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The Formation of Jesus for Mission
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Part 5 of series: Missional and Formational?
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Today I’m returning to the series I began last week: Missional and Formational? So far I’ve looked briefly at some connections between missional and formational in the Old Testament and in the early life of Jesus. Today I want to focus on a couple of passages from the Gospels that shed light upon the formation of Jesus for his mission.
The Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus appears in the three synoptic Gospels. In each of these texts, Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. At this time, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, taking the form of a dove. A voice from heaven identified Jesus, saying: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). (Photo: a painting of the baptism of Jesus in a church in Mahon, Minorca.)
The testimony of the heavenly voice must surely have encouraged Jesus, even though we would expect that he had some idea of his special identity prior to his baptism. Nevertheless, to hear that he was God’s Son would have powerfully formed Jesus sense of self and mission. Since “Son” was, in this context, primarily a royal or messianic title, Jesus would have understood his identity as related to the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes for the coming of the kingdom of God.
The Temptation of Jesus
Following the glorious moment of his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days and nights. During this time, he was tempted by the devil. The substance of this temptation had to do with what it meant for Jesus to be the Son of God. Would Jesus seek his own glory, advantage, and power as the Son of God? Or would he choose the way of faithful servanthood and sacrifice?
I find it interesting that Jesus’ first “official” action as the Son of God was to get away from the people to whom he had been sent so that he might spend extended time alone. Of course he wasn’t quite alone, because, according to the Gospels, he was tempted by the devil for forty days. During this time in the wilderness, Jesus began to sort out the implications of his identity and calling. He said a definitive “no” to temptations that would have distracted him from his mission.
In all of my time associated with churches and other Christian ministries, I have only known one church that wanted its new leader to begin his work by spending extended time in solitude and prayer. This church sent its brand new pastor away for a personal retreat as his first official duty. Every other Christian organization of which I am aware is only too eager for its new leader to get down to business: meeting people, learning systems, preaching sermons, etc. etc. etc.
It does seem curious to me that we don’t feel more obliged to imitate Jesus’ own beginning in ministry. I wonder how things might be different if, when a church calls a new pastor, the first task required of that pastor is to take two weeks away from the congregation for prayer and discernment. Perhaps that pastor would confront and defeat his or her own temptations, rather than giving in to them while working way too many hours trying to please everybody in the congregation. I wonder . . . .
It is clear, however, that before Jesus began doing the things that characterized his mission–preaching the good news of the kingdom, healing the sick, casting out demons, training his disciples–he was being formed for his mission. His Heavenly Father clarified his identity. The Spirit led him into a period of testing so that he might grasp the implications of that identity. To use the language of this blog series, in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, formational preceded missional and was essential to it.
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Andy Crouch at Laity Lodge: What Keeps Us From Being Creative?
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, June 30, 2009
We had a fantastic lineup at Laity Lodge last week. Our musicians were Ashley Cleveland and Kenny Greenberg (for the second retreat in a row). Our speakers were Dr. J.I. Packer and Andy Crouch.
I expect most of you have heard of J.I. Packer. His book, Knowing God, is one of the most respected Christian books of the last half century. It has sold well over a million copies, which isn’t bad for a book of serious theology.
Joining Dr. Packer in the teaching role was Andy Crouch. Andy is not as well known as J.I. Packer, but he might well be in the future. (He’s just about exactly one-half Dr. Packer’s age, so he has plenty of time to catch up.) I first became aware of Andy through his work with InterVarsity at Harvard. I never knew him personally, but his name was familiar to me. His name continued to surface over the years in association with interesting projects, such as the Christianity Today Christian Vision Project.
In 2008, Andy’s first book was published: Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling (InterVarsity, 2008). This book has been highly praised, winning a “Best Books” award from Publisher’s Weekly and the Christianity Today 2009 Book Award in the”Christianity and Culture” category. In this outstanding book, Andy urges Christians to be involved in culture making, rather than settling for condemning culture, critiquing culture, copying culture, or consuming culture. Culture, in Andy’s perspective, isn’t limited to “big” things such as major motion pictures or bestselling novels. Nor is it something that only fine artists can produce. Rather, all of us, in some way or another, have the opportunity and responsibility to make culture in our segment of the world.
