I’ve played in various worship bands over the last ten years or so, and because of that I find myself in the position of knowing a lot of worship songs that I don’t particularly care for.  It’s not that I find myself disagreeing with them, really, or that I think every song needs to be theological treatise.  It’s just that good songwriting is somewhat of a rarity both in the Church and outside of it.  So when I do find a worship song or album that is exceptional, I think it’s worth pointing out.

I picked up Ten Shekel Shirt’s newest album, Jubilee, this week, and I have to say it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite worship albums.  I think the thing that sets it apart from other albums is that the groups principle songwriter, Lamont Hiebert, made a choice on this album to get away from songs that are just about “me and Jesus” and focus on some larger themes of injustice, slavery, redemption, and deliverence.  It also doesn’t hurt that the instrumentation is well done.

The one song that I can’t get out my head is called “You Rescue”.

You Rescue
Ten Shekel Shirt

Some choices I have made brought pain
But you will never stop restoring what’s been lost
So I will boast of Your saving deeds
And I will rave of Your glory

‘Cause You rescue
You redeem
You save
You intervene
You rescue
You redeem
Our lives’ stories

Damage done to me was not Your dream
Innocence has died but is risen from the dead
So I will boast
Of your saving deeds
And I will shout of Your glory

‘Cause You rescue
You redeem
You save
You intervene
You rescue
You redeem
Our lives’ stories

Come rescue
And redeem
Come save
And intervene
Come rescue
And redeem
Our lives’ stories

I pray that this song is a blessing to you, and I pray that we will remember that our calling is to join with God as works to bring beauty, restoration, and redemption to a fallen world.

[Disclaimer or something like it. I realize that such blog posts as the one you are about to read are fraught with danger. Being transparent and honest about our struggles in a public forum exposes one to many dangers. I'm willing to take that risk in this post because I'm convinced that most of you who visit here love me enough to bear with my periodic confessions of weakness without judging me too harshly. Grace and Peace.]

Little League and the Christian Pilgrimage

I am coaching little league this year. We have played 15 games, had two games rained out, and have three remaining on the calendar. My team was an expansion team. Last season, we had enough boys sign up to fill out two rosters of about 12 boys per team. This year, we had so many sign up to play that we filled out three rosters of 12 each. My team consists mostly of first year players, well, first year at this level which is Junior Boys Division One or 13-14 year-olds.

One of the teams in our community had, I believe, 9 returning players and the other team had 7. I have 12 boys, all first year 13 year olds. I love those boys. Managing a little league team is mostly about managing personalities (of the parents too!) and managing the numbers such as pitch count and innings played. At the Junior’s level, play becomes far more competitive. The standings mean something, the score counts, and individual play counts for tournament consideration.

I went into the season, despite what I knew, with a cautious optimism. I hate losing and I thought perhaps if I rubbed enough of that enthusiasm off on my team that they would play harder and faster. I thought, seriously, we could compete-even with the big boys. Through the first 8 games or so I was actually right. We were 5-3. The first game we played was on the road and we crushed them: 17-4. We were, all of us, in a great mood. Love abounded in the dugout that night.

After our eighth game, however, baseball became a chore. We have lost 7 straight games. We have been run-ruled 5 times and we have lost two games in the bottom of the seventh inning after tying or leading in the top of the seventh inning. Currently, in case you cannot add, we are 5-10. I love my team.

During the stretch of 7 consecutive losses things have been rather tough. We lost one player for the last 5 games to a vacation. We lost another young man when he ended up in the hospital because his hemoglobin dropped way below safe levels and needed transfusions and a bone marrow biopsy. Our latest blow was when our starting first baseman broke his finger. We only carry a roster of 12 boys; 3 are out. Things are tough all over for our team. I’m sure these three would rather be playing ball. I love these boys.

