Hmmm… Well…Ahem…(Can you picture me looking down and scuffling the dirt with the toe of my shoe?) A lot going on this past week on so many fronts…
Mistakes have been made.
I’ve made them, you’ve made them, we all have.
Some have bigger consequences than others.
Ironically, part of the text for John’s sermon yesterday included these words about Peter on the Mt. of Transfiguration “He did not know what to say…” This comes right after “Peter said…” (Mark 9) Continue reading
It’s an unusually cool morning in Florida and the wind is blowing. As I rode my bike to Starbucks I thought of one day when Katy was little and came in from outside. She said, “Mommy, the wind struggles me!”
Yep, Katester, the wind has been struggling us this week. Winds of uncertainty and criticism and emotion and drama all stirred up out of a desire to serve God well and make wise choices that honor Him in a complex world.
Wind-struggling weeks (that we all have) are made more difficult when the decisions we’re making are public and impact thousands of people, like the one the World Vision Board announced this week. The stakes go up and it seems that no one wants to let any critical thought go un-tweeted or un-commented or un-updated. Even the headline of a balanced article is mis-leading and inflammatory.
We, as Jesus followers, love (I love!) black and white. We love clear-cut, “thus sayeth the Lord”, and “Bam! Take that you spawn of Satan!” Ok, maybe not the last, but some responses feel that way – gleeful in their self-righteous put-downs. And is this what Jesus desires of someone following Him?
This morning Michael Hyatt had an excellent post on 5 difficult sentences leaders need to learn to say. It made me think that there are several sentences we Jesus-followers need to learn to say in the midst of controversial conversations (what the Bible calls “disputable matters”). Continue reading
Yesterday I had lunch with a dear friend who is fighting a hard battle. She looks fragile, but she is scrappy.
Prayerful.
And resolved.
She is grieving loss and pain and trauma, but also celebrating the simple fact that she is alive. And alive is good.
Alive is something. Continue reading
Dear Birthday Girl,
Happy 2nd anniversary of your 29th birthday! I am celebrating you with confetti and streamers, drums and kazoos and baton twirling! (Can you see it?)
You, however, may be waking up this morning wishing you had a husband and kids bringing you a tray of burnt toast, sloshing orange juice on you as they tumble into bed with you. It’s a nice picture and it may be your picture someday, but today God has given you a different photograph.
When I look at the snapshots of you – not Instagram with fancy filters, but the candid shots when you think others aren’t looking – I see someone who is beautiful and brave, but not afraid to admit when she’s unsure. I see a leader impacting scores of young women with the courage to speak uncomfortable truth, but the grace to hang in with them when they mess up. I see someone who isn’t timid to ask questions and one who sets the bar high for herself. Someone asking Jesus when to wait and when to jump.
I know people say unhelpful things like “Jesus was single.” or “God is larger in your picture because He’s all you have.” And you want to punch them in the face. (you have my permission). You are amazing and strong.
In you I see a unique picture, but also one with something in common with everyone everywhere. Continue reading
This past summer at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit I had the opportunity to live blog for Engage Churches, a part of the Willow Creek Association. I was blown away listening to the teaching of Chris Brown, a pastor at North Coast Church in California. Here’s some of what I wrote that day…
This afternoon, Chris Brown (not that Chris Brown, a different Chris Brown) started with the story of a man approaching a campfire. Creeping forward, and then walking back into the shadows while others by the campfire gossip about his failed leadership around the issue of a certain giant named Goliath.
The man is King Saul. For over a month Saul has been called out and he knows he doesn’t have what it takes. His ministry is paralyzed. His leadership is paralyzed. He’s a leader in trouble who is bailed out by a kid named David.
And then it goes out on Twitter (as it were). 1 Sam. 18:5-9 “Saul has killed his thousands. David his ten thousands.”
Huh?? Big gasp. How is Saul going to react?
“From that time on, Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”
Saul didn’t have room in his chariot for David, the young twerp who bested him.
