first responses

Personhood and Abortion (and Mississippi)

2011-10-22T21:32:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't heard, legislators in the great state of Mississippi want to define "personhood" so that abortion is deemed illegal. I'm not particularly interested in discussing abortion - not today at least. What I want to discuss is the merits, or lack thereof, concerning this amendment.

The problem is that the legislators equate "person" and "life" and "human." Philosophically, I do not.

A strong case can be made that human life begins at the time of conception. Indeed, that is one of the strongest arguments made in support of the amendment. But so what? This doesn't mean that a fertilized egg is a person.

At that point, at conception, there is nothing near what we would call a human being. There is life. There is something that will - or at least has the potential to - develop into a human being. But there just is not a person.

To help clarify the issue, I propose that we distinguish between three terms. One, obviously, is "person." The other two are "human being" and "human life."

So, how will this help? Well, for a Mississippi legislature, it probably won't, because they'd have to start over. But for those of us who truly want to define the issue, it really will help.

Okay, so what are we talking about?

Let's start with "human life." As stated above, I actually think these Mississippians have a strong case when they argue that life begins at conception. Thus, I don't have a problem calling an embryo a "human life." But it doesn't make sense to me to call an embryo either a "human being" or a "person."

Next is "human being." The beginning point for this category can lie at several different places; it's a bit subjective, depending on what you consider to be a "human being." At the very latest, it begins with birth. However, I would push strongly for beginning this category no later than that point where a fetus can survive outside the womb - somewhere in the range of weeks 23-28 of pregnancy, toward the end of the 2nd trimester or the beginning of the 3rd trimester. I can accept this as a "human being." Still, though, I can't really call this a "person" yet.

The last category, then, is "person." Where this category starts is not entirely clear either. Some would say that it begins with birth, and I am okay with that. But, really, I would prefer to attach "personhood" to a certain level consciousness. To me, it is our level of consciousness, our level of awareness - this is the human characteristic that sets us apart from other animals.

Clearly, these categories overlap. "Person" is always added to "human being," which is always added to "human life," although the reverse is not true. Thus, all persons are human beings, but not all human beings are persons. And, all human beings are human life, but not all human life is a human being. And, all persons are human life, but not all human life is a person.

Now, "human life" obviously ends with death. Likewise, death is also the end of a "human being." However, while death may be the end of a "person," it is not necessarily so. Since "personhood" is attached to a certain level of consciousness, "personhood" can leave when that level of consciousness leaves, which may actually be before death.

I hope it is clear why we would want to make these distinctions. I think these categories make sense. And there are several ways they can be applied. However, for our current discussion - the Mississippi "Personhood Amendment" - you can see that "personhood" is the wrong category for their purposes. You can't abort a "person," according to these categories.

More Human Than Human

2011-09-11T19:48:00.001-05:00

Jesus is, to me, "more human than human," to quote Rob Zombie. Although I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about Jesus.

Our lesson this morning was on who Jesus is, using Mark 8.27-31 as the text. That's where Jesus asks his disciples who people say that he is - and then turns the question on them. So, today, we discussed who Jesus is to us. I have a fairly unorthodox view of Jesus, so get ready. (I'm warning you ahead of time, so it's not my fault if you get offended.)

I've mentioned before that I don't find a sinless, divine Christ very satisfying. I think Jesus is human, which is to say just like me and you. But it is pretty obvious that, actually, Jesus is not really like us. I think that's why we are so quick to assign divinity to him. Since I don't find that helpful, I have to figure out another way to explain why Jesus is so different from us.

And that's where Rob Zombie comes in. If we are human, Jesus is more human than human. But what I really mean is that Jesus is the most human person who has ever lived, whereas we are actually less than human. Let me state that another way: Jesus seems divine because he is human, which is more than we can say for ourselves.

So, now, let's flesh that out a little. What does it mean for Jesus to be the most human person to ever live? Well, to answer that, we first must address the question of what it means to be human. If you want to get all fancy, we have to do some theological anthropology. And that's where things get interesting to me.

I look to Genesis 1.27 to find out what it means to be human. "God created humankind in God's image," it reads. So, what does it mean to be human? It means to be the image of God. Now, when someone says that my son looks like the spit and image of me, what they mean is that he looks just like me. I think that's what it means to be human - to look just like God, to be so at one with God that God shines through you. That's what I think it means to be human, and that describes Jesus perfectly. And it also explains the tendency to ascribe divinity to Jesus.

But what about us? Aren't we human? Well, let's look back to the definition of human. Are we the image of God? At times, I would argue, yes. On the whole, however, absolutely not. Today, the tenth anniversary of 9/11, is the perfect day to reflect on that. Just look at the violence and death that cause us to remember this day - and look at the violence and death that is still ongoing ten years later in response.

So, are we human? No, we aren't worthy of the name. The image of God does not kill, does not accept such social stratification, does not turn a blind eye to exploitation, does not allow millions of children to die of starvation and curable diseases.

God is Love. And so the image of God must reflect the Love that is God. We don't do that.

And yet that image of God is still within us. You see it in every act of love. You see it in every act of hospitality. You see it when the Other is welcomed, when the stranger is invited in. You see it when forgiveness occurs. You see it when dialogue is chosen over violence, when the other cheek is turned rather than the fist raised. You see it when we raise up our voices instead of lounging around in apathy and complacency. You see it in the streets, when the people rise up in protest and demand to be treated as humans. You can see humanity, probably most of all, in children, which is why Jesus was so eager to welcome them.

Are we human? Yes and no. Already and not yet. Jesus shows us what is possible. In fact, Jesus said that we could not only do what he did, but that we could do even greater things. We should take that as a challenge. That's the way I operate - and that's the way I try to get my students to operate. If someone says that I can't do something, I want to prove them wrong. And if I can't do something right now, I will not rest until I figure out how.

That's is our goal, our purpose, our reason for being - to figure out a way to be human, to be the image of God, to be so transparent that the divine shines right through us.

Dr. King proclaimed, "I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land." Jesus allows us to look over, to see what is possible, to see what is promised

"I may not get there with you," Dr. King continued. And we may not reach the status of human, of image of God, in our lifetime.

"But I want you to know," Dr. King concluded, "that we as a people will get to the promised land." Yes, Lord, we will become human one day. We shall overcome, one day, the inhumanity, the less-than-human in us. We will grow into the humanity that is in us.

And here is where my French buddy, Jacques Derrida, may he rest in peace, starts getting antsy, excited, exclaiming, "Veins, Oui, Oui!"

Amen.

Holy Saturday: Will Death Have the Final Word?

2011-04-23T07:33:00.000-05:00

Holy Saturday is the most intriguing day of Holy Week to me.

I love Maundy Thursday and the Eucharist meal, I love Good Friday and the cross, and I love Easter and the celebration.

But Saturday is the day of ambiguity, the day that interprets us as humans. We wake up this morning with the realization that death has won. Hope died on the cross. On Friday, it was just a person, a friend, who was executed. But, on Saturday, we remember the hope that was tied to this person.

And so we mourn, not just for the person who was killed, but also for ourselves, for we are now in despair, without hope.

That is the stark reality that is Holy Saturday.

Let that situation set in for a minute.

Now, let that situation interpret you. Are you one who gives up in the absence of hope? Or are you one who hopes beyond hope, who believes in the impossible, who refuses to accept the status quo no matter what?

It's easy to believe on Easter morning.

The question is, can you believe on Holy Saturday?

God and Natural Disasters

2011-03-19T01:24:00.000-05:00

"Why do bad things happen?" asks David Waters, who is doing great things at the new Faith in Memphis website.

Actually, the question is as follows: Natural disasters like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week, the Haiti quake, the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and so forth raise so many questions for all of us. Where is God? If God is good, and/or if God is in control, why do unspeakably terrible things happen to so many good people?

Read my response, which probably makes me a bit of a heretic, here. Seriously, church folks may not like it. Consider yourself warned.

First Responses in the News!

2011-03-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

It's good to have friends.

After my last post, about teaching as a vocation, a calling in the religious sense, lots of friends shared the link and it became my most-read piece ever. One friend shared it with David Waters, religion columnist at the Commercial Appeal and editor of FaithInMemphis.com, who then contacted me about writing a story about my sense of calling and vocation. (It's here, in case you can't wait.)

David is a tremendous talent and has won several awards. I read his column religiously religiously for years when I lived in Memphis previously and, upon moving back, I missed his voice. It turns out that he had taken a job with the Washington Post. I was glad to hear of his return this past year.

In short, I am a fan of David Waters. So I was excited to learn that he not only read my piece, but also liked it enough to devote an article on it.

Anyway, after getting everything cleared through the school district, David came out to our school and interviewed me. I enjoyed meeting him and he was a great guy to talk to. At that point, the understanding was that the article would be on how teaching, as well as other "secular" endeavors, could be a religious calling. Before he left, he let me know that he would be sending a photographer out at some point.

Then, the other day, we made arrangements for the photographer to come out. David said he really wanted the photos to come from one of my classes, so I scheduled a time that would allow me to prepare my class prior to his arrival. The class is from 7:30 until 8:25, so I told him to come at 8:00.

It was my understanding that only the photographer would be coming, so imagine my surprise when David shows up at about 7:15, when all but a few of my students were still eating breakfast. I didn't get a chance to prepare my kids, so I was hoping (and praying) that everything would go smoothly.

Fortunately, it did. In fact, the class went so well that I considered asking David to be a permanent fixture in my classroom. It was definitely one of the best classes I have had during my time in the classroom. It must have made an impression, too, because, when the article came out this morning, a large portion of it was devoted to the classroom experience.

And that is just fine with me. Teaching is not about drawing attention to yourself. If I wanted attention, I should have stayed in academia. No, teaching is about placing the focus on the kids, which is why I was glad to see that the photo used for the article included a student at the board with me.

Last night, my wife commented that it was like Christmas Eve, knowing that the article would be published today, but not quite knowing what it would contain.

My daughter woke up at 4:00 this morning and, after getting her back to sleep in our bed, I reached for my phone on the nightstand to read the article.

"It must be good. I can tell because you're smiling," commented my wife.

And it was. It is.

I didn't even realize that a smile had cracked. That's not my style.

But take a look here at the photo, see the face of that student, and try not to smile.

Calling, Vocation, and Public Education

2011-01-30T19:01:00.002-06:00

I'm a teacher.

I am a teacher because I was called to be a teacher.

It's a job, technically, since I get paid.

Not much, mind you, but it's better than nothing. If you go into teaching for the money, you're in for a big letdown.

But teaching is more than a job to me. And it has to be if you want to be good at it. I was once told by a minister that, if you could be happy doing anything else, then you shouldn't be a minister. The same is true about teaching. If there is another "job" that you would be happy doing, then you shouldn't be teaching. Teaching has to be - HAS TO BE - a vocation.

Frederick Buechner defined vocation as the place where your greatest desire and the world's greatest need meet. He's spot on. If a task does not fulfill your desire, you will not do it well. You may at first, but the lack of satisfaction will wear on you and you just won't have the endurance to keep it up. On the other hand, if the world doesn't need it, if what you're doing isn't providing a positive contribution to society, then it's not worth doing and your work will feel empty. So you need both sides of the equation.

I knew for a long time that my desire was to work with young people. I wasn't exactly sure how or where, so I had all kind of different ideas. And they all involved teaching in some capacity. But none of them ever brought me peace. I considered church work, non-church religious work, private school teaching, teaching at a university, etc. I would have enjoyed myself doing any of these, but each would have been empty to some extent.

Then I had an epiphany of sorts. The greatest need in the world that crossed my greatest desire was and is the education of economically disadvantaged public school students.

There I was, Masters degree fresh in my hand, PhD applications started, private school teacher applications submitted...feeling all kind of uneasiness. But then an opportunity presented itself (an alternative teaching licensure program) and I felt a peace. I said that I'd give it a few years, that I could always go back and do PhD work, but you know right away if it's going to work.

And, yeah, it's a hard job. Actually, that's not true; it's more than that. It's hard as hell! I can't even begin to list all the factors weighing against "our babies," as we call our middle school students. The odds are stacked against them from before birth.

So, yeah, it's hard. But I would not be happy doing anything else. And, besides, if it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing in my opinion.

To survive, to endure, to continue to bring the energy required each and every day, though, you have to have a calling, a vocation, a sense that you can't do anything else and still be satisfied. Teaching has to be something that grips you and won't let you go. It has to be something that you have to do, that you must do.

This has been left out of the current debate over the Memphis City Schools (MCS) charter surrender referendum.

Shelby County Schools (SCS) Board president David Pickler has been arguing that SCS doesn't believe in putting its best teachers in a few chosen schools. His reference is the MCS Optional Program. And his argument reveals his ignorance of how education really works.

You see, one of the best kept secrets in Memphis and Shelby County is that the best teachers are not necessarily at the schools with the highest test scores, the so-called "best" schools.

I am not saying that SCS doesn't have good teachers, nor am I saying that MCS Optional teachers aren't effective. Like any school or system, there are good and bad teachers in these settings.

What I am saying is that teachers in those settings do not have to be great for their students to achieve. Students in these schools generally enter Kindergarten already multiple years ahead and their parents make sure that they learn what is required even if their teachers are doing a poor job. Students in these schools know that much is expected of them, that they will graduate not only high school but college as well. Failure is not an option for these kids.

The same is not true, however, in the MCS neighborhood schools.

And that is why teachers in neighborhood schools must be great, must have a calling, must not be happy doing anything else. Teachers in our neighborhood schools must be the ones ready and willing and able to meet a challenge head-on. We have to convince our kids, we have to teach them that failure is not an option because they have been told, implicitly if not explicitly, that it is.

Our neighborhood schools have been an afterthought for far too long. MCS is doing great things to change this, giving struggling schools choice picks in the hiring process. Struggling schools are now given priority and are allowed to hire first. As a result, the best applicants are now being selected by the neighborhood schools.

Proponents of charter surrender need to be making this case. They need to say that Pickler is wrong, that SCS could actually learn something about staffing from MCS because our best teachers are now being funneled into the neighborhood schools where the need is greatest, not into the Optional Program as he claims.

The kids even notice this. I have had students who transfered from both SCS and the Optional Program tell me that our teachers are better. In those schools, you either get it or you don't, the kids say. And if you don't, too bad. These kids say that our teachers break problems down better and search for different ways to grasp a concept until one finally latches on. Our teachers do this on a daily basis because they have to. And that is why they are great.

It's the difference between one class of 8th graders reading on a 10th grade level and another reading on a 4th grade level. It's the latter that demand our best teachers. And that's why MCS has started trying to get our best teachers in those schools.

This same process needs to be implemented under a consolidated system if the referendum passes.

