bob.blog

Sermon on 1 Cor 11

I put this out there, not because I think I'm a great preacher you all should hear, but because I imagine that at some point, many of you will come up against 1 Cor 11 the way we did recently and might be just as intimidated at the thought of preaching it as I was... and maybe this will help in some way. 

Keep in mind- this is from a community that has worked through the Scriptural issues and come out on the other side affirming women in leadership. 

Here's the manuscript and here's the audio...

MessiahWatch

Perhaps now would be a good time to mention the ObamaChrist Facebook group? 

Brian McLaren and others make Obama Ad...

What do you think? 

When I first heard about this ad, I didn't think much of it- I thought Brian would be speaking as an influential Christian voice/writer. But it's pretty clear... "As a pastor" he says. I'm a little uncomfortable with pastors (and this ad is chock full of them) endorsing a candidate AND tying their pastoral role to that endorsement. 

While not illegal (in the IRS kind of way), and not unethical... something about it still makes me uncomfortable. 

I'm not adverse to letting people know who you vote for as a pastor. I've done that. But actively campaigning for a particular candidate... Hmmm... 

The role of a pastor should be a bit more in the "prophetic" area when it comes to politics- that is, asking hard questions not just of the candidates, but of those who are looking to the candidates to solve all their problems and either usher in a new golden era or take us back to the good old days. 

I'm more comfortable with pastors challenging the idolatry/idolization of candidates than with endorsing them... but that's just me. :)

Pandora may shut down...

Oh, Pandora... we hardly knew ye!

Josie June Hyatt!

Abortion Rates

I'm listening to Obama on the Saddleback forum and so far- very impressed. I really, really like the guy. 

He's made the claim that abortion rates haven't decreased under George Bush. 

Is that so? 

Justin Taylor points to this 2008 article from U.S. News and World Report showing abortions have decreased dramatically under George Bush's tenure. The title of it is "U.S. Abortion Rate Falls to Lowest Level in Decades."

Interesting...

Amazed, impressed and suspicious of Rick Warren...

1. I'm amazed at what Rick Warren is doing- getting both Obama and McCain to come to this kind of forum is just amazing. 

Watch the complete forum:  Part 1 »,  Part 2 »,  Part 3 »,  Part 4 »

2. I'm impressed at what Rick Warren is doing with his celebrity (and that's what it is). I'm on record as being anti-church celebrity- but Warren is in his best moments, a living argument to my views. He's leveraging his celebrity in the best ways- to serve the poor (especially those with AIDS in Africa) and to restore civility to the political process. (At his worst, I think he's a confirmation of my views on video venues- stating that he'd never preach on TV because he didn't want to compete with other churches, he's now switched and is opening video venues all over Orange County.)

3. I'm suspicious- I don't know if I'm the first person to make this charge, but, after some long thought and a night wrestling through whether I want to say this in this venue, I'm just going to come out and make an accusation that needs to be made...

Rick Warren is cheating. 

Take a look at these two pictures... What do you notice? 

The first and earlier picture clearly shows a hairline in retreat. Not just receding- this hairline has laid down and surrendered. 

Now notice the second picture- this isn't just a comb-forward. There's a hairline there that has re-established a beachhead and is in full advance. 

Has Rick become a client of The Hairclub for Men? Is he turning his great wealth (much of which he gives away) to follicular enhancement? 

Is he doping???

J'accuse, Mr Warren! 

Come clean! Be honest! Confess!

At least tell the rest of us what the secret is, huh?

Slate on Video Venues

I spent about 45 minutes a couple of Fridays ago talking with a reporter from Slate.com. He was doing a story on Video Venues and wanted my take. That 45 minutes got distilled down to a line in this story. 

I realize that in many ways, those urging caution about video venues are arguing up hill. But, I can't help but feel the case against is picking up a little steam. When I wrote for Out of Ur last week, I did so with fear and trembling- knowing that the crowd reading isn't your typical emerging church-friendly crowd I might get here... but I was surprised by the mainly positive and overwhelmingly polite response! 

