What are we doing to Superheroes?

Last night, my family saw the latest superhero movie, "Captain America: Civil War." It was an epic movie, complex, high action, well done... and I didn't like it. It will make more than a billion dollars, has been critically acclaimed, and is being called the best Marvel movie to date. It deserves all of those accolades, but I still didn't like it. However, my feelings about the movie have nothing to do with the quality of the movie. Its more than that.

I have always been a superhero fan. As a kid, I used to tuck a towel into my shirt so I could have a cape as I "flew" around my house. No worries, I have since learned... "No capes!" But superheroes have always been the ultimate good guys and girls. As kids, they gave us hope, reminded us that good always wins, and gave us someone and something to strive for. No, we're not going to fly around the world, but they make us want to "save" the world. They give us hope that there can be more than the messed up world we deal with every day. They represented the best in all of us.

Not any more. Nope, we're grownups now and we've begun to drag our heroes back down to our level. Now we "want" more gritty heroes and movies (I do believe there is a place for this, i.e. Darvedevil). We want to see the superheroes wrestling with the same stuff that we all do: secrets, lies, strained relationships, and mommy issues. Its no longer good enough to see our heroes vanquish the bad guys. Now, we see them fighting one another: Batman vs. Superman, Captain America vs. Ironman; beating one another to a pulp. Yep, just like the rest of us. If we can't get along with one another, why should Superheroes? My inner child is crying.

I know I am in the minority here and maybe I'm just too old fashioned and naive. Maybe we do need to see our complex garbage played out over and over on the big screen with nothing ever getting resolved. But I hope not.

I still love the "Avengers" movie, when all of the superheroes came together. The scene where they all circle up together ready to fight the bad guys... that got my inner child cheering. If only we could come together like that.

I guess it was inevitable. If we couldn't rise to the level of our superheroes, we had to drag them back down to our level. Congratulations. Mission accomplished. I hope everyone feels better.

I don't.

Mentoring Matters

This coming weekend, I will be preaching a sermon on investing in key relationships. Of course, this includes family. Anyone that knows me knows how important family is to me. But the main focus of the message will be about mentoring. I truly believe that mentoring relationships are of vital importance. I guess that's because I know this from personal experience. More on that in a moment.

When I talk about investing in a general sense, it means putting something in with an expectation of some kind of return. If you invest in the stock market, you put money into it in hopes that you will get more money out of it. When you invest in relationships, you put in money (especially with kids!), time, knowledge, and most of all love. What do you get in return? Hopefully love, companionship, encouragement, and more. But mentoring is different. Mentoring requires a great investment of time, knowledge, encouragement, and more. The return? This is where it is different. The return isn't primarily back to the mentor. The return is, in many ways, a pay it forward. The mentor invests to benefit others. Let me share a personal example.

Outside of my wife, there is no question about who has been the most influential person to me in ministry: the Rev. Geoff Posegate. Geoff came to our home church during a time of conflict and turmoil. Oh yeah, and a time I was wrestling with my call. Two weeks after Geoff I arrived, I walked into his office ready to share my news that I believed I was being called to ministry. I fully expected to catch him off guard and leave him stumbling for a way to respond. Only Geoff wasn't the one who ended stumbling for words. After sharing my news, Geoff looked at me with a little smile and said, "I wondered that about you." Really? How? I can say now, that was ( and still is) Geoff.

From that moment on, Geoff invested in me. He had me writing credo before I ever attended a class at seminary. He had me attending committee meetings with him (thanks a lot!). When attending those meetings, the chair would ask Geoff to open with a word of prayer. Geoff's response? No, but Chris will. As he explained, I needed to get used to it. I could go on and on. Geoff was my biggest cheerleader and teacher. Even more, he was, and continues to be, my friend. I learned more from Geoff about being a pastor than I could have ever imagined.

