Reclaiming a Biblical Worldview

During my morning devotions today, I read Psalm 71:15,16 which says,

"My mouth will repeat your righteous acts and your saving deeds all day long. I don't even know how many of those there are! I will dwell on your mighty acts, my Lord. Lord, I will help others remember nothing but your righteous deeds."

When I read this, I had one of those "duh!" moments where I realized just how much our worldview shapes our understanding of scripture and spirituality in general.

The prevailing 21st century secularized western civilization worldview is that there is very little if no overlap between a higher power and earthly affairs. Even those of us who attend church, read our bibles, pray, and seek to live out our faith are easily influenced by this worldview. This worldview has redefined "miracles" as those occurrences that happen infrequently and only in very dramatic ways.

My scripture reading from Psalm 71 today reminds me that this is not what the bible means when we think of "miracles." Actually, the word "miracle" doesn't even appear in the bible. The bible refers to "signs and wonders." The Psalm reading uses the phrases, "righteous acts," "saving deeds," and "mighty acts."

We might be tempted to read these phrases through the lenses of our modern day understanding of "miracles," but then the Psalmist says that he doesn't even know how many "of those (saving deeds) there are" because there are so many!

The Psalmist is reminding us that God is at work in the world all of the time, not just when the Red Sea was parted for Moses or when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead!

If it is true that these daily occurrences of God's presence and signs of grace are happening all around us, then maybe my worldview needs to adapt to a more biblical worldview where God isn't just "the man upstairs" while we go about our business down here.

Not only does the Psalmist have us rethink our worldview, we also are called to think about these signs of God's presence "all day long" AND "help others remember nothing but God's righteous deeds."

This is why small groups in the church are so important! They help us to embrace the biblical worldview that God is present throughout the day in small and big ways. When we meet with other Christians in a small group and share how we have seen God at work during the week, we are embracing the worldview that God is present in our everyday lives.

Where do you see God at work in your day to day living? What does it mean to reclaim a biblical worldview? Are we sharing these "holy moments" with others on a regular basis? 

I think the Psalmist is on to something here, because I experienced the presence of Christ yesterday in a very real way, and I can't wait to tell my small group about it.

Evangelism Gone Wrong

In all my years of pastoral ministry, the topic of evangelism and how we are to go about sharing our faith seems to be the most problematic issue for congregations.

We'll put an offering in the plate. We'll attend worship. We will even wear a t-shirt that has our church's name on it! We'll do all these things, but we tend to draw the line at actually verbalizing our faith with another person.

Why is it that we get tongue-tied when it comes to sharing our faith with others? One possible explanation is because we don't want to be associated with Christians who go about it the wrong way.

So, for example, this is what often comes to mind when we hear the word, "evangelism."

How about the Highly Judgmental Approach?

There's always the impersonal, annoying, and very old school "Door to Door" model of evangelism.

How do you feel about the Gimmicky Strategy?

I fell so blessed when I see a religious pamphlet on top of a restroom urinal. Not!

There's always the impersonal Facebook posts method.

Or, there's always the just plain bizarre approach.

Is it any wonder that many of us choose to simply not share our faith at all? All we have to do is examine church membership statistics to see that church involvement has been in decline over the past several years. In many communities, well over 50% of the population has absolutely no religious affiliation. In the community I serve, it's around 75%!

What if we used a more natural and conversational approach in sharing our faith with others?

Maybe, we shouldn't worry about being associated with the negative approaches to evangelism. What if we used a more natural and conversational approach in sharing our faith with others? A church member once told me how he was having a conversation with a neighbor in his driveway and it just felt appropriate to share a little of his faith journey during their chat. The neighbor thanked him for sharing his faith in this way.

These opportunities to naturally share our faith stories with others can happen while waiting in a grocery check-out line, in a coffee shop, while waiting for class to begin, at work, or during a conversation with a neighbor. There's no reason for us to be tongue-tied in being evangelists, unless you really think that wearing that great big gold cross around your neck is the way to go.

I know that image will be etched into my consciousness that rest of my life, but not in a good way.

