Pastor's Training Event :: APRENTIS @ Friends

Thursday of last week I had the privilege to team up with James Bryan Smith and the Apprentice Group for a Pastor's Conference at Friends University.  The event was sponsored by the Christian Spiritual Formation Institute (Aprentis) at Friends.  We had somewhere around 95 people registered, and an attendance around 80.  Dr. Smith presented most of the day, introducing the group to some of the foundational ideas that drive the Apprentice Series.  We had two designated periods for break out sessions, and I presented twice on two practices: Counting Your Blessings and Praying the 23rd Psalm.

C.J. Fox, who needs a title at Friends with the word "executive" in it, asked me at the conclusion of the day if I thought the event was worth it, if we could measure an impact from that day.  I told him that the true measure of our success will come down the road, in the event that the pastors and church leaders who attended will take the ideas we discussed and put them in to practice.  But in the moment, I thought the day went smoothly, it was good to connect with church leaders, and I think we communicated that spiritual formation can bear fruit within the context of local church ministries, and that those of us present in leadership are available to local churches to serve and equip leaders in the work of leading people toward Christ.

It is good to partner with Jim Smith and others at Friends.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity.  And it was good to connect with church leaders, to pray for those serving in ministry, and be present with others seeking Christ.  I'm looking forward to more events like these, and I anticipate seeing what God will do as leaders within the church become more attentive to God, and allow space in their life for the Holy Spirit to bring transformation.

Assuming the Posture of Jeremiah

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Reading the book of Jeremiah, and peering through the text at our present day, is an exercise of upheaval.  Imagine facing your world, announcing an impending exile, and enduring tremendous trial and hardship as a result.  Could it be that there is no more appropriate voice for our time than this untimely prophet?

As I survey our world, I can't help but grasp that the calling of Christian discipleship is deeply challenging, if one is to remain truly engaged with that world.  It is possible to withdraw, to fall prey to the temptation of sectarianism, and to either pursue the more conservative evangelical vision of establishing a parallel, yet wholly separate Christian culture on the one hand, or to enter in to a liturgical-spiritual-separatist world of "pure-church" that is characteristic of some Neo-Anabaptist movements on the other.  Discerning our times, and living faithfully within those times, is undeniably difficult.  Remaining "in but not of" requires a constant dependence on the Spirit of God, careful listening, and much prayer.

I'm wondering what faithful living as a Christian disciple, distinct from the world but fully engaged with the world, might look like.  I'm thinking diligently about these matters.  I'm deeply convicted that our calling is to bless the world, even those who disagree with us.  And to do so, I think this not only requires individuals who are willing to live according to certain moral convictions, but a deepening intellectual and creative life.  But how is this accomplished?

Like Jeremiah, this may require placing on offer a judgment that will not be popular with those in power.  It might mean moving beyond the assumptions of those that are enshrined within our institutions.  It might mean subverting the empire through the establishment of an alternative community whose very presence is a blessing to the city and the nation.  It might mean finding ourselves at the bottom of cisterns, armpit deep in the mud.  It might mean having the Word of the Lord, as we have transcribed it, burned by those who sit upon their thrones.  It might mean pronouncing judgment against those who call us "false prophets."  It also might mean that we must trust the Lord to hide and protect us following those moments that we announce truth.  Being a Jeremiah might not be as exciting as being a King David.  But it might be a more timely form of engagement with our world precisely because of the untimeliness of the prophetic role.

If you were to understand your life as a follower of Christ as taking place during a period of exile how might this affect your engagement with the world, and your understanding of faithfulness therein?

Being Thankful :: Counting Blessings

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Gratitude is a habit that is cultivated.  It is a way of seeing the world.  And one spiritual discipline that can help cultivate a posture of gratitude is counting your blessings.  It is a simple exercise.  Open up a word processor, grab a journal or a piece of paper, and begin jotting down the things you are thankful for.  It can be the most ordinary, common part of your existence.  It can be something that is more of a rare gift.  Anything is fair game.

