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Well being, church attendance enhances well being hmmmm
Gallup research conducts and maintains a “Well-Being Index” on various aspects of Americans well being. Well, well, what do you think they found? “In U.S. Churchgoers Boast Better Mood, especially on Sundays.” (Gallup – Healthways Well-Being Index in 2011) The study was done by Chaeyoon Lim who sub-titled the study “Those who don’t attend religious services often see their mood decline.”
I am not saying that church should always be a “feel-good” experience, frankly if folks left worship from First St Johns and they didn’t feel a little, oh I don’t know, disturbed? If they didn’t feel a little challenged, a little pushed, I’d probably be disappointed. Sure I want people to be pumped up, encouraged, thankful to God and renewed in their relationship with Jesus. Frankly I’m not surprised that they are in a better mood. Even if they’ve been challenged, pushed, they still know whose they are, our Father’s. They know that they are part of the Body of Christ, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Jesus and ready to start a new week in the Lord standing for the Lord in the world. So yes they should leave worship in a “Better Mood”.
“…regular churchgoers seem to do better than non-churchgoers… in terms of their daily positive wellbeing experiences. This underscores previous Gallup research that finds very religious Americans do better across numerous dimensions of well being than do those who are less religious or not at all religious.”
And look, don’t give me any of this “Moonie effect” or other non-sense, there is no doubt in my mind that the general “well-being” of Americans has been directly related to the decrease of community and especially being a part of a church community. This goofy idea that you will be happier sitting at home watching television by yourself, thinking that you are genuinely getting community on your computer, the stories go on and on and you know them as well as I do. The solution, get off your quista and get out among real human beings. As we as a culture continue to cut ourselves off from each other, the worse our life attitude will be. Sit home by ourselves, isolated and vulnerable, Satan picks us off one by one. The Bible tells us two are better than one, we all need others to “have our back”, where better than brothers and sisters in Jesus?
The study goes on to report: “Not only do Americans who attend a church, synagogue or mosque frequently report having higher wellbeing in general, but they also get an extra boost to their emotional state on Sundays – while the rest of Americans see a decline in their mood. The average number of positive emotions frequent churchgoers report experiencing rises up to a high of 3..49 for the week on Sundays, whereas for those who attend church monthly or less often, the average number peaks on Saturdays and declines to a range of 3.14 to 3.29 on Sundays.” Yea, you read that right, on the day before we have to go back to the old salt mine, people who attend worship actually get a bump in their wellbeing. There is a sense of being secure in something bigger, knowing you are with like-minded brothers and sisters in Jesus and the research confirms this: “…the research found that friendship in church is more strongly correlated with life satisfaction than friendships in other contexts such as the workplace or a book club. It is not only that churchgoing Americans may be more likely to socialize on Sundays, but also that they are spending time with co-religionists who can especially boost their mood.”
Let’s face it, church does put you into proximity of people who are like-minded, feel secure being in church and something to readily share with each other. (Hopefully it’s not, ‘wow, pastor’s sermon was brutal today.’) This research lines up with so many other studies that show numerous positive outcomes to church, worship, prayer etc. While the world stresses individuality, isolation, “feeling good” in things such as materialism, covetousness, sex, drugs, booze and rock and roll, the reality is that well being is found in church, in worship, in the presence of those who are brothers and sisters in Christ. It stands to reason, we come into the presence of the almighty Creator, Sustainer of all things. He knows us better than we know ourself, He forgives us, He has given us a way through the sacrifice of Jesus to come into relationship with the all knowing, all powerful Lord of all. We have the assurance that through the forgiveness we have in Christ’s sacrifice that we will have eternal life in a new perfect world, the world that the Father intended before we messed it up with our sin. If all this doesn’t enhance your “well-being” then you need to sit down with your pastor and have a long serious discussion.
Integrity in the workplace in faith in Christ
Father Nkwasibwe raises a point which I think deserves a lot of consideration in terms of organizational management. “Only a leader who has undergone a personal path of conversion and lived with an interior attitude of conversion and humility can be an example of the effort to downgrade workplace religious bias, prejudice and discrimination and other sinful inequalities. Such a leader enjoys the moral courage of freedom, responsibility and participation in social, cultural and religious interchange and promotion of the common good.”
