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Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling.org
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, April 6, 2008
Jacob’s Stone Pillar
Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil.
Jacob set up a pillar in order to identify the place where God had spoken to him. This was, in fact, the second time Jacob did this in Bethel (see also Gen. 28:18). Later in the Old Testament, Samuel does a similar thing, naming the stone of commemoration Ebenezer, which means, in Hebrew the stone of help (1 Sam. 7:12).
In a day when we tend to neglect the past, when it’s easy to forget about what God has done in our lives, perhaps we need stones of remembrance. Sometimes places serve in this way. For example, we might go back to the summer camp where we first gave our lives to Christ and there we are filled with gratitude for God’s grace. Or perhaps we might save a bookmark, a letter, or even a stone to signify God’s presence.
Knowing our need for things to remind us of God’s grace, Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper. Here, the very tangible and simple elements of bread and wine help us to remember the cross. We experience God’s grace in a fresh way through these simple “stones” of remembrance.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you have any markers in your life that remind you of God’s faithfulness to you? Do you need something like this? What could you “set up” to remind you of God’s presence in your life?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, how quickly I forget your grace to me. I receive it, enjoy it, profit from it, and then move on to the next thing. Then I wonder why my life can seem so empty, why my faith falters when challenged.
Forgive me, Lord, for forgetting your goodness to me. Forgive me for my insulting ingratitude.
Help me, I pray, to do that which will help me to remember you. Surely extended times of intentional gratitude can do this. But perhaps I need to set up “stones” of remembrance in my own life, so that I might be continuously reminded of your grace to me. Or perhaps I need to see with new eyes the “stones” that are already present in my life. Amen.
Daily Reflections from The High Calling.org
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.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, April 5, 2008
Last week I spoke at a Presbyterian pastors conference at Mt. Hermon. This conference center, the oldest Christian camp in the western United States, lies in the sylvan woods of the Santa Cruz mountains. It’s setting among the redwoods is one of the prettiest for a conference center. I thought I’d put up a picture of the Dining Hall so you can get some small idea of the beauty of this spot. It’s truly delightful.
The conference in which I participated was the West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference. It has been meeting for around forty years, and includes about 170 pastors and a few spouses. I thoroughly enjoyed the people at this event, some of whom were old friends, most of whom were new friends. It was a special treat to spend a good bit of time with Rick Hull and his wife. Rick is the Interim Senior Pastor who followed me at Irvine Presbyterian Church. I am certainly impressed with him, and am grateful to God for his leadership of the Irvine church.
One of the things I most loved at the WCPPC was the laughter. I laughed more in the last week than in all of the rest of 2008 combined. I was reminded of how healing and restorative laughter can be . . . as well as just plain fun.
If you live anywhere in California, especially in the central or northern parts of the state, you should check out Mt. Hermon. It’s a fantastic spot and they have some great retreats throughout the year.
Topics: Recommendations | 1 Comment »
What Can We Do to Make Room for the Holy Spirit in Strategic Planning and Goal Setting: Section B
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, April 4, 2008
Part 3 of series: Planning and Goals: Is There Room for the Holy Spirit?
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Last month I began a blog series entitled Planning and Goals: Is There Room for the Holy Spirit? I didn’t have time to finish the series before Holy Week, however, so I left some loose ends dangling. Now it’s time to finish the series.
What can we do to make room for the Holy Spirit in strategic planning and goal setting? So far I’ve suggested three actions or attitudes:
1. Acknowledge the sovereignty of God.
2. Listen for the “bass note” of biblical theology.
3. Respect the ways God has led in the past.
Today I’ll add one more item to the list.
4. Recognize that God’s new wine requires new wineskins.
Point #3 was “Respect the ways God has led in the past.” Of course there are times when respect for the past slouches over into idolatry, when planning for the future is bound by the traditions from the past. Thus respect for God’s leading in the past needs to be balanced by an openness to the new thing God wishes to do in the future.
I’ll admit that this isn’t easy, not at all. Most of us lean either toward hanging on to the old wineskins or rushing forward too quickly to the new. Perhaps its more accurate to say that we want the old in some ways (where we are comfortable) and the new in others ways (where we want change).
It’s hard to live in the tension between respect for the old and openness to the new, but there’s no way for Christian leaders to avoid this tension. It’s an essential aspect of our leadership.
