Women at Work: Something to Say

Several years ago, I (Jeremy) had a very interesting and embarrassing situation develop during a Sunday morning service. As I was coming to the conclusion of my message, a woman in the congregation began talking to the person sitting next to her. She wasn’t shouting, but she wasn’t whispering either. I could hear her, but could not discern exactly what she was saying. Those within 3 to 4 rows of her, however, could hear the entire conversation as clear as could be. I wasn’t exactly sure how to respond in that moment, so I kept on preaching, hoping that a nearby church leader would intervene and quiet things down. They did not. Before long, this dear lady was holding her hand high in the air and loudly saying “Pastor… excuse me, Pastor.” I averted my eyes to the other side of the sanctuary, quickly completed my conclusion, and prayed us out. I can't remember what I preached on that Sunday morning. What I can remember is that well-intentioned woman attempting to add to the sermon. Something I said reminded her of a song she used to sing in Sunday school and she felt she should share it with the congregation… in the middle of my conclusion. Her heart was right; her timing was not.

It’s possible, and likely even, that this is the very type of situation Paul was attempting to address in the Corinthian church when he wrote the words found in 1 Corinthians 14. The entire passage deals with the importance of maintaining order in corporate worship. It is within this context that we find our second prohibition passage. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 reads, “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”

There are many who would suggest “the plain reading of the text” is the best, if not only, way to properly understand a passage of Scripture. If we were to take this approach, these verses are not just a proverbial silver bullet, they are a nuclear bomb! On the face of it, Paul appears to be declaring a complete and total prohibition against women speaking in any form or fashion within the context of a local church. While I don’t know of any church or tradition that enforces this strict of an interpretation or application, it has been said that some church fathers did prohibit women from participation in congregational singing or praying. For the most part, though, all parties agree that these verses only apply to certain types of speaking, for specific purposes, in particular places. But, what types of speaking is Paul trying to prevent women from participating in?

Throughout this chapter, Paul outlines several types of speech to be utilized in the leadership and execution of corporate worship. In verses 26-28, Paul recognizes that many within the church might have something of worth to say. He encourages people to share the good word God gives them for the edification of the whole church. He instructs participants to keep things under control so that what is said might be properly understood. They are to speak one at a time, with no more than two or three in a gathering, and only when there is someone present to explain what is said. He then issues his first prohibition to everybody: if there’s no interpreter to explain what’s being said, be silent!

In verses 29-33, Paul applies the same expectations to those who would prophesy. Only two or three prophets should speak while the others carefully consider and evaluate what is said. Only one prophet should speak at a time. Whatever God reveals should be shared in an orderly fashion with self-control. Once again, the goal is the instruction and encouragement of everyone.

In verses 34-35, Paul extends these instructions to the ladies in the house. Some believe Paul is prohibiting these ladies from full participation in the preceding practices, specifically that they are NOT to pray or prophesy in public worship settings. If this is the case, though, Paul is directly contradicting himself. Just a few chapters earlier, in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul indicates that women are actively praying and prophesying and outlines proper attire when doing so in the first century context. Whatever they wear, one can’t prophesy or pray and stay silent. And, if one is publicly prophesying or praying, it is hard to argue that person is not leading or assuming an authority role by doing so.

Paul’s concern throughout 1 Corinthians is consistent. He is not prohibiting women, or anybody else for that matter, from participating in public, corporate worship gatherings, but from doing so inappropriately. He is attempting to make sure that whatever is done in worship is done properly and in order. Then as now, worship services were inclusive and interactive events. Then as now, there was a certain order to how services flowed and how people were to properly function. Then as now, it was incredibly disorderly, disruptive, and a bit disrespectful for someone, male or female, to interject their thoughts or ask questions at inappropriate times. It appears that the church at Corinth shared a similar experience that I (Jeremy) had experienced.

As we noted in our article on 1 Timothy 2, it is likely that many of these women were relatively new to public forums like these and were extremely eager to engage. It is also likely that many of these women lacked any real education and, as a result, had more than a few questions to ask. I submit that Paul encouraged these actions, just at the appropriate time and in an appropriate way. Understood in context, then, the prohibition is against interrupting public acts of teaching, preaching, and leading, not against women engaging in these activities.

The silence Paul is suggesting is only a temporary silence. He is attempting to avoid disorder and distraction from the one who is praying or prophesying and, more to the point, distraction from the ONE who inspired their words or to whom they were speaking. And, once again, it’s important that we notice that the prohibition is not only given to women, but to the entire congregation. Those who were uneducated and unfamiliar with the way public forums functioned were better off staying silent and asking questions later. Paul isn’t restricting speaking and leading for all women forever. In fact, the learning that would occur would eliminate the questions and qualify them to speak in the future.