One commenter said this:

"Ben (August 6th) -- I agree with you that good things are taking place at Willow, but Willow, while it is inspiration for many, is also the exception that proves the rule.

The sentiments expressed in Bob's article are slowly becoming the majority voice. Up until recently, we've heard nothing but the upside of multi-site, but slowly other voices are being heard. Yes, this has worked in some places; but perhaps they also are exceptions that prove the rule.

I've been reading much on this subject, but hadn't encountered the phrase "celebrity pastor" before. I think this nails it. Left unchecked, by the year 2025 there would only be a couple of dozen Evangelical churches left in the U.S. with all the rest being video feeds of that handful of central locations.

That ain't how this whole thing got started."

How Obama could be the REAL Pro-Life Candidate...

Wow- a column on abortion that actually says something. That's rare...

Joel Hunter is a conservative, Republican megachurch pastor in Central Florida. He's giving the Democrats some free advice, if they care to hear it: Even if you stick with Roe V. Wade, you can show evangelicals that you are the pro-life party by showing us how you will actually reduce abortions---and how you will support "life" in other areas besides abortion. From Steve Waldman's Beliefnet column today:

Hunter makes a practical argument: providing women with economic help in carrying babies to term can actually reduce the number of abortions more, and more quickly, than focusing on overturning Roe v. Wade. "With eight years of Bush the abortion rates have not declined. Every indication is that with financial support and different forms of supporting pregnant mother and then some post birth help also we could come close to 50% reduction in abortions. That's huge. That's huge." 

Continuing with the same culture war paradigm is therefore morally dubious. "If we insist on keeping this an ideological war we're literally not saving the babies we could save. The Democrats have a huge opportunity here to really steal the thunder from those who are seen as traditionally pro life."

Keep a look out for other Christian leaders popping up with the same message. What's causing this is the complete failure of the Republicans to reduce abortions, even with 20 years of Republican presidency since the rise of the Christian right. Many Christians are finally getting fed up.

read the rest here

The Holy Grail

Ever since iTunes developed a way to share libraries (within a network), and the hackers developed a way to really share libraries (across networks) and then Apple disabled said ability and the hackers...

Anyway- I've been waiting for this. It looks as though it's been out for awhile, but with the addition of the iPhone app, it makes it the best. thing. EVER. 

Now, I can stream all 60 something gigs of my home library to not only my MacBook, but my iPhone. All my music, whenever, wherever... I feel dizzy. 

Plus all YOUR music. 

You can connect up to 30 friends. 

Be still my heart...

The iPhone app is free for the first 100,000- after that it's still only $3.99. I'd pay a lot more than that...

Get it. Oh- and invite me... I'm driverlikejehu and I want to listen to your funky music. 

Getting Started 1) Install Simplify Media on your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch using the Apple App Store (our category is Music) or this direct link. 2) Sign in with your Simplify Media screen name and password. If you don't have a free account, download and install Simplify Media for your PC, Mac or Linux computer and create one from your desktop. 3) Invite more friends to enjoy more music. View step-by-step screenshots.

Features + Stream your music over WiFi, EDGE and 3G + Navigate fast by artist, album and genre + Enjoy cover art, artist bios and lyrics + Connect with up to 30 friends + Easy setup; no router configuration

Are you talkin' to me???

"It's like you were preaching right to me."

I hear that on a pretty regular basis. I'll say something that convicts someone during our discussion on Sunday morning, and later, after, they'll approach me and let me know that what I said found a mark in their consciousness. Some add a word of thanks, some just acknowledge that what I said hit home. 

Those are some good, good moments in the life of someone who does what I do- when those we love and are trying to help shepherd and teach give us the kind of feedback that says we were on the right track- and that even if we weren't intentionally there, God used it anyway. (It's especially good news to the ear of the co-dependent pastor, but that's another blog post.)

Intentionally?

Well... sometimes. The truth is, half the time someone says "It's like you were preaching right to me"... I was. 

Tozer on Pursuit...

" To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart."

