A Million Miles in a Thousand Years – Don Miller

September 29, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

 

The story starts when a movie producer wants to make a film about Don Miller’s life. This is all very exciting until Don realises how boring it’s all going to look. So Don and the producers wrestle to develop a storyline that will hold interest. As they wrestle with this, we are drawn into what Don discovers, not only about movies, but about life itself. We start to see how life might work better, both for Don and for us. The surprise this book has for us is how this ‘better story’ might become our reality. 

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years drew me into the questions of my own life. I wondered about the ’story’ or my own life, and before I knew it, I was thinking about how it could or should develop. As Don and the people of his book faced their challenges, I thought about how I was facing my own challenges, and whether I would meet them more resolutely, or further seek to avoid them.

I was also struck with the observation that the restlessness we sometimes feel in life often arises out of an ignorance of what our story actually is. Too often we do not know what sort of character we are supposed to be. As a consequence, we rarely get the idea that identity and meaning are formed as we grapple with the conflicts that inevitably come our way. Surprisingly, this realisation did not get me withdrawing from the challenge, it actually drew me deeper into it.

Miller’s book does that to you: it is an enticing invitation into hope. You read it and you want to be a better person. I love the way Miller’s warmth and spirituality sneaks up on you, whets your appetite for a fullness of life, and sometimes takes your breath away.

 

 

I have provided this review as a member of the Thomas nelson Book Review Blogger program. You can be part of it too by signing up at http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

 


Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Christian faith, Great reading | Leave a Comment »

Funerals: celebrating life

July 7, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

I have seen a lot of coffins, but I had never seen a coffin decorated with piano keys and music notes. Handles for the pall bearers were chrome cylinders attached with piano strings. I liked it. A lot. It was a tasteful expression of Eric’s love for music. While no professional musician, guests spoke of how he listened to, and drank in, and played music on a daily basis.

Before the casket was lowered, instead of throwing in soil, or laying a flower on the casket, people chose a piece of chocolate from a bowl, and placed it on top. I very deliberately placed by piece on B-flat. I don’t know that Eric was so into blues, but it suited my mood on the day.

Later, at the service of celebration, there was a tasteful mix of grief and laughter. Some of Eric’s children spoke, some performed musical pieces, his pastors spoke, guests spoke (more about that tomorrow), and once again, profound hope was expressed in music and song.

I have also seen funeral celebrations turn into a form of crass denial. Where it’s all made out to be a party, where banal humour and christo-pagan superstition permeates proceedings. “Yeah, I bet Bob’s up there now, beer in hand, looking at us all down here, wondering what all the fuss is about and when we’re all gonna get back to work…”

We can all do without that. And really, funerals do more harm than good when they trivialise life like that.

At Eric’s funeral we wrestled with life and its wending course. Together we sought to make sense of Jesus’ claim to be resurrection and life. We did that through our tears. And we celebrated everything Eric had brought into our lives, the talents he used to serve others, the expertise he brought to his workplace, and his quirky style of humour, we were celebrating the work of an extraordinary God in the life of an ordinary man.

But celebration? Seriously? How can you walk out of a funeral more in the lightness of hope than the heaviness of grief? This is the reality of Jesus’ life in us. His is a promise of hope, of life, that cannot be extinguished by death. This is what we have in the good news. When that deep celebration and profound joy resonates, even from a grieving community of followers, resurrection joy is palpable.

This is what we should celebrate at a funeral. How we have seen God’s life come to expression in this person. How we have seen beauty. How we have sensed a pursuit of justice and right. How they showed us a healthy spirituality. How we have learned about relationship, how others have been valued, honoured, and served.

Memories like anchor our affirmation in God’s work of grace in the life of another. We’re reminded that the Gospel is not just a religious idea or a doctrine to be intellectually accepted. It is an invigorating, transforming reality. When these transformational realities take root n a person’s life, they anticipate the new world Jesus will bring: God has already started his work of transformation in his people. Proof positive that Jesus is renewing minds, attitudes and values, and through them bringing change to his world. One life at a time.