A Cyber Blessing

Cyber ministry is a rapidly growing medium in the life of the church and that's a good thing.  While it can't totally replace face to face interaction, it can be a very helpful way for the faith community to stay in touch while apart. 

While not the most tech savvy person, I have tried my best to use facebook, twitter, and my Nikos blog to share the good news of Jesus Christ.  If I had to use a percentage, my guess is that at least 90% of my facebook updates, tweets, and Nikos articles are related to the church and the Christian faith journey.  I try to communicate to a wide audience while at the same time give particular focus to the church I am serving as pastor.

The church has a long history of using the predominate media of their day to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ:

• Jesus used storytelling in a culture where this was the primary method of communicating news and truth.
• The church in the Middle Ages used stained glass windows to help a culture that was predominately illiterate. 
• The Protestant Reformation used the printing press to help the masses have a copy of the bible.
• The Wesley's published a magazine in 18th century England which included early Methodist testimonies of faith to help people know that God loved them and that they can have a personal relationship with Christ.

In the 21st century, cyber ministry offers yet another powerful tool to help the church in communicating the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This became very clear to me one day when a young person in my church sent me a facebook message asking me about a troubling spiritual question that called for a prompt response.  In a matter of a couple of minutes, I as her pastor, was able to share my pastoral thoughts on the issue that she was facing in that very moment. Yes, ideally, face to face interaction is the way to go, but sometimes God even uses facebook to help us support and encourage one another in our faith journeys.

So this leads me to offer this prayer of blessing for the tools of cyber ministry. They are just tools, but with God's help they become avenues for healing and transformation. I thank the great people at www.dailyoffice.org for offering these words.  I modified this prayer slightly. Pray with me...

A Cyber Ministry Blessing
O God, thank you for new discoveries and technologies that strengthen our relationship with you by providing universal access in Word, song, art and prayer. Help us to use our church's Facebook group, twitter, blogs and other internet tools and applications to glorify you and carry out your mission of justice, healing and peace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Being an Invitational Church

While speaking with a church growth consultant, she kept using the word, "invitational" in describing healthy, growing, and vital congregations.  I wasn't counting, but she probably used this word at least fifteen times during our hour long conversation.  "They're all invitational.  Members of invitational churches are inviting their friends to worship services, to their Sunday School classes, to their small group gatherings, and to other church events."

Not being one to pick up on the obvious right away, I finally blurted out, "Oh, I hear what you're saying.  I've heard you say the word, 'invitational' several times.  That's the key!"  "Yes, you get it now.  It's all about being invitational," she said with the delight of knowing that her clergy pupil was now on board.

The mainline church has been in decline the past several years, but there's hope!  The ones which are intentional in being "invitational" are growing, regardless of where they fall on the theological spectrum, or if they use strobe lights during worship, or if the preaching pastor wears really cool ripped jeans while he preaches.  Developing an invitational mindset throughout the church is the common denominator for church growth and vitality.

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to sit in one of the pews and worship with the congregation.  A church member came up to me to let me know that a few weeks ago, he was walking his dog at the park.  He struck up a conversation with a man who also had a dog.  As they were talking, this church member invited him to visit our church for Easter Sunday.  The man came!  The next time they saw each other in the park, the man said, "I really like your church!  It was a wonderful worship service!"

This church member was so excited to tell me this story.  There's a sense of joy as we live out our faith by inviting the people we see on a daily basis to come to church with us.  Being invitational is contagious.  It just takes a few people at first and as they share the joy of being invitational, others join in as well.

My new favorite word is, "invitational."

Unbinding Your Heart Testimony - March 18

Here's the testimony that new church member, Connie Geary shared with the congregation on Sunday morning, March 18. During these six weeks of Lent, several people in our congregation have been sharing their faith story.

"My husband and I have passed by many time admiring the outside beauty of this church and decided on day it was time to see the inside, this past June. We were overwhelmed by the beauty of this church on the inside, the members of the church whom welcomed us warmly each and every Sunday. That is the real beauty of a church; the people whom make up the congregation, and share their grace of God with others.