Ya, ya, I can hear the clenching from here. The contemporary wisdom goes something like this, you have to hire someone who is completely unbiased, unattached, uncommitted, just “un” everything. I have to wonder if that is someone you can really trust. One of the main reasons for this blog is to champion the concept of living one’s faith life out in the workplace. Now, I will grant you that many see their faith life as converting the heathen. And I’m certainly not saying that given the opportunity in the workplace that I wouldn’t witness to Christ. I have, but when I do/did, it was with integrity. I’m there to present Christ, to tell people what He’s done in my life. What the Lordship of Christ in my life means, and what eternal life means. Now to be truly faithful to that, my witness has to be one that is with integrity, doing my job in a way that glorifies Christ. Not getting into holy wars, not picking on people, not discriminating etc. Always remembering that part of living my life in Christ in the workplace is to do my job with integrity and not using it as a way to abuse my position in favor of those who agree with me. Is that easy? No.
On the flip side, that person who has no scruples in terms of their life regarding “God”, however they see that, that’s better? No, it just isn’t. This is a person who’s decided that they know best, they trust only in their own judgment, or the judgment of other people. That is the continued downfall of secularism. We continue to try and impose individual, unguided, uncritical, frankly mostly about how I can do things to enhance me, and then expect that person to make principled, unbiased judgments. That’s a ridiculous expectation. This person is, bottom line, all about him or her. If anything they will discriminate against people of faith, like the college professor who picks out Christian students and decides that for a variety of reasons, they just don’t have it, tries to bully them into denying their Christian convictions. Come on, are there more Ken Lay’s and Bernie Madoff’s in the business world, or more David Green’s (owner of Hobby Lobby)? Ya right, who would I trust more? Come on! Who could I expect to hold accountable and who would think that they are a law unto themselves?
I’m not saying that Christians are always the most humble or the most principled. But I can go to David Green and if he’s not acting according to Christian principles I can hold him accountable. Ken Lay, Bernie Madoff et al, the only thing they are accountable for is the bottom line, investor value anything else, they will do as they judge and that’s what will get the secular man or woman in trouble every time.
“Self leadership, which is an offshoot of conversion, is that leadership that spurs others through moral values and exemplary skilled practices because nemo dat quod non habet. …Latin … “nobody gives what he or she does not have’. No matter what, this cannot be bypassed if effectiveness and righteousness are to be realized… Undergoing a path of conversion involves sustaining on-going renewal and connotes persevering in holiness, true friendship and altruistic service. … a journey of discovery, spiritual progress or soul’s journey toward God…”
“…it is also when conversion occurs that the leader can develop courage to lead the workplace community to ascend from the disrepute to which unethical practices and religious rivalry and confrontations have drawn most business actions.”
A man of faith is going to be a lot more likely to step up and take the heat and trust God’s providence as compared to the just cowardly, infantile, pathetic actions of people like Lay, Madoff and Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco. Just squirrely little weenies. I know, not very charitable, but it is what it is. (Quick note, I had to Google Tyco. You know what the first reference was “tyco scandal”. Ya, just how you want to be remembered.)
Popular media likes to try to portray people of religion as bigots, narrow-minded, abusive. But the reality completely contradicts the popular fiction. I’d rather work for Hobby Lobby or Chick Fil A before I worked for Dennis Kozlowski.
Our group meets for discussion on Wednesday 10am, coffeehouse at the corner of W King and Beaver Sts. Parking is behind the church 140 W King St, about a 50 yard walk from there. No charge, no committment, I will even buy your first cup of coffee. We are still in Gene Veith’s book, “God at Work”. See you then and God bless you.
The Dying Word
First Saint Johns
April 9, 2014
This is from Concordia Publishiing House “Words of Life from the Cross” series
SERMON: THE DYING WORD (LUKE 23:46)
The sixth word is Jesus’ dying word, a word of committal, a word of trust. His dying words are faithful, full of trust in His Father, trusting that in His death His Father will receive Him in loving arms just as the father of the prodigal received his son with open and welcoming arms. Here again is the paradox of faith. Jesus had cried out in abandonment, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and yet now He cries out in faith, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!”
Isn’t that how it is with the life of faith? God seems so distant at times, especially those times of darkness and woe, those dark nights and days, and yet He stands ever near to embrace us in those strong, loving, fatherly arms. Jesus trusted His Father, and He did it on behalf of all of us. His trust is complete and unwavering. Though He dies, yet He trusts. Though He suffers, yet He trusts. Though the Father is silent and hidden, yet He trusts.