I'm thankful for many things.  Here are a few:

• Coffee.
• My daughter.
• My wife.
• The existence of a people called "church."
• Jesus.
• Scripture.
• Clint Bland.
• Universities and opportunities for higher learning.
• Music.
• Young people.
• Exercise.
• Sunlight.
• Kayli Holloway.
• Stained glass.
• Books.
• Smart phones.
• Wisdom.
• Mike Hibit.
• Family.

What are you thankful for? 

Waiting While Walking

Transformation into the likeness of Christ does not just happen.  But we act like it should.  Upon hearing the good news, once we take a step forward in following after Christ we expect instant holiness.  It is as though the fullness of our salvation, the complete renewal of our heart and life, should magically occur.  Because it doesn't occur instantly, some wrongly think there is little that they can do.  They wait until a moment when they feel they are "good enough" to undertake the practices of the Christian life, rather than diving right in, brokenness and all.

We mistakenly believe that it is only our justification that is by grace, and not our sanctification also.

John Wesley, in his sermon "The Means of Grace" writes:

7. But the main question remains: "We know this salvation is the gift and work of God; but how (may one say who is convinced he hath it not) may I attain thereto?"  If you say, "Believe, and thou shalt be saved!" he answers, "True: but how shall I believe?"  You reply, "Wait upon God."  "Well, but how am I to wait?  In the means of grace, or out of them?  Am I to wait for the grace of God which bringeth salvation, by using these means, or by laying them aside?" [...] III. 1. According to this, according to the decision of holy writ, all who desire the grace of God are to wait for it in the means which he hath ordained; in using, not in laying them aside.

Wesley explains that we have been given the practices of "Searching the Scriptures," hearing the Word of God preached, the breaking of bread and the drinking from the cup, and prayer as gifts, and they are means through which God works to bring about holiness of heart and life.  He further argues that such means "never atone for one sin," or gain us any kind of merit.  He states, "It is He alone who, by his own mighty power, worketh in us what is pleasing in his sight; and all outward things, unless He work in them and by them, are mere weak and beggarly elements."  The practices in and of themselves do not automatically result in a certain type of transformation, but through the work of the Holy Spirit, they are powerful avenues by which God can bring about change.  God goes to work where we create space in our lives for God to work.

We wait for God to transform us, but we walk while we wait.  Such a truth is paradoxical, for we are on the move while expecting to be found.  But it is a beautiful paradox, and, as Wesley states, one to which the Scripture gives witness.  It is just as true today.

Apologetics and Inclusivity

More from Len McAlpine on Flickr!Christian apologetics might be one of my favorite disciplines of theology.  I don't consider myself a great apologist, though I do my best, at times using an illustration or a logical argument I've picked up here and there from my readings.  In working with high school students, I've found that it is critical to be able to present compelling reasons for Christian faith.  To borrow a phrase from a talk I've listened to numerous times, I believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ is "intellectually credible and existentially satisfying."  Christianity not only "works," it is true.

My love for apologetics is rooted in my love for doctrine--systematic, reasonable, and coherent formulations of Christian faith that reflect the truth of the Bible and the best historical theology.  I think "beliefs" matter.  I also think doctrine is a strength, not a weakness, and creates a rule of practice wherein church leaders, elders, pastors, teachers, and the whole of the body itself can exercise discipline that builds up the body of believers.  Doctrine has a power to unite and divide, thus the draw, and the revulsion.

I recently finished reading a volume on apologetics that I would recommend, but as I completed the book, I came away with two critical questions.  They are:

• If you are part of a church that regards inclusivity as the defining characteristic of its life together, does apologetics become a forgotten discipline?
• Who takes up the work of translating these arguments into language that can be understood and grasped at a popular level?  Is there anyone writing today who is comparable to C.S. Lewis in this respect?

