Jesus can relate. In the middle of a touch-hungry crowd, Jesus feels one particular hand- and the desperate faith that fueled it.

What makes this story more amazing is that this lady shouldn't have been touching Jesus at all. According to Jewish law and customs her constant bleeding made her "unclean". Anything and anyone she touched would become "unclean". Polite protocol dictated that if you were unclean you kept your distance from others. You informed them so that they could keep their distance from you. (Kind of like when we tell people we're sick before they shake our hands.) And you certainly didn't touch others (esp. a miracle working Rabbi) without their permission.

Personally, I'm glad that her desperation led this lady to touch Jesus. It gives me hope that God lets us touch Him even though we too are unclean- undeserving- sinful. And catch this, Jesus feels her touch. And she feels His power. Sounds personal doesn't it? And isn't that what we're hoping for when we're desperate? Not just a rescue from our crisis, but an up close and personal interaction with the God who responds to our touch?

Love, Acceptance & Peace
Jesus refuses to let this desperate woman stay anonymous. Even though he's got pressing business to attend to, Jesus stops and forces her to tell her story. Why? To set her free. With 10 words, Jesus changes this woman's direction in life.

Jesus told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace!"

To start with, Jesus restores her standing in society. He not only pronounces her healed and fit for social interaction again- but Jesus speaks to her in endearing terms. Suddenly this isolated pariah has become the envy of the entire crowd. I love it when Jesus does stuff like this. Don't you?

On top of that, Jesus points her towards a new, peaceful path in life. No longer will her illness define and consume her. Now she is free to live for other things. Isn't this God's desire for us as well? To set us free from the sin and distractions that monopolize our lives so that we can live in peace and wholeness?

Reflect:
Q: Describe a time when you faced a situation that felt desperate. Did it resolve? How?

Q: Do you think we can still touch God today? How? What ways are most meaningful/helpful to you?

Q: Has your opinion of yourself ever stopped you from reaching out to touch God? Because you felt like a "nobody" when it comes to faith? Because you felt "unclean"? Something else? What should we do when that happens?

Q: Have you ever felt God's touch? How? What happened?

Q: Jesus set this woman free with two sentences. What could He say to you today that would do the same for you?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE STUCK

Ever been stuck? Me too. Whether the car is stuck in the mud, our career is locked up, or an important relationship is frozen- being unable to generate movement can be frustrating. At least we can take comfort in the fact that we aren't alone. Getting stuck seems to be a part of the human experience. It can also mean that we're on the verge of a turning point.

REALLY STUCK
John 5 tells the story of a man who had been stuck (on multiple levels) for a long time. Like 38 years. And I've been whining that it took the USPS 3 weeks to forward my mail when I moved! I officially repent. Jesus meets this guy as he sits by the pool of Bethesda- a spot where many invalids camped out with the hope of being healed when an angel stirred the water. The image below is a model of what the pool might have looked like in Jesus' day.


QUESTIONS
When we find ourselves in situations we can't seem to get out of, we ask questions. Some aren't really helpful: "Why did this happen to me?" "Why can't I catch a break?" "How come no one will help me?" Others are more constructive: "How did I get here?" "What can I try next?" "What can I learn from this?" Jesus' interaction with the handicapped man in John 5 suggests several questions we might want to ask the next time we find ourselves stuck.

Do We Really Want To Change?
Jesus begins his conversation with this question. On one hand, it seems too obvious. Of course, the man wants to get better. Why else would he be at the pool where miraculous healings are rumored to happen? On the other hand, this simple inquiry is a great starting point. Instead of assuming the man wanted to be healed, Jesus asks. (Those of us who are trying to follow Jesus take note: Jesus doesn't force Himself on people. We probably shouldn't either.) This question gives the man a chance to check his level of motivation and desire. Sure, he probably didn't want to be paralyzed, but was he ready for his world to be redefined? Had he lost hope altogether? Was he comfortable just being stuck? What about us? Do we really want to change those areas of our lives that we've been complaining about?

Are We Willing To Try Something New?
The man's response to Jesus isn't what we'd expect. If you've been paralyzed or sick for 38 years and someone asks if you want to get better, the answer should be some direct form of affirmative. Either an excited or sarcastic tone would work nicely here. Instead, the man talks about what he's been trying that hasn't worked. Jesus asks him to try something new. Makes sense. If we want to head a new direction, we'll probably need to venture into the land of "haven't ever done that before". This guy does. As a result he does 3 things that have alluded him for the last 38 years. Will we show the same kind of faith and guts?

Are We Clear On The Risks?
We live in a society plastered with warning labels- on our medications, the toys we buy our kids, even on our coffee cups. While risk is an inherent part of life, the potential difficulties multiply when we attempt to get out of a rut. For example, the people around us might not be happy for us when we get unstuck. After he is made whole, the former invalid packs up his gear and heads home. He walks vigorously, with a bounce in his gait and a triumphant tune on his lips. And he gets called down. The man that Jesus healed probably expected others to celebrate with him. But they don't . They don't see the man or his miracle. The same may happen to us. Some of the people we expect to be really supportive of our new direction might question, demean or rebuke us. Hopefully not- but it might happen.