The new superintendent should throw down the gauntlet upfront and challenge all the best teachers in both the city and the county to seek employment at a neighborhood school, to turn around a failing school, to look for the greatest need.

Our leaders need to be out there making the case for teachers to really check themselves and their motives for teaching. They need to start trash talking, challenging SCS and Optional teachers to put their money where their mouths are, making the case that our best teachers work in our neighborhood schools, arguing that you will not be considered legendary unless you help turn around a struggling school.

Someone needs to be out there talking about calling and vocation. This would be great to hear from our faith leaders. They need to be making the case that God calls us to work with the least of these, which in education means the kids in Frayser and Binghampton, Hickory Hill and Hyde Park, down along 3rd Street. Teachers in the pews need to hear this and they need to be challenged to pray about where God really wants them to be.

Sure, there are some bad teachers out there. And, sure, some of them are in our under-performing schools. But I guarantee you that a great many of the teachers in our neighborhood schools are among the best at what they do. And I'm glad that I am able to learn on the job from so many of them.

We have 18 core classroom teachers at our school. And I can honestly say that I would want almost all of them teaching my own children. I would trust them with my own kids. Our teachers are that good.

The other few? Well, we need those spots filled.

And so, if you teach for SCS, if you teach in the Optional Program, if you teach in a private school, I'm calling you out.

Do you think that you are a good teacher? Prove it! Come, show us what you've got. If you really are a good teacher, then help end the achievement gap, help end the cycle of poverty, help us make a real difference in Memphis and Shelby County. Examine your purpose, your calling, your vocation. If you really are good, then we need you. We need you. Don't run away to less demanding jobs.

And while you're at it, tell Mr. Pickler and his Board that we've got a challenge for them too. We challenge you to prove that you have what it takes. Be leaders and accept the challenge of fixing the problems at these schools. If you really know how to run a top-notch school system, then what are you afraid of? Examine yourselves. Is education a calling for you? Is it your vocation? If so, then you just might want to consider what you are doing for the least of these, you just might want to consider where the greatest need is. If you know how to turn these schools around, then we need you. We need you. Don't run away from the challenge.

So, step up to the plate.

I dare you.

Where Is The Beloved Community?

2011-01-21T21:16:00.001-06:00

I teach at a middle school whose student body is about 98% African-American and about 96% economically disadvantaged.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Out of a total of about 550 students, there are around 540 black kids, maybe 7 white kids, 2 Latino kids, and 1 kid from India.

And just about every single one of them gets free or reduced lunch.

Our school is not alone. It's the same all over town and it's the same all over the country.

In sum, what that means is the our schools have been re-segregated. (Or, disintegrated if you want to go with the Word of the Day from a recent episode of The Colbert Report.)

And we wonder why our nation seems so divided these days!

If there are black schools and white ones, black parts of town and white ones, what do you think our dialogue will look like? If there are rich schools and poor ones, rich neighborhoods and poor ones, what do you think dialogue will look like? Will we even have dialogue?

We are, quite literally, divided. And, until we can live in the same neighborhoods, go to the same schools, and sit down at the table with one another - until then we will continue to have the problems we have today.

I was thinking about this, especially the part on race, over the past week. Many people, black and white, fought hard to integrate our schools. Many suffered acts of violence and some even death. And here we are today, a decade into the 21st century, with our schools more segregated than they were at the time Martin Luther King, Jr., was killed. It's something I've thought about before, but Monday's holiday, celebrating the life of Dr. King, was the spark for this post.

Quite simply, we need to be exposed to those who are not like us in school, if nowhere else, because those experiences will shape how see the world as we grow up.

If I don't have any personal experience about a topic, there's a good chance that I'll believe - or at least be influenced by - whatever I hear from friends or through the media. When I watch the local news, I see a bunch of stories about crime and a good many of them involve African-American men. Now, that doesn't influence my perception of African-American men because I know plenty of African-American men who are not criminals. However, I know a lot of white folks who don't know any black folks personally. And, when they watch the news, they are convinced that all African-Americans are criminals. That's ridiculous, but a vacuum will be filled and that's what happens when we lack personal experience and interaction.

My family didn't have any black friends when I was growing up. But I was fortunate enough to attend diverse schools. One side of town was mostly white, while the other side of town was mostly black. The student bodies at those schools reflected this dynamic. We lived - and went to school - in the middle, so our schools were pretty diverse, even if our neighborhoods were not. As a result, I was exposed to the African-American community in a way I would not have been otherwise and I developed friendships with (and the occasional crush on) those who did not look like me. I am thankful for this experience today, for it has shaped the way I see the world.

This is what our city is lacking. This is what our nation is missing. This is what we need.
White kids need to grow up around black kids and black kids need to grow up around white kids.

It's as simple as that.

And it all starts in school.

(Im-)Perfection? The Case for a Sinning Christ

2011-01-15T21:01:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday we celebrated the Baptism of our Lord. And we sang a hymn that said, "he did not come for pardon, but as the sinless One." Now, I know that it has been orthodoxy since pretty much the beginning of the church, but I've just never been big on the belief that Jesus never sinned.

Rather than being sinless, I think Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, who then had to be made to fit the mold of what was expected by those who were (and are) expecting something. In other words, his life first convinced people that he was the long-awaited one and then his followers had to make sure that he lived up with the hype that had been building for a thousand years.

There was a lot of expectation. But everything we know about Jesus is that he broke the mold of what was expected! If anything, his life was about teaching people to expect the unexpected! And those who were not (and are not) expecting anything - you think they really cared about the expectations for the Messiah?

You see, there were (and are) some people who know better than to expect anything from anyone. These are the people who have been taught by the harsh realities of life that they can stop expecting anything because they aren't even going to get anything. Instead of expecting, they hope. They hope beyond hope. And, no, they are not hoping for President Obama or anyone else to come to their aid, for they have long given up on politicians. They hope, rather, for something to break into our world and shake things up.

So, when Jesus comes and does just that, announcing that the poor are blessed, inviting criminals and all sorts of "bad" folks to the dinner party, turning over tables, and pronouncing the day of Jubilee - you think those outcasts of society cared a lick if he had ever sinned? If you're not sure, let me help you out: No, hell no, they did not. All they cared about was that this man fulfilled their wildest hopes.

Sure, there are some passages in the Bible that state or allude to the fact that Jesus is without sin. They are found in what Christians call the New Testament (NT) and most of them rely on a sacrificial theology from what we call the Old Testament (OT).

But there are a couple of issues here. One thing is that I have already expressed my doubts about the idea of God requiring blood sacrifice. (See here, here, and here.) There are some dissenting voices in the OT on this issue as well. (See, especially, the Prophets.) Without the logic of sacrifice, without a God who desires blood, without the necessity of an innocent to die for the sins of the guilty, the idea of Jesus being sinless isn't all that important.

I don't know if Jesus sinned or not. All I'm saying is that the case seems kind of skewed. It seems like the NT authors looked back to the sacrificial theology of (parts of) the OT, some of which was sometimes used to describe the anticipated Messiah, and made Jesus fit the mold of expectation. The NT authors, especially Matthew, did this quite often - they took looked at what the OT said about the Messiah and then found a way to incorporate that into the story of Jesus, even if it had to be forced.

Here's the kicker, though: If Jesus did sin, that is actually more meaningful to me. The humanity of Jesus is supposed to make us relate to him, and him to us, but I don't (can't?) relate to sinless humanity. I don't know about you, but I can't even imagine sinless humanity. And, even more importantly, I don't think a sinless human can really experience humanity as you and I do.

"What if God was one of us?" asked Joan Osbourne, to which a bunch of church folk answered that he was in the person of Jesus. But, for me, "one of us" means flawed like us, struggling with imperfections like us, trying to find a way to get back up after falling down yet again like us.

A sinless Christ, however, is not like us. A sinless Christ is above us, better than us, aloof to our experience, oblivious to our needs. A Jesus without sin can't relate to the struggles of us everyday people.

I like the idea that Jesus has the ability to bring salvation because he was one of us; I just have a different understanding of what it means to be one of us. And so I think it is only a sinning Jesus that can be truly called the Christ.

We need someone like us and I believe Jesus really was like us, imperfections and all.

Epiphany

2011-01-09T08:12:00.000-06:00

Seeing is believing, or so they say.

And that's what Epiphany, which we celebrated on Thursday, is all about. Some see and some don't, plain and simple.

Now, there are many reasons for this. Some people can't see, while others just don't. Still others do all that they possibly can to avoid seeing - or at least seeing certain things. But the reason doesn't matter - if you didn't see it, it's pretty hard to believe a lot of things. And that's why I always thought Doubting Thomas got a bum rap. He just wanted to see. What's wrong with that?

But seeing isn't an end in itself. It doesn't matter if you can see if you don't know what you are looking at. A big part of Epiphany is the Magi following the star to find the Christ-child. Now, if there really was a star like that, you can't tell me that they were the only ones to see it. If they followed this star "from the East," it had to have been a pretty big deal and a lot of folks would have seen it. But it takes a little more to know exactly what you're looking at.

"We see through a glass, dimly," said Paul. By this, I take him to mean that no one sees things exactly as they are. Rather, our vision is limited and we have to figure our what it is we are looking at. We're stuck with interpretation, all the way down. And that's why those Magi, who saw a star and figured out that it was pointing to something important - that's why they are called wise.

What star have I failed to see? What star have I look right at without knowing what it was? What is keeping me from being wise?

And, when I see a star, when I understand its importance, what do I do? Do I share it with others? Do I flaunt it, letting others know how special I am to have seen it? Do I love my star so much as to have to denigrate the star another sees?

For that matter, is there only one star? Is there only one meaning to a star? Do I have possession of truth in its entirety? Or can there be different stars, different visions, different interpretations, different epiphanies (or Epiphanies), each with a partial grasp of truth?

"Do you see what I see?" asks the great carol. But, if you see something different, does that make you wrong? If you see the same thing, but think it means something else, does that mean that you have a problem? Does my vision trump yours?

That's the problem with Epiphany in a pluralistic society, when our friends and family and neighbors are different from us, when we respect and learn from and even love them.

But maybe that's our Epiphany today - that there are multiple visions, many interpretations, more than one Epiphany...and that that's okay.

If these Magi "from the East" came to visit a poor Jewish boy because they thought he was important, then maybe I need to learn from those different than me.

Maybe the point of Epiphany is not that I have some special knowledge to share with you, not that I need to make sure that you have an epiphany. Maybe, just maybe, the whole point of Epiphany is for me to receive an epiphany, for me to be open to a new idea, a foreign concept, an epiphany from another tradition.

Philosophy At West Point

2011-01-01T18:11:00.000-06:00

What should members of our military study? What should they read? What should they think about? What is the relationship between their academic training and the duties that are to be expected of them?

These are the questions I've been pondering, thanks to a discussion on Facebook with an old (but not old) professor about Just War Theory (JWT) and the Principle of Double Effect (PDE). It all started because I sent him this link to an Utne post about cadets at West Point being taught philosophy - and specifically JWT - to help them become better decision-makers.

Now, I am all for these cadets - hell, anyone! - learning some philosophy. I think it makes one a better person. However, I'm not convinced that philosophy makes one a better soldier. There is a lot that is expected of a soldier, but the bottom line is that a soldier is trained to kill. And I don't think philosophy helps in that regard. Military strategy, sure, but not killing.

You see, philosophy is a practice done in community. And, when two or three are gathered, the Bible may say God is there, but I can pretty much guarantee that you'll get some disagreement. Well, when you disagree, you can fight about it or you can work through it. Philosophy chooses that latter.

And, yes, I know that many philosophers throughout history have championed wars and violence.

But, when it comes down to it, philosophy is about sitting down at the table (or walking around, peripatetically, if you're a Stoic) and talking. It's about disagreeing with my friends - and still being friends. It's about learning that, if I don't even agree with my friends about everything, then maybe there are some things on which I agree with my enemies. It's about realizing that we are all human, that we sometimes agree and sometimes disagree, whether we're friends or enemies.

And, if I figure out that my enemies aren't all that different from my friends, that my enemies are in fact a lot like me, then I probably don't want to kill them.

Now, I'm perfectly fine with that. I think it's great, actually. That's why I'm such an advocate for philosophy and dialogue. That's why early Christians, who took that love your neighbor stuff pretty seriously, were seen as a threat.

But does the military really want its soldiers to think that way?

If they want to train killers, then they may want to reconsider their curriculum.

Restart.

2010-12-29T22:44:00.000-06:00

Ctrl.

Alt.

Del.

Restart.

Blogging Holy Week, III

2010-04-02T22:44:00.000-05:00

In my last post I made the claim that God never desired blood sacrifice. And, if God never wanted sacrifice, then we need to rethink the story we tell about Jesus and the cross.

Now, I don't mean to say that there is nothing redemptive about the cross. To the contrary, I believe that the cross of Jesus was indeed redemptive. I do think that Jesus took upon himself the sins of the world. I also happen to believe that Martin Luther King, Jr, bore the weight of the great sin of the South. Suffering and death can be (but are not always) redemptive. But I just don't think God demands blood. Suffering and death are not redemptive because God requires them to balance the books, to erase a debt.

I do think, however, that God calls us toward sacrifice - and particularly sacrifice of ourselves. The command to love the neighbor as the self is a call to sacrifice ourselves on behalf of our neighbor.

The confusion I see is where the emphasis is placed. The emphasis is usually placed on the act of sacrifice, whereas I want to emphasize the act of love that ends in sacrifice. The emphasis is usually placed on offering to God a sacrifice to pay back a debt caused by sin, whereas I want to emphasize the bearing the burden of another's sin to help bring wholeness into the world. The emphasis is usually placed solely on the person of Jesus and an event that happened two millennia ago, whereas I want to emphasize our responsibility in a process that is ongoing so long as wholeness is not established.

So, on this so-called "Good" Friday, the challenge is for us to accept responsibility for our role in bringing peace and wholeness into the world. Just because Jesus died on a cross does not mean that there is nothing left to be done.

And that is why, when I lead in the Eucharist (or Lord's Supper, or Communion), I adapt the traditional wording to the following:

This is the body of Christ, broken for us. Take and eat.

May we also offer our bodies out of love for our neighbors.

This is the blood of Christ, spilled for us. Take and drink.

May we also spill our blood out of love for our neighbors.

Amen.

Blogging Holy Week, II

2010-03-31T00:16:00.000-05:00

In my last post I expressed how the notion of God demanding blood sacrifice, though central to the traditional Easter story, bothers me.

Why is it that the Jews evolved and grew to understand that God does not thirst for blood, while Christians still have yet to reach such an epiphany? Even in the Old Testament there were prophets like Micah and Jeremiah speaking out against the practice. But not so with Christians.