As we’ve noted before, context must play a role in determining our interpretation of any text of Scripture. In this case, the context and flow of 1 Corinthians is meant to encourage orderly engagement in public worship. Throughout the letter, particularly from chapters 11-14, Paul was giving instructions to everybody. The specific instructions found in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 were certainly not meant to contradict what had been said earlier. Paul’s intent, then, was not to prevent women from speaking in public worship settings. And, it certainly had nothing to do with the holding of formal leadership positions. Rather, Paul was addressing a specific issue of women in the Corinthian church getting a bit out of order in worship. Participation was expected, in all ways, by all genders, but it was expected to be orderly. And, for the record, having a side conversation, raising and waving one’s hand to get the preachers attention, and attempting to insert one’s opinion in the middle of a worship service is definitely out of order. Male or female, if you’ve got something to say, make sure you do it in an orderly fashion.

Women at Work: Culture, Context, and Issues in a Local Congregation

 

In our previous two articles, we considered the biblical evidence in favor of women in ministry. Our intent was not to avoid passages that appeared to serve as prohibitions, but to reveal the abundance of evidence of women serving as leaders, preachers, teachers, and even pastors within the earliest days of the church. With that evidence in mind, we now turn our attention to passages that, at first glance, appear to be prohibitions from women preaching, teaching, or pastoral positions or authority within the church.

There are two passages that often serve as the beginning and end of the conversation about how women should or should not function and/or serve in the church. They are 1 Timothy 2:11–12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34–35. This week, we will focus our attention on 1 Timothy. It reads:

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”^[1]

If we take this verse alone, without considering the literary and cultural context, it is easy to understand how the prohibitive positions against women preaching, teaching, and leading developed. But, when we consider Paul's original audience and the issues these communities were facing at the time along with the entirety of what these letters communicate, we see these verses have different intentions and applications.

Paul begins his letter by urging Timothy to protect the church from false doctrine and those who would teach it. He writes:

“Stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.”^[2]

It is clear that some in Ephesus were struggling to let go of what they had been taught in the past and were mixing their old beliefs with their new Christian faith. Among these, were certainly some prominent women, who often played an important role in the spread of the Christian faith in Paul's own experience. Many had likely been loyal worshipers in the cult of Artemis and others, particularly those on the higher end of the socioeconomic spectrum, had possibly served as priestesses. Compounding the issue, most women in the first century were uneducated. These women were easy targets for false teachers and were often used to perpetuate the false doctrines they were learning.

In this light, the prohibition is not against women teaching. Rather, it was meant to stop those who lacked proper understanding from speaking falsely. It surely was not that Paul was attempting to completely silence women within the church. In fact, no tradition or church we've ever heard of takes the most literal interpretation of this text and keeps all women from speaking at all in a local church service. Rather, we understand that what Paul is communicating is clearly situational and contextual. It is our opinion that Paul is not intending to completely silence women in this passage. Nor is he prohibiting any woman from ever leading or teaching in a local church. Instead, in light of the cultural realities the church in Ephesus was facing, Paul was prohibiting those who were not properly equipped and educated from speaking out of turn. Rather, Paul encouraged them to know their roles as novices, to be attentive and silent so that they might learn and be equipped to speak rightly.

We have already briefly referenced the struggles with the cult of Artemis in Ephesus, where the letter was directed. Ephesus was the home of the great temple of Artemis. It is said to have been one of the wonders of the ancient world; its ruins can still be visited today. Contrary to popular belief, Artemis was not a fertility goddess. The evidence and experts on the subject suggest Artemis was the goddess of midwifery (which shines some light on Paul's seemingly random comment about women being saved through childbearing^[3]). Ironically, only women were allowed to serve as clergy in the cult of Artemis and men were prohibited. These positions of leadership were not earned; they were purchased. When one served as a priestess, they were given the honor of adorning the idol of Artemis for worship. These women would wear all the finest garments and jewelry they could muster and would dress their goddess in like manner. This explains why Paul encourages women to:

“dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyle or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds as are appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”^[4]

As an added note, we find it interesting that those who insist women should be prohibited from pastoral leadership fail to maintain the same energy concerning women wearing braided hair, gold and pearls, or expensive clothing to church.

In this letter, Paul is attempting to correct culturally specific patterns of leadership and worship. He is not saying that women should never have authority over men. The original Greek word communicated “domineering” or “lording power over others,” not simple leadership. Paul wasn't attempting to prohibit women from leading, but to prevent them from continuing a damaging, domineering power dynamic that is inconsistent with the example of Christ and the teaching of Scripture.

One additional thought: In an earlier article, we discussed the ministry of Priscilla. Her mention in Acts 18 can help us understand Paul's message to Timothy in the Ephesian church. Paul met Priscilla and her husband Aquila in Corinth (we will return to Corinth and the passage mentioned in our next article). This trio lived, worked, and taught side by side as they traveled to Ephesus. Paul left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, probably because they had the pastoral and teaching skills necessary to address the challenges about which he warned Timothy. They encountered Apollos, who was described as having deep knowledge of Scripture. Unfortunately, his understanding was incomplete. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they pulled him aside and “explained to him the way of God more adequately.”^[5] Apollos wasn't intentionally spreading false teaching, but at that time he needed someone to provide further information so he could speak rightly about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is interesting that Priscilla, a woman, took the lead in providing vital theological education to this man so he could better preach, teach, and lead in the church.

