As some of you may know, I recently went on staff at Refuge Community Church. It has been a long road for me since I moved to Denver, but I'm very happy as I begin my career in ministry.
Refuge is a small church. I really like the things that we are doing there but I won't tell you that we are following Jesus far better than every other church. I think that most people want to look at their church and say, "this is the best place there is to be." I'm not saying that Refuge is or isn't the best place to be, because I don't think we can really know where the best place to be is. I think that if you are looking for the best place to be, then you have already lost.
We are far from perfect. Both as people and as a church body. I will not say this is the best place in the world, but I will say that I am committed and I think that is what the church needs. I feel confident in saying that the people I attend church with are committed to Refuge. That's really all I want anymore. When Jesus had people come up and say that they want to follow, He didn't give them a good pitch as to why they should follow. He more discouraged them from following, warning that the road ahead would be rough and could lead to death. I believe that He did this because He wanted people that were committed. It is better to be committed and united as few than idle and divided as many, IMO.
There is no best place for you. Yes, there are churches where you might flourish more than others and churches where you might find life in God more than others. But a church is not the speaking style or the pastor or the production of the worship music. Find a place and be committed. Ask how you can make that church better. Better yet, just make that church better. I am sure that the staff won't be upset if you randomly show up early to help set up, make dinner for somebody in the congregation, or start a prayer group on Sundays after worship.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Come see the amazing Jesus and win a prize!
For those of you who don't know, I have begun an internship with Refuge Community Church. Part of my job description is to help establish a presence on a few college campuses in the Denver metro area. Being that Colorado Christian University is closest, we decided to start there. On Friday, CCU had a church fair so that incoming students could check out some of the churches in the area and see if there was one they might like to attend.
On my way to the fair I called Chris (pastor of Refuge) because he was running late. I asked him what I should put on the table. He told me to just wear my Refuge shirt and put out my business cards, we should go for the minimalistic thing. When I walked in, I found glorious church info tables everywhere. Every church there had massive signs, pretty table cloths with their names on them, pamphlets, handouts, magnets, and catchy Christian phrases (my favorite). Many churches were even giving away candy or other prizes. Clearly, I had come quite unprepared. The whole thing felt very weird and dirty.
I found the lady who was coordinating the event and she lead me to our designated area. However, we were unable to set up at our table because one of the churches had brought so much stuff that they had overwhelmed our table and there was no longer any room for us! I found that situation incredibly illustrative and hilarious. I was shown to a different table. I sat down, put out my business cards and threw an extra Refuge t-shirt on the table, so people could at least read our name.
The results of the day were amazing. We were one of the most popular tables and people consistently told me that they loved that we didn't have anything out trying to woo college students over to our table. I even had a few people say that this was their favorite set up and that they were immediately drawn to it. I told people throughout the day that I didn't think Jesus would throw candy at people in order to get them to follow. Just about everybody agreed, smiling that they didn't think He would do that either.
Is the gospel not good enough? If it is, are American Churches living out the gospel? Do we need to sweeten the deal with some fun size crunch bars? (if that's your approach then get real, because snickers is where it's at). Jesus had a man come up to Him and say, "I want to follow you." The softball of church questions. Jesus said, "Then go and sell everything you have." The man left and was very sad. Perhaps if He had given Him some candy and said, "let me tell you about our mission," things might have gone a bit better.
On my way to the fair I called Chris (pastor of Refuge) because he was running late. I asked him what I should put on the table. He told me to just wear my Refuge shirt and put out my business cards, we should go for the minimalistic thing. When I walked in, I found glorious church info tables everywhere. Every church there had massive signs, pretty table cloths with their names on them, pamphlets, handouts, magnets, and catchy Christian phrases (my favorite). Many churches were even giving away candy or other prizes. Clearly, I had come quite unprepared. The whole thing felt very weird and dirty.
I found the lady who was coordinating the event and she lead me to our designated area. However, we were unable to set up at our table because one of the churches had brought so much stuff that they had overwhelmed our table and there was no longer any room for us! I found that situation incredibly illustrative and hilarious. I was shown to a different table. I sat down, put out my business cards and threw an extra Refuge t-shirt on the table, so people could at least read our name.
The results of the day were amazing. We were one of the most popular tables and people consistently told me that they loved that we didn't have anything out trying to woo college students over to our table. I even had a few people say that this was their favorite set up and that they were immediately drawn to it. I told people throughout the day that I didn't think Jesus would throw candy at people in order to get them to follow. Just about everybody agreed, smiling that they didn't think He would do that either.