But take note of something—this dying word is not sighed or whispered. This is not a weak word of resignation by a man who is overcome by death. No. He shouts this word in a loud voice. He summons His strength and shouts it to the highest heavens. He wants the whole world to hear what He has to say. He is the Son of the Father, begotten and beloved from all eternity. He trusts His Father’s mandate that sent Him on this mission to the cross.
Jesus is not overcome by death. Rather, He overcomes death by dying. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Jesus has taken the sting of death and the venom of the Law into His own flesh, shed His own blood, and now He cries out in victory and triumph as He commits His life to the Father who sent Him. This strong word of the cross cuts through your doubt and disbelief. Adam’s death is conquered by this Second Adam’s death. Adam hearkened to the doubting word of the devil and became a transgressor, plunging the world into the chaos of sin. But this Second Adam, the new head of redeemed humanity, holds true to His Father and will not waver even as He dies. His life is in the hands of the Father.
With His final breath, Jesus shows Himself to be the faithful Son. Where we have failed, He has succeeded. Where we have sinned, He has proven sinless. Where we doubt, He remains strong.
Being self-absorbed and self-oriented, the old Adam in us resists this surrender. It fights like crazy against the loving embrace of the Father, like a small child throwing a temper tantrum who will not be held. We want to be in control, we want to be in power. We resent any notion that we sit not in the driver’s seat, but in the passenger’s seat of our lives. Like so many drowning victims, we think we can swim to shore ourselves. We do not need a lifeguard; we even resist the attempts to save us. We want it all on our own terms.
You know how it is in your own life—the bargaining, the denial, the transactions—anything but letting go and leaving to God our Father to hold us in safety. Jesus does it. On the cross, He entrusts His life, His mission, His death, everything to His Father. “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
The words are from Psalm 31. The psalms are the hymnbook of the living and the dying. Jesus takes up the words of David on His lips, for they are His words, too, wrought by the Spirit of Christ in David.
In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in Your righteousness deliver me!
Incline Your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
For You are my rock and my fortress;
and for Your name’s sake You lead me and guide me;
You take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
David, surrounded by his enemies, commits his life into the hand of God. Jesus, the greater Son of David, hanging in the darkness with the burden of humanity’s sin hanging heavy upon Him, commits His life to His Father. In committing Himself into His Father’s hands, He entrusts us as well, gathering all into His death that we might be gathered to Him in our death.
In Luther’s day, people were quite intentional about writing down their last thoughts and confession. What you said at your death was what would be remembered about you. This is Jesus’ last word of His being humbled unto death in obedience to the Law. This is the last word of His work that began with His Baptism where His Father voiced His approval over His beloved Son. Now at the end of His mission, His work completed, the Scriptures fulfilled, the redemption of the world accomplished, He closes His eyes and breathes His last breath with a faithful, trusting word.
Remember these words when it comes time for your last words and make them your “now I lay me down to sleep” prayer. Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit. Say them each night, as the Small Catechism instructs, in case you should die before you wake. Hold the cross of Jesus before your closing eyes, and rest in peace and joy, knowing that death has been swallowed up in the victory of Jesus’ death.
For Your last triumphant cry, for Your faithful trust to the end, for Your final breath of the old creation, for Your entrusting Yourself and us to Your Father, we give You thanks and praise, most holy Jesus. Amen.
Please cllick on the following link for a audio recorded version of this sermon
God builds leaders and gives them gifts for leadership
Thought I would refer back to Fr Frederick Nkwasibwe’s book Business Courage as much as being a Christian is supposed to be about spiritual growth and maturity, yes I agree that there are interpersonal relationship benefits. (p 224) “…spirituality is considered a system of developing the inner life or spirit of the leaders and workers in order to receive and awaken important gifts. Moxley (2000), in his book Leadership and Spirit, makes a list of such gifts. They include becoming more centered internally and better connected relationally, getting a new kind of self-confidence, having a sharper understanding and acceptance of our personal power, becoming better able to engage in the activity of leadership and fostering a genuine partnership in relationships (p 151). For them, spiritual development is correlated to human development through developing interior life.”
Certainly it makes sense as we grow in the image of the Lord we grow in our relationships. Certainly Jesus is an example of how we should relate to others and in different situations. For those who needed confronting, He did not have a problem confronting. For those who needed compassion, He gave compassion. Not in a way that was enabling, but in a way to let people know that He knew we are weak vessels, we need compassion, but we also need encouragement. We need to understand that we need to grow, have better skills, be better listeners, empathetic, encouraging, on and on, just as Jesus was. He encouraged, but He also made it clear that He expected better. The more we become more like Him the better we relate to others.