So what is the return? For Geoff, it wasn't about personal gain. It was about personal and corporate growth. My growth as a pastor and growth in the kingdom of God through the ministry he was preparing me for. It was a way for Geoff to invest with a pay it forward kind of return. I can never thank him enough for what he has meant to me. Correction, continues to mean to me. I can only aspire to be a fraction of the pastor Geoff is and I hope that I have the opportunity to mentor at least one person as Geoff mentored me.

I could ramble on and on, but I leave you with this: what relationships are you investing in? Are you mentoring anyone? Whether you realize it or not, it can make all the difference in the world to that person. Maybe, just maybe, it will make a difference to many more.

Chris

You Never Know

I say it all the time to my wife, "You never know." Do you know what I am talking about? I'm sure you do. You never know what is going to happen one day to the next. We go through life, day after day, not knowing when something will come along and change everything. That hit close to home this week.

Early Monday morning while I was still recovering from my Easter "Hallelujah Hangover,"  I received shocking news from my office manager: her husband had been shot and was in surgery in critical condition. They didn't know if he would pull through. He is a delivery driver for a large bakery. It appears a couple of men followed him in to his first stop of the day (at 4am) and shot him before going for the safe. He was rushed to the hospital barely clinging to his life. Senseless.

The good news is that he pulled through the surgery. It's nothing short of a miracle. Not only that, in just a couple of days he received to the point of moving him out of ICU and even making plans for his eventual return home. There is a long road ahead of him. Right now, he has no feeling in his legs. Its hoped that it will turn when the swelling goes down. Its just unknown right now. There is also the mental and emotional healing that will need to take place. All of that is secondary right now. What matters right now is he is alive and the family is so thankful that they are together yet another day. My prayers continue with them all.

This brings me back to where I began, "You never know." For the most part, we take life for granted. We take each day for granted. But each day, each moment truly is a gift to be treasured. It is a gift filled with opportunity. Don't waste it. I always say that we were created to love and be loved. So love more today. Count your blessings. Spend time with loved ones and friends. Make sure they know how much you love them. Spend time on the things that truly matter in life. because, well... you never know.

Chris

Being A Resurrection People

First of all, if you are planning to attend Easter worship services at Christ UMC, this is your spoiler alert. Why? Because what follows are some thoughts I've had as I have been working on my Easter message. By the way, if you missed what I wrote about a pastor's perspective to Easter, you can read about it here: http://revoutloud.blogspot.com/2015/03/easters-coming-ok.html.

There is no question that the resurrection of Jesus is THE critical event in the Christian faith. The resurrection makes the good news good. The resurrection proclaims to us that God has overcome the grave for us. Just as Jesus was raised, we too have the promise of resurrection. Because of this, we can live in hope. And let us not forget, the resurrection is not just about a future possibility, but also is a present reality. Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 6:4, "so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (NRSV). We are to walk in newness of life.

What does that mean? I'm sure it has several implications, but I believe that it indicates that there needs to be a distinctiveness to the Christian's life. There should be something different, something that is noticed by others. Think about it; this is how Christianity survived and grew in the beginning. There was something about the way Christians lived, how they treated one another, how they hoped and loved. It got people's attention. It made people think, "I want to live like that." 

Christianity never should have made it. Christians were few in number. They were disowned by their families. They were persecuted, tortured, and even killed. And yet, Christianity continued to grow. People went through great lengths join the faith. Was it because the early Christians were amazing evangelists? Maybe, but it had more to do with the way they walked in newness of life... distinctive... different.

Then everything changed. In 313, Emperor Constantine issued an edict decriminalizing Christianity. Then, in 380, Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, decreeing that all citizens should be Christian. How great was that? Right? Maybe... maybe not. Sure, Christianity continued to grow, but now it was supposed to. The Roman empire was far reaching and it's citizen's were expected to be Christian. There didn't have to be anything distinctive about their lives. Christians went from distinctive to entitled. That's right, I said it... entitled. Everything was set apart for Christians, so Christians didn't have to be set apart. And so it went for years, for generations. Don't get me wrong, Christians did some wonderful things (and horrible) in the name of God. But it was almost handed to them. Entitled.

