MITCHELL BLOG

Taft - A Life-Long Passion

I turned 67 last week. The weight of age is heavy upon me and my perspective on the essentials of life is changing. I have spent 45 of those 67 years in the professional ministry and now wish I could go back and have “overs.” My life has been full of programs, campaigns, rallies, training, and more administrative work than I would ever wish to see again. I was often so busy that I had little time to devote to the essentials, and my faith and my family suffered.

I am now trying to recapture some of what was lost…the passion of Jesus. A student of scripture and of history, I have reflected today on his passion.

“The next day, the news that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem
swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors
took palm branches and went down the road to meet him.
They shouted, ‘Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name
of the Lord! Hail to the king of Israel!’…Then the Pharisees said to each other,
‘We’ve lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him.’”
John 12:12ff

To him Jerusalem would be the city of his death…and resurrection. To the crowd, as it sawing him coming, he was like a rock star. He was a celebrity, sensation, and expression of the power of God. He made the people feel good and he gave them hope. He entered the temple, sat down in the middle of the largest temple court (jammed full with people), and began what would be several days of healing and teaching to a crowd that was starved for the Bread of Life, blind for the Light of the World, parched for Living Water.

I know now that we are no different than they…that I am no different than they, save for one thing that makes us even poorer…we know who the Messiah is…we know how the story comes out…but still so many of us are unfed, unwatered, in darkness, craving the presence and the work of God. That’s why we pursue his passion, isn’t it? We crave God. We wish to somehow reach behind the façade of “religion,” behind the songs, the prayers, and words and find ourselves in the presence of the Almighty. As surely as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, we want him to ride into our lives.

I tell you (even as I tell myself), he is eager to do so. I find that I must daily invite him into my confused, occupied, sinful little life.

“Dear Jesus of Nazareth, Come to my heart right now. I ask you to make your home in my life and to possess me fully. I willfully give up those things I have held to rather than you and I ask you to be my king. Live your purpose in my life. I pray this in your name, Amen.”

“Ride on, King Jesus,
no man can hinder thee.
Ride on, King Jesus,
Make my blind heart to see
Ride on, and reign in me.”

Marina - Waving The White Flag

I don’t know about you, but I am always disappointed with myself when God reveals an area or areas that I am trying to control.  I haven’t really seen myself as a control freak before, but those who know me well might disagree.  I love God with all my heart and have decided that I am going to do whatever it takes to show Him my gratitude for all He’s done for me by loving Him and His people…(all of them, whether they believe what I believe or not!)  So when stress overwhelms me, I can be certain that I’ve lost the perspective I long to have…His perspective.  When I can see from a godly, eternal perspective, it’s hard to be stressed about anything.  If I can truly know and love and feel God, then how can I doubt that He is constantly at work, controlling everything in His time!  What it means is that I’ve “tried” to take back control…I’ve lost my resolve, ever so slowly, to surrender all things to God.

Have you heard the song “Slow Fade” by Mercy Me?  You should download it!  It’s amazing and gives a real picture of how giving in just a little bit begins the downhill slide.  It happens in everything we do…we’re dying for just one cookie…just one, right?  NOT!  Or we want to go shopping and get just a cute shirt, that’s all…but oh, those jeans fit sooo good, and I’ve never seen shoes like those before; I must have them!  You see what I mean.  It can also have a more serious tone:  I am hurt by what she said about me, so I just need to get her back…just this once, I’m going to tell the others what she did that I promised I would never tell!  Slow fade… morals don’t crumble in a day, families don’t crumble in a day, faith doesn’t disappear in a day…it’s a slow process of making decisions apart from God.  I am reminded that when I want to control my career, my finances, my marriage, my friendships…I will most likely ruin them.  I must surrender them to God and seek Him to make the best decisions.  Nancy DeMoss puts it this way in her book Surrender: the Heart God Controls:
    

 “You don’t want to surrender to God’s control?  You won’t bow to His will in relation to your marriage, your morals, your attitudes, your tongue, your eating habits, your spending habits, or the way you spend your time?  Then count on it – the very points on which you refuse to surrender will become ‘enemies’ that rule over you – lust, greed, possessions, food, sloth, immorality, anger, etc…”

What are you trying to control that is not going so well?  Do you think it’s time to wave the white flag of surrender so that God can handle it correctly? 
 

Shawn - A Ministry Manifesto - Going, Not Inviting

Two and a half years ago, Marina and I voluntarily jumped off a high cliff by leaving behind the conventional church in order to take the timeless message of Christ to people who have become disillusioned with 'organized religion.'  It's taken some time to get used to the feeling of free-fall.  When I think of it logically, in a spirit of prayer and connection with the Master, I know that we are right where He wants us…very excited about the journey we are privileged to travel.  But when fatigue sets in, or the fiery darts of doubt or fear come our way, we feel like weird people. 