I have had to be assertive, I’ve had to take the lead, confront problems. Can’t say I’ve always enjoyed it or looked forward to it. There were plenty of times when I wished I could have avoided confrontation and there were times when I just did. I can look you in the eye though and say that the more I’ve grown in Christ, the more I’ve felt the need to confront, especially when it was in Christ, but also to do what was right and to step up for the weak, the disadvantaged, the bullied. But always as a witness for Christ, always pointing people to Him through our better skills and in fact relying on Him to give us the words to speak. I’ve had plenty of times when I wondered “where did those words come from”. The Holy Spirit works through us at the workplace as much as anywhere else in our life. Hey we normally spend more time at work then anywhere else in our life, why would God leave that part of our life out and what we need to function in that part of our life unequipped? God has certainly developed leaders and He gave them the necessary gifts for leadership.
Let’s discuss more and/or Dr Gene Veith’s book that we’ve been talking about for awhile. Wednesday 10am Green Bean Coffee Co at the corner of W King and Beaver Sts, park behind the church.
What you need or what you want? Often a big difference.
I’m just going to go for this. It may seem that I am trying to antagonize people, I’m not, I’m really not. But on the other hand, I’m really trying to push people to really look at their relationship in Christ and the church, if any, that is supposed to be discipling you in a real relationship with Christ.
I am sure that you are all smart enough to realize that you need to trust, rely on and get the right information from the people you hire to do the job, whatever job they do. Oh yeah, I think we all know the type of person who can surround themselves with “yes-people”, we also knows what happens in most of those situations, hmmm let’s see Ken Lay of Enron and Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco jump immediately into my head. I’m sure we all know it wouldn’t take long to come up with a long list. We know that most of the time those kind of people ride the vessel down to disaster. You expect your lawyer, accountant, CIO, to give you the most prudent advice, to be successful, but to also trust that their practice is in keeping with real doctrine and teaching. Every profession has doctrine and teaching, however we also know that a lot people kind of make it up as they go along, it’s the same in “churches”.
It occurs to me that you should also have that kind of faith and trust in your pastor. It’s always been a mystery to me why people will
insist
on the most expert direction in other parts of their life, but when it comes to your eternal soul, uncritically turn to clergy who they know will tell them what they want to hear, as if church only functions to make them feel good. There are times when it is entirely appropriate to comfort, it’s always appropriate to give the hope of Christ as Savior. But as Paul teaches Timothy: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 3: 4:1-5)
Timothy is a student of Paul’s, being trained for ministry, what Paul is teaching Timothy, well, we are there. We’ve been there for a long time and I will readily admit, the church has been its own worst enemy, clergy are all too often more concerned with telling people what they want to hear, taking the path of least resistance, that too often people see that as the way church is supposed to be, and it’s been happening for decades, probably at least since the 1950s.
Ya, I’ve probably said this ad nauseum but if you went to your doctor do you want him/her to tell you the truth, or pat you on the head and send you away with “don’t you worry about that cancer”. We all have a cancer, it’s called sin. It eats your soul up just like cancer eats your body. It’s the clergy’s job to tell you this and not let you die in your cancerous state, smiling and comfortable the whole way down. Seriously, you run into a pastor who, figuratively speaking, pats you on the head and tells you to your face, ‘don’t you worry about that sin thing, that’s so old-fashioned”, I suggest you run not walk and find someone who will help you deal with reality. Anyone who has the slightest clue knows full well that we all have sin issues.
Let’s be honest, you work in the world, you know when you have to confront reality in your work. Isn’t it time to deal with the reality of that vacuum in your soul? You know the reality of your sin, the reality of Christ dying for you, the reality of Him controlling your life and not you. But you keep putting it off, avoiding it. Your spouse, your children? And ya for guys, you know it’s on you. You don’t get your life together, so you give the rest of the family, let’s use the political phrase, “plausible deniability”. Yea, cute, but are you living up to your responsibility as a husband and father?
Yea, it is the church (that is the wrong churches that are out there) and many are not providing the teaching and guidance it should. But you’re the one who is leaving your critical thinking at the door, you’re buying into it and even, uncritically, precipitating it. You are uncritically accepting what you get and not looking critically at what is being taught and practiced. Do you run your business that way? Why on earth would you trust your eternal soul to someone who won’t sit down with you, look hard at your life, get you to think critically and eternally? Instead, you trust someone who just smiles, tells you what you want to hear and sends you on your way. Does that make sense?
