Walking The Beat

THE SPIRITUAL CLONE WARS

"Many of them just copy a letter from Rick Warren's book and send it out" was the summary sentence one pastor gave me when asked about church starts in his metropolitan area. Yes, he did mention some exceptions that are thriving.

Those words set me to reflecting. Last Sunday in our Sunday School class (yes, for now we are back in Sunday School) we had some discussion regarding the faith of the global church and what appears to be a lack of faith in the Western church. I'm not so sure it is lack of faith. I rather think we are in a straight jacket of sameness and we dare not risk moving out of that. "Flowers Are Red" is our theme song.

If you are a Star Wars fan you are aware of the Clone Wars. If not, check out the dvd's and watch it. It is filled with great metaphors and you just might enjoy the movie.

My friend Andrew Jones posted this morning on the house church movement in India and lessons Europe could learn. So could we in the USA. He links to an article he wrote, "What Did You Go Out To See". You can read the article here. 

In his introduction to the question (taken from Matthew 11:7) Jones says "We seek out sameness. We go to a foreign city to eat noodles, and end up with a hamburger and fries. We know that global church growth is largely happening in the margins, among ordinary people, without big budgets or impressive credentials. But when we go out to worship with the "indigenous" church in Colombia or Malaysia or Italy, we end up sitting on a pew singing expat choruses with a national pastor who has colonized himself for our approval. To be discovered. To be seen by people who do not have eyes to see."

It is a lengthy quote, but necessary in context. You see, my observation is that is true of the church in the USA and is one of the huge reasons we are not experiencing the spiritual awakening for which we pray.

We prefer clones to authentic life. The language is there, but the reality isn't. In the 1990's I was part of an organization that had set as its goal to take the gospel to every person in Texas by 2000. Yes, every Christian organization had similar 2000 goals. It was as if the world would end in 2000. It didn't but many efforts did.

I shall never forget one staff meeting in which a well respected educator looked at the "new" parts of the vision and said "this is what we have been doing." So, the meeting became one of wordsmithing in which we took the old and re-phrased it to appear as the new. Nothing of essence was changed and most walked out of the meeting feeling pretty good about a good day's work. I was saddened.

My wife and I are good little church members. We filled out the Reveal form, attend worship when in town, attend Sunday School (even the party), and even attend a Wednesday night study. Now please understand. This is a good church with wonderful people who love Jesus and are seeking to serve him. No issue with them at all. We are blessed to be with them.

Here is the issue. It hit me driving home last evening. Everything we have attended has been a clone of the larger worship service. The people come, sit at one end of the room and listen to the leaders at the other end of the room. If really spiritual, we take notes. No exception. Discussion is minimal and often reduced to "any questions?". The praying is done by the leaders for everyone else and in many meetings prayer is the signal to begin and end. Poor God. Somebody should buy him a watch for Christmas so he will know when the meeting begin and ends...just in case he shows up.

Those last sentences are no more ridiculous than the spiritual vacuum into which we have fallen. Vacuums are dangerous. Ask any organization about leadership vacuums. Someone or some group will step in to fill the vacuum.

For whatever the reasons, much of my denomination has continued to speak the right words, but somewhere somehow (and the diagnosticians provide more reasons than we have people) we the people of God allowed a spiritual vacuum to exist and we have tried to fill it with spiritual clones.

Clones (at least in the movies) can do many things. But the one thing true of every clone is this: they are absent of life. And it is life which we seek. It is life Jesus came to give. One cannot clone authentic spiritual life. Emotion, cognitive reasoning, choices to make - all of those can be cloned. But life cannot. And ultimately a spiritual entity without spiritual life will become the deadest, most boring piece of activity on the face of the planet. Crowds and activity do not make for life. Anybody visited a prison lately?

"We seek out sameness" was the precept of Andrew Jones. He is right. God seeks to give freshness and creativity.

Is there a people out there willing to risk what is in their buckets to simply take an open Bible, read it, and seek to obey it? Is our God one of creativity? When God created he didn't market. He made something that did not previously exist and filled it with life. Do not err...this is not to say everything old is wrong. Not at all. It is to say that when we are risking all for God, his creativity will fill whatever he uses with His life.

Are you a clone of someone else seeking out sameness, or are you a living being filled with the living God expressing His creativity and life and trusting Him to use you in fresh and new ways?

SOON AND VERY SOON...

..were words in an old Andre Crouch song. His was about the second coming of Christ. Although I've felt as if I were in the tribulation while writing this dissertation, I want to use the words another way - soon and very soon, this writing project will be history! Hallelujah.

I have been an absentee blogger and mostly blog reader in the past few weeks and will be so for another week or so. But it just looks like I might finish this thing. Pray it will be completed and accepted.

I mentioned my high school friend's grandchild who has a brain tumor. Please continue to pray for Luke and family. They are walking through some very difficult times. Their faith is strong, but such circumstances would challenge all of us.

