Sunday, October 31, 2010
Introverts in church
This short article posits that many Protestant churches have conflated spirituality with sociability, mistakenly making a situation where extraversion is good and introversion is bad. If the author is correct, then it might also have something to do with the lack of men in the church. Anyway, I'd be interested to hear what others think about the article.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A few bits of church history
I heard an old college professor, Jerry Sittser, give some talks about church history this past weekend. Even though it happened in Vancouver, Washington (really, things happen there?), hearing Jerry lecture is usually a good idea, and it was a very worthwhile event. He talked about things from the first to the eighteenth century; here are a few things that stuck out to me:
-The early church catechumenate. Way back in the day, when the church was relatively just getting started, people didn't just start attending services. There was a long, involved training process for newbies where they were taught and discipled, tested for genuineness and eventually baptized and given the Eucharist. The whole thing sounds rather foreign--I mean, who gets "trained" when they become a Christian these days? But, really, we could do a better job in giving direction to new believers, and even not-so-new but immature ones.
-The church in the Middle Ages. Medieval Europe was basically a mess, literacy was low, and Bibles were scarce. This led to three things (yes, only three (just kidding)).
*First, the church developed a number of material, especially visual, aspects to faith. Go look up Gothic cathedral architecture sometime; the shape of the buildings, high ceilings, gargoyles, window placements, stained-glass salvation stories, it all had meaning and was meant to benefit the believer. And that's to say nothing of the images, songs, and other non-written features that the church employed. With the appreciation for (obsession with) various media (say, the internet) that our society has, sometimes I wonder if the church is really botching something important here. Obviously things have changed since Medieval times, and there is just a lot more media out there in general, and I'm not saying that we should move away from literacy, but it is an interesting topic to think about.
*Because of the illiteracy, etc., laypeople depended heavily on the monks and clergy, who prayed for them, sang for them, basically did everything for them. Granted, that probably wasn't an ideal situation, but what caught my attention was Jerry's empathy for those people. Jerry once dealt with the sudden deaths of his mother, wife, and daughter in a single car accident, an experience that was of course highly traumatic. In the aftermath, he says, he felt unable to pray or sing or do anything faith-related other than take communion. It's not that he stopped believing; he was just too tired, so he suspended belief, and the church carried him along, temporarily singing, praying, and believing for him. "And that," he says, "is when I understood the Medieval church for the first time." I don't know how that all works out theologically, but I think Jerry is on to something, and it's a good thought for those who might tend to expect too much from themselves.
*The vanguard of Medieval Christendom was the monastery. There are lots of things to say about the monks, but what caught my attention recently is that they 1) scheduled regular prayer into their days, and 2) did regular things in the context of their faith. I could be wrong, but it seems like a lot of people try to do more Christian things, when what they really need is to do things more Christianly. I was reminded of Brother Lawrence, a monk who talked about doing things like washing dishes as acts of worship. You don't have to be a monk to do that.
-In the revival that John and Charles Wesley were involved in, they had small groups. They were called "holy clubs." Just thought I would mention that.
-Also, I heard that Luther's Large Catechism is good reading. I haven't read it yet, but it might be worth checking out.
-The early church catechumenate. Way back in the day, when the church was relatively just getting started, people didn't just start attending services. There was a long, involved training process for newbies where they were taught and discipled, tested for genuineness and eventually baptized and given the Eucharist. The whole thing sounds rather foreign--I mean, who gets "trained" when they become a Christian these days? But, really, we could do a better job in giving direction to new believers, and even not-so-new but immature ones.
-The church in the Middle Ages. Medieval Europe was basically a mess, literacy was low, and Bibles were scarce. This led to three things (yes, only three (just kidding)).
*First, the church developed a number of material, especially visual, aspects to faith. Go look up Gothic cathedral architecture sometime; the shape of the buildings, high ceilings, gargoyles, window placements, stained-glass salvation stories, it all had meaning and was meant to benefit the believer. And that's to say nothing of the images, songs, and other non-written features that the church employed. With the appreciation for (obsession with) various media (say, the internet) that our society has, sometimes I wonder if the church is really botching something important here. Obviously things have changed since Medieval times, and there is just a lot more media out there in general, and I'm not saying that we should move away from literacy, but it is an interesting topic to think about.