So how can we know when new wineskins are required? For one thing, we need to distinguish between the wine (the essential) and the skins (the inessential). For example, if we want to communicate the good news of Christ effectively, we need to use the language of the world in which we live, a world that is always changing and is doing so more and more rapidly. At the same time, we mustn’t give up the fundamental good news. These days, the Christian gospel is controversial because of it’s unpopular notion of Christ as the only Savior. But if Christians give up this notion, they have essentially given up Christian faith. We need to find effective ways to explain to people what it means for Jesus to be the Savior. But heaven help us if we no longer believe that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
Beyond distinguishing between the wine and the skins, we need to be involved in prayerful, theologically-informed conversation among wise people so that we might be able to see which skins are in need of replacing. Some of these sages can come from within an organization. But existing leaders can easily become entrenched, thus lacking perspective to see their own old wineskins. Outside reflection from wise friends can help us see who we are with fresh vision.
Another way to discern whether your organization needs new wineskins is to evaluate your effectiveness. Are you fulfilling your fundamental purpose(s)? Are you growing in your missional effectiveness, or shrinking? If the trends are moving in a positive direction, your main wineskins may be functioning well. If you’re heading negative direction, however, chances are you need new wineskins. (Photo: A church in Bodie, California)
I think, for example, of hundreds of Presbyterian churches throughout our country that were thriving in the 1950s and 1960s. Many had several thousand members, extensive campuses, and attractive programs. Today, most of these churches are much, much smaller. Quite a few have closed their doors, or are seriously considering this option. Why? Because they stopped connecting with the people around them. Because they didn’t change with their culture and environment. Many urban churches, for example, used to be filled with Anglo families, most of whom lived nearby. But then the Anglos moved out to the suburbs and ethnic minorities moved in. The churches continued doing business as usual, failing to communicate in the language(s) of their neighbors, or to worship in an idiom that made sense to them. The churches clung desperately to their old wineskins as their memberships dwindled and their physical plants deteriorated. Unfortunately, their leaders either didn’t see the handwriting on the wall, or saw it and failed to act. They were too enamored with the old wineskins, or perhaps too afraid of what church members would say if they dared to tamper with the old skins.
It’s risky to be open to change. It can feel scary and uncertain. But it’s also risky for an organization to resist change. Too often beloved old wineskins end up being used as a burial shroud.
Topics: Planning & Goals & the Spirit | No Comments »
What is the Most Central Doctrine of Christianity?
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, April 3, 2008
This week I’ve been speaking at the West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference at Mt. Hermon, California, in the verdant mountains above Santa Cruz. That’s rather ironic, given the fact that I am no longer a parish pastor and no longer living on the West Coast. My involvement at this conference also helps to explain why my blogging has been a bit irregular this week.)
My theme for the week is “Refreshment for Muck-Sucking Pastors.” Yes, I realize this title needs some explanation. Perhaps I’ll provide that later on. For now, however, I want to comment on something said by the other main speaker at the conference.
I’ve been teamed up with Dr. James Edwards, the Bruner-Welch Professor of Theology at Whitworth University in Washington. Jim Edwards has a wide range of expertise, especially New Testament studies. At the conference he’s been doing a series of word studies on Greek words such as episkiazo (to overshadow), schisma (tear, schism), and proserchomai (to approach). Jim is a fine scholar and an engaging speaker. It’s been a privilege to join him as a speaker and to sit at his feet.
Jim began his teaching with one of those broad questions that tease the mind: What is the most central doctrine of Christianity? Which doctrine makes Christianity truly Christian? Immediately my mind began cycling through basic Christian beliefs: the existence of God, the Trinity, the love of God, the goodness of God, the grace of God, salvation through the cross, etc. Before Jim answered his question, I had settled on the one doctrine that, it seemed to me, is the hub of the wheel of Christian theology.
When Jim answered his question, I felt like an elementary school kid who got the right answer on the daily puzzler. His take on the most central doctrine was mine as well. That doesn’t mean we’re right, of course, but it does raise the likelihood that our answer has merit.
What do Jim Edwards and I think is the most essential or central of all Christian doctrines? The incarnation of the Word of God. The extraordinary fact that the God of the Universe, the God who is spirit, became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. As the Gospel of John celebrates, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Why is this doctrine so central to Christianity? Well, for one thing, as Jim noted, it is that which sets Christianity apart from other religions. To my knowledge, none of the major religions of the world believes that God became a human being. Many of them, like Islam, for example, find the notion of the incarnation to be blasphemy. Moreover, within Christian theology, the incarnation accounts for the saving efficacy of the cross and resurrection. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ because he is both God and human. The incarnation doesn’t save us, but it makes salvation possible.
