2007 February «

Wednesday Worship Thoughts: The Easter Journey … 1

28 February 07 at 9:45 pm | In Music, Wednesday Worship Thoughts | No Comments

Lent. Now that the endless (sometimes superficial, but that’s another story) speculation and debate about what to give up for the season has passed, it’s time to begin to turn our eyes to the end of the Lenten journey, to the commemoration of the event that Lent precedes and for which Lent prepares us - the cross and the resurrection.

For the next couple of weeks, Wednesday Worship Thoughts will focus on songs about the cross. On Easter Sunday and then for the weeks leading up to Pentecost, WWT will look at songs celebrating the resurrection. Along the way, we’ll meet some hymn writers from a couple hundred years ago as well as artists creating new ways to celebrate the core of our faith.

As to the latter, there’s no better place to start than with Matt Redman, one of the more prolific songwriters of recent years. Of course, I have no empirical evidence to support this claim, just my observations that an awful lot of really good songs were written by this guy.

One of the very first Matt Redman songs I ever heard was Once Again, which first appeared on The Friendship and the Fear, one of his early albums, and more recently on Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs of Matt Redman Vol. I.

Jesus Christ, I think upon Your sacrifice
You became nothing, poured out to death
Many times I’ve wondered at Your gift of life
And I’m in that place once again
I’m in that place once again

And once again I look upon the cross where You died
I’m humbled by Your mercy and I’m broken inside
Once again I thank You
Once again I pour out my life

Now You are exalted to the highest place
King of the heavens, where one day I’ll bow
But for now, I marvel at Your saving grace
And I’m full of praise once again
I’m full of praise once again

Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the cross, my Friend.

As we enter into the season of Lent, we can’t forget the cross that stands at the center of the faith. Redman mentioned this as he wrote about themes in worship music, “When it comes to universal themes, there’s none greater than the cross. Every Christian should be regularly reflecting upon and responding to the cross – but often we’ll need a fresh way to voice this.”

In finding that fresh voice, Redman turned to the early church … I mean, the really, early church … first-century early - a time in which the cross as a method of execution was all too familiar. The church at that time knew the sights, the sounds, the smells, the agony of death on the cross. They understood the utter humiliation that came with such an undignified death - a reality sometimes lost in the gold-plated cross bling of the 21st century.

Yet, they celebrated the cross, or rather celebrated the one who humbled himself to such a death, in one of their earliest hymns, which Redman says became the basis for Once Again. He writes, “… here I am at the cross again, but the power and wonder of that place never fail to move me. The mystery of that place never wears a thing. So I took some powerful lyrics from Philippians Chapter 2 (thought by most scholars to be a fragment of one the very earliest Christian hymns) – and re-worked them into this offering.”

So, to close this week’s WWT, let’s turn to that passage and once again look upon the cross of Christ.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human being,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

- Philippians 2:1-11 (TNIV)

The Jesus Tomb

I just wanted to put up a couple of quick links for any students (or other folks) who happen by the blog and have seen big, splashy presentations on the news about the supposed tomb of Jesus. For the complete story, if you haven’t seen it yet, check out this short article from the Washington Post. I assume it isn’t going to be hard to find articles presenting the case for the Jesus tomb - any search engine should get you there.

People smarter than I on matters of Christian history have already started weighing in on blogs. Here are a couple of good places to start:

Ben Witherington Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary)

Darrell Bock (Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Professor of Spiritual Development and Culture (CCL) at Dallas Theological Seminary)

Justin Taylor includes a number of links to other scholars critiquing the find.

Andy Rowell cites some links along with the credentials of those to whom he is linking.

How Great Is Our God …

25 February 07 at 10:33 pm | In Music, Road Trips, youth ministry | 2 Comments

… AMAZING!

Back in December, the tour schedule for the How Great Is Our God Tour with Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and Louie Giglio came out. The great thing is that the tour included not one, but two dates within a reasonable driving distance - one in Lancaster and one at State College. No excuses for this one. Grab a carload of students from the youth group and let them experience what I suspected would be a night of worship not too unlike the general sessions at Passion. I just hoped and prayed that they would not just enjoy an evening of worship, but also that God would speak to them somewhere along the line whether in the music or in Louie’s message.

It turned out to be a little of both, I suspect.

First, I am so thankful that we got tickets to the closer venue - Lancaster County Bible Church. It was smaller than the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, which led to a more intimate setting even if it was just about the largest church any of us had ever been in.

Chris and Matt led the worship together with a mixture of old and new songs leading up to Louie’s message. Talking to the girls later (yes, it was an all-girl crew from the youth group), I found they had devised quite a list of songs we ought to do at church!

Because we knew we needed to see the screen, we were sitting in three rows even though our group only had ten people in it, but, all the same, it was so awesome to sit near two of the girls during Louie’s talk because I soon discovered they had the same reaction I do to his talks. As Louie begins, you’re laughing here and there, maybe whispering a comment to your friend and maybe even taking a chance at writing something down that you may or may not be able to read later as you are writing in near-total darkness.