*Because of the illiteracy, etc., laypeople depended heavily on the monks and clergy, who prayed for them, sang for them, basically did everything for them. Granted, that probably wasn't an ideal situation, but what caught my attention was Jerry's empathy for those people. Jerry once dealt with the sudden deaths of his mother, wife, and daughter in a single car accident, an experience that was of course highly traumatic. In the aftermath, he says, he felt unable to pray or sing or do anything faith-related other than take communion. It's not that he stopped believing; he was just too tired, so he suspended belief, and the church carried him along, temporarily singing, praying, and believing for him. "And that," he says, "is when I understood the Medieval church for the first time." I don't know how that all works out theologically, but I think Jerry is on to something, and it's a good thought for those who might tend to expect too much from themselves.
*The vanguard of Medieval Christendom was the monastery. There are lots of things to say about the monks, but what caught my attention recently is that they 1) scheduled regular prayer into their days, and 2) did regular things in the context of their faith. I could be wrong, but it seems like a lot of people try to do more Christian things, when what they really need is to do things more Christianly. I was reminded of Brother Lawrence, a monk who talked about doing things like washing dishes as acts of worship. You don't have to be a monk to do that.
-In the revival that John and Charles Wesley were involved in, they had small groups. They were called "holy clubs." Just thought I would mention that.
-Also, I heard that Luther's Large Catechism is good reading. I haven't read it yet, but it might be worth checking out.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Self-awareness, Christ-awareness
I was reading some thoughts from Oswald Chambers the other day that are actually related to my last post. He's being a little disjointed and mystical, but I like some of his ideas about how we view things. (Read the full texts here and here) He says:
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— “Come to Me . . . .” The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words.
And again:
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
I appreciate Chambers' directness, and I like the way he characterizes closeness to Christ as "rest." I'm still chewing on the Christ-awareness-replacing-self-awareness part, but it seems to speak to the subject of self-definition that I raised in the previous post. If any of you have thoughts on this, I would love to hear them.
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— “Come to Me . . . .” The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words.
And again:
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
I appreciate Chambers' directness, and I like the way he characterizes closeness to Christ as "rest." I'm still chewing on the Christ-awareness-replacing-self-awareness part, but it seems to speak to the subject of self-definition that I raised in the previous post. If any of you have thoughts on this, I would love to hear them.
Monday, August 23, 2010
How do you define yourself?
I heard a sermon a few weeks ago in which the pastor said that we shouldn't define ourselves by our failures. We have to let them go, he said. Discussing it afterward, a friend asked me if I think I do define myself that way or not. I don't really think I do, and I said so, but for some reason the topic still made me a little unsettled.
Well, I was thinking about it again the other day. I agree that we shouldn't define ourselves by our failures, and I still don't think I am in a habit of doing that, but I think I do define myself by my successes. And, looking around, it seems that we're taught to do that on a social level, and more or less innately want to on an individual level (I'm not going to try to prove that it's innate right now, but it makes sense, right?).
There are two problems here.
First, if you define yourself by successes and not failures, then your philosophy of self is incoherent. It can be both or neither, but picking one and leaving the other is invalid.
Second, and at least equally important, is that we, as Christians, are not supposed to define ourselves by our achievements. I know the Bible talks about crowns and whatnot in heaven, but success does not define us as much as we would like it to. This is difficult to come to terms with, at least for me, because even within the church, success correlates with rewards and praise, good things. And I want those good things to be mine. If the success is mine, then the rewards are mine as well, and suddenly I am defining myself by successes.
Obviously the answer is not to fail at everything, but to have a new perspective. And that is the hard part...
Well, I was thinking about it again the other day. I agree that we shouldn't define ourselves by our failures, and I still don't think I am in a habit of doing that, but I think I do define myself by my successes. And, looking around, it seems that we're taught to do that on a social level, and more or less innately want to on an individual level (I'm not going to try to prove that it's innate right now, but it makes sense, right?).
There are two problems here.
First, if you define yourself by successes and not failures, then your philosophy of self is incoherent. It can be both or neither, but picking one and leaving the other is invalid.
Second, and at least equally important, is that we, as Christians, are not supposed to define ourselves by our achievements. I know the Bible talks about crowns and whatnot in heaven, but success does not define us as much as we would like it to. This is difficult to come to terms with, at least for me, because even within the church, success correlates with rewards and praise, good things. And I want those good things to be mine. If the success is mine, then the rewards are mine as well, and suddenly I am defining myself by successes.