The incarnation also is the center of the Christian view of divine revelation. Though we believe God has revealed himself in creation, in Scripture, in community, and in our hearts, the paramount self-revelation of God is Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Christians believe that Jesus reveals, more fully and perfectly than anything else in all the universe, the character of God: his righteousness and justice, his grace and mercy, his kindness and love.
What do you think about this? Agree? Why? Disagree? Why?
Topics: Theology | 11 Comments »
You Know You’re in a Small Town When . . .
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Feb. 7
30200 Fairway Ranch, 1:09 p.m., An attempt to bake a pie turned into an oven fire. The volunteer fire department responded and put it out with - what else - baking soda. [MDR: I’ve never seen “what else” in a police blotter before.]
Feb. 10
8500 block of North View Pass, 5:42 p.m., A resident called police after a neighbor’s dog had reportedly been barking nonstop for 24 hours. Police found the dog chained in the backyard with an empty water bowl. Officers refilled the bowl and left a card for the resident. [MDR: Our officers don’t just arrest people. They solve problems.]
Feb 29
8400 Northview Pass, 12:21 p.m., A Caller complained about a neighbor dumping barbecue pit grease onto the roadway. Dumper claimed he was just emptying water from his smoker. [MDR: So nice to have friendly neighbors.]
March 1
30300 block of Ralph Fair Rd., 3:42 p.m., An activated alarm at a church alerted law enforcement to a possible burglary. The elderly couple, whom police pulled over nearby, stated that, having stopped at the church to see what time services are held, they found the front door unlocked and went inside to get a pamphlet. [MDR: Now that’s an unusual approach to visitor outreach.]
March 3
7700 block Kingland, 5:55 p.m., Officers were called by the home’s nanny to deal with a “loose lizard.” A two-foot long iguana was apprehended from its resting place under the bedroom furniture and subsequently returned to its cage. [MDR: The lizard was apprehended.]
March 24
900 block of N. Main Street, 2:51 p.m., A caller reported a group of teens fighting while another was taking pictures. Police contacted the group who were making an amateur film based on the movie “The Karate Kid.” No injuries were reported. [MDR: Wax on. Wax off. Wax on. Wax off.]
March 26
500 block of W. San Antonio Road, 12:42 p.m., An 18-wheeler driver reported that an elderly man was in the roadway and screaming at him, and the man climbed up on the truck. Police contacted the 78-year-old man who said the truckers were driving by his home and using their engine brakes to disturb him. [MDR: Note to self: Don’t use engine brakes in the 500 block of W. San Antonio Road]
Topics: Small Town, Police Blotter | 2 Comments »
My Statement of Faith: Concluding Comments
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, March 31, 2008
Last Thursday I put up my Statement of Faith, one I had written as a part of my examination to be recognized as a Presbyterian pastor in my new location. If you didn’t read it, you can find my Statement of Faith here. On Friday I explained why I used hymns and songs as a way to capture my faith. Today I want to add a bit more commentary.
I was impressed by the number of comments and emails I received from people who were encouraged by my use of music to give expression to my faith. There are many, many people who share my love of hymns and songs, both for their content and for the way they move the heart. I was most impressed by a comment I received from Robert Austell, a Presbyterian pastor who went through a process similar to mine. When it was time for him to share his Statement of Faith in only three minutes, he grabbed his guitar, stood up, and sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” (Note: I used a stanza of this fine hymn too.)
As I explained in my last post in this series, I chose most of the lyrics because they expressed, in poetic form, some central aspect of my faith. The first verse of “Holy, Holy, Holy,” for example, bears witness both to God’s holiness and to God’s triune nature. But some of the stanzas in my Statement of Faith were more confessional in nature. For example, the last verse of the hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be” reads:
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
During the past year, as I was wrestling with the question of whether to remain as pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church or uproot my family and move to Texas, that last line often put into words the deepest desire of my heart: to be ever, only, all for God.
You may have noticed that I framed my Statement of Faith with the first verse and then the refrain of “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” I did so, in part, because this hymn expresses, perhaps better than any other, my faith in God. I have faith in God because of God’s faithfulness. I remain a Christian because of God’s faithfulness. I am forgiven because of God’s faithfulness. Were it not for God’s faithfulness, I would have no faith.
I chose to frame my Statement of Faith with “Great is Thy Faithfulness” not only because of this hymn’s core truth, but also because of the way it has framed my life. We sang “Great is Thy Faithfulness” at my wedding in 1984, and at the memorial service of my father in 1986, and at my ordination in 1988, and at my installation at Irvine Presbyterian Church in 1991, and on my final Sunday at Irvine Presbyterian Church in 2007. This hymn has been my “best friend,” liturgically speaking, for more than two decades. And I’ve said that I want this hymn to be sung at my memorial service, which, I hope is still a long way off. (Photo: I was installed in what is now the Fellowship Hall of Irvine Presbyterian Church. Our sanctuary wasn’t built until 1996.)