Shalom,

Dave

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Christian faith, Church, Church systems, Funeral, Grace, Healthy Churches | 1 Comment »

Thoughts Occasioned by a Funeral

July 4, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

Last week we buried Eric. He was a fine person. A good man. A great follower of Jesus. And the first of my youth group generation to die. All that has got me thinking.

I met Eric in 1973 when I started attending his church in Blacktown. My parents had been solid in their faith for years, and had recently decided to switch churches. The church they chose was were Eric and his family attended. I was at a stage in life where I was making big decisions about life direction. I wasn’t being particularly principled about it. I was just in ‘default’ mode. When you are 15 years old, and your parents attend a church where there are no kids your age, there are always going to be more attractive options on a Sunday morning. I did not know it then, but I was at faith’s fork in the road. My parent’s decision to switch was a life saver. The life that was saved was mine.

Looking back now, I see how God used Eric, and a few others, to draw me into faith and followership. They helped me belong. They draw me into a small group who opened the Bible and sought to find its relevance for our lives. It was great. It was real. I came to see how following Jesus could be fun, exciting, and a rich broadening of what it meant to truly live.

At Eric’s funeral I remembered all this. I remarked how we shared a love for music, and great bass lines. He was into keys, I was getting into bass guitar. I remember now that he loved a good Monty Python line. And he loved his trail bike (he had a Kawasaki 250 or something). He let me ride his bike. He even let me ride his bike when I fell off it.

I don’t think Eric was my closest friend, and probably was not his closest friend either. Even so, it was the community, the friendship that Eric and others provided, that became the soil God used to nourish my faith. I am incredibly thankful for that. And I was blessed to have the opportunity to say so at Eric’s thanksgiving service.

Eric was the first of that generation of friends to die. Many of those present had made the same comment. It has given me reason, not only to reminisce, but also to consider life and death, and some of the important aspects of what it means to follow Jesus in such a time as this.

I hope my thoughts will be of value to you.

Shalom,

Dave

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Christian faith, Church, Church systems, Funeral, Grace | 1 Comment »

Where is God in all this?

February 10, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

Are you asking why? I am. I do regularly when things happen that that hurt and leave me a mangled.

My problem is that I don’t ever get too far past that question.

And I’m guessing that there are many people in Australia and the world over for whom the question ‘why’ is a regular and relentless visitor.

As a follower of Jesus I am not immune to pain and grief and doubt. The questions come

  • What have I done to deserve this?
  • Why did this happen?
  • Is this how God works?
  • Where is God in all of this?

Those questions were driven home with even more intensity this morning as I learned of a Melbourne Pastor who has announced his view that the fires in Victoria are a result of that state’s abortion laws. I am no supporter of abortion, but these words are ugly.

Reading them made me sick. Right in the gut. Angry. And very, very sad.

That voice sounds so arrogant, insensitive, and judgemental. It is devoid of all hope and grace. It reminds me of fingernails running down the blackboard: just stop it. It is callous and heartless. It perpetuates the pain of this tragedy.

And then I got thinking about the big question: ‘where is God in all of this?’

While I’m wary of platitudes, I think there’s something in the Bible’s picture of a seeking God, who risks his own comfort and safety to go after the lost and the broken.

So here is my portrait, for what it’s worth…

 

 

I saw Jesus this morning. You may disagree, and others may doubt. But I saw Jesus. I did.

He’s the fellow in the orange suit, the red goggles, the gloves, and the big hard hat.

He was standing there, leaning forward against the pressure of the water.

Beating back the flames.

Now, his face is blistered and burned from the heat.

He’s feeling spent.

But he’s there to save people, to fight fire. To turn back hell on itself.

He’s the bloke wiping the sweat from his brow. Staring. Cuppa in his hand, it’s tipping a little, like he has no strength left.

