Pastor Rick Warren & President-Elect Barack Obama

     I congradulate both Pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Community Church and President-Elect Barack Obama for the leadership relationship they have forged and I do so with a greater respect for each of them.  I do this not because I agree with either person on every single issue nor because I endorse the marriage of church and state (and those who know me, know how I feel on such an issue), I do this because of the good will each is showing to the other.  However, as a Christian whose views are very confessional (and viewed Evangelical to many), it appears that I may be in the minority for it appears that many Evangelical Christians are upset with Rick Warren.  And of course, the secular left wing is eaqually upset with Barack Obama.

     The irony is that the left-wing is saying the same thing about Rick Warren as the right-wing said about Barack Obama. Both sides  believe the other to be too radical because of their views held on the same two issues. It seems as though this whole relationship between Obama and Warren is proving to be a good example as to how both the left and right can be intolerable to anyone who does not champion their cause. 

     The relationship between Warren and Obama is great for a nation that has become very polarized in recent years. It is great because people must learn how to work with other people for the greater good even when unanimous agreement will never be reached.  People need to remember that when the day comes where we can not work with any person or group unless they agree with us on every last issue, then the “ship” stalls out and goes nowhere. Unless the right and the left learn how to work together, especially in the areas where they agree, this nation is in for a very difficult period in its history. 

     There are so many causes that both sides believe in and agree on which are very important for the well-being of many right now.  Beyond that, whether abortion is legal or illegal does not mean two sides cannot work together to prevent unexpected pregnancies (which should help prevent abortions).  As for the whole gay marriage issue… let the state do whatever it wants because there is nothing that says the church must follow the suit.  Furhter more, the church is under no orders to recognize any marriage (gay or not) which it deems as unbiblical and foreign to God’s intention for marriage.  In the meantime, the church can continue to teach the biblical view of marriage.  But mark my word on this: If those on the right and left do not learn to work together and instead continue the ongoing polarization, then both sides will loose in the end.

Thinking on the Missional Church

The calling to be the missional church begins with those who die to themselves and live for Christ (not themselves) whether that leads them to martyrdom or just being the presence of God through testimony and ministry.  The key to being led hinges upon waiting for God in prayer, faith, and listening to his word as we gather in the community of God’s people.

 

This statement reflect the understanding a group of Christian leaders from the Churches of Christ (except for one person from an Independent Christian Church) came away from yesterday as we gathered in Minneapolis and spent time discussing what the missional church is, how such a church is empowered and led by the Holy Spirit, and how we discern such leading of the Spirit.  I doubt anyone gathered would say they have the final word on what the missional church is.  However, for a group formed by both progressive and traditional thinkers with a wider variety of education, this understanding that we came away with does help us to have a little more clarity as to what it means to be a missional church.  Now the challenge is to live out this calling.

There is a Need for Good News

I have not posted anything on my blog for about a month because I have not had anything to say.  Today I am breaking that silence because there are several things that have been on my mind and I believe there is a common link running through them.

Last week I read the story of Megan Meier, a teenager who committed suicide after being told (and convinced) that the world would be a better place without her.  Apparently, this was done through MySpace by an adult woman who had set up a fictitious MySpace account to harass Megan.  Sadly, the harassment worked.  This is a disturbing story.  I know Megan Meier is not the first (nor will she be the last) person to end her life, believing that her life is worthless.  Yet I wonder how we (society) have created an environment where anyone would feel that the world is a better place without them.  There is a need for good news!

Last night I was flipping through television stations and stopped at CNN.  The broadcast was that of a 10-year old student reading a letter she had written to President-Elect Barack Obama.  In the letter she that when she faces tough challenges she will ask herself (and I am not kidding you) ‘what would Mr. Obama do in this situation.’  Now I understand that there is nothing sinister about what this child said.  Nevertheless, it seems to be very indicative of where our society is.  We have now come to a time and place where the upcoming generation intentionally look to a public figure and cultural icon (yes, that is what our President-Elect is becoming) for the direction in life rather than to God.  This has nothing to do with Barack Obama himself nor is he the first public that someone has looked for wise counsel but it is the first time I have heard such attribution so purposefully expressed.  There is a need for good news!

This morning I stopped in a local coffee shop (imagine that) to grab a cup of coffee and do a little reading.  Instead I found myself immersed in a conversation with a man who, according to his story, has really struggled in his life.  Some of the struggles were do to some poor choices he made himself and others were do to unjust choices others made for him.  This man told me how he is seeking out God and trying to learn how to overcome “the darkness” (his words).  Naturally I wanted him to see how God is working in his life and trying to lead him into a life lived in the light rather than in darkness.  However, as we continued to converse (I try to do more listening than talking), I kept noticing how this person keeps talking about all of the dark events that had taken place in his life.  Now I know that we can never really forget our past and there is a time for talking about our past.  Yet the more I listened the more it seemed like this man was still enslaved to his dark past, even if he was not actually living out the deeds of darkness.  It seemed clear that his past is was still his identity, as the dark past is what looked back on to identify himself with.  I kept wondering to myself ‘how do I communicate God’s redemptive grace in such a way that this person can not only learn of that grace but also be transformed by that grace in such a way that his past life of darkness is no longer his identity.’  Though the Apostle Paul would occasionally refer to his old way of life before meeting Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul’s past did not have a grip on him in such a way that it still served as his self-identity.  As we know, Paul clearly understood himself as a new creation with the old gone and the new come (2 Cor 5.17).  It did not appear as though this man in the coffee shop understood this yet, despite his claim to being a believer in Jesus.  There is a need for good news!