My Statement of Faith bears witness, not only to the God in whom I put my faith, but also to the fact that Christian faith is both full of content and more than just content. Christian faith is theological and emotional. It is deeply personal and profoundly communal. It is propositional and poetic. It is, above all, a relationship with the living God, a relationship which, at its core, involves trusting in the God who is always faithful, and whose faithfulness is demonstrated most of all through Jesus Christ.
Topics: Statement of Faith | 2 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling.org
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, March 30, 2008
Pray Toward Heaven and Row Toward Shore
Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys.
As Jacob headed homeward to face his estranged brother, Esau, he was understandably worried. Esau had, after all, promised to kill him (Gen. 27:41), and he was coming to meet Jacob with an army of 400 men (Gen. 32:6).
At first, Jacob prayed for God’s protection, reminding the Lord of his promise to protect Jacob. He seemed to be moving forward with exemplary faith. But then he took his fate into his own hands, offering Esau lavish gifts as an apparent bribe. He planned for these gifts to be presented in stages, a ploy that would slow down Esau’s progress and prevent him from a secret attack on Jacob. Was Jacob no longer trusting God? Or had God given Jacob this plan to assuage Esau’s anger? The text doesn’t tell us.
Years ago I heard a Christian speaker say that if you’re alone in a boat in the middle of the ocean, you should pray toward heaven and row toward shore. God expects us to trust him, the speaker said, and also use our own abilities to overcome the obstacles we face in our lives. He didn’t have much room for waiting upon the Lord, but was concerned that too many Christians fail to act when they should.
I believe that sometimes we need to pray patiently and to wait for God quietly. At other times, our faithful prayers lead us into decisive action. It can be difficult to know when we should act or when acting too quickly rushes ahead of God’s will for us.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What is your tendency? To pray and wait? To pray and act? To act and then to pray? To act without praying? What does God want you to do with the challenges you face today?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I can imagine myself doing exactly as Jacob did, praying urgently and acting cleverly. I must confess my own tendency to act before I wait upon you, even to rush ahead of your will because of my own impatience and fear. I’m sure there are also times when you want me to get going and do something, yet I sit around passively. Forgive me for my inattention to your guidance, for my hastiness and my laziness.
Help me, gracious Lord, to discern rightly what I should do with the challenges before me. Help me to know when to wait upon you. Help me to know when I should step out in faith. May your Spirit guide me, and may I be attentive to you in all things. Amen.
Daily Reflections from The High Calling.org
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.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
I Wonder How the Neighbors Liked That!
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, March 29, 2008
So I’m sitting in my local Denny’s waiting for my lunch order to arrive. On the way in had I picked up one of those omnipresent real estate magazines you find in restaurants adjoining interstate highways. As I’m waiting, I’m flipping casually through the pages of the magazine. I’m just curious, you understand. I’m not actually looking for ranchland in the Hill Country of Texas.
Toward the back of the magazine I come upon a bunch of notices for ranches rather near Laity Lodge. So I stop to read them. There I saw something I had never seen before. Consider the following description of this wonderful ranch along the Sabinal River:
60+ Acres with 1200 +/- Deep Sabinal River next to Lost Maples State Park with a very nice 3800+ sq. ft. home overlooking the river and surrounded by large neighbors. This is a gorgeous getaway ranch . . . $1,395,000.
Now that sounds just great, except for the part about the neighbors. Surrounded by large neighbors? Since when do you have to declare that the folks who live next door are overweight when you sell a piece of property?
Or are we talking about giants here? Do they shake the ground so much that it’s disturbing?
When the people who live next to me sell their house, I hope they don’t have to comment on my physical condition! That’s good motivation to lose some weight, don’t you think?
P.S. Before I’m inundated with email, I did figure out that “large neighbors” is a real estate term. It means the lots nearby are ranch sized. If you have “large neighbors,” you’ll have plenty of privacy.
Just for fun, I did a Google search and found this description of a Texas ranch: “Very secluded and surrounded by very large neighbors with all low fences.”
Question: Have you ever seen “large neighbors” in a real estate ad? I wonder if this is Texas jargon? Or is it more widespread?
Topics: Only in Texas | 2 Comments »
My Statement of Faith: Why Hymns and Songs?
