I Haven't Been to Church

  

This past Christmas was the first time in my life I didn’t go to a church for some sort of service. I’m not in a bible study or small group. In fact being a part of organized religion has completely melted out of my life in the last twelve months. If you were to ask why, the answer is simple; I’ve not attended because after working in churches for 10 years - two of which some would claim are the best in the country - I haven’t found any value in going.

Continue Reading...
http://tonysteward.me/post/41420912985/i-havent-been-to-a-church-in-over-a-year 

“Mission From God” Part 1: Why This is Important

Jan 20, 2013 Sermon                                                      

Neh. 8:1-3, Acts 2:14,36-41, Luke 4:14-21

                                                                                                 PRAYER

 “Mission from God”

We begin a 6 week series titled “Mission of God” and over the next 5 weeks we will reflect on and have a conversation about what Cross Lutheran’s mission of God will be. But in order to have an understanding of what God’s mission for Cross is we have to ask some questions for us to think about.

 Missio Dei… Latin for “Mission of God”

The term “Mission” has been a buzz word for many years in the church as well as in all aspects of life. What is your mission?.... You need a mission… Mission is what we do… and so on. Many often ask, What is Mission?

Many understand mission work for the church means to go to another country and convert people. That’s what has often been referred to as the “Mission Field.” According to Gallup… that’s what most Christians believe when asked what it means to be a missionary. The same Gallup poll also points out that the US no longer sends out the most missionaries into the world. The poll also says that other religious traditions in other countries believe the richest mission field is the US, and they are sending missionaries here… most are Christian missionaries from Africa. Most Americans think the mission field is in Africa.

The BIG BIG question is….

What is our Mission?... and Why is this Important?

Your familiar with the Blues Brothers and their Mission from God... check out the video

 

 

For many congregations their mission has been to bring people into the church. The church was the place where you learned about God. This was an easy mission to fulfill because people were immigrating to this country and depending on your ethnic background you went to a corresponding church. If you were German or Scandinavian you went to a Lutheran Church. If you were Polish, Italian, French, Irish, Hispanic you were most likely Roman Catholic. If you were English… Anglican…. Scottish… Presbyterian.

It was easy to fill the churches mission… they came.

Today for better or worse this is not the case… in fact, it hasn’t been the case for over 40 years… since the 1960’s. People are not coming to the church, and they’re not going to come to the church in the ways they once did. Today you have to be intentional about connecting with people, and therein lays the problem for us. In the past they came… religious life was part of society… it was what you did, even if you didn’t believe… Today it isn’t the case, and because we never had to connect with others we don’t really know how.

And we still revert back to this understanding… and it happened last Thurs at the leadership meeting when we were reflecting on doing GREAT things… we want people to come here. My friends we need to begin to think differently if the church is going to thrive in this always changing ever change world we live in.

In our Bible readings today Nehemiah states the Mission of God was for the people to read from the Law of Moses.

Our Acts reading the Mission for Peter was to Preach, Baptize, and invoke the Holy Spirit.

Our gospel reading from Luke, Jesus’ Mission was to tell the Good News to the Poor, announce Freedom for the Prisoners, give sight to the Blind, and Free those who Suffer.

If you noticed, from our reading in the OT to Luke, the same scenario as ours has happened. People went to the temple because that’s how you learned about God. The mission was to read from the Torah… the Law of Moses… if you noticed that’s the church… they were in the church. In Acts… they start to go out… Peter preaches outside of the church. The mission begins to be outside of the church. And… Jesus… says nothing about being in the church or being a church.

So… Why is this Important? First… That God is a God who Moves

Warren Schulz of the Albin Institute says, “We have most often looked at God as a “Noun”. But, God is a God who moves. God is really a “Verb” God does things, God gives vision, God acts.”

In John 14:12… Jesus tells his friends if they have faith they will do even greater things than he. If you want to do great things you have to be willing to work with a God who acts. You see… our God doesn’t sit still… within this I believe there is an expectation for us to act on and do things for God… In other words, God expects us to leave the building sharing good news.

The Holy Spirit Empowers

This endeavor is not our doing, but the empowering of the Holy Spirit. You can see if it’s up to us… our agendas, our interests we do not go far, in fact, we’d probably screw it up, but with God everything is possible. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be hands and feet serving not our mission & purpose, but God’s.

In our Acts passage we see this being done. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit preaches repentance and grace… God acts, and 3000 believed and were baptized… 3000 lives were transformed and changed that day. Without the Spirit of God among you, you will only be an entity upon yourselves.