Now, if you go to church and ask someone if they believe in blood sacrifice, they'll probably look at you like you're from Mars. And then they'll tell you they that, of course, sacrifice is wrong. If you push the matter, they might tell you that Jesus ended the need for sacrifice.

However, what our churches fail to realize is that the whole Easter story, as it is generally told, is predicated on the idea that blood sacrifice was needed in the first place. You see, it wouldn't make sense for Jesus to be the end of sacrifice if there was never a need to sacrifice to begin with.

And that's what I believe, that God never demanded blood.

But, if God never desired blood sacrifice, then our understanding of Jesus needs some adjustment. If God doesn't ask for blood, then Jesus is no longer the perfect sacrifice that makes sacrifice unnecessary. So what do we make of Jesus and his death?

We'll continue to explore this issue over we move through Holy Week.

Blogging Holy Week

2010-03-29T00:42:00.000-05:00

It's Palm Sunday, the day the Jesus was welcomed into the city of Jerusalem. As depicted in scripture, it's a grand and glorious entry, though a bit comical and ironic.

In less than a week, however, the same people who extended welcome would turn into a lynch mob. Now, I am against killing (anti-war, anti-death penalty, and I'd even go vegetarian if I could stomach veggies), but I think the crowd gets a bad rap. You see, they had been taught to expect a certain kind of Messiah, one who would overthrow their oppressors. And what great timing, it being Passover, the time set aside to celebrate when Pharaoh and Egypt were overthrown.

So the stage was set. The long-awaited Messiah marches on the holy city to overthrow the new Pharaoh and the new Egypt just like what happened in the Passover story being celebrated. At long last they would be free again, thanks to Jesus, the anointed one.

But, no. Instead of overthrowing the Empire, he attacked the vendors and money changers in the Temple! Instead of riding the momentum and growing support of the people, he turns on his followers. All their hopes and dreams were bound up in this man from Nazareth, but he would disappoint them in much the same way as the ones before him. They thought he was different. They were wrong.

And so I understand their frustration, their anger. I don't agree, but I see where they're coming from. It's the traditional portrayal of God in the story that bothers me.

According to the Old Testament and parts of the New (e.g., the book of Hebrews), God demands a blood sacrifice to atone for sin. And, says this interpretation, Jesus himself is the ultimate sacrifice. After he dies on the cross for our sins, God is satisfied.

I may be heretical (what else is new?), but I'm not okay with a God who demands blood. Sin is a real problem and I'm fine with Jesus offering himself on behalf of all humanity. But I have a problem with a blood-thirsty God.

We'll work on a solution moving forward.

What is Smart Growth in Religion?

2010-03-22T11:20:00.000-05:00

In the world of urban planning and development, Smart Growth is all the rage--and for good reason. But what is the equivalent with regard to religious communities?

I've been thinking about growth because, over the course of this Lenten season, First Baptist Memphis has been studying Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese. It's a book about church growth in mainline congregations. Mainline, for those who are unfamiliar with the term, is a term for Disciples, Episcopals, Lutherans, Methodists, Presebyterians, UCCs, and some Baptists. They are usually moderate to liberal and have been leaders in the fight for equality in our nation.

Mainline churches, despite their key role in American history, have suffered a drastic decline in numbers over the past fifty years. Yet, there are some, though certainly a minority, who are experiencing growth. Funded by a Lilly Grant, Reese studied what made those churches different and our church has been trying to learn from her findings.

Sure, our church could use a few more active members, but the recent focus on growth (and what our pastor calls the e-word: evangelism) has made me somewhat uncomfortable. Where do you read of Jesus telling us to grow in numbers? I don't recall reading that in my Bible, but I know there is a lot in there about loving the neighbor and being faithful to your God.

So, when Carol asked if I could lead the Connect4 class this past week for them, I knew what I wanted to discuss. I wanted to know if others felt the same way. I wanted to know if we were placing growth ahead of faithfulness. I wanted to know what, according to our class, should be the relationship between faithfulness and growth. I wanted to know what was more important to us, our particular church or God's Kingdom.

I was glad to discover that faithfulness to God and the Kingdom is key for our class, although we feel that this particular congregation helps us be more faithful than we would be otherwise. And, because First Baptist helps facilitate our love of God and neighbor, we believe that it can likewise help others. So we want to share our church with our community.

We don't believe that growth is necessarily good, but are interested in finding the equivalent to Smart Growth for churches. And, as one person remarked, we are certainly interested in saving the corner of Poplar and E Parkway from becoming another Walgreens! But, most of all, we know that our location in the heart of Midtown provides us with opportunities for and partners with whom to be faithful.

Growth is sometimes good and sometimes bad, but it matters not if you are not faithful. Growth is not difficult to achieve, but faithfulness demands work and persistence.

So let us be more and more and more faithful. Let us love and love and love some more. Let us be the hands and feet of our God in the heart of Midtown Memphis (and beyond). Our neighbors are waiting, waiting to be loved and welcomed and embraced. In fact, our neighbors are already loving and welcoming and embracing. Let's partner with them and, with the love of God, provide a larger framework for such love.

Preparing for Lent

2010-02-16T00:06:00.002-06:00

Carol asked if I would send this link of 15 ways to fast during Lent. We are just over a day away from Ash Wednesday, so start thinking now about if and how you would like to fast during these next 40 days.

If you can't (or aren't interested in) abstaining from food, try going without your cell phone or computer or even just Facebook...for a day, a weekend, all of Lent. Try the discipline of solitude, as we discussed on Sunday, fasting from the presence of others. You may only be able to wake up a little earlier or stay up a little later than your family. What about a day trip? Or maybe you can do a weekend retreat. Whatever works.

Just remember: the purpose of fasting is not to prove that you can do without, but to focus more on God.

And fasting or doing without is not the only way to "celebrate" the season of Lent. It is also a tradition of many Christians to take up a discipline during these 40 days. So you may also want to pick one of the disciplines in Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline.

We hope to see you on Wednesday at the First Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee, as "our Lenten journey starts with ashes" (to quote a hymn co-written by our minister of music and former pastor).

And don't miss our Taize service this Sunday during Connect4. Maria will lead what promises to be a very meaningful experience. For a glimpse of what's in store, listen to these free samples

from the Taize community in France.

Haiti and FBC

2010-01-27T09:33:00.000-06:00

Wear your blue jeans and work clothes this Sunday. Instead of regular class, Connect4 will be heading down to the basement to work with one of our partner ministries, CrossLink. We will be sorting medical supplies to send to Haiti as part of the ongoing relief effort of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), who had a presence in the country long before the current crisis and will stay long after our country forgets about it.

In addition, CBF medical missionaries have requested items listed below. All items can be purchased over-the-counter, but must carry an expiration date of September 2010 or later. Also, all items must be new and unopened. With regard to medicines, liquids are not acceptable; please donate pill-form medications only. Know, too, that generics are welcome. All items need to be in by Sunday, February 28, 2010.

Medications

Aspirin
Children’s and adult multi-vitamin (No herbal and No liquid)
Benadryl (No Liquid)
Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment
Hydrocortisone Ointment
Oral re-hydration salts
Acetaminophen (doesn’t have to be Tylenol) (No Liquid)
Ibuprophen (generic)

Medical Supplies

Band-aids
Thermometers (DIGITAL ONLY)

Rising From the Dead: The FBC Gym

2010-01-23T13:54:00.000-06:00

For some time now, a small but dedicated group at First Baptist Memphis have been renovating the church gym and Family Life Center. A couple of ladies have used their professional design skills to create a vision for the space and others have helped implement that vision. It looks wonderful, warm and inviting, already a completely different place. It is not yet complete, but today was a a glimmer of what is to come, the first fruits of their labor, if you will.

What happened today? For the first time in several years, FBC hosted basketball games. And what a sight it was! As I pulled into the parking lot, I was surprised to see so many cars. It must be all the parents, I thought, also speculating that the teams for the second game showed up early. However, when I walked in the gym, it was a standing room only crowd full of folks without kids. What a great turnout to support our boys!

What about the boys? How did they look? Coach Bobby had been excited about the team's first and only home game of the season, drumming up support within the church. But he had also been busy downplaying expectations. He succeeded on both points, as a large crowd arrived not expecting much by way of good ball. And so it was all the more exciting when the boys proved that they could actually play.

And play they did! The game remained close for a while, with neither team able to find their shot. But it was clear that Coach had taught the fundamentals, which is why FBC was clearly in control after the 1st quarter, despite only a 4-0 lead. The defense was stifling, with several blocked shots, more steals, and still more deflections. The kids had obviously bought into the notion that defense wins ballgames. And all the defensive plays and pure hustle led to transition opportunities (3-on-1, 2-on-1, 2-on-none fastbreaks). The half-court sets looked good, too. Perfect execution of set plays, with crisp ball movement and rotations, created great looks. If only they could have put the ball in the goal!

Toward the end of the half, the boys started to settle down and the ball began to drop. And they came out of halftime on fire! The defense and hustle were just as stellar; the fastbreaks kept coming; the half-court sets continued to work as planned. Only now the shots were falling. And the fans began to react, providing a boost to the young players, who built a pretty substantial lead but refused to let up.

It was nice to see good attitudes all around, evidenced by the fact that the loudest and most energetic fan reaction of the day was when the visiting team made its first basket with a little over 2 minutes left in the game. The home-heavy crowd went crazy for Number 22 for the visitors, the stocky point guard who had displayed such grit throughout the game. It's good to know that these kids are being raised with good sportsmanship.

Final score: 20-4! F-B-C Hoops!

The second game, from an older age group, was an even bigger route, but it was great to host 3 visiting teams (the team we played, plus both teams from the second game).

Did I mention the concession stand run by the youth group? Free popcorn! I'm not sure if they were being generous or business-savvy, though. The popcorn was free, but you needed something sweet to balance the salt. So you were forced to pay for a candy bar to go with the popcorn. And then you had to buy a drink to wash it all down. Great strategy and execution, youth!

It was also exciting to see some of the kids linger for a while, playing pool and foosball and arcade games. There is still much work to be done to fully resurrect the space. But today was a terrific glimpse into the future of the First Baptist Church of Memphis.

And for that we say, "Thanks be to God."

On Prayer (and Why I Just Don't "Get" It)

2010-01-18T21:39:00.000-06:00

The Connect4 class at First Baptist Memphis is using Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, as our Sunday School literature. The book is a study of classic spiritual disciplines and Foster lists twelve of them. We discussed prayer this week.

I should start with a confession: prayer is not something with which I am entirely comfortable. I don't understand it. I don't understand what it is or how it works or how to do it, but I certainly understand why it is so important for most people. In fact, it would be just as important for me, I'm sure, if I could only figure out what the hell it is. But I just don't "get" prayer, a confession to which Greer replied with both grace and jest (a rare combination): "That's okay, we'll pray for you!"

Don't get me wrong; I can write and deliver a pretty good prayer. I understand the "outs" of prayer, but not so much the "ins." I've studied theology and understand how to make the words of prayer consistent with the thoughts of our best theologians. I've also heard enough good prayers to know how to construct a prayer and what to say. And I've heard enough bad prayers to know what not to say.

Now, I should also add that I have my own definition of prayer (in the spirit of Keith Green's "Make My Life A Prayer To You" or Joy Electric's cover) and I do that just fine. I consider my re-definition of the word an attempt to re-claim it, the way feminists and African-Americans and others have re-claimed certain words. Foster actually has a book called Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home that covers 21 different types of prayer and I'm okay with almost all of them.

The problem with this, however, is that I don't always feel that I am speaking the same language as other Christians. For example, most people understand prayer as some kind of communication with God. At its most basic, this means asking God for stuff. But it also includes a quiet and stillness that listens. And I am not sure what to do with any of this.

I'm not comfortable asking God for stuff because I'm not comfortable with a God from whom I can ask for stuff. Such an understanding of God, although quite biblical, makes God like a person, complete with agency and being (or Being). But I'm not quite sure God is really like that, heretical though I may be.

The bigger problem for me is that I'm really not comfortable placing thinking that God answers (or doesn't answer) prayer. I'm uncomfortable with a God who has the power to cure Cancer and AIDS and Alzeihmer's...but doesn't. I'm uncomfortable with a God who has the ability to stop the destruction that is Haiti or Katrina or 9/11...but doesn't.

I'm just not okay with God saying, "No, I think it is better that Vicki suffer and die of cancer" or "You know, it's okay that all those folks in Haiti, who were already suffereing from poverty, are dying."

That's just not the kind of God I want anything to do with.

But that's also the reason I'm not comfortable with prayer, as it is most commonly defined.

Still I am greatful to be a part of a people of prayer, those for whom my problems aren't problems. I'm also glad to be a part of a group who responded to my confession that I don't "get" prayer with: "That's okay, we'll prayer for you!"

And, for them, I say: "Thanks be to God!"

A Missions State of Mind, Part One

2010-01-10T21:20:00.000-06:00

I was invited to speak to the Religion 101 class this week.

Now, I remember when the class was founded, back when we were in Memphis before, and it has always been an interesting and intriguing class, somewhat of a renegade class. This may or may not have been their purpose, but I have always seen them as a group who just said, "The heck with how it's always been done! We're gonna do it our way!" In other words, I'm not sure there's a more Baptist (truly Baptist) class around.

Churches oftentimes like to divide folks into neat categories according to age, marital status, etc. Well, what happens to all the folks who don't fit those categories? Religion 101 came to their rescue, saving them from all the weird looks and uneasy conversations. Religion 101 provided a home for the homeless within the church. And I've always respected that.

Churches also like to dictate what will be taught in their neatly organized classes. It's long been custom to order some curriculum written by someone no one has even met, which isn't to say it's bad (far from it), and hope for the best. Well, what happens when folks get tired of the literature, when all the quarterlies start running together? Religion 101 came to break the mold, saving people from the monotony of the status quo. Religion 101 announced that we don't need anyone to tell us what or how to study. And I've always respected that.

And so I was honored to receive the invitation to speak with the class about missions, the topic they've been discussing for the past several weeks.

My thoughts, which will be divided into two posts, follow the narrative of my life, as my understanding of missions has evolved slowly over time.

First, my understanding of missions derived from the children's programs at the church in which I grew up. For me, as a male, that meant RAs (Royal Ambassadors). The GAs (Girls in Action), though, did a much better job educating the females about missions and encouraging to find creative ministry projects.

My next step was Training Union and Discipleship Training programs. Here, we were taught about the church and our responsibility within it. Even as a teenager, we were expected to be active leaders and, therefore, were given responsibility. TU and DT helped train us to fulfill such responsibilities, which included weekly visitation to visitors and prospects.

Still, missions revolved around telling folks about Jesus, until our youth group took a trip to New Orleans to paint some houses in a run-down part of town, worse than anywhere I'd ever been. We split into teams, with each time painting half the day and working another project the other half. My team worked at a homeless shelter, the first time I had actually met (and possibly even seen) a homeless person.

