Just the right words.

Self-inflicted spiritual coma---

Some people are spiritually comatose. They are still breathing and have vital signs indicating  life, though faint. Still, they are basically inert and perhaps in a deep spiritual sleep because they constantly breathe the noxious fumes of a lethal poison: un-forgiveness.

Frederich Buechner once wrote, "Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back---in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you." Un-forgiveness is the corrosive agent that eats us up from the inside out.

Preparing for the Truth about Forgiveness in our current weekend message series was a fresh reminder of the deadly effects of un-forgiveness. Storing up grudges, blaming other people for our misfortunes, and wearing our feelings right out there in the open all the time certainly provide the feverish atmosphere in which wounds and personal slights can fester into infection. A culture that idolizes victims is a veritable petri dish of hatred, prejudice, and blame, the vile stuff of un-forgiveness.

Scriptural instruction about forgiveness is straight-forward. Consider the statement, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you"  (Colossians 3:13). This isn't complicated. This is the summary of what the BIble teaches about living with other believers. This is preceded by "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another." Once again, this isn't theological double-talk. But, a loop-hole world doesn't take such teaching at face value. We'd rather develop protocols that shift the burden of reconciliation to the other guy and relieve us of the accountability of being like Christ. So, un-forgiveness ruins families and other family systems, like the church, for example, while we're pointing fingers and waiting for someone else to make the first move.

So, here's the long and short of it. Christians should bring the forgiving heart of Christ to every personal relationship, with other Christians or unbelievers alike. Mature Christians should always, and I repeat, always, assume responsibility for their relationships with less mature Christians or their elders to insure that the character of Christ defines the relationship. Believers should not play the offended party or offender game to minimize their responsibility in reconciling with other. We should always be motivated by Jesus' words, "...go, and be reconciled with your brother..." (Matthew 5:24).

Move this instruction up a notch. Consider denominations. No, wait. Think about the Southern Baptist Convention. OK, kids, this is name-calling central, the spiritual world of fundamentalists, conservatives, moderates, liberals, Calvinists, Arminians, traditionalists, contemporaries, four-squares, pentecostals, rurals, urbans, missionarys, missionals, mission-mindeds, oddballs, fruit-cakes, main-lines, fag-haters, up-towns, evangelicals, red necks, independents, Johnny come latelys, old guards, and whatever. We are the people of church dual alignments, multiple giving plans, church splits, and some pretty heated rhetoric. No wonder we're struggling. Un-forgiveness hovers over us like cloud of escaped gases. Call in a haz-mat team to administer some CPR. Try a little tenderness, soul mates. Forgiveness is the deal.

Jesus said, "Forgive and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). Think about it. "Give careful thought to your ways..." (Haggai 1:5). Maybe we're suffering a self-inflicted spiritual coma, un-forgiveness eating us up from the inside out.

Reckon?

Worship him today---

 
Worship has devolved into a contrast of styles rather than an expression of our personal devotion to Christ. The debates often apply Scriptural interpretations that will justify our own personal preferences. One sees solemn reverence, another jubilant celebration. Good words like "contemporary" and "traditional" have been hi-jacked in this word-play to support equally defensible positions. True Biblicists will talk about worshiping "in spirit" and "in truth", really a self-righteous descriptive used to raise one's own perspective while lowering the others. Will these silly games never end?

Worship. It is a celebration of the "worth ship" of the one being honored. Worship happens because of who he is. We worship him because he is Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God, the Messiah, the one and only, the creator of all there is, Lord of Lord, King of Kings. As Christ followers our worship should be Christocentric---that is, centered on Christ.

So, define that please. Well, depends on who you ask. You see, there are ample Biblical definitions of worship, descriptives that we can apply to justify our corporate expressions, what we expect from and bring to congregational worship. Of course, this amplifies the central truth of worship: it is what happens in the heart of the individual believer. Worship leaders guide the experience and call forth the adoration, praise, and honor which each believer brings to the service.

Today, Christians all over the world will gather to worship. Pray that each will approach Him in spirit and in truth, and with genuine humility because of who He is, our glorious God and Savior, Jesus. No, that's not it. Pray that you will come to Him with a totally yielded heart, in complete devotion because He is.

Amen.

The feel of your day off---

   
Stylish sophisticates know about feng shui, you know, the feel of a place. Yes, you can get into all the near eastern mysticism and ancient Chinese religious practices that go along with authentic Taoist yin-yang, qi, and the other balances of heaven and earth, mystical stuff. Today, the people at HGTV have co-opted the language and just talk about the positive vibes of a room, the colors and accouterments of warmth, the personality of a place, the welcome of a people friendly room. Maybe, archi-texture of a place or idea, even a day, if you stretch it a bit.