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, March 28, 2008
Part 3 of series: My Statement of Faith
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When Presbyterian pastors or candidates for ordained ministry are being “checked out” theologically, their statements of faith usually take the form of six or seven paragraphs of prose. Each paragraph includes carefully chosen, tightly-packed theological language. They are basically creedal in form, touching upon such key doctrines as the nature of God, the nature and mission of Christ, salvation, the church, the sacraments, Scripture, and Christian mission in the world.
If you look closely at what I submitted, you’ll see some of this familiar structure and content. I though upon the following themes in the following order:
God’s faithfulness
God as Father
God as Trinity
God as creator, lover, savior
Jesus as both divine and human
Jesus as savior
Jesus as sovereign
Jesus as friend and one to whom we pray
The Holy Spirit in us
Commitment of my whole self to God
Submission to God’s sovereignty
Desire for God’s deliverance
The trustworthiness of God’s Word
Trusting God’s Word
The church founded on Jesus
Baptism
The church as God’s elect
Communion
The church as unified yet diverse
The church as the temple of the Holy Spirit
The church’s mission as lifting up the cross of Christ
The church’s mission as multiplying God’s love, especially to the
poor
The promise of the new creation
God’s great faithfulness
You’ll see that the basic form and content of my statement is pretty much standard Christian orthodoxy of a Reformed, evangelical stripe. Nothing particularly surprising here.
What’s unusual about my statement of faith is the use of hymns and songs. Why did I opt for these poetic expressions of faith rather than more standard prose?
Before I answer this question, let me say that I am not opposed to prosaic, propositional statements of faith. I believe that genuine Christianity affirms certain core beliefs, and that these can and should be expressed in propositions. Human words can never fully capture God’s reality, of course. But the use of our limited words in sentences is an essential aspect of Christian faith. It’s not an accident that the church, throughout the centuries, has written creeds and confessions to express what it believes (and, at times, what it does not believe). In some quarters of the church today you’ll find postmodern people who are also post-creedal. They’re nervous about the limitations and demarcations that come from words and statements in theology. So they are apt not to express their faith in creedal forms, and to criticize the church for being overly doctrinal. Just for the record, though I have some sympathy for those in this quarter of Christendom, I don’t live there myself.
Yet Christian faith is not just a series of propositions. It includes sentences of belief and is in many ways based upon them, to be sure. But Christian faith transcends such statements. It is a living relationship with the living God. It is belief put into practice. It is conviction expressed through adoration. In this way Christian faith is rather like a marriage. I could say, truthfully, that I love my wife. But my marriage is not just an affirmation of this truth, but a daily experience of it as well. So with my faith in God.
Thus when I was asked to write a statement of faith, I interpreted this as more than a statement of my core beliefs. Yes, yes, I realize that what the committee needed to do its job was a statement of these beliefs. They needed to make sure I was orthodox in a Presbyterian sort of way. And I supplied this orthodox summary in a poetic way. But what I gave them was more than just my crucial beliefs. I shared in an open-hearted way my faith in God, my relationship with God, my love of God.
For me, nothing expresses this kind of faith better than hymns and songs. For one thing, I’ve been singing many of these lyrics for most of my life. Some of them I’ve sung at least several hundred times. I think, for example, that I sung “Trust and Obey” just about every week of Sunday school during my elementary years. And even though I don’t sing it much any more, it has been forever burned into my memory. Ironically, my journey of faith in the last year has been mostly a matter of trusting and obeying God. The old song sings anew in my heart. (Photo: The First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, where I grew up singing “Trust and Obey.”)
Hymns and songs have a way of joining heart and mind like nothing else I know. If I say, “God has been very faithful to me,” I can mean it, but my heart remains unmoved. If, however, I’m singing “Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me” in a worship service, I am often moved to tears. Why? Partly it’s the power of poetry. Partly it’s the power of beautiful music. Partly it’s the memories I associated with this hymn. Add them up and you have a profound statement of truth, “Great is Thy faithfulness,” expressed with deep emotion. Plus, when I’m singing, my body is involved too. I’m loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Many of the hymns and songs I chose are prayers to God:
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Fairest Lord Jesus, . . . Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor.
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart.
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wand’ring heart to
TheeMultiply Your love through us To the lost and the least.
Finish then Thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
They are not only statements about God, but also statements addressed to God. Thus they represent communication that is intimate as well as truthful. My faith in God is not merely propositional. It is also worshipful, relational, and emotional. It touches everything that I am, not merely my intellect. Thus hymns and songs enable me to state my true faith in a more complete and, in some sense, more honest way. When you listen to what I sing to the Lord, you peer into the depth of my heart.