Our journey in this direction began a few years ago at a conference where I heard a speaker/author named Neil Cole teach at length about the concepts of his book “Organic Church.”  He shared things that blew my mind regarding the American Church:  That we have become unwittingly caught up in a sub-culture of “churchianity” while the vast majority of our own neighbors & children are, for the most part, deciding not to “be reached”; That I was not alone in my desire to leave behind the programs and administrative responsibilities of church life in order to identify with people on their own turf; that sharing the love & teachings of Jesus is supposed to be simple and personal, rather than institutional.  Really revolutionary stuff, right?  Any honest student of the Bible would admit that this was true of the Church of the New Testament.  I had come to the conclusion that 13-years of “professional ministry” had somewhat inoculated me against a virus that I was never meant to get over.  My job was to lead groups of people to faith and help them grow as sons & daughters of God.  My struggle, however, was that this essential value got washed over by the heavy tide of responsibilities, expectations, and the clergy-centered mindset that comes with the territory of “professional pastoring.” Also, the past several decades of church growth strategies has produced a whole subculture of churchgoers who desperately need to learn to stop depending on others to feed their spirits.  If I sound jaded and condescending, I don’t mean to be, I’m just being honest.  This is part of what has led me away from full-time church ministry…not that normal churches are doing it “wrong” and I’m going to go out and go it “right”…that belief taken to its extreme would make me a cult leader like Joseph Smith or Charles Taze Russell.  My desire is to experience what author Miles Connoly refers to as an “Amiable Rebellion.”  To some, this will seem like a contradiction in terms, while others will recognize that pioneering Church growth throughout history is always somewhat rebellious.  Here is the deal: I want to join arms with all the other churches in this area to reach out to people with the message and love of Jesus…I’m just focusing my attention on those who aren’t going to their churches.

An acquaintance of mine, who is doing something very similar in post-christian Europe, said this:
“Our church is actually in the process of refocusing our ‘fishing efforts’. For a year and a half now we’ve been casting nets so to speak and have been trying to get our name out there...but now we are stepping back…We’re just doing one simple thing and a worship event once a month. The simple thing (we’re starting 3 of them across Paris) is called Table Groups... they meet every week in homes at different places in the city.”
 
I appreciate what he said about “fishing efforts.”  What we really need to do is redefine what it means to “cast the net.”  Christians too often rely on the church institution to create programs and marketing to attract people to the church, while Jesus’ example and command is for His PEOPLE to be cast into the world to share His love and help.  My perspective has radically changed in the past few years.  I have experienced years of training and practice in throwing large nets to catch a multitude of whoever swims by, and reaped accordingly.  As a former Youth Pastor for 10 years, I can truly say that at least half the kids in my groups didn’t really want to be “caught” for Jesus, they just got caught up in the program hype or the relationships that got them there.  This method is good for short term group building, but not for truly affecting people with the lifechanging love and power of the God who seeks to relate with them personally.  So now I have decided to jump out of the boat and go hang out with the fish. 

I believe that ministry is for all Christ-followers, and that it is to be lived-out informally and respectfully in the public arenas of our communities.  I strike up conversations with folks at the store or in restaurants or gas stations.  Some people don’t even know I’m a pastor, but when they find out I tell them that I’m a pastor for people who don’t like organized religion.  They usually like that a lot.  So I endeavor to work hard, be authentic, and speak their language, and value every person as precious to God – knowing that they will see the light of Christ through me, and hoping they will be attracted to Him because of it.  It’s not my job to preach at people or try to “sell God” to them.  Instead, it’s God’s job to draw new people into relationship with Him through authentic relationships with His people.  Eventually, as people come into relationship with God, they will need to get together in order to encourage one another and learn, and another church will be born as a result.  Our vision is to create a network of small communities of faith, filled with people who want to experience God in everyday living and spread it around like word-of-mouth-wildfire.  When I read the New Testament, that is what I believe Church is.

What do you think ?

Like Parts Of A Body

This Sunday, we had about 25 people over to our house for an Easter celebration.  We played lots of games, hung out together, ate lots of food, and had a scaled-down version of our Bible discussion time. 