Getting unstuck carries another sort of risk- God might send us in a new direction. Later, Jesus finds this man in the temple- most likely worshiping after being banned for 38 years due to his disability. Jesus message: now that you're unstuck- choose a different path. Why is it that so many of us complain about feeling stuck with God, but don't do much to change the situation? Maybe we're afraid that Jesus will say something similar to us, or reaffirm His leadership in our lives. "Hmmm", we think, "Guess being stuck doesn't seem so bad after all.

CELEBRATING BETHESDA
Even if you've never read John 5 before, you've probably heard the name "Bethesda". 14 U.S. states have cities with this moniker. Why? There's something beautiful about seeing someone get unstuck. The name "Bethesda" is the combination of two Hebrew words that mean "house of grace". Sounds good doesn't it? Some scholars note that one of those words can mean either disgrace or grace. As folks thought about this pool of water where miracles happened, they saw people coming in their "disgrace"- with illness and limitations, and finding "grace".

Makes a lot of sense that Jesus would have showed up there doesn't it? He meets us in our "disgrace" and brings "grace" to those of us who have the desire, faith and courage to follow His lead. And this often happens in the times and places where we're stuck.

May each of us find some "Bethesda" this week.

REFLECT:
Q: Think about a time in your life when you got stuck. How did it happen? How did you get unstuck?

Q: Is there a part of your life where you feel stuck today? How long has it been this way? How do you feel about it? What have you tried to get things moving?

Q: Which of the questions in the post above is the most pertinent to your situation right now? The most challenging?

Q: Have you ever faced opposition from the people in your life when you made some changes that were important to you? What happened? How did you feel? Respond?

Q: Which is scarier to you right now- staying stuck in your relationship with God- or having Jesus send you in a new direction? Why?

New Teaching Series TURNING POINTS

Changing directions in the car is easy enough. Find a cross street, hit the blinker, check the blind spot and turn the wheel. But how do we change directions in our lives? We may feel the need to do something different, but can’t always figure out how to turn things around. We aren’t alone. Join us for the next couple of months as we explore the stories of some average people like us whose lives took a turn when they met Jesus.

Schedule:
5/18 When We’re Stuck

5/25 When We’re Desperate

6/1 When We’re So Close

6/8 When We’re Just Browsing

6/15 When We’re Caught & Exposed

6/22 When We’re Sincerely Misdirected

6/29 When We’re Doing The Best We Can

What Are We Doing Here? GOING HOLISTIC

This week Shawn Cooper led us in a teaching about letting Jesus into every part of our lives. As a part of the conversation, Shawn told a story about Charles Blondin- a famous tightrope walker. The tale goes that after Blondin pushed a wheelbarrow back and forth on a rope strung over a dizzying height, he asked a spectator if the man thought Blondin could put someone in the wheelbarrow and take them across the rope safely. The audience member was sure that Blondin could do it. When Blondin invited him to climb in, the man declined.

As I heard the story recounted, I tried to picture myself in it. I think I would have responded just as the man did- yes you can do it, but not with me. But even if I had worked up the nerve to climb in the wheelbarrow, I would have divested myself of a few things first. I see myself handing my watch, wedding ring and wallet to someone else to hold- just in case.

Then I started wondering if that's the sort of thing that we find ourselves doing with God. Maybe we get up the gumption to put our souls in Jesus' hands. But since we aren't 1000% sure where Jesus may lead us, we choose to keep control over certain parts of our lives. We decide not to take certain things on this little adventure with Jesus. We take off our watches because we don't want to give Jesus all of our time. Sundays are fine, but more??? We take off our rings because we don't want to give Jesus complete control over our relationships- married or otherwise. And the wallet? Ok, maybe we'll put a few bucks in our pockets to let Jesus control- but the rest is ours. Right?

Sorry, don't mean to project too much. So, speak for yourself.

What do you need to put in the wheelbarrow right now?

What part of your life have you been keeping control of, instead of surrendering completely to God?

Why have you withheld that area?

What would it take to start giving God control of it?

(It might also help to look back at Proverbs 3:5-6, which was a core scripture in this teaching.)

What Are We Doing Here? OVERFLOWING

NOTICING
How observant are you? Take this AWARENESS TEST. How did you do? I failed too. Just another reminder that it is easy for us to miss things that are right under our noses. I've got a suspicion that the same thing happens regularly with people who are sincerely trying to follow Jesus. We pay attention to some things, and miss others. For example, have you ever noticed the pattern of overflow?

OVERFLOW IS THE WAY OF LIFE
Start looking and you'll discover that one life overflows into the next. For example, what do you know that someone else didn't teach you- either directly or indirectly? All of our lives we've benefited from the knowledge and experiences of other people: coaches taught us to play sports, musicians taught us to play instruments, someone taught us to drive a car, and another employee showed us how to use the cash register, fax machine or deep fryer at our first job. And it never ends. As we learn, we teach. We take the knowledge that others gave us and let it overflow: teaching others how to play sports, make music, drive cars and do jobs we are proficient in.

