The "Gift"?

I consider myself to be a fun loving guy. I like to joke and play. I love playing with my kids and watching them goof off and have fun. Yet so often I find myself thinking like a grown up and not seeing the beauty in who they are and what they do.

My youngest absolutely loves Christmas time. He is such a neat, loving, and giving kid. This guy is always giving a large portion of his allowance, birthday, and Christmas money to the church. (He really does not get very much…) It amazes me how often I see his name on the list of givers for a Sunday.

So this Christmas he was in my room wrapping “gifts”. I have to say I kind of looked at him and asked what he was doing. “I am wrapping these for my teacher.”

“Oh, Why?”

“For my teacher for Christmas.”

I kind of rolled my eyes and said o.k. and walked away. He was wrapping used packing tape rolls and toilet paper rolls. My beautiful wife asked him if he was sure that his teacher would like the gift.

“She will LOVE it!” he assured her.

So he wrapped toilet paper rolls and used packing tape rolls to his heart’s content. I didn't say anything further his smile said it all.

This is one of those times that I didn't think much of it then, but looking back realized that I let my clouded, jaded, overly full adult mind lose sight of the joy and innocence of childhood. This kid was giving what he had. He was making gifts that meant something to him.

So, it is February now, Mike, why are you talking about Christmas? We had a meeting with his teacher yesterday. During the meeting she looked at us and said, “This is off topic, but did you know what your son did for me for Christmas.”

Not sure what she was talking about, we braced ourselves and said, “No?”

She proceeded to tell us about the gift she got. She talked about how excited this great guy was and how much he wanted her to open the gift he gave her. He continually asked her until she finally opened it during a break. To hear her enthusiasm for my child was awesome to me.

When she saw him next and he asked about the gift, she told him how excited she was. He told her that he knew she liked to be creative and could make something great. The excitement they shared was genuine, kind, loving, and amazing to me. This is why some people are 4^th grade teachers and others that are stuck in the mud with no imagination, like me, are not 4^th grade teachers.

 She went home and told her husband that she had to go to the craft store. She had to think of a way to make something great out of what my sweet kid gave her. She was excited to show us. She recognized that if an 8^th grader gave the gift, it would be odd. Even if certain other kids gave the gift, it would be odd. But my son gave the gift and his mind is creative, resourceful, super quick and often thinking of others.

When she walked in with her blinged out packing tape roll bangle bracelet, it put a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and a reminder in my life that the Gift is in the relationship not in the item or the expense.

 I love that my 9 year old can teach me so much!! I hope I can learn to love and show it as easily and effectively as he does! 

Helping Hands...

The more that I read about Jesus, the more that I study the Christian Faith, the more that I pursue a connection with the One that created all things, the more I pray, "let me be your hands, your feet, and your heart!"

At A Church Under Construction, now officially The Vine United Methodist Church, we have wanted to be more outwardly focused.  My goal has been to have everyone share my excitement, passion, and energy for serving others.  We have had great participation the last 2 Sundays and many more people who think it is really cool that we are doing it.

I understand faith, not as a faith of complacency, but of action.  No, I am not trying to earn a place in heaven, Jesus already offered that to me for free.  That's what we call GRACE.  But when I realized what grace is and realized how easy it is to follow Jesus (at least it is easy to understand free) I couldn't contain the energy boiling inside me to share that freedom with others.

My goal is not to reach all people, I know that is what God does through us.  My goal is to reach and connect with the people God puts in front of me.  Last week the group I was with handed out 70+ lunches to complete strangers.  they were all different ages, races, and nationalities.  I know we ran into language barriers a couple of times.  But God showed up anyway!  We had fun seeing the faces and meeting the people and being in their community.  Even though we were strangers we were welcomed in.

From here we invest our time, we return with more food, with other ways to break down language barriers.  We spend time with them where they are.  We don't ask them for anything. We don't even invite them to church.  We just let them know that they are loved.

Jesus did a lot of loving on people, healing people, and offering hope to them.  Through my "Helping Hands" and your helping hands we can do amazing things.  I haven't found a place in scripture where Jesus asked people to pray the prayer of salvation.  I do remember Jesus saying, "Go, your faith has made you well."  or "Go and sin no more."

It is through the conversation and the interactions and the stepping away from the expectations and into freedom and grace that people were and are healed.  We allow ourselves to find opportunities to be in relationship, God does the hard work of opening hearts and convicting people of the Joy that was sent in the form of a baby.