We went to Gatlinburg the next year and Savannah the next, working in trailer parks and housing projects, respectively. These trips opened my eyes to another world, a world where telling folks about Jesus had to take a backseat to making sure folks had their daily bread. And, back home, we started a few local projects, discovering that we didn't have to travel to find great need.

During college, I spent two summers with the Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries (SMRM) in the position of Innovator. It was my job to work a job and find creative ways to minister to the employees, then also serving alongside the other summer missionaries during my off time. I worked at a go-cart track that had over 100 employees during the summer tourist season. I worked alongside them, forming meaningful relationships and leading various activities for them. Here, I learned how to do missions at work.

At SMRM, I also learned several ways to do missions in the community. Several on our staff were blessed with musical talents and would play in downtown Gatlinburg a couple nights a week. It was my job to talk to the folks who gathered around to listen, who often wondered who these folks were. We also provided coffeehouses for teenagers, providing a safe space to those who really had nothing to do except get in trouble.

During my second summer, I also joined with a friend to start another ministry for the local arts community, welcoming and celebrating the gifts of a creative God. These folks weren't religious, but that didn't matter, as we a fondness and an appreciation for each other grew. We would visit their shops and bring them treats. They would show us what they were working on and have us over for dinner. These were folks the church didn't want, but they were our kind of people. And they taught us a thing or two about God's love, even as we were trying to bring God's love to them.

After my time with SMRM, I began organizing concerts. I had friends who were in bands and they had friends who were in bands (and so on). They started looking to me for help finding gigs. Since they were all church folk, even if from other churches, I immediately thought about this great space we had in our old sanctuary. We were given the okay and I made up flyers. With three days notice, we got 150 kids in. So we started pushing for another. Finally, they relented and, with a week notice, over 200 kids showed.

At this point, we thought we had something special going, something that could become semi-regular. But the church had other ideas. I don't know who made the final decision, because I was not privy to the conversation, but my contact told me we could not have any more concerts. Here we were reaching kids who would never step a foot inside a church, kids with purple hair and tattoos and dog collars, but the church said it didn't want those kids.

Well, we said, "Screw it! We don't need the church. We can be the church without the building." So we started looking around town for a building to rent that didn't required a deposit. And the next show, with bands from three different states, pulled in over 300 kids. It changed our understanding of missions. And it changed our understanding of church.

***to be continued***

Going Deeper

2010-01-10T14:59:00.000-06:00

Connect4 has begun a study of Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline, about spiritual disciplines. A week will be spent on each of the following:

Inward

Meditation
Prayer
Fasting

Outward

Simplicity
Solitude
Submission
Service

Coorporate

Confession
Worship
Guidance
Celebration

Last week, Carol and Greer introduced the book and the ideas behind the study. Two quotes struck me.

First, there was a Tolstoy quote on the board that read: "Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing one's self."

The second quote was from Foster: "Superficiality is the great curse of our age." And Greer responded by saying, "We need deep people, y'all!"

These were good quotes to kick off our study, for what do spiritual disciplines do if not make us deeper people and changed selves?

So, may we become deeper people and and changed selves together over the next several weeks.

Being Attuned/In Tune

2009-12-29T11:41:00.000-06:00

Greer took the lead in this week's lesson and showed us why Baptists believe the lay person (even if a foot doctor) can read and interpret and teach from Scripture.

The lesson was on spiritual discernment, which was loosely defined as being attuned enough to the Kingdom to recognize when things are happening. Now, that's a pretty good definition, if you ask me. And the examples given were the magi, the prophet Anna, and Simeon. They were all attuned enough to the Kingdom to recognize the Christ-child.

Notice that attuned is very similar to in tune. They sound similar, but, having the same root (tune), they can also mean similar things.

When we speak of being "attuned," we think of being in harmony, of being aware, of being at one. When we are attuned, we hear and see and smell things that another might just miss or ignore. There is nothing magic about being attuned; it's just something that happens over time, with work of course, the way spouses learn to read each other. Such awareness is important, for it determines how we will act.

Now, think of how this is similar to being "in tune." For a musician to be in tune, s/he must first develop an ear for pitch and harmony and rhythm. A musician has to be able to hear certain things, things most of us don't even notice, which takes practice and familiarity. And it is only when the ear is so developed that the musician can recognize when things are happening in the piece of music and act accordingly.

The point of the comparison is this: spiritual discernment is much more an art than a science. (Recently, though, we have finally realized that science itself is much more an art than what we usually call "science.") And, if spiritual discernment is more of an art, we need to become artists.

Greer looked at the four candles of Advent (hope, peace, joy, and love) and asked if praise wasn't the catalyst that caused them all to react.

I think he's on to something, although a legitimate question was raised as to the chicken and the egg. Do hope, peace, joy, and love cause praise? Or, does praise cause hope, peace, joy, and love?

The answer, I would suggest, is: Yes!

Yes, of course hope and peace and joy and love cause praise! Yes, of course praise causes hope and peace and joy and love!

And yet there is something about praise the is central. Something has happened in our lives and we cannot help but be grateful and thankful and full of praise. So, each day, we awake and offer praise. Maybe we were given hope and peace and joy and love first, but now we offer praise and thanksgiving first thing each day. And that makes (almost) all the difference.

By remembering that which has been done, is being done, and will be done for us, we become attuned to the Kingdom. We set our minds on the Kingdom and we hear its tune, its melody, its rhythm. And, as we listen for the Kingdom's tune, we adjust ourselves accordingly and go out into the world in the tune of the Kingdom.

Developing an ear, an eye, a nose for the Kingdom will provide the horizon in which we live, toward which we must live.

It's more of an art than it is a science.

But it's crucial that we develop the art of recognition, for we cannot act if we cannot see or hear or think it. It takes a certain training to see the a man left for dead on the side of the road, which is why most would just pass on by--all except for the Samaritan we call "good." It takes a certain understanding to see the Messiah in a child, but that is what Simeon and Anna saw. It takes some subtle discernment to distinguish between Neptune in the night sky and whatever that star in the East was, but the magi understood.

These are some of the great artists of Scripture and their stories belong to the pages of art history. Let us study their stories, so as to learn what it means to see and hear and taste and touch the Kingdom, to be attuned to the Kingdom, to be in tune with the Kingdom.

May we be artists, beginning each day with praise.

May we be artists, bringing hope, the key of the Kingdom, into a hopeless world.

May we be artists, bringing peace, the harmony of the Kingdom, into a violent world.

May we be artists, bringing joy, the refrain of the Kingdom, into a world of sorrow and unrest.

May we be artists, bringing love, the rhythm of the Kingdom, into a world that needs it so.

It's Good To Have Depth

2009-12-29T00:32:00.000-06:00

Ask any sports fan and you'll find out that having the most talented player won't guarantee success. You need talent, but you also need role players and a strong bench. Success depends upon both talent and depth.

Now, we Baptist folk believe in depth. It's something we like to call the priesthood of all believers. The priesthood of all believers is a pretty self-explanatory phrase that simply means that all of us are priests, ministers, leaders.

I've been thinking about this central Baptist tenant a lot lately. The economy has been wreaking havoc all over and the church has not been immune. But my thoughts have not been centered on our lack of resources, but rather on the resources that are not currently being utilized. Specifically, I'm thinking about our responsibility to be priests.

You have to blame (or credit) Greer for getting the wheels turning in my head. He said something about getting the advertising folks to create uplifting ads for churches and synagogues and mosques and freethinkers, etc, just for one year, during the holidays rather than promote consumerism. And I got to thinking that we have plenty of talent within the church already, so why would we look elsewhere?

And so I sent Greer an email, basically noting some of the great talent we have at FBC. For example, look at the great talents already being put to use in our church: the artistic/design talents (Jo, Glenna, Ann, Rebecca, Teresa etc), the theological talents (Aliou), the financial talents (Glenn, Kelton), the leadership talents (Mark, Bobby, etc) the musical talents (where to begin?), the talents to work with young people (again, where to begin?).

We are blessed with so much talent, as are other congregations. When will we begin to more fully utilize such wealth? We've already begun to see our pastor and some other dedicated workers take on the task of painting and renovating the gym. And I can't think of a better example of what it means to be Baptist. But we need others to follow the lead.

Why hire someone to do a job we can do ourselves? It's good to have a leader, someone to guide and inspire. But, when it comes down to it, we have to get our hands dirty.

When times were good, it was easy to just shell out some cash to fix a problem. (Well, we were fortunate that it was easy for some, even if not for all.) Those times are gone. The upside, though, is that we're learning on the job about what it means to be one of those strange folks called Baptists.

And so I told Greer that, rather than find outside help, we should get the folks in the church with the necessary talents and see what we could do. That's our job, by the way. And, then, we could call up the Baptists down the street (and the Episcopals and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and the Congregationalists and the Disciples and whoever else) to see if they had any talents that could be put to use.

That's not an original idea, by the way; it's as old as the church. Out of necessity, but I think also out of commitment, the early church was DIY. Baptists, also out of both necessity and commitment, picked up this DIY theme again. And, today, out of both necessity and commitment, the First Baptist Church of Memphis is becoming a DIY congregation more and more.

So, what are your talents? In what ways can you serve?

In the coming year, think about these things and find a place of service. We need talent, yes. But, remember, a successful team has solid role players and a strong bench. You don't have to be the best player on the court to make a significant impact on the game.

Easter Faith On Christmas Day

2009-12-24T20:59:00.000-06:00

Advent is coming to an end, but a new journey awaits. And we, like the magi, look to the rising star in the East to guide our way.

But where does the star lead us?

Follow the star through the darkness and you will find an eclipse, says a former professor, Richard F. Wilson, in the sermon "Eclipse" from his collection entitled Rhythms. And so it is that the light emanating from the star is finally eclipsed by the darkness that occurs at the cross, a darkness that Wilson notes is all the more dark because of the light provided by the star.

Are we ready to welcome the child in the manger as the man who, on the cross, exclaims: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Is our hope, the hope of Advent and Christmas, forsaken on the cross with the (forsaken) one in whom our hope lies? Will our Christmas faith survive the darkness of the so-called "Good" Friday? And, as we welcome our Coming Lord, are we prepared to follow his path to the cross and the death that comes his way?

In another sermon, "Living East of Eden," Wilson says that our lives are haunted by two unavoidable truths, truths he finds in Fiddler on the Roof as much as in the words of Scripture. The first is that "[o]ur lives are defined by their horizons;" the second that "our lives are mixtures of joys and sorrows."

Our common horizon as humans, says Wilson, is that we live east of Eden. But he argues on biblical grounds that living east of Eden is not a bad thing, that Eden and east of Eden are really not that different, that Eden is not the grand Paradise it is made out to be--if you read the text itself.

Eden, he says, in addition to being the place where life began, was also "where relationships were made and broken, where temptation to sin was met and embraced, where judgment was pronounced, and where forgiveness was offered and accepted." Not so different from our world, right? And, besides, the one we welcome tomorrow was born and lived east of Eden.

Wilson continues by noting how God's purpose for humanity does not change as we move eastward. Compare Genesis 2.15 with 3.23 and you will find that God's purpose is ever the same: "to till the ground," to live and work productively in God's good creation. So Wilson understands Eden "as much a place of preparation as ... a Paradise."

And as to humanity's flight from Eden, rather than letting the second mention (God driving humanity out in 3.24) govern the first mention (God sending humanity out in 3.23), Wilson chooses to have the first mention dictate what it means to leave Eden. God driving out the sinful humans seems like something straight out of Jonathan Edwards, as if humanity were "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Humanity as "'sent forth ... to till the ground' sounds like missionary talk to me," offers Wilson--and you get the feeling that he is at least a little bit excited by the notion of being sent with a purpose by a loving Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer.

To tie the two sermons together, let us consider our horizons as ones who eagerly await the coming of Mary's magnificent child and begin the journey to follow him to the cross. Our horizons are Christmas, on the one hand, and Easter, on the other. They are inextricably linked, so that you cannot have one without the other. And, together, they define our life as the church, the ones who gather together in the name of the one who is born on Christmas and who is risen on Easter.

But we cannot have Christmas without Advent, just as we cannot have Easter without Lent and Good Friday.

And so, here we are, at the dusk of Advent, following the star, seeking to "live toward," to quote Wilson, the horizon that is Christmas. It is here, in the "midnight brightness," following the star to the Christ-child, that our Easter faith begins. As is life in general, this Advent has been a mixture of joy and sorrow; Christmas will be the same. Christmas is, like Eden, often portrayed as some perfect and peaceful Paradise. Yet, get a little closer to the manger and you will see cries of agony alongside the cries of celebration.

In mere hours now, we will gather around the manger and proclaim--no, exclaim--"Emmanuel, God With Us!" We will then begin a new journey, as we seek to "live toward" our other horizon, Easter, following the star from the East that lights the way to the Christ. Again, our path will be met with both joys and sorrows. And we will have to hear the cry of the babe-turned-man: My God, my God, why have Thou forsaken me?

As Wilson observes, such a cry sends a chill down our collective spine, and even down God's very own spine, the way a shadow from a sudden cloud brings a chill in springtime, "reminding us that winter is not completely gone." Such is Good Friday, when the star is eclipsed and we stand in the shadow of the cross, where our Easter faith begins again, with hope that a new day will dawn.

Are we ready for a new journey, the journey toward the cross? We don't have long to prepare, for Christmas is coming, bringing life and bringing our Lord. Come, Lord Jesus!

Come, Lord Jesus, indeed. But, with his coming, we will then be sent forth with a purpose, the same purpose humanity has ever had: to till the ground.

May we, like the magi, follow the star to Jesus, the Christ. And may we travel together, so that the chill won't be as bad when the cross finally eclipses the star.

Come, Lord Jesus. Come now, as Christmas approaches. Come now, as the cross has even now already eclipsed the star. Come now, as Christmas and Easter become one hope, the hope for our Coming Lord. Come now, we pray.

Amen.

Magnificat

2009-12-20T08:44:00.001-06:00

Today's lesson from the Gospels comes from Luke. It is Mary's song, known as the Magnificat, one of the most familiar texts in Christian tradition. (For what it's worth, it is called the Magnificat because that is the first word of the Latin text.) And, although we could discuss what it means know and what it meant then, I think it would be best to just read it.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

@firstresponses

2009-12-18T22:32:00.000-06:00

We here at first responses are now on Twitter (@firstresponses, or http://twitter.com/firstresponses).

Nothing about this blog will change (except the addition of a Twitter Update section), but we do invite you to join not only us but many in our church family and surrounding community on Twitter.

Cookies and Carols and Wise Men, Oh My!

2009-12-15T11:52:00.000-06:00

We're in full swing for the Christmas season and First Baptist needs you (yes, you!) to be a part of our celebrations.

