An Incarnational Missionary

I cant help but think that Os Hillman, Ed Silvoso and a host of workplace ministry leaders are taking hope-love-change and Jesus right to the people.Its amazing to see the momentum in this area over the past 5 years,Google it and see. You ask why? Where do most men and women today spend the majority of their time? Workplace! So why not build disciples who dont have to go out of their way on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon to be a missionary.If Jesus did life and reached hurting people in the normal course of a regular day then why not me.In Anointed For Business Silvoso states that Jesus performed 39 miracles in the marketplace out of the 40 in the new testament, coincidence or was he going to the people and meeting them where they did life every day? Avodah is a Hebrew word meaning "work" and this same root word also means "worship". This word Avodah meaning work is worship has helped me see new meaning in what is otherwise a cut throat ,shareholder value world. Student-Mom-Worker in my opinion are the same thing, its what you do from 9 to 5. So , how incarnational am I?Do I exhibit that inner peace-Shalom-wholeness? I am asking myself the tough questions, how about you?

4-15-07

be blessed
as you choose togetherness.
as you battle the lines between
the orthodox and the ordinary,
the spiritual and the secular,
the holy and the human.
be blessed
as you choose to make the steps
to reach out
to share your heights and depths
make the sacrifice of your 'safe space'...
keeping others at a distance,
close enough for presence
yet far enough to remain unscathed
by the messiness of relationships.
be blessed
as you seek to be holistic.
as you feel your heart strangely warmed
by the joys of feeling understood
and no longer alone.
choosing not to separate,
but to be opened and made whole.
share enough to memorize the details of others' faces...
break the bread
break down the barriers
and break into intimacy.
amen.

In Light of Juli's Comments Sunday

When I read Shannon Hopkins' Monday Morning Questions (something she does each week and that I will be glad to share with you if you send me your email) about her missional experiences in London, I was impressed that she had in some ways responded to Juli's remarks about inviting people to a meal/investing in their lives. Here's what Shannon said:

Is Hospitality just about opening up your home? Actually I think it is less about opening up your home and more about opening up your life, however because we live in homes that is of course part of it. Hospitality is not about turned down sheets and chocolates on pillows, but it is about receiving others where they are at and allowing people space to rest and pause, a place to be themselves, and a place to wrestle with what is going on in their lives. And providing hospitality is as much about ourselves as it is about the quest for “one learns about himself as he is loved, annoyed, grieved, respected-all in community and with the guest” (from Radical Hospitality). Hospitality is a context that allows for us all to be sharpened and transformed.

Kinda cool, huh?

easter

open your eyes.
you've kept them shut,
waiting, long enough.
still your heart.
it's been breaking,
lamenting, long enough.
rest your legs.
you've been in the desert,
wandering, long enough.

hallelujah.

rise early.
see the sun's rays glinting on the horizon.
impatience and adrenaline flow through your veins,
exciting every limb.
feel every hair raise in anxious expectation.
feel the cold dew on your feet
as the rising morning fog swirls around
and you desperately run.
feel the pounding of your heart
and your hand clasp around the prize.

hallelujah.

the curtain has been torn,
the stone rolled away,
and the tomb has been emptied.
stand there with the shoved-aside women.
your eyes widen in amazement
hear the pounding of your hear in your ears
and for a brief moment-
cynicism, doubt, and confusion-
are gone.
a smile crawls across your face,
because you know
you have found the prize.

your grieving
your crying
your waiting
is done.
welcome to a brand new day.
hallelujah. hallelujah. hallelujah.

Cookout Sunday!

This Sunday is supposed to be a beautiful day with a high of 75. Many of us enjoy eating outside. There aren't many places in the area with outside eating spaces -so - all of you are invited to come to our house after church for an outdoor cookout!!! (I'm buying a pavilion for the back yard) I'll be grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken. We'll also have salad. I hope you'll come join us - even if it's only for a little while.

See you Sunday

Grace for all!

GRACE

Recieving what you don't deserve.

MERCY

NOT recieving what you do deserve.

I heard a story about grace last weekend and the reality of it really came clear. I'll try to tell it:

It starts with a man in prison. There is no explaination why he's there, his guilt doesn't seem to be doubted by anyone but he has been there for 14 years and he has constantly been appealing to the governor for release.
Finally the wardon comes to see him and gives him the news he's waited on for years, he has been granted a full pardon. The wardon, expecting a joyful or at least a somewhat happy response, was surprised by the indifferent attitude of the inmate. The wardon explains that they had called his sister to pick him up. When he left he had the cell unlocked and the door opened, though the inmate made no move for the door.

A little later the custodian came through to clean the cell and was surprised to find the inmate still in the cell.
"Why are you still here?"
"I'm a prisoner, I belong here."
"But you've been set free you don't have to be here."
"Yes, I know. I have the paper right here. I just don't know if I can believe it."

The inmate returned to the bunk that had been the center of his world for so many years.When his sister shows up she greets him with some question about why he's still in his cell. He explains he doesn't understand why he has been pardoned now after so many years of trying to get through to the parole board and he's not real sure it isn't some big joke. He confides that he really doesn't know how handle his new found freedom so he opts for the comfort of familiarity. Even though it is a prison cell. She tells him that she doesn't know why or how, only that he is free. She suggests they just take a walk and he leaves the cell with her hand in his arm.


I'm sure I didn't do the story justice but seeing it brought tears to my eyes. I wondered how many people don't accept Gods grace just because they don't understand it. Maybe they just can't believe it could be for them. Since it can't be earned or bought it couldn't possibly be meant for them.

Well my friends (and readers of long boring blogs), it IS for you and me. Gods grace has set us free from the prison of sin if we only accept it. His grace shown to you through his son Jesus dieing on the cross, some 2000 years ago, and rising again three days later. He beared it all. All our sins, all our short comings, all our faults.
That's what Easter is all about. New life through Gods grace through Jesus Christ.


P.S.- I really didn't intend for this to become a sermon with a bunch of "church" words and phrases, but there it is.

4-1-07

may you have hope
as you realize that you too yell hosanna
and crucify.
as you realize that life is about moments...
one moment crying out in adoration
and the next turning your back on love.

may you have hope
as you seek out the tempter.
as you acknowledge that we each deal
with our own humanity...
with hungering of belly and soul,
with belief that we can do it alone-
independent of help and love,
that it is us that can will existence.

may you have hope
as you sit with christ.
as you eat the last meal.
as he washes your calloused feet.
as you fall asleep despite his begging.
as you then abandon him,
and as we all gather together
to hold the hammer and nails.

have hope
for, despite our failures
despite our disappointments
despite our brokenness
he will rise again
bathed in glory.
your hope has not been in vain.