Topics: Statement of Faith | 7 Comments »
My Statement of Faith
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, March 27, 2008
Part 2 of series: My Statement of Faith
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Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with thee; Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; As thou hast been thou forever wilt be. (1)
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! (2) (Photo: Zion National Park)
Sing praise to God Who reigns above, the God of all creation, The God of power, the God of love, the God of our salvation. With healing balm my soul is filled and every faithless murmur stilled: To God all praise and glory.
The Lord is never far away, but through all grief distressing, An ever present help and stay, our peace and joy and blessing. As with a mother’s tender hand, God gently leads the chosen band: To God all praise and glory. (3)
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature, O Thou of God and man the Son, Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, Now and forever more be Thine. (4)
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne. Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity. (5)
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. (6)
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move; Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art; And make me love Thee as I ought to love. (7)
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne. Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee. (8)
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me. (9)
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above. (10)
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? (11)
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. (12)
The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord, She is His new creation By water and the Word. From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her And for her life He died.
Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued. (13)
We are the Body of which the Lord is Head, Called to obey Him, now risen from the dead; He wills us be a family, Diverse yet truly one: O let us give our gifts to God, And so shall his work on earth be done.
We are a temple, the Spirit’s dwelling place, Formed in great weakness, a cup to hold God’s grace; We die alone, for on its own Each ember loses fire: Yet joined in one the flame burns on To give warmth and light, and to inspire. (14)
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred Name. (15)
Multiply Your love through us To the lost and the least. Let us be Your healing hands Your instruments of peace. May our single purpose be To imitate Your life. Through our simple words and deeds Let love be multiplied.
Let us see Your kingdom come To the poor and broken ones. Let us see a mighty flood Of justice and mercy, O Jesus. Let love be multiplied. Let love be multiplied.
Multiply Your church through us To the ends of the Earth. Where there’s only barrenness Let us see new birth. Use us as Your laborers Working side by side. Let us see your harvest come. Let love be multiplied. (16)
Finish then Thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee! Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise. (17)
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed thy hand hath provided; Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! (18)
References
(1) “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Chisholm, 1923. Refrain.
(2) “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber, 1826. Verse 1.
(3) “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above” by Johann Schütz, 1675; trans. Frances Cox, 1864. Verses 1 & 3.
(4) “Fairest Lord Jesus” from Münster Gesangbuch, 1677; trans. Joseph Seiss, 1873, Verses 1 & 5.
(5) “Crown Him with Many Crowns,” by Matthew Bridges, 1852. Verse 1.
(6) “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” by Joseph Scriven, 1855. Verse 2.
(7) “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” by George Croly, 1854. Verse 1.
(8) “Take My Life and Let It Be,” by Frances Havergal, 1874. Verses 1 & 3.
(9) “Have Thine Own Way” by Adelaide Pollard, 1907. Verses 1 & 4.
(10) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” by Robert Robinson, 1758. Verse 4.
(11) “How Firm a Foundation” by John Rippon, 1878. Verse 1.
(12) “Trust and Obey” by John Sammis, 1887. Verse 1 and refrain.
(13) “The Church’s One Foundation,” by Samuel Stone, 1866. Verses 1 & 2.
(14) “We Are God’s People,” by Bryan Jeffery Leech, 1976. Verses 3 & 4.
(15) “Lift High the Cross,” by George Kitchin, 1916. Refrain.
(16) “Multiply Your Love,” by Andy Park, CCLI #3278422.
(17) “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” by Charles Wesley, 1747. Verse 4.
(18) “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Chisholm, 1923. Refrain.
Topics: Statement of Faith | 8 Comments »
My Statement of Faith: Introduction
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Part 1 of series: My Statement of Faith
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As most of you know, I recently left my position as Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in order to become the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence of Laity Lodge. My new position, though not in a parish, is still something that “counts” for my Presbyterian ordination. In other words, though I’m not working in a church, I remain a “Reverend.”
In the Presbyterian Church (USA), the question of whether one should be ordained or not is answered by the local presbytery, a group of churches in a given area that acts rather like the bishop in other denominations. When I was pastoring in Irvine, California, I was a member of Los Ranchos Presbytery, a region that included all of Orange County and a small portion of Los Angeles County (something like 900 square miles). When I left Irvine Presbyterian Church, Los Ranchos Presbytery voted to release me to Mission Presbytery in Texas, which includes Boerne, the town where I live, as well as Laity Lodge. In fact, Mission Presbytery is quite large, consisting of 157 churches and more than 55,000 square miles. That makes my new presbytery about the size of the entire state of New York! Things are bigger in Texas! (Photo: The state of Texas with Mission Presbytery highlighted.)