Last week I visited by phone with an old police friend. We went through the academy together. We were partners. His name is also Ted, and he has a brain tumor. I reflected on our time as partners and the fact that even though we have not visited together by phone for at least two years, it was like old times.

Some of you will not understand what I am about to say. I hope you do. I pray that one day the love of preachers and religious workers one for another will come close to what some of us had in days when we rode a beat together.

I have reflected upon that. The only way we could "climb the ladder" was to pass the civil service exam for promotion, and the pecking order was based upon your score. When your commanding officer asked you for opinion or information, he wanted the truth. He didn't want you to tell him what you thought he wanted to hear. Lives and domestic tranquility were at stake. That was no place to stroke egos.

Oh, to be certain there are down sides and negative influences. But our guys - we hung together, and it is like old times when we visit.

Why are some military people and police officers so close for so long? I'll tell you how it is with some of us. You see, the guys I rode with and myself had one thing in common: we would take a bullet for the other if necessary. We knew we might have to give our lives. Some few did. Most of us were fortunate enough that we did not.

There's something about being willing to give your life. An evangelist friend of mine once said, "The devil doesn't know what to do with someone who doesn't care whether they live or die." He wasn't suicidal. He simply had something greater than himself for he was willing to give of himself.

My buddy asked, "Hey Teddy...are you still taking care of the religion down in Texas?" You must understand that the Greek Orthodox have little understanding of Baptists. We laughed and shared a bit of our journeys.

But I thought about his question. Yep, a lot of it has been "taking care of the religion". I don't think I want to give anymore of my life for that. Christ is more noble, more exciting, more attractive. Now there - I will give my life.

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO ASK.....

1. Why there is no record of John the Baptist preaching, teaching, or communicating in the Temple or Synagogue?

2. Why Jesus chose Judas...or you...or me?

3. Why we can recognize un-biblical teaching when spoken in sermon but not in the text of songs sung?

4. Why so many Baptists revere John Calvin and Martin Luther when they likely would have sanctioned our death as heretics had we lived in their time?

5. Why so many religious people are so insecure about their denominational preferences? If you doubt that, challenge them at some point see if the response is anger and dismissal or engagement in dialog.

6. Why the Pope wears red shoes?

7. Why we desire humility in our Presidential candidates? Think about it.

8. Why construction workers start top loaders at 6 a.m. behind my house? (I know the answer to this...but wondering anyway).

9. Why the neighborhood cat thinks any pile of loose dirt is a litter box?

10. Why someone hasn't shot that cat?  :) (just kidding - wouldn't do that)

Just asking...

PATIO CHURCH FACILITIES DAMAGED

Our "patio church" facilities were destroyed. I mean deeee-molished!!

We live behind a school in Grapevine that is being remodeled. They are replacing the air conditioning system, ducts, etc. and remodeling the inside. Of course the school system doesn't tell the neighborhood what is going on or give us any schedules so we may adjust.

Monday morning I was sitting at my computer and heard a helicopter. Sometimes they do come from the North across Grapevine Lake toward the local hospital, so I paid little attention until the thing hovered very close to our home. I stepped out back to see what I could see, and behold, not too far in the air above and along our back fence row was this huge helicopter slowly coming in. I found out later they were there to lift air conditioning units to the roof of the school.

The rotor wash was stirring up some pretty good dust (I had worked Friday and Saturday to re-do the backyard so there was loose dirt). I closed the back door to avoid the dust in the face. I did so just in time. The rotor wash picked up my patio church furniture and slammed it to the ground, exploding the glass top of the table, bending the table, and breaking the less than week-old umbrella.

Yep, I was pretty hot for a few minutes. But a lady in the helicopter came around to my house, looked at the damage and promised repair. A summary of what she said would be, "We are very sorry. We will replace your patio furniture, clean your yard, and do all we can to make you happy. This is my company and we are people of integrity. Tell me when to be here and we will purchase new patio furniture and clean your yard. I am very sorry. Please accept my apology."

Schools need to be repaired. I am proud to live in a school district that takes pride in its facilities for the children of Grapevine. Inconveniences happen.

Tuesday the lady and one of her employees (I found out she is co-owner of the helicopter company) met me and we selected patio table. They cleaned the yard.

The damage was to a patio table, an umbrella, and an umbrella stand. Glass was in about an 8x12 portion of the yard.

They purchased a new patio table, umbrella, and chairs - in other words, the whole set. I said, "But you didn't damage the chairs. She said, "But they won't match this table. We want you and your wife happy." They brought a shop vac and actually vacuumed the glass from the yard.

As they were finishing, I said to her, "You have blessed me far beyond what you were bound to do. You did not have to do more than replace what was damaged." I was also thinking that she could have easily sent someone to do it. But she didn't. She reiterated that their word was their bond and that in 30 years of business this had not happened. They wanted it to be right.

I asked her, "Tell me how I can be a blessing to you." She paused, then looked at me and said, "Pray for me and pray for my grand daughter (age 10)." The child has had numerous surgeries that have left her hearing impaired. Lots of issues here - education, etc. She said the child said to her recently, "I will do whatever God wants me to do if only I don't have to have any more surgeries."