-AW Tozer, The Pursuit of God

short term pleasure and long term gain... 2

Addendum to this:

"It is pleasant to see dreams come true,

but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them."

-Proverbs 13:19

the Co-Dependent Pastor...

Two basic types of pastoral disfunction- the narcissist and the co-dependent. We all lean one way or the other on that continuum- some so little it's not really an issue, others, well...

The need to succeed or the need to please and avoid conflict. 

The narcissist, with his or her need to succeed really doesn't care what others think. When these people leave ministry, it's because they are driven out. Their self-centeredness and inability to empathize/think of others often looks for all the world like a person with vision and leadership charisma- someone who knows what needs to be done and does it. Unfortunately, when the truth becomes known, it's usually after people begin to see the long, long trail of metaphorical bodies that get left in the wake of these people- years of stepping on and over people may get you up the ladder, but sooner or later the toll becomes obvious and either the narcissist leaves or everyone else begins to. 

On the other side is the co-dependent. Helping professions are ripe soil for people who need others to help them establish a sense of identity... and the pastorate is no exception. It's a job where I can be fully and completely co-dependent and get rewarded for it. In fact, the more sold out the pastor is to you and your needs, the more he or she is (often) praised. The narcissist doesn't mind conflict- in fact, they kind of enjoy it. Another chance to focus attention on them and their leadership skills, but the co-dependent is motivated by the need for others' approval and will avoid even necessary conflict whenever possible. 

Which am I? 

Continue reading "the Co-Dependent Pastor..." »

Hey everyone- let's put together a Next Wave! It's Wednesday- by Friday send me your articles, posts, reviews, links to good stuff you've seen- all on that nexus of Church and culture. 

bob at evergreenlife dot org...

Maybe not the Messiah? Maybe... Look! Up in the sky!

"Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last."

What is this human willingness to trade long term gain for short term pleasure? Why is that so easy for us? 

2 things amaze me-

1. How short sighted Jack can be

2. How exactly like him I am- just biggie-sized to adult proportions

Like any 4 year old, he wants what he wants when he wants it. If I offer him a cookie now, or two cookies in 5 minutes, guess which one he'll take? Every time. 

His inability to see past this very moment right here leads to so much stress and frustration in his life- I often shake my head and wonder why he can't see. 

He rarely takes time to savor what he's given- he'll consume it, play with it, discard it and ask- What's next? 

He'll make any deal to get something now- 1 episode of Curious George and then right down for your quiet time- and then immediately want to renegotiate when the time come to "pay the piper."

I laugh, I get angry, I try to keep my patience with him and even succeed sometimes. But what's helpful for me is to see how he's actually just a smaller version of me- I do the same things- I just hide it better or do it in more socially acceptable ways. 

For the sake of short-term comfort, I'll absolutely trade away birthright for pottage. Knowing I want, really want, good, strong relationships and friendships, I still, time and again, chose introversion, silence... self. 

I want a rich intellectual life, but I trade it for crap movies, crap tv shows and mindless internet activity. 

I want a strong, healthy body... but, man- that popcorn looks pretty good. Butter? Mmmm. Sure. 

Whether it's my relationship with my wife, with others, with the world around me... time and again I'll choose the cookie now rather than the two, or five, or even 10 later. 

Just like Jack.

But I know I'm not alone in this. 

John Edwards is with me.

If you have credit card debt, you're with me. 

Whatever the addiction, whatever the habit- you are probably just trading away long term gain for short term pleasure. 

Why? 

Wondering if anyone uses Amazon Prime or has signed up for the free trial? 

Amazon Prime members enjoy the following benefits:

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5.    1 Month Free Trial

Definitely looks worth the free trial and maybe sticking with it if you tend to order a fair amount from Amazon...

Try it out:

Awhile ago I published this piece I called The Cowardly Preacher. 

I thought of it, and writing the other side, Bravery in Preaching, while working through a sermon on 1st Cor 11 this week. I'll let you connect the dots. 

Anyway, from the archives...