We were very moved by Pastor Robert and Pastor Cheryl, with the love and joy they share for the Lord and the way they share this love with everyone everyday. The warm and friendly congregation led by two passionate people not only helped my family decide this was where we belong, but motivated myself to renew my relationship with God by being baptized..

So thank you to everyone for sharing your love of Christ with us and adding to not only the beauty of this church but the community as well."

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Editor's Note: The picture in the web blog heading is of Connie being baptized in the youth mud pit with our youth laying hands on her.
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Unbinding Heart Testimony - March 11

Here's the testimony that Clarence, McCoy, our Director of Worship Arts shared with the congregation on Sunday morning.  During these six weeks of Lent, several people in our congregation have been sharing their faith story.

A few weeks ago, during our weekly worship planning sessions, we began discussing the fact the planning materials from Unbinding Your Heart asked for a testimony this week from someone who began going to church as an adult. I told the group that if they didn’t find someone better, I am actually someone who fits that description. So, here I am.

I grew up in a home that was unchurched. In fact, both of my parents also grew up in homes that were unchurched. My parents displayed faith in God, but my entire church experience involved going to an Easter service once as a child with our neighbors, and being hired to play my trumpet for a few church services when I was in high school.

I headed off to college, and faith had an even smaller role in my life. I’m a fairly cerebral dude, and my world view was based on what I perceived as measurable facts. There was little room for faith. As part of one of my honors classes in school, I even studied portions of the Bible and compared what I read to other books containing philosophy. So, I learned some things about the teachings of Jesus, but I had no relationship with Jesus. At this point in my life, I would have to say I was at least an agnostic, and maybe even an atheist.

During the summer after my second year of college, I was hired to work at a band camp by a man named Jim Morgan, who many of you have known. He also hired a woodwind and flag corps instructor named Sandy Shaw. Sandy and I began to date, and a few months later we were engaged.

Sandy was a person of deep faith, and she had grown up in a churched home. She introduced me to various Christian books, including CS Lewis’s Mere Christianity, but I was a very tough sell. She didn’t give up though, and she just continued to be a good Christian example for me. When we decided to get married, she contacted a pastor who had been influential in her life to be the one to marry us. He asked about me, and when he found out that I was not a Christian, he reminded Sandy of 2 Corinthians 6:14 where we are told not to be yoked with unbelievers, and he refused to marry us. We found a more willing pastor, however, and we were married the next summer.

As a newly married couple, we again worked a summer band camp job for Jim Morgan. During one weekend, Jim had a camp for his church choir from Shalom UMC in Carroll. He needed a piano player for his rehearsals, and he invited Sandy and me to be a part of the weekend. She agreed to play, and we spent the weekend around some wonderful Christian people, including the Morgans and Bob and Marty Lambert, who are now part of our choir here at First Church. We had a great time, and I didn’t know it then, but I began to see Christ in these wonderful people. Through these and other Christians I would encounter along my life’s journey, I saw the evidence my brain needed to prove the reality of God.

Sandy and I moved to North Baltimore in northwest Ohio as we began our life together.  We were invited by someone at the school where Sandy was teaching to be a part of the choir program at Good Shepherd UMC there, and partially because of our experience with the Shalom choir, we agreed. Church was beginning to be a part of our lives. My faith was still very shallow, but it was beginning to develop.

A couple of years later, it was Jim Morgan (again) who invited me to be part of a weekend experience called Walk to Emmaus, which proved to be the next step in developing  my spiritual life. Sandy and I moved back to Lancaster, and we became part of the church and the choir at Shalom. That summer during the choir camp weekend, I was baptized in the band camp pool! Christ was finally becoming an important part of my life, an evolution that continues to this day.

More than twenty years later, I’m still a very flawed man, but my wife is still my Christian example. Bob Lambert and I still have a weekly time of sharing that dates back to our Emmaus experiences so long ago. There have been many other invitations along the way that have allowed my faith to continue to grow. I’m still part of church music, though I do the directing now. And I’m part of a wonderful church here at the corner of Wheeling and High Streets. None of this is because of some great conversion moment in my life, but it’s all because of a series of invitations from great Christians who were just like each of you. Thank you.