A big part of managing a little league baseball team is in managing personalities and egos. Some kids are ‘better’ than others; some are not. Some kids think they ‘deserve’ to play more than others; others are happy to be on a team. Some kids’ parents think their children’s, well, let’s just say their kids never make an error or throw the ball in the dirt or strike out with the bases loaded; most do not. Some kids are natural born pessimists (and have inherited it honestly); many have no idea what it means to quit until the umpire says ‘you’re out!’ or the sun goes down or the last inning is played or the last ball is lost over the fence. I love those kids.

I love those kids who have no quit in them, who play hard regardless of how poorly ‘we’ play. I love those kids who keep on laughing even when we are crushed by a lopsided score. I love those kids who keep on going up to bat after striking out 20 straight times. I love those kids who still think we can win even when the opposing coach has his players stealing home despite the fact that he is already winning by 8 runs. I love those boys who hustle off the field because ‘it’s our turn to bat!’ I love those boys who turn their hats inside out and believe, even though batters 7, 8, and 9 are coming up and we need 9 runs in order not to be run-ruled, that we have a shot at the win. I love those who get really angry with me when they have to sit because I need to get other players fielding time (per little league rules). I love those boys, pitchers, who want the ball when we are playing the toughest team in the league. I love those boys who hate losing even though that is all that seems to happen. I love those boys who hustle out a foul ball and don’t stop running until blue says, “Foul!” I love those boys who, after a crushing defeat, still have the nerve to run up to their teammates after the game and tackle them in the grass. I love those boys.

I love those boys who know what it means to win and never take it for granted because those are the boys who never quit. They never stop running, catching, throwing, and hitting. Nor do they stop smiling, laughing, and loving. They pick up their teammates when they’re down. They show up at the next game with a clean uniform, a glove, a smile, and a ‘where do you need me to play tonight, coach?’ I love those boys.

These are the ones who continue to believe we can win even when all external indicators point in exactly the opposition direction.

It is terribly difficult to want to show up for three more games when all outward appearances seem to be dictating that we will end our season, at best, 6-12 or 6-14 if we make up two rain-outs. It’s difficult to show up for three more games when you know you are going to be stuck in the outfield for 21-35 more innings. Baseball will break your heart, said A. Bart Giamatti. And even though I’m no fan of the late Giamatti (he banned Pete Rose from baseball), I agree with him 100%. It’s hard to find passion in something that continues to beat you down, game after game, inning after inning, pitch after pitch. How I love those boys who find a way to keep going back on that field that continues to break their hearts; those boys who continue working on their game and making every play even when the team is losing.

It’s terribly difficult to want to coach when there are some around who don’t think it even worth the effort. It’s terribly difficult to love those who are natural born pessimists, but as a manager I am called to do so anyhow. It’s easy to coach the lovable, the excitable, the manageable, the hard-worker, the player; the winners. It’s terribly difficult to coach the perpetually negative; the losers. Anyone would want to coach Derek Jeter; not too many would want to coach Barry Bonds.

And it’s like that in our pilgrimage too. It’s easy to love the lovable. Not so easy to love the unlovable.

I can love those folks who crank out an enthusiastic ‘Great sermon Pastor!’ all day long. It is much harder to love those who show up but never uncross their arms or wipe the scowl off their face or sing a song or even say hello or are more interested in where to go for lunch than they are about the call to put feet to faith.

I have to be honest: I’m not there yet. I am a complete failure in that regard. I know I should. I know the Spirit enables me. I know they need to be loved. But Oh, God it is so difficult. It is so hard to love those who know better and act worse. It’s terribly difficult to love those who show up at board meetings but won’t show up for worship. It’s hard to love those who do not love you. Seriously. It is beyond imagination hard.

Love is such a strange thing. If I love those contrary people…am I not giving up my rights? Am I not allowing my ego to be destroyed? What about my pride? I happen to know for a fact that I am right. Oh God this twisting inside me is killing me. I want so badly for God to do what is right and yet the only thing that seems to be making progress is the weakness that is pushing me closer and closer to the edge of a breakdown.