Each time I finish reading a volume on apologetics, I can't help but remark that, on the whole, those writing therein seem to come from conservative evangelical traditions, at least the names that I know and recognize.  As someone who attends a mainline Protestant church in America, I have yet to encounter apologetical works within that segment that are compelling, when they exist.  Those books I'm familiar with that attempt to engage in apologetics leave me flat, making me wonder if the writer is trying to make my Christianity more reflective of my experience as an American citizen, rather than the other way around.  I'd rather be equipped to see the world in greater accordance with the Kingdom, rather than in greater accordance with the American Dream.  Unfortunately, mainline Christianity's entrenchment within American culture, and its desire to retain some power within that culture, has sometimes resulted in a lean toward accommodation to American presuppositions, rather than a willingness to embrace a dynamic tension that maintains certain distinctions while at the same time engaging with the surrounding world.

It is my desire to see spiritual vibrancy within the Christian world of which I am part.  I don't think such vibrancy will come about apart from communal discipline and practice wedded to reasonable and compelling assertions of Christian doctrinal truth.  It is my observation that the current stress is placed more so on the former than that latter, but we need both.  We can't have excellent programs apart from content that consists of deep truth.  We can't be truly inclusive apart from well grounded doctrinal assertions that give us the grounds for inclusivity.  Otherwise we won't have the resources to reach out and remain humble towards those with whom we disagree.

Naturally, I'd like to see more work being done in the area of apologetics, and I'd love to know of examples of those who are doing it well.  If you know of any, kick those titles my way.

Brief Book Review :: The Ancient Practices Series: Nora Gallagher's The Sacred Meal

Now that I've completed Nora Gallagher's The Sacred Meal, I've read six of the eight titles in Thomas Nelson's Ancient Practices Series.  I've enjoyed each volume for different reasons, as the style of each author has brought a unique approach to discussing each of these spiritual practices.  This book, in particular, was very unique stylistically.  From a technical writing standpoint, Gallagher has written a delightful book.  However, from a biblical and theological standpoint, I was left longing for more.  Below you will find a few reasons why.

Within this series, it has not been uncommon for me to long for greater depth in biblical, historical, and theological reflection concerning each practice.  I recognize that these books have not been written for a scholarly audience, and thus do not contain numerous footnotes or extensive technical discussion common to academic works.  However, for the Christian layperson who might explore these books looking for greater insight into each of these spiritual practices, at least some discussion of the relevant biblical texts and an examination of some of the most critical points of theological debate would be incredibly helpful.  In this particular book, the narrative prose and the critical self reflection of Gallagher is inviting, engaging, and enjoyable, and at one level it is informative for those who might resonate with her experiences, but with regard to how those experiences might engage with the wider breadth of the Christian tradition, Gallagher only scratches the surface.  To summarize this first point of criticism, in reading this volume I hoped for at least a deeper level of historical reflection, but was disappointed.

Secondly, Gallagher's description of the Lord's Meal itself stresses one particular viewpoint concerning the significance of this ritual over others.  Gallagher continually notes how the Eucharist is an all inclusive meal, which I will not deny.  While stressing the all-inclusiveness of this meal, Gallagher seems to use this practice to lift up and champion a number of social justice causes, and while this interpretation of the meal is no doubt valid and instructive, it is only one particular way in which this meal has been of vital importance for Christian people throughout the ages.  In many other traditions, the celebration of Communion reminds those present of the very real cost of salvation, the depth of their own sin, and the great victory which Jesus won on the cross to bring about deliverance from death and the assurance of eternal life.  At the very least, a nod toward the fact that the Passover meal Jesus celebrated with his closest followers appeared to lack one of the traditional elements, that of the lamb, only for it later to be reveal that Jesus himself was the True lamb, would've added a much needed dimension to Gallagher's discussion.