The mission of God is important because God acted intentionally to come to us in human form to share a message of Love, Grace, and Forgiveness and we need to share that with others.

Over the next 4 weeks we will have an opportunity to share our thoughts on what God is calling Cross Lutheran to be about.

-       What is God purpose at Cross?...What are your mission priorities?...

-       The type of Pastoral Leader… and areas of ministry focus.

My hope is that we will start this discernment and you finish it with you new pastor within that first year.

Close with story… I shared this before, but it bares repeating.. there is a story of a community of people who lived on a stretch of dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occurred. Eventually, some of the townspeople decided to put some time and effort and money into a rescue operation. A small life-saving station was built and the devoted members of the rescue team kept an ongoing watch over the sea, ready to use their little boat to search for survivors in case of a shipwreck. As the result of this volunteer operation, the town became famous because of the many lives that were saved.

More and more people joined and became part of the team. Soon a new building was erected. It was much larger than the first little building and it was beautifully furnished and decorated. And as more and more amenities were added for the members' pleasure and comfort, the new building was slowly transformed into a kind of clubhouse. As a result, some of the members began to lose interest in the rescue operation.

But then a shipwreck occurred and many survivors were rescued and brought into the clubhouse for first aid. During the period of the operation which lasted for several days, the frenzied activity caused the attractive "clubhouse" to be considerably marred by such things as bloodstains on the lush carpeting. At the next meeting there was a split in the membership. Most members felt that the life-saving operation was a hindrance to the social life of the organization. Those who disagreed were told that they could build another little station further down the coast. And, as the years went by, history continued to repeat itself. Today, so the story goes, that seacoast has a number of exclusive clubhouses dotting the shore - but no one in the area seems to be concerned with rescue operations.

My friends you’re on a Mission from God!

See You Out on the Road.

Prayer of Gratitude

O Lord, as we prepare to celebrate and give thanks this year, may we find it in our hearts to be grateful no matter what. May we praise you for what we can do and praise you in spite of what we can't. May we thank you for what is and what isn't, for what is going well and for what is not. May we thank you for what brings us joy and even for that which brings us grief, for if our grief testifies to anything, it testifies to the depths of our love. Bless us and keep us, dear God, we pray, and turn our hearts ever and always toward your all encompassing light, you who are our creator and savior, our redeemer and friend. Amen and amen.

Sarah Buteux

Spilsh Splash, Taking a Bath

Sunday Jan. 13,2013 Sermon                                                                              

Luke 3:15-17,21-22

Two pastors, one a Lutheran the other a Baptist were discussing baptism. The Lutheran asked the Baptist if he considered a person baptized if he was immersed in water up to his waist.

“No,” said the Baptist.

“Do you consider him baptized if he is immersed in water up to his NECK?” asked the Lutheran.

Again the Baptist’s answer was: “No.”

“Well now,” said the Lutheran, “suppose you immersed him up to his EYEBROWS? Would you consider him baptized THEN?”

“No,” said the Baptist.

“Well…. there you have it!” said the Lutheran. “It’s only the little bit of water on the TOP OF THE HEAD that counts!”

PRAYER:

A few years ago Kathy & I went to Stoney Creek Metro Park on a Sunday evening for some relaxation. While driving in we saw signs saying, “Baptism at North Beach” along with the churches name Kensington CC at the bottom.

Being the curious guy that I am we went to check it out. We saw at least 1000 people. They had one of their bands playing, and I came to learn they rented the entire beach to do these baptisms. Technically, others were not supposedly to be there. They reported that 350 people we going to be baptized. 4 pastors were wired for sound and video cameras recorded all that took place. People were excited and you could tell by the expressions on the people baptized lives were changed. It was an awesome experience to watch.

I’ve talked to people who have had similar experiences and report a profound spiritual experience. There is something about being washed with water that gives us a renewal. I’m sure some of the 350 people baptized that summer evening had been baptized as infants & now as they make change in their hearts and lives this baptism helps them to integrate a New Life w/ Christ in a more profound way. Don’t get me wrong…. There is nothing wrong with infant baptism or the people who have been baptized as infants. For me… as I watched & listened that day to the people who experienced baptism later in life… my infant baptism doesn’t excite me in my faith as I saw the excitement experience from them.

When Luke describes the experience when Jesus was baptized…. “the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit came down, and a voice from heaven spoke,” this must have been a awesome and profound experience for all in attendance.