When Presbyterian pastors move, they are almost always received into their new presbyteries with minimal hassle. The receiving presbyteries do, however, examine each potential minister with respect to theology and views of church order. Today I was examined by a committee of pastors and elders from Mission Presbytery. They were interested in my spiritual journey, my sense of call to Laity Lodge, and my basic beliefs.
In order to prepare for my examination, I was asked to write a one-page statement of faith. This is exactly the same thing I was asked to do when I was ordained as a Presbyterian pastor twenty years ago. Statements of faith usually follow a trinitarian pattern, with sections on the church, the sacraments, and mission added in.
Though I could have put together such a statement with relative ease, I didn’t want merely to list out my core beliefs. I was asked to write a statement of faith. So I thought I would try to represent, not just my basic convictions, but my actual faith, my relationship of trust with God. This was not easy to do in just one page, let me tell you. (In the end, I used two pages.) It’s one thing to list one’s core belief. It’s quite another to try and capture a living relationship in a few sentences.
In the end, I did something unusual with my statement of faith. I’ll share this with you in my next post, and then add some explanation. But before I tell you what I did for my statement of faith, I want you to think about how you might write your own statement. If you had no more than 1000 words in which to capture your faith, what would you write? What form would your statement of faith take?
Think about this for a day. Tomorrow I’ll share with you what I wrote.
Topics: Statement of Faith | 4 Comments »
You Know You’re in a Small Town When . . .
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Feb. 3
1200 block of S. Main Street, 12:30 a.m., Police pulled over a vehicle for driving recklessly. The driver said that he thought the vehicle in front of him was a bunch of kids so he was acting dumb. [MDR: I’m a little worried if the driver actually thought the vehicle in front of him “was a bunch of kids.” Notice, it doesn’t say, “was filled with a bunch of kids.” No, he thought the vehicle was the kids. That’s pretty scary! ]
Feb. 4
J Williams Road, 10:35 p.m., A caller reported that someone placed a dead deer on her car during the night. [MDR: Either that or a dying deer jumped up on her car right before giving up the ghost.]
Feb. 5
100 block of West Street, Comfort, 4:32 p.m., A caller reported that her purse was stolen from her unlocked vehicle. [MDR: Note to self: Always lock car when leaving purse in it. Another note to self: Don’t leave purse in car. Period.]
Feb. 6
37000 block of W. Interstate 10, 12:39 a.m., Police responded to a 911 hang-up call. The caller said he just moved into town and was lonely and just wanted to talk. [MDR: So did they arrest him? Or take him out for dinner?]
Feb. 7
100 block Thunder Valley, 11:59 a.m., Caller reported that while trying to sell a piece of property, prospective buyer was attacked by neighbor’s dogs. Seller wanted to know if he could shoot the dogs. [MDR: Now that’s a way to lose a sale. At least seller didn’t want to shoot the neighbor.]
Farm Road 473, 10:15 p.m., Caller said a stray zebra was standing in her front yard. While an officer was en route, a vehicle hit the animal which sustained minor injuries. Animal control loaded the zebra into a trailer and took it to the wildlife refuge. [MDR: I hate it when stray zebras show up in my front yard. Question: How do you know if a Zebra is from Texas? Answer: Look for the Stetson hat.]
Topics: Small Town, Police Blotter | 3 Comments »
Resources for Eastertide
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, March 24, 2008
Eastertide?
I hadn’t heard this word until I was well into my thirties. At that time I was the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church. My Director of Worship was a big believer in celebrating, not just Easter Sunday, but Eastertide . . . the fifty day season that begins with Easter and ends at Pentecost Sunday in May. During this season we continued to sing Easter hymns, like “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” Our readings and prayers continued to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and its implications for our lives. (Photo: Easter Sunday worship at Irvine Presbyterian Church)
At this point someone might object: “Every Sunday is, for the Christian, a celebration of the resurrection. We gather for worship on Sunday, rather than Saturday, because Jesus rose on Sunday. Therefore we don’t need a special season of Eastertide. Every Sunday should be Eastertide.”
This objection is substantial, but seems to me somewhat unrealistic. Though we Christians celebrate Easter in our Sunday gatherings, theoretically speaking, in fact I don’t think most services or most Christians are particularly resurrection-centered. And, givent the wide range of themes, truths, and experiences that belong in Christian worship, I don’t think it’s necessarily wrong from Christians to focus on the resurrection during one particular season of the year, but not as much in other seasons.