Is the gospel not good enough? If it is, are American Churches living out the gospel? Do we need to sweeten the deal with some fun size crunch bars? (if that's your approach then get real, because snickers is where it's at). Jesus had a man come up to Him and say, "I want to follow you." The softball of church questions. Jesus said, "Then go and sell everything you have." The man left and was very sad. Perhaps if He had given Him some candy and said, "let me tell you about our mission," things might have gone a bit better.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
I'm not a Christian
So something interesting happened the other day. A few weeks ago I had to go to the hospital (SPOILER ALERT: I'm fine). I took an elbow to the head in basketball, five days later I was still in pain, parents convinced me to go to the ER, so I went.
Once I sat on the bed the nurse came in to ask me some questions. She started off with the normal questions, height, weight, celebrity look alike (I saw her pencil in Brad Pitt). Then a question I haven't normally heard in these types of situations came up. "Do you have a religious preference?" I'm not sure why, but I was taken back by the question and wasn't sure what to say. The first thing that came to my head was, Christian, but I hardly ever use that word to identify myself (I normally say that I am a follower of Jesus). The next thing that came to my head was to say, follower of Jesus but I wasn't sure if she had to check a box or write my answer in, and I was pretty sure there was no box that said, "follower of Jesus." The whole situation was getting too complicated in my head so I simply responded, "No, I don't."
We moved on as usual and I am guessing that she never caught the subtitle of the book I was reading which read, "What is Jesus worth to you?" The nurse exited after asking me everything she needed to know and I was left with my thoughts of why I had reacted in such a strange manner to her simple question and why someone who works in ministry identified as having no religious preference. I came to realize it is because the word Christian doesn't mean to the world what it means to me.
According to a very scholarly source (wikipedia) 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. To me, to be a Christian is no simple identity to take on. Peter Rollins writes a parable in which the world is in a battle with Christians. In his story, a man is on trial for being a Christian, which in this world is illegal, and the world holds the following stance; "The court is indifferent toward your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down that brush and their life, in a Christlike endeavor to create a better world. So, until you live as Christ and his followers did, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then, my friend, you are no enemy of ours."
That very last line really gets me, "Until then you are no enemy of ours." I get that and that resonates in my heart. To be a Christian, to be a follower of Jesus is to be an enemy of the world (see 1 John 2:15, Romans 12:2). If people heard the word Christian and were afraid of what it might mean, I might want to use it. I do have interest in reclaiming the word, but the last thing I believe that Jesus and his followers were was normal. I believe they were different in a challenging way, after all, most of them got killed.
I don't think that everybody needs to feel the same way that I do. However, that word means just about nothing in my mouth. If I could go back to the situation with the nurse, I wish I would have said something to the effect of, "well I am a follower of Jesus, but you can just write down Christian if you want."
Once I sat on the bed the nurse came in to ask me some questions. She started off with the normal questions, height, weight, celebrity look alike (I saw her pencil in Brad Pitt). Then a question I haven't normally heard in these types of situations came up. "Do you have a religious preference?" I'm not sure why, but I was taken back by the question and wasn't sure what to say. The first thing that came to my head was, Christian, but I hardly ever use that word to identify myself (I normally say that I am a follower of Jesus). The next thing that came to my head was to say, follower of Jesus but I wasn't sure if she had to check a box or write my answer in, and I was pretty sure there was no box that said, "follower of Jesus." The whole situation was getting too complicated in my head so I simply responded, "No, I don't."
We moved on as usual and I am guessing that she never caught the subtitle of the book I was reading which read, "What is Jesus worth to you?" The nurse exited after asking me everything she needed to know and I was left with my thoughts of why I had reacted in such a strange manner to her simple question and why someone who works in ministry identified as having no religious preference. I came to realize it is because the word Christian doesn't mean to the world what it means to me.
According to a very scholarly source (wikipedia) 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. To me, to be a Christian is no simple identity to take on. Peter Rollins writes a parable in which the world is in a battle with Christians. In his story, a man is on trial for being a Christian, which in this world is illegal, and the world holds the following stance; "The court is indifferent toward your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down that brush and their life, in a Christlike endeavor to create a better world. So, until you live as Christ and his followers did, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then, my friend, you are no enemy of ours."
