God's Refrigerator

Serving in the shadow of struggling churches "too big to fail", we continue to struggle to get traction in our efforts at church revitalization in the urban setting. And I confess at times, I find myself wondering if what we are doing is valuable in God's economy. Yet, even as I struggle with these type questions, I imagine...

God's Refrigerator

I have a picture of the heavens

that of God’s refrigerator door,

Next to Dr. King’s Nobel prize,

is a little prayer I sent to God.

And He nudges angels, “Come and see,

that guy has finally handed me

the keys he held onto oh so tightly.

Now I can do my Holy Work.”

Between the mighty acts of saints

and paintings that the masters made

hangs my little offering,

a precious thing to a loving God!

Because it shows that I acknowledge

whose I am eternally,

held there not by holy magnets,

instead affixed with three crude nails.

Help me fill the walls of heaven,

from the depth of gratitude,

until I view God’s holy gallery

that testifies my Father’s love!

Let me know what you have hanging on God's fridge, okay?

blessings!

ron

A Thought for Lent...

I haven't blogged for a while...sorry.

But as I visited a young person in jail this week I wondered again what I could bring, what they needed. And it made me think that what he needed was to...

Let Me See Christ

Let me see Christ

Reflected in your eyes

As they drink in

The beauty of your world.

Let me see goodness

As you take the things you feel

And change them into deeds

That show you care for all!

Let me see love

In the action of your hands

As they take a cause

That waits for truth to come.

And though I cannot read,

I will know the truth.

And though I cannot see

I will know a way to live.

Because you lived in a way

That spoke rain to my desert,

Peace to my Holy War,

Hope to my hopeless heart.

Let me see Christ,

Reflected in your eyes

As they drink in

The beauty of your world! 

An Open Question...

How do we react to the financial meltdown as individual believers and as the church. I don’t want “10 Strategies for Saving your 401k”, I mean, how do we respond? We are on the front lines of a global crisis. 500,000 new unemployed probably means at least someone in our neighborhood is affected. 500,000 foreclosures probably means someone in our congregation is touched.

What are we doing? How are we responding? How are we loving? Trust in our banks is gone, is it appropriate to mention treasures in heaven? The housing market is in freefall, do we talk about mansions in heaven? Our nation sinks deeper into debt, do we share our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills?

We are uniquely positioned to respond in a way that could make an eternal difference. I raise the question, not with pat answers in mind but with a certain urgency of heart. How will we respond? What will be our “Spiritual Stimulus Plan”, even as we reach out to those in need. I am working on finding some answers, I hope you will join me! Please share your thoughts...

Amputated Vision

I read with great interest the latest Church Herald and appreciated the energies and efforts displayed to further the discussion of Mission and Missional. Perhaps just the the dialogue takes us further than we have ever gone. For my part, having come from Mega-Church program models, to a very front line opportunity, I have changed my whole view. Where I once adhered to the "build it, and they will come" model, I think I have more appreciation now for the world as it views faith through an...

Amputated vision

Amputated vision brought

on crippled limbs

that drag in spastic pace

to see the best in you.

And that is how I base

my stunted view

imbedded in a heart

without the means to care.

And you hope I know

or somehow understand

because I nod or

maybe even smile.

Don't take my absent voice

to mean that I agree

because I can't, and won't

I haven't and didn't!

Like a cow that sees

a train go by

I hear the noise and

tremble at the sight...

But I might, someday

if you'll slow down and

come to me with love

and uncommon patience.

Then, my prosthetic sight

and transplanted heart

might share your love

with someone else!

otherwise, I'm gone...

"Super" Sunday

I read an amazing thing. Supposedly, if I wanted to blog about the Superbowl®, I am supposed to pay a fee. I am not a licensed sponsor. Now I suppose, even mentioning that I am not supposed to use the term Superbowl®, could get me in trouble with the Superbowl® people. (Oops, I have already used Superbowl® 3, no 4 times!)

So, if people want to talk about that certain game, they are supposed to use terms like, “The Big Game” and “Super Sunday”. Otherwise, I am using the NFL's ® trademark to further my interests. So, most advertisers just use a generic term, thinking that people will naturally know what they are talking about and what is happening on February 1^st. Well, I have a new one…

Instead of tickets in the $1,000 dollar range, people can come to church for free. Instead of endless commercials, they can hear the word of God and instead of a traffic jam after the game is over, they can enjoy a time of fellowship and coffee. At our “Super Sunday”, there would not be a winning and losing team, just people excited to experience God’s love! And who knows, the preacher might even be willing to add an “extra point” onto the sermon (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

We can make every Sunday “Super”, not by hype but by heart! Now, don’t get me wrong, I am going to watch the “Big Game”, but I am also going to try to remember something. If we believers would remember to get as hyped up about worshipping God as we do about the big game, our friends, family and neighbors might wonder what all the excitement is about. Then we might be able to encourage them to make every Sunday “super” as well. Enjoy the game, and I will see you Sunday!