I invite you to step outside of the expectations that humans have put on you and me.  Step outside of what we have turned into an institution that perpetuates rules and guidelines.  Instead, just live in the community you are in. Live with people who are messy and broken.  (yes, live with yourself sometimes.)  Admit that we all have issues.  Admit that we wish we could do better, live better, treat others better, understand different people more, and try harder to forgive others and not point out their blemishes and faults.  Then realize, you are loved and forgiven anyway!

Jesus really did come, live, minister, die, and rise for you and me and everyone else in between.  Then share that great joy with everyone you can.  You will find that it is FUN to make others smile.  It is fun to use your hands, your feet, your time and your money to help others.  You will find your own faith grow and see others ask a lot of great questions.  Their smiles can move mountains of stress and worry.  The greatest thing is that God is planting roots and the vine of Christ continues to grow!

A Broken Heart

The idea of churches splitting, over hot issues like homosexuality and it's place in the church, has been around as long as I can remember.  Other denominations and congregations have split over smaller, less controversial issues. (paint colors, carpet, which version of bible did Jesus use? etc.) I just can't get out of my head how I believe Jesus would react to such things.

How often did Jesus tell the religious leaders they were following too strictly to law, going beyond God's intention, and forgetting the humanity of the individual they were condemning?  I think of the adulterous woman.(John 8) Now we don't even hear about the man, because he was a man and that was different.  But we know that the woman is about to be stoned for her sins.  The "good" religious leaders are bringing her up front to make a point.  We are horrified when we here stories like this in the modern day world.  We post all over FaceBook how horrible it is. We are horrified at "honor killings" we here about on the news. I think most of us believe that having intimate relationships with another person while in a monogamous relationship is wrong.  But we also believe that stoning someone to death for something they did consentually with another is a bit extreme. This is the premise I am starting with.

Jesus' reaction was to invite them to look at their own lives.  He challenged them in a non-threatening way to consider how perfect their lives were, where they may have unresolved issues that they have not addressed.  He offered the first one who has no sin to throw a stone.  Then he casually continued to write in the sand. They may or may not have changed their view on adultery, but they walked away anyway. The woman lived to face another day.

We can argue all day, all of our life as to what we consider sin to be and not be and never get any closer to agreeing.  But if we recognize Jesus taught compassion, love, mercy, and offered grace even to the vilest of offenders and offers grace to you and me, can Jesus not offer that same grace to people we think are sinners. Why do we get to choose that they are sinners?  Why do we have the right to find fault in them?  We can have our opinion, but are we allowed to discriminate, to alienate, or condemn anyone else in the name of God.

God speaks to me all the time, but I have never been given permission from my God to decide that someone else's sins or issues or problems were any of my concern unless it was to feed them or clothe them or care for them.

As I read one of the most well known scripture verses, "Jesus Wept." (John 11:35 NIV) I look at that story that surrounds it.  I think of how Jesus must be weeping now.  He wept in his humanity.  He wept as the Son of God while being fully human at the same time.  He wept at the sorrow and the emotions of the time when Lazarus died.  He wept with those others who were heart broken at the loss of a brother and friend.  Jesus empathized with Mary and Martha.  He felt their pain.  Then after it all, he raised Lazarus from the dead.

Our world is hurting, our churches are hurting, our people are hurting.  Why in God's name would we continue to find ways to harm each other?!  We will not agree on the issue of Homosexuality, ever.  But we can see in the life of Christ, he embraced people.  Jesus loved them.  Brought wholeness to their lives and lives of those around them.  He even embraced people others would never be seen with.  Why? Because it was the "right" thing to do.  Jesus sees the piece of God in each person of humanity.  (Genesis 1:27)

It is ludicrous to draw a line in the sand and say we need to split because I think differently than you. We might as well build our own little shrines in our rooms, because we will find ourselves alone if we expect total agreement on everything.  If we split now on this, then what's the next issue.  Is this just to get attention?  Do we feel better because we did what is "right"?  We showed the those sinners and sinner supporters that we are better than everyone else!  That is what makes my stomach turn and turns so many away from faith. We hurt the Kingdom of God more than we build it if all we are doing is building walls with no doors or windows.  

When the messiah teaches grace and we still teach law.  When the Messiah teaches forgiveness and we still condemn.  When the Messiah offers mercy and we offer hate.  Who are we helping?  Who are we hurting?  Is it really sharing a relationship with a God who so loved humanity that he would sacrifice so much? 