At Laity Lodge, Andy summarized the key points of his book. But he also broke new ground. One of his messages addressed the question of why we don’t engage in creative culture making, even when we feel passionate about a certain project or called by God to do it. Several of his points struck home for me, including:
1. We are distracted from cultural production by cultural consumption. How often do I fail to create because I’m watching some mindless television show or following the trivialities of my friends’ lives on Facebook.
2. We fail to invest in culture making because it is hard work. Oh, to be sure, there are times when I enjoy writing and find that words flow from my fingertips. But, most of the time, I have to work hard at writing.
3. We don’t engage in culture making because we’re afraid of failure. I find it so much more comfortable not to put myself out there because, when I do, there is always the possiblity (indeed, the likelihood) that I’ll get something wrong. And if I do, I will be criticized. And then I’ll feel bad.
I was not surprised by the fact that Andy Crouch presented many thoughtful and challenging ideas. I expected that from the author of Culture Making. And, though I hadn’t heard Andy speak before, I was not surprised by the fact that he is an excellent oral communicator. But I was surprised to discover that Andy is also a fantastic musician (pianist, singer) and worship leader. He integrated his music into his messages in an unusual and powerful way. He also “sat in” at times with Ashley Cleveland and Kenny Greenberg. If Andy was “just” a musician, I’m sure we love to have him back at Laity Lodge. But he is also one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, and personable speakers we’ve had at Laity Lodge. I look forward to Andy’s next time with us (July 22-25, 2010, along with Michael Lindsay).
Topics: Sharing Laity Lodge | 3 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Inevitability of Death
Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.
Psalm 49 isn’t exactly what you’d call cheery. Its main point is that the rich will die just like everybody else. The psalm ends on this note: “People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.” Not exactly an upbeat thought, is it?
Yet Psalm 49 offers us the possibility of looking at our lives differently, of living with deeper purpose and wider vision. Even if we’re not striving for riches, most of us spend generous amounts of time and effort seeking that which, in the end, will be left behind. We worry about so many things that don’t matter when we look at life from the perspective of death’s inevitability. Psalm 49 gives us the chance to see life from the point of view of death, and therefore choose to live with significance.
As a pastor, I’ve spent more time in memorial services than just about anybody I know. You might think this is a downside of ordained ministry. But, in fact, I consider it a blessing. I’ve officiated in memorial services where eulogies have been relatively empty because the deceased lived their lives devoted to emptiness. And I’ve overseen memorial services that are joyous celebrations of lives well led. What makes the difference? Not wealth. Not position or power. Not even success, as the world defines it. Lives that matter even after death were focused on loving God and loving others. It’s really that simple. So when I’m reminded, either by my involvement in memorial services or by Psalm 49, that I will die, I’m encouraged to live this day with eternal significance. Today I want to be a person of love.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: When you reflect on your own death, what thoughts or feelings come to mind? What are the things in your life for which you strive, and which really don’t matter all that much? Given the inevitability of your death, how will you live differently today?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for Psalm 49. When I first read it, I must confess I felt rather distressed. I wondered why I had to think about death today? But the more I have reflected upon this psalm, the more I have come to appreciate its sober reminder.
Yes, Lord, the day will come when I will die. On that day I will leave behind my possessions and obsessions. When I stand before you and have my life examined, will you and I rejoice over what you have done through me? Will I have loved you with all that I am? Will I have loved my neighbor as myself? Will I have invested my life in the things that last forever?
Thank you, dear Lord, for the reminder to live fully for you this day. May I live today, and each day ahead, with the wisdom that comes from knowing my days on this earth are numbered. Amen.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
Missional and Formational: Factors in the Formation of Jesus (continued)
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, June 27, 2009
Part 4 of series: Missional and Formational?
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In my last post I mentioned that Jesus, as a carpenter, would have had to operate his business with integrity if he were to succeed in a small village such as Nazareth.
Speaking of Nazareth, Jesus spent most of his early life in this village, experiencing the pluses and minuses of small town life. We know almost nothing about his years in Nazareth. But we do know that when Jesus began his ministry, the home town folks were not expecting it. In fact, they were relatively unsupportive of Jesus. At one point, some of his former neighbors tried to throw him off a cliff, probably because they feared that his kingdom message would bring the wrath of Rome down upon their heads (Luke 4:16-30). Yet even when they weren’t trying to kill Jesus, the folks from Nazareth were, by and large, unwilling to believe that he was anything more than a messianic pretender. When he spoke in their synagogue, they took offense at him, saying, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:2-3). (Photo: Nazareth today, a larger town than in the time of Jesus.)