And you can see the tracks of his tears down the blackened, dirty cheeks.

 

See the pilot of the Ericson Aircrane dousing the flames with water?

Did you see the woman, weeping on the shoulder of another, because her husband had died?

Or the policewoman, with the mask to her face, looking into the shell of the burnt out car. What is she holding back?

Or the ambo, holding the mask to the guy with the badly burned arm.

Or in every one of the $15m currently pledged from one man to his mate.

This is where God is. At the rescue’s front line. Bringing hope. And a new beginning out of hell’s inferno. He’s been in this business a long time. And we shouldn’t be surprised to see him show up the way he does.

 

 

Shalom

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Christian faith, Church, Grace | 2 Comments »

Let’s unite to bring relief in flood & fire tragedy

February 9, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

Hear the cry… Help the grieving… Lift up the broken… Bear the burdens… Share with those in need…

Today I have been struggling to grasp the size of the natural disasters in Victoria (Bushfires) and northern Queensland (Floods).

I was watching the Channel Nine news last night, when I heard that well known Melbourne newscaster Brian Naylor and his wife, Moiree, had perished in the fire. I choked up a bit about that. I did not know the Naylor family personally, but he seemed a likeable man, someone who genuinely cared for other human beings. It then occurred to me that there are many other families affected by the fires, either by death of friends and loved ones, significant loss of property and homes. Or simply the terror of being threatened by fires, or in the case of northern Queensland (the town of Ingham in particular), rising floodwaters.

It’s Monday afternoon here in Brisbane, 2:45pm, and the death and damage toll is rising every hour. Everyone says the numbers will get worse in the next few days.

Here are a few stats as they stand at present

Queensland

Cyclones and heavy rains have brought severe flooding to northern Queensland

  • Ingham residents isolated for the eighth successive day
  • Townsville residents sandbagging in expectation of a king tide
  • Millions of dollars of fruit produce have been lost, the cane harvest in worst affected areas has been ruined http://tinyurl.com/aeagcm
  • Many towns are isolated, many people are homeless
  • Damage bill could exceed A$190million

Victoria

  • 128 confirmed dead in Victorian Bushfires
  • The towns of Kinglake and Marysville have been almost wiped off the map
  • Over 30 fires still raging
  • Over 5000 people homeless as a result of the fires

Excellent news coverage for both Queensland and Victoria on the ABC News web portal: http://www.abc.net.au/news/

Give Generously

Now is not the time to argue about which agency should receive the funds, whether they go through churches, or community or denominational groups. People have died, thousands are homeless. Grief, trauma, and severe hardship has invaded the lives of too many people.

Now is the time to act. Act now. Be compassionate. Help your brother. Hear the cry of your sister. Care for the children. Read Matthew 25:31-40

And God would just want us to come to their aid, so here’s how you do it:

Bushfire Appeal: channel funds through the Australian Red Cross. Red Cross have stated that 100% of the funds donated will go to victims and their families. You can go straight to the donations page at https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal: Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland, has launched a special fund to help alleviate the effects of flooding in northern Queensland. People can donate to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal by:

• Phone: 1800 173 349. The Smart Services Qld Call Centre will be open 24 hours a day.

• Mail: Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal, PO Box 15185, City East, Qld 4002.

• In person: Visit CBA, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Bank of Qld or Suncorp.

• Internet banking: Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal, BSB: 064 013, Account number: 1000 6800

These agencies have a proven track record, capacity to deliver, forces on the ground, and public transparency.

God loves cheerful, generous and courageous givers.

Now is the time to act. Go for it!

Shalom,

Dave Groenenboom

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Grace | 1 Comment »

Books I read on holidays…

January 23, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

 

Jesus Wants to Save Christians, Rob Bell & Dan Golden, Zondervan, 2008

Incredibly rich understanding of the Biblical narrative, Bell & Golden’s manifesto for followers of Jesus is an incredibly stimulating read.