Feng shui of Saturday is the unmade bed, the sleeping-in posture of a day off the treadmill,
R & R for people who usually live in the fast lane. Trouble is, culture has shifted and Saturday isn't what it used to be. You see, for a great number of Americans Saturday is just another day at the salt mines, the same routine as every other day of the week. I understand that the grand pubaa of feng shui has issued an edict that permits transfer of the Saturday attitude to your day off, whatever the day. So, the Saturday feng shui may just happen on Wednesday. Anyway, in a mobile, unpredictable work place the feel thing may be lost.

Also, it must be noted that most Americans attack leisure with the same unrelenting compulsions as they go after their work. My family doctor told me that an OC person like me shouldn't play golf for relaxation because I'd be as psychotic on the golf course as in the office. So, the feng shui of some Saturdays is the same manic attitude that we experience day in and day out, just in a different locale. Of course, stress is as real adding up scores as it is contacting clients. So, some people leave their days off as physically and emotionally wasted as a day in the cubicle. 

And, to be sure, there are the neat freaks who crimp the style of true leisure practitioners. A rumpled bed would disturb the psychic rhythms of the entire house-hold for the order police types, and that person would be totally whacked till the bad karma was transported out of the house. I mean, everything has a place, even when you're off the clock, chillaxin at home.

OK, the sheets and duvet (another cool word from HGTV) don't actually breathe and the room doesn't have a heartbeat. Feng shui is a load of you know what. But, there is an attitude thing about your day off. There should be an unplugging of sorts, little moments of quiet and rest, down time, the simple joys of the unmade bed. I love to go out on the screened-in porch with a cup of good coffee, the soothing sounds of my little table top water feature, and a good read. This is a small momentary vacation from the sights and sounds of metro-plex living.

This is the Sabbath rest of Scripture, the personal renewal of God's creation, the rejuvenation of the worn vessel, sharpening the saw, and all the other images. It's the day when the rat race can continue with one less rat. It is the discipline of being still, of knowing, of listening, reflecting, thinking, and, of course, thanking. It can be the brief few minutes of gathering thoughts, taking stock, and looking up.

It's not feng shui. That's just a pop culture word that super cool people like to use. No, really, it is faith, the faith to set the busy-ness aside, to permit the symbolic bed to remain unmade, so that we can discover who we are in fellowship with Him.

It's the faith of everyday, re-packaged for your day off. Cool!

Baby, the rain must fall---

OK, this isn't philosophical depth or anyting new. Most of us have been aware of this truth for a long time. Still, 'tis the season, as they say, and perhaps a good time for a gentle reminder. Here's how Longfellow said it---

Be still sad heart and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is shining,
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life a little rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Jesus said just about the same thing. In the final hours before his death, Jesus reminded the disciples, "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). Earlier he had told them that their faith would not be provide a mystical protective shield against the troubling exigencies of life. He said, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). Yet, God's people have been equipped for every trial since our Lord walked this earth by an equally substantive promise, what Jesus added to the frank talk: "I have overcome the world". So, believers are not sequestered from the harsh realities of this life, but promised a way through.

Thanksgiving 2009 is upon us! Friends, it's time to look up! This year finds us at least a year older, perhaps in circumstances somewhat more dire that the last, maybe in the grip of some demon squeezing the joy right out of us! As I take stock of the previous year and begin to count my blessings I must admit having to search for them through the fog of some up-close clouds. OK, the stock market is down, retirement is moved back five years, real estate equities have plummetted, a tax and spend democrat is in the White House, and the Redskins are having a bad year. Cancer surgery five years ago has left a few ugly side-effects, the memory banks are short-circuited, and it takes three months to lose five pounds.  Neither of us could program our new coffee-maker, the somebody who lives with us is always losing the remote, and car keys are teleported during the night to a place other than where Harriet left them. Myterious bruising is appearing in very strange places, and when I go upstairs I forget why I went there before I get there. Today while shopping with Harriet one of those demonstrator women stuck me with a fork when I reached for the sizzling meat she was grilling right there in the store. I mean...

In 1965 Steve McQueen and a host of others starred in a movie Baby, the Rain Must Fall. Not an Oscar winner I assure you. The title song by Glenn Yarborough reached #12 on the pop charts, evidently resonating with us sixties teens and reminding us that it does rain on every soul alive. A popular commercial of that day also salted (no pun intended) our fresh wounds by declaring that, when it rains it pours. Thanks, Morton's we needed that! But, ain't it the truth.

So, we need to look up! In this same year a fine oncologist stamped CURED on my medical chart and released me from cancer watch from now on. Our church loves us and cares for us generously. At the same time our congregation is thriving. We enjoy a fine life, our children are a constant blessing, and our grandson brings us great joy. Harriet and I have each other, we've got some great people on our bus, and life is good. That's why this season bids us to look up, lest we forget.

Rejoice and be glad! Friday, the what?