We as Lutherans need to come up with an experience like this for baptism. We need to find tangenable and experiential ways for people to feel the presence of God’s grace.

So today I want to share with you what I believe baptism means to me.

 “Baptism Expresses Repentance”

The Greek word for repentance…Meta-noi-a “To Make Change”    “To Change the Heart”

Luke tells us in Vs 3 of this chapter, “Turn back to God and be Baptized.”

Baptism is the acknowledgment of our mistakes and our need to make change in our life. Luther said of Baptism, “Humanity is so in need of a changed heart, it is only by the grace of God we are allowed to come up from the deep.” Luther practiced baptism like that of the Kensington Church. He believed humanity was so bad that he would hold people under the water until they struggled to breath. People would fight and gasp for air as they came up from the water. Luther wanted people to experience death and new life. Baptism is the radical life change that brings new life.

 “Baptism Expresses Trust”

Have you ever played the game where you lean back into another persons arms? Tyler… would you please come forward. Do you trust me? Please lean back and I will catch you. (He did and I caught him) Usually at camp you get to experience some of these trust games.

When we experience baptism it is an expression of trusting God. When we are immersed into the water we are no longer in control… we must trust God to be present and to bring us up from the deep. Trusting God means submitting to God. This is a dirty word in our American lexicon. We don’t like submitting to anyone. It’s beneath us. But if we don’t submit we won’t experience the grace afforded us through this act. Submitting to God means affirmation of God’s grace! This is Our biggest faith challenge… trusting God.

Trusting is the blessing of Baptism.

 “Baptism Expresses Faith”

If repentance is the radical change of baptism, and trust is the blessings of baptism, then faith is the Grace of baptism.

When Luke says in Vs 22, “You are my dear Son”

o    Other Translations say, “You are my beloved Son.”

I believe what happens as Jesus comes out of the water, God is saying, “By Grace through faith I love you.” When we come up out of the waters of baptism we to are hearing God say to us… “I love you.” Without Faith, there is no Grace… Without Grace there is no Faith. Thus… baptism isn’t merely an act we do as a welcoming rite into the church, but a significant step in turning one’s heart and life over to God. In baptism… you are placing your faith in God.

Closing: Story of baptism at a Via De Christo retreat weekend.

Has anyone here been to a Via De Christo event? They are one of the most spiritual enriching experiences you could ever experience. On the Saturday evening of our weekend we had the opportunity to affirm our baptisms. We didn’t have to do this if we didn’t want to, and some chose not to. We gathered in the parking lot of the church we were at and we stood in a circle in the parking lot and one of the pastors began to read some scripture and we reflected. They read some more and we reflected. Then one of the pastors took a bucket filled with water and poured the water over the first man saying the words of God, “You are my beloved son.” This was repeated for each of us. It was a powerful experience of repentance, affirmation, trust, faith and grace of God.

Baptism my friends is what brings the grace of God into a living experience of the love of God.

Is anyone up for a little splish splashing… I have a lot of buckets.

See You Out on the Road

New Year... New Normal... Part 2

Yes... it's a New Year. I'm sitting in the same place as I was last year on this day. Just like the picture to the left... only at the moment I'm not sitting with my dog Sweeny. But... nonetheless, I'm sitting staring out the window wonder what the year will bring.

I've been serving as an interim at Cross Lutheran in Clinton Twp, Mich. (located near Mt. Clemens, Mi.) for 10 months. The congregation has gone through the intentional transition tasks after a 25 year pastorate. They have done this very well. Cross is a pretty healthy congregation, while some have voiced some discontent with the process, the vast majority have welcomed the change and the process. They are now in a position to commission a call team which will be accomplished by the end of January. The bishop has been notified and a synod bishop assistant will be coming at the end of the month to brief the congregation on the next step. I believe, if all goes well they will have their profile completed and ready to interview shortly after Easter.

As for me... not sure what will happen. Of course, there is a group of people who would like me to stay. My stance has been "no", but odd things do happen. All I want to do is to do the best job I can with this interim with the hopes of moving on to another when the times comes. I've said... if you can convince the bishop that I would make a good candidate, then I might consider it. I'm just hoping the bishop see's the value of intentional interim ministry and can move me into another place to do that ministry without much hicup.