I keep telling God, “God, why won’t you do what is right?” And all I keep hearing him say in response is, “Why are you not loving my people? Those people, yes, those people.” “I am unworthy-how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth” (Job 40:4). Or, maybe it’s, “I am unwilling-why should I? I clench my teeth and harden my heart.”

Jesus could have said anything else to us; frankly I wish he had. He could have given us any other command or any other idea or any other teaching or any other way of demonstration. But he didn’t. He didn’t. He didn’t. The one he gave is the one that is killing me, killing us, killing the church because it is the one that is daily refused, especially here in the blog world, to be practiced.

“Love one another.”

He didn’t tell us to discriminate or separate the church into groups of sheep and goats and only love the lovely.

“Love one another.”

Die to your life; kill your pride. Love those he loved. Love those he died for. Feed his sheep. Lord, do you know what you are asking?

“Love one another.”

Lord, isn’t there some other way for me to show you that I love you? Can’t I memorize a book of the Bible instead? Isn’t a clanging cymbal a nice thing at times?

“Love one another.”

Lord, I can’t. They have hurt me. It’s a matter of principle. What about truth? What about right? Lord why do you seem to care more about their feelings than mine?

“Love one another.”

Lord, you are killing me. I’m dying here. I can’t breathe. I have no strength to do what you are asking.

“Love one another.”

Lord, they don’t. They make no effort. They don’t even care if I love them. They are sinning.

“Love one another.”

Lord, have mercy. Isn’t there some other way? How about if I serve poor people? Or give my body to save a dying person? How about if I preach a sermon in Greek? How about if I explain in great detail your Scriptures and defend truth?

“Love one another.”

“Love one another.”

______________________

See you at the field, thursday evening. I’ll be there. Managing. Coaching. Loving…all my boys.

Tags: Devotional, love one another

I have no idea who Paul Walker is, nor do I know anything about the church he shepherds other than it must be in the SBC. However, this post over at CR?N leads me to believe it must be an exceedingly mature and spiritual fellowship. While many pastors deal with conflicts over musical style, the ubiquitous need for more teachers in the children’s classes, finances, divorce, porn use among Christian men, real issues etc… Walker’s biggest concern within his church seems to be labyrinth walking.

Oh, that we all had such problems!

Basically Paul Walker is upset that a publication of the SBC for women endorsed both the Lectio Divina and labyrinth walking. What I found particularly fascinating was Walker’s urgency. “Red flags appeared” when he saw an article titled Reclaim Meditation. “Worse than [his] worst fears were realized” when Walker discovered that the article went straight to Lectio Divina and (horror of horrors) – “labyrinth-walking!” This is worse than his worst fears?  He can really think of nothing worse?

Walker takes the ADM Party line and follows the ADM SOP. He first belittles the practice – calling “contemplative prayer, silence or solitude” drivel. Never mind the fact that meditation is a biblical concept, never mind the fact that Jesus frequently got away from the crowds and even his own disciples for some solitude… that’s all drivel. Just the fact that an article on meditation would raise red flags is nearly comical – what next, red flags on reclaiming prayer? Probably, if said prayer is not “practiced” in the party sanctioned method.

Walker continues the ADM SOP by a) not bothering to describe the contents of the Lectio Divina, nor the steps in the labyrinth, b) failing to make a case for why either the Lectio Divina, or labyrinth walking should be repented of, and c) a condescending personal swipe at those who disagree.

I am fully aware of the standard objection of the labyrinth. Since when did our (or their) faith become so weak that anything first used by non-Christians cannot be employed by the faithful? Since when did our (or their) faith become so weak that even biblical concepts such as contemplation are now raise red flags base on some guilt by association?  Since when did we need to repent of following a set path and pondering the greatness of God?

I have no doubt that many new-agers use labyrinths in the pursuit of unbiblical spirituality… and probably some churches abuse them as well… but seriously, does this really mean that (because of their misuse) no Christian can walk a circular path and contemplate God’s greatness?