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A Fat Tuesday Sharing Your Faith Opportunity

Hi Bill.  Hi Sally.  Hey Tom.  How's it going Clarice?  Sometime this morning, check out what I brought to the work room this morning.

Oooh!  What did you bring?  Something good?

It's Fat Tuesday.  I brought some jelly filled, cream filled, and glazed donuts from Donut World.

Oh, that's right!  I forgot that this is that time of year!

Yeah, it's actually one of my favorite days.  It gives me an excuse to have a little sugar high and eat some of my favorite sweets which I don't do too often.  I also put on a pot of coffee for us, so enjoy!

What actually is Fat Tuesday?  Isn't it connected to Lent or something?

That's right.  Tomorrow, you'll see me with some ashes smudged on my forehead so don't think that I replaced the office copier toner cartridge!  It's because I attended the noon Ash Wednesday service at my church.

I remember that from last year and I thought that you had a flat tire on your way in to work.  I thought you got some grease on your forehead or something.

If I had a flat tire, I probably would get grease on my forehead knowing me.  But, no.  It's just ashes from the service.

Don't you feel a little funny wearing those ashes?  I mean, when you go through the check out line at Krogers, isn't that a little weird?

Oh, no doubt!  I'm not the kind of person that likes to draw attention to himself.  But for me, it's a tradition from the time I was growing up in church.  It's just something that we did every year.  If someone asks me about the ashes, I just tell them that it's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent and that it reminds me of Jesus' death on the cross and how that led to his resurrection on Easter Sunday.  I guess you could say that it's a natural way to share my faith that day!

How do people respond when you explain it?

Well, they usually say something like, "Oh, that's right.  I forgot.  It's Ash Wednesday."  But by sharing a little about Jesus' death and Easter, it helps them to understand the symbolism of the ashes.

What church do you attend, again?

First United Methodist Church. 

You know, my husband and I have been talking about getting back to church.  Since we've moved to Lancaster, we haven't really found a church to call home, yet.  What time are your Sunday services?

9 & 10:30.  Come early because the parking lots fill up quickly.  I attend at the 9 A.M. service.  You want us to pick you up a little after 8:30 this Sunday and we'll attend worship together?

Sure!  Looking forward to it.

Oh, and you'll love the donuts during our Fellowship Hour!
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My Faith Journey (Part III)

Lost and directionless, I got down on my knees and said a prayer.  "Jesus, I need you.  I've been trying to do things my way and it hasn't worked.  I want to put your first in my life.  From this point on, I'm going to do what you want me to do, whatever it may be.  Forgive me for how I have strayed from you.  I rededicate my entire life to you, Jesus.  Amen."

As I stood up from that prayer, it was the most unbelievable feeling, like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.  I now had an assurance, an unshakable confidence that Jesus was truly my Lord and Savior.

It was my sophomore year of college and I was really struggling with bad grades, a relationship break up, the sting of being cut from the baseball team, and not knowing what to do with my life.  As my knees began to bend to pray that life changing prayer, I realized this was something I hadn't done in quite a while.

Another result of that prayer was that God also spoke to me during that prayer!  It was like God was telling me, "OK.  That's great.  I will guide your every step.  But here's what I want you to do immediately.  Start studying!  Give your best.  Don't worry about what your major should be.  Just study.  Trust me and I'll take it from there.  And here's the 2nd thing.  I want you to begin a bible study and invite your friends from High School so that they too can be my followers.  Got it?  Good.  Begin today!"

From that point on, I began to set aside at least two hours every day to study.  I also sent out a letter to as many of my old High School friends that I could think of to invite them to my house for a bible study which I would lead.

As far as the studying part went, Jesus helped me to make the Dean's List which was a pretty impressive accomplishment since I was getting D's and C's.  And people responded to my bible study invitation.  About a dozen people attended on a weekly basis and most of them were not actively part of any church.  Through that bible study, some accepted Christ, some would enter the pastoral ministry, and many got involved in their church again.

Jesus had made his point.  "Always put me first and I will lead you in the way you should go."

If God's grace was extended to me before my conscious awareness claiming me as his child in my infant baptism (prevenient grace) and was extended again so that I could accept this grace while on a playground at recess (justifying grace) this grace being extended to me while in college was God's (sanctifying grace.)