Help us as we help Rachel's Kids, one of our partner ministries. Rachel and Harry have created a tutoring ministry for the kids of our neighbors in the Binghampton neighborhood. Some of us have volunteered our time helping Rachel's Kids. Well, they need us again, but just to provide some cookies and drinks to serve after their trip to Zoo Lights next Monday evening. Bring your homemade or store-bought goodies to church on Sunday and give them to Holly.
Come support our children as they present their annual Christmas concert. It will be after dinner (6pm) on Wednesday in the chapel. When the program is over, we will make our annual trek out of the chapel to light the Christmas display (donated from MIFA's old Starry Nights Nativity) on the front lawn and sing a few carols together.
Spread the word and invite any and all children to come see the live Nativity, complete with animals and shepherds and wise men. The event is being held Sunday evening instead of the traditional schedule to encourage more community involvement. So, get involved in the community and encourage the community to get involved with the live Nativity.
Celtic Christmas Eve. Need I say more? Last year was the inaugural Celtic service at FBC and there was a great deal of interest. Over the course of the year, we hosted or participated in several other Celtic events (concerts, worship services, studies). But nothing compares to the original, the event that kicked off our Celtic campaign: Celtic Christmas Eve. Join us for this moving service and bring a friend.

FBC in the News

2009-12-13T15:24:00.000-06:00

FBC was in the news last week and I didn't get a chance to post about it.

For ten years now, First Baptist has been participating in World AIDS Day.

Of course, it is a little unusual for a church (and a Baptist church at that) to get involved in HIV/AIDS. But FBC is not your average church, and certainly not your average Baptist church in the south.

Ten years ago, a man working for Friends for Life had an idea. He wanted to use the median on East Parkway at the corner of Poplar, directly in front of FBC, to place a memorial to those who had died from HIV/AIDS. As a courtesy, he contacted the church to ask if there would be a problem.

Understand, this was a gay man with AIDS who grew up in the south, so there was every reason to suspect that it might indeed be a problem. This man had had his fill of churches and church folk.

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the memorial. The pastor of FBC at the time welcomed the idea and even volunteered the church's front lawn. Several years later, the predominately European-American FBC reached across the street to the Greater Lewis Street Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately African-American congregation. And the two churches, different in many ways, have made it a joint event ever since.

And so it is that, each year around December 1, you will find white stakes with red ribbons, nearly 3,000 of them now, on opposite corners of Poplar and Parkway, in remembrance of those who have lost the battle with HIV/AIDS in Shelby County since 1985. Why 1985, you ask? That's when they began counting.

Here are two articles about this year's ceremony:

http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4600&Itemid=53

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/dec/03/names-remind-us-of-aids-real-cost/

@fbcmemphis

2009-12-13T14:54:00.000-06:00

First Baptist Memphis is now officially on Twitter. The address is @fbcmemphis.

What's that, you say? You thought that FBC has had a page for a while? Well, you would not be entirely incorrect. That page belonged to Richard, our minister to families, but it has served as the church's page for some time now.

That page has served us well, but you can have it back now, Richard, because we thought it was time to create a page just for FBC. So we did.

And, while we're at it, don't forget our Facebook page. We have a new team in charge of it, so look out for more activity and more of a presence there.

The Connecting Has Begun

2009-12-13T14:36:00.000-06:00

The connecting has begun already this Advent.

Just last week, our Connect4 department held a progressive dinner Christmas party and had a great crowd of young adults and young parents. Four couples welcomed us into their houses and many more helped by making some good eats. Many other groups have been connecting in a similar fashion, including the Religion 101 party this weekend. These are great events for introducing friends to FBC.
Then, just last night, our First Laotian congregation held their annual Christmas dinner, only they made it an international affair because of the refugees and others to and with whom they have been ministering. When Thi gave the greeting, he had to do it in nine (9!) different languages. The food, mostly covered dish, likewise represented several cultures. First Laotian is doing so many great and wonderful things and are inspiring what they affectionately call "The Mother Church" to do likewise.
Each week, we gather together to connect through prayer and Bible study. These small groups really allow for intimacy, as we share our thoughts and concerns and desires and celebrations. It is good to know that we (and you) are not alone, that there is a group who will pray for you and with you. It is good to have a group who takes care of you, even as you take care of them. It is good to have a group who reaches out into the community, especially since it is so difficult to do so alone.
And we come together every Sunday to worship as a family, learning what it means to be people of the way, as some early Christians were called. We practice our faith throughout the week, but need to connect with our source to re-energize for the week ahead. And, indeed, we practice our faith even as we gather, for we would not know how to love our neighbors were it not for the love we show our each other.

So, the connecting has begun. We connect with each other, with our neighbors, and with our God. May we look during this Advent season for new ways to connect.

The connecting has begun. May it increase and never end.

Connected

2009-12-12T17:40:00.000-06:00

We're back, after a long haitus.

It is the busy season again. Already, there have been parties and parties and more parties, not to mention shopping and decorating and cooking and...It makes me tire just thinking about it.

But this is also the Advent season, the time when we prepare for the birth of Jesus, our Coming Lord. As we prepare to welcome him, we rightly welcome friends and family into our houses, exchanging gifts, practicing hospitality.

As we go about this busy season, though, let us also rest. Our hearts are restless until they rests in Thee, O God, said St. Augustine. Let us rest, and not be restless, by centering our busy-ness around the God who is busy making all things new. And, in the process, may we be made new.

Our focus should not be on trying to outdo our neighbors, flaunting the extravagances we can afford (although I certainly enjoy those types of parties). Rather, our focus, as followers of Christ, should be on friendship and hospitality and love. Indeed, our focus should be on extending our friendship, our hospitality, our love to those who may not receive such gifts. The same Jesus we prepare to welcome taught us to do so.

We are connected to our God and to each other. During Advent, think of ways to extend such wonderful connections to the disconnected, the unconnected, the ones who don't even know they are not connected.

We are preparing for the birth of Jesus. But, remember, Just as you did to the least of these who are in my family, so you did for me, says the very same Jesus.

Unchain America!

2009-11-18T14:48:00.000-06:00

Become Unchained on November 21.

Support your locally owned and operated businesses and help unchain our nation. Start now, before the holiday season is in full swing, and continue to buy local all through the year.

Remember, when you shop local, more of your money stays local.

One of the greatest things about Midtown Memphis is the large number of local businesses. So, on November 21, let them know they are valued.

For more information, visit the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA).

All Saints

2009-11-07T10:13:00.000-06:00

With this past Sunday being All Saints Day, now is a good time to recommend a blog devoted to telling the stories of the saints of the church.

The blog is called Telling the Stories That Matter. It has enriched my lifeover the past few months, as I have read the stories of saints from all over the world and throughout history.

Some of these stories I've heard before, while others are new to me. Either way, though, all are insightful and provide concrete examples of faithful living. And that's just what we need from the saints, examples of how to live more faithfully. The saints are role models who enlarge our understanding of how to live our lives.

As Hauerwas and Willimon note in Resident Aliens, "One role of the saints is to present us with a wider array of ethical possibilities than we would have had if left to our own devices" (102). What this means is that we often get stuck in doing what we always do. When this happens, the saints are there to provide examples that break the mold of the status quo. They provide new insights, or old insights forgotten. And they show us how to make it through tough times.

We discussed this on Sunday. What a resource we have in the older members of our congregation! This is not the first financial crisis they've been in, this is not the first loved one they've lost--so, let's listen to the stories of how they made it through before.

However, maybe the old ways don't always work. When that's the case, the older members can look to us for new ways to approach situations, or simply ways to approach new situations, for there are some areas in which younger generations have more experience.

In short, let us look to each other, young and old. And let us not forget the grand tapestry that is our ancestry, those saints who have gone before us. This is what the Communion of Saints (or Communio Sanctorum) is all about.

Discuss Amongst Yourselves

2009-10-28T16:58:00.000-05:00

Encouraged and frustrated.

Carol and Greer must have felt a little of both this past Sunday.

On the one hand, they had to have been encouraged by all the great discussion we had. Numbers were down slightly, but engagement was high. All they had to do was introduce the lesson and open the floor for comments. And, from there, things moved along quickly.

On the other hand, they must have been frustrated that they didn't get to present much of the lesson. Carol and Greer spend so much time and energy throughout the week in preparation for a short lesson on Sunday morning. They are knowledgeable and passionate. And we are glad to have them, even when we run with the introduction and miss most of what they have prepared.

Linda, the week before, was pleased to note the very same tendencies the week before. And I expect the same amount of participation this week, as I will be facilitating the discussion.

I, for one, have enjoyed getting to know how our class thinks. Our recent discussions have enriched and deepened the knowledge I gained this summer during our couple shares. And I look forward to learning about and from you (and you and you) each week.

Go!

2009-10-18T19:05:00.001-05:00

First, we want to thank Linda for teaching in Greer and Carol's stead this week. She brings great passion and insight. So, thank you, Linda. And do come back.

She used an idea from Marcus Borg to look at Jesus anew, moving beyond the images of Jesus from childhood that often create difficulties for us as we age. We then turned to the work of Phyllis Tickle, specifically a book entitled The Words of Jesus, a book whose "Reader's Guide" was actually co-authored by Linda, to examine a few sayings of Jesus.

I was especially struck by a structural occurrence in many of the healing narratives. Jesus heals someone and then tells them to "Go!" Linda offered that everyone is called to go, but that we have things holding us back. The point of the healing stories, then, is not the healings themselves, but rather the "Go!" that is issued after that which is holding us back has been removed.

And this explains why we see Jesus asking people if they really want to be healed. Oftentimes, we like having things in our way, because we don't want to "Go!" We are comfortable where we are, even if we like to complain about it, for at least it is safe and predictable. Remember when Moses led the people out of Egypt?

What is holding you back?

And what would you do if it were removed?

On Eternal Life

2009-10-11T22:15:00.000-05:00

The sermon text this morning was from Mark 10, where the rich young ruler approaches Jesus.

The question he asks, What must I do to inherit eternal life?, is a strange question on a few levels.

First of all, as David noted this morning, there is something of a paradox, a bit of irony, here. An inheritance is not something earned, but something given. And, usually, an inheritance is a given according to the family bloodline. So, how do you earn an inheritance? Well, you "earn" an inheritance by the simple fact that you are born into a family.

But, as the text was read, I noticed something I had apparently always overlooked: what the man wants to inherit is eternal life. What does it mean to inherit eternal life? Is that something that can be passed down to the next of kin? Well, I don't know anything about eternal life, but I don't think my parents can pass it along to me with they die.

At any rate, David both appreciated the question asked and noted that it wasn't really a question that people today ask all that often.

And, bear with me, but the whole deal about eternal life always gets under my skin a bit anyway. There are a great many folks who would be mighty disappointed if they died and found out there is no eternal life, no heaven. It's something our churches have stressed so much that people expect it, demand it even. Their entire life revolves around the idea that there is another life beyond this one, often to the detriment of this world.

Well, I would not deny that idea, but I also don't usually put much thought into it. I would not be disappointed if there is no afterlife, because eternal life is, for me, a blessed hope, not an expectation. It is something about which to rejoice, but not to demand.

When we start thinking about eternal life, it is hard not to start concentrating on it. And it is hard not to try to earn it, to think of it as a reward, to think we deserve it (or to think someone else doesn't!). On the other hand, if we can't earn it, then it's hard not to use it as an excuse or a crutch. Either way, it's hard not to use the idea as a trump card, the ultimate trump card, that we can pull out to remind ourselves (and others!) that we will be the Winners in the end.

In short, the whole idea starts to muddy our motives and questions the sincerity of our actions. And that's why I ("I, not the Lord," to quote Paul) think it best to leave eternal life to the realm of hope and get on with living and loving, here and now.

Is that wrong?

In other words, I think there is a good reason people today don't ask the question the rich young ruler asks.

People today are sick and tired of all this talk about heaven (and hell)...and for good reason. They've been told their whole lives that they need to do this (and not that), believe that (and not this), to get to heaven (and avoid hell). They've been threatened with hell and then offered the "get out of hell free" card.

People today look around at all the suffering in the world, at all the suffering in their lives. And they ask, What do heaven and hell have to do with this? What does eternal life have to do with suffering now?

The only world they know is the world in which they live, the world of here and now, so they are right to ask where we get off talking about some distant afterlife when there are real people in need today.

People today, I think, are more concerned with "our daily bread" than they are with eternal life.

Is that a bad thing?

Praying Twice

2009-10-11T20:46:00.000-05:00

"He who sings prays twice."

So goes a quote from Saint Augustine, a good quote for this morning's couple share with Ray and Trudy. And I think we can extend singing to include music in general.

Trudy, of course, is a wonderful vocalist, a true blessing to have at FBC. Ray, the most joyful Minister of Music (and Administration, we learned this morning), is more talented as an instrumentalist and composer. Not only are they each supremely talented, but they are even better as a team. And anyone who has heard "This I Know" (or any number of songs) can attest to this.

He who sings prays twice, wrote Augustine. But that's not quite right, for it is incomplete because, when Trudy sings, when Ray plays or composes or directs, we all join the prayer.

We pray in thanksgiving for their gifts, but we are also lifted into prayer by their gifts, as God uses their gifts to help us worship.

And, for that, as well as for them, we say: Thanks be to God.

Pastor Appreciation Day/Month

2009-10-09T08:58:00.000-05:00

The month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month, so think of ways this month to share your appreciation with your current (and former) pastor(s) for a job well done.

In particular, take some time this coming Sunday, 11 October, which is Pastor Appreciation Day.

Tutoring With Rachel's Kids

2009-10-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed the link to Rachel's Kids on the right of the page, under the First and Friends section. If not, well, look.

We are partnering with Rachel and Harry, of Rachel's Flower Shop just east of FBC on Poplar, for our October missions project. Rachel and Harry have created a space in their home for tutoring the young people of the Binghampton neighborhood, which borders our church to the east. Tutoring is our October missions project, but we hope some may be inspired to continue.

Rachel and Harry saw a need and have taken the initiative to meet that need. And we are joining them, every Monday. The times are 5.45-7.45, but you can come and go as needed, so don't worry if you can't commit to the whole time.

Holly and Carol have tutored for a few weeks to check it out. And they have had a blast. This past week, Natalie D and Lisa and Rob joined in on the action. Everyone has found it a rewarding and worthwhile use of time and energy.

These kids pretty much know what they are doing and mostly just need someone to make sure they get their homework done, rather than goof off with friends. Sometimes, though, they will need some assistance. No worries, though, because it's just K-8.

Carol is calling this type of ministry becoming a Community Connector. Connecting with our community is part of what we're about, so let's show these kids in our own backyard that we care about them. Questions: firstresponses@gmail.com.