If you’ve ever wondered about the calling of Christians and the church in the 21st century, you have to read this book.

It made me dream about meeting the challenge of implementing and anticipating the new heavens and the new earth in the here and now.

Every church leader needs to read this book. I bought copies for RCRC’s leadership and ministry teams

—————

 

 

I have read a few books on sexual intimacy over the years, and Lehman’s “Sheet Music” is one of the best. There are no embarrassing euphemisms, and no ‘cringe factors’ that I can remember.

This a great resource for couples who want to share a deeper and warmer sexual intimacy. Also great for couple preparing for marriage.

——— ½

 

 

 

11 opens up a raft of relationships any person will do well to cultivate. No one possesses all wisdom and foresight, and I think we all know that truth comes best in a team setting.

Len Sweet is a great wordsmith, an insightful critic of culture and a wise interpreter of Scripture. His book helped me see a little more of what’s going on in my life. He made me ask whether my team and close friends are having a wholesome impact on my life.

I wondered, though, whether 11 critical relationships was a few too many? I am not sure I can have close relationships with that many people effectively.

I also was looking for a sharp, purposeful angle in the book, and apart from acknowledging these relationships will help you cross the finish line well, I struggled to maintain forward momentum. Could be my issue, I guess. But I suppose I would have benefitted from a more purposeful development of the material.

——— ½

 

The account of the events surrounding the death of Cameron Doomadgee on Palm Island on November 19, 2004

Chloe Hooper walked with Andrew Boe through the trial of Chris Hurley. We hear the cries of Doomadgee’s family, we sense the fear of Hurley, we gasp in disbelief at the inequity. Most of all we ache with the sheer hopelessness of the case. Prejudice. Indifference. Seemingly intractable problems. I was disgusted by the history of my own State (Queensland) and the sort of bungling and apparent corruption which has made justice, in this case, almost an impossibility.

I started inquisitive and interested. I finished angry and broken.

All Australians need to be more aware of the oppression that is happening even in this day. Queenslanders, we should all read this book, and at least learn something as Hooper lifts the lid on our own history, past and present (see Chapter 1, The Island, p.7 ff)

———— ½

 

A gift from Leonie, The Time We Have Taken is an ambulatory study of several suburban characters in the 1960’s. We see how they interrelate, how they love and fall out of love, how they live and die.

Carroll develops his characters with great depth and warmth. We’re drawn into the naiveté and intricacy of Australian homes, hearts, and proclivities.

———

 

 

 

 The story of how a Jewish Haggadah from the 16th century was discovered and conserved. We are taken into the lives of various people associated with the Haggadah.

You will read sub-stories and adventures from the Yugoslavian Partisans, Jewish communities in Spain, and the infamous Spanish Inquisition.

Brookes’ research brings great texture, and the diverse nature of her characters makes this consuming reading. No wonder this author has been honoured with a Pulitzer.

————

 

 

 

 

 

While not a terribly recent title (2004) I thought this would be good to decompress and get me into holiday mode. Wrong. Having read a number of Jodi Picoult’s titles, I found James’ style irritating. She takes great care developing the back story in the first chapters – stacks of detail there. But I found myself saying “I’m up to page 115 and there hasn’t even been a murder yet!”

I thought her vocab was a little forced in places: transmogrification is a great word, but how much does vocab like that add to engagement and reader value? I thought it was a bit of a pose in places.

But as one person said to me a few days ago, “It’s still not bad for an old woman with a black handbag…”. Enough said.

———

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Great reading | 4 Comments »

New Year’s Revolutions

January 19, 2009 by davidgroenenboom

Welcome to 2009

It may be nineteen days late, but I’ve been on leave for the last three weeks, so this is the first chance I’ve had to express some thoughts and prayers I have been working through for the two months. I have called these ‘New Year’s Revolutions’, because most of them I just want to keep rolling around, returning, reforming and reframing with greater focus.