Sanctifying grace is the grace that continues to mold and shape us following God's prevenient and justifying grace.  It's the grace that reminds us that we're all "a work in progress."  We're never done growing in what it means to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ.  I am constantly learning and discovering what it means to say that Jesus is Lord of my life. 

As I reflect on my life long faith journey, I realize that it's all about God's grace.  God's previent grace is still at work in my life seeking to wake me up to claim God's grace.  God's justifying grace is still at work in my life reminding me that God's grace has claimed me.  And God's sanctifying grace is still at work in my life rooting out sin and perfecting me in love.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound!
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My Faith Journey (Part II)

This is the 2nd part in the sharing of my faith journey.  In the 1st part, I shared about my baptism as an infant and how God claimed me before I could be consciously aware of God's grace and love.  In the Wesleyan tradition, we call this "prevenient grace" the grace that "goes before" our awareness.

Prevenient grace is a beautiful thing because it reminds us that God's love is so incredible that it is always being extended to us in any given moment whether we are aware of it or not.  As we grow and mature, there are moments when we are invited to respond to this grace and claim this new life in Christ.  This is known as God's "justifying grace."

Since I was involved in the life of the church throughout my childhood, there were many moments when I felt the love of Jesus Christ reaching out to me.  One day in particular stands out for me.  When I was in elementary school, my best friend and I were outside for recess when he said to me out of the blue, "Do you know that God loves you and that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for you so that you can live with God forever?"

My friend had obviously taken to heart something that was said by his pastor or Sunday School teacher at the church he attended and now he was sharing this good news with me.  He then invited me to say a prayer and invite Jesus into my heart which I gladly did.  Who wouldn't want to live with God forever especially the way he described how wonderful heaven will be?  After I said that prayer, he said, "See, you're saved."

I always look back on that moment as the time when I consciously received the love of Jesus Christ in my life, but I can also point to several other moments that were meaningful as well.  When I was in my church youth group, we went to a summer retreat at the ocean.  Our youth leader had us think about God's love and what Jesus Christ has done for us.  For a youth who would often doubt himself and feel alone, this feeling of God being close to  me was a wonderful thing!  When I got home from that retreat, I would sing those retreat songs over and over again because they reminded me of that sense of being close to God.

In addition to those experiences, I can also point to people in the church like Sunday School teachers who helped me to know how much God loves me.  Wow, now that I think about it, that was a pretty special church since I can reflect on dozens and dozens of times when people through the church helped me to become aware of God's love in my life.

So, this is the 2nd part of my faith journey.  At an early age during elementary school and through my teen years, I was consciously receiving the love of Jesus Christ in my life.

God's prevenient grace claimed me at my baptism.  I responded to God's justifying grace on a playground.  Stay tuned for part III of my faith journey.
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My Faith Journey (Part I)

This year, our church will be spending a lot of time thinking about our faith journeys.  To help us identify and share our individual faith stories, we are encouraging everyone to participate in one of forty "Unbinding Your Heart" small groups which will meet weekly during the season of Lent (February 19 through March 25.)

We all have a faith story.  Faith stories have some similarities but each one is unique since we all have had our own experiences in life.  I have discovered that we don't really know someone until we have heard their faith story.

In preparation for our faith sharing focus, I'd like to share bits and pieces of my own faith journey.  By doing so, it helps me to celebrate how God has been at work in my life and it helps others to know me in a deeper way.

I can trace my faith journey to my pre-birth years thanks to my parents who followed Jesus and were active in their church.  After my mom and dad came back from their honeymoon in 1950, my mom asked my dad which church they would be attending as a couple.  The choice was between my mom's Presbyterian Church and my dads' Methodist Church.  I'm a United Methodist pastor so guess which church they chose!

Before I was a year old, Rev. John Wesley Stamm (how's that for a good Methodist name?) baptized me in the Stewartstown Methodist Church in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania.  I was told that I was really fussy the day of my baptism! 