OVERFLOW IS THE WAY OF GOD
The bible describes God as the Giver of every good gift. God seems to enjoy bringing good things into our lives- not just for us to savor, but so that others can benefit as well. Take Abraham for example. God promised to make Abraham the father of a nation and to give him a great reputation- and to use Him to bless every family on the planet. Later, God makes a covenant with the nation of Israel (Abraham's people) and gives them favored nation status. Bully for them, but how does that help the rest of us? The Israelites are called to be priests. What does a priest do? He/She serves others and helps them worship God. (By the way, this same title is later given to anyone who is following Jesus.) One more example. When Jesus becomes a public figure, He selects 12 people as His disciples. For 3 years these folks catch the overflow of Jesus' life. Why? Not just for their own good- but so that they could could use what they learned to bless others.

OVERFLOW COULD BE OUR WAY
What might happen if we took personal ownership of the idea of overflow? Not only would we make the lives of those around us richer, but just we might experience the life Jesus promised. Jesus said that God's presence in our lives would be like a stream of living water. In Jesus' culture, "living water" moved and went somewhere.

"Dead water" just collected, got stagnant and maybe eventually evaporated.

Why is it that so many people who are following Jesus experience times of "dryness" or feeling "stagnant" or "empty"? One reason might be that we've forgotten to overflow. Seeking God's blessings just for ourselves can leave us in an ongoing cycle of "needing to be filled up". Allowing God to take the good things in our lives and pour them out into the lives of others can keep things fresh and alive.

How do we overflow? Let's keep it simple and assume that we simply pass on to others the blessings that God has given to us. God has forgiven us, so we forgive others. God listens to us talk, so we listen to others. God clothes us, so we clothe others. And we do all of this with the strength and kindness of Jesus. (By the way, if we can't overflow with kindness, I'm not sure we're really blessing people.)

REFLECT:
Q: Name a couple of people who allowed their lives to overflow into yours. What kinds of blessings, experiences and knowledge did they share with you? When/how did this happen?

Q: Look at 1 Peter 2:9 again. Do you think of yourself as a priest? Why/Not? If you are a priest, who are your "congregants" right now? What would it look/sound like for you to "tell about the excellent qualities of God"?

Q: Look back at the pictures of the river and the retention pond above. Which best describes your spiritual life right now? Explain.

Q: Describe a time in your life with Jesus when you felt the "living water" thing happening for you.

Q: Let's assume that "overflowing" is as simple as sharing with others the blessings that God has given to you. (Ex: patience, forgiveness, acceptance, wisdom, etc.) What do you have to pass on today? Who is God putting in your life that needs those things? Spend some time praying for that God will use you to bless these folks.

What Are We Doing Here? SURFING!

Growing up in Florida, I was regularly exposed to surfing. I kept it at arm's distance until age 17, when I was bitten hard by the surfing bug. What's the big deal about riding a board on a wave? My guess is the same thing that draws people to sailing, hang gliding, white water rafting and kayaking- the chance to interact with and be carried along by a force greater than yourself. See where this is headed?

If we are following Jesus, we are surfing- being moved and directed by a Power bigger than us. God leads, we follow. The currents of God flow and we hang on for the ride.

CALLING ALL THRILL SEEKERS
People of faith are often portrayed as boring, safe and sterile. While some may be all of those things, that doesn't mean a bland life is what God intended. The scriptures are filled with stories of people who rode the currents of God to adventures beyond their wildest dreams. Unfortunately, we don't hear enough about this kind of faith. Take John 3 for example. Jesus talks about our need for re-birth (think forgiveness and a fresh start). This is the gospel we've probably heard before. But what about the next verse? The one where Jesus compares the new life He offers to being carried along by the wind. Why don't we talk about that? Why focus on the start of the journey, but ignore the rest of the adventure? Maybe because we aren't sure we're up for all that surfing the currents of God will require of us.

SURFING TAKES PATIENCE
People who ride waves do lots of waiting. The ocean doesn't have an "on demand" feature. If you want to surf, you have to respond to what the sea is doing. All of the planning in the world won't make the waves come when you want them to. This is the same experience Jesus told His friends to expect with God. God was going to move, but they would have to wait for Him. Of course, Jesus' friends have lots of questions- When? Where? How? Jesus' response- none of your beeswax. God has this funny habit of keeping His plans to Himself. Which is probably a good thing, because when God tells us what is coming- we seldom believe Him anyway.

SURFING TAKES BALANCE
Waves aren't completely predictable. Folks who have spent a lifetime riding them still get surprised by their direction, duration and intensity. The movement of God can feel equally random. Back to Jesus' buddies. He tells them to wait for God to show up and move. To their credit, they do- and are completely floored at what happens next. God did something more adventurous and effective than this first band of Jesus' followers could have pulled off on their own. If we want to live life with God, then we need to accept the fact that He won't always move like we expect Him to. We simply do our best to adjust and hang on for a more exciting ride than we could have dreamt up.

SURFING IS A LIFESTYLE
Riding waves (or other kinds of currents) can get under your skin to the point where you order your life around them. Take Dale Webster for example. Here's a guy who surfed every day for almost 29 years or 10,407 consecutive days. Rain or shine, glassy or choppy, big or blown out- Dale made it a point to ride 3 waves every single day. What if we determined to do the same thing? What if we made it our quest to surf the currents of God's spirit each day- content to let Him take us wherever He would? That's a style we could build a life around.