It does kind of amaze me you get these smart/tough business types: “I want the straight story from everyone. I want to know how it is!” But they then expect their pastor to give them some little puff-piece as if the Christian thing really isn’t true, but “I’m paying for someone to magically make it true” (i.e. the pastor is supposed to work out everything for me. Yeah, right?) Huh, really? I guess your world is reality and church just there to throw in your money and you get what you want. If that’s what you really think, I would take a really hard look at your life as a whole. Salvation is in Christ, Christ established His church, Matthew 16:18, in His church is baptism, His Body and Blood, others to disciple you, and those for you to disciple. In His church is the Word of salvation through His Word in the Bible, and His preached Word through His Ministers. It’s His way, it’s not throw in your money and get what you want. It’s to learn to get your life in line with your Savior, being guided by the Holy Spirit, that’s reality! Do yourself a favor and get to First St Johns, sit in a pew and listen (promise you don’t have to talk to anyone) and I don’t care if you throw in a dollar or five hundred. If you feel I’ve really wasted your time after a couple of months, I will happily pay you your $8 back.
Business people love to tell you how hard core they are and how serious they are “Just the facts mam”, market share, ROI, EPS, my personal favorite EBITDA, analyzed financial statements for twenty years, can throw around all the jargon you can imagine. Hey that is important and I liked the challenge of the corporate world. But the ultimate reality isn’t production, cycles, financials, .WSO/DSO, market share, it is your eternal soul. Let’s start dealing with the ultimate reality and live your life in that reality.
First St Johns is at 140 W King St in York, Pa. Worship is at 10:30, before that we have our “Coffee Break Bible Study”, Wednesdays at 10am at the corner of W King and Beaver Sts. So come on down, see what you’re missing in your life, in your family’s life, OK, I’ll buy you coffee! May God richly bless you.
God’s will is what drives us, not the timid little souls.
One of the knocks against Christians, especially those in the workplace, in any kind of “competitive” environment is that they lack a “killer” instinct, they let scruples, principles somehow interfere with attaining the goal, achieving the ends. A Christian is, to the best of their ability, guided by the Holy Spirit, will do their best to strive as a Christian, to conduct their life as Christ would. Most people would find themselves much more successful and in a lot less trouble if they followed God’s leading and not their own misguided motivations.
But this goofy idea that Jesus was some kind of cream puff, almost some kind of masochist, rolling over and giving in to defeat is just silly. Jesus confronted the powerful leaders of His country to hold them accountable to God’s will, for them to stop abusing their position and truly follow God’s leading. He went to the Cross, but have no doubt if He in His divine providence decided to call down a legion of angels to absolutely destroy His enemies, He certainly could. But what was the ultimate goal here, to defeat Satan, to take away Satan’s power, undermine him in the world by the innocent suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus did the most manly thing any of us could do, sacrifice Himself so that we would live. How could Satan overcome that? He lost the world because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all he could do at this point, with his fangs effectively pulled, is to try and individually undermine our life, if we let him. We have no excuse to lose our eternal reward to Satan, except for ourselves, because of what Jesus did. So let’s get over this goofy idea that Jesus was some sort of weak, weenie, candy. He won the ultimate victory for us in the most manly way possible. Glory to you, oh Christ.
Chris McCormack has become one of the all-time greats of triathlon. Macca has won the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon twice, two world championships and other lesser Ironman’s, over 200 triathlon victories. Now Macca’s not arguing from a Christian point of view, but he wonders why others would undermine themselves: “This word ‘ego is tossed around nowadays with such a negative spin on it. It annoys me to think that by believing in yourself and pursuing your goals and ambitions with conviction you can be ridiculed.” (Triathlete Mag Aug 2013 p 42).
There are a lot of people in the world today who because of their own mediocrity make it a point to try and drag down others. If others around them excel, work hard to achieve great dreams, they are somehow pretentious, uppity, they don’t know their place, they are presumptuous. They would never say things like that, but there are many who just feel that those around them all have to maintain the same level of mediocrity. I think we see that way too much in the inner city, high schools are almost ruled by those mediocre students who have no intention to allow anyone to excel unscathed. The only exception to that is in athletics and even in that there seems to be an underlying current of mediocrity. But in academics even if you are gifted, you are expected to stay in your place and not let anyone know that you are academically gifted.