So here’s what I am looking at

  1. I want a more prophetic and challenging ministry. That means I want to listen to what’s going on in my life, the lives of people around me, the culture in which I live, and hold that up to God’s call to be a people implementing and anticipating new creation. I want to speak to and expose our blind spots and the complacencies of my own culture. I want this to be decisive, incisive and breathed by the Spirit. Please understand: I do not want to suggest that we are all slacking off. The truth is, there are lots of people at RCRC who are great servants in great ministry. But we do have a tendency to favour what like and want, rather than true needs around us. I 2009 I would love to see that change
  2. I want to see more spiritual passion. I could be wrong, but sometimes I sense that we’re wary about a rich expression of following Jesus in life and worship. Whether it’s a lavish gift, some outward expression of heartfelt joy, or a rich sense of community and acceptance when the community of Jesus followers gather. For this reason, I think it would be good to ask a few questions of ourselves:
    1. Is my celebration of God as expressive as my celebration of great exam results or the victory of the team I love? Which one is better? Which gives me more hope?
    2. Is my welcoming of Jesus followers on Sunday as warm, expressive and heartfelt as the meeting of a best friend I have not seen for a long time? Does our expression of community say something about the wonderful transformation Jesus has brought and is bringing?
    3. Is God really the centre of my celebration on Sunday? How could I give better expression of this with his new community?
  3. I want to lead and preach toward full commitment and Christ centeredness. We all know perfection only comes when Jesus returns so I’m not thinking of dividing us into business class Christians and the economy variety: some Christians who have ‘made it’ and others who haven’t. But let me ask you – and let me keep asking you:
    1. Are you in top spiritual condition? Where do you rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is ‘not at all Christ centred’, and 10 is ‘as Christ centred as I think I can be’. Let’s say you give yourself a 6/10. Do you think God is satisfied with that? If not, what do you have to do to move up a notch? What attitudes have to change? What do you need to put to death? What needs to come alive?
    2. Is RCRC in top spiritual condition? What needs to change? What do we need to do more, and what should we be doing less?
    3. Are you in a context where you are being stretched theologically? Where your desire to know God and serve him is really being deepened? Are you seeking greater opportunity to grow? Have you made a goal to nurture your faith significantly in 2009? Have you signed up for Foundations? (watch this space)
  4. I want to see RCRC truly embrace a healthy outward focus. We’ve talked a lot about this: serving our community, being salt and light, being an agent of hope for Redlands. Now we have take it to the next level. I know we are all busy. Me too. I probably can’t do more things than what I am doing at present, so I need to think of the following:
    1. What can I drop or do differently? Letting something go doesn’t mean I no longer agree with it, or that it’s become bad. It may just mean that as I change and meet new opportunities being a good steward means I need to do things differently
    2. What will I do to specifically serve the outward mission of the church? Jesus has given his transforming love to me minute by minute – so how will I implement something of his transformation in my life? You may not be Mother Theresa, but here are 10 suggestions (as distinct from commandments) to start you on your way:
      1. visit some lonely people
      2. cook a meal for the single mum a few doors away
      3. ring/email school chaplains to let them know I’m praying for them
      4. offer to mentor a child at a local school
      5. get involved in something like the Matthew Stanley Foundation or the Melanoma Awareness Foundation – two causes that have been too close to home for many
      6. help Meals on Wheels
      7. pray for the Missional Communities group at RCRC
      8. send regular encouragement to those involved in RE teaching
      9. support RCRC specifically engaged in evangelism ministry
      10. just pray daily for my church to move from ‘in here’ to ‘out there’. Pray for Ministry Team people like Dan Neville, Geoff Hughes and Rod McWilliams as they seek to lead us into this

And then, a wish: I would love to see some healthy creative ministry develop, specifically for powerful communication at Sunday services. I am not talking about ’skits’ so much, as well produced, well presented, dramatic presentations that support, add texture, and harmonise with what preachers like me present. These can be so powerful!

