Evergreen Blogs

Our church is so weird. If you don’t attend Evergreen, you should know that. If you do, well, you do.

We just moved in to a new building and had our grand opening this Sunday, Mother’s Day. It was fantastic. There were the regulars we see each week, visitors, new friends and old friends we hadn’t seen in a long time. It was like a family reunion that included strangers and lacked spoiled potato salad. Everybody laughed, a lot of people cried, we sang, had a sermon, took an offering and all the kids were returned to their appropriate parents at the end of the service. That’s all pretty normal for a church service.

The weird part was, everybody left with an additional $10 in their pocket. Our church gave every person who came $10 with the stipulation that they use this money to bring a little bit of light and joy into the life of someone who needs it. It’s an example of what we want our church building to be in this community, an oasis. And, I think it’s a really cool example of what God desires for those of us who are followers of Christ. I think a huge purpose God had in leaving us on the planet is so we can bring light and joy into the lives of the people around us. They need it. Don’t you?

My kids (7 year old twins) each took a $10 packet. My son decided to buy cake for every child in his class, along with his teachers, the principal, the administrative assistant, etc. When he told them why they were getting cake, the kids cheered and the adults were struck silent. One lady called her husband to tell him what just happened. “Is this to get us to come to your church? Because, we’re not really church types,” was another response. I said, “Nope. You don’t have to be a church-type person to have the cake, just a cake-type person…and one who wants a little joy in her day.” She got all misty and I had to leave.

You know, it takes very little to bring joy and light to those who are trudging through the darkness of their days. But sometimes, even a little seems like a lot. I’ve been in a tough place in my faith lately. My term is, “God and I are in a fight.” Now, when you’re arguing with the Creator of the Universe, you pretty much know you’re going to lose. But, spiritually speaking, I’m really struggling right now. I don’t feel like I have much to give to anyone. And yet, in the past 3 days, God has given me the chance to bring a little light and joy into 3 other people’s lives. I didn’t have to preach to them or get them “converted.” I didn’t have to debate theology or answer every question in the universe. I just had to hold their hand through a tough time, listen to their pain, make them laugh at culturally inappropriate times. You know the drill. I needed to be a friend to them. That was all I had at that point…and it was enough.

Since we lost a month of Sundays as we moved into our building, our giving is way down and every line of the budget has red ink. Even giving that little bit, $10 each, was more than we felt like we could do. But, it was important, and we found a way, and so far the results have been magnificent. So, what are you going to do? If you were there and were given the $10, would you share with us what you’ve done with it? If you weren’t, how about letting us know where you were an oasis? Where have you been able to bring a little bit of hope, light, joy or love to someone who really needed it?

Sharing your story will do that for our community. It would be a great place to start.

I remember in a past business I had when I or someone used to say, “Well, under the circumstances, I cannot do this or that”, I or someone else was always told, “Well, why are you under there?”  This was said because I or other people were usually making excuses why they did not or where not going to do something.

However, in the realm of learning from God and growing in relationship with him, I want to be under the circumstances because God speaks to me there.  I have been in several circumstances in my life where it was not very comfortable, but when I focused on God and what he was doing, He revealed something to me that I need to learn.  do not be so eager to get out from under your circumstances, God wants to speak to you.

When Mary was approached by Gabriel the angel she was probably confused, scared, and wanted to get out of the circumstance.  But she stayed and birthed the son of God and learned something bigger about her God.

 Are you going through something now that you want to run from?  do you think there might be some benefits in staying?

 ”Let’s do prayer requests before we go home.”

“Would you pray for me?  I’m having surgery tomorrow.”

“Lord, please, don’t let my daddy die.”

“God, please bring my friend the money he needs to save his house.”

One of the mnemonic devices we teach to remind people how to pray is ACTS.  Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.  The first 3 make a lot of sense to me.  Adoration: Tell God how awesome He is. In other words, let Him know that you recognize that about Him and love Him.  Confession: Agree with God about the areas of your life that are keeping you from having increased intimacy with Him.  Acknowledge to Him that you know that the things that impede your ability to walk with Him are from the evil one and ask Him to show you how to avoid stumbling in the future.  Thanksgiving: Remember the good things God has done and allowed you to see.  Thank Him for for His manifold grace and love.