For Part I of my faith journey, I draw attention to my baptism when I was only months old because it reminds me that God's grace is offered to us before our awareness of it.  God claimed me as his child long before I could even respond to this amazing and wonderful gift of grace.  It's very humbling for me to know that I was claimed by God before I was even aware of it.  It's also very humbling to think how my life could have been so much different if I would have had parents who didn't have a strong Christian faith and a commitment to a local church. 

In our Wesleyan/Methodist tradition, we refer to infant baptism as a sign of how God's prevenient grace goes before us, even before our awareness that it even exists or that it's being extended to us. Sometimes when I struggle with my faith, it helps when I remember my infant baptism and how God is at work and reaching out to me even though I may not understand or perceive it. 

Through baptism, I was grafted into a faith community which would go on to nurture, love, teach, and guide me throughout my journey.  As I grew and started to become aware of God's grace in my life, I began to respond to this grace and love and grow as a disciple of Jesus, but I'm getting ahead of myself.  More of that later. 

When I was born, mom and dad turned our downstairs dining room into a temporary bedroom to make it easier on my mom.  As I look at this picture (see above) and notice how my mom lovingly cared for me, I think of how God's grace was reaching out to me from the very beginning of my life and claiming me as a child of God. 

And so any talk of my faith journey always begins with my baptism and God's grace that claimed me before my conscious awareness of it.  When I remember this early part of my faith journey, I am humbled at how God's grace enfolds us like a loving mother who holds her newborn baby with pride and joy.
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Share Your Story - Thank You, Fred Craddock!

Fred Craddock, one of the greatest preachers of our time was recently featured on CNN.  Considered one of the top twelve preachers in the English speaking world, Craddock has been known for his narrative style of preaching.  My preaching class in seminary used his excellent text book on the art of preaching. Thanks to Fred Craddock, preachers have been able to reclaim the importance of storytelling in the crafting of sermons. 

Reading this article on Craddock has reminded me of one of the basic aspects of the Christian faith. We are called to share our faith story.  And yet, sharing our faith story is something that has largely gone by the wayside especially in the mainline church. 

A pastor friend of mine recently told me how his congregation loves it when he weaves in real life and personal stories in his preaching.  Another preacher claims that people in the pews view the sermon time as an opportunity to eavesdrop on hearing how God is active in the day to day life of the preacher.  I like that thought.  People who are curious about faith want to know how God is at work in your life.

And this focus on the importance of sharing your story is a very biblical concept since the bible is largely in story form.  This narrative approach lends itself for us to find where we are located in God's story.  I've been reading the book, "The King Jesus Gospel" by Scott McKnight who makes the point that the word, "gospel" refers to the story of how Jesus is the completion of the Israel story.  His critique is with Christians who have reduced the bible to a set of propositions setting aside the bigger story picture of the scriptures.  McKnight reminds us that the bible is the story of God's salvation and it invites us to see ourselves in this story.

A lot of people shy away from the word, "evangelism" because it has been used in negative ways.  At its heart, evangelism is simply God's people sharing their story of how God is at work in their lives.  It's when we share our faith stories with others that people are able to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and see that God is real.

Just think what a difference it would make if we find more ways to share our faith story/stories with people inside and outside the church.  People would be able to see how God's story is being lived out in the day to day living of ordinary people.

Thank you, Fred Craddock for how you have helped the church to share our story.
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New Billboard for April & May in Lancaster, Ohio

This is the new billboard that will appear in Lancaster, Ohio. What wonderful children we have!

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Learning to Witness Like "Grandma"

She was cleaning up the leftover trash from the students who had just left the school cafeteria. And as she was spraying the tables and wiping them down she said to me, "Pastor, I'm a Christian. And I know that I'm not supposed to force my faith on any of these students. That's why I simply try to sow some seeds of my faith here and there with these kids. They call me 'grandma' around here because of my age and I think they feel that they can talk to me if they're having a problem."

"God bless you," I said as I was leaving the cafeteria. And as I drove home from the school, I thanked God for the people he places throughout our schools and community who "simply try to sow seeds of their faith here and there with others."

As our church focuses on the fifth mark of a Christian this week, "witness," it's an opportunity for us to think about and pray about how we are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those around us on a daily basis.