"If you are a coward by nature, don't worry. We can still use you. You can get down behind the biblical text. You can peek out from behind the text saying, 'I don't know if I would say this, but I do think the text does.'"- Walter Brueggemann (as quoted by Will Willimon)

This has been a go-to concept for me. The longer I have been doing this preaching thing, the more I see in the text that is at odds with modern sensibilities---things so outsized and seemingly indefensible... commands to kill, commonly accepted actions declared as heinous sin (seafood anyone?), descriptions of awful, awful actions held up as praiseworthy (Psalm 137)...So many texts I’d just rather not preach. 

The preacher has two ready choices: either declare it as 'The Word of God which Must Be Accepted Without Question!', or hemm and haw, apologizing for the text, explaining it away into irrelevance. 

The first option leads to rabid fundamentalism, particularly as it often gives no alternative, no interpretive method for sifting the timeless from the time-bound. If the Word says it, we do it. End of discussion. No, you can't ask a question about it... I said "End of Discussion!" And beyond just the kooky externals that inevitably work their way into the life of a community that lives this way (NO! Of course women can't wear pants to church! The Old Testament forbids it!), something happens inside. Questions are stifled, left unasked (at least out loud), doubt is seen as a sign of lacking true relationship with God and with the text ("You just don't value God's Word!"). And eventually people are divided into two groups: The fully accepting who stay, and the doubters and questioners who leave. This last group, in their leaving, often leave Church and God completely, thinking that if that's what it's all about, then I want none of it. 

The other option, explaining the text away into irrelevance leads to the kind of bloodless religiosity that rarely does anyone any good. Church takes on a social function, the Bible is patronizingly accepted as a necessary inconvenience... any religious book would do, this just happens to be ours... and because they are bound together in the same Book, in the losing of the difficult parts we necessarily lose all the rest- the power of God's Word and the Gospel itself.

But there's a third option, one which I use as necessary... and although I've titled this "the Cowardly Pastor" and Brueggemann's quote does nothing to counter the notion, I tend to think that approaching the text this way, especially in our preaching, is actually a courageous choice. 

It's courageous because what we are saying to our community is: "I don't understand this. I have wrestled with this all week. I have read commentary after commentary and none of the 'answers' offered satisfy. There's no getting around this... this is a hard text." And if any of you have ever preached, you know that the last thing you want to stand before the people and say is "I don't know."

But between asking the community to accept blindly and asking them to disregard casually lies the third option, asking them to wrestle. 

This begins when we ourselves wrestle with the text. When we walk shakingly up to a passage that threatens to shipwreck us, to do us in and we stand before it, determined not to give way. Like Jacob wrestling with God, we approach these most frightening texts and say "I will not let you go until you bless me" and we wrestle, as individuals and as a community with the words that we know hold truth and meaning for us, a blessing for us, a communication from God Himself, if only we could understand them.

And so we wrestle. As a community we say, "We know this doesn't sound good, and we're not particularly sure that we really get this..." and we pray, and we ask, and we discuss... and we don't back away. Perhaps understanding comes quickly. Perhaps it comes after many months. Perhaps it never does. But we keep on wrestling.

And we keep on wrestling, because we want, we need to hear from God...and we know that God does not always speak things which we will like, nor does He always speak things which we will easily understand... but He never speaks things which are unnecessary. We refuse to write off His Word. God speaks to us for reasons, His own reasons, reasons which may not be readily apparent, but reasons. 

And so we neither say "We just accept it, la la la!" and to hell with those who can't quit manage that mental trick, nor do we say "Well, no matter... let's just move on…"

As preachers, we can stand and say, "No, I wouldn't have said it that way myself, but the text certainly does say it. Now, what will we do with it?"

And then we wrestle.

"Don't sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent."

-Psalm 4:4

You know, you haven't really hit "messiah" stage until people start seeing your face appear in trees, on walls, in your morning breakfast... Obama can't be the messiah if he's not making "appearances" can he? 

What's that? He is? Oh...