Over at the Sojourners blog last week, there was an article posted about the responsibility of the church to help raise our children. Here's the most relevant for this post:

Are we encouraging our most talented college graduates and young professionals to teach in schools like [these]? Are we mobilizing our church communities to volunteer, tutor, and provide much-needed supplies to under-resourced schools? Are we mobilizing on behalf of students like [this] to demand that lawmakers create policies that will improve the quality of their education?

The Table Tells The Tale

2009-10-07T21:21:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday was, like every first Sunday in October, World Communion Sunday.

World Communion Sunday is exactly what it sounds like: a time for the world to celebrate communion. It was started in the 1930s by the Presbyterians and soon spread to other branches of the church. If only for a day, Christians around the world put aside their differences to partake in a common meal. May the meal remind us that we are one in Christ Jesus.

David put it nicely, reminding us that the Table lets us know that we are not alone, that we have a family, that we have a home. The Table does not belong to us, but to God, which is why we receive rather than take the meal. Yet, God's Table is bigger than we know. Thus, the sermon's title: A Big Table.

Yet, I believe the sermon could (should?) have been titled, The Table Tells The Tale. At the end of the sermon, after describing God's Big Table, David asked us to think about how we define family because we eat with our family. In essence, he was asking what walls we erect around the Table, for, although it is really God's Table, we try to control who has access.

We can talk a good talk and we can say anyone is welcome around the Table. But, really, is anyone welcome? If so, why don't we mix it up on World Communion Sunday and gather together with those of other traditions? If so, why is it that we are the most segregated at 11am on Sunday morning? If anyone is welcome, why do we not reach out to those long-lost kinfolk, the ones with whom we haven't spoken in years, if ever?

When it comes to assessing our sense of hospitality, a good place to look is around the Table. How welcoming are we?

The Table tells the tale.

Shared Responsibilities

2009-10-04T21:02:00.002-05:00

In church, we often speak of sharing or bearing each other's burdens.

Generally, we mean by this that we help each other out in times of need. For example, we visit those in the hospital or we provide meals for those dealing with hards times or we pray for each other.

That's an important part of what it means to be the church, no doubt about it. Yet, we have other burdens. And those burdens need to be shared as well.

I'm thinking, in particular, of the burden or responsibility to read and interpret Scripture. This is a burden for each of us, even if it is a burden we gladly accept. Either way, it is a burden that must be shared. And one of the great sins of what is called the Protestant Reformation is that individuals came to think that they did not need each other or the church to understand Scripture.

It is a good thing for individuals to read and interpret Scripture, to seek to apply it to their lives, but there are voices within the text to which, for whatever reason, we are deaf. Those voices need to be heard.

Contrary to what Greer likes to say sometimes, somewhat in jest, the way to hear those other voices is not to earn a degree from a seminary. Trust me on that one. I've been to seminary and I can tell you that I know folks with nothing more than an 8th grade education who have more insight into the Bible than some of best and brightest seminary folk, student or faculty. Rather, the way to hear those voices is to read Scripture together as the church and to listen to one another.

This morning, for example, our text touched on the healing of a leper. And, in our midst, we had two people with experience with leprosy. Bill H had encountered lepers growing up in Africa. And Greer had actually spent time at a facility for lepers in Louisiana, alongside the top leprosy researcher of the 20th century.

Now, I'm here to tell you that no formal theological training will provide those voices. Those voices only come from experience. And my experience renders me deaf to that, so it's a good thing we have folks like Bill and Greer in our midst.

This is a common experience.

I was once interviewed for a job teaching at a private, Christian, high school. I was asked my thoughts on female ministers. The answer I gave was that no man can preach about Eve, Ruth and Naomi, Mary (any of the Mary's), the Whore of Babylon, or any of those women whose names have been lost to history (so and so's wife)--no man can preach about these women from the perspective of a woman. That's not to say a man can't bring insight, but a man doesn't have the lived experience of a woman. And, because of that, I need women to bring that perspective to the text. (Needless to say, I didn't get the job.)

Take some time to think about the voices to which you are deaf. Granted, we are deaf to some voices because they we don't even know about them, which is another reason we need each other. But there are some voices to which we are deaf because we don't want to hear them. Reflect on those voices and ask for ears to hear.

Take some time, also, to think about the voices you hear that others don't. Be thankful, but also remember that we have the responsibility to share those voices with each other. If you have ears to hear and we are deaf to that voice, then you have the burden of being the voice to the voiceless for us. We are counting on you. We need you.

Lectio Divina Insight

2009-10-04T20:52:00.002-05:00

I am not sure how many people read the comments section under the First Responses posts, which is why I am posting Maria's insightful reply to the post on Lectio Divina here as a new post. I hope you don't mind, Maria!

Lectio Divina can also be done in a small group. I once experienced this with the Dominican Sisters. Someone read the passage aloud slowly, and then we observed a period of silence for individual reflection/meditation. Then each person, if she wished, may share something that stood out for her. Another person then read the same passage again aloud slowly, and the process repeated. We read the passage three times, and continued with reflection and sharing each time. There was much silence and pauses throughout the process. It was interesting how the same passage may have quite different message to each person. At the end we ended with prayer. There was a leader who gently facilitated through it. I personally felt it was a refreshing experience.

Lectio Divina at first may seem like an abstract, mystical practice that is hard to grasp, but I think we just have to start with baby steps. Like any meditation practice, it ushers us to into a slower rhythm than we normally used to. I have a hard time with it because, by myself, I have a tendency to want to get through the passage as quickly as possible, like reading any other book, then search in my head whatever clever insight I can come up with on my own, instead of really just sitting with the text and ruminate on it. At times things would just flow out of me, and I knew it was really the Holy Spirit, but that doesn't happen all the time, or even most of the time, I think. It takes discipline to quiet down my own thoughts. I find that it helps to just focus on the phrase/words that stood out for me, and keep them in mind as I go on through the rest of the day. Sometimes those text take on new meaning when seen in the context of a daily situation. I think that's the transformative element that JB mentioned.

Thanks for the insight, Maria!

Does anyone else have experience with this practice and have insights to share? Has anyone attempted this practice since Carol mentioned it last week?

Strange Behavior of Jesus for $400

2009-10-04T20:10:00.002-05:00

If you have even just flipped through the Gospels, you know that Jesus engages in some pretty strange behavior at times.

And, lest you start throwing stones, that is not necessarily bad. Strange behavior can certainly be bad, but it can just as easily seem strange because we lack understanding.

One area where there is a general lack of understanding is Scripture, which is why we need each other so much. It is also the reason the responsibility of each of us to read and interpret Scripture is so vital, as is our shared responsibility to engage in honest dialogue about the meaning of the text. We were reminded of this today in Connect4, as we discussed the first chapter of the Gospel called Mark.

The question raised was why Jesus opts to leave town, rather than stay and continue healing the sick. There are all these people with needs. And, judging from the previous day, Jesus has the ability to provide healing. He gets up early in the morning and goes off by himself. After a while, the disciples come looking for him, telling him of all the people seeking his assistance. And how does he respond? He says, "Peace. I'm out of here." (loose translation)

Now, I am no Biblical scholar, but my educational background is in the study of Scripture and theology--and I would never have come up with the response Greer offered this morning.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

So goes the ancient proverb. Applied to our text, Jesus was trying to balance the dual aspects of his ministry, the teaching/preaching side and the healing side.

The general consensus is that Jesus had to get away from the mob of people seeking healing. But this only gets half of the point. The other half is the part about the teaching/preaching.

Greer said, or at least suggested, that all the healing would limit the ability of Jesus to teach the people and preach the good news, that the message would get lost in all the healing, that the people would demand healing in lieu of all the talking.

And maybe, just maybe, that's why he had to move on. It's possible that a certain point is reached where the healing ministry begins to distract from the message of God's love.

Lectio Divina

2009-10-02T11:22:00.003-05:00

Sunday, we were introduced to another spiritual practice from our ancient Christian heritage.

The spiritual practice this week was Lectio Divina, which is Latin for "divine reading." It is a way of prayerfully engaging the words of Scripture. Known mainly as a monastic tradition, it is a practice that can benefit us all.

There are four stages of Lectio Divina: Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, and Contemplatio.

Lectio is the reading stage, where a short passage of Scripture is read slowly and intentionally. The text is read a few times, letting the words sink into the self. This is like taking a bite of Scripture.
Meditatio is a time of reflection, an openness to the guidance of the Spirit as we think about the meaning of the text. This is like chewing the bite of Scripture taken in the first stage.
Oratio is when we respond to the text by opening the self to God's presence. Here, thinking stops, as our heart enters into communion with the divine. This is a somewhat mystical stage that is like savoring the taste and source of the bite of Scripture taken.
Contemplatio is a time of rest, when we let go, not only of worldly things, but also of our spiritual thoughts and aspirations. Here, we rest in the presence of God in Scripture and within the self. Here, we allow the Spirit transform us as we rest. This is like the bite of Scripture taken being digested and integrated into the body.

After these four stages, we re-enter the world, transformed and nourished for the work of the day.

World Veggie Day

2009-10-01T14:35:00.003-05:00

Today, 1 October, is World Vegetarian Day.

Now, although I am not a vegetarian, I do think there are several aspects of vegetarianism that should be considered by us carnivores. And today is the day set aside for just that purpose.

First, consider that meat was not allowed in the Bible until several chapters into Genesis. At first, humans were only allowed to eat of the earth (Gen 2.9, 16). Animals, meanwhile, were for other purposes, originally that of a possible partner or companion (Gen 2.18-20). It is not until after the Flood that God allows humans to eat meat (Gen 9.3-5).

Second, consider that it takes more land, resources, and money to produce meat than it does to produce vegetables. Simply put, the animals must be fed something and they must be able to roam. The food fed to the animals we eat could be fed to hungry people and the land used for roaming/grazing could be used to grow more crops. Did you know that it takes 16 pounds of grain, on average, to produce 1 pound of meat? (Lappe, Diet for a Small Planet, page 9) Vegetarianism is just a more efficient use of resources.

Third, consider how meat is produced these days. Eric Schlosser revealed "the dark side of the American meal," a phrase that serves as the subtitle of his horrifyingly informative Fast Food Nation. Is the luxury of eating meat worth the pain and cruelty it causes?

Finally, consider all the extra greenhouse gasses produced by meat consumption, most notably methane. Read here if you are interested in that.

The Examen

2009-09-25T22:08:00.002-05:00

We missed Greer this week, but Carol did a fine job holding down the fort by herself--with the help of a wonderful discussion by the class, of course.

She introduced The Examen to us, which is an old "tradition within the church of reviewing the day and reflecting on that which has not brought wholeness."

A little history is that it is actually called The Examen of Consciousness and comes from the Jesuit (or, Society of Jesus) tradition founded by St Ignatius of Loyola in the sixteenth century.

Examining the Examen

The Examen has no formal rules, per se, but it is recommended to be done twice each day. Additionally, there are five basic guidlines:

Recall/acknowledge that you are in the presence of God. You are creature, surrounded by creation, in the presence of the Creator. Feel the presence of God around you and within you. Reflect on the creating, sustaining, redeeming, and re-creating presence of God.
Think back on your day with gratitude. In you is the Breath of Life, the holy ruach (Hebrew for wind, breath, spirit) that gives life to your body and you soul. Be thankful for for this, but also look for specific things from the day. Think of the small and simple things that often go overlooked as we await the next big thing. Remember the aroma of your morning coffee, the look on your child's face in the morning when s/he first sees you. Recall the person who smiled at you, who held the door for you, who prepared a meal for you, who helped you with a project, who said a nice word to you. And reflect on the grace that has allowed you to extend an act of kindness to another.
Ask the Spirit to enter you and help you to honestly examine your day. This is not an exercise meant to beat yourself up. After all, it is possible that, through the grace of God, you have been pretty faithful. At any rate, though, this is a time for growth, a time to learn from mistakes, a time to become more conscious of God's presence in our lives. Be grateful for the good done, but be mindful of the wrongs. Reflect on the context: who was around, what time of day was it, what as happening at the time? Also, try to recall your thoughts: did the act occur in an instant, or was there premeditation involved? Were you conflicted as to what to do? If so, where did the conflict lie? Be challenged, but also be encouraged and learn how to be more faithful to the God that is Love.
With those things that have not brought wholeness in mind, ask for forgiveness. Be honest with yourself and with God. Be aware of God's loving and redeeming presence even in our sinfulness. As Brother Will Campbell summarizes the gospel: We're all bastards, but God loves us anyway. Be grateful for that love, a love not only because of, but also in spite of.
Now, offer yourself to God again. This is a time to reflect on your status as one created in the image of God, as a Christ-follower, as one filled with the Spirit. Ask for the gift of sight, that you will be better able to see opportunities for the good, to see the needs of our neighbors, whether at home or at work or at church or on the street corner or on the other side of the Earth. Ask for the gift of discernment, that you may be better able to make wise and loving choices. Ask for the gift of love, so that love will guide all that you do.
Close, if you like (you don't have to), with the Lord's Prayer.

Thank you Carol, for reminding us of this venerable tradition of the church, one of the traditions of the Catholic Church we Protestants left in what is we like to call the Reformation, but which could also be called the Second Great Schism, the first having split the church into East (Greek/Orthodox) and West (Latin/Catholic). There are many such traditions out there still. May we learn from our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers some of these ancient ways.

Identity?

2009-09-17T17:38:00.002-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks, David has been dancing around a topic that is very interesting, but also possibly controversial.

And maybe that's why he hasn't dealt with it head-on, which is not a criticism; it may, in fact, show great wisdom. There are some issues that may be better suited for a discussion than a sermon. Plus, we must keep in mind that the sermon is for the Body.

At any rate, we can think about and discuss such topics here.

By now, you may be thinking: What is this topic?

The topic is the knowledge Jesus had of himself and his identity. More specifically, the topic is whether Jesus had to grow into this knowledge.

Last week, the sermon dealt with the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7). It is a troubling story because Jesus calls this woman a dog, denying her request for a healing. She then responds that even the dogs get the crumbs from the table. And, as a result, Jesus has a change of heart and provides the healing.

There's no getting around the fact that, in Scripture, Jesus calls a woman a dog. And it seems as if he calls her such because of her race (e.g., her non-Jewish, or Gentile, status). As David noted, many commentators try to soften this fact. But that's because they read the story from a post-Easter perspective.

Although David was critical of such interpretations, he was nonetheless uncomfortable accepting the interpretation that Jesus experienced a conversion, a change of attitude, as a result of being confronted by this woman. He compared it to the baptism of Jesus, which he said was not necessary.

I happen to disagree on both points, but that's not the issue. The issue is that these are things we should be discussing in (and out of) church.