REFLECT & DISCUSS:
Q: What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done in your life? What's the most adventurous experience you've ever had for/with God?

Q: How do you feel about Jesus' words in John 3:8? Why?

Q: When have you found yourself waiting on God to move? What happened? How did that experience affect you? Is there something you are waiting for God on right now?

Q: Can you think of a time when God moved in a way that you didn't plan or see coming? What happened?

Q: Which is harder for you- waiting for God to move- or riding along (and being out of control) when He does?

PRAY:

"God, I want to ride Your currents. Take me wherever you want me to go today."

What Are We Doing Here? MORPHING

That isn't an alien offering the "we come in peace greeting". It's me, geared up to do some serious home renovations. Two days of scraping popcorn ceilings helped me get my head around this week's idea that we are MORPHING- becoming more like Jesus.

MORPHING- MORE THAN WE BARGAINED FOR?
Transformations often grow in scope and scale. For example, I had to wear the hazmat getup because we discovered asbestos in our ceilings. Yes, we were going to take them down anyway- but the toxic news made it more complicated than we had planned. Same thing happened when some of us got involved with Jesus. We think we signed up for salvation, only to find that transformation is a mandatory part of the deal. God doesn't just forgive us, He gives us a new life to grow into and live. Although we'll see and be just like Jesus someday, we've got the rest of our days to grow towards Him.

MORPHING IS A PROCESS, NOT A PROJECT
Start remodeling a home and you'll probably find that you're never quite done. Yeah, you might finish a project, but there'll most likely be another. And another. And another. Sounds like our journeys with Jesus. When it comes to our transformation, we never arrive in this life. Instead, we keep growing and maturing. One one hand, this ought to take some of the pressure off. We can't, and aren't supposed to change all at once. But, on the other side of the equation- a process suggests movement. If I'm not changing (not matter how slowly or incrementally), then I'm missing something significant about this life with Jesus.

MORPHING TAKES ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET
Ever watch one of those home improvement shows where they remodel or redecorate someone's house? Think for a second about who is involved. 1. The professionals (often the cast of the show). 2. The homeowners. 3. Friends, family, neighbors. Who plays a part in our spiritual development? All of the above. God (the pro) provides the power that only He can provide. We (the life-owners) have to put forth some effort and build sweat equity. And our faith community (neighbors) have an important role too. This may be the missing ingredient for some of us. If we aren't willing to speak truth about our lives to others and let them lovingly speak truth back to us and build us up, we may not have all the help that we'll need to morph. (For more on the importance of allowing others to carry us to Jesus, check the last post on LINKING UP.)

LET'S GET GOING
The good news is that we don't have to stay the same. The challenging news is that we can't stay the same if we claim to follow Jesus. So gear up. Get your grungy clothes on and let's start scraping all the old toxic crap that's been hanging around far too long.

REFLECT:
Q: How would you describe your current level of maturity as a follower of Jesus? (Ex: Are you a newborn? Toddler? Child? Adolescent? Young Adult? Adult? Wise old sage? Something else?)

Q: How have you changed as you've been following Jesus? What area(s) of your life show the most transformation so far? What still needs work? (For examples, check a list of character traits in 2 Peter 1:5-9.)

Q: Who has been responsible for/contributed to your spiritual growth and transformation? You? God? Others in your faith community? Some combination of the three? If so, what roles has each played?

Q: How have you grown? What situations, experiences, practices, etc. has God used to help shape and mature you?

Q: If you haven't seen a lot of transformation, what do you attribute that to?

What Are We Doing Here? LINKING UP

Ever wondered what God intended His community to look like? Or why the Bible tells us we need community in our lives? There are probably countless reasons why people try to tackle their faith journey alone, some of which might even seem logical outside of God’s big picture – most things do. An online survey probed around to uncover some reasons why people avoid linking up with God’s community:

• God is great, but Christians tend to bother me
• God said to follow Him, not His people
• If I want to feel guilty about myself, I’ll call my mother
• Too many churches and pastors have burned me
• Three letters: NFL
• I don’t need to attend a church to be a strong Christian

Sure, some of the answers are pretty comical. But nevertheless, they prove a sobering point: too many people have misunderstood the value of God’s community. How do we shift to a healthier view? How do we discover what God intended community to look like? And how can we experience the value of it all? Luke 5:17-26 holds answers to these important questions.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT: Verses 17-18
Although we would like to portray ourselves with unwavering faith all the time, our spiritual progress fluctuates. Sometimes we find ourselves passionate for God. Excited about His work in our lives. Hungry for His Word. Eager to pray. But there are moments along the journey when we find ourselves spiritually unmotivated, too. Like the paraplegic, we become unaided and broken. It‘s precisely in these moments when God uses others to help restore us to wholeness (Hebrews 10:24). Being surrounded by other Christians is critical to our spiritual growth.

Joshua Harris’ Stop Dating The Church states it this way: My individual and direct relationship with God (through Jesus) is the greatest privilege and He is truly all I need – and yet God in His wisdom has created us to need others, too…God has ordained that much of His graces flows to us (through) others (Page 48).