Sometimes Guilt by Association is enough and no further comment is needed.  On CRN? the “editor” posted an excerpt of a story about Evangelicals adopting Advent.  When I followed the link, I discovered it was not an excerpt but the whole story.  The story is simply “Evangelicals are adopting and adapting Advent rituals.”  No reason is given by either the editor or the watcher why this is an issue except the tag that these are Roman Catholic rituals.  Apparently GBA stands on its own.

What both sites fail to do (as usual) is to exercise true discernment and investigate how Advent is being adopted and adapted by Evangelicals… What meanings are being taught, what practices are being adopted, how are they being adapted to take them from a Roman Catholic ritual into an evangelical experience…?  but then again, that’s probably moot – if the Catholics do it (or ever did) we should not.

When you focus on external behaviors regardless of meaning, when you assume that your way of doing things is the only true way regardless of biblical teaching, when you narrow the method of true worship to a certain time and a certain place… you are forced into a pretty narrow (and extra-biblical) definition of what is orthopraxy – acceptable practices.

It’s a shame to see the worship of God limited to the praxis developed by a Western Culture in a period after the 16th Century but before the 1960’s – anything before this period is too Roman… anything after is too everything else… What a burden they bear, to constantly lift their own cultural praxis to the level of orthpraxis while also constantly making sure the immutable God does not escape from the box they have created for him.

BTW – our thoroughly evangelical and orthodox church has been observing advent for 17 years… I guess we’re ahead of the apostasy wave… who knew?

Since we are exegeting the recent post at SOL and their most recent display of tearing down the fellowship of Christ’s blood, I’ll join in with another observation.

As an introductory aside the author (presumably Ingrid Schlueter since no byline is given) makes this comment: “You can forward past the out of tune guitar and singer…” This statement betrays the condescending and judgmental attitude of the author. If the thesis of the post was, say… “We should honor God by singing in tune…” then an out-of-tune guitar and singer would be a relevant comment. But that was not the point.

The only conclusion we can come to is that the author was not satisfied with just condemning what is perceived as an inappropriate method of delivering God’s Word (can anyone say “Let’s all focus on the externals”?) – Nay, she had to mock a fellow believer in Christ as he worshipped.

It’s one thing if Schlueter dislikes the style of another part of the Body… it’s a shame when she fails to look past stylistically determined differences and judges them based on an external criteria of her own preferences and culture… it’s just plain immature and a sin when she mocks and insults a brother in Christ, a fellow believer who is worshipping her (and his) God through her (and his) Savior – all because she feels his abilities are not up to her standards.

P. S. I thought the song sounded fine, guess that shows far I have fallen from our Lord as well…

UPDATE: Ingrid has said the criticism of the guitar player was a joke, so I’ll take her at her word (charitable reading).

While on vacation, I watched a recording (NACC08-W429) of Bob Russell (retired pastor of Southeast Christian Church of Louisville, which runs about 18,000 on Sunday morning) speaking on worship styles at the North American Christian Convention a few weeks ago. In it, he had a lot of good things to say to folks on all sides of “worship debates” – style, dress, etc.

One quote I absolutely loved.

Russell was orienting a new pastor to the SCC staff -

New pastor: I don’t think I can wear a suit and tie – it’s not authentic, and it feels somewhat hypocritical

BR: If you were going to meet President Bush, wouldn’t you wear a suit and tie?

NP: (pause for thought) Not if he was my father…

Russell commented that he’s still not come up with a good response to this. Needless to say, the point was made.

He did go on to say that, while you aren’t likely to find suits & ties on stage at SCC on Sunday morning, you also won’t find folks looking like they just rolled out of bed or in anything risque or suggestive. He had a number of excellent points and suggestions for leading churches through the waters of “worship wars” within minimal disruption to the body – finding a way to be respectful of the old and young, alike.

For someone who complains about churches being man-centered, this rant certainly seems like it’s putting the author’s wants and needs first and foremost in the selection of a church.