Well, these folks' names are in my prayer journal and I shall pray for her. I ask you to pray for her. God knows her name.

I am in somewhat of a dilemma here. I would like to give you names, but I didn't ask about that. I'll tell you what. If you are looking for a helicopter company to lift some stuff or to fight fires, etc., I know where there is a good one. Email me and I will give you the name. These are people of integrity and good will. And I will be writing a positive letter to them and to the Better Business Bureau.

So tonight, the "re-modeled" patio church is back in business! And from that location, I shall often pray for my new friend and her grand daughter.

SOME GOOD FRIENDS

I've had a couple of good friends following me around the past week or so. In fact, I suppose they have been there most of my life if not all of my life.  I'm rather surprised they are there because many times I have taken them for granted and have not given them the attention nor the honor they deserve. Yet, they have hung on for the long haul.

A few months ago I found out that my prospectus had been selected as the outstanding doctor of ministry prospectus for 2007 and I would be receiving an award. I had no idea such award existed. Cheryl and I dressed in our "fine fettle" and trucked (literally - I drive a pick-up) off to the seminary. The award received was established by the Williamson family in honor of their parents, M. E. and Myrtle Williamson, who received degrees from Southwestern in 1926. Three of the sons and two of the grandchildren are also Southwestern graduates and have distinguished themselves in Baptist life.  I am very grateful and have written to the donors.

This past Saturday, we trekked to Georgetown to watch Matt play baseball and for Andrew's 3rd birthday celebration. We all went to Berry Springs park in Williamson County for the celebration. Table and lawn chairs were set up among 1,000 pecan trees on the southern pasture of this park. It is on property settled by John Berry (great grandfather of Audie Murphy) in 1846. John had three wives during his 80 years and 18 children. I think it is safe to say he didn't spend time blogging! :)

Have you ever watched children play? The kids, dads and some moms played "baseball" (with a tennis ball). I wish I had the photo of the "Mighty Casey Cheryl" beginning her head-first slide (unintentional I might add) into first base! We kept up with Grace and Grant's games through the text messages of two of our daughters. We were able to all be included even though all couldn't be physically present.

Oh - I almost forgot. Those two friends. They were there. They are always there. Goodness and Mercy. Doesn't Psalm 23:6 promise, "goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life."?

I thought on this yesterday and this morning as I caught up on blogs I read. The SBC's statistics show decline. The religious color commentators are giving reasons why. The BGCT stuff continues.

As I've reflected, I also reflected on those two friends, Goodness and Mercy, and whether or not we want their friendship. I do.

Every person whose name is mentioned on a blog; every person who lost their job at the BGCT; and every person still on staff in the SBC or BGCT is just that - a person. All of these people have families. Most have a spouse and/or children. Everything said has an affect, positive or negative on that family and those children. Everything done has an affect, positive or negative, on that family and those children. Trust me on that.

Paul the Apostle said, "...we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view" (2 Cor. 5:16, NLT). In v. 18 he tells us this new life in Christ is a gift from God, and in his theological explanation he said, "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them" (2 Cor. 5:19, NLT).

That word "reconciliation" is a word of relationship. My two friends are relational. An inanimate object has never been "good" to me. Nor has it ever been "merciful". Goodness and mercy are God qualities and relational.

So could it just be that in a time of decline and in a time where accusations fly...could it be that in such a time as this that we, as people of God who have been reconciled to God...that we could look past the accusations and see the spouses, the children, the extended families and realize that we are never alone nor do we do and say things in isolation? We are in a world of relationship created for community. It is God's will that we not only be reconciled to Him, but also to one another.

Could it be that healing will come as we carve out space for these two friends, Goodness and Mercy and learn from them? Perhaps "Goodness" can help us treat others with goodness and perhaps "Mercy" can help us extend mercy to others.

This is not some spiritual "can't we all just get along" talk. No, there are significant issues and differences and they must be acknowledged and addressed. If God is not in the process, he will not be in the solution. We do not get "right" from doing "wrong".

I need my friends. I choose to walk with them and to stop evaluating others from a human point of view. There is too much at stake.

THAT GOOD OLD MOUNTAIN DEW!!

I've been on five continents, grew up in moonshine country in East Tennessee, and have lived in four states. I have heard and seen many, many things.

But this is among the more "weird".

Someone once told me the 21st century is the century of the entrepreneur. I'm sure stranger things have happened, somewhere. But I'm glad I'm not a 'revenoo-er' and had to check this place out!

I understand all the legalities and am not defending this fellow, but somewhere in me is the sense that if there is someone somewhere dumb enough to buy this stuff, then maybe we ought not be too hard on the fellow that sells it! After all, it's a clear jug and you can plainly see what's inside. How does it go, "caveat emptor", "Let the buyer beware"?

Oh well. The DOW is up...as of this post.