Lastly, for all of the insight that is to be gained from hearing another person's story, a resource like this one should include some instruction for how the Eucharist should be approached by the reader.  In this respect, Gallagher's contribution in this series differs greatly from Scot McKnight's Fasting in that McKnight quite helpfully gives his readers much to consider in adopting a new spiritual practice.  Gallagher shares her experience as a Communion server, and notes a number of ways that Communion has been deeply meaningful in her Christian journey, but aside from those moments of beauty the reader might see in Gallagher's personal narrative, there is little instruction for someone considering how they might engage in this practice either for the first time, or more deeply after having taken the bread and the cup many times before.

For these reasons, and for other more specific disagreements concerning Gallagher's treatment (or lack thereof) of relevant biblical and theological material, I do not heartily recommend this book.  While this volume contains a handful of beautifully written stories, the overall thrust of the narrative disappoints, and left me learning more about Nora Gallagher than the Eucharist, or the Lord who gave us the gift of this meal.

Meditate Day and Night (Psalm 119:97)

More from outsideshot on Flickr!Do you meditate?

Meditation requires space.  Silence.  Clarity of mind.  Focus.

I recently read a book that I didn't particularly enjoy, but the subject matter is nevertheless important.  One of the observations I have made concerning the lives of great teachers, writers, and communicators is that they create space in their lives for depth of thought.  They meditate.  They may do so while taking a sabbath rest, while on a walk, or during times of prayer.  It is during these times of quiet reflection that new insights may dawn, or new understandings may arise.  Perhaps a helpful illustration or a novel concept may surface.  And when it does, it is transformative.

Meditation has long been a practice of the contemplative stream of Christianity, and those of us from other facets of Christianity could learn much from paying attention to this practice.  Though meditation has been taught by some to entail an emptying of the mind, or a reflection upon the unity of all things, the Bible seems to have a different object in mind upon which to fix our thoughts.

How has meditation played a role in your formation as a thinker, writer, or leader?  In what ways do you understand meditation to function within the Christian spiritual life?  What resources have you found most helpful in undertaking the practice of meditation, if you do so?  If you find the practice objectionable, why?

Exhaustion and Spiritual Depression

More from h.koppdelaney on Flickr!When a lull hits in the spiritual life, people look for a cure.  Why does God feel so distant?  Why can't I reclaim a previous experiential connection to God?  Why is it that my faith, which once felt so vibrant, has taken an apparent recess?

Oftentimes, pastoral counseling in the face of spiritual dryness or depression amounts to more regularity in public worship, more commitment to the spiritual disciplines, participation in a small group, taking up a new Bible study, or engaging in acts of social concern.  And all of these things, in and of themselves, are good.  They may serve as a cure.  But they may not.

A surprising truth may be that we are doing too much, rather than doing too little, causing our spiritual life to suffer.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in a sermon entitled "Weary in Well Doing" observes well that a critical step in diagnosing the reasons for spiritual depression is self-examination.  One must get to the root of the problem.  And while it may be the case that there is presence of sin or the failure to discipline oneself in the practices of the Christian life, the cause may also be sheer exhaustion.  Lloyd-Jones states:

You may be in that condition simply because you are working too hard physically.  You can be tired in the work and not tired of the work.  It is possible that a man has been over-working--I do not care in what realm, whether natural or spiritual--and has been over-taxing his energy and his physical resources.  If you go on working too hard under strain you are bound to suffer.  And of course if that is the cause of the trouble, the remedy you need is medical treatment.

Extending pastoral counseling to another person, or to oneself, may require the offering of the choice to stop doing, rather than to start doing.  We live in a culture of over-work, having neglected or obscured the value of the discipline of rest.  If you feel exhausted and far from God, pause and reflect if the neglect of the physical, bodily dimension of your personhood is the root.  It may be the case that altering the rhythm of your life and incorporating rest may serve as the needed course correction, allowing other Christian spiritual practices to then flood and nourish the soul.  We are embodied creatures, this much cannot be denied, and in order for the soul to thrive, the body must be properly tended.  Christianity, inclined to gnosticism, has too often forgotten this truth.