Real community is deeper than Sunday morning gatherings. We can attend a church our entire lives and never experience what true community is all about. Community is about living the journey together - being surrounded by the right people – those who are willing to encourage us onward when our faith comes undone.

GOD EXPRESSES HIS LOVE THROUGH COMMUNITY: Verses 19-20
It’s hard to know how far these men traveled to bring their friend to Jesus. 30 miles? 40? 70? Either way, the journey was surely daunting. The selflessness of these virtual strangers moved the heart of Christ and their friend’s life was changed forever (Luke 5:20). God’s grace was expressed through the love of these four servants.

Faith is personal. Even intimate. But it’s not private. God pours His goodness into us so we can pour goodness into others – as agents of love. Consider Jesus’ greatest commandment in Mark 12:30-31. Loving God means we must love people. And to live for God means realizing that a large portion of our lifestyle must be wrapped around His people. When we separate ourselves from God’s community, we essentially separate a large portion of who God is from our lives.

GOD DESIRES TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO COMMUNITY: Verses 21-26
Now the friend carries the mat the once carried him. Jesus’ response to this once unaided sinner is gripping. But when we look deeper, Jesus’ motive behind his response teaches us about God’s desire to reveal Himself to community (Luke 5:24). The love and grace Jesus expressed revealed who Jesus was – and that was precisely His motive – to make Himself known to a broken world.

Something extraordinary takes place when we gather together (Matthew 20:18). Does this mean God is not present when we seek Him on our own? No. God is forever present in our lives. But when we gather together as community, we find spiritual accountability. Momentum. Direction. God uses His work in community to lead us accordingly – something individual worship cannot provide.

WE’RE STILL BECOMING
Probably one of the greatest gifts God provides His people is the excitement of living the journey that is undefined. It reminds us of our dependence on Him. So much of our faith journey is unknown. And while we wait on God’s leading by trusting in His promises, Luke 5:17-26 teaches us some valuable lessons we can begin living today. Are you experiencing the value of God’s community?

REFLECT:
Q: It's no secret that many people avoid "Linking Up" with other Christians. Why do you think this is? How might you help the people in your life shift to a healthier view?

Q: Was there a time when you were disconnected from the church you were attending? How did this affect your faith? What prompted you to "Link Up"? If you find yourself still disconnected, what's holding you back?

Q: Who's been the most influential person in your life? What impact has this person had on your life? Why do you think God encourages us to be surrounded by other Christians?

READ: Acts 2:42-47

Q: What kind of community do you think God is forming at Connections? What values are apparent? How do these compare to the values found in Acts 2:42-47?

What Are We Doing Here? PLAYING

Remember when everyone got to play? Ability or willingness didn't matter back in elementary school. Everyone took their turn at the plate in kickball. We all grabbed an instrument from the bucket in music class. The art teacher gave everybody a lump of modeling clay. Aaahhh....the good old days. What if we could recreate them in our church communities? What if everyone got to participate? That seems to be the idea from the descriptions of church in the Bible. God has this funny idea that every person in a church community has a part to play. But how?

SHARING OUR ABILITIES
Diversity is a beautiful thing- and not just when it comes to skin tones. God designed church communities so that each of us brings something valuable to the table. Each person has different gifts, abilities and experiences. If we don't use them, then the community is missing something. One struggle some of us have with this idea is that we don't see how our skill set works on Sunday mornings. What about those of us who don't like kids, aren't musical and don't do public speaking? When and how do we get to play?

Important questions. A couple of thoughts. First, don't reduce the church community what happens on Sunday mornings or in our meeting space. Since we are the church, our participation in the community happens wherever we go. Second, if you are unsure how you can use your abilities for God- start asking. Ask God. Ask those around you. And get ready when the answer comes.

SHARING OUR RESOURCES
When it comes to money and possessions, there's a trend that starts in the beginning of the Bible and carries through to the end: God tells people to give away some of what they get. Not only does the pooling of our resources allow us to accomplish more collectively than we can on our own, but it gives each of us the ability to feel included and be invested in our church community. And if Jesus is right that our hearts are where our money is, then that's a good thing.

SHARING OUR STORIES
Ever noticed that "in church" one person- usually the pastor- does all the talking? Isn't that weird? In a group of 50, 500 or 5000 people, we only hear one voice. Yet, God is at work in the life of every person. Each of us is learning, questioning, changing. And our stories need to be told so that we can learn from each other and grow together. No, every person isn't meant to teach- or won't want to do the public speaking thing. But, we can share our stories all the same. On a blog. Via email. With friends in smaller groups.

SHARING OUR PASSIONS
One of my favorite artists wears this tattoo on his forearm. What do you notice about it? Probably what's missing. Although the piece has structure (the outline and boxes) and content (the imagery), it isn't quite finished yet. There's room for something else. The tattoo won't be complete until some future inspiration occurs. Sounds a lot like our church community to me.

Although we have a strong sense of overall vision (structure) and some ministries in place (content), we're choosing to leave some things blank. Why? Because we've got a strong sense that God has dreams for our community that we aren't aware of yet. Opportunities that we haven't imagined. And when they come, we want to make sure there's room.