But, what about Supplication: Asking for God’s intervention in a particular circumstance?   Intellectually, I know the Bible says to pray for one another.  Intellectually, I know James said that we have not because we ask not.  And, I can give a perfectly acceptable “Christianese” answer to why we are praying Intercessory/Supplication prayers.  We are commanded to pray for one another, in part, to increase the bond of love, community and affection between us.  When we intercede for another, we agree with God that only He is able to bridge some gaps.

But, once a year or so, I meander into struggling with this concept. When you get down to brass tacks, what does this really mean?  Would God grant a prayer request that wasn’t in keeping with His Will?  If something isn’t in keeping with God’s Will, then can it possibly be a good thing, or the right thing in a given circumstance?  Would God do a less good thing in some circumstances because we asked Him to?  And, if something is in God’s Will, and we don’t pray for it, then wouldn’t He do/allow it anyway?

Case in point.  I had a friend who was diagnosed with leukemia in 10th grade.  As soon as anyone knew Bill was sick, people started praying.  We prayed and pleaded that God would heal him, or that He would allow the treatments (chemo and radiation) to do their job so Bill could be made whole.  God didn’t answer those prayers with a, “Yes.”  Bill died right before our senior year began.

Were we wrong to be praying that God would heal him?  God didn’t, so, it wasn’t His will?  If God’s not going to heal someone if it’s not His will to have them healed, then why on earth do we pray for people to be healed?  Or to come through a surgery?  Or to keep their job?  Or to find a good friend when they move?  Or…???

Do you struggle with something reagarding faith, the Bible, God, etc., and think you’re the only one who can’t get really comfortable and tidy about it?  You’re not alone.  And, that’s part of why we have this blog.  What do you think about prayer?  What are you uncomfortable/untidy about?  What would you like to be able to ask God, face to face, without having to wait until after you die?  When you talk to people who are earlier in their walk with God than you are, what’s the question you’re always afraid they are going to ask?  Let’s meander together.

A friend of mine wrote me an email the other day telling me about a book titled, “When Goliath Doesn’t Fall by Jody Conrad.  My friend is real good friends with the author.  Here is the Amazon.com summary of the book.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! -Habakkuk 3: 17-18 You’ve read the Bible stories of God’s amazing faithfulness. You’ve seen Him extend His blessings and healing to your family and friends. He’s even answered your prayers for other issues in your life. But sometimes, no matter how much you pray or cling to the victories of the past, your present problem remains depressingly unchanged-with little hope for the future. Most Christians understand and accept that life isn’t always fair and that sometimes our prayers may not be answered; but still it’s hard to get past the hurt and confusion of ‘why?’ after you prayed and trusted God, believing that He’d defeat the ugly giant in your path, only to watch in sorrow as the giant didn’t fall. How do you reconcile and rebuild your faith and hope in Christ when it seems He let life defeat you? In When Goliath Doesn’t Fall , Jody Conrad pulls the mask of Christianity down and admits to the ugliness of real life. Sometimes, no matter how hard you pray, babies die. Sometimes, no matter how much you trust God, doctors find cancer. Houses catch on fire; tornados demolish entire communities; and terrorists successfully crash airplanes into buildings. How are we supposed to respond when Goliath doesn’t fall? With compassion and understanding, Jody joins you in life’s trenches and tells you about a different kind of deliverance. She shows you the unconditional and strangely hopeful worship of Habakkuk’s heart and helps you discover how to cultivate a beautiful, wild faith that is still able to worship; still able to rejoice; still able to sing of the joys of heaven-even with cancer in its lungs.

Sometimes in life things do not happen as you pray, or as you think they ought to go.  As I read this description of the book and continued in my study of Experiencing God I was struck how vital a loving relationship with God is.  When everything crumbles around us His love stays solid for us.  I just have a huge sense that every person reading this needs to strengthen their love relationship, including me.  What about you?  Have you had a When Goliath Doesn’t Fall experience?  Who di you reach out to?  Did you feel that God was far or near?  What do you think you csn/should do to build the relationship with God so that no matter what you always are near to Him?