Is Jesus a static person who never changes? (Hebrews 13.8)

Or, does Jesus grow and mature over time? (Luke 2.52)

Connected to this discussion, this week the sermon dealt with the extent to which Jesus knew who he was/is, if he had doubts or questions, and how he handled this.

It revolves around a question Jesus asks: Who do you say I am?

An interesting point raised in the sermon is that Jesus may not have known, or may not have been sure, or may have been sure but had doubts, or was seeking an outside opinion. This is an interpretation Nikos Kazantzakis offers in his novel, The Last Temptation of Christ. And it is suggested again later when Jesus prays in the Garden before his execution.

Are you comfortable with a Jesus who has questions, who has doubts? Are you comfortable, in short, with a Jesus like you and me? Why, or why not?

Who am I?

2009-09-16T16:04:00.004-05:00

The sermon this past Sunday raised several questions about identity, from the most basic to the most complex. And it is not always easy to distinguish basic and complex, especially when dealing with identity.

In Mark 8, Jesus asks, Who Do You Say I Am?

From this one question, David drew several questions for us:

What is he asking?
Is it a rhetorical question?
Is Jesus seeking a second opinion?
Is Jesus questioning himself?
Is he assessing the disciples?
Is Jesus assessing us?

These are all interesting questions. And who's to say that any one of these is correct. Why can't all of these questions apply? Scripture often works at different levels simultaneously. Narratives, stories like this one in Mark, especially operate that way. Any good story has more than one meaning.

Take some time to ask these questions and think about some possible answers.

Upgrades!

2009-09-12T14:20:00.007-05:00

We have a few upgrades here at First Responses.

(#1) Some of you have already noticed the 'Social Vibe' gadget on the right column (under the reading list). This is a way for us to raise money for a designated non-profit. All you have to do is click on the gadget and view a short ad. The sponsor whose ad you viewed then donates money to your cause. You can add 'Social Vibe' to your blog, your Facebook, etc.

Children's Miracle Network was chosen for the First Responses site for several reasons. First, many of us have children. Secondly, many of us work or have ties to the medical profession. Thirdly, Memphis is known for the quality of medical care it provides to children. In other words, it just seemed like the most appropriate from the list.

Take a minute to raise money for a good cause whenever you visit First Responses, even if you don't care for the sponsor. And thanks to those who already have. We've already earned 188 baloons over the past week or so without asking.

(#2) First Responses now has its own email address. So, if you have any questions, or a comment you would rather not post on the blog, just shoot a message over to firstresponses@gmail.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

(#3) As many of you know, a Gmail account provides you Google Calendar. And that is a great thing, making it easy to share dates and information. So, First Responses now has a Calendar up and open to the public. Just let us know and we can share it with you.

Upcoming events include Soccer at Evergreen Pres, the Men's Retreat, Trunk-or-Treat, and the concerts at the Levitt Shell.

Monkin' It Up!

2009-09-07T08:10:00.002-05:00

We had a great time at the Levitt Shell last night. If you missed it, that's too bad. But you'll have to join us for some of the upcoming shows.

Last night, Lily Afshar opened on the classical guitar, setting the contempletive mood for the Tibetan monks who followed. The monks were great, beginning their set meditatively with some multiphonic chanting...

...and then increasing their energy as the sun went down. By nightfall, they were performing traditional dances, including the Dance of the Black Hat Masters and, everyone's favorite, the Snow Lion Dance (the last couple minutes are the best):

They took a break for intermission and picked right up where they left off, with more sacred music and sacred dance. The Dance of the Skeleton Lords and the Dance of the Space Travellers were fun, but our family had to get our (sleeping) son home and missed the Yak Dance. I did find a video, though:

All in all, a great time for all! Come out and join us next time, won't you?

Here's some extra video of the Mystical Arts of Tibet:

Spit!

2009-09-06T18:31:00.003-05:00

In Mark 7.31-37, half of our sermon text this morning, Jesus uses his spit to heal a man. He does this elsewhere as well.

That's pretty gross, right?

Well, does spit offend you? If spit is gross, does Jesus gross you out? What if the spit belongs to Jesus, is being used by Jesus to provide healing? If that changes things, why? And, what would you think of someone today walking around and doing the same?

Just asking.

PR?

2009-09-06T18:18:00.002-05:00

Sometimes Jesus was great at promoting his ministry, like when he fed the multitude. If you were his PR rep, moments like that would have made your job a breeze. He had a large and hungry crowd, but he takes care of them. A PR rep wouldn't have to spin that or seek the attention of the people.

On the other hand, there were other moments that would just drive you mad. Take today's sermon text, Mark 7.24-37, where Jesus tries to hide his healings. That's when a PR rep would take Jesus out back and give him a good talking-to.

What do we make of this? Do we promote the good things our church is doing? Or do we let our deeds speak for themselves and spread through word of mouth?

I really don't know--and it's rare for me not to have a hard opinion.

So, what do you think?

The Emmanuel Principle

2009-09-06T18:06:00.002-05:00

This morning, the Connect4 class began Bible Study again, after taking the summer to explore the stories of members of our class through couple shares. We began a study of Old Testament leaders today with Joshua. Next up is Gideon, then Ezra, and then Nehemiah.

* * *

The main message of Carol and Greer's lesson on Joshua was God With Us. Carol creatively called this The Emmanuel Principle, as in Matthew 1.23 (Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us).

The Emmanuel Principle--what a great guiding principle for our lives!

Levitt Shell

2009-09-06T17:03:00.005-05:00

At long last, the Fall season of free concerts at the Levitt Shell is upon us!

After a getting-to-know-you stage in the Spring, where our church participated in a handful of concerts, FBC has formed a partnership with our neighbors at the Shell. We are listed on their sponsor reel and we are helping them promote the concerts.

FBC endorses what they are doing and trying to achieve:

build[ing] community through music and education, finding common ground for a diverse audience.

The Levitt Shell provides 50 free concerts per year, 25 in the Spring and 25 in the Fall. All shows are family-friendly and appeal to a wide variety of people.

The Shell, located in the heart of Overton Park, was built by the WPA during FDR's New Deal. It is one of the few that have survived. In 1954, Elvis played his first public concert at the Shell, which many consider the first rock-n-roll concert ever.

The new season opened this week and FBC is taking a group tonight to see the Mystical Arts of Tibet, a performance by Tibetan monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery-in-exile.

Come join us. If you can't make it for the monks, make plans for a show or two or three next week and the weeks following.

The Heart

2009-09-05T19:50:00.002-05:00

The heart is the key. That is one thing we learned from Sunday's sermon. The key is the heart.

God wants the heart--my heart, your heart, our heart.

Laws and precepts are good and necessary. But you can't make a law out of the fruits of the spirit, nor can you make a law to stop those fruits. Love, joy, peace--these come from the heart. And the heart cannot be legislated.

The law is cold and heartless; it is what it is, period, end of story. Things are black and white, with no room for the messiness of gray.

With the heart, though, it is different. The heart knows that we all fall short of the law, that it isn't a question of guilty and not guilty, black and white, but rather of degrees of guilt and shades of gray. Life is messy.

The heart understands this, which is why the heart trembles and is moved with compassion.

So, ask yourself:

When was the last time your heart trembled?

When was the last time your heart was moved by compassion?

What did you do/are you doing about it?

Speaking For God???

2009-09-01T16:12:00.003-05:00

David gave one of his best sermons of his tenure at FBC this week. It was about saying too much and too little for God. He noted several issues, but what most intrigues me is the problem about speaking of/for God, about confusing the voice of God and the voice of the human speaking for God.

What I want to know is whether there is a way around this question. In other words, can anyone speak for God or about God? Can God be put into words at all?

There's no real threat in atheism for those of us who have felt God's presence in our lives, those of us who (know that we) have received God's grace and mercy and love. But, just because we cannot deny God doesn't mean that we can speak about God or especially for God.

When we start speaking of God, we are thereby limiting God. Yet, how can we not speak of the God who is our Creator and Redeemer and Sustainer? It's impossible! We must speak of our salvation, of God's love for us.

The paradox, as I see it, is this:

That of which we cannot speak

is the one thing of which we must speak.

The Last Thing I Though I'd Ever Be...

2009-08-30T18:23:00.003-05:00

Teresa was a baptist Christian, a member of FBC for a while when she met Bill. Although active in church growing up, he had taken an extended sabbatical from religion. Well, as often happens, he returned to church with his companion in life.

The last thing I thought I'd ever be is a baptist! exclaimed Bill.

That just might be a common sentiment for those of us who have found FBC, even those of us who were raised in baptist churches. And yet here we are, at FBC together.

And what is so special about FBC? Well, I think Bill and Teresa really nailed it by focusing on the personality of the church. FBC is a place where all the nonsense and the screaming and yelling is cast aside in favor for the business of the gospel. We think and discuss together. We look for needs and try to fill them.

Baptist is a good name. Let's save the name! There are some out there with the same name, making headlines for all the wrong reasons and making us uneasy with our own name. Well, let's get out there and let's reclaim the name! Let's be proud to be called baptist by (re-)building the reputation of the name.

How Do You Get By? What Are Your Causes?

2009-08-30T18:09:00.004-05:00

Bill and Teresa have been through their fair share of issues and more. Breast cancer, kidney disease, organ transplant, to name a few.

How do you get by? is/was a common question. You do what you do, said Bill.

God only gives you the problems you have the strength to handle, several told them. Well, I don't want any more strength, Bill responded in commendable honesty.

They had a great support system in the church and in the community. I don't know what people do without a church, noted Teresa.

They were able to come out the other side able and willing to give back. And what had been their greatest problems have turned into some of the great passions of their lives.

What are the greatest problems and the greatest passions of your life? You have a support system at FBC. Are you ready to transform your problems into your passions? Let us help in the process and let your problem/passion be our problem/passion.

Personal Mission Statement

2009-08-30T17:52:00.003-05:00

Bill and Teresa shared their story with us this morning and we are all very fortunate to have them around--as friends, as mentors, as witnesses to God's presence.

Bill shared how events early in their life together forced him to really think about what is important in life. And a book he was reading (Seven Habits...) helped him in that process.

The book challenged Bill to create a personal mission statement by beginning with the end. In other words, first ask yourself what you want people to remember about you. Then, organize your life around that.

So, what is most important in your life? What should be most important?

Hospitality

2009-08-27T20:42:00.003-05:00

Thi and Pacher gave a report last night (Wednesday) about the ministry First Laotian Baptist has been doing with the refugees in our backyard. It was a moving testimony of how God is working.

Love God by Loving People, Thi stated, restating 'the Greatest Commandment,' which says that the Law and the Prophets can be summed up by the double command to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22.36-40).

We've been there, Thi said, quite literally referring to the struggles of the Laotian families when they came to America--and specifically to Memphis--as refugees.

And you helped us, he continued, referring to how First Laotian started as an outreach to the Laotian refugee community. Pacher emphasized this point, recalling her family's experience.

We want to help them like you helped us, he said, asking for any assistance we could provide in the process.

These are our neighbors, Pacher stressed. There's a huge language barrier, but we speak the language of love.

It was so moving that two members of our congregation went to the apartment complex at which the refugees are staying last night.

You can help--and, if fact, many of us already have. But the needs are great. And the needs are as follows:

transportation (if you can volunteer to drive people to the store, or if you have an extra vehicle to be shared among the families),
employment (if you know of any jobs that are available for those with limited English language skills),
clothes (if you have any extra clothes, from newborn up to adult),
baby/children's items (if you have any surplus items, the need here is large),
Refugee Empowerment Program volunteers (if you can tutor children with their schoolwork, or be an assistant for an adult English class).

Welcoming God

2009-08-27T20:25:00.003-05:00

We sometimes have difficulty welcoming God in our midst, David said during Sunday's sermon. Continuing, he gave a few examples of when we are inhospitable to God.

God is never welcome, said David, when:

entertainment is more important than worship,
we only hear what we want to hear,
prejudice keeps us from hearing God's voice,
we limit how God can speak.

On the other hand, God is welcome when God is free to be God, which is to say when we don't place limits on God.

I'm reminded of a professor who always stressed this point--and liked to illustrate it. Around the walls of the classroom, he wrote, 'G-d is G-d is G-d is G-d is G-d...' (Following the Hebrew tradition, he didn't believe you should write the name of God.) He even went out into the hallway and wrote it there, in the area between the two doors to the room. That was sophomore year.

Before my senior year, they renovated the building. It looked like a different place, as they had even changed the number of rooms on the third floor. But, in what was left of that room, 'G-d is G-d is G-d is G-d...' was still seen on the walls, a truth that could not be erased.

So, we have to ask:

How hospitable are we to God?

Is God welcome at FBC?

Is God welcome in our lives?

Are we ready to let G-d be G-d?

God With Us?

2009-08-27T17:24:00.003-05:00

Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from You no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of You Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Those are the words we pray together each week at FBC before the pastor's sermon. We call it the 'Prayer of Preparation' because it helps prepare us to receive the kerygma (Greek for 'proclamation, announcement, preaching') of the church.

Many of us do not know the origins of this prayer, which has nonetheless become very familiar over the years. It was written by St John Chrysostom, one of the great Greek Fathers of the Church. He lived during the last half of the 4th century, was appointed (against his will) Archbishop of Constantinople, and was/is famous for his preaching.

The elegant words of John Chrysostom brought this response from our pastor on Sunday: "God is with us and our only prayer is that we listen up."

Listen, we shall. And, listen, we are already. These are exciting times at FBC, as we are reaching out to our neighbors in need of a hand and our neighbors in need of a church family--and some need both.

God is at work. Won't you join in what God is already doing?

**NOTE**

The Prayer of Preparation was originally written in Latin as:

Deus, cui omne cor patet et omnis uoluntas loquitur, et quem nullum latet secretum: purifica per infusionem Sancti Spiritus cogitationes cordis nostri, ut perfecte te diligere et digne laudare mereamur, per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum. Amen.

Overflowing Gifts!!!

2009-08-23T16:56:00.002-05:00

This morning, David teared up a bit as he spoke of the generosity of our giving, referring to the Foward With First offering collected last week. What he didn't tell us, though, was how much we gave. Thus, we were left perplexed, assuming that it must have been a good bit, given the tears.

So, a little birdy has provided some information. The amount given was almost twice as much as the amount given last year. And it was a full 1/3 more than the number the Finance Committee set as the goal.

I would say that we gave until it hurt, that we sacrificed in order to give. And I would say that we are helping build the Kingdom in and through the ministry that is FBC.

And, for that, we should be proud. Yet, we must not be satisfied with our gifts, for there are still needs to be met; we must not be satisfied with giving financially, for there are other needs that require our time; we must not be satisfied with ourselves, for all that we have has been given to us by our gracious God.