And how will they come? Brace yourself. Maybe through you. Although we can't take on everything, we want to pay attention to the dreams and passions that God gives the members of our community. For example, our involvement with a mission in Haiti and a ministry to the homeless in downtown Raleigh came as a result of the dreams and passions of folks in our body. Our leaders didn't try to figure out how to start those things. We simply paid attention to the people God brought into our midst and the passions they had. So, speak up and dream out loud. Every passion may not get expressed as a formal ministry of CNX (and doesn't need to), but we'll do our best to journey alongside you.

REFLECT:
Q: In your past experiences with churches, did they "let you play"? If so, what did that look like? If not, why not?

Q: There's a stat in churches that says 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Why do you think that is? Whose fault is it? How could we shift those numbers?

Q: Do you have a sense of what your spiritual gifts might be? If so, how did you discover them? What other skills, abilities and resources has God given you to "play" with?

Q: What part do you think God has for you to play in our community as we try to connect with Him, each other and our world? Are you playing this part right now? If not, how could you get started?

Q: Do you have any recurring dreams, passions or burdens that might be from God? Have you told anyone about them?

What Are We Doing Here? HOPING

A few weeks back my family and I went to the beach. The scenery was great, but the weather didn't really cooperate. Even after the rain broke, the wind was so strong that you could literally lean into it and be supported. Isn't that the same thing many of us are trying to do with God?

We're leaning in- and HOPING that God will be there to meet us. We're doing our part by actively re-imagining and experimenting with the ways and people of Jesus. Now we're hoping that God will do His part and show up. For what it is worth, we aren't just hoping in the dark. Jesus has a pretty good track record of showing up. Take Easter for example.

WHEN WE'RE NOT EXPECTING HIM
The first person to see the Jesus alive on Easter morning was a lady named Mary. She showed up at His tomb early. She expected to find a corpse. The missing body rocks her world- not with hope, but fear. Mary talks with angels and it doesn't even register. She meets Jesus and thinks He is the hired help. Although Mary should have expected to see Jesus alive again, she didn't. And Jesus showed up anyway. Don't you just love that? If so, hold on- it gets better.

WHEN WE HAVE DOUBTS
After Jesus appears to Mary, He shows up to His disciples- the inner circle of followers. They are thrilled to see Him alive. Well not all of them are. Thomas had run to the corner store when Jesus dropped by, so he missed the show. Thomas' friends are trying to let him catch a bit of their hope buzz, but Thomas isn't having it. This is where we usually talk about Thomas in and with derogatory terms and tones. But maybe we shouldn't. After all Thomas only asks for what everyone else had been given. He isn't content to live vicariously through others' encounters with Jesus. He wants his own. Sound like the kind of spirit the church needs more of. And the best part? Thomas' questions and doubts don't keep Jesus away. And neither do ours. Jesus shows up because He wants Thomas- and us- to know Him.

WHEN WE DON'T DESERVE IT
Ever had a rough patch in a relationship? The kind of stretch where you were always saying and doing precisely the wrong thing? If so, then you've walked in Peter's shoes a bit. Peter was one of Jesus' closest friends, but during the last day of Jesus' life Peter made one mistake after another. (John 13:5-11, 36-38; Matthew 26:36-41; John 18:10-11, 25-27) Jesus died before Peter ever had a chance to aplogize. I'm imagining that Peter beat himself up quite a bit over failing his friend. Now that Jesus is alive again, maybe Peter is even thinking that things will never be the same between them again. Surely he didn't deserve a second chance after deserting Jesus in His most difficult moments. Maybe Peter didn't deserve love, acceptance and restoration- but Jesus gave it to him anyway. Kind of gives underserving people like us hope, huh?

REFLECT
Q: Have you ever seen God show up in your life? What happened? Why
did you think it was God?

Q: Are there any special hoops you think you have to jump through for
God to be real in your life? (Ex. If God is going to show up for me,
then I have to _________)

Q: Which of the people in John 20 & 21 do you relate the most with and why?

Q: What are you hoping to see God do in your life? Your family and
friends? Your church? This city? The world? (Be as specific as you
can. Use your answers to craft a prayer to God.)

What Are We Doing Here? RE-IMAGINING

Ever seen a commercial with James Dyson (of the vacuum fame)? He explains how he became an inventor- FRUSTRATION. He got tired of things he used on a regular basis not working properly. The concept was good, the execution was poor. So Dyson re-imagined them- finding a new expression that functioned.

Isn't this the same journey we are on as people of faith? We've had negative, hurtful, boring, impotent experiences with the versions of faith/church/Jesus we were given. Yet, we keep coming back. Why? We know the concept is good. We just need to do some re-imagining.

IS GOD GOOD WITH THIS?
While the idea of finding an expression of faith in Jesus/church that works for us today may sound appealing, it might also give us pause. How does God feel about re-imagining? Is this heresy? Is the lightning bolt coming for us? Hardly. There's a recurring cycle of re-imagination in the relationship between God and humans. The Old Testament pulses with this rhythm. People have powerful experiences with God and pledge themselves to Him. But then they drift and settle for a version of God/faith/life that is a mere shell of what was intended. God waits for them to ask "what are we doing here?". They don't. So, eventually God gets their attention- usually through pain and hardship. They re-imagine. And the cycle begins again.

