Year One

Wow, where has it gone. One year ago today, I boarded a plane and flew to Iowa, and moved into the basement of a dear friend to start the ministry God had called me to. I remember it like it was yesterday, all the anxiety and unknowns, the list of "how's" seemed long and daunting. I mean, what was I doing, my family was 680 miles away in a house that I still owned and even though this had the feeling of a short term mission trip at first, I knew it was not the case. My family, friends, and the life I knew was never going to be the same and to be honest it was a little bit scary.

Often life has a way of wearing us down, to the point where we fail to recognize the amazing creation that God has placed before us. One year ago today, my life was filled with far to many "how's" and not enough "wow's" and my imagination and wonder was running on fumes. But what a year it has been. The list of "wow's" has far out numbered the list of "how's" to the point that I am starting to get to the place where I look for the "wow's" in all facets of life. God places so many amazing things around us, people, creation, situations, and yet we can pass them by without ever seeing them. In the last year there has been 15 baptism's, several weddings, multiple hospital visits, tears of joy and sorrow. Our family has grown by a couple hundred people and it has only been one year. We have a new house and we have a new home but most importantly, through all of it, God has been there and I am incredibly happy to have gotten on that plane in the midst of all the "how's", so that God could once again show me the "Wow's". 

What a Glorious Day it Will Be

Days can easily turn into months, as I have been amazed that summer is done and fall is in full swing. There has been plenty of upsetting stories in the news as of late, more than I truly desire to read. I have found myself becoming more heavily invested in the hurts and sorrows of others to the point that I can feel a little overwhelmed by the shear immensity to the heart ache in the world. Those that are broken, hurt, lost are around every corner, and at times, I feel myself hoping for a good story to come my way.

This week I have been reminded of more suffering and pain, hearing of someone far to young drastically passing away, leaving behind a husband and 3 kids and not to mention those suffering from many different aliments, physical, emotional, and spiritual, within the body of the church and those outside of the church, for now. I received an email this week talking about the hatred taking place in the middle east and the children that are being executed for their belief in Jesus Christ and I wonder why. I pray that God will hear his people and rescue them all, from the thief who only comes to kill, steal, and destroy.

Then today I had the opportunity to go visit my sister in Christ, Esther. Esther has been in a nursing home for the last several years. She can't walk and can only sparingly us her arms and hands. She needs help to get into bed or do anything else for that matter, as her body has failed her long ago. But her mind is as sharp as ever and today she had to ask for updates on those she has been praying for and asked me to pray for her as she struggles with patience for those who help her. We share stories with each other, like how 2 days before her wedding their pastor backed out for a better opportunity to speak at a large event. Before we end our meeting I pick up her old hymnal and as it is her 92nd birthday, I let her pick out the song. She picks "When we all get to Heaven" and I do my best not to mess it up, although I know I was not in the right rhythm for the song. I apologize for the sad attempt and with grace in her voice and a tear in her eye (not sure if it was the singing or the blessed words) she looks at me and says, "It doesn't matter because the words are still the same." 

Esther is both wise and gracious. With all the hurting, sorrow, and just plan evil in the world right now, with all the struggles that we go through as we travel this life, one thing remains the same and that is the Word of God. The Word of God never changes, God never changes and no matter how dark the day is or how bad the singing is, whether we are 22 or 92, God's love, grace, and mercy is always with us and in that we have our hope. What a glorious day it will be when we all see Jesus face to face.

Lord have Mercy

The ruling that was handed down today by the Supreme Court, troubles my heart. I would be dishonest if I told you it meant nothing to me, when the truth is; it made me very saddened in a way that I have not felt in some time. I knew that this was coming and I underestimated the emotion that it would bring out of my soul, in fact it caught me completely of guard and I had to stop working on everything else and start praying.

My heart weeps when we the people take what God, creator of heaven and earth, has ordained and alter it in any way imaginable. I believe God instituted marriage between a man and a woman, so that they may thrive together in Him. As we have continued to disgrace what God has created, gender, identity, marriage, I fear for those who will be hurt on both sides of the issue. Anger and hostility will undoubtedly flow and the ramifications are only known by God himself, but I weep for what we have done and what we continue to do. Humanity started by defiling creation in Eden and we continue that defilement today.

Matthew 19:4-6 (NRSV) "He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

I understand that there are people that disagree with me and what I believe. I pray for strength to hold true to God’s Word and I fear the day when He has had enough, for the righteous anger of God can come at any moment. I pray for peace in a time when I feel that Satan is trying to drive a wedge between different members of society and cause more fear and hate. I am reminded of a book by St. Maximus the Confessor; he says something about loving your enemies that really caused me to reflect. We all know you need to love your enemies and this is so much easier to say than do. In this book there is an ongoing dialogue between an old monk and a young man. When the old monk is explaining this to the young man he says that just as we are tempted, we need to remember that the ones doing us wrong are also being tempted and that our battle is not against flesh but against the tempter, who is trying to get us to hate the one falling prey to the tempter. The idea that the devil is tempting someone else and trying to get us to hate them rather than love them because in doing so we will then fail in fulfilling the rest of the commandments is wicked. Lord have mercy, forgive your people, Lord have mercy.