Again, if we let the biblical evidence shape our interpretation, Paul entrusted a trustworthy and well-educated woman in Ephesus to help navigate the challenges the local culture was creating within the church. He entrusted Priscilla not only to teach the believers, which included men and women, but to provide instruction to a man so that he might more properly communicate the message of Christ.

In our humble opinion, an interpretation of 1 Timothy that results in permanent gender prohibitions in church leadership misses the point. The issues being dealt with, particularly as it relates to women, were false teaching and improper practices seeping into the church from the cult of Artemis and those who were uneducated teaching false doctrine. Women teaching or leading is not the issue at all! In fact, in the broader context of 1 Timothy, Paul's desire is to make sure both men and women act in appropriate ways and expand the reach of the gospel with grace and humility together. He's not issuing a permanent prohibition but addressing a temporary issue in a particular place.

There is a wealth of evidence in support of women in ministry. With every article we write, we find there is more to be shared. We look forward to future articles and encourage you to consider our previous 2 offerings, if you haven't already!

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[1] 1 Timothy 2:11–12  ↩

[2] 1 Timothy 1:3–4  ↩

[3] 1 Timothy 2:15  ↩

[4] 1 Timothy 2:9–10  ↩

[5] Acts 18:26  ↩

Women at Work: The Example of Jesus

Mary Magdalene Proclaims the Resurrection

I am returning to this blog challenged by my long-time friend and colleague, Jeremy Myers.  These next few articles may have a different feel and flavor as I (Lee) am experimenting with a new method of co-writing.  Jeremy and I have many years of ministry experience (close to 50 between us) which has led us into many practical and theological conversations. Recently, our discussions have turned to the topic of what the Bible teaches about women in ministry. This is a topic in which our understanding has grown and developed through many years of study.

We thought it would be beneficial if we partnered together to compose a series of articles laying out a biblical perspective on this subject. The underlying question we will consider is this: What does the Bible teach about women preaching, teaching, leading, and/or serving in pastoral roles? It is our hope to speak with a shared voice as we engage this question together.

In our view, the logical place to start is with the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith,” “the Word made flesh,” and “the Truth” incarnate, Jesus Christ Himself.1 What does His example reveal about women in ministry? More specifically, what was His approach to women preaching and teaching the truth to others, including men? Rather than starting at the beginning of His life and ministry, we’re going to start at the end, with the seminal moment of the Christian faith, the resurrection.

The first person to preach the gospel of the resurrected Christ was a woman. Jesus Himself entrusted her with the message and charged her to declare the good news. Mary Magdalene, and possibly a few other female friends, hurried back and declared, preached, and taught the most important truth of Scripture… to men. John 20:17-18 tells us, “Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that He had said these things to her.”

Why did Christ not only allow but instruct Mary, a woman, to perform this task? According to some, Scripture prohibits such a thing. (A prominent seminary president recently suggested women shouldn’t even talk about the Bible on a podcast.) Christ did have other options available to Him. He could have told Mary to fetch the disciples without revealing His identity or any other details. He’d done so with others. He could have instructed her to find James, Peter, and the faster-footed John, and send them back to the tomb so that He could reveal the truth to them so that they could then preach to others. But, no! Jesus empowered this blessed woman to go, inform, and instruct Christ’s male disciples concerning what is arguably the most important truth in all of Scripture.

The reality, though, is this is not the first time Jesus pursued this course of action.  In John 4, Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman at a well. Without deep-diving the whole conversation, this meeting was counter-cultural and would have been extremely socially unacceptable.  Jesus met and spoke to this woman by Himself. That fact alone would have been seen as incredibly inappropriate. Not only was she a woman, she was a Samaritan, and one with a poor reputation in the community. Jews disliked Samaritans so much that they would go miles out of their way to avoid even stepping foot on Samaritan soil. Jesus told this woman that He was the Christ, invited her and, by extension, all Samaritans who would, to “worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.”2 The woman went back to town and shared this revelation and invitation to meet the Messiah with all who would listen; “Come and see…. Could this be the Messiah?”3 We’re told that many people believed because of the message this precious woman preached to them.4 Again, Jesus could have prevented her from sharing or speaking, but he didn’t. Multiple times in the gospel of Mark, Jesus strictly warns people not to share the miracles Jesus had performed or the things they had witnessed.5 (In a stroke of irony, these prohibitions are usually given to men, not women.) If only men were to be entrusted with the important task of preaching, teaching, and speaking the truth, why did Jesus not only allow these women to go without warning, but instruct and empower them to do so?

Luke 10 tells the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus arrived, Martha was busy serving and entertaining while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to listen and learn. When Martha asked Jesus to send Mary back to the kitchen to help with the “women’s work,” Jesus told her, “Mary has chosen what is better.”6 Mary’s choice to sit and learn was affirmed by Jesus. This was likely not exclusively for her own benefit. Rather, she was likely part of the crowd of disciples Jesus intended to send into the towns with the message of the “good news” of God’s Kingdom. This is the same posture demonstrated by Mary Magdalene when she called Him “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). It wasn’t accidental that women presented the good news of Jesus to others; He had been intentionally teaching and training them for that very task.