It was good---

OK, it's just one guys opinion but I thought the South Carolina Baptist Convention in Columbia this week was basically good. Of course, the long suit of the meeting was the enlarged exhibit area and the opportunity for ministry types to gather around the coffee urns for some good old boy stuff, the fellowship most preachers and staffers relish. Along those same lines, the down-sized meeting room contributed to a group dynamic that enhanced the business sessions and made for a better worship atmosphere. So, thanks, convention staff and elected officials for the fine-tuning that moved this edition up a notch or two.

The last numbers announced were 924 registered messengers. Most likely the final total was larger. There seemed to be a few more younger faces in the crowd than last year, and this may be due to the Young Leaders Lunch and Learn Session provided on Tuesday. This was a good move and may yield much fruit in re-connecting with the younger demographic absent from recent meetings. In future events it may be advisable to specifically invite a few high visibility leaders to pace this effort, and certainly place several recognizable names on the program. Still, this was a wise and well-timed indication of a heart for this tribe of missional leaders, and a good first effort in correcting this serious hole in our convention fabric.

That such a small number of baptists conducts the business of our state denomination is troubling. I mean, a few hundred messengers elect our officers, approve the resolutions, finalize the financial decisions, and plan the programming initiatives of our corporate work. Several conclusions are natural when the number of registrants is considerered. Primarily, few of our 2,000+ congregations are actually represented at the annual meeting. Secondly, reduce total registration by the number of convention, association, and institution employees and the number of church folks involved in the business is even smaller. Now, meeting attendance nationwide is declining. Perhaps we should convene the techies in our ranks and do some brain-storming about using distance meeting modules and on-line applications to involve more people in what we are doing. It is the twenty-first century, BTW, and the technology is available to have a meeting from the comforts of home, or from the worship center in our churches. How about Convention Sunday once a year, with all the congregations in South Carolina electronically linked to handle this important business?

Social networking is still the valued currency of these meetings. Even though the actual meeting room appeared to be moderately filled throughout the sessions, the exhibit hall and corridors were constantly jammed with clusters of men and women enjoying fellowship. The horrible weather may have kept many of the messengers inside for coffee, refreshments, and even lunch. Even so, the building arrangement encouraged what is needed most by many of the attendees---time with friends, and what most interests attendees in the first place.

No doubt the convention team is fast-forwarded to the 190th session next year. Many excellent strides were made to raise the bar over recent sessions and they are all to be congratulated and thanked for several new twists and a couple of excellent calls regarding this one. Ramp it up guys! Go for it!

It was good. Best not get me started on good!
 

Unknown, to us---

The Tomb of the Unknowns is one of the most profound places I have ever been. Noting four previous trips to the Holy Land and being close to the places frequented by Jesus, his disciples, and the first century Christians, this is no small acknowledgment. It isn't the same kind of comparison, however, and recalling the awesomeness of the Tomb in Arlington in no way compares to being at the Garden Tomb or the traditional tomb site in Jerusalem. One is covered with the mystique of "unknown", while the other is a celebration of what is "known". One contains the remains of soldiers whose names have been lost in the anonymity of war. The other is empty. We don't know who is in the Tomb of the Unknowns. We know who was resurrected from the Tomb in Jerusalem.

The merits of the sites aren't the issue here anyway. What moves me so much about the Tomb of the Unknowns is that there were patriots, maybe war heroes, whose names cannot be recalled, whose bodies could not be identified, who are anonymous, even in death. The soldiers buried in this tomb were accorded Medal of Honor status and many other battle-field decorations at their interment. Specially trained soldiers from the Third United States Infantry (the Old Guard) man a 24/7/365 honor guard in recognition of the service men buried there and the millions of veterans they represent. Thousands of tourists respectfully and prayerfully visit the tomb annually. This is but a small symbolic tribute to all of those who serve, and especially those whose ultimate sacrifice cannot be specifically noted.

In ministry there have been occasions for funerals of homeless people and unknown citizens who for one reason or another slip through the cracks of our system and die alone, separated from family and friends, people whose names are unknown to anyone but God. Several times while serving in Greenville I was called to the Oneal Cemetery where the Greenville County Potter's Field is located. Graves are marked with "X", people found dead in an alley, in an old car out in the junk yard, in a dumpster, or a homeless camp. Usually the funeral homes would handle the burial expenses, and they'd call a local pastor to conduct a service. Each time I performed one of these services I wept. The only attendees were the grave diggers. That people die alone is so heart rending.

Today is Veterans Day. Some veterans are alone today, forgotten by the culture they enlisted or were drafted to defend. Today, will you thank a veteran. How about this? Find out a veteran's name and remember that vet in your prayers, and make sure they know they are known and not forgotten.

Thanks.