Nevertheless, Jesus’ experience growing up in the synagogue of Nazareth was surely foundational for him. There he heard the Law being read and expounded. There he learned how to read and speak Hebrew (a cousin to his first language, Aramaic). In the synagogue, Jesus would have heard the Psalms read and prayed regularly. And since his family wasn’t wealthy, and therefore didn’t own biblical scrolls, it was in the synagogue that Jesus heard the sacred texts that profoundly shaped his sense of mission, as well as his relationship with his Heavenly Father.
About this relationship we know very little. It would seem likely that the intimacy Jesus experienced with his Father during his ministry didn’t begin at his baptism, but was a part of his life as a relatively ordinary Jewish man.
Perhaps the most extraordinary part of Jesus’ pre-ministry life, in addition to his conception, was his remaining unmarried. Yes, yes, I know that it has been popular in recent years to think of Jesus as married, thanks largely to Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code. If you’re looking for a sober conversation about his marriage or lack thereof, I’d refer you to a series I’ve written called, aptly enough, Was Jesus Married? A Careful Look at the Real Evidence. The historical evidence for the marriage of Jesus is almost entirely fanciful. But the strongest argument in favor of his marriage does deserve to be taken seriously. It is this: Virtually every Jewish man in the time of Jesus would have been married. Thus, by remaining single, Jesus distinguished himself from his peers. No doubt his singleness, in addition to his eyebrow-raising conception, led some to be suspicious of him, or even to heap scorn upon him.
Though in crucial ways Jesus was unique, his first thirty years or so were, in many ways, ordinary. When he hit his thumb with a hammer, he felt real pain, and no doubt cried out (though avoiding words that some of us might use). Jesus knew the joys of family life, but also the sorrows. Given the absence of Joseph from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ adult life, it’s highly likely that Joseph died before Jesus commenced his ministry. Thus he knew what it was like to lose a father, and to comfort a mother who had lost her husband. Perhaps this experience contributed to his compassion for the suffering, or shaped the compassion that was his by virtue of his divine nature.
Well, I’ve offered plenty of speculations here, so it’s time to stop. In my next post in this series I want to look at some events in the life of Jesus as they’re found in the Gospels and reflect upon how Jesus was being formed through them.
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Missional and Formational: Factors in the Formation of Jesus
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, June 26, 2009
Part 3 of series: Missional and Formational?
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It’s always risky to try and speak of the forces that formed Jesus and his ministry. Partly we face the problem of his uniqueness as someone who was both fully human and fully God. But efforts to account for Jesus’ own formation necessarily stumble over the lack of historical evidence for his life before his ministry. The gospels provide us with so little to go on here. (To be accurate, I should say that the canonical gospels offer scanty information on the early life of Jesus. The so-called “Infancy Gospel of Thomas” fills in the blanks for us. But, unfortunately, most of what we read in this gospel is more legendary than historical.)
For the most part, the early life of Jesus is best left to fictional attempts, such as the fine efforts by Anne Rice (Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana is her latest) or the wildly inventive, funny, and profane novel by Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal. Most serious scholars realize that the early years of Jesus are inaccessible, and therefore shouldn’t receive undue attention.
Nevertheless, we can know some things about Jesus’ experience prior to the launch of his ministry at around thirty years of age. And we can speculate about how this experience might have formed him as a man and also his ministry as the kingdom-inaugurating Son of Man/Messiah. As long as we recognize that our speculations are, well, speculative, then I think it’s both safe and worthwhile to think of Jesus’ own formation and its relationship to his mission.
We do know that Jesus was born into a Jewish family that observed the Torah carefully. He and his parents, along with siblings (or half-siblings) would, for example, have been faithful in praying daily prayers, attending the synagogue, keeping the Sabbath, and making occasional trips to Jerusalem in order to offer sacrifices in the temple.
We also know that Jesus had a rather outstanding mother. No doubt she was chosen as the mother of the Son of God because of her character and faith. Surely she had a major role in helping Jesus to know who he was and what his life was all about.