We started at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but we’d like to share one final example from the beginning, or rather before. As a baby, Jesus was presented at the temple. Scripture tells us of a prophetess named Anna. Upon meeting Jesus, she “began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”7 This special woman had the distinct privilege of serving as a precursor to not only the Marys and the woman at the well, but to all men and women who would confess and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to all.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus issued what is often called the Great Commission. It reads, “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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” While these words were spoken to the eleven remaining disciples, I’ve never heard a preacher or teacher apply them exclusively to them. Nor have I ever heard them restricted on the basis of gender, age, or any other factor. Rather, they are applied equally to ALL followers of Christ. Which only makes sense when we consider that this great commission is simply building off of earlier commissions.  From His birth to His ascension, women were part of proclaiming the “good news” of Jesus.

The life and ministry of Jesus clearly demonstrated that the good news is meant for everyone. It is for Jew and Gentile (and Samaritan), men and women. He blessed, enabled, and empowered women to carry and present His message to those who needed to hear it, including His own disciples. While this may not be overwhelming evidence, it is quite compelling, and more than a little encouraging. It is also just the beginning of our exploration of what the Bible has to say about the subject. Next week, we will turn our attention to several examples of women who served in ministry throughout the New Testament.

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1 Hebrews 12:2, John 1:14, John 14:6

2 John 4:26 & John 4:23

3 John 4:29

4 John 4:39

5 Mark 1:44, 5:43

6 Luke 10:42

7 Luke 2:36-38

Talking about Bruno...

 We don’t talk about Bruno….but maybe we should.  WARNING!  This may contain spoilers so if you have not seen Disney’s Encanto, you may want to return after watching it, but if you don’t mind or have already seen the movie or have the song now stuck in your head as an ear worm, proceed.

 

Amidst family scandal in the movie Encanto, Bruno uses his gift to shine light on unfortunate happenings with his family.  When things have reached their limit to handle, he is cast away to make life easier on everyone else.  But the reality is that he never leaves.  

 

Often times this is the way we handle tough topics as the church or as families, it’s just easier for all of us if we don’t talk about them.  But the reality is that even if we don’t talk about them, they remain, and often times, can cause more trouble ignored than if they are brought into the open.  We believe that God is light and truth and through Jesus darkness flees.  We don’t have to hide from sinful topics, but can trust God to shine light to reveal the truth as we seek Him. And if sin is revealed in us or others, we can trust Him to purify us from it.  (see 1 John)

 

I have been reading recently about young people who have walked away from the church or their faith.  A Sticky Faith survey found that 70% of former youth group kids had significant questions about faith while they were in high school.  As you read this, you may resonate or you may feel ill equipped to answer those questions, but findings show that those exploring their faith don’t need answers as much as they need the space to explore their questions.  

 

I believe this is why Deuteronomy 6:6-9 urges parents to impress the foundations of faith (the law) on their children with consistency.  This isn’t always formal teaching, but discussions when you’re sitting, walking (or driving), with your mouth and with what you do.  Ask questions and invite your kids to ask questions about life and faith.  

 

Throughout Israel’s journey from slavery to the promised land, they set up pillars, or reminders that would spark questions from their kids to ask “why is this here?” What are those reminders or question starters for your family?  What space are you making for your kids to ask questions? Even if you don’t know the answer,  you can say “I don’t know… but lets explore this together, or …but I do know that God knows, or God is good, or God is faithful because…” 

 

When we don’t talk about hard things, the questions don’t go away, they just simmer and doubts brew.  But if we allow the light of God to shine on those conversations and invite them, we trust God with the outcome and ultimately with the faith and formation of our kids.  

 

What are the things you don’t talk about?  Why is that?  How can you open the door to questions your kids may want to ask, but are afraid to?  What visible reminders are you placing in your family’s path that causes them to ask about God?  Do your kids see you read your Bible or pray?  Do they hear how you process difficult situations?  Do they notice that God has made a difference in your life and have opportunity to hear about it?  My prayer is that the light of Christ shines in your family’s life and that the Bruno-like questions aren’t stashed away, because even if you don’t say them out loud, they are likely looping like a catchy song in your kids minds.

Valentines Day

 We are approaching Valentine’s Day and this seems to evoke strong feelings  across the spectrum either from those that go all out with romantic dinners, flowers, and chocolate to those who have coined it as “singles awareness day”.  Our family seems to take a more moderate stance on the day.  Growing up, I had a mentor who made a big impression on me.  Every time we met, he would say something like “Me and ______ are still dating…”  The funny thing, though, was that “_____” was his wife.  One thing this taught me was that when you are married, the fun and romance of dating doesn’t end, and regular date nights are really important to nurture a friendship and intimacy, even after you have kids or have been married for years.

 

Carmen and I have tried to carry this into our relationship, and schedule at least one date night a month, which has come to look like a movie or board game after kids are in bed, since COVID has kept us from going out or getting a babysitter.  But the other thing, is that we have found that the pressure of this one day to demonstrate our love is not isolated to a single day of the year, but shared all year long.  