But, the talk inevitably hits that point. I think Louie called it the left hook. And then …. silence. The words are running through your mind at breakneck speed combining with the thoughts the Spirit is putting into your mind to paint a vivid picture of the truth being spoken - that the same God who breathed enormous stars into creation will never let go of you.

Then, the response. Passionately singing the words, “You are the everlasting God,” and claiming that promise with every single breath. Or barely making it through the chorus, “My chains are gone. I’ve been set free …”

Take a break. Let it sink in. Talk about it a little. And then … the party! Celebrating what God has done, what He is doing and what He will do. By the time the last note sounded, the girls were right in front of the stage, looking at each other, saying, “But we don’t want it to be over.”

Here’s the thing, girls. It’s not. Sure, that particular night with those particular artists and that particular message may have come to an end, but the truth that was spoken - and that you so clearly embraced that night - will never fade away.

This was one of your mountaintop experiences that will sustain you when you inevitably pass through the valley and it won’t be because of a specific song that Chris or Matt sang or a phrase Louie uttered. It will be because in that moment, God spoke to you … individually in the midst of a gathering of people praising his name … and reminded you that he is always with you, always holding on to you … no matter what happens next.

p.s. -Thanks, LC, for the golf ball … it’s just about the coolest reminder I’ve ever been given!

Outnumbered …

23 February 07 at 10:43 pm | In Blogging, youth ministry | No Comments

I’m in the minority. Officially. Rick Warren said so.

OK. Well, Rick Warren didn’t exactly say so, but Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox and Church Communications Pro teamed for a survey of Christian bloggers and how they are using the internet as part of their ministry. Granted the number of response was relatively small, but the results were interesting. In some ways, the results mirror the perception of the blogosphere that I have seen expressed on other web sites.

For example, earlier this year, Mark Oestricher (at one of my favorite blogs, YSMarko) noted that his greatest blogging-related frustration of 2006 was the general lack of female bloggers. The survey says? 309 of the respondents were men and only 38 were women.

So, I’m outnumbered there. Oh, and I have recently made myself part of the minority by moving to WordPress.

Otherwise, it seems many bloggers are much like me. Same age range, been blogging for just about the same amount of time and make similar numbers of posts per month.

What difference does all of this make? For one thing, we have to take into account that a small number of people responded to the survey given the overall number of people blogging. All the same, it is interesting to look at the trends. Why is my age group one of the most blog-friendly? What drives decisions to use certain platforms?

And, why am I in the minority? Why aren’t more women speaking up by way of blogging?

I’ve never met a woman, including myself, who didn’t have something to say about something! Personally, reading blogs has been an entertaining way to “meet” new people. One blog I frequent called the folks who dropped by his blog “friends I haven’t met yet.” I like that. It signifies a sort of common denominator among us.

I’ve also learned from blogs. From one post, I found a chronological Bible reading plan for the year. And, please, just try not to learn something from the Desiring God blog or Jesus Creed. I’ve also learned from the frustrations and triumphs of fellow youth workers who write posts about their experiences just as I have (admittedly) lurked at high-energy, but generally polite, debates that rage in the comments sections of some blogs.

And, that could actually be one of the answers to the lack of blogging among women. Personally, I have more often than not wondered if I was writing anything of substance or value or if my in-the-process-of-being-theologically-trained mind were capable of putting up significant posts on topics like youth/college ministry, missions, justice issues and worship.

Then, I decided I didn’t care. Sure, I’d love to see comments on my posts, but blogging has become a sort of spiritual discipline for me. There are passages of Scripture that stick in my mind all day, looping through the recesses of my brain until I feel an absolute need to write about whatever little bit of revelation God had offered me that day.

If that’s the only thing I ever get out of blogging, that’s fine with me.

And, it would be forever OK if I remain in the minority …

… dissolve like snow …

22 February 07 at 2:49 am | In To Act Justly, Wednesday Worship Thoughts | 3 Comments

Grace and snow.

Both have been inescapable this week.

The Valentine’s Day storm left a layer of ice and snow a couple of inches deep on the driveway. It took several stints of a couple of hours each to be able to get the cars parked in a manner roughly similar to what we are accustomed. Frigid temperatures followed the storm, so the snow pack hardened making things just nasty around these parts. That’s the snow that’s engulfed me this week.

Grace came, at least in the form I am describing for the moment, in the form of immersing myself in the upcoming movie Amazing Grace. Well, not so much the movie as the story of William Wilberforce, the 18th century statesman who helped bring about the end of the slave trade in England.

Yet slavery exists. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today - a far higher number than Wilberforce could have imagined. The producers of movie have organized The Amazing Change - “a campaign to continue Wilberforce’s vision of mercy and justice” - by bringing together organizations such as the International Justice Mission, World Vision and others. There’s also a petition on the site to add your voice to a chorus of people calling for an end to slavery in our time.