We know relatively little about Joseph, Jesus’ human father. From the story of the conception of Jesus, we know that Joseph was a righteous and compassionate man. We also can see that he was willing to risk his honor and even his life to follow God’s call. Joseph was a carpenter, as was Jesus, who followed in his father’s footsteps. Jesus no doubt was apprenticed to Joseph, learning his father’s trade by countless hours at his Joseph’s side. It’s quite likely that when Jesus spoke of making disciples, his own experience as Joseph’s apprentice shaped his understanding and practice.
We can only wonder how Jesus’ years as an apprentice and then carpenter formed both his own personality and his ministry. A successful carpenter needs to be exacting and careful. “Measure twice, cut once,” my grandfather used to say. A skillful carpenter sees in a pile of wood a table or chair, much as a sculptor sees a masterpiece in a block of marble. As a craftsman in Nazareth, Jesus would have needed to operate with exemplary integrity as a businessman. Moreover, it’s like that his work brought him into contact with people from Sepphoris, the nearby city with strong Roman influence. Though he lived in a small village, Jesus was aware of the wider world, including the might of Rome.
I’ll have more to say about Nazareth and Jesus in my next post in this series.
Topics: Missional and Formational | 4 Comments »
Missional and Formational in the Old Testament
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, June 25, 2009
As the mission of God unfolds in the Old Testament, he enters into covenant relationship with key partners is mission. In each of these covenant relationships there are both missional and formational components, and they are closely related.
Abraham
God chose to be a central player in his unfolding strategy for redeeming the world. In Genesis 12:1-3 we read:
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
God did not only use Abraham in fulfillment of his plans, however. The Lord also transformed Abraham in the process. In Genesis 15, for example, God revealed to Abraham that his heir will be his own son, even though this was impossible given his wife’s old age. He chose to believe what God said, and God “reckoned it to him as righteousness” (15:6). God worked with Abraham to help him grow in a trusting relationship.
Then, in Genesis 17, the Lord revealed to Abraham more of his grand plan. God promised to give Abraham many descendants and to place them in a special land. Abraham’s part in this covenant relationship was to make sure that every male in his household was circumcised, including Abraham. His obedience showed an exceptional quality of devotion to God. (I’ve sometimes wondered how difficult it would be to get male converts to Christianity if conversion was necessarily followed by circumcision rather than baptism!)
Genesis 18 shows a curious dimension of the Lord’s relationship with Abraham. When God reveals his plans to destroy Sodom because of its wickedness, Abraham argues with God, appealing for mercy for Sodom. This shows how Abraham has grown in boldness with God, and perhaps also in compassion.
Perhaps the most striking incident that reveals the Lord’s shaping of Abraham is in Genesis 22, when God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. We can only imagine Abraham’s inner turmoil as he led his son to what seemed to be his death. Abraham’s faith in God was tested to an extreme degree and he passed the test with flying colors. Since the Lord knew Abraham’s heart even before the incident on the mountain, I can only conclude that this test of faith was for Abraham’s growth. (Picture: Rembrandt’s painting of the Sacrifice of Isaac, 1635.)
With the examples I mentioned here, we see how God was in the process of forming Abraham’s soul even as he was using him in the unfolding of his mission to redeem the world.
Moses
In the life of Moses we see a similar intermingling of missional and formational. It began when the Lord revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush, calling him to return to Egypt to set Israel free from bondage. When Moses protested that he was not up to the job, a fascinating conversation ensued, in which the Lord condescended to work with Moses’ fears and insecrutities, while building his confidence both in God and in himself (see Exodus 3).
Later, after Moses had been used by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, they were attacked in the wilderness by the Amalekites. When the Israelites defended themselves, they were successful, but only as long as Moses held up his staff. When his arm became weakened, and he lowered his staff, the Israelites would begin to lose. So Moses, who had become quite a strong and solitary leader, learned to depend on others for help (see Exodus 17).
Then, in the next chapter, Moses was visited by his father-in-law, Jethro. He observed his son-in-law working morning to night judging the Israelites’ petty disputes. Speaking frankly to Moses, Jethro said, “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone” (18:17-18). Jethro went on to suggest that Moses appoint trustworthy men to judge the minor cases, leaving only Moses as the “Supreme Court” of Israel. Moses received his father-in-law’s counsel and delegated much of his judging to others. I wonder if the experience of getting help from his assistants in holding up his staff prepared Moses to take the steps recommended by Jethro.