It’s always encouraging to get together with a larger group of people to honor Christ.  It makes you feel like you’re not alone…that you’re part of something bigger than yourself.  i think that must be part of what is meant by 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11, which concludes with the instruction for us to “encourage one another, and build each other up.”  We simply cannot do this following-Jesus thing by ourselves…we are not meant to.  I admit what all of you know already, I am naturally a ‘lone ranger’ type, and can get along just fine by myself.  The problem is that we were created for more than just our individual perceptions of ‘getting along.’  Each of us was created for greatness…not the world’s version of greatness, but the Lord’s.  Greatness in God’s opinion has to do with serving others, living into His intentions for us in His world.  We were created for each other…for inclusion, being woven together, into the very Body of Christ, to continue what He started:

Ephesians 4:1-7,16 (NLT)
I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.  There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.  However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ…Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Let's all be reminded how vital it is that we be connected to other members of Christ's Body.  What do we miss when we're not?  What do others miss when we're not?  What do we all gain when we are?  What part are you?

Does Usage Cause Loss Or Gain?

I am hitting the road again, physically that is. 

Fitness has always been an important part of my life - ever since I noticed my gut growing in my early 20's and started running so i could keep eating whatever i wanted.  Those days are long gone, of course, as i now have the metabolism of 42 year old which holds my inner 21 year old in captivity.  My fitness is rather seasonal, and i seem to have an easier time getting motivated in the spring time; when birds are chirping, weather is warming, and my bathing suits don't fit anymore.

Fitness is also an amazing corollary to life...a profound teacher.  I think that's part of the reason why God gives us these amazing, flawed carriers for our souls.  I was running and thinking the other day, which is basically all there is to do when you run, about how some things in life diminish with use and others grow.  For example:

LOSS. The more you use a car the more worn down it gets and the closer you become to an oil change or eventually a new vehicle; The more you eat, the less food is left in your fridge and the more often you have to go spend money at the market to buy more.  The more an electronic device is used, the more it tends to get broken or messed up somehow and needs replacement.  The concept of "loss" pertains to things we create.

GAIN. There are also things that become stronger & more fit with use-the body is one of them.  Although we cannot hinder the againg process, the body needs exercise to remain healthy and to properly deal with the rigors of life.  Deny this need, and you experience an ever-growing list of difficulties.  Today, there are more Americans struggling with their weight than ever before.  I think a lot of this has to do with our ability to believe lies.  Things like "if i eat this, it will make me happy," or "Letting my body rest will conserve my energy and health."  These are myths. So we end up feeding into our short-term druthers and damaging ourselves long-term.  Exercise, for example, has a regenerating / rebuilding effect on our bodies.  We literally get stronger and more able the more we use it.  This pertains to our Spirits as well.

"What you feed grows, what you starve dies."  (street wisdom)

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5).

Crooked Tree

I saw an amazing and wonderful thing.

I was on a prayer walk, meandering through the heavily wooded trails of Hyland Forest Park near my home.  I love to seek still, lonely places when I pray – it helps quiet my mind so I can hear the Lord more clearly.  As I walked, I was feeling burdened by some of the circumstances of my own life, against a backdrop of all the troubles and challenges that face all of mankind every day.  I think of the Bible verse written by King Solomon: “What a heavy burden God has laid on men!” (Ecclesiastes 1:13) 

 

Many people never get to the next part, they just stop there and sit in the burden or try to forget about it and go on their way.  But I have learned, through the years of walking with this ultimately Faithful Friend of mine, that He is “Able to do infinitely more than all I ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).  I have learned to seek Him for answers and consolation in the midst of all we have to go through in this temporary life.

 

I came upon this tree.  I was surrounded by hundreds of beautiful evergreen conifer trees – fir trees I think.  But this one tree was amazing.  It was literally coming out of the ground sideways, then bending straight up towards the sky.  It was as tall and massive and straight as any other tree in the forest, but its footing was totally cockeyed!  As I stood there studying it, I noticed that the ground on one side gave way to a little depression about 5-feet deep – like a ravine or sinkhole had developed long ago when the tree was just a sapling.  Apparently the young tree was able to endure the trauma and thrive in spite of it.  I have seen trees growing crooked or bent before, but this was the first fully-matured tree I remember seeing that turned a full 90-degrees!  I thought of how fitting this vision was of my life, and the lives of so many people I have known over the years. 

 

God’s Word promises us that He is able to bring good out of every circumstance.  Even the most painful experiences we endure can be used by Him to produce good in the world and strength in us.  This isn’t just a godless, gooey “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” message, but an affirmation of the scripture in Romans, “…We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  When I was a kid, I believed that following Christ would mean He would take all my problems away and give me a carefree life.  The older I get in Him, the more I realize that His power to transform me and bring meaning & hope to my life “is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  It is when we trust Him in our struggles that we are able to grow strong in His upward direction.