I think that Macca is incorrectly describing the argument, but I understand what he’s saying: “The issue with ego is it is up to that athlete to develop this self-belief. It is up to the athlete to accept his fears and weaknesses and implement strategies to strengthen his character in accepting them and holding true to his dream. This is difficult to do and for this reason it’s often neglected. Believing in something takes courage. And it’s not easy learning how to find new courage.”
Let me give you the Christian translation: God has put you where you are, He has given you the gifts that you have. Why would you undermine what God is leading you to do? Many have gone out and done the impossible led by God. Does it make sense to fail to do what God has gifted you with, the plan He has for your life? The Bible describes many situations where people have pushed back against God, have told God they are not capable, they cannot do what God has given them to do. They are right, it’s not going to be through their strength, it’s always going to be through the gifts God has given you, and the Holy Spirit working through you, absolutely, no doubt. But does that mean we should allow ourselves to fail, to simply give up when the Holy Spirit continues to push on us, continues to cut the path for you, gives you what you need to finish.\? Paul tells us in many ways to run the race, to win the prize, there is nothing arrogant about that, just acknowledge that it’s through God’s gifts and leadings. Not because you are somehow special and that is where humility certainly comes in, you readily acknowledge you are no more special then anyone else, but it is because in God’s divine wisdom, in the mystery of God’s sovereignty He chose you to achieve what you’ve achieved. You do it to His glory in the most principled and scrupulous manner possible. 
“Stop hiding behind your fears. Embrace your ego – mold it, change it and utilize it to take you where you want to go. I have never said or done anything within the realm of this sport that I regret. I have been labeled brash, confident, cocky. At times I wondered if my desire to achieve my personal dreams was too much for people to accept, so labeling me was the easiest way to pigeonhole this drive.” Again let me give the Christian translation. Enhance your relationship with God, trust Him, trust what He’s leading you to do in your life in order to get where He’s leading you to go. Do so with humility, even meekness, but with the utmost confidence, trust and faith that God has given you. Don’t let other people who lead cold, frightened, mediocre little lives deter you from what God is doing in your life. You want a better world? Strive for what God is doing in your life, quit your fears, your pride, your dignity, your petty/weenie little scaries and be a true man or woman of God. Jim Elliot was told that he was crazy to do mission to the Auca Indians. There is no question that God was leading him to do it, and Elliot paid for it with his life. He strived to follow God’s leading, God gave Elliot the faith and courage to do what he did. The result was that the Auca were led to Christ that in heaven, in the New Jerusalem Jim Elliot’s reward would be great, 60 years later he is remembered and held in great esteem as a hero of the faith. I am not suggesting you be cocky and obnoxious and I’ve never really known Chris McCormack to be obnoxious, but no doubt there is ego, for a Christian that means faith, trust, following God’s leading. It’s difficult I’ve even seen fellow Christians try to tear down someone who feels the leading of the Holy Spirit, it might perceived as ego, as brash, but God does great things in all our lives, they may appear humble to others but to those we affect, they are great things and we trust God to do His will in our lives. 
“[Macca] But what I’ve come to learn is that it is not who we think we are that holds us back; it is who we think we’re not . Remember, great things happen to those who make great things happen…” Christian translation, God is going to do great things through us. It’s not up to us to keep God from working His will. “I’m not worthy. I’m not strong enough. I’m not smart enough.” St Paul tells us: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 ESV) Stop listening to those timid, weak in faith, who are trying to douse the Father’s will in your life. They don’t know, they aren’t even trusting what God is trying to do in their life, why would you even give them the time of day in your life. Be an example to them, to those God has led you to disciple, to a world that likes to make Christians out to be powder puffs. Our Savior was the most courageous and sacrificing man in history, would those He gave His life for, His children, strive to live up to the example of their Lord and Savior?
Church, liturgical worship a new/old paradigm
The church is not the world. Whether or not the world can be the church? Yeah, probably not, but for the world to try to force the church, or worse yet for the church to capitulate to the world is not acceptable. The more the church tries to conform to the world the more irrelevant the church becomes.