JESUS THE RE-IMAGINER
Jesus liked to shake things up. He was on a re-imagining mission. He asked people to think re-think what they had been taught. He challenged their version of what a life that honored God looked like. Jesus screwed with their theology. Not only is Jesus ok with re-imagining. He was all about it.

THE FLEXI-CHURCH
After Jesus leaves, His followers band together in communities. These communities grow and spread around the world. They adapt to each culture they take root in. Finding fresh expressions. Becoming all things to all people. Timeless truth works in many templates. Substance flows into different styles. Love translates into every language. And the re-imagination continues in re-formations and re-vivals.

RE-CONSTITUTION
Some fret that re-imaging will lead to watering down the message of Jesus. While this concern is valid, we fail to forget that our current versions of God and expressions of faith may not be complete either. As Christian thinker and activist Brian McLaren put it recently.

"Some will worry that we're watering down the Gospel. We're saying that the Gospel already got watered down. We need to re-constitute it."

If our current version of Jesus doesn't lay claim to every area of our lives- He's already watered down. If His teachings don't turn our world upside down- they're already watered down. If our churches aren't infecting our cities with the love of Jesus through acts of kindness, humility and compassion- they're already watered down. Time for some re-constitution.

RE-IMAGINATION HOW TO'S
A fresh expression of Jesus/faith/church may be appealing, but how do we start? Maybe with some IDEATING. Thinking, dreaming and talking certainly play a role in re-imagining. But eventually we want to do stuff. Jesus wants the same thing for us. We tend to think about faith and belief as a cognitive thing. For Jesus it was much more hands-on. His recurring invitation was TO ACTION. Jesus offered us a relationship and a new way of living that is discovered AS WE TRY IT FOR OURSELVES.

ARE YOU SURE?
Ready to do some re-imagining? While we may be frustrated and hungry to find an expression of faith/church/Jesus that works for us today, we should be warned that this isn't a clean and easy process. Just as Mr. Dyson's lab is probably littered with failed prototypes and his calendar is full of scratched out target dates, re-imagining takes time, patience and a lot of work. Ready to go?

IDEATE ON THIS:
Q: How has your view of faith/church/Jesus changed through the years? How many re-imaginations have you gone through?

Q: What has been missing or unsatisfying in your previous experiences with faith/church/Jesus? What hasn’t worked for you?

Q: Why have you stuck with/come back to Jesus/church?

Q: Are you ready to get “hands-on” in the ways of Jesus? With the people of Jesus? Why? Why not?

Q: What could you do to “follow Jesus” or “take on the yoke” of his teachings this week?

RGA On WORK

From Sex to…Work???
Feels a bit uneven doesn’t it? Although work isn’t a hot button topic, it is something most of us spend about a third of our lives doing. Pile on top of that the fact that our working lives can be a major source of stress, and it’s easy to see why God would have a lot to say about our need to be productive. The overarching message in the scriptures on this topic seems to be that WORK IS GOOD.

Made To Work
One of the first things we learn about God in the Bible is that God is busy. God is working, productive, active. As a part of this work, God creates humans, places them in a paradise, AND gives them work to do. Catch that, paradise and work are congruent terms in God's design. Not our usual picture of utopia, huh?

Working Pays Off
Why do most of us work? The default answer is: because we have to. And while it is true that working helps pay the bills, could it be that we work for other reasons?

In hard work there is always something gained, but idle talk leads only to poverty. (Prov. 14:23)

What do we gain from working, besides money? Character. Experience. Discipline. Fulfillment. Self-Esteem. Satisfaction. Maybe work isn't such a bad thing after all. And it is probably important to note here that our most fulfilling work may not come with a paycheck, but rather as we use the passions, gifts, abilities and experiences to serve others. (I'm tempted to talk in terms of "ministry" here, but realize that most of us would opt out thinking this doesn't apply to us. However, I believe Jesus would strongly disagree.)

Work = Worship
Do those words even go together? Isn't worship just what we do in church gatherings? Gratefully no. The scriptures picture worship as anything we do to show honor, respect, affection and even submission to our Maker. Including work. Since work consumes so much of our time and energy, this is good news. Go to work thinking that God is really your boss and see if it doesn't change the way you work. And by the way, it may also change other's opinions of you (and your God too).

Laziness Is Bad
Although the book of Proverbs has lots to say about our need to be productive, it speaks more frequently against laziness. (18 times in 31 chapters) If work is good, then an unwillingness to be productive and contribute must be bad. More than bad, the Bible equates laziness with stealing. Laziness steals from our employers. An unwillingness to work can also steal our dreams. And the cumulative effect of laziness can rob us of our futures.

REFLECT:
Q: Do you usually talk about your work in positive or negative terms? Are you more prone to see the goodness of work or the frustrations first?

Q: What do you do to pay the bills? Is this your real “work” that you feel God has given you to do? If not, what is? Do you have an outlet for that?

Q: What opinion might your boss, co-workers and clients have about God/Jesus based on the way you work?

Q: Have you ever thought about your work life as a valid and vital form of worship? In these terms, what is your working life saying to God?

Q: Have you seen God give you opportunities to help others see Him or experience His love through your job?