“Today spiritual disciplines really need to be focused on our relationship with God in a world where God gets crowded by everyday distractions.” Last week, Matt began the blog with this statement and then followed it with five great ideas to improve our relationship with God. So this week, I would like to add one more….actually getting away from everyday distractions!Time away…being alone with God…may be the single most important thing you can do when the distractions of this life threaten to harm our spiritual health. As I write this, I have escaped the normative life of Raleigh to the shores of Myrtle Beach. I have the door open and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach have a way of soothing the chaos that I call my mind. This beach front condo is costing me $35 per night and is fabulous. It is not “suffering for Jesus” by any means, but it is time away…time to think…to ponder…to read…to pray. It is time for me to let go of most of my daily duties (answering phone calls, email, meetings and so forth) and try to make sense of what God wants for me. Obviously, I have not completely escaped as I am now writing this blog, but the time overall is critical to my life as a pastor.

So when was the last time you got away and took some time to be with God alone. So often we are afraid of such an idea…afraid of where the silence will lead us. But here is my suggestion…stop reading this and just take the next five minutes you were planning to use to read this and be quiet before God. Better yet, use those five minutes to plan a day away by yourself. God has something to say to you….are you being quiet enough to hear him. I find that God rarely shouts!

Hairshirts are out! Mortification of the flesh is soooooo middle ages.  Today spiritual disciplines really need to be focused on our relationship with God in a world where God gets crowded by everyday distractions.

1. Turn off the radio.  Use the quiet of the car to pray out loud. Do it for the whole drive or just for a part of it.  If you’re with people, then you can pray together.  It is weird at first, but can really be cool.
2. Take a Bible break.  Some of us take 15 minutes a day, and read a Bible passage.  We then discuss it.  Somedays we do not get very much out of it, but other days we have some great conversations.  The point is not to always have a profound experience, but to create an opportunity to let God speak into our day.  Even when we are at our lamest, we still took the time to be together and talk.
3. Go to church — seriously.  Corporate worship is not always easy. I often feel anti-social Sunday mornings after staying up late and what-not. Hey I’m human just like you, but singing songs, hearing the Gospel, and being semi-catotonic during a sermon does wake something up in me.  Hey I did not want to go to the picnic on Sunday either, but ended up having some kick-ass conversations about God and Jesus and other stuff.
4. Listen to some music about God.  This is a taste thing: you might like stuff that I think sucks and I might like stuff that you wrongly think sucks.  However, music soaks in. Music about the Christian experience gives us another mode of prayer and worship.
5. Pray for a person at work (or school, or wherever you spend time (like the coffee shop)).  This kind of intercessory prayer does two things: it starts a conversation with God and it takes our mind off of ourselves.

The point here is not to do something that is super-hard, but the point is to be intentional in your interaction with God.  By being intentional we take responsibility for our life in Jesus and our journey of faith.  Try using some of these to engage God today (if you are reading this in the day) or tomorrow.

I love elephants.  I have ever since I was a little girl.  While other (normal) girls pined after horses and dolphins, I’d look longingly at pictures of elephants and wish I could go on adventures as a secret agent riding my trusty elephant steed “Walter.”  As an adult, I had forgotten my passion for pachyderms.  And then, my kids and I discovered Dr. Seuss and Horton.  Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg are my two favorite Dr. Seuss books.  In Horton Hatches the Egg, Horton, the hapless elephant, promises to watch over the egg of the lazy irresponsible bird, Maysie.  When all manner of strife overwhelms him, Horton replies over and over again, “I said what I meant and I meant what I said.  An elephant’s faithful 100 percent.”  Horton freezes, almost drowns in torrential storms, is ridiculed and tormented by his “friends,” gets kidnapped and almost killed.  And his response, always, is, “I said what I meant and I meant what I said.  An elephant’s faithful 100 percent.”  And then he clings to that tiny little sapling of a tree bent under his weight, and he hangs on for dear life.  What he never does, though, is complain.