My understanding of God is that God has stayed the same forever. Humanity continues to try to figure God out.  We continue to define and decide who and what God really is.  So often we put our limitations, fears, prejudices into our understanding.  Then others suffer for it.

There are still a lot of things I don't understand. I don't understand all there is to know about humanity, homosexuality, and sin. There are things I can't figure out. But the thing I do know is God's love!

I really think the divisive challenges to the Church, the instrument of compassion and God's tool used to share life with people, breaks the heart of God.  I believe if we were to write it down again, it would be repeated.  "Jesus Wept!" 

The easy way out... Separation and Divorce rather than dialogue....

As I prepare for annual conference and recognize that there are conversations going on all over the country regarding the "need" to draw a line in the sand, I find myself in contemplation and prayer. We are all being asked to choose which side we find ourselves on based on one small facet of humanity that is barely dealt with in Bible.  Not to say human sexuality should be ignored as mentioned in the bible, but to allow one aspect of humanity to determine what "kind" of church, Christian, and Pastor you are is ridiculous.

My faith is much deeper and broader than a single issue.  I love that fact that we as United Methodist remain United despite our differences of thought and understanding.  We have been invited over the history of our denomination to use Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason to guide and shape our faith.  We have always had people on both sides that say you have to follow their understanding to be a "real" Christian.  If you disagree on a certain topic, you obviously do not "really" know Christ.  How ludicrous is this! to say all of our experiences and traditions will lead us to one thought on all topics is merely impossible and not the heart and basis of the God I understand through the truth of Scripture. The stories are varied to reach a variety of humanity.

God has spoken to me in very real ways.  I have been affirmed by the hand and presence of God in all aspects of my life, family, and ministry.  Yet, I know many great and faithful Christians that disagree with my understanding of God, Scripture, Grace, and so much more.  I have people who would consider themselves liberal and others conservative and there are issues we all disagree on that we can each justify with the Bible.  Bible and understanding of Bible have changed over time and history as humanity discovers more of who God is and as research into history as exposed meanings and writings that were not previously known.

We have arguments over which translation "really" understands and conveys the true nature of the original texts.  We have had different councils to canonize and recononize scripture as the Church has seen schism over history.  Yet God is still present and living and working in the lives of people all over the world.

The very thing Jesus came to dispute, legalism over relationship, is the very thing people are saying we have to split because of.  I love the fact that even though we disagree we are still connected by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

In our society, we seem to be teaching our children that if times get tough, if you have a disagreement with someone, if you don't like the way someone does something, split up, go the other way, divorce.  We might as well say, "there is no need to try to work through our differences or try to come to a mutual understanding or even realizing that the beauty of humanity is in the fact that we are not always going to agree because our life, gifts, and understandings are different."

Groups of Christians will condemn divorce and those who are divorced by utilizing scripture. The very same faction who holds this as true based on a handful of texts in scripture are wanting our churches to divorce one another.  It is easier to divorce and draw a line in the sand rather than seeking unity in the body.  Scripture also reminds us the body of Christ in which one portion is missing hinders the ministry of the whole.

The United Methodist Church has always stood on our differences and the fact that we can differ and ask the hard questions and sill be "United".  We live our faith in the grey areas.  It recognizes that we are human, not divine. We embrace the questions and the way questioning helps us grow in faith and affirms our understanding of God.  I don't know anyone who has all the answers they need.  I think the bible leaves questions intentionally unanswered so that we can seek the answers.  Whether you believe the Bible is a group of stories and antidotes or every word in the Bible is perfect and given by God, there are still unanswered questions on the nature of God and the reason for things to be done the way they are.

My church is a church for people who are imperfect and flawed and yet trying to seek God from that position.  Jesus never invited people to come to him, fix everything in their life, and then he would heal them.  No!  He met them where they were.  Sometimes he met them even when they were not seeking him.  He healed them, forgave them, and invited them to follow him.  Never asking to be perfect but with the encouragement, "Go and sin no more."  Jesus knew this is not possible, but we strive to relate, to follow, to trust that through the relationship we build with the One who gave all, will sustain us, bless us, and make us whole.

There is no easy way out.  A line in the sand brings more hate and discord than a conversation and agreement that God is bigger than our need to be "right".  My God can handle relationships with all of humanity, billions and billions of people over all time. None of those agreed on everything, even what some consider to be the "big things!"

I pray for those whose hearts are hardened.  I pray the God of grace, mercy, and justice will continue to use each of us to share hope, promise, and truth with the people that are put in front of us not for our sake but for the sake of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!