I wouldn’t mind betting that there are a few people in the RCRC family who could run with this – speak to me! What a great way to use your talents and gifts to bring God’s message of grace and hope to people!

Friends, I know this year will have its share of challenges. We all, by God’s grace, need to pull together and in the same direction. Ours is the rich privilege of taking the blessings God has so richly poured out on us, and using them to bless those who have no hope, or power, or love. God has blessed us with life in Jesus, and this year we get to celebrate it afresh with one another.

What we need to understand it that the purpose of that life and blessing is to carry it to the community around us, so that the world may know there is a God who is transforming His world through His Son, Jesus.

Shalom,

Dave

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Church, Healthy Churches | Leave a Comment »

When your system meets Jesus

October 9, 2008 by davidgroenenboom

Sometimes we just have to realise that Jesus upsets our systems

An uncomfortable thought, but it’s true. It’s uncomfortable because we are so good at creating systems. We like them because they help us organise our world and develop a sense of normality. We go to school on regular days. We get up in time to catch the train. We have regular habits and routines. Not everyone does the system thing to the same degree, there are some people that seem to hate systems. They have little routine. They sleep in. They miss the train. They seem to be OK with that. But they still want systems in place. They want the pay cheque in the bank when it should be, and they want the bank to accurately and securely manage their money. They want the driver in the other lane to stay in his lane and not cut them off. They want to be able to go through a green light without getting t-boned by some idiot running a red light. It’s true: even the most disorganised people still want some systems, or actually a lot of systems (i.e. the ones they like), and they want them to work and work well.

Churches also have their systems. They help people get connected, they allow for good ministry to happen, they support pastoral care, the help leaders lead with diligence. Most of the time these systems work well. And when they don’t work, people like me have a bad day, and sometimes people get hurt. I think we all realise that.

Today I am thinking that sometimes poor systems get exposed when they try to be more than what they should be. Maybe I should say it like this: you can tell when systems aren’t working when they start colliding with people.

Collisions to remember

Sue was a young woman, a faithful follower, and she formed a relationship with a guy called Adam, who at the time was not a follower of Jesus. Adam wasn’t opposed to Jesus or the church, but in the eyes of those who were looking he wasn’t showing a lot of interest either. Looking back now (and it’s about 15 years back or more), I think with a bit of effort I could have reached this guy. I could have got together with him and shared a bit of life. I don’t know why I never did that. I also think that people in my church could have been more open to Adam, but my guess is (and I’m ashamed now to say it) that because he was not a ‘regular’ there was no major effort to draw him in. Perhaps because he was not a believer he was seen by other young people as some kind of threat. Man, who knows how people would ever come to know Jesus if every Christian acted like that! Anyway, the church leadership decided not to allow their wedding to take place with the blessing of the church. As pastor of the church, I supported that decision. I never should have. We allowed the system to collide with these two people, and the inevitable drift away happened.

Don’t get me wrong: I think the Bible is pretty direct about followers being ‘yoked’ to those who do not. I also believe this addresses more contexts than marriage. It applies to business partnerships, contractual arrangements, and other contexts where people are ‘bound’ together. The reality, though, is that we could have done a whole lot more to really open the door for Adam. We could have expressed selflessness in extending friendship. We could taken a real interest in his life. We could have invited Sue & Adam over for a BBQ, or shared a coffee. We could have celebrated their love and led them into an expression of transformed community. But we did none of that. We didn’t even try. And we allowed the system to squash a Gospel opportunity. I am ashamed to say it was my call, and I got it wrong.