 

So…..Valentines has become a fun family day for us.  We have made heart shaped pancakes or waffles for breakfast, made or bought a fun dessert (this year our local ice cream place Austin’s has ice cream pies!), and eaten heart shaped pizza while watching a new movie.  One of the things this has taught our family is that love doesn’t have to be centered around romance, but can be celebrated through the love we show family and friends.  Also, it opens the door to discuss how we show love with our kids.  

 

As I read in Exodus about the importance of keeping feasts, and their significance in remembering different aspects of God’s character, his rescue, provision, and blessing, I am reminded that our celebrations as families are times to teach and remember.  This doesn’t mean you and your spouse can’t get a sitter and have a special night out, but how do the conversations around your house about this day point to God, His love for us, and the love we demonstrate to others as a result?  How do we communicate God’s beautiful plan for marriage in a way that sets our kids up to have godly expectations and practices as they begin to date and prepare for marriage?  (even if that is well beyond what your parenting mind can imagine, the patterns we demonstrate now, set the foundation for expectations later).  As you prepare and celebrate the day, ask about love, where does it come from? How can we show love to our friends, family, and neighbors? 

 

Let each celebration be an opportunity to look toward God as we teach our kids to know God and live for Him!

2020 Favorite Things

 As 2020 comes to a close, many of us are ready to wish it good riddance, others aren’t so optimistic about 2021, but one thing is for sure.  This journey has not been without some good.  Sure there is lots to lament, but as we get to the end of this year, I think about the extra time that we have had at home with our kids.  We as a family have been able to grapple together through difficult news stories, process losses and sadness, and built new habits in the spaces where we may have been sprinting to and fro before.

 

A recurring theme has shown up this year has been joy in suffering.  As we have read the stories of scripture, we are reminded that we are not the first generation to suffer, we are not the first people to feel lonely.  In the midst of famines, wars, enslavement, bitterness, and sorrow, the Word of God repeats that God is faithful, God has not left his people, and the God who saved Israel from Egypt is the God who fulfilled His promises to Abraham and Sarah and is the same God who brought Jesus to life after the crucifixion.  We are assured that that same power that resurrected Jesus gives us life today.  It is because we are constantly reminded of the faithfulness of God to rescue and be present in the most trying of situations that we can experience that same joy today in our difficulties.  

 

Through 2020 our family enjoyed a number of tools that I’d like to offer to you:

·      Youversion Bible App- Carmen and I used “The Bible Recap” 1 year plan, and as we have journeyed through Advent with the youth and young adults we have enjoyed “BibleProject Advent Reflections”.  I have also used the verse of the day stories for a quick encouragement and devotional reading.  For teens and tweens, there are kids reading plans they can share with friends, when isolation is setting in, a great social alternative is reading scripture together.

·      Phyllis Tickle Divine Hours for regular prayer.  You can get these daily prayers for free online at annarborvineyard.org.  I have worked to translate these into more kid friendly language, send me a message if you’d like a copy.  

·      Every Moment Holy- prayer book.  Offering scripturally ground prayers for the moments you might not readily think about praying for.  I particularly liked their prayers for the first cup of coffee and for a student starting a school day.  You can get some of their prayers for free or order at www.everymomentholy.com .

·      The NLT One Year Bible.  Actual scripture with some devotional thoughts with some redactions to make it readable for a preteen.  

·      The One Year Children’s Bible is great for younger kids.  Whether you read it together or they read it themselves, this covers the whole of scripture in a format (and with pictures) that kids can grasp.

·      Finally, the D6 app you can get at www.newbaptistchurch.com/family-life gives great application to the lessons kids are learning in Sunday School each week, plus we love the discussion questions at dinner.

 

None of this is to heap guilt or a feeling of not doing enough, and we don’t use all of these things at once, just want to offer tools that we have found helpful to connect with each other and with God to find joy through this season.  These habits we build now in the lives of our children will remind them of God’s faithfulness throughout their lifetime and prayerfully will span generations.

 

Let us rejoice!  A savior has been born and through him we can experience new life, not just in 2021, but every day as we walk with Jesus.  I’m praying for you and am available anytime you have questions or even suggestions about resources you’ve found helpful to your family!

With Excellence

The past few months have been full of house remodels for our family.  I grew up in a construction family so have had a lot of opportunities to learn how to do home projects.  I have jokingly said, practicing carpentry and wearing sandals are just ways I’m trying to be more like Jesus.   

I have learned many lessons from construction.  Asking one friend how he got so good at drywall, he said the key to a good drywall finish comes from paying attention to the details in 

framing a wall.  No wonder I had to apply 42 coats of mud and sand for days, I thought “rough carpentry” was supposed to be “rough” and then you covered up the flaws with drywall.  How wrong I was.  I feel like Jesus said something about the value of a good foundation in a story about houses built on rock or sand.

 

I was working in my closet the other day finish sanding when a spot was giving me trouble.  My first thought was “it’s a closet, no one is ever going to see that.”  But then I began to think about Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”  How would I treat Jesus’ closet?  Would “good enough” do?  

 

Thinking about a work ethic, I look to God and see that when God works, it is good, majestic, and glorious.  He creates masterpieces!  I have yet to read in the Bible that God said it is “good enough.”  