At any rate, Exodus shows us how God not only used Moses, but also shaped him as a leader and a man of faith. This kind of missional-formational combination is seen throughout the Old Testament, not only with the leaders of Israel, but also with the Israelites themselves.
Topics: Missional and Formational | 2 Comments »
Missional and Formational?
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, June 23, 2009
On Wednesday of this week I’ll be offering a workshop at the Renovaré conference in San Antonio. The theme of this conference is: The Jesus Way: Recovering the Lost Content of Discipleship. Conference headliners include Eugene Peterson, Max Lucado, Emilie Griffin, John Ortberg, Dallas Willard, and Richard Foster. I’m honored to be included on the undercard as one of dozens of workshop leaders.
I’m participating in a “track” of the conference sponsored by the Presbyterian Global Fellowship. This track is called “Transformational and Missional: The Jesus Way for Church Life and Leadership.” Other track presenters will be Todd Hunter, Rich Kannwischer, Will Mancini, and Dallas Willard. My workshop will focus on biblical texts that inform our understanding of the relationship between missional and formational aspects of Christian discipleship.
Yes, I realize I might have lost some of you with this lingo. The words “missional” and “formational” are not exactly found on the lips of most folks, even faithful church members. So let me explain what I am planning to talk about on Wednesday before I summarize some of my conclusions here. (You don’t even have to visit San Antonio in the middle of a heat wave to get the main points of my workshop!) (Photo: The Jesus Way logo, from Eugene Peterson’s book, The Jesus Way)
Missional: “Missional” is an adjective that I first heard in the 1990s. Since then it has gained in popularity. In fact, “missional” runs the risk of becoming faddish, and therefore way overused. Plus, the more folks use it, the more it can lose its precise meaning. Some time ago I wrote a whole blog series on the topic: “The Mission of God and the Missional Church.” You’ll find a thorough discussion of the meaning of “missional” there. For now, I’ll simply say that “missional” is an adjective used to describe the church as a participant in the mission of God. The missional church exists, not primarily for itself, but for God and for others. The word “missional” comes from the Latin word missio that means for “having been sent.” The missional church is not only a church that sends or supports missionaries who are sent to distant places to do the work of God. Rather, the missional church sees itself as God’s missionary wherever it is located. The missional church understands itself as having been “sent” by God to do his work right where it is.
One among many biblical texts that defines the missional character of the church is the so-called Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Formational: “Formational” is an adjective that is related to the notion of “spiritual formation” or “Christian formation.” Formational activities would be those that help us to grow as Christians, not only in our knowledge of the faith, but primarily in our Christ-likeness. Biblical passages that point to the process of formation would include:
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son [proorisen summorphous tes eikonos tou huiou autou], in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. (Romans 8:29)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed [metamorphousthe] by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you [mechris hou morphothe Christos en humin]. (Galatians 4:19)
You may have noticed that each of these verses contains a word from the Greek root morph-. God has destined us to be conformed [summorphous] to the image of his Son. We are to be transformed [metamorphousthe] by the renewing of our minds. Christ is to be formed in us [morphothe]. In Greek, the word morphe means “form.” It can refer to the external shape of something, but also to its essential character. It has this sense when used in the New Testament to describe the basic nature of something. Morphe itself shows up in Philippians 2:6-7 in reference to Christ:
who, though he was in the form [morphe] of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form [morphe] of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form. . . .
Missional and Formational?
In my Renovaré workshop, I’m dealing with the relationship between misional and formational in Christian churches as well as in the lives of individual believers. If a church sees itself as missional (sent by God to share in his mission), in what sense might it also be formational (helping people to become more like Christ)? If a church is focused on spiritual formation, how might this impact its missional consciousness?
At first glance, it seems as if missional and formational are apples and oranges. One has to do with the outward effort of a Christian community. The other has to do with the inward transformation of individuals. There are surely many churches that focus on one or the other, without incorporating both emphases. This suggests other questions. Should a church be both missional and formational, or can it choose one or the other? Is it possible for a church to be truly missional and not be formational? Or truly formational and not be missional? How might missional and formational emphases complement each other?