That very last line really gets me, "Until then you are no enemy of ours." I get that and that resonates in my heart. To be a Christian, to be a follower of Jesus is to be an enemy of the world (see 1 John 2:15, Romans 12:2). If people heard the word Christian and were afraid of what it might mean, I might want to use it. I do have interest in reclaiming the word, but the last thing I believe that Jesus and his followers were was normal. I believe they were different in a challenging way, after all, most of them got killed.
I don't think that everybody needs to feel the same way that I do. However, that word means just about nothing in my mouth. If I could go back to the situation with the nurse, I wish I would have said something to the effect of, "well I am a follower of Jesus, but you can just write down Christian if you want."
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Nature and Mourning Death
Today was an interesting day. I spent the afternoon going on a hike and the evening mourning the death of victims of some recent homicides.
Cut to this evening. I meet with a group on Tuesday nights called Access which is dedicated to spiritual formation and engaging in poverty. There have recently been some people on the periphery of our group who have been the victims of homicide. Tonight we gathered to mourn these deaths and to reclaim the places of tragedy as places of peace. It was a very powerful evening for me.
We gathered outside the Denver Rescue Mission and stated that we recognized that somebody was killed here and that this was a moment of injustice and a failure of peace. We stated as a group that we were reclaiming this spot as a place for peace and justice and would do our best to bring Jesus to this city, and to this place, so that these things do not happen as much.
As I stood in this location in the middle of the city of Denver so much made sense to me. I felt like if Jesus were here today (and please don't say "Jesus is everywhere") I mean if He was walking around in Denver today, I feel like He would have been there. Right by all of the drug addicts, where people were being killed, where women are prostituting themselves, etc...
It was interesting to contrast this with how I spent my morning hiking. I love seeing God in nature and wondering what He was thinking when He created that mountain, how he came up with the color blue for the sky, are there other spots in nature that God created that no person will ever touch?
But when I was in the city is where I felt Jesus. That's where Jesus is. At the end of the day I came up with the thought that God shows us beauty and we can worship Him in all of His creation, but Jesus came here to show us how to live. It's great to go see God in nature, but Jesus would probably be hanging out in the city most of the time.
Cut to this evening. I meet with a group on Tuesday nights called Access which is dedicated to spiritual formation and engaging in poverty. There have recently been some people on the periphery of our group who have been the victims of homicide. Tonight we gathered to mourn these deaths and to reclaim the places of tragedy as places of peace. It was a very powerful evening for me.
We gathered outside the Denver Rescue Mission and stated that we recognized that somebody was killed here and that this was a moment of injustice and a failure of peace. We stated as a group that we were reclaiming this spot as a place for peace and justice and would do our best to bring Jesus to this city, and to this place, so that these things do not happen as much.
As I stood in this location in the middle of the city of Denver so much made sense to me. I felt like if Jesus were here today (and please don't say "Jesus is everywhere") I mean if He was walking around in Denver today, I feel like He would have been there. Right by all of the drug addicts, where people were being killed, where women are prostituting themselves, etc...
It was interesting to contrast this with how I spent my morning hiking. I love seeing God in nature and wondering what He was thinking when He created that mountain, how he came up with the color blue for the sky, are there other spots in nature that God created that no person will ever touch?
But when I was in the city is where I felt Jesus. That's where Jesus is. At the end of the day I came up with the thought that God shows us beauty and we can worship Him in all of His creation, but Jesus came here to show us how to live. It's great to go see God in nature, but Jesus would probably be hanging out in the city most of the time.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Bin Laden
Lots of emotions right now. I don't expect to win over everybody with what I am going to write. As soon as the death of Osama Bin Laden was announced I felt very strange. As I watched people celebrate in the streets of DC (on the news) something didn't feel right.
Celebrating the fact that somebody was killed just doesn't seem like something Jesus would have us do.
I think what I found most interesting was the fact that we were so thankful that no Americans were harmed in this operation. I don't think that God looks at Americans and is happy that they survived any more than He is happy when somebody from Saudi Arabia or anywhere else lives to see another day. We are all people of God. There is no American or Pakistani. There is only those that God loves.
I stole this piece of scripture from Megan Duhon's facebook.
Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn't it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right - really living? -Ezekiel 18:23
And this piece from Richard Doe's
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Proverbs 24:17
It sucks when somebody is killed. My heart hurts right now.
One thing I do want to add is that I am very happy to see that more people are reacting negatively to the celebration of this death than positively.