Obviously the answer is not to fail at everything, but to have a new perspective. And that is the hard part...
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Proverbs by NWHC Members
Here are some of the funny and life applicable proverbs we wrote last week.
Never wear pleated pants regardless of current fashion trends. You ill look back at pictures and regret that decision.
If you're one of those people that jogs in place at stop lights, knock it off, you're killin' the vibe.
Never underestimate the power for rich, chocolate Ovaltine.
If you need gas, get some before you run out.
A tear in your clothing never improves on its own. Attend to it immediately.
Try to find the positive in every situation.
When someone knocks on the bathroom door and you're in the tub, don't say "Come in."
An epic road trip reveals your true nature and who your real friends are.
Always leave your keys in the same place.
If you want long nails, you must stop biting them.
Double check the license plate before hot wiring your car.
If you fall in a well, don't' worry. Somebody is probably going to find you.
When someone is speeding and cuts you off they're probably on their way to the hospital to have a baby.
Soup is good food.
Do things quickly and walk away.
Do thinks quickly, without thinking and you will not be slowed down by doubt and worry.
Make a habit out of exaggerating your stories to the benefit of the main character.
Don't worry about what others may think... dance when you get the chance!
If you are physically sick about a decision/action you are about to take and your family and friends think it is a bad idea, don't do it!
When going downhill on a bike, you lose your brakes, try for the land speed record.
Sometimes "good enough" is just that, enough.
Don't start a fire in an occupied chimney.
Make peace with the songs that are in your head.
Squirrels who do not remember where they buried the acorns go hungry.
Remember the road you've come down so you can drive it in reverse.
In most cases plugging appliances in helps the process.
Peeling paint is like peeling skin after a sunburn. Once yous tart, it never stops.
Keep a running lawn mower only on grass to ensure only the lawn gets cut.
A well written pros and cons list is like a well balanced scale discerning the heart and desire.
If you want clean pants, don't feed a naked baby on your lap.
A bumper sticker has yet to change someones opinion.
Listen to people when they're talking to you.
Don't try to meet everyone expectations or you will find yourself wondering what yours are.
Thread your golden thread as you walk into the labyrinth and you will escape the mini fawn.
Your foot and a hammer do not have the same effect on a nail.
So remember your own history and you will not be lost when the path seems the same as before.
It is impossible to alert other cars your around when both your blinkers and horn are broken.
Learn to knock on the walls (or ceiling/floors) if your neighbors are being loud.
Food will not solve your problems or create happiness, but cheese comes awful close.
Stress and worry lead to gray hairs and wrinkles. Avoid both and it will be like finding the fountain of youth.
Pretend the driver who cut you off is blind and deaf.
Buying jeans a size too small as motivation is a bad idea. They never fit.
The terrible thing about patience is waiting.
Never name the animals in a town with no market.
Those who wear blue tooth while not on the phone are like finding the milk jug empty. They have the appearance of content but are only stale air.
Anything outrageous/dangerous that you are bribed to do for under $5 is not worth it.
It doesn't matter how simple a project seems on a house. It will always get more complicated.
Jaws is probably not waiting for you at the deep end of the pool.
Eat ice cream daily. It makes you happy.
Can't decide? Order the sampler.
Money always comes and goes. But hard work will bring it back again.
Don't wear socks in the kitchen if you don't like wet feet.
Like a man who stubbornly rocks a mullet, there comes a point where it is time to move on and embrace change.
Once the soles of your shoes have worn through it is necessary to use duct tape at least every three days. Otherwise - not water proof.
When being chased, run faster than the person chasing you. If this is not possible, hope you are dreaming.
Smile with your eyes...eventually something will happen.
Falling in love is harder than it looks. Remember to wear a helmet!
These are fun, funny, smart and all around wonderful! Great job everyone!!
Never wear pleated pants regardless of current fashion trends. You ill look back at pictures and regret that decision.
If you're one of those people that jogs in place at stop lights, knock it off, you're killin' the vibe.
Never underestimate the power for rich, chocolate Ovaltine.
If you need gas, get some before you run out.
A tear in your clothing never improves on its own. Attend to it immediately.
Try to find the positive in every situation.
When someone knocks on the bathroom door and you're in the tub, don't say "Come in."
An epic road trip reveals your true nature and who your real friends are.