My approach in my workshop, and in this blog series, will be to examine specific biblical texts that deal with missional and/or formational aspects of the Christian life. My expect that we’ll be able to see, not only that missional and formational go hand in hand, but also how they depend up and fulfill each other. A church that is truly what a church should be will, in my opinion, but both missional and formational. Moreover, it will see itself as essentially missional and formational, whether or not it uses these particular terms.
Your Input
As always, I’m interested in your input here, through comments or through email. How do you see the connection between missional and formational? How have you experienced this connection (or lack thereof) in your church experience?
Topics: Mission, Missional and Formational | 10 Comments »
Great Music at Laity Lodge . . . Ashley Cleveland and Kenny Greenberg
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, June 22, 2009
One of the things I love about Laity Lodge is getting to hear great music in a wide variety of genres. A week ago we were treated to a world-class string trio composed of Stephen Clapp (violinist and former dean at Julliard), Sean Jackson (Juillard grad in piano and organ), and Josef Luptak (cellist from Slovakia). Then we had a swift change of musical gears. At our most recent, were entertained and led in worship by Ashley Cleveland and Kenny Greenberg.
Ashley is a three-time Grammy award winner in the “Best Rock Gospel” category. She is a rocker, but in a most soulful manner. She sings with extraordinary emotion and intensity. Ashley is also a brilliant songwriter and a mature Christian woman with deep insight into God’s grace. (Photo: the cover of Ashley’s newest album, God don’t never change)
Kenny Greenberg, who happens to be Ashley’s husband, is one of the finest rock guitarists in the world today. In fact, before coming to Laity Lodge, he had just done some studio work with Carrie Underwood. Kenny’s skill is matched by his deep faith in Christ. Together, Ashley and Kenny make a dynamic duo. (No, they do not wear masks and capes.)
In their concert last Saturday evening, Ashley and Kenny did a wide variety of music, including some songs from Ashley’s newest album, God don’t never change. This new recording features music from the African American tradition, including several spirituals that are not yet well known. They will be soon, I predict, because God don’t never change is a spellbinder.
What follows is a short clip from Ashley’s and Kenny’s concert at Laity Lodge. This will give you a tiny taste of God don’t never change. Warning: The sound quality is not very good. This clip comes from my digital camera.
You can hear this song, “Sampson and Delilah” the way it is meant to be heard by visiting Ashley’s website. In fact, you can download “Sampson and Delilah” for free. Once you have heard this song, I expect you’ll want the whole album. You can purchase it from Amazon or download it from iTunes.
We have great music ahead this summer and fall, including Sara Groves, Buddy Greene, Charlie Peacock, and Michael Card. Ashley and Kenny will be back for our New Year’s retreat. For more info, check out the Laity Lodge website.
Topics: Laity Lodge | 3 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, June 21, 2009
Clap and Shout!
Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
In yesterday’s reflection, I mentioned that I am not wired for stillness, but rather for activity and worry. So I need the invitation of Psalm 46:10 to challenge me to be still and know that God is God.
Well, in truth, I’m not wired for clapping my hands and shouting to God, either. My ancestors came from northern Europe, where people associate reverence with reservation. Something in my genes prefers to worship God quietly and carefully. Thus it’s no surprise that I found a home within the Presbyterian church. We’re happy to have our choirs singing joyously about clapping and shouting. But we certainly don’t want to do it ourselves! That feels almost indecent and disorderly.
There is surely a time to worship God in quiet and stillness. Psalm 46:10 suggests this. Habakkuk explicitly calls for silence in response to God’s holy presence (2:20). Yet Scripture repeatedly calls us to worship the Lord with vigorous physical expression. Psalm 47:1 joins a chorus of passages that call us to use our bodies in worship by clapping, shouting, standing, singing, lifting our hands, and so on.
Why is this important? Psalm 47 explains that physically expressive worship is a fitting response to God’s awesomeness and power. Even as a crowd would cheer for a king, so we ought to honor the King of kings. Moreover, when we invest our body in active worship, we often find that our hearts are stirred with love for God. Plus, we get to practice loving God with all of our strength, so that we might live fully for him each day.