Maybe this is why they get so ticked off when Rick Warren says it’s not about them…

Here’s an idea. Let’s go back through historical church eras and glean from such time periods those issues deemed to be of value in the development of the Christian faith. Let’s review the first-century church, the church between A.D. 100 and 600, then consider the medieval era (A.D. 700 to 1500), followed by the Reformation period (A.D. 1500 and later), and so on. To be effective in this endeavor, it’s important to have a good understanding of the cultural context in which the Christians of each era practiced their faith – T. A. McMahon

It started with such promise, a suggestion to study history and glean what is of value.  McMahon even proposes making sure we understand the cultural context so the gleaning can be more accurate.  Here’s an idea… and it’s a good one: Learn from the past.

But then, after a brief history of the recent upsurge in interest in the ancient church, the article takes an unfortunate but certainly predestined twist.  Apparently learning from the past is not a good idea.

First to be assaulted is Richard Foster who “wrote Celebration of Discipline. His book, which introduced Catholic and occult meditative techniques to evangelicals” – problem #1… gba assertions without foundation or support.  Just what did/does Foster promote that is of the occult?  And techniques must be bad if they were used by Catholics?

Problem #2 follows shortly thereafter… false dichotomies.

Let’s both reason from the Scriptures, and simply be reasonable (Isaiah 1:18). The Ancient-Future search to discover gems from “Classic Christianity” comes up short by a century — the century in which the New Testament was written. The critical difference should be obvious. The writers of the New Testament were inspired by the Holy Spirit as they penned God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21, 22). What writings from A.D. 100 and later can claim such inspiration? None

McMahon is right, there is a critical difference between the inspired writings of the Apostles and those who followed.  Problem is, no one is saying that the Church Fathers are on par with the Apostles.  I pondered this a bit trying to decide if it is a straw-man, or a false dichotomy.  I chose the latter since McMahon argues against a point no one is making.

The bulk of the rest of the article is a series of mostly ad hominem attacks against ancient church celebrities.  How did the Gospel ever survive until Luther?

 The summation lies in his final question: “Will this soon pass? No. It’s all part of related agendas that are building the end-times apostate church (Revelation 13:8).” I guess it only goes to show that you will indeed see what you are looking for.

P.S. – I found the McMahon article through Ingrid’s link here - though she fails to give any substantial reasoning, she does a much better job at listing the heretics

Somehow I think Rick Warren is behind this…

SEATTLE – Starbucks is shutting its doors for three hours Tuesday night, the latest drastic step in a companywide bid to improve its sagging fortunes.

The shutdown is one of several big moves spearheaded by Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz, who recently took back the reins of the company amid concerns that it was losing its edge and facing increased competition from the likes of McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Schultz has said the shutdown, which begins at 5:30 p.m. local time, is a way to energize its 135,000 employees and provide some barista re-education in the “art of espresso” at its 7,100 U.S. locations.

Read the rest of the article here.

Who knew the Onion was so prophetic? 

I don’t know what this has to do with anything really, but for the more conspiracy-minded of us out there, I’m sure it does.

I heard there was a direct correlation between latte and frappucino consumption and heretical beliefs.

Bon Appétit!

While I can’t say that it is, stylistically, my cup of tea, I am somewhat familiar with Buckhead Church (one of the three Northpoint Church campuses in Atlanta, under the senior pastorship of Andy Stanley). Buckhead is located in urban Atlanta, and has a demographic similar to that of Mars Hill, Seattle (read – young, energetic, highly artistic, located in a highly unchurched area, etc.).

In November, they had a short series of messages called “Illusions”, which dealt with (Part I) being decieved by our own “goodness”, and (Part II) trying to project a spotless image contrary to your inner nature – including your sin. It was preached by the campus pastor, Jeff Henderson.

Here is a YouTube clip of the opening of the series (which is apparently beyond what is allowed by the gatekeepers of all that is ‘holy’):

Like I noted, stylistically it would probably not fit in with the worship services in my community, but I know a number of people who attend – or have attended – the Northpoint campus churches, and I praise God that He has raised up communities like these to serve him. Sadly, living, vibrant, God-loving churches are offensive to some folks who will pretty much find anything – no matter how petty – to criticize.