"Lord, help me to be more like 'grandma' who makes witnessing seem so natural and simple. Amen."

Great Question - "May I Pray for You?"

This great quote comes from Rev. Jorge Acevedo, one of the keynote speakers at our West Ohio Annual Conference worship services earlier this month.

One of the best ways to share your faith in Jesus Christ with someone is to ask this simple question, "May I pray for you?"

One of the reasons that we don't share our faith with others is because we're afraid that we're going to come across too pushy or pious, but this approach of simply asking, "May I pray for you?" is an authentic, genuine, and invitational way of helping someone to experience the presence of Jesus Christ in their life.

To take this a step further, after we ask someone that question, offer to actually pray a ten second prayer right there on the spot with the person. Why only ten seconds? A longer prayer might embarrass someone and a ten second prayer is a great reminder to stick to the main reason for the prayer.

Here's an example of a ten second prayer - "Lord, I pray for my friend Tom, whose wife will be having surgery next Monday. Help them to know that you are with them. Offer them your peace and assurance. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who loves us and promises to be with us always. Amen."

A word of warning - it is so tempting to ramble on once you start praying, but remember to keep it short and concise. Obviously, there are times when a longer prayer is appropriate, but the ten second prayer offers many advantages.

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What It Means to Be a Christian

The Anglican Church (Church of England) offers this brief summary of what it means to be a Christian. This is a simple yet profound way to share our faith with others.

As we go through this Season of Advent, I invite us to reflect on this summary of our faith as we await the birth of the Christ Child and anticipate his second coming when God's kingdom of peace and justice will be established for ever.

What it means to be a Christian

Christian life is lived in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and in common with other Christians in the church seeking to deepen that relationship and to follow the way that Jesus taught.

For Christians God is understood and known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

…Father… God is love, caring for creation and for every human being as God's beloved child.

…Son… God is as he has revealed himself to be in the historical person of Jesus Christ. Jesus' life, death and resurrection holds the key to knowing and loving God, and to making sense of life, before and after death.

…and Holy Spirit… God is alive, loving and active today, inspiring faith, justice and truth, sustaining the life of the world, giving spiritual gifts to the church and bearing his spiritual fruit in the world - changed lives and a transformed society.

A Heart for the De-Churched

Yesterday, I attended a seminar in Columbus on helping the church to have a heart for the de-churched, a term that describes people who for whatever reason(s) have become disenfranchised with the church. Many of these folks are open to reconnecting with a church that is clear about its mission and speaks to their needs.

Jim Griffith, a church consultant was the presenter (see picture of Jim leading us yesterday.) Here are some of the gems of his presentation:

• For churches that are 10 or more years old, it takes 72 members to help one person with no church affiliation to become a member. For churches that are 5 years old, it takes 17 members. And for churches that are 3 or less years old, it only takes two members to reach one person. The point that he was making is that the younger the church or the newer the worship service is, the more people are willing to invite unchurched friends to worship and church events.
• Even for people who have had a negative experience with the church, our United Methodist brand name is pretty positive in our society thanks to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) which responds to natural disasters and often makes the news. Plus, our "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" media campaign has been helpful to promote our image.
• It's important for the Senior Pastor to spend at least 20% of his/her time out in the community, rather than in the church office.

Actually, regarding the last point about the Senior Pastor spending time in the community, I have dedicated time each week to get to know the local businesses. This seminar is prompting me to think of additional ways I can connect with our community.

The other lingering thought from the seminar is how to help the church to always have a heart for the de-churched, especially since statistics tell us that the older the church, the less likely we will invite people to attend church.

This is a lot to think about and all of this from one seminar!

Rethink Church - New UMC Media Focus

One of the highlights of Tuesday's West Ohio Conference session was a presentation given by folks representing the "Rethink Church" media focus of the United Methodist Church.

Their research has shown that in order to reach the unchurched, we need to appeal to their felt need of wanting to be part of a community of faith which is actively making a difference in the world.

Translation: the unchurched don't want to waste time "playing church" by simply sitting in a pew on Sunday morning. Check out this "Rethink Church" promotional video. Shorter advertising segments will be shown on TV.