Some Christians need to learn how to worship with greater zest, yes, even with more volume. Other Christians need to learn how to be quiet in God’s presence, so they might hear the still, small voice of his Spirit. Frankly, I need both.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you find it easier to be quiet before God or to clap and shout? Why? What helps you to be freer in offering yourself in worship to God?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, you know I don’t find it natural to clap for you or shout my praise to you. I know that you receive my worship with gladness, even when it’s quiet. But I also know that I need to discover the freedom of greater expression in worship. Help me, Lord, to offer you more of myself, more of my body, more of my voice, more of my whole self to you.
Even as I need to grow in being still before you, I also need to become more expressive of my love for you. By your Spirit, I ask for new freedom and joy in worship. May I hold nothing back as I love you with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind, and all of my strength. Amen.
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This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org), a wonderful website about work and God. You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | 2 Comments »
A Windy Summer Day at Laity Lodge
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, June 20, 2009
Here’s a great reason to hang out at Laity Lodge . . . .
Check out this short video clip so you can appreciate the warm summer wind at your back:
Topics: Laity Lodge | No Comments »
Is Twitter Making a Difference that Matters?
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, June 19, 2009
You may have noticed that I am now including my tweets (Twitter posts) on this website. In the amazing world of computer automation, all I need to do is to create a tweet in my Twitter account, and it magically appears on my website.
I have been flirting with Twitter, but am still unconvinced of its value. I expect that Twitter will give birth to something else that is much more useful than what we have at the moment. To be frank, I don’t need to know what thousands of people had for breakfast. I don’t even need to know what my best friends had for breakfast, to be completely honest. I have been more positive about Twitter than Maureen Dowd, who wrote: “I would rather be tied up to stakes in the Kalahari Desert, have honey poured over me and red ants eat out my eyes than open a Twitter account.” But it seems that Twittering is mostly for people who have way too much time on their hands.
Until now. I’ve been watching with interest several news stories having to do with the role of Twitter in the political unrest in Iran. Many are claiming that Twitter is providing a unique platform for protesters in Iran to organize and communicate with themselves as well as the wider world. In what seems to be a legitimate news story (and not a clever satirical post from the Onion), the U.S. State Department has asked Twitter to delay some scheduled maintenance that would force the system to go down for a while.
For a sober discussion of how Twitter is impacting the situation in Iran, check out this story from the Washington Post. For a fascinating, but somewhat less balanced view, see this video from ITN:
What do you think? Is Twitter making a difference that matters?
Topics: Technology | 1 Comment »
Now That’s What I Call Church! (Or Not)
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, June 18, 2009
Check out this funny but all-too-true video about church . . .
Ouch!
(Hat tip: Branon Dempsey at Worship Team Training)
Topics: Church Life | 2 Comments »
Good News for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) could use some good news. No, I don’t mean the Good News, though we could always stand to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ once again. I’m speaking more of specific, tangible good news that would tell those of us who are faithful Presbyterians that our denomination is on the right track. (I am, as you may know, a PCUSA pastor.)
Last month my denomination received “sort of” good news, when the presbyteries (our regional governing bodies) voted to reject a change in our polity that would have allowed the ordination of people who are sexually active outside of marriage. I say this was “sort of” good news because it didn’t mean that my denomination is healthy and thriving, only that we had voted not to drink spiritual hemlock at this time around. We did, however, spend a whole lot of time and energy arguing over whether we were going to uphold biblical teaching or not. I’m glad for the conclusion to honor the Bible’s teaching on sexuality, but sad for the huge distraction from our mission. I wonder how many more people would know God personally and how much more justice would have been done in this world if the PCUSA had not spent so much time and money over the last thirty years arguing about sexuality, but had instead focused on evangelism and discipleship.
So what is the good news for the PCUSA that encouraged me today? It was the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Hayner as the next President of Columbia Theological Seminary, a PCUSA institution in Decatur, Georgia. Since 2003, Dr. Hayner has been the Peachtree Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Columbia. Now he will assume the reins of seminary leadership.
I have met Steve Hayner on a couple of occasions, and have followed his career for more than 30 years. When I first got to know Steve, he was the university pastor at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. From there he went to Seattle Pacific University before serving as the President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for 13 years. Following his stint with IVCF, Steve was a parish pastor for a couple of years before joining the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary in the evangelism chair.