"You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord."

Leviticus 19:18 NRSV

Taste of the Kingdom

Jesus Christ on multiple occasions talks about his past. In the manuscript of John he records a prayer by Jesus in which he states; "Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed". Jesus existed before the world was created and the correlations  between Genesis 1 and John 1 are undeniable as I believe in the Holy Trinity of God as Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. In light of this I have spent the week contemplating the realities of the Kingdom of God and what that means for us the church, the bride of Christ, and how we aught to be living out the mission of God.

So often we talk about what we do as a church that I think we start to believe that we have any real say in what we should be doing. To say that the church has a mission is as foolish as thinking there is anything we can do to change this current world into the Kingdom of God. I think a healthier thought process would look like this; God has a mission and that mission is to reach those that do not know Him and to help God with this mission he has instituted the church, us, to do his work. God's mission has a church and that should be the leading process in the way we do everything.

When Christ came to earth and took on flesh, he initiated the process of the Kingdom of God coming to earth. The wise Lesslie Newbigin said this; "The domain of Heaven has touched that of earth and God's rule is actually being exercised in the world through Jesus. Those who accept Him come within the sphere of operations of the powers of the Kingdom: they may in fact be said to have been translated out of the present age into the new age which is to come. Christians have already, as it is said, tasted the powers of the age to come."

Every time we partake in communion we should remember that we have indeed been given a taste of the Kingdom. So now it is our turn to share that taste with others. We, God's chosen ones, need to be that foretaste of the Kingdom of God to a world that is starving for truth. Everything we do should be done in a manner so that those we encounter will be left wanting more. We are not perfect and never will be but that should not stop us from being a sample of the feast yet to come. If we call ourselves disciples our hope is found in Christ alone, as we know what is on the way. When non-believers encounter us, when the unchurched walk through those heavy doors, do we leave them with a taste so damn good that they have to come back for more because there is no place in this fallen world that taste so sweet. Or do they taste more of the same crap they find in the world and continue to search for the truth in other places?

Wonder

It is once again the time of year when I reflect on all that Christ has done for me and try to rap my mind around just how much God loves us all. The saving grace of God that has been poured out on me, even though I don't deserve it, leaves me in a state of wonder. Now there is nothing wrong with wondering, for not all that wonder are lost. Eugene Peterson says this,
“It is not easy to convey a sense of wonder, let alone resurrection wonder, to another. It’s the very nature of wonder to catch us off guard, to circumvent expectations and assumptions. Wonder can’t be packaged, and it can’t be worked up. It requires some sense of being there and some sense of engagement."

While I ponder these words with everything else this week, it's easy to get caught up in the moment and ask how am I going to convey this emotion to those who don't know it, have never felt it. And then I remember that the story has already been written and all I have to do is retell it. Almost 2000 years ago an event happened that changed the history of all of creation and the same grace that is present in baptism and when we gather together around the table of the King, was present when the Lion of Judah, the root of David spread his arms out wide. This was the moment when grace found me and the life I have now is only made possible because he rose, and when he rose, new life rose with Him. By the grace of God, Jesus has ushered in a new creation and it is a place where my mind found peace, my soul found hope, and my heart found a home. May the story of the resurrection leave you in a state of wonder and may the grace of God be felt in your mind, soul, and heart. 

Poor weak Peter?

John 13 – Poor weak Peter?

Was the denial by Peter ordained by God?

Did Jesus make Peter deny him because if he did not Peter would have died. God had a plan for Peter and that was to build His church. Jesus chose Peter (the Rock) to lead the beginning of the church. Matthew 16:17 “And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  

In this revelation was the fact that Peter denied Christ three times before the cock crowed more about Jesus working in his life and the promptings of the Holy Spirit than about Peter being weak or not having enough faith. I think if it was just left up to Peter he did have the faith and courage to profess that he did walk with Jesus and Peter would have died with him that day. Mark 8:29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” Acts 2:14 “But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.”

John 21:17 “He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” The truth is that it was not up to Peter, as all of Peter’s life was ordained by God, just like ours. In the moments when we think we have failed, when we think we are not good enough, when Satan reminds us of our past, we need to remember we follow a God that knows everything and these moments are just a flash of lightening in the greater story of God in which we find ourselves. Jeremiah 29:11 “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,” Amen.

New Life

When we moved here a couple of months ago I brought a plant with that had been outside in our yard. It was beautiful, big red flowers, healthy green leafs, and it was starting to grow these long vines. So I bought a new pot for it so it would have all the room it needed to remain healthy and continue growing. It looked so good but it was accidentally left outside for a couple of hours and the cold air had wrapped its hands around its lively body. Within a few days all the branches became dark and the once green leafs, full of life, had started to turn brown and wither. All hope was lost, the beauty was gone and it was time to throw it away.