Though the yearly emotional roller-coaster isn't fun and the speculation of what "if's" probably isn't none to healthy on the body either. And... the emotions of leaving Cross and some of the relationships that do take place is the most challenging. But, this too shall pass and will move on to other places. I believe I've done a pretty good job this time around of keeping perspective on this front. While I've had some meaningful relationships (It's impossible not too) I've managed them pretty well. I don't think I will have as much of an issue this time as I've had previously. I guess I've been more intentional in being present, but keeping distance this time around.

So... what about this new year/new normal? Well... I survived the Mayan end of the world. I trust you have as well. I had a good Christmas with family and friends. I survived the first fiscal cliff... yes... my middle class taxes went up by $1000. And of course, three more fiscal cliffs will come and go most-likely before I get a new call. OK... I'm being rather cynical, but isn't that really our new normal? I mean... when you look at the pace of life today and the self-absorbing attitudes of many, it's a wonder we have any formative outlook on the aspects of life.

Though I see many similarities to our society and culture to that of the late 1910's and the 1920's leading up to the 1930's depression era. The greed, promiscuity, laziness, self-absorbing, and lack of consideration for others. I share these comparisons from the reading of history and from remembering the reflection of my grandfathers who lived during the era. It literally took a bankruptcy of sorts to bring about needed recalibration of society. This isn't to say that our time in history needs this shock to bring about change. What I'm am saying however, it took some kind of extreme action to bring about change, and we will need something along the same notion to bring about the same kind of prioritizing of life again.

Of course... I know that more went into the Great Depression than what I've mentioned, but the similarities are fascinating. One could even say that the Great Depression also brought about the opposite effect of relying to readily on the government for our needs. Thus... the opposite effect of greed. Both of these anomalies have been 100 years in the making, so while we hope for something different, I'm posing the notion that perhaps it's a new normal!

The new normal is really living out life in an in-flux and insecure fashion. This breeds uncertainty and an unwillingness to give up ones position. Better to be insecure, one might say. I suppose one could look at the Roman Empire at the time of Jesus and say the same things. I'm pretty sure we could look at the empire in the Middle-Ages and make the same comparisons. I'm also pretty sure Luther struggled with this as well... you know... perhaps all of life past and present has been seen as an anxious time. I believe humanity has always noted the fact that we as human beings want... maybe even desired... to be taken care of.

So... maybe.... just maybe... nothing is new under the sun? In every age... era... and time we survive a new normal. Could that be what Life really is?


Welcome to the new normal.

A Beam of Light

Jan 6, 2013 Sunday Sermon    

Matt. 2:1-12

Today we begin the season of Epiphany… it’s often viewed as the season of light. And…Speaking of light… “There’s a story of the Greeks that had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished first with his torch still lit.”

And of course with a title saying “A Beam of Light” it reminds me of Star Trek and the phrase that was never really said, but became a cultural slogan… “Beam Me Up Scotty.”

Prayer:

                                   

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Matthew says, “Some Wise Men came from the east. They saw a star, and have come to worship him.” This is the day of Epiphany… the day we celebrate wise men bringing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. And it falls on Sunday this year and that doesn’t happen all too often… about every 7-8 years depending on how many leap years falls. It’s also a time where we recognize “The Light”… the light of the star… the light in the darkness… the light of Christ…

So… it’s  “A Message from the Magi”

It would be easy to share a message like this that focuses on the gifts of the Magi or as Matt states… Some Wise Men....  Matt. Doesn’t say there were 3 wise men. There is no mention to the number of wise men or Magi, or kings. All matt says is that some wise men come bearing gifts and this invites us to consider what gifts we might offer.

o    What passions, interests, and talents do we bring from God to offer Jesus?

o    Perhaps, you have a passion for serving food to people?

o    Perhaps, your passion & gift is teaching.

o    Perhaps, your gift is music or singing, or drama, or using your hands to create something?

This type of message would be easy to deliver and to empower you. But… I’m not sure that’s what we need to hear today…. I’m not sure that’s what God wants us to hear today.

“In the birth stories of Matt. & Luke we miss a subtle nuance.”

I believe we miss a couple of subtle nuances in the birth stories of Matt. & Luke about what God is announcing to the world. First… Luke doesn’t mention kings or wise men… Luke describes God sharing good news to lowly shepherds. Shepherds were among the poorest people at the time. They were not highly educated, and often were forced into being sheep caretakers, and they were dirty, and smelled really bad. They stunk…

Second…Matt on the other hand, doesn’t mention shepherds, but wise men following a star. Who were the wise men bearing gifts? We’ve often thought of them being “Kings.” But who were they really? The truth is… these wise men were star gazers…. These guys were scientists…. Astrologers… and they were from the east… some say Persia (modern day Iran).