Words are art, or a picture is worth---

OK, this is too cool. Monday morning I learned one of the new on-line wrinkles regarding words and the art that is in them. Of course, being in love with language and desiring the ability to express myself eloquently keeps me in the market for word devices that just may assist this passion. You see, God has given us this imperfect medium to express the realities of faith. Our words are the transmission agents of truth. Learning to communicate is, in many senses, the mastery of words. Granted, everyone may not be so inclined, and may actually live a few words type of existence. But, most of us enjoy the turn of a good phrase, the choice selection of words, and a story that is told well.  

Often we are tempted to say that Peter, Luke, Paul, James, and the other New Testament writers were word smiths of their day, writers and speakers who could handle a phrase and express a thought. Of course, the real word smith in their writing was the Holy Spirit, who guided them in truth, who led them through the writing process, and who uses their written accounts to reveal the truth into the hearts of their readers. It is a dynamic interaction, this guiding work of the Holy Spirit, and it is, of course, still an active element in expressing spiritual truth today. Of a truth, it is the Holy Spirit who promises to teach us what to say (Luke 12:12), and the Spirit of God communicating with our spirit who leads the processes of written and oral communication.

Often, this process is basically ignored in our preaching and writing, that is, the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our communication of the Good News. As a result, this thing with words is more than art, more than an ability to express a thought or idea, or draw a word picture. Rather, it may be a willingness to follow as He leads, a willingness to express the glory of truth in language fitting the object, and to reflect a desire to speak and write as He guides the process.

Words matter. They may reflect just how much we are following Him as we seek to express the truth entrusted to us.

Now, want to see something cool. Go here.

If I got the links and connections right you're looking at my blog through the cool algorithms of Jonathan Feinberg and his knock out site www.wordle.net. This programming converts the language of the blog to a piece of word art, with the size of the words reflecting the number of times the word it used in the text. You can exercise as good bit of artistic autonomy in selecting background colors, fonts sizes and shades, and other arrangement choices. it is really a neat way to express the word thing in another very graphic way. Cool. If I messed it up, just go to the site and create your own.

Nice.

Stories I'd like to hear---

Headed to the annual pastor's conference of the South Carolina Baptist Convention later today I'm wondering what the scuttle-butt will be this year. Sure, as people of the Book we know about gossip and slander and dissensions, etc. But, we're also  aware that healthy speculations keep the exhibit area buzzing and give us church staffers some fodder for the rumor mills that happen in little circles around the building. So, what's the deal this time around?

Well, at the SBC level there's plenty. I mean, the recent retirement announcements of three of the institution heads is worth  a turn or two around the room, as well as all the talk about the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. Having Dr. Danny Akin at the Pastor's Conference today will certainly keep that pot stirring throughout the convention this week.

Locally, the meeting this year is basically ho-hum! I mean, there's always some whispers about the cooperative program split, who's running for one of the convention offices, and our predictable resolutions against abortion, et al. Sure, a few of us will comment on the absence of so many of our younger brothers, and the methodological stuff that shoves us into camps. Fear of being being called Mr. Negative around so many on-top-of-it guys, we won't spend a lot of time talking numbers---lower baptisms, declining attendance,  fewer dollars, and the other measurable demographics of our work, the hushed tone topics of back-room interaction. Very quietly will anyone talk about church splits, fellow ministers being unjustly dismissed, or the number of churches that didn't baptize a single new believer in the past twelve months. It'll be glad-handing and back-slapping resume sharing, like usual.

Last night I thought about the stories I'd like to hear. You see, around South Carolina there are a few churches involved in incredible ministry, congregations operating outside of themselves, ministries that are impacting their communities and our world in Kingdom-sized ways. There are amazing reversal stories, churches and leaders mobilizing for missional enterprise, turn-around situations that have recaptured a sense of mission for a dying community, spiritual families that have defied cultural limits to touch human need at a deep level. In locale after locale there are victory stories that never get told, re-locations, re-visioning, revival, remarkable community interaction, creative believers bringing the spirit of Christ to neighborhoods, schools being impacted by a local church! These are the stories I'd like to hear, the real-life episodes of real churches making a difference.

Usually they aren't told because the people doing them aren't chasing headlines. They're not being told because they involve, more often than not, humble servants who pursue their work for Christ's sake. Their assignments don't usually translate to big CP bucks, or exotic mission accomplishments. You don't read about them in the paper or hear what they're doing from the dais. Many of these leaders don't serve on boards, are never asked to speak at the conferences, and don't travel in the power circles.  Often they're excluded because they won't jump through the hoops required to get them a hearing. So,  an eager group of discouraged church leaders are deprived of the encouragement they could bring to the table. The stories a lot of us would like to hear.

So, later today and Tuesday I'll take a turn around the exhibit hall, do the social networking thing in real time, and pry the stories that I'd like to hear from the ones who usually aren't asked.

Let's talk. I'm dying to hear your story too.