I was putting off tossing this dead plant out with the trash, because that is what I do(procrastinate). As I glanced at it yesterday I thought I saw something green, which is hard to tell when you are partially color blind like myself. When I got a closer look I noticed one big green leaf and a single vine growing out of the center of the plant, it's ALIVE.

Rising out of the heart of this plant was a new beginning. As the outside looked dead and hopeless, buried under the surface of dirt was life, the beauty that once shown never left but was just hidden for a short time. As we are in the season of Lent, I keep one eye looking ahead to the glorious resurrection that we await when we get to celebrate what once seemed hopeless when the beauty of Christ was hidden under a pile of dirt.

I can't help but wonder what parts of my life must die so that new life may begin. Just because something looks healthy and good doesn't mean it is and maybe, just maybe, a little pruning needs to be done. 
Mark 8:35
^"For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.

Transformed

This is the before photo of the table that now sits in front of church. I purchased a 1940's dinning room table and started the work of transforming it into a communion table. The following paragraphs are a reflection of the notes I took as I worked on this project.

            As I’m starting this project I have thought a lot about what this table should look like. Fancy, plain, or simple are all thoughts that have ran through my head. In the process of working on this table I keep thinking about the practice of actually going up and participating in the Lord’s Supper. The amount of thought I have put into this table reminds me of the amount of thought someone puts into the decision of approaching the table for the first time.

            I’m not using new wood without imperfections but a 70+ year old table full of scratches and inadequacies, stains, rough edges, and far from perfect. This is the way I imagine we approach the table when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. As I’m taking off the old stain I can see this wood surface that looks beautiful. The table is being restored to its previous glory much like we are when we walk forward for the body and blood of Christ. 1 hour into this project and I can smell and taste the saw dust as the restoration process has begun.

            As I sit here and think about all the family meals that have been served on this table for the last 70+ years, I can’t help but smile at the thought of God’s family coming up to this table to share in His meal. My mind wanders as I try to imagine all the conversations that have taken place around this table, the tears that have been shed and the laughter that has echoed off the surrounding walls. How many family decisions have been made around this table and how many times has the Lord’s Prayer been said before the breaking of bread?

One of the biggest problems that I have run into is the weather. Even though I’m in my garage with a space heater the cold has made it difficult to stain the wood and there are some aspects of the restoration process that will have to wait until the spring when it is warmer. This reminds me that the process of becoming new in Christ also takes time as it is not an overnight process. The cold has also had an effect on me as I have spent several hours working on the table and I don’t like having to many layers on while working so I too have been a little on the frigid side of things as the cold sneaks into my body and slows my mind. Just as Satan tries to slow us down and put obstacles in our way, the cold air will not last forever as the warmth of the Son will chase away the frost.   

            A person has lots of ideas what the finished product will look like when you are building something or working on a project and you never truly know what the finished product will be until it is done. It’s funny now that the table is done that it’s hard to remember what the former image was. You can still see some of the really deep scares that were engrafted into the table many years ago. It’s almost as if the deep scares of life never leave as there is always a trace of the damage that was done.

            I can see so many correlations to life in this table that it is kind of strange; it has become more than just a table. Even though we are made into a new creation in Christ part of our past still lingers in the dark. It won’t always be visible but if you look really hard you can see the wear and tear that make up life. This table is still not whole as there are still chunks missing and signs of old age but I don’t think the idea is to become completely restored looking new fresh out of the box. The point is that under all the ugliness of life there still remains a beauty that only becomes visible in the presence of our Savior. As we partake in the body and blood of Christ the Spirit reminds and restores us, strengthens us so that we may indeed look for a while like the glorious people that God made us to be, around the table of the KING. 

 

Welcome Home

3 months ago we loaded up a semi with most of our stuff, which can really add up with a family of 5, and made our way to Le Mars, Iowa. We moved to follow a calling that had been placed on my heart many years ago and only realized recently. Much has changed over the last 4 years, God called me to full time ministry, we had our third child Evelyn, I quit a good job and went into seminary full time, we made it through 3 years of seminary while being blessed by so many wonderful people, the season of trusting God as to where and when came, I accepted the call to be the next pastor at Rejoice Community Church, and we said goodbye to a place we had known as home.

For the last 3 months we have been working on settling into our new roles and community. I, for the first time in my life, feel as though I am exactly where God wants me to be and there is great peace in that (along with expectations, new stresses, joys, and love). The boys have been rooted up from the only place they have known and are doing well with making new friends and getting good grades at school. They also like the church which makes me very happy, we have had some great talks about why we have moved so far away and what it means to actually follow Jesus.

The community of believers at Rejoice have been a blessing to us. We have felt welcomed and cared for during this time of transition, as it is just not a transition for us as a family but also for the body of the church as we start this growing process together.  And what a fun start it has been, baptizing 3 babies in the first two months with more on the way, haha. Who knew baptizing would be so much fun, probably God.

In my mind it feels like the journey we have been on for the last 4 years is finally done and then I hear God's words from Jeremiah 29 "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." In that moment I realize that the journey has just started and what a tale it will be some day, as we are just in the first chapter. I think I will call chapter 1 of this journey "Welcome Home"