I gave up complaining for Lent.  Man alive, you think giving up sugar or smoking is hard?!  You know what I have found, though?  It has actually improved my prayer life.  Since I can’t complain to myself or others when I’m annoyed, I can only go to God.  And as I pray about my hurt feelings or “righteous” indignation, God comforts me.  His strength is allowing me to say, for maybe the 10,000^th time, “Ok, I will choose to act in love even though I kinda want to smack them!”  Sure, I’ve still smacked a few times…but far fewer than I would have before this Lenten season.

When we chose to follow Christ, we say to God, “Ok, I don’t know much about You, but I want to be who You want me to be.  I want to be like Jesus was, so help me figure out how to do that.”  Jesus was falsely accused, ridiculed, mocked, beaten, spit on, misquoted, misunderstood, criticized and murdered.  He has had people claim to speak for Him who don’t know him.  He has had wolves come in and devour the children He loves and died for.  He has had the worst atrocities in the history of humankind attributed to His name.  And, yet, there are no incidents recorded in Scripture of Him ever complaining.  But, He sure did pray.

As we are heading toward Easter this week, I wonder…what’s my egg?  What’s yours?  What is the thing that you think God has called you to do that just gets hard to deal with and makes you want to whine?  Sometimes, we have pretty good reason to whine.  It’s reasonable to whine when you get almost drowned in a storm or shot by hunters because you tried to help a tired momma bird who just needed a break.  It’s reasonable to whine when you lose your job or your kid breaks the rules for the 10,000^th time.  It’s reasonable to whine when someone takes advantage of you or ridicules you.  Or betrays you.

Whatever “un-Jesus-like” habits you may have, would you consider giving them up for the rest of this week?  Whether it’s no complaining, no criticizing, no whining, no hurting yourself, etc…would you try it with me for 1 week?  Here’s a site with daily prayers.  You can visit there daily and spend as much or as little time as you desire.  Or, every time you want to point to your egg and say, “But, this is…!” you can choose to just sit still and talk to God for a moment.

I said what I meant and I meant what I said.  An elephant’s faithful 100 percent.       -Horton

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.                             -Jesus

I am like many of you.  I often wake up in the morning with a list of to-dos. Very often my list might contain things that I hate to do or that I am dreading. Some mornings I don’t even really want to get out of bed.

In the face of these feelings, I have been putting two new things into practice:

The first, is that I have started to work for Jesus

Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Yeah that helps me get out of bed a little faster. 

I want to work for Jesus, and I want to feel like I am using my talents and gifts for Kingdom building.  That desire when grouped with a “working for Jesus” orientation shades and colors the interactions that I have with the people I work for, with, and those who report to me.  I find that my attitude is better; I find that I waste less time; I goof off less; I am more careful to respect people.  Don’t be confused, this change is not from fear of “big Jesus” watching me, but the change is from being totally sold-out to the idea of restoring this world, its people, and my being to what God originally intended.

When you view your daily routines through God’s restorative lenses, then your routine tasks don’t just seem new, they seem alive with purpose.

The second thing that I have started to do is to lay my “crowns” at the feet of Jesus:

Revelation 4:10-11

The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
 ”You are worthy, our Lord and God,
   to receive glory and honor and power,
   for you created all things,
      and by your will they were created
      and have their being.”

It is easy to become obsessed with your titles, authority, and rivalries in your work.  You can become obsessed with getting power, and then fearful and protective about holding onto it.  I have discovered the cure for the fever and fear of career building: give it all to Jesus.

When we lay our honors at his feet and offer them to Him, we gain two important things: perspective and humility. We gain perspective because we see our honors contrasted to the perfect honor and worthiness of Christ.  We gain humility because we gain understanding that we are given nothing that God does not already have.  Indeed, what we are given is meant to be used in His service.  Whatever glory and authority is given to us is to be used to extend God’s kingdom.

We live in a world where people are identified and identify themselves by their work. This mode of identity will always leave us unsatisfied and feeling empty.  By offering our work and its rewards to Jesus, we transcend this emptiness and begin to see ourselves as we really are: sons and daughters of the King and citizens of the Kingdom.

As we have been wrestling through the stages of spiritual growth lately, I have had many comments and emails about where you seem to fit and which things really hit home. I have also had many questions about how you decide if you are growing and not just stuck in one of these stages. Many of you have said that you seem to be in all of these stages each week or month at one time or another. So let me try to provide some clarity (what little I can since I am also in the process of thinking through all of this as well). There are two elements that are important in this concept.