Always leave your keys in the same place.
If you want long nails, you must stop biting them.
Double check the license plate before hot wiring your car.
If you fall in a well, don't' worry. Somebody is probably going to find you.
When someone is speeding and cuts you off they're probably on their way to the hospital to have a baby.
Soup is good food.
Do things quickly and walk away.
Do thinks quickly, without thinking and you will not be slowed down by doubt and worry.
Make a habit out of exaggerating your stories to the benefit of the main character.
Don't worry about what others may think... dance when you get the chance!
If you are physically sick about a decision/action you are about to take and your family and friends think it is a bad idea, don't do it!
When going downhill on a bike, you lose your brakes, try for the land speed record.
Sometimes "good enough" is just that, enough.
Don't start a fire in an occupied chimney.
Make peace with the songs that are in your head.
Squirrels who do not remember where they buried the acorns go hungry.
Remember the road you've come down so you can drive it in reverse.
In most cases plugging appliances in helps the process.
Peeling paint is like peeling skin after a sunburn. Once yous tart, it never stops.
Keep a running lawn mower only on grass to ensure only the lawn gets cut.
A well written pros and cons list is like a well balanced scale discerning the heart and desire.
If you want clean pants, don't feed a naked baby on your lap.
A bumper sticker has yet to change someones opinion.
Listen to people when they're talking to you.
Don't try to meet everyone expectations or you will find yourself wondering what yours are.
Thread your golden thread as you walk into the labyrinth and you will escape the mini fawn.
Your foot and a hammer do not have the same effect on a nail.
So remember your own history and you will not be lost when the path seems the same as before.
It is impossible to alert other cars your around when both your blinkers and horn are broken.
Learn to knock on the walls (or ceiling/floors) if your neighbors are being loud.
Food will not solve your problems or create happiness, but cheese comes awful close.
Stress and worry lead to gray hairs and wrinkles. Avoid both and it will be like finding the fountain of youth.
Pretend the driver who cut you off is blind and deaf.
Buying jeans a size too small as motivation is a bad idea. They never fit.
The terrible thing about patience is waiting.
Never name the animals in a town with no market.
Those who wear blue tooth while not on the phone are like finding the milk jug empty. They have the appearance of content but are only stale air.
Anything outrageous/dangerous that you are bribed to do for under $5 is not worth it.
It doesn't matter how simple a project seems on a house. It will always get more complicated.
Jaws is probably not waiting for you at the deep end of the pool.
Eat ice cream daily. It makes you happy.
Can't decide? Order the sampler.
Money always comes and goes. But hard work will bring it back again.
Don't wear socks in the kitchen if you don't like wet feet.
Like a man who stubbornly rocks a mullet, there comes a point where it is time to move on and embrace change.
Once the soles of your shoes have worn through it is necessary to use duct tape at least every three days. Otherwise - not water proof.
When being chased, run faster than the person chasing you. If this is not possible, hope you are dreaming.
Smile with your eyes...eventually something will happen.
Falling in love is harder than it looks. Remember to wear a helmet!
These are fun, funny, smart and all around wonderful! Great job everyone!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Making Waves
I saw the waves this weekend. I went to the ocean. It was amazing and awe inspiring. The sound was loud. I've lived by the ocean my whole life. I've seen the ocean in so many parts of the world. But this weekend I saw the ocean. I mean the waves were so powerful. I looked at them crashing against the shore and thought that if I ever was caught in them, I could easily be killed. Those waves could end me.
But God is more powerful than those waves. He commands the ocean. So God can do miraculous things. God can heal the sick and cure the sadness and pacify the frustration.
Read this passage below from Jeremiah. God LOVES us. He loves me and he loves you. He chose you and has called you beloved. You are forgiven and He cannot see your sins. The Lord Almighty is his name.
How cool is that?
Jeremiah 31:33-35 (New International Version)
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."
35 This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar—
the LORD Almighty is his name:
But God is more powerful than those waves. He commands the ocean. So God can do miraculous things. God can heal the sick and cure the sadness and pacify the frustration.
Read this passage below from Jeremiah. God LOVES us. He loves me and he loves you. He chose you and has called you beloved. You are forgiven and He cannot see your sins. The Lord Almighty is his name.
How cool is that?
Jeremiah 31:33-35 (New International Version)
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."
35 This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar—
the LORD Almighty is his name:
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