I do believe, however, that devoting only one Sunday to a focused celebration of the resurrection just isn’t enough. In the days before I “discovered” Eastertide, it always seemed to me as if Easter flew by. Devoting fifty days to the truth and implications of the resurrection makes lots of sense to me.
Of course there is no biblical demand to celebrate Eastertide. There’s not even a biblical passage that says we need to celebrate Easter Sunday, for that matter. So there’s plenty of Christian freedom here. But if you’ve never allow your Easter celebration to continue beyond the one Sunday, I’d urge you to give it a try.
If you’re looking for some resources for Eastertide, you might check out a couple of my previous blog series:
If you’re looking for more information about how Eastertide fits into the Christian (or liturgical) year, check out this part of my Advent series.
Finally, if you want to know what it’s like to celebrate Easter as a pastor, you might enjoy this short series on Easter from the Other Side of the Pulpit. This is the first year in seventeen years that I sat on the congregational side of the Easter pulpit. Quite a change for me!
Topics: Holy Week & Easter | 2 Comments »
Christ is Risen!
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, March 23, 2008
Reflection
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Christians confess that Christ is risen, not only in the hearts of the faithful, and not merely as some nice religious image, but truly and physically. On Easter morning the tomb of Jesus was empty. The power of death was broken, both for him and for us, by his resurrection.
We can only begin to understand the divine power that raised Jesus from the dead. The more we think of it, the more we are astounded.
Ephesians adds to our astonishment. The “mighty power that raised Christ from the dead” is in fact “God’s power for us who believe him” (vv. 19-20). The same power that shattered the prison of death sets us free from all that binds us. The very Spirit of God lives in us to empower us for the ministry of the kingdom of God. Resurrection power is for us, in us, and at work through us.
Thus we live as Easter Christians, not simply with gratitude for our salvation, and not merely with hope for the future. We live in the power as God’s ministers, filled with his power, extending his kingdom into every facet of our lives. We are Easter people at home and at church, at work and at play.
Christ is rise! He is risen, indeed!
Prayer
Gracious God, how we praise you for your power made known in the resurrection. Death could not defeat you. Rather, the death of Jesus set the stage for an extraordinary display of divine power. Christ is risen! You have won the battle. Alleluia!
Yet the power of the resurrection is not merely something we celebrate joyfully, but also something we can experience daily. Your power is for us, helping us, guiding us, setting us free. Your power is in us, healing us, renewing us, and gifting us for serving you in the church and the world.
Even as we celebrate the power of your resurrection today, may we live by that power today, and each day of our lives. To you be all the glory. Alleluia! Amen.
Topics: Holy Week & Easter | 4 Comments »
The Seventh Word: “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 24:46)
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, March 22, 2008
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Copyright © Linda Roberts, 2007. |
Reflection
Two of the last seven “words” of Jesus were quotations from the Psalms. Earlier Jesus had Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” to express his anguish. Later he borrowed from Psalm 31, which comes to us from Luke as “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands.”
On an obvious level, Jesus was putting his post mortem future in the hands of his Heavenly Father. It was as if he was saying, “Whatever happens to me after I die is your responsibility, Father.”
But when we look carefully at the Psalm Jesus quoted, we see more than what at first meets our eyes. Psalm 31 begins with a cry for divine help:
O LORD, I have come to you for protection;
don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right. (v. 1)
But then it mixes asking for God’s deliverance with a confession of God’s strength and faithfulness:
I entrust my spirit into your hand.
Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God. (v. 5)
By the end, Psalm 31 offers praise of God’s salvation:
Praise the LORD,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack. (v. 21)
By quoting a portion of Psalm 31, therefore, Jesus not only entrusted his future to his Father, but also implied that he would be delivered and exonerated. No, God would not deliver him from death by crucifixion. But beyond this horrific death lay something marvelous. “I entrust my spirit into your hands” points back to the familiar suffering of David in Psalm 31, and forward to the resurrection.
Questions for Reflection
Have you put your life and, indeed, your life beyond this life, in God’s hands? How do you experience God’s salvation through Christ in your life today?
Prayer
Gracious Lord, even as you once entrusted your spirit into the hands of the Father, so I give my life to you. I trust you, and you alone to be my Savior. I submit to your sovereignty over my life, and seek to live for your glory alone. Here I am, Lord, available to you, both now and in the future.
How good it is to know, dear Lord, that the cross was not the end for you. As you entrusted your spirit into the Father’s hands, you did so in anticipation of what was to come. So we reflect upon your death, not in despair, but in hope. With Good Friday behind us, Easter Sunday is on the horizon. Amen.
Topics: Holy Week & Easter | 2 Comments »