Bonus art: Is it my imagination or are the people in this artwork praying??? You know, as Obama releases doves and butterflies of Hope and Peace from the drawer in his chest...

 

Both my personal blog and PastorHacks.com are now featured in the "Modern Church" section of Alltop.com- an aggregator of the "best" content/ top sites on the web. Amazing number of categories and sites- I see it as an alternative to RSS- rather than having to sift through a bunch of feeds, I can scan a page for content I'm interested in- I can check in when I want and not worry about getting backed up with unread stuff. You can also "x" off feeds you are uninterested in. 

Check out Alltop.com

and

Church.Alltop.com

Next Next Wave

Hey everyone- let's put together a Next Wave! It's Wednesday- by Friday send me your articles, posts, reviews, links to good stuff you've seen- all on that nexus of Church and culture. 

bob at evergreenlife dot org...

MessiahWatch

Maybe not the Messiah? Maybe... Look! Up in the sky!

Short term pleasure and long term gain

"Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last."

What is this human willingness to trade long term gain for short term pleasure? Why is that so easy for us? 

2 things amaze me-

1. How short sighted Jack can be

2. How exactly like him I am- just biggie-sized to adult proportions

Like any 4 year old, he wants what he wants when he wants it. If I offer him a cookie now, or two cookies in 5 minutes, guess which one he'll take? Every time. 

His inability to see past this very moment right here leads to so much stress and frustration in his life- I often shake my head and wonder why he can't see. 

He rarely takes time to savor what he's given- he'll consume it, play with it, discard it and ask- What's next? 

He'll make any deal to get something now- 1 episode of Curious George and then right down for your quiet time- and then immediately want to renegotiate when the time come to "pay the piper."

I laugh, I get angry, I try to keep my patience with him and even succeed sometimes. But what's helpful for me is to see how he's actually just a smaller version of me- I do the same things- I just hide it better or do it in more socially acceptable ways. 

For the sake of short-term comfort, I'll absolutely trade away birthright for pottage. Knowing I want, really want, good, strong relationships and friendships, I still, time and again, chose introversion, silence... self. 

I want a rich intellectual life, but I trade it for crap movies, crap tv shows and mindless internet activity. 

I want a strong, healthy body... but, man- that popcorn looks pretty good. Butter? Mmmm. Sure. 

Whether it's my relationship with my wife, with others, with the world around me... time and again I'll choose the cookie now rather than the two, or five, or even 10 later. 

Just like Jack.

But I know I'm not alone in this. 

John Edwards is with me.

If you have credit card debt, you're with me. 

Whatever the addiction, whatever the habit- you are probably just trading away long term gain for short term pleasure. 

Why? 

Amazon Prime Free Trial

Wondering if anyone uses Amazon Prime or has signed up for the free trial? 

Amazon Prime members enjoy the following benefits:

1.    Unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of Amazon.com Items
2.    Overnight Shipping upgrades for only $3.99 per item
3.    Shopping with no minimum order size
4.    Ability to share benefits with up to 4 household members
5.    1 Month Free Trial

Definitely looks worth the free trial and maybe sticking with it if you tend to order a fair amount from Amazon...

Try it out:

From the Archives: The Cowardly Preacher

Awhile ago I published this piece I called The Cowardly Preacher. 

I thought of it, and writing the other side, Bravery in Preaching, while working through a sermon on 1st Cor 11 this week. I'll let you connect the dots. 

Anyway, from the archives...

"If you are a coward by nature, don't worry. We can still use you. You can get down behind the biblical text. You can peek out from behind the text saying, 'I don't know if I would say this, but I do think the text does.'"- Walter Brueggemann (as quoted by Will Willimon)

This has been a go-to concept for me. The longer I have been doing this preaching thing, the more I see in the text that is at odds with modern sensibilities---things so outsized and seemingly indefensible... commands to kill, commonly accepted actions declared as heinous sin (seafood anyone?), descriptions of awful, awful actions held up as praiseworthy (Psalm 137)...So many texts I’d just rather not preach. 