Grace and snow.

The two came together again last night as a left a coffeeshop in a neighboring town. The weather has warmed significantly and the snow is melting, leaving a glistening layer of water on the roadway. As I drove, I was listening to the new arrangement of Chris Tomlin’s Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone). The song includes the original final verse of John Newton’s now famous poem:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine

Melting snow. Amazing grace.

This earth as we know it will one day pass away, but God has called each one of us … now. We can’t sit around whistling a tune while we wait for heaven. We’re called to make this earth look a little more like his kingdom, as it says in Isaiah:

Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
- Isaiah 1:17

Watch the video below. Pray. Ask God to show you how to jump in as we all learn to act justly …

Why am I here?

21 February 07 at 9:30 pm | In Blogging | No Comments

No, not in the existential sense.

I’ve been blogging on another platform for over a year, but haven’t been exactly thrilled at the so-called upgrades to the system and the limits it imposes. I don’t need something complicated, but I want something that will do what I need it to do and do it in an aesthetically-pleasing way.

So here I am. This is a test run for Word Press. I’ll give it a month or two and see how it goes before I import my old site.

If you wandered here from there, please let me know which one you like better.

IT’S TEST TIME

21 February 07 at 8:49 pm | In Blogging | No Comments

So. I’ve been thinking about making the jump to a new blogging platform. I know that will cause a huge pain in the backside with bookmarks for anyone who may actually have bookmarked my little musings, but Blogger just isn’t cutting it for me so much anymore.

For the time being, click here for my new blog, but don’t go away completely. I’m testing the new one for a few weeks/months and may end up coming back. I’ll keep you posted (no pun intended).

DEEPER: COLOSSIANS … 2:13-15

18 February 07 at 10:47 pm | In Deeper | No Comments

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmedthe spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
- Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT, emphasis added)

dis·arm (dĭs-ärm’)
v. dis·armed, dis·arm·ing, dis·arms

v. tr.

To divest of a weapon or weapons.

To deprive of the means of attack or defense; render harmless: “Have the courage to appear poor, and you disarm poverty of its sharpest sting” (Washington Irving).

- American Heritage Dictionary

To divest of a weapon or weapons
What is the Enemy’s favorite weapon? Think for a moment. You know. You remember. It’s that voice inside your head saying, “You? You as a servant of God? After what you have done?”

That weapon was taken away when God canceled the record of charges against us and nailed it to the cross. Selfishness? Nailed it. Addictions? Nailed it. Failures? Nailed it. Setting other people, ourselves or things above God? Nailed it. Evil thoughts? Nailed it.

To deprive of the means of attack or defense; render harmless
At first blush, this definition seems pretty similar to the first … until you take it to a different level.

An undisclosed number of years ago, I was celebrating … well, not really celebrating because too much was going on to actually celebrate … but, in any case, it was my birthday and I had about thirty gazillion things on my plate. A friend of mine knew it was my birthday and also knew how busy I was. So, when he came up behind me while I was busy with something and could least afford an interruption and said my name so very casually, I spat out a rather rude, “What?!” and was ready to send him packing after reminding him how busy I was. I whirled around. I saw the red rose in his hand.

I was disarmed.

Any argument, any righteous indignation, any selfish shortsightedness, any choice words for someone who had the audacity to interrupt the work I thought was so important was undone in the face of this simple, beautiful act.

Never did yell at the guy. Ever, I think.

That’s the way Christ disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. Can you just see them? Christ, the perfect God-Man, goes willingly to the cross, taking with him that list of charges against each and every one of us and the spiritual rulers and authorities are left going, “He .. those humans … sins … cross? Now what?”

They saw their defeat.

In it, they saw His victory and ours.

And we, too, are disarmed.

QUOTE OF YESTERDAY

15 February 07 at 8:53 pm | In Quotes | No Comments

So, The Colbert Report airs at 11:30 p.m. Way past my bedtime. So, I watch the repeat that’s on at 8:30 the next day. All that to explain why this is the quote of yesterday rather than the quote of the day …

“Being retired from biking. Isn’t that like being retired from recess?”
- Colbert, during an interview with Lance Armstrong.

SNOW, OK. ICE, NOT SO MUCH.

14 February 07 at 9:43 pm | In Life in PA | 1 Comment

I should be thankful. We’ve had a mild winter here. Not much snow to speak of and the temperatures only started to really dip in the past two or three weeks. I should be thankful.

Tell that to my back and my hamstrings.

If it were just snow, it would not have been nearly so bad. It’s that little layer of ice on top that makes it unbearable. Clearing the driveway should take only an hour, maybe two, but with the added ice, I had to break it up before moving it. We decided not to finish it off because we were just wiped out after about four hours of messing with it and realizing that another hour and a half, at least, awaited us.

So, I’m sleepy, achy and ready to head to bed. But, I must add one more thought:

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

- Isaiah 55:10-11