In Jesus Name! Amen!

In Christ,
Pastor Mike

Where is God?

Over the last several weeks I have had a range of emotions around the work we are doing at Kilgo and St. Luke UMC. We have been working to let our heart for people guide our ministry and yet still try to love the people who built the church.

It should be one in the same, but surprisingly it isn't.  When I went into ministry all I wanted to do is share my enthusiasm for God through my understanding of Jesus with everyone I could.  Yet, what I figured out over time is that "church" is about structure and habits and rules.  It literally has broken my heart over and over and over again!

So I always had my ministry "in the world" on my own on my time.  Carroll and I will spend time at the same restaurant each week getting to know the people who work there.  Not to minister to them, just to eat. As it turns out though, we build amazing relationships in which often we do minister to and with these great people we meet.

We always have wanted to be a part of a ministry that just mimicked Jesus in the way the community lived and related to others.  We wanted to break down barriers of stereotypes looking outside of the church and looking inside.  We want to be in community with people who recognize that we are all imperfect "works in progress" living the best we can everyday.  And yet, at the same time, just loving people.  Being there when they need help or to cry or to laugh.  Letting them be there when we need the same.

No pretense or preconceived agendas can come between us. We just live as authentically as we can. Even with this, there will be people who find fault with us or those we want to be in community with.  So be it.  We can't change them, only us.

Lately, that is where God has been taking me.  Recognizing that no matter how much I want to help someone change their life, I can't.  I can't change them, fix them, or their situation.  Only person I can change, and it is really hard, is me.  God shows up when I recognize that in order to change anything in the world, I have to be flexible, open, and honest as myself and with myself.

That is what we strive for at the Vine.  That is what I strive for everyday.  I hope you find God where you are.

In Christ,
Mike

What is the Vine?

The Vine is a community of people who are not perfect, but seek to find God where we are. We seek to show God's love and compassion to all around us regardless of human boundaries. We seek to worship God from our hearts without pretense and agenda. We welcome all who are seeking answers to join us in our lifelong journey to build selfless, loving relationships with Our Creator and our community in the way Jesus did. 

A flight with Amy

As we get closer to the final services as individual churches and the launch of The Vine, I find in my busyness, stress, and chaos, I am more open to see God working despite me getting in the way.

There are those times in your life where you know you are blessing others.  Then those times when you are the one on the receiving end. God puts you in those places you are supposed to be when you need to be there...

It reminds me of a trip I took a few months back to Aunt Nena's Memorial service in Oklahoma.  I just finished a great weekend with my beautiful wife and was heading to Oklahoma to meet my dad to drive home from the service.

It was a great weekend, but a less than desirable schedule.  But in it all I found that God used it to bless me.  First, I got to eat a great hot dog in Chicago's Midway Airport on my layover to Oklahoma city.  Then on my next flight I met Amy.

You know sometimes when you sit next to someone on the plane you wonder what they are going to be like... Will they talk my ear off?  Will I talk their ear off?  Will they read or sleep?  This was Southwest.  Great airline, but you pick your own seat.

Unlike Carroll, I don't "read" people well. So I never know what to expect. Obviously we talked.

We talked about everything... I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to anyone.  I had hoped to get some work done and have some quiet time. I think she may have felt the same way.  She was stuck in DC due to weather for four extra days. Well I got what I needed, not what I thought I wanted.

Amy was a mother to a girl (10) and a boy (6).  She couldn't wait to see them.  I shared about my 4 and how amazing they are.

What came from our hour and a half together was a reminder that the things we do make us who we are. As we moved through the small talk and found out more about each other, the conversation naturally went to issues of life and faith.

Just like accountants don't want to talk about numbers all the time. Teachers don't want to talk about school all the time. Actors don't want to talk about their most recent roles all the time. Pastor's don't always want to be the one to pray at dinner, they don't want to answer every question people have about the bible, and they really don't know everything there is to know about bible issues.

I have to say this is one of those days I didn't mind.  Amy taught me things about God through her faith and stories of her life.  I hope she was also blessed by the conversations we had.

We talked about the book and soon to be released movie, "Heaven is For Real."  We talked about heaven and hell, God's plan and control or lack there of, we talked about the devil, and the miracles we experience in life.

I can't put my finger on it.  Not sure their was one thing that I was supposed to learn. But I know that in that moment, in the time, in the place I really wanted to be left alone.  God was there!  God was moving in me and through me despite my mood.