In other words, be proud...but only for a moment. And, then, get back to work, get back to the task at hand, get back to building the Kingdom.

Contrasting Gifts

2009-08-17T16:08:00.004-05:00

A contrast was made in the sermon Sunday that could make for some interesting conversation.

The context was a sermon on giving. FBC doesn't have many of those. And, when we do, there is no attempt to manipulate, no attempt to make anyone feel guilty. David even said that some might need to give less. LESS! Who ever heard of such? So, when we talk about giving and stewardship, it's easier to to not be cynical.

Gifts of Wealth v. Gifts of Self

The contrast made was between gifts of wealth and gifts of the self.

Gifts of wealth are gifts that don't require any sacrifice. These are larger sums that coming from even larger sums. And these are valuable.

Look at all the good that is done with the gifts of the wealthy. Much of the giving at FBC falls in this category and it allows our church to do a lot of good things, like how the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does a whole lot of good because of the wealth of the Gates family.

These gifts are helpful, necessary even, but they do not hurt.

Gifts of the self, on the other hand, may be small or large. The emphasis is on the aspect of sacrifice. Here, no matter how much is given, it is a gift that hits home deep, that is painful to give. This the the widow's mite.

These gifts are not given out of excess, surplus, or extra. Rather, these gifts come from poverty, deficiency, and privation. Here, the giver is reaching, not into what she/he has, but into what she/he does not have.

Success of the Institution v. Success of the Kingdom

Gifts of wealth allow for the institution, the church, to thrive. They allow us to offer programs and events and all kind of good things. They allow us to fix the roof, to feed the hungry, to heat and cool the building, to offer an exciting week of Vacation Bible School to pay the salaries of the church staff, to build houses for those without a place to call home. They are good, very good, gifts.

These gifts help do the work of the Kingdom, but they should not be confused with the Kingdom itself.

Gifts of the self, though, allow for the Kingdom to thrive. They may benefit the institution, the specific church on the corner of Poplar and Parkway, but they are focused beyond, to the Creator and Redeemer and Sustainer of all that is. They are a reflection of the Christ who gave from his very self, quite literally.

These gifts not only help do the work of the Kingdom; they are the very stuff of which the Kingdom is made.

And, sure, these gifts include those that are financial in nature, but they also include much more. This is especially important if we, as Baptists, take serious the priesthood of all believers. We are all called to be priests, to be ministers, to be missionaries, to be the hands and feet of God in the world. That means that we cannot just give from our paychecks. No, it means that we must be active in ministry.

FBC is not to be confused with the Kingdom, but hopefully we are faithful enough that our gifts help to do the work of the Kingdom. May we give, financially and otherwise, not so that our church can fit more comfortably into a middle class lifestyle, but so that we can better serve God and our neighbors through our church.

No Reservations?

2009-08-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

During their couple share this morning, Richard said something about responding to God's call that made us all laugh, even as I think it may have made us all feel a bit guilty.

What he said was this: 'I can't do this because I'm not coming here!' He was wrestling with God's calling on his life when he visiting a certain place in Mississippi, a place very different than the part of Mississippi where he was raised. And that's when he realized that he had certain reservations about responding to God's call.

Thank you, Richard, for being so honest with us. We are glad you didn't resist the call that brought you to Memphis.

But the question for your thoughts is this: what are your reservations? Is there somewhere you wouldn't go if God called? Is there something you wouldn't do for God? Are there certain people with and for whom you would not want to work?

And why?

Just Getting By

2009-08-16T20:35:00.002-05:00

An interesting point was made this morning during the Connect4 couple share.

It can be boiled down to this question: do you live your life with a purpose, or are you just getting by?

The point was made discussing a book about raising children, but could apply to life in general, especially during such trying times as the one in which the current economic situation has placed so many of us.

So, how are you living? Is there a larger purpose that governs your life, that holds you accountable, that provides you with perspective? Or, are you just getting by?

I am reminded of a point an old professor often made, contrasting purpose and plan.

If you have a plan (a specific means and ends), what happens if the planned path closes? For example, if you plan to drive to Nashville on I-40, what happens if, for whatever reason, they block the interstate? You're up the creek if you have time constraints. The end goal of your plan is thwarted just because you haven't allowed room for adjustments.

This is how it is when you're just getting by, when you're so focused on the here and now that you lose sight of the bigger picture.

If, rather than focusing on the plan, you focus on the purpose (a specific ends, but not means), you can make adjustments. If your purpose is to get to Nashville, you can take any number of roads to get there. If there is a roadblock, it doesn't matter so much. You could get off the beaten path and enjoy the scenery. And maybe you were meant to take the long way, to see the small towns between here and there, to experience something other than the interstate, which is pretty much the same all over.

When you have a purpose, you may have a plan as well, but you also have backup plans that can get you where you need to be. Remember, the plan isn't the goal, but what gets you to the goal; the goal is your destination.

The Impossible

2009-08-09T18:58:00.002-05:00

David spoke this morning about kindness and forgiveness. These are difficult things that often are simplified into simplistic notions like being nice and tolerant and accepting. Yet, being nice and tolerant and accepting do not require much of us. In fact, we can be nice and tolerant and accepting by just not caring one way or another, by being apathetic, by merely ignoring others.

The biblical notion, by contrast, is quite demanding. John Caputo, drawing on Jacques Derrida, has even called it impossible (or the im-possible). By that he means we can never completely get outside of the circle of exchange, of reciprocity, because gifts form a circular economy.

When you forgive me, I am then indebted to you, which really cancels the act of forgiveness. So, I try to do something for you, which then puts you in debt to me. And so on. In short, a chain is formed. (Incidentally, the French for gift, cadeau, is actually derived from the the word for chain, catena.)

The problem is this: we are stuck between the world of forgiveness and the world of economics. We can't choose one or the other, but have to negotiate the space in between. We can't simply get outside of give and take, of reciprocity, just as we can never reach the act of pure forgiveness.

But that's okay.

We can't get outside the circle of reciprocity, but we can expand and widen its boudaries. We can bust through the perimeter, if only for an instant, before it closes back up again. Yet, it never closes the same way twice. Rather, each time we bust it open, we force its radius outward, thus creating a larger and more inclusive circle.

The point becomes twofold. We must forgive, but remember that forgiveness cancels itself out and so never actually is. And we must have economy, the circle of exchange and reciprocity, but don't let the circle close too tightly.

May the impossible drive us, let it be our passion. May we work towards true forgiveness. May we embrace the impossible, try to do the impossible. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who has already done the impossible by offering himself.

Everything I Ever Needed to Know...

2009-08-09T18:48:00.002-05:00

So, David says he learned (almost) everything he ever needed to know from Mrs Nava Lou Stiglet in children's Sunday School. She taught him some important verses from Scripture, like 'Be ye kind one to another' and 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'

Question: Where did you learn (almost) everything you have needed to know? Did you have your own 'Mrs Nava Lou'? Tell us about her/him and what you learned that you needed to know.

Those Baptizing Baptists!

2009-08-09T14:42:00.003-05:00

'We do not watch baptism; we participate in it.'

Those are the words with which David began the ordinance (dare we call it a sacrament?) of baptism this morning. And he is certainly correct.

With each new baptism, we should renew our own committment. When the new Christ-follower is asked, 'What confession brings you to these waters?,' we should join her/him in responding, 'Jesus Christ is Lord.'

And, as David noted, each new Christ-follower, each person baptized, is also a minister. David and Ray and Carol and Richard are not the official ministers of the church. Well, they are, but not because of their titles and the positions of leadership they hold. As Baptists, we believe that each one of us is a minister. We call that 'the priesthood of all believers.'

Are you comfortable by this idea? Are you challenged by it? Are you encouraged by it? What are your thoughts?

And how can we, as the laity (the general members of the congregation, from the Greek laikos and laos, meaning 'of the people' and the people at large) live more faithfully into this role of responsibility?

Faith v. Religion

2009-08-09T14:32:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Mike and Natalie for sharing their story with us this morning.

Mike mentioned something that could make for an interesting discussion: the difference between faith and religion. Do you have any thoughts on the subject?

Mike seemed to imply that he always had some degree of faith, but had not always been comfortable with religion. This is a common sentiment. Do you have a similar experience?

Are faith and religion connected? Should they be? Could they be? In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different?

Missions Update

2009-08-09T14:07:00.002-05:00

Thanks, everyone, for helping us raise funds and collect school supplies for the Refugee Empowerment Program. We raised $235, which was used to purchase bookbags and uniforms and supplies. Plus, some people bought supplies themselves.

All in all, we made a difference in the lives of these children and their families. Many thanks to First Laotian Baptist, our partner congregation that meets in our building, for their leadership in this project.

The Laotian congregation is also asking for our help in a couple of other areas.

Their youth are taking a retreat soon and would like some of the refugee youth to join them. They are holding a fundraiser to help pay their way. Eggrolls from 'The Little Eggroll Shop' are available at 10/$10 and 25/$25. They are fantastic, so just contact Pacher at pacherseggrolls@aol.com and let her know you want some.

Also, several of the refugee families are in need of gently used (or new) baby items. If you have anything to spare, or just want to buy some diapers or something, contact Thi, the pastor of First Laotian, at thimitsamphanh@yahoo.com.

Thanks in advance for you assistance.

Leaving/Arriving: Church

2009-08-08T21:09:00.001-05:00

Discuss.

Righteous Anger???

2009-08-02T15:57:00.003-05:00

Leigh Ann wanted to talk about the lesson from their Sunday School class this morning. Apparently, they discussed venting frustrations. And, well, she wanted to vent her frustration that venting frustration often gets a bad rap. This will be the place for that conversation.

To start the discussion, I think anger can be righteous or not. And frustration can be vented in positive or negative ways.

What do you think? Can anger be good? Why? Is complaining always bad? Why?

Knowledge of Self

2009-08-02T14:10:00.003-05:00

Worship

Today's worship was just stellar! Don't you think!?! The music created a majestic atmosphere, the litany connected the biblical text with our lives, and the sermon provoked much thought and, hopefully, action. Ray and David really set the bar high for us (and themselves in the future!).

Sermon

Knowledge of Self and Knowledge of God

David joined a long tradition in the church this morning, connecting the knowledge of self and the knowledge of God. Saint Augustine of Hippo famously comes to mind. As a brief summary, he argued that all was created as good and in participation with God. Sin, for Augustine, is the privation/absence of the good or the lack of participation in the life of God. To know the self truthfully, then, is to know the self in God, for all that is, is in God. Likewise, to know God truthfully is to know the self, for God is in all that is--even if hidden and waiting.

Read this excerpt, posted just this week, from the blog, 'the church and postmodern culture: a conversation':

For Augustine, humanity has not fallen out of perfection, but rather out of Creation, into the condition of privation, isolation, and withdrawal. Sin is not a fall from God, but the fall from ourselves, otherwise we could not exist as human beings. While our response to this condition is further retreat, into isolation from others, and forming life around ourselves, redemption is the move back into Creation and presence with God and others. . .

However, Augustine reminds us to also be humble in how much we claim to know about God. 'Si comprehendis, non Deus est,' wrote Augustine: 'If you understand it, it is not God' (Sermon 52).

This is a tradition that has fallen out of favor in some circles, as they have lost Augustine's nuance in the attempt to avoid what has been dubbed 'spiritual me-ism.' Yet, just because there is a danger of spiritual narcissism does not mean we should avoid the quest to 'Know Thyself,' especially if, as David noted today, knowledge of the self is a much more difficult task than we realize or admit.

(What do you think about the connection between knowledge of Self and knowledge of God? Is there a special connection there for you?)

Knowledge of Self and Help From Others

Indeed, the extent to which we really know ourselves often depends on the extent we are willing to get outside of ourselves. As David emphasized, we have a limited perspective, with blind spots that hinder our ability to see certain aspects of the self. Additionally, we are prone to self-deception and do not always want to see certain parts of the self. We need an outside perspective. Like King David, we need a Nathan to tell us a story and say, 'You are that man!' or 'You are that woman!'

(Is there a Nathan in your life? Or just someone who is especially honest with you and holds you accountable?)

Knowledge of Self and the Scriptures

David made a great point, reflecting back on the early church, by positing that the power of the Gospel lies in us making it our own story. The Gospel does not have to shout, for, as David said, there is too much truth there. And the truth of the Gospel really hits us when we realize that it is our story, too, and not merely 'the old old story.'

As the litany today read, '... like King David, we ourselves have tried to hide our own sins.' Fortunately, we have a God ready to receive us and a church ready to help us.

(In what ways do you make the Gospel your own story? What parts of Scripture especially doesn't have to shout at you because of the truth there?)

Knowledge of Self and Love of Others

Moreover, we have been created in and for community. In other words, we do not truthfully know ourselves in isolation. We have been created and called to love one another. That is our purpose, not just as Christians, but as humans. To quote Augustine again, 'If you see charity, you see the Trinity' (On the Trinity).

Thus, to know the self is to give of the self to our neighbors--and receive from the self of the neighbor in turn. We are inconnected from the very beginning and to deny that fact is to miss a great insight into who we are.

(Is there a special times you can remember when you understood God and Self more clearly as you gave to or received from others?)

Knowledge of Self in Communion With Others

As a church, we have already begun to know ourself--and, as members, ourselves.

Many of us joined together in fellowship around the tables of Los Compadres this afternoon, which we transformed into the Lord's Table as we celebrated each other and God's blessings to us.

And many more of us gave from our selves to help the Laotian community help the newly relocated refugees living just behind our church. Holly collected over $200 after church! And, remember, we will be collecting school supplies and donations again on Wednesday night.

So, let us say, 'thanks be to God!'

Local Missions Opportunities

2009-08-02T07:52:00.006-05:00

The Laotian ministry at FBC has been doing some exciting things. And they have asked for our assistance. Here is a list of local missions and ministry opportunities of which we can be a part.

First, as most of us know, school starts back next week. They Laotians have been working with a group of refugees in Binghampton through the Refugee Empowerment Program and they need school supplies. We just found out about this need, so it's kind of short notice. But if you have any supplies you can donate, that would be great. Also, Holly and JB will be taking donations to purchase items. Bring donations on Sunday or Wednesday.

Second, the Laotian youth are taking a retreat and are hoping to take some of the refugees with them. To help pay the way of the refugee youth, they are holding an Eggroll Fundraiser. The eggrolls, which are fantastic, are 10 for $10 or 25 for $20. Contact Pacher at pacherseggrolls@aol.com.

Finally, several of the refugee families have newborns and need baby items. So, if you have any gently used baby items you can spare, they would greatly appreciate it. Or, if you just want to buy some diapers, I'm sure that would be fine, too. Contact Thi, the pastor of First Laotian, at thimitsamphanh@yahoo.com.

Thanks in advance for your participation!