 

Now I am not God, so sometimes my walls aren’t plumb and my cuts aren’t square.  But I am challenged to consider my work ethic as excellent or just good enough.  As parents, these are great stories to share with our kids.  What lessons are they learning from us and the way we work?  Are we pointing to a majestic and glorious Creator as we work or showing a way of “good enough”?  

 

Oh yeah, I painted over that flubbed spot in the closet.  I’m still on this journey of being challenged in my day to day walk with Jesus.  Thank God I’m still a work in progress that he is making good! (Philippians 1:6)  Reflecting on God's Word and applying it are tough, but each step draws us closer to what we are becoming.

Find the Waypoint

It’s time to write an August article for our church newsletter and this has normally been my time to talk about back-to-school kickoffs and such.  However, this year is not normal.  This month has been somewhat turbulent for me.  At the beginning of July, I was ready to start a new phase of meeting together, my plans were moving toward a new phase of a new normal, when we hit the brakes with an increase of COVID cases.  With this yo-yo of decisions, I feel like I have been a yo-yo of emotions. Can you relate?  With schools making plans for the Fall, the questions seem to still outweigh the answers. 

 

Our pastoral staff had a big discussion about how to deal with chaos in general. Our conversation boiled down to being faithful to what God has called us to do.  One way I think about this is a lesson I learned early as I began to hike and explore the woods.  I learned that, if I ever get lost and cannot find a familiar spot to stop, think about where I’ve come from. Look for any markers that might give me a sense of direction, and if necessary, head downhill and find water. Follow the water in the same direction until it leads to a town or road or something that helps you get home. 

I was reading Psalm 46 and the Psalmist says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way…”  When everything feels like or maybe is in chaos, God is present to help and protect us.  Verse 4 says “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.”  Where God is, there is the waypoint, the presence of stability and steadiness that brings us home when we are lost, that rescues us when we are in trouble.  This Psalm has a contrast of chaos and peace.  The chaos of the world and peace found in God.  One of my favorite verses is found in verse 10 “Be still and know that I am God.”  

 

What a great lesson, in the chaos, in the unknown, in feeling lost or wandering, stop…be still… find the waypoint, the thing that can give you a sense of direction, something that is steady that will rescue.  That waypoint is not a thing, but the one true God who is present.  

 

During this season, we have opportunities to hold onto the firm fortress which is our God.  We might not have exact answers for a new school year, or when we are meeting for Sunday School or kids and youth activities, but we do know one thing: God has not left us, God is here in the midst of every circumstance.  

 

How can I know this?  Well the Bible is chocked full of stories of God’s faithfulness.  Moments of lost people (or nations) being found.  Impossible situations miraculously made possible by God.  The more I read the Bible and talk about these stories with my family, the more we look for God to turn dire situations of hopelessness or loss into hope and life.  That is who God is.  When everything is crumbling, God is a still river that faithfully guides us to safety. 

 

There is a lot we miss doing during this season, but one thing cannot be taken away, and that is our ability as individuals and families to be still with God.  To read the Bible and memorize it.  To pray and watch for what God is doing in and around us and to join in that work to be a blessing wherever we are placed.  These are the areas we can be faithful in, no matter what.

The Good Life

What is the good life?  I’ve been thinking a lot about this question recently.

 

If you could do any job but the paycheck didn’t matter what would you do?  What would you do with a million dollars?  These are fun questions to ask, but in many ways get us thinking about what it means to live “the good life”.  You know, “the pursuit of happiness”, if nothing got in my way.  

 

Our answer to the question “what is the good life?” is the motive for what we do in life.  We are pulled towards work, family, faith, charity, pleasure, and more.  All vying for our attention and time with the lure “this is what is good.”  As parents, we feel this pressure, we don’t want to mess up the chance we have to give our kids this “good life” and so we try to give them the best opportunities possible both now and for their future.

 

Jesus encounters a rich man in Matthew 19 who asks what “good deed” do I need to do to inherit eternal life?  Underlying this question is a thought about his eternal future, but that is probably so his mind is eased today.  This question may show up today as, “How can I live a long life?” Or “How can I be fulfilled?”  Jesus tells the man to obey God’s laws, to which point the man essentially says, “I’ve lived a good life, I haven’t killed anyone or robbed a bank or cheated on my wife.”  Jesus says, ok, go sell all your stuff and follow me.  Verse 22 says “When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful.” 

 

Most of the times I’ve heard this preached it has been about materialism or wealth.  Sure, that’s there, but I think the deeper issue has to do with this man’s heart.  He wanted this good life, forever life, that Jesus the good teacher was offering, until he found out it would cost him.  He would have to trust Jesus’ path to a good life instead of the culture’s or his own path to happiness.  

 

Jesus talks about this in what we call the beatitudes.  They all begin with “blessed” or “happy” is the one who….  But we discover that those things include suffering, mourning, giving, being humble and more things that aren’t widely considered “good”. Who can do all this?  Well that’s the good news: None of us can! But we can get a heart renovation, actually it’s a whole new thing (elsewhere in the Bible the trade is a heart of stone for one of flesh).  With this, God leads us to experience not only a good life, but the life we were intended for.  