Fast forward to today. We are to believe that the sky is falling on the Christian faith, the Christian church to be more specific. Why? We've lost our sense of entitlement and we don't like it. The number of professing Christians are declining. Churches are closing. No longer are Sundays protected. Even "regular" church goers come less frequently. Open doors simply are not enough anymore. You know what? It's all true. You know what else? It's all entitlement talk. And we are all guilty, congregants and pastors alike (yes, including me).

Do you think all that stuff would matter to the early Christians who faced death and persecution for their faith? Let us not dishonor them be even entertaining the thought. No, they were true resurrection people who walked in newness of life. They were who we need to become again. We have to get real, get authentic. We have once again claim the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the grounds of our hope and faith. We need to lead lives that have a distinctiveness about them. My friend and colleague Jeremy Vickers speaks about the fragrance of faith and asks, "Do we pass the smell test?" 

I could keep going, but I have to save something for the sermon! But I know the time of entitlement is over and that is probably a good thing. It's time now to be resurrection people who walk in newness of life. It's time to live lives that compels others to say, no proclaim, "I want to live like that!"

Chris

Easter's Coming. Ok?

I am a pastor and follower of Jesus Christ and I need to make a confession: I haven't gotten excited about Easter for several years. Sometimes I even dread it. Horrible, right? This is THE high holy day for Christians. This is the celebration of the empty tomb, a time of hope and love and life. And... it's exhausting and even frustrating. And it can be disappointing.

How can Easter be disappointing you ask? Well for one, its hard to live up to the hype. It's like the next Star Wars movie coming out. The hype train is in full motion. The anticipation is already skyrocketing. It's going to be great! Right? Maybe, but it will be near impossible to live up to the hype and expectations.

Easter can be like this, especially for us that lead churches. There is an incredible amount of pressure for everything to be amazing. Think of all of the visitors?! The folks who ONLY come for Christmas and Easter?! We need to wow them. They need to feel the Holy Spirit move. We've got to present services that will COMPEL them to come back next week and the next and the next... Everything has to go perfectly. The pressure. The stress. The desperation.

Of course, all of that word and stress takes its toll. As my friend and colleague Buck Cueni Smith called it after seeing this picture of me:

"The Hallelujah Hangover"

This leads to disappointment number two.

Easter is a tease. Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about. Every year churches are packed. Extra services are needed to accommodate everyone. Here in our annual conference there is usually an article about Easter attendance numbers from around the state. MIND BLOWING! Praise God for so many people being transformed by the resurrection story! Or are they? We all know what tends to happen the week after Easter...

"Bueller? Bueller?

Where is everyone? Where is the orchestra? Where is the pastor? Yes, I know several pastors who tend to take this Sunday off. It is understandable. We need to recover from the hallelujah hangover. And on one else will be there either...

I should apologize. I know I am sounding way too cynical right now. But let me confess something else..

I also love Easter.

More correctly, I LOVE the Easter message. I love what Easter is supposed to be, what Easter is supposed to mean. I believe the answer lies in once again becoming a people of the resurrection. I believe that is the answer, not only for Easter, but for the future of the church and the Christian faith.

So what does it mean to be a resurrection people? Check out my next blog coming soon...

Chris

Light Breaks Through the Darkness

What follows is the transcript from the sermon I preached this past weekend in response to the CT shooting.

Peace,
Chris

Dec 15, 2012

“Light Breaks Through the Darkness”

For me, Fridays mean a day off and a day off typically means one thing: grocery shopping. I know, I lead an exciting life. This Friday was typical; got the kids off to school and headed off to run some errands and do the grocery shopping. Little did I know during that time what was transpiring in CT. It wasn’t until early afternoon after the groceries were unpacked that I first heard of the shooting. I quickly looked up an article online and began to read the horrifying news. The TV was changed to a national news outlet. I watched the recounting of the tragedy that had unfolded. I looked at the pictures and videos that were coming forth. I listened to the interviews. Through it all, I felt as if someone had kicked me in the gut. My heart began to ache. Like many other parents I’m sure, my thoughts were drifting to my own children and I wanted them to be home from school so desperately. I needed to see them. More than that, I needed to hug them and tell them I loved them.