1. These are longer term situations where one element takes priority. In other words, are you just watching from a distance, are you in need and looking to God, are you desiring and seeking to learn about the Bible and God, are you in a second stage of great learning and thereby confused and uncertain (like you would be in moving from simple math to calculus), or is there a deep and growing hope that drives you to sacrifice for others?

All these elements will always be present at some level, but which one is in the driver’s seat right now in your life. Although these may not always be linear in fashion, you probably are not a hiker who is confused and uncertain if you have not had the first stage of Biblical knowledge and education. Can you be confused and uncertain in all stages? Of course, but that may point to your need more than anything else or your desire to learn the foundation of the faith. Can you love to learn at all stages? I would hope so. But if you are deeply desiring to know the Bible and God’s character, and giving the time to do so, you are probably not just a spectator or passenger.

2. The second thing that is critical to remember is that we have been given a core list of spiritual ideals in the Bible. These core ideals are the elements by which we should ultimately be measuring our growth. They come from Paul’s letter to the Galatians and are called the Fruit of the Spirit. Paul writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23). These nine elements indicate the level to which we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

How are you at loving others? Put in another way, do you accept people where they are and do what is necessary to help them be all God created them to be? What about joy? Does it show up in your marriage even if you are unhappy right now? Does it radiate to those around you? What about peace, patience (does this mean while I am driving too?), kindness… goodness… faithfulness… gentleness… self-control?

Take each one and just dwell on it. These are not things that come overnight. They are elements that drive us to care more about God and those around us than we do ourselves. They are aspects of faith that make God’s creation and mission more important in our lives than our own comfort. Want to know how you are doing in your spiritual journey? Place these nine words somewhere where you can’t miss them. Then ask yourself several times a week, “how am I doing?”

What are your thoughts on all this?  What kind of fruit is showing up in your life?

This week, Ed began a discussion in church about the stages we think people progress through as they grow in their walk with God.  The five stages we have identified are spectator, passenger, voyager, hiker and trail blazer.  These are descriptions of a process that we have seen.  We recognized, for example, that people who are new to the idea of a faith community don’t come to a church, decide they want to continue on their journey with God, sign up for 15 ministries, join a Journey Group, establish a covenant group and ask about mentoring opportunities all in their first week.  Aren’t we brilliant?

Seriously, though, when a person first starts thinking through what he believes about God, he often starts by watching.  He starts noticing who in his community identifies themselves as a person of faith.  He might come to a worship service or two.  He might visit different houses of worship from different faiths or in different cultures.  He might ask a question or two to someone he knows and trusts. 

At some point, our spectator will likely identify a need in his life.  Either something will rise to the surface, or a crisis will occur.  If he finds that God seems to have some of the answers, or that those who claim to be followers of Christ understand and are willing and able to help him with his need, then he often will begin to learn more about that community of faith.  He might begin attending worship services more frequently.  He will usually begin developing friendships with people he meets on Sunday mornings or at Journey Group.  As he learns a little more about being on a journey with God, he might decide, “Yes, that’s something I want to do.  I want to see how this God who met my need works.  What does He want?  What is He like?”

Our spectator just became a passenger.  No one told him, “Hey, you really need to get a move on and ascend the ladder of holiness and perfection so you can be a passenger.”  The transition from spectator to passenger was one that he made as he grew in his walk with God.  We recognized a change and gave it a name.  The concerns I heard on Sunday morning included: we are putting people into a box and we’re judging people by giving them labels.

Not at all.  What we’re trying to do is to identify what Spiritual Growth looks like.  We want to recognize what triggers people to want to grow closer to God.  And as people grow closer with God, what are the milestones?  What decisions or changes or discoveries can we celebrate?  What opportunities can we, as a community, offer to encourage growth?  What can we encourage each person in our community to do on their own to discover where they want to grow and what that will look like?

What do you think about the spectator to trail blazer idea?  Can you identify points in your life or events that encouraged you to seek after God in a way you had never done before?  Will you share them here?