Leaders struggle with jealousy and comparison. Pride and ego. It’s in the Bible. A lot. Continue reading
I’m pretty sure I’m in Florida and it’s Friday as I write this, but I know I’ve missed posting on the days I usually do. This week feels a little like being on the spinning cups ride at the fair – twirling from a set of controversial conversations where the narrative of one is at odds with the other in the Middle East, to another set of complex conversations around the issue of being gay and faithful to God’s Word.
I got home from Israel/Palestine on Tuesday so that I could be in MN for a conversation we hosted Wednesday night at our church between two friends – Jeff Chu and Wesley Hill. Both happen to be gay Christian men who are trying to faithfully follow Jesus as best they can.
What do the Middle East and sexuality have in common? Well-meaning, broken, faithful people are trying to find their way in a world that often feels hostile and unsafe.
The Wednesday night conversation was rich and honest and gentle. The overwhelming response I got from people afterwards was, “I can’t believe how gracious and kind the tone of the whole evening was…how thoughtful and respectful both guys were.”
Yep, it’s sad that this is not what we’ve come to expect from dialog in the church over things we disagree about. Why is that? Why is there this anxiety about needing to be “right”? Why do we use the Bible as an weapon to bash the other rather than an instrument of love to guide our conversations? Continue reading
Ok, so here’s the thing. Two years ago when I traveled back to the Holy Land, I didn’t know where the West Bank was. West Bank of what? And if the West Bank is so important, what’s up with the East Bank? Anything?
I didn’t know what, where, or why the settlements were so controversial. The Nakba? Is that a type of falafel? It was all Greek, (or, more accurately, Hebrew) to me.
I didn’t know the mean things Muslims had done to Christians, or Christians had done to Jews, or Israelis had done to Palestinians. Or what everyone had done to everyone else. Continue reading
I’m writing this from the balcony of another hotel in Israel. This time in Jerusalem. It’s early morning and church bells were just echoing nearby. I kind of expect to see Maria from the Sound of Music scurrying by below me – late to morning mass. But here she’d be passing Imams and Rabbis as she ran. A tad different than Salzburg.
My times here in the Middle East are always ones of competing images.
Yesterday morning we spent time in Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. I try to picture him running the hills of pine and cypress trees and working by His father, the carpenter. In the afternoon we were in Galilee, where Jesus fed crowds, and healed and preached on the Mount of Beatitudes. He walked on the water and calmed the same.
And Jesus walks alongside me with the command that often seems impossible, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Alongside these visual reminders of Jesus’ time on earth are the overwhelming images of a land divided, a land in conflict – unable, seemingly, to get along. Israelis and Palestinians. Christians, Muslims, Jews. Some think supporting the state of Israel means hating Arabs. Others think that those who want to talk about the plight of Palestinians must hate Israel. Continue reading
Good morning from Tel Aviv! I wrote on Monday that I’m going to be traveling in Israel/Palestine this week. It’s a trip devoted to entering into the heart of God for peace and reconciliation. Today we’ll spend some time here and in Nazareth.
We just arrived last night so I’m a little fuzzy, but I’m wondering if you might want to join me virtually. I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to post or how much time I’ll have to reflect, but this morning here was my view from the top of our hotel as I soaked in the goodness of God (that’s pretty easy to do with this view, sunshine and 70 degrees).
As I sat here, these are the words I read. As you read them, what words stand out to you? Continue reading
Last night most of America was watching the Oscars...the red carpet beautiful people who seem to be as good at dodging questions as a politician running for office. Many questions the press hurls at them are inappropriately personal or just stupid. Who wouldn’t want to avoid some of that? But there are other times when changing the conversation is positive, and important to growth.
This afternoon I’m leaving on a trip to Israel/Palestine. I’m traveling with a few people from our church, led by Telos, an organization we’ve been partnering with that desires to engage evangelicals in conversations with Israelis and Palestinians pursuing peace.
This is hard stuff. Complicated and intense and emotional, and personal for so many. Frankly, I might prefer it if Jesus invited me to follow Him into, say…Hawaii maybe. Continue reading
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