A second occasion: some years ago one of my roles was an ecumenical visitor to another denomination very closely related to our own. In short, the church I work for had done some study on an issue and had come up with what I believed were quite sound, but yet unpopular conclusions. There are always debates about these things, and I guess some readers may remember the issues, and perhaps even disagree with what I say now. That’s OK. There have been disagreements before and the world is still spinning… So, the other church protested very strongly to my own denomination. Personalities got involved. Theological discussions became polarised. Various statements were issued by Synods and Assemblies. In all of this, church structures were used to apply intense pressure to tender parts of the body of Christ. It was ugly. People got hurt. People left churches. Teachers and educators became demoralised. It was a dark night of denominational soul.

I think about those days, and acknowledge quite openly that sometimes my own pain and confusion did not assist in clear, rational and humble communication. Even so, I believe that systems were used to exert pressure, to force decisions, and ultimately – though perhaps unintentionally – to hurt people.

Today I find myself wondering how Jesus feels about that debate. I wonder whether he is still to meet my gaze on The Day, and rebuke me for my part in a church dispute which hurt people, not to mention the church, so badly. I wonder how Jesus feels about all that energy devoted to some disputable point, which really has added no value to the mission of the church or done anything to bring people closer to Jesus. I think the only things advanced in that whole deal were personal egos – one of them was mine. And that is just plain sinful.

On the other hand…

Maybe you’ve read all this and thought there are still some times where you really do have to draw the line. You’re wondering whether people just get their way every time. I wouldn’t want you to get that idea. Jesus never worked that way. When people listened to him, they always changed for the better. So, sometimes we do need to sit down with people and in all humility do what we can to help them see what’s really going on. The Bible is pretty clear about that: ‘If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you.’ We need to understand that this action is never the application of a system, it is the loving counsel of a follower of Jesus. This is not about mechanisms and procedures. It is about common relationship in Jesus and the ongoing commitment and support of the body of Christ as we walk with someone toward restoration and reconciliation.

Transforming the system

So how do we know if the discomfort in situation is being caused by a poorly applied system or the Gospel of Jesus? That’s a pretty important question. Perhaps the whole ‘what would Jesus do?’ has been a little overdone, but I also think there’s something in it. Think of it this way: Can we picture Jesus standing in an interchurch meeting and waving an angry finger at representatives of another denomination? Can we imagine Jesus ignoring a guy like Adam, just quietly going soft on him, and not seeking to draw him into fellowship? Can we imagine Jesus not wanting to meet with Adam and talk about life, and what life in its fullness might mean? I don’t think so.

I can picture Jesus going to see a friend who is making some unhealthy life decisions and really seeking to speak to his heart, and doing that in the context of relationship and trust. This is how things get worked out. And more often than not, the result is not a parting of the ways, but a meeting of the minds. Psalm 133 reminds us that when that happens it’s like the Spirit’s oil of blessing being poured over people and into their lives. Nothing better, really.

A few helpful questions

I am no outstanding voice of wisdom, but I have been thinking recently that there are a few questions we can ask that might help us make better decisions when our systems start to hurt people.

One: Will the path we are taking ultimately help people to see Jesus more clearly, or will our path hurt and confuse them?

Two: Will the path we are taking help grace increase and grow? Will it deepen our awareness of who Jesus is and what he came to do?

Three: If we follow this path, what will the impact be on weaker Christians and the young in the faith? Will it draw them closer to God , or push them away?

People are more important than rules or procedures

I think the most important thing to remember is that people are always more important than rules and procedures. This is true every time. This was one of the main points of contention between Jesus and the religious legalists of the day. Rescuing people was more important than Sabbath obedience. Forgiving people was more important than throwing stones. Giving grace to people was more important than expectations and prejudice, even if the person was a tax collector, a Samaritan, or a thief on a cross. Jesus shows us that people matter. Every time.

When your system meets Jesus, your system will change.