The preacher has two ready choices: either declare it as 'The Word of God which Must Be Accepted Without Question!', or hemm and haw, apologizing for the text, explaining it away into irrelevance. 

The first option leads to rabid fundamentalism, particularly as it often gives no alternative, no interpretive method for sifting the timeless from the time-bound. If the Word says it, we do it. End of discussion. No, you can't ask a question about it... I said "End of Discussion!" And beyond just the kooky externals that inevitably work their way into the life of a community that lives this way (NO! Of course women can't wear pants to church! The Old Testament forbids it!), something happens inside. Questions are stifled, left unasked (at least out loud), doubt is seen as a sign of lacking true relationship with God and with the text ("You just don't value God's Word!"). And eventually people are divided into two groups: The fully accepting who stay, and the doubters and questioners who leave. This last group, in their leaving, often leave Church and God completely, thinking that if that's what it's all about, then I want none of it. 

The other option, explaining the text away into irrelevance leads to the kind of bloodless religiosity that rarely does anyone any good. Church takes on a social function, the Bible is patronizingly accepted as a necessary inconvenience... any religious book would do, this just happens to be ours... and because they are bound together in the same Book, in the losing of the difficult parts we necessarily lose all the rest- the power of God's Word and the Gospel itself.

But there's a third option, one which I use as necessary... and although I've titled this "the Cowardly Pastor" and Brueggemann's quote does nothing to counter the notion, I tend to think that approaching the text this way, especially in our preaching, is actually a courageous choice. 

It's courageous because what we are saying to our community is: "I don't understand this. I have wrestled with this all week. I have read commentary after commentary and none of the 'answers' offered satisfy. There's no getting around this... this is a hard text." And if any of you have ever preached, you know that the last thing you want to stand before the people and say is "I don't know."

But between asking the community to accept blindly and asking them to disregard casually lies the third option, asking them to wrestle. 

This begins when we ourselves wrestle with the text. When we walk shakingly up to a passage that threatens to shipwreck us, to do us in and we stand before it, determined not to give way. Like Jacob wrestling with God, we approach these most frightening texts and say "I will not let you go until you bless me" and we wrestle, as individuals and as a community with the words that we know hold truth and meaning for us, a blessing for us, a communication from God Himself, if only we could understand them.

And so we wrestle. As a community we say, "We know this doesn't sound good, and we're not particularly sure that we really get this..." and we pray, and we ask, and we discuss... and we don't back away. Perhaps understanding comes quickly. Perhaps it comes after many months. Perhaps it never does. But we keep on wrestling.

And we keep on wrestling, because we want, we need to hear from God...and we know that God does not always speak things which we will like, nor does He always speak things which we will easily understand... but He never speaks things which are unnecessary. We refuse to write off His Word. God speaks to us for reasons, His own reasons, reasons which may not be readily apparent, but reasons. 

And so we neither say "We just accept it, la la la!" and to hell with those who can't quit manage that mental trick, nor do we say "Well, no matter... let's just move on…"

As preachers, we can stand and say, "No, I wouldn't have said it that way myself, but the text certainly does say it. Now, what will we do with it?"

And then we wrestle.

Wisdom for Bloggers...

"Don't sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent."

-Psalm 4:4

MessiahWatch

You know, you haven't really hit "messiah" stage until people start seeing your face appear in trees, on walls, in your morning breakfast... Obama can't be the messiah if he's not making "appearances" can he? 

What's that? He is? Oh...

Bonus art: Is it my imagination or are the people in this artwork praying??? You know, as Obama releases doves and butterflies of Hope and Peace from the drawer in his chest...

In Alltop.com...

 

Both my personal blog and PastorHacks.com are now featured in the "Modern Church" section of Alltop.com- an aggregator of the "best" content/ top sites on the web. Amazing number of categories and sites- I see it as an alternative to RSS- rather than having to sift through a bunch of feeds, I can scan a page for content I'm interested in- I can check in when I want and not worry about getting backed up with unread stuff. You can also "x" off feeds you are uninterested in. 

Check out Alltop.com

and

Church.Alltop.com