I have always been impressed with Steve’s bright mind, passionate heart, and winsome personality. He is a faithful, orthodox Christian who seeks to engage this world for the sake of the kingdom of God. He sees the mission of Christ wholistically, emphasizing the centrality of evangelism without ignoring the call to do justice. Steve has had a long commitment to students, and this will surely enrich his leadership of Columbia Seminary.
I congratulate Steve for this fine appointment and the Board of Trustees at Columbia for this fine choice. Please join me in praying both for Steve and for the seminary as they seek to be faithful to Jesus Christ in trying times, both in the PCUSA and in the world.
Topics: PCUSA: General | 6 Comments »
Tuesday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Trustworthy Leadership
When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the LORD had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Exodus 14 describes the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites as the Lord guided them through the Red Sea and then swamped the armies of Egypt. The children of Israel marveled at the power of God and “were filled with awe” before him (literally, “they were afraid”). As a result, “they put their faith in the LORD and in his servant Moses.”
To this point in the story, the people had followed the Lord and Moses, but with lots of hesitation. Though they had trusted Moses enough to follow him as he left Egypt, they nevertheless felt afraid that they would be destroyed by the awesome might of the Egyptian armies (14:11-12). But after witnessing the miracle of the Red Sea, the Israelites finally trusted in God, and not just in God, but also in Moses—at least for now!
Why did the people put their faith in Moses and his leadership? Because he had demonstrated his trustworthiness. What he had promised actually happened. He had endured multiple challenges with commitment. He led his people with a steady hand, waiting for God’s ultimate action to save Israel.
We live in a day when people are not inclined to trust leaders. Too often our leaders in government, business, church, and family have let us down. So, just because you’re in charge, this does not mean people will freely put their faith in you. Such trust must be earned, slowly, patiently, over time. It comes only when you prove that you are worthy of trust by your own faithfulness, wisdom, and commitment.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What helps you to trust your leaders? How can you be a leader whom people trust?
PRAYER: Lord, in today’s biblical text, the Israelites finally put their faith in you and also in Moses. I’m struck by the inclusion of Moses here. I can imagine how frustrating it must have been to him to lead people who did not trust him. Yet he persevered, serving you faithfully. In time, the people recognized that he was reliable, that you were truly working through him. So they put their trust in Moses.
Help me, Lord, to be a leader worthy of people’s trust. May the people for whom I am a leader put their trust in me because I have earned it. Let this be true for my family, my colleagues, and all who are exposed to my ministry.
When I do not receive the trust I think I deserve, help me to be patient, Lord. May my faithfulness and commitment as a leader bear the fruit of well-earned trust. To you be all the glory. Amen.
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Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?
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This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Inspiration | No Comments »
Monday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, June 15, 2009
The Lord Will Fight for You
“The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
As the Israelites left Egypt, they were pursued by the Egyptians. Fearful of the awesome power of Pharaoh’s army, the people of Israel were gripped with fear. They complained to Moses that they would rather be slaves in Egypt than corpses in the wilderness.
Moses sought to reassure his people with the promise that God would rescue them that very day. Though they could never overcome the military might of Egypt, they did not have to worry because, “The LORD himself will fight for you” (14:14).
Do you need to hear this reassurance in your own life? I know I do. When I feel overwhelmed, when the challenges before me are more than I can handle, I am naturally wired for worry. My mind can spin out of control, envisioning all sorts of terrible outcomes. In these situations, I need to hear that God is on my side, that the Lord will fight for me.
This does not mean, of course, that everything I choose to do will be blessed by God. Nor does it mean that my life will be free of hardship and suffering. But, if I am committed to the kingdom of God and seeking to live for God’s purposes and glory, then my battles are really God’s battles, and he will fight for me. I can be strong, therefore, “in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Eph. 6:10).
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you need the Lord to fight for you today? What would you attempt for his glory if you were sure that he would fight for you?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, today I’m feeling overwhelmed, not so much by the difficulty of the tasks before me as by the number of them. I wonder how I can get everything done that I need to do today. So I ask you to fight for me. Give me the strength to do what I cannot accomplish on my own. Help me to trust you, to follow your lead, to offer myself to you in all that I do.
By the end of this day, may I be able to say, “Yes, Lord, you fought for me today! Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord.”
And may every day of my life be just like this! Amen.
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Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?
Here’s how . . . .
This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Inspiration | 1 Comment »