SCRIPTURE DUMP:
Genesis 2:1-3, 7-8, 15; Proverbs 14:23, 12:11, 13:4, 22:29, 25:13, 18:9, 10:26, 21:25, 24:30-34; Colossians 3:22-24

RGA On SEX (2)

From Theory To Praxis
I believe that God will let us do pretty much anything we want- even the stuff that breaks His heart and destroys us. But it doesn't mean that God wants it that way. Just seems to be a pesky consequence of free-will. To counterbalance this, God speaks wisdom into our lives that can help us avoid bad choices and the brokenness that comes with them.

Drink What's In Front of You
For much of the book of Proverbs, Solomon (the author) is a sniper- firing off one or two sentences about each topic. He breaks the pattern when it comes to sex- spending the better part of three consecutive chapters (5-7) calling us to use this gift wisely. One way to summarize his counsel is: enjoy the expressions of intimacy that are available to you today. If you are married, pursue oneness (sexual and otherwise) with your spouse. Married people aren't just allowed to be intimate- they need to be. If you are single, pursue (non sexual) intimacy with God, friends, family, your faith community, etc. God isn't trying to deprive us pleasure, but to ensure that we avoid the pain that comes from misusing this gift and put ourselves in a position to fully enjoy our sexuality.

But What About?
While God gives us very specific guidelines about how to use our sexuality, that doesn't mean that there are easy, single answers to every question on this topic. This week we invited some folks from the Connections Community to submit some questions about sex. Here's a summary of what we received:

How do we make sex a holy thing and acknowledge the spiritual component of it?

How do we teach our kids about sex from a spiritual standpoint? How can we create an atmosphere of openness in our homes so that our kids will feel comfortable asking questions and having conversations about sex?

What does God think about birth control? Are we interfering with the gift of being co-creators?

How do we find the right balance in reveling in the wonder of sexual intimacy without letting it become self-serving or distracting us from our relationship with God?

What (if anything) can we do to help folks who have been abstaining from sex because they aren’t married make a smooth transition to engaging in sexual intimacy? How do you flip that switch from “this is wrong” to “this is good and you need to do/like it”?

How should a married couple go about setting sexual limits in their relationship? There are lots of ways to be sexually intimate with each other- are some inherently right/wrong? What do we do if one wants to be intimate in a way the other doesn’t?

What does it mean for a single person to honor God with their sexuality? Does being single mean we are non-sexual beings? Are some forms of sexual intimacy ok for non-married people?

We usually talk about sexuality in terms of intercourse and climax. How would God want us to expand that definition?

Do men and women view sex differently (generally speaking)? What insights would each gender offer the other?

Has the church made sex taboo? If so, how? What problems has this led to?

Use these questions as fodder for conversations about sex in your own circle of friends. And use the comments feature to add your own wonderings and/or share your perspectives.

RGA On SEX (1)

Messages about sex are everywhere- in our art, on the news, as the centerpieces of many marketing campaigns, etc.. Since all of us are sexual beings, talking about sex is good and natural. But are all of the messages we are handed about sexuality good, true or helpful?

Something Is Missing
"What were you taught about sex during your formative years?" I posed this question to a group of friends. The responses were similar. My friends were given instruction about the physical mechanics of sex and the boundaries of this act. They felt their education was incomplete. They wanted to know more about the WHY of sex. Why are we made this way? Why are sex drives so strong at times? Why is sexuality capable of being either incredibly satisfying or disappointing? My first pass to the question of why is this: We are sexual beings because we are made in God's image. Our sexuality gives us the ability to be somewhat like him.

Nakedly Intimate
Take a second to read over this portion of the creation account. Did you catch the way God describes Himself? In plural terms. One of the great mysteries of the scripture has to do with this part of God's nature: One God with three expressions (Father, Son, Spirit). Three divine personalities with a level of intimacy that allows them to be one. To pass this same gift on to us, God creates us- in His image- male and female. Why are we sexual creatures? What is this gift for? We can be wholly and holistically intimate with another person.

Co-Creators
What do we find God doing in the beginning? Creating. As people made in His image, God shares the power to create human life with us through our sexuality. This isn't a statement about whether all sex should lead to children or the validity of birth control. Just an observation that God could have created another system for the multiplication of the human race. Instead, He makes us co-creators through the gift of sex.

More Than A Baseball
When I was 10 I got a baseball autographed by my favorite major league team. In awe, I put it in a plastic case and only took it out to show off to my friends. Eventually I forgot about the baseball. Several years later I was cleaning my room and found the case empty. I "persuaded" my brother to tell me where it was. He produced a brown, tattered ball from his closet. Turns out that he and his buddies were playing catch in the street one day and their baseball went down the sewer. Looking for a replacement, they used mine. Talk about a difference in perspectives. My brother just saw a baseball. I looked at the same bundle of leather and saw something sacred. Yes, it was a baseball- but it was so much more than that.

Sounds like the gap in views of our sexuality, doesn't it? What if sex is more than just a physical act? What if in addition to the physical sensations, there is something deeply spiritual about sex? What if sex is a reflection of the image and glory of God in us? Would it change the way we used this gift?

Part 2 On The Way
That may be enough for now. Chew on those ideas and I'll be back shortly with some practical thoughts about how we use our sexuality in ways that reflect God's image.