In the midst of the many thoughts that flooded my mind, I also thought about our worship gatherings this weekend. There was no debate, I just knew: the sermon would be different. I simply felt compelled, as pastor of this congregation, to speak to the tragedy that has unfolded. I didn’t know what to say. I really didn’t know HOW I would say it.  Every time I began to think about speaking to you, my emotions would begin to take hold of me. I didn’t know how I would be able to hold back the tears. Perhaps I shouldn’t try. A good cry together may be what we all need.

So, here we are on this 3^rd Sunday of Advent. Ironic or not, my message was about how Christmas invites us to become like children once again. In the end, that message may remain, albeit differently. It is also of note that the candle we lit today was the candle of joy. I don’t think we are feeling much joy right now.

Today, the message is different. For one, when do you ever see me with notes? No, today there is no nice story to pull it all together. Today, I have much to reflect on. I want to share thoughts on faith, tragedy, humanity, and where we go from here. I hope what I say is coherent and helpful. I am speaking to you both bluntly and vulnerably.

I want to begin with this: there is no making sense of this. I repeat, there is no making sense of this. We all want to. We search for some answer, some line of reasoning. But we can’t find any. Often in times of tragedy we can point our fingers at some cause, at some awful answer, whether it is a natural disaster or a tragic accident, anything that at the least helps us regain some sense of control, some sense of sanity. But as we consider someone opening fire on a classroom full of children, ending 20 precious, innocent lives and the adults who cared for them, there is no answer. For us to begin to move forward, we have to accept that there are times when we just can’t make sense of something. This is one of those times.

The next thing I want to say is that whatever your feeling is now, whatever your reaction might be, it’s normal because there is no “normal” at times like this. I have found myself filled with sorrow and anger. I have felt emptiness and overwhelming love and compassion. We will not all react and respond alike. Some will want to talk and others will remain silent. Both are acceptable. We need to be patient and understanding with those around as we work through this.

Among the many “normal” reactions at a time like this is questioning God, even being angry with God. We ask questions like, “How could God let this happen?” and “Why didn’t God stop this from happening?” Our faith is called into question. Others seize times like these as evidence that God doesn’t exist. How do we reconcile a loving God with such tragedy? But let me be clear, this tragedy and others like it, say far more about us, about the state of humanity, than it does about God. I have preached often about issues of the promise of our salvation. I’ve preached about free will, about how we are not puppets on a string. We have the freedom to choose, even when those choices are wrong, when those choices sometimes have devastating results. They are still OUR choices and OUR responsibility. I’ve preached about God’s presence with us in the most trying times of our lives. In scriptures it is made clear that suffering is indeed a part of this world. Faith never promises an escape from that. But, the promises of God do tell us that this suffering is not the end. God has indeed overcome the suffering, overcome evil, overcome the grave, and God will wipe away our tears. In new life in Jesus Christ, we realize these promises and we are freed to experience real and lasting hope, peace, joy, and love.

No, I believe that it is time for us to reflect upon… us. We want to question God, but we should be questioning ourselves. We attempt to dissect the behavior of a crazed man shoots children in a classroom. It would be more fruitful to examine our own behaviors. Everyone stop for a moment. Now, think about this past week. What are the things you have complained about or criticized in that time? In what ways have you been more selfish than generous? How were you negative rather than positive? How much have you taken for granted? How many people have you invited to Christ? Need I go on?