That simply cannot happen, the church is not the world’s, it’s not the pastor’s, it’s not the people’s who “built” it. They may have raised the money for the brick and mortar, the ornaments, the furnishings and they can take pride in what they’ve done. But a Lutheran will always say it’s not what I’ve done, it’s what the Holy Spirit has done through me. The church building is the outward symbol of the Christ, it should be the way it is to stick out in the world as that physical landmark, that bright light of Christ into a dark world. But as Luther points out, there is the “visible” church, it’s of the world, but it’s not necessarily the church that will be the be the Bride of Christ. It is a place where people can come to spend time in worship, by themselves or corporately. I love it when people come in, people I know and I don’t know and ask to spend time in the chapel. The church is where the pastor is, I welcome people who come in and say “I need to talk”. It’s a place where the pastor can be called out to tend to someone, a member of the church or not, any time. Where do you find a place like that in the world? You don’t! The motivation is serving God, by serving people. Glorifying God by serving people to the best of our ability. With a few exceptions, the world is not motivated that way. So the building is a highly visible symbol of God’s presence in the community, but the church, the Body of Christ is the people who know Jesus as Lord and Savior and come together to worship in that building.
The church is an entirely different paradigm. As the pastor of a old and glorious church I know what it’s like for a person to walk into the narthex and get a hint and then turn the corner into the sanctuary. It’s not a “oh, that’s nice” kind of coo. It’s more of an intake of air and “wow” in some form, getting that little hint of the Glory of God. The paradigm is this; it’s not about you, it’s not about what you “like” or what makes you comfortable. It’s about the glory of God, it’s about you realizing how insignificant you are, and how magnificent, all-encompassing, all-powerful God is. It’s not to assail your self-esteem or hurt your feelings, it’s to get you to realize it’s about far more then you. That’s a good thing. I don’t want the universe to be about me, to think that it revolves around me. Sorry, but truth be told, that is exactly what too many people think. There are people whose attitude is I don’t want to think about something far more powerful, far greater and glorious because that would make me feel bad about myself. When you really understand what you are in relation to God and how glorious He is and how that is to your benefit, being the creation of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, transcendant God, that the universe is under control, we should feel empowered through Him, not themselves. We have a God who has given us promises and an entire paradigm through His Word, Scripture, that should give us security and assurance that these things will play out the way He has promised. He created all things, He controls all things, He sustains all things. It’s going to happen the way He decides. Yes, we can get off the bus anytime, where does that leave you? Dead, cutoff, condemned. If you reject God, you condemn yourself. There isn’t a second choice.
The world’s paradigm tries to convince you that there’s just a whole multitude of choices, so long as that choice isn’t Jesus. Part of those choices is church “your way”, nice and comfy, happy/clappy, you leave church all bouncy/bouncy. But after awhile you realize how fleeting and phoney it is, that it’s work and not really worship. There’s no assurance, no real supernatural power, just you being entertained. Henry Blackby writes: “
If you find that Christianity exhausts you, draining you of your energy, then you are practicing religion rather than enjoying a relationship. Jesus said that a relationship with Him would bring rest to your soul. Your walk with the Lord will not make you weary, it will invigorate you, restore your strength and energize your life.”
All the “entertainment”, appealing to the world, that takes a lot of day in/day out effort, it becomes all about what you do, instead of what God does for you in worship. Will that wear you out, drain you? Of course, it’s not about coming to God, facing the altar, lifting our hands up to Him, it’s about your efforts, the pastor’s efforts, the musician’s efforts, the creative director … blah, blah. No wonder people don’t take the church seriously, it’s not about coming before God, it’s about a new production week after week. There’s little about God working on you and a lot about all the things we do for a new whiz-bang wahoo.
So the point is this, we cannot come into church and take the paradigm of the world in with us. Everything is different for a reason, it is to take you out of the world and point you to something timeless. Something that is valid and compelling today as much as it was 2,000 years ago and will be compelling and valid until Jesus returns. It connects us to Christians all around the world and for all time. The sanctuary should be something that evokes a “wow”, makes you draw in your breath makes you a little about the glory of God. The symbols around you are there to remind you that you are link, a part of the history the church, you are part of that visible church, in my case a building that’s been around 140 years and, God’s will, will be part of well into the future. There’s a cross, at First St Johns there are stain glass windows of the first disciples, of Martin Luther and, rather oddly, CFW Walther, the first president of the Lutheran church in the United States. There are timeless representations of “All Glory to God”. There are representations of bread and wine, the Body and Blood. There is Jesus the Lamb, Jesus crucified, Jesus’ ascension and Jesus ruling in glory. All of these are representations that would be known to the Acts Christians and will be known, again, until He returns. These are all intended to remind you that you are not in the world, that you have come into Jesus’ church, you are connected to the Body of Christ.