MMM… God is using a Star with a Beam of Light for some astrologers to pay homage to a baby messiah….

“On one hand God comes to the poor & down-trodden, and on the other hand God comes to the rich & powerful.”

What is God think he’s doing? What... Does... God... Think... He's.... Doing?

Is this a first indication in the New Testament God is doing something different? Not only by sending his son in the human form of a baby… a lowly position in life. But also… with the arrival of these wandering star following astrologers, which is a high life position. Do we see in our story today what God is doing? Do we see God in these stories broadening his far reaching embrace? With the shepherds, baby Jesus, and the wise men being part of the story, is God saying, “There is no longer an “Insider” or an “Outsider” to the kingdom?

Is God really saying to us today that all are included in God’s plan of salvation? Is this the first indication we get of God doing something different? And… I think we often miss it! I know I have.

“It seems God did not intend to have only Christians as part of his kingdom.”

What do you think about that?

         Is this like of a scary thought to you?

     That potentially others & not only Christians might be part of God’s greater plan.

Jesus demonstrated this thru-out his ministry. Talking, healing, comforting the sick, the outcast, those on the outside of the religious spectrum. Putting his arms around people to heal and comfort. Engaging people that were not part of the in-group.

Also… Paul in Gal. 3:28...There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, circumcised or uncircumcised, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

This idea may have been what bothers Herod, and the religious leaders in our story… Vs 3… “When King Herod heard about this he was worried, as was everyone else in Jerusalem.”

For the religious leaders in Jerusalem, those on the inside, the baby Jesus… the Messiah was making them a bit anxious… it’s not what they expected…. WHY???? They knew!!! God promised to send them a Messiah…. What were they afraid of? Well… today we know their fear.

God came into the world (Their World) in a very unobtrusive way. God worked in a low-profile and discreet kind of manner. While the wealth & power of Jerusalem missed the opportunity, God sought out others to share the good news. He sought out smelly shepherds and talented astrologers… and they all came… Perhaps out of curiosity… but they came. And… think about this… Did Jesus care who came? Did Jesus, the babe messiah, dismiss their overtures of love?

Let’s reflect for a moment this quote from Lutheran theologian Craig Satterlee, “The Magi didn’t come looking for the Christ through preaching, liturgy, sacrament, a welcoming congregation, or a vital social ministry -- things I hold dear. They came seeking the Christ after studying the night skies. As someone who holds on to favorite, cherished ways that God works to proclaim the gospel and bring people to faith, it’s always wondrously frightening to realize anew that God’s own work of embracing all people is more “mystery” than “formula,” because God’s ways are always bigger than my understanding. It’s much safer to spend the sermon piously and sentimentally embellishing the Magi and reading meaning into the number and kind of gifts they bring. 

Yet, if I am honest with myself, these days I sense God reaching out to embrace me in new ways. God is using late Saturday nights spent metaphorically studying the stars to lead me to Christ, more than early Sunday mornings spent sitting in church. Even as I write these words, I worry about a phone call from my bishop warning me that I am in trouble for saying this out loud. A sermon that leaves me basking in the light of Christ’s star, rather than worrying about the implications of the Magi coming to faith apart from the church or outside our formulaic approaches of how faith happens, would be really good news.

The alternative, of course, is to join Herod in not seeing God’s ever-expanding embrace, or feeling threatened by it, and instead giving way to just plain fear: “When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:3). Herod jealously reached out himself, just far enough to violently protect his place and preserve his power.

We too can feel jealous when visitors show up seeking Christ due to experiences outside of our purview and control. We have our own ways of reaching out, just far enough to slaughter someone’s experiences of God’s grace for the sake of our patterns, practices, and perspectives. And so the stage is set for another liturgical year of proclaiming Christ overcoming the conflict between God’s ever expanding embrace and our need to protect and preserve, a drama resolved on the cross and continuing in our day.

What do you think about this?

What is God saying to you?

“The God of Light is for ALL”

I’m wondering if we Christians during the Christmas season… maybe even in all seasons… are only seeking the beam of light shinning only on us? While forgetting the God of Light is for all!!!

I’m also wondering as we begin this new year of excitement as we prepare to call a new pastor to consider how we are reflecting the light of God in our community?

Are we open to the light of God coming from a different place?

Because as we can see… God can bring faith to a variety of people through a variety of ways and use that faith to share the good news.

There it is… do you see it?

See You Out on the Road