We find more reasons to divide ourselves than we do to come together. We fight over parking spaces and belittle each other over politics. Already the political rhetoric is flying over issues like gun control and separation of church and state. Social media is once again filled with accusations and finger pointing. We scream about fiscal cliffs and stock market reports. Emotional and physical violence is rampant throughout our communities. Throughout all of our arguments and shouts and finger pointing and name calling and complaining, people need help. There are millions in this world without enough to eat. Children are being bullied in our schools, some to the point of taking their own lives rather than face it another day. And yes, there are many people struggling with mental disorders that we would rather ignore than help.

Do you think this is want God wills? Do you believe this is what God wants for His people? Is this what it means to be a church, to be a people of faith? Have we become more concerned with the instruments we use in worship or church budgets or committee meetings? Where do you believe God’s heart truly lies? As a pastor, a father, a husband, and as a friend, I am here before you and I am tired. I am frustrated. I am concerned. I am struggling. But, I am hopeful.

It is time to quit pretending that we have all the time in the world. The time to act is now. It is time to love more and stronger. It is time to work to come together in mutual encouragement and support rather than focusing on that which divides us. It’s time to understand that saying “I’m sorry” is more powerful than saying “I’m right!” It’s time to quit turning a blind eye and to look at what is happening all around us. It’s time to get involved and make a difference. It’s time set aside our convenience and help one another. It’s time for young and old alike to focus on being the people God asks us to be; to be God’s hands and feet in this broken world. It is time for the church to once again be known for what it is for rather than what it is against.

It is fairly common during this 3^rd Sunday of Advent for churches to have a “Blue Christmas” service. This is a service that acknowledges that there is often sorrow in the midst of the supposed most joyous time of the year, especially as memories of loved ones come flooding into our minds and the stress of the Christmas expectations come close to overwhelming us. Sometimes it is referred to a “Longest Night” service. This is because Dec. 21 is the day of the year with the least amount of daylight, thereby making it the “darkest” day of the year. Do you see the symmetry of the longest night, the most darkness, occurring just before Christmas? Christmas, when we celebrate the Light coming into the world. Christmas, when we anticipate Christ our light returning once again. Today, it feels as if the darkness has overtaken the light, but the light breaks through the darkness. You, people of God, you who dare to take the name Christian, you are to be bearers of Christ’s light in this world.

I began by telling you that my message this weekend was about how Christmas serves as an invitation to be more like children. In Matthew, Jesus tells us that we must become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven. In the beginning of John we are told that Christ came and gave us the power to become children of God. Be like children? Perhaps it’s because children have yet to learn to hate. Children have yet to become so jaded that they focus on our differences and the things divide us. Instead, there is an eagerness to learn, an eagerness to love. Children don’t have to have everything figured out. Children know how to laugh and enjoy life. Children have a faith that has yet to be tainted by our adult cynicism. Children look beyond the practical. Children aren’t afraid to dream.

Right now we mourn the loss of 20 dreamers. Again, the time is now. It is time to say “I’m sorry.” It is time to say “I love you.” It is time appreciate each day more fully. It is time to get involved and help others. It is time to get clear about what is really important in life. It is time to come together. It is time to be a church that is concerned with transforming lives, ALL lives, in the name of Jesus Christ. It is time to PRACTICE this faith we talk about.

I want to share with you this prayer from Max Lucado written in response to the tragic shooting:

Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
Amen

The Real New Year

Today marks the 1st day of a brand new year. How can that be, considering that it is Aug 15? It's because today is the first day of school. While the calendar tells us the new year begins on Jan. 1, for most people our year revolves around the school year. I find this to be true even if you don't have kids. Your schedule will in some way be affected by school happenings. So, today (at least in my area) a new year has begun.

New years bring new possibilities. They also bring routine. It's amazing how much we complain about routine on one hand and yet find such comfort in it. I'm sure you can see a correlation to church in that. Trust me, it's there. Speaking of church, it used to be that back to school time meant back to church. Not so much anymore.Lately it seems as if the holidays are "back to church time." You know, Christmas to Easter is the "church season." I'm going to quietly step away from this one.

For the most part I pray God's blessings on all of the teachers and students as school begins. I pray that it is a wonderful year.

And, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Chris