You see a man in a plain white robe, around his neck is a stole the color representing the season of the church, usually with different Biblical symbols and represents the “yolk of Jesus”. That he is there to be the voice and face of Jesus to the congregation. I’m not Jesus, but I’ve been ordained to be His minister, His representative. I am the one charged with maintaining the spoken Word, teaching about Scripture, administering the timeless sacraments. Baptism that actually washes away sin, the Lord’s Supper that is His actual Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins. That plain white robe is intended to separate me, not to be more or less special, but different, separated.
We come to Him on terms that have guided worship through the ages. I and other men who are not concerned about our media presence, like others in their $600 suit or the other ridiculous extreme, t-shirts and holes in their blue jeans. There were and are men who were focused on worship on coming to the Father on His terms to honor, glorify and raise Him up. Coming to Him in our weakness, with nothing in our hands only raising to Him in prayer. Not trying to force my music on Him, but to take in everything around us and remember ‘be still and know that I am God.”
Church is not the world, stop trying to force the church into world’s mold. God is in control both in the world and in the church, but it is the church that saves to eternity. Anyone who thinks that there is any permanence about the world is just not dealing with reality. What we see today, even in ten years will be different. God’s kingdom has been and will always be, and that is the paradigm that we should encounter when we go into worship. It’s not about you, it’s about God, any other attitude is idolatry, that is you are putting yourself above God. It’s not about your likes, dislikes, tastes, your preferences. It is about coming in with a reverent spirit, what is the Holy Spirit going to bring to us. Can it seem repetitious? Yes, but again for a reason. When you encounter the trials, when you experience hardship, what do you want running in your mind, what is the background program in your soul? All happy-clappy, everything is beautiful? Or is it what you have heard in worship, “In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever, Amen.” The Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s prayer. When, not if, you encounter tragedy in your life, do you want the background program in your soul being the latest staged production at the church of “it’s all about me”? Or do your want it to be “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy”?
God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (ESV) We keep trying to drag God down to us, to make Him answerable to us. Instead we need to aspire to ever higher worship, coming before Him with empty hands and open hearts. Ready to hear the true Gospel. Frankly I’m not really interested in people leaving worship happy, or feeling good, or entertained. Frankly, when I write a sermon, I usually feel convicted, sometimes I think I’m just writing to myself. There’s no doubt that the Holy Spirit is guiding my sermon. Thoughts, references, pop into my head seemingly out of no where. I want to preach God’s Word, I want to be guided by Him. No one wants to hear my thoughts, they come to church to hear God’s Word preached. “Our way” says that I should be there to please my listeners, to “tickle” their ears, make them like me. Which are things that God’s Word warns us/me, away from. I’m there to preach His Word. I welcome anyone to challenge my exegesis and how I present/preach on Scripture. If I am wrong, I sincerely want to know, sometimes I do miss the target. If people leave happy and have been truly spiritually fed, fine. If they feel comforted, that’s good, because God’s Word should comfort. But if I feel convicted after I finish a sermon, I have to believe that there are others who will feel convicted by the sermon. How about feeling compelled, or inspired? When people walk by me and shake my hand, I hope that I see a look of determination, that others may be as convicted as I am, a look of going back into the world with the Holy Spirit guiding me, that more and more I am His and less of me.
Too many times people buy in to this attitude that “God owes me”, because of what they did, or who they are. Essentially anyone who passes by me in that church will encounter trial or tragedy. If they are not prepared for that, if they can’t come to terms with the fact that the Christian life is challenging, that there will be trials, then anything that rocks their world could leave them bitter, disconnected and possibly rejecting God. If they have a great life, great! I hope all do. But Jesus promises us that the world hates Him and will hate us. A Christian in the world, in general, will often have a more difficult life. In order to cope with that, the Christian needs that different paradigm. It can’t be the world’s paradigm because frankly the world is just going carelessly on its way to destruction. The Bible promises that. If you don’t believe that, you should reassess your understanding of the Bible. The Christian paradigm has to be one of understanding that it is all to the glory of God, it’s not about us and our entertainment, it is to be strong in Christ in confronting life and the world and we need to worship that way, God’s paradigm, not the world’s.
Pastor Jim Driskell 