God moved me and used that time to renew and refresh even though it wasn't the way I felt I needed or wanted.

It tells me, that in what we are doing and will do as we consider our own life and faith and relationship with our faith communities, watch out!  God may move in ways you never asked for.  God may choose to show up in the places you say you will never go or in the things you say you will never do.

Never say never...  God is there too.

A Winter's Tale - who is in control of Good and Evil?

I went to watch the movie "A Winter's tale."  I don't want to give away the story and I won't but if you are super sensitive to things like that you may want to stop reading...

This was really a lot different than I expected.  I was expecting a traditional love story with a twist.  And at the core of it, it was the love story with a twist.  But it was so much more.  It had great implications of faith and "good" vs "evil", heaven and hell.  Their was a love story intertwined in this battle that exist in humanity and in life.

The story shows the battle that goes on and some of the behind the scenes action that "force" us to pick a side.  I think the most intriguing thing for me was asking myself the question, "Are there demons among us that look like you and me?"  Are there those who truly are good that resist and fight evil in their very existence?  Is there a force truly pulling us away from God?  Or is it our humanity that grabs a hold that separates us from God?

I won't really share more about the movie, but it left thinking about why we find ourselves in places and situations?  Is it luck or chance?  Or is it by some bigger plan or "scheme"?

The fundamental questions:  Is there evil in the world?  A negative force that is pulling people toward it away from God?  Personally, I go back and forth.  I think there are times you wonder how a person could do such horrible things to others?  You wonder how anyone with any humanity could do the horrible things you see, hear, and read about?  There must be some force that "makes" them do it.  I think so often people use this thinking to avoid personal responsibility.  If something else made you do it, you can't be held accountable and it really is not your fault... BULL!  But if you go this route... then where is God?  Why would God allow such evil to exist?  Can God not over come the evil?  Does God choose not to or is God unable?  And then Why?

Even though the good vs evil makes for a good movie, I am more inclined today to recognize evil as the separation from God.  Evil happens because people choose to stay away from God, avoid God, or don't believe in the existence of God.  It does not mean that all people who claim God does not exist are evil. It just means there is a better chance for evil to happen because God is not recognized and sought. I believe God is still there holding on and even guiding these toward God.

Sometimes the separation comes from people who believe that God does not exist or have had such evil happen in their lives that they can only think of the dark places in which they have found themselves in.  There are some that cannot see or choose not to see the beauty in that which God has created.

So is there a "hell"? Where is it?  What is it?  Again you get different images, the one that sticks with me is Sheol.  The garbage dump outside of Jerusalem.  This is the imagery used.  It isn't a place where people would want to live.  My best understanding of hell is separation from the God that created us.  Connection to God, you find beauty, grace, hope, and promise.  Separated from God you find darkness, pain, misery, and evil.

Is there more to it?  Sure, but I truly believe that God has created all to be good and all that is good.  I believe God allows us to choose how we live life and those choices produce the evil we meet.  Now that does not mean that if bad things happen to you it has to be your fault for a past sin.  That would mean God is hateful and vindictive.  The God I experience in scripture and in the incarnation of Jesus is neither vindictive nor hateful.  The God I understand is loving, compassionate, and yearning for relationship with the created.

The pain and the joy I experience in life is from living life.  The joy I see in my every day is from allowing myself to be open to where God leads me.  I am aware of God's presence in my sorrow and God's presence in my joy.  When I seek to experience grace and mercy, I am blessed and able to bless others.  When I am depressed, angry, or just tired and forget my outlook on life and faith, then I notice the separation I have allowed.  Evil or sin can happen.

I choose to experience joy.  I hope you do as well.

I truly believe we have free will, but also believe that God puts us in places and with people and in situations where we are supposed to be.  So many times we think we are there to bless or help someone else.  But we have to stop and think that sometimes maybe we are there because we need the blessing, we need the miracle!

So often I ask God,  "how can you use me today? What can I do today to serve you?"  I normally overlook the times people therein my life to share their miracle with me.

In the "Winter's Tale" I would say I give it 3 out 5 stars.  It is intriguing for the explanation of Good vs. Evil and heaven and hell.  But it is slow in points.  Also it is filled with pain and disappointment.  But it shows life in an interesting and thought provoking perspective.

In my own "winters tale", I am so thankful for the snow that fell that allowed me 3 days with my 4 amazing kids.  The snow fort, the sledding, and the joy I see in them makes me ever so thankful!  I hope and pray, that you experience the "Good" that God shares with humanity every day!