 

Micah 6:8 says “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”   The good life?  It’s about walking with God, trusting his ways, and acting in ways that allow others to experience this good life.  Justice, kindness, humility?  These are ways I can live that consider others and their needs and interests ahead of mine.  A life that sees the higher good in God’s way before my way.

 

I used to hear people say that if you want to discover what is important to a family, look at their checkbook.  But nowadays, you could look at the family’s Google Calendar and see what is important; what the higher goods in their life are, what gets priority on the schedule.  Most of those things are probably good.  But what is your “why” for them being there over something else?  With a few months of a clear calendar (except for zoom call after zoom call…) I wonder, what makes the Google Calendar cut for the future? What about you? What about your family?

 

How do you define the good life?  What hopes do you have for your children?  How are you going about discovering if the path you’re on is leading you to joy or leaving you sorry?  

I don't know what to say

I have been at a loss for words this week.  This morning I was reading my Bible and catching up with the news and trying to do what Karl Barth says “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”  As I came to the end of praying through the Psalms for the first cycle of the year I got stuck as I read all of the ways we praise the Lord in Psalm 150 and landed on verse 6 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.”  My heart sank, and I sat with the pain and anger that a senseless act of racism, abuse of power, or whatever it was, George Floyd’s breath to praise God was taken away from him even as he repeated “I can’t breathe.”

I tend to miss trends and days that spread via social media and a few weeks ago felt like I was behind the curve as I saw people posting runs to honor Ahmaud Arbery.  But this evening as I took off for a run, I moved through my neighborhood, as I do multiple times a week, without thought of being targeted by violence or hatred because of my race or appearance.  I wore this headband as a reminder that as I run, there are many who can’t or can’t freely so “I run for those who can’t”

I am not going to try to justify the relationships I have with people of color or from other cultures.  Honestly I have to admit that I know enough to know that there is a lot I don’t know.  It struck me this morning reading Psalm 119 how the Psalmist had such a clear view of God and God’s law that he could not help but praise God and commit to follow God’s commands, yet multiple times pleaded for understanding and help.  I know God is good, faithful, and loving.  I am grateful that God is relentless to rescue and desires His children to act with justice, mercy, and humility (Micah 6:8).  I know God has created people of all colors and the good news of Jesus is free to everyone.  But this good news is not just a future in Heaven but as Jesus proclaimed “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” (Luke 4:18).

I honestly don’t know how to respond to or on behalf of my friends during this time.  I do know that racism is wrong.  I know that all people are created in God's image and should be treated with that respect.  My heart longs for justice and reconciliation.  A social media post seems trite compared to the pain I see from my friends as a result of racism.  As one friend shared, “Take away George Floyd's face being thrust to the pavement and replace it with mine…” but this turns my stomach and I can’t imagine the world without his passion and humor and smile.  I want my kids to play with your kids and to think nothing of it, but even more to live in a society where both of our kids can drive and run and play without different treatment because of our color.  I truly want to vote and act and speak in ways that don’t benefit me, but provide those freedoms I enjoy to my friends.  I want to ask more questions, to be more aware, to genuinely listen and then respond in meaningful ways to my neighbors, even if they don’t look or think like me.  I don’t know a lot of things, but I want to learn, I need help, I want the fullness of the Gospel to be evident not just in my teaching, but in EVERY aspect of my life. I will pray for justice, for transformed hearts and systems.

Father, forgive us as we forgive those who have sinned against us, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Graduations and Transitions

As many of our senior’s graduation ceremonies have been moved to June, and most have now finished all of the requirements that make it official, I want to take this opportunity to say “congratulations!”  Your accomplishment is worthy of celebration and we are proud of you.  As this season ends in the most anticlimactic way, there are lots of things that have not been the way that you may have hoped and dreamed. It is ok to mourn the loss of these expectations.  But I want to encourage you, and your families as well, to consider your journey.  From where have you come and what lies ahead?  What stories show God at work in and around you? Sure, there is uncertainty, but what are things that you hope for?  What or who do you hope in?  What is defining your path forward?  What does it mean in this season to say with the Psalmist “[f]or God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” 62:5?

This is a time of transition.  Our summer mission trip to Tennessee has been cancelled as well as June Camps at Cowen.  We are evaluating when and how we will begin to phase in youth and children’s ministry at New Baptist Church.  But in this time of transition, what is God showing you?  Most schools will have collected their final assignments by the time this prints and summer, but different is beginning.  How is God at work in your family?  What is God doing among your neighbors?  Are there new habits that focus your minds on Jesus during this season and allow you to listen for direction from God?  If you’ve ever sat for a long time, that transition from sitting to walking feels a little wobbly, and maybe this season feels the same way, but how can we allow God to use this as a way for us and our families to grow in Him?

I’ve recently learned that seasons of transition are called liminal seasons, after that Latin word that means threshold, like the part of the door where you are neither in nor out, you are at the threshold or limen.  These are awkward times, but taking time to be present, to evaluate, or as the Psalmist says “wait on God” taking stock of where we’ve come from, while considering the future.  This is a time of learning, a time of growing, a time of trusting.   