Covered Dish Dinner Evangelism

We were on opposite sides of the covered dish food line carrying on a conversation when he said, "I'm telling you. This church has some of the best cooks in the world." He made this statement with such assurance and confidence that you couldn't help but to believe him.

I think he made this comment when he was in the middle of scooping up some of the delicious looking chicken and rice casserole which was next to the black bean lasagna which was next to the salad with homemade dressing, which was next to a vegetable tray which was next to a colorful fruit salad which was next to an array of desserts that included homemade m & m cookies, cheesecake with fruit, orange pineapple cake, and a blueberry jellow masterpiece.

Sorry, but when you are describing a United Methodist covered dish meal, you can't help but to have a run-on sentence.

And then I said to him, "With the way United Methodists eat, you kind of have to wonder why anyone would choose to be unchurched." Now, I made that statement in a humorous kind of way, but in hindsight, I think there is more truth to it than what I was originally thinking.

The scriptures are filled with food and feasting references. Think of the extravagant dinner party from the Prodigal Son parable. Think of those messianic age images of a feast from the prophet Isaiah. Think of those early disciples of Jesus, after having received the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and how they broke bread together in each other's homes and praised God.

And then think of our Holy Communion liturgy in which we say, "Until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet."

You gotta wonder if that heavenly banquet won't include some of that chicken and rice casserole I had at church yesterday.

Man, I'm glad I'm a Christian.

Island Breeze - Wednesday Night

The 2nd night of the Impact World Tour was another great success. Last night, Island Breeze, a Polynesian dance team performed to a packed house at the Xenia High School gym. At the end of the evening, it appeared that approximately 150 people came forward to either accept Christ for the first time or make a recommitment to Christ.

Several members of Island Breeze were guests at our Wednesday Common Cup food court before heading off to the high school to get ready for their performance. It was very touching when one of their members grabbed a microphone during the food court time to thank our church for hosting them. They proceeded to sing to us as they made their way out of the church building.

I haven't heard official numbers of the two day campaign, but my guess is that close to 400 people (almost all under 18) came forward and made commitments to Jesus Christ. This means that the 125 or so trained local links will be making contacts with these folks over the next 8 weeks, encouraging them to continue to grow in their walk with Jesus Christ.

Like Tuesday night, there were Faith Community volunteers all over the place helping with the event. Our Common Cup churches were also well represented by serving in a variety of capacities. A big thanks to all of you for helping to make make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Proud of Our Church!

The first night of the Impact World Tour at Xenia High School last night was a huge success. The gym was packed with teenagers and children who came out to see GX International which consists of awesome skateboarders and dancers.

Throughout the hour and a half performance, several different performers shared brief testimonies of how Jesus had made a big difference in their lives. Several times during the night, they mentioned that they were doing all of this because of their love for God and their love for the people who had come to watch them perform. After each of these comments, I thought to myself, "that might be the first time that many of them had heard anyone say that they were loved."

I arrived an hour and half before the performance, along with what looked to be 125 trained Local Links, to receive some additional training on how we were to help people who would receive Christ during the program. They gave us bibles to give to people and a follow-up procedure to help new Christians begin their journey of discipleship. During the program, I ended up giving my bible to a youth who was around 12 or 13 and accepted Christ that night.

One of the Impact World Tour leaders specifically told me of what a huge help Faith Community has been in providing a number of volunteers to serve as ushers, set-up, local links, and for how our church is providing meals for 70 IWT workers and performers. I saw a number of our church members serving in a variety of ways last night. I am so proud of our church in providing so much support for this wave of evangelism in Xenia.

Toward the end of the performance, people were invited to become a disciple of Jesus Christ by coming forward to the stage. A swarm of children and youth came forward. I don't know how many came forward but my guess is that it was in the neighborhood of at least 200 people. Praise be to God!

Pray for the Local Links as they now begin to make personal contacts with these new Christians to help them in their new journey of faith. Also pray for tonight's performance as Polynesian dancers share the good news of Jesus Christ.

The picture is from last night as skateboarders were performing.