Celebrating the fact that somebody was killed just doesn't seem like something Jesus would have us do.
I think what I found most interesting was the fact that we were so thankful that no Americans were harmed in this operation. I don't think that God looks at Americans and is happy that they survived any more than He is happy when somebody from Saudi Arabia or anywhere else lives to see another day. We are all people of God. There is no American or Pakistani. There is only those that God loves.
I stole this piece of scripture from Megan Duhon's facebook.
Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn't it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right - really living? -Ezekiel 18:23
And this piece from Richard Doe's
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Proverbs 24:17
It sucks when somebody is killed. My heart hurts right now.
One thing I do want to add is that I am very happy to see that more people are reacting negatively to the celebration of this death than positively.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
So I wrote a song
A few days ago I wrote a song. But first, some back story...
About a year ago my cousin was involved in a very serious DUI accident. The past year has been rough on him and my family and he has been facing time in prison.
On April 20, I was thinking a lot about the situation. I was thinking how hard this has been on my aunt to watch her son go through this process and I decided to write a song about it. Later that day my mom called me with some bad news and told me that my cousin had been sentenced to 3-6 years on that day. I hadn't really kept up much with the process to be honest and had no idea that he would even be going to court that day.
It is truly amazing to see that God put that in my heart during one of the hardest days of my aunt's life. I'm usually the first person to write something off as a coincident but if this isn't proof that God is looking over us in times of need, I'm not sure what is.
I decided that I would make a quick video of the song to send to my aunt to try and comfort her. You can see it here.
About a year ago my cousin was involved in a very serious DUI accident. The past year has been rough on him and my family and he has been facing time in prison.
On April 20, I was thinking a lot about the situation. I was thinking how hard this has been on my aunt to watch her son go through this process and I decided to write a song about it. Later that day my mom called me with some bad news and told me that my cousin had been sentenced to 3-6 years on that day. I hadn't really kept up much with the process to be honest and had no idea that he would even be going to court that day.
It is truly amazing to see that God put that in my heart during one of the hardest days of my aunt's life. I'm usually the first person to write something off as a coincident but if this isn't proof that God is looking over us in times of need, I'm not sure what is.
I decided that I would make a quick video of the song to send to my aunt to try and comfort her. You can see it here.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Heaven might hurt a bit...
Yes, I am still reading Love Wins which is making me write all this stuff. None the less, here we go again.
We talk about Heaven as if we will be so much different when we get there. We say, "When you get to Heaven, you won't care about that." I pray that being in the presence of all that is good, true, and love will make me no longer long for what is rich, lust, and full of worldly pleasure. But what if that's not the case? What if you don't have a change of heart right when you die? What if you die and still feel exactly the same except you are not faced 100 percent with the your evil and selfish self?
If that were the case, Heaven would probably be more painful than joyful. But isn't being real always better than being fake? Think about when you have repressed pain. Once you finally embrace the pain and have that real hard cry, you know the one that Dane Cook talks about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVrW3zat2To (not for the faint hearted), it feels good. Yes, your heart hurts, but it's like being able to see for the first time. There is a birth to your healing which comes at the death of your denial.
Jesus allows us to die now. We can birth our healing at the moment we let the pain die. If we still love choosing ourselves right now, why would we suddenly no longer want to constantly satisfy ourselves after we die? Might as well start preparing now, because Heaven could be a very rude awakening.
We talk about Heaven as if we will be so much different when we get there. We say, "When you get to Heaven, you won't care about that." I pray that being in the presence of all that is good, true, and love will make me no longer long for what is rich, lust, and full of worldly pleasure. But what if that's not the case? What if you don't have a change of heart right when you die? What if you die and still feel exactly the same except you are not faced 100 percent with the your evil and selfish self?
If that were the case, Heaven would probably be more painful than joyful. But isn't being real always better than being fake? Think about when you have repressed pain. Once you finally embrace the pain and have that real hard cry, you know the one that Dane Cook talks about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVrW3zat2To (not for the faint hearted), it feels good. Yes, your heart hurts, but it's like being able to see for the first time. There is a birth to your healing which comes at the death of your denial.
Jesus allows us to die now. We can birth our healing at the moment we let the pain die. If we still love choosing ourselves right now, why would we suddenly no longer want to constantly satisfy ourselves after we die? Might as well start preparing now, because Heaven could be a very rude awakening.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)