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Change of Pace

Before “quarantine” and “social distancing” became everyday phrases, I had been reading and thinking about how life seemed to be speeding faster and faster as I was caught in a whirlwind of rush and hurry.  I was looking at setting more boundaries on technology, on commitments, on striving.  I was hoping to implement rest, thoughtfulness, intentionality….then this.  Early on my focus was on loss.  Loss of normal, loss of vacations, loss of school activities, loss of freedom to be overwhelmed by choices for food, activities, even toilet paper brands for crying out loud!

But in the past week I have begun to think that some things have gotten left behind in the last two months that maybe are worth leaving behind.  What are these though?  Well in the loss of a hard and fast bell schedule our kids have to keep, I have started using the early morning quiet to read and write and have put my runs off until daylight.  Believe it or not, there are actual people that walk our streets, not just dark houses and occasional cars warming up to head to work before the sun rises.  I’ve met a new friend named Terry.  He recently retired and is adding some serious mileage with some extra time on his hands.  I’m about 20 years his junior, but one day he invited me to join him.  I had a more intense run in mind, but instead I took a more leisurely pace and enjoyed the company (6 feet apart of course).  Now we pass each other regularly and we will change our pace and run together.  We have shared names, training plans, race stories and race dreams, and honestly I’ve found that the time chatting is much better than any achievements I might gain from that extra speed workout or a couple more miles.  

Matthew 20:28 says “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  The Gospels are chalked full of stories of Jesus serving.    If anyone had an important mission, it was Jesus, we might even say his mission of life, death, and resurrection was the most important of anyone’s ever.  But one thing I see in Jesus, he wasn’t so important that he didn’t have time for people.  Instead, Jesus embraced interruptions.  On a mission to bring someone back to life, he healed a woman who just touched his robe on the way.  Getting ready to teach thousands, he feeds them first.  Jesus’ life was not marked by rushing but by interruptions that turned out to be divine encounters.  

How can my life reflect that type of awareness?  As we talk about what our “new normal” might look like, I am hoping for less rush and more margin that allows for these divine encounters, where I see God at work in and around me.  I have found that some of the moments of joy through this whole time of quarantine have been the few minutes I’ve shared with neighbors from my front porch or learning the name of that dog and his owner as they walk past me on the street.  I hope divine encounters become a way of defining what I used to call “interruptions”.  As a life of service reshapes us to see others as more significant than ourselves, I hope that changing pace helps me to tune in to others as I take the focus off myself.  This change of pace has definitely been unexpected, but the lessons I’m learning are welcome wisdom!  What about you?

A Game of the Heart

Through this time of quarantine, one goal while I’m not in a sprint from place to place is to take time every day to work out.  I am attempting to stay mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally sharp during this odd season.  I enjoy using an app called Zwift that allows me to ride my bike on a stand in my garage while competing against or riding with riders from all over the world on my computer screen.  The whole time I’m riding up and down hills and sprinting for the finish line, I tend to forget that I’m exercising and feel like I’m playing a video game, adding mileage and trying to level up.  These app developers have figured out a way to tap the part of my brain that spent hours winning levels of Super Mario 3 years ago to help me to sweat off some of my dad bod by tricking it into winning prizes and achievements.  They have tapped into the heart of people who like to compete or achieve and offered a way for them to accomplish a goal (working out) in a fun and playful way.

This morning, my kids were playing another game, and I wasn’t about to stop this one.  They were trying to out-do each other in kindness.  After Brooks made Nina’s bed, Nina cleaned up his room.  I’m not sure what started this game, but this sure beat some of the picking that has happened as siblings being stuck in the same house for six weeks would be inevitable.  An attitude that we as parents hope becomes a regular practice, for this morning became a game of kindness.  

Scripture gives many attitudes we should strive for, Ephesians says “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  Jesus lifted up the golden rule in Matthew 7 to “do to others what you would have them do to you…”  I must admit that being kind, compassionate, or forgiving to others seem like no brainers, but just stated outright can seem as torturous or unappealing as telling someone that they need to work out.  Even though I have been accused of being like Chris Traeger from Parks and Recreation, I gravitate to workouts that touch that place in my heart that draw me outside or give me a chance for competition.  In the same way, how are our hearts bent when it comes to godly attitudes?  What is it that draws us toward actions and attitudes that the Bible describes?  

Naturally, we don't act kindly or selflessly on our own.  We might be seeing this in our kids these days, cooped up, bored, stressed, they become angry, selfish, or mean.  But God has called humans, adults and kids alike, to give their hearts to him.  As that transformation happens, we find joy and life from a heart that practices kindness, compassion, forgiveness, selflessness, and love.  Understanding the heart helps us to understand motivation, and guide actions and attitudes.  What areas of your heart has God been working on recently?  How can you speak to your kids hearts instead of demanding actions or attitudes?  What unique things speak to the heart of your family members?  What kind of game or activity might help your kids or whole family welcome God’s work in their hearts?