…Thanks for listening

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Christian faith, Church, Church systems, Grace, Healthy Churches | 1 Comment »

Team Lesson

July 30, 2008 by davidgroenenboom

The people who are least involved in the process tend to demand the most of your leadership resources 

Having just returned from a team meeting, I was again reminded about the importance of every individual’s engagement in the development and implementation of a shared vision. We have a reasonably well developed leadership structure in what is essentially a volunteer organisation (a church community). The nature of voluntary involvement means that not everyone will be at the team meetings all of the time. I was reminded tonight that those who are less engaged in the process require so much more time from core leadership:

  • They  need to be reminded about the core values more than other team members
  • They need to be reminded more than others about the real meaning of the vision
  • They need to be assured more regularly that they are a meaningful part of the team. They may experience considerable self doubt
  • They will struggle to implement strategies that the team has developed

Consequence: As a leader it will be harder to bring them along with you. I wonder whether there’s something like an 80/20 rule here: 20% of your team will tend to attract 80% of you attention – or something like that? I suppose there are also some hard economies: someone who regularly chooses not to engage is probably the wrong person for that area of service or ministry. They may need to consider their place in the team.

Here is an uncomfortable tension: You straddle being a shepherd and a leader. Both qualities are demanded of you, but they are sometimes so hard to harmonise…

Shalom

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Healthy Churches | Leave a Comment »

The role of desire in vision realisation

July 29, 2008 by davidgroenenboom

What is the relationship between vision and desire? We spent some time talking about this last night

The team discussed the vision of the church: “To see the city of Redlands become a community of hope”. This is essentially a vision that looks outside of who we are. We are not here for ourselves primarily, we are here to engage in God’s mission in our community. We are here not just for people who already know who Jesus is, we are also here for those who do not know him, and who may come to know him in the future.

The team discussed the necessary tensions that this involves. We cannot just concentrate on programs and ministry for the people who are already part of the church. We need to give our mind to mission and outreach. But here’s the rub: you cannot do mission and outreach without nurturing and developing the church family. Nor can you nurture and develop the church family without engaging in effective mission and outreach. The two work together, drawing people into balanced and holistic forward movement.

This is captured in Jesus commission to the church:

 

Mt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

            

We have tried to capture this in our mission statement as well: “Glorify God by nurturing the church to maturity in order to bring others to Christ.”

 

Our discussion then returned to the vision, and we discussed what ‘a community of hope’ might look like in broad terms. We identified the following as indicative that our vision was coming to expression in the community in general. It would be a community where the following would be clearly seen:

·         Vital and prevailing churches

·         Friendly caring people

·         Loving families

·         A thriving, just and compassionate community which seeks to bless and serve others

 

We then asked what general barriers we might encounter as we seek to realise this vision, and the team suggested

 

·         Time – we’re very busy people and the demands on time often mean we just cannot do all the things we want to do

·         Finance –we live in a very blessed part of the world, and the demographic of our church family is largely one where people are financially comfortable, thought not without a lot of persistent hard work. Our budget is healthy, but it’s no cake walk. Financial constraints will sometimes limit what we can do

·         Skills – we have talented group of people with many well developed skills. Even so, training and development are required, and sometimes we do not have the skills we need to complete certain tasks

·         Desire – we identified this as the biggest barrier to realising our vision. It is really our desire? Does it live in our hearts? Is it our passion?

 

Interestingly, if our resources pull up short when it comes to time, or finance, or skills, it will always be desire that will drive us to realise the vision. We may not end up with a perfect result, but desire will have us try, and try hard. The thing to note is that even if we have enough time, finance and skills, if the desire is not there, little will be achieved. Desire is the greatest fuel to realising vision, and lack of desire is also the greatest impediment to the vision.

 

So when it comes to making hard choices about whether to take a new hill, or break new ground, or implement a new strategy, the thing that will have us push through discomfort and pain will be our desire to see the vision achieved. For followers of Jesus, the focal point for desire is the love of God expressed in the Gospel, and God’s own commitment to bring his restored and transformed world into existence.

 

That’s what Paul said: 2 Co 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

 

And again: 2 Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

Shalom

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Healthy Churches | Leave a Comment »