WHO ARE YOU BECOMING?

I’m pretty energized as 2005 comes to a close. You see I’m wired up with a future orientation – what was happened doesn’t interest me nearly as much as what will happen. Possibilities and potential – the what could be(s) of life – that gets my heart pumping. I think that is why these words from the prophet Isaiah resonate with me:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Now you may be thinking that I have an addiction to the new, new thing; I lovingly like to call it spiritual ADD.

The reality is that all of us are in a state of becoming. The big question is, “what kind of person are you becoming, spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and intellectually?” Check out what the Apostle Paul said to the Christ community in Philippi:

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

We are people in process.

Alex McManus at Into the Mystic, turned me on to a site that I will be utilizing over the next couple of days as I move into 2006 (BTW - next week I will be taking four days of solitude at a friend’s river house to read, pray, study, make music, commune...). Here’s what Alex wrote:

“If you could send an email to your future self 1 year from today, what message would you send? What message would you send to your future self in 5 years? 20 years? Whatever your message, you can send it to your future self via futureme.org. As the New Year approaches, and we think about who we’ve been in times past and the people we want to become, try this exercise: what email message would you send not only to yourself but to those you love? Your spouse or your kids?”

As the curtain is drawn on 2005 and the New Year begin why not take some time and prayerfully write a letter to your future self. Ask God to guide you through the process and to help you answer this question, “what kind of person are you becoming?”

Stay Connected…

GETTING CHRISTMAS RIGHT...

It was just about a month ago when I raised this question before our community of faith – “what would it take for you to wake up on December 26 to be able to say to yourself, ‘this Christmas, I got it right?’” Well, it is December 28, I thought it would be good to share some of my thoughts and invite you to join in as well.

One of the things I shared with my congregation was the fact that our goal should not be a perfect Christmas; that is simply setting oneself up for failure. A more realistic goal was to find movement toward getting it right, a more Christ-centered and Christ-honoring celebration. Believe me, I certainly didn’t get it perfect (not even close); I had my moments of anxiety, self-centered thinking, irritation with people, counting the days until it would all be over…but in the midst of it I did discover some movement.

One of the biggest movements for me this December was the fresh realization that I have control over very little and that indeed much of what is going on around me is a part of the cosmic spiritual battle between the forces of the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. I shared a talk entitled, “Peace on Earth?” which centered on the world into which Jesus was born, a world ruled and dominated by the Roman Empire. The peace of Rome was fueled by violence, oppression, and injustice and the Prince of Peace came to confront, disarm, and dismantle this evil empire. The implications and reverberations from this event are still being felt today.

A friend of mine shared some wisdom with me (via John Ortberg’s book, “If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat”). She reminded me that we all need God-sized challenges, the kind of challenges where only God could bring the victory. Otherwise, we become very confident on our own abilities to stay in control and make things happen. One night lying in bed I realized that one of the situation I am facing is indeed a spiritual battle; the best of my ability has failed to produce any real, substantive change. Break-through will only come as the result of God’s power sweeping in and saving the day. Now sure, I have a part to play, but really what’s needed most is the power and peace of God to come into this situation and reign (reminds me of Jesus words, “this one will only come out through prayer and fasting”).

This Christmas I gave fewer wrapped gifts; I gave a number of costly (life giving kinds of gifts through world Vision) and had some fun giving symbolic gifts to a few close friends. Most of all I tried to give more of myself. On Christmas Day, my wife Patty had to work the 3-11 PM shift which left me alone with my in-laws at Christmas dinner; not the most comfortable place for me. I made the conscious decision to give the gift of my presence to two of my nephews. I don’t see them very often and seldom really speak with them. I spent some quality one-on-one time with each of them where I tried my best to become present to them, to listen and learn what’s going on in their lives. It blessed me and I pray it touched their lives in a small way as well.

What about you? Did you discern any movement toward getting Christmas right this year? I would love to hear some of your stories.

Stay Connected…

WHICH CHRISTMAS STORY ARE YOU READING?

Over the past week I suggested that there are some alternative readings of the Christmas Story in the Scriptures. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ, let me raise a question: which Christmas story are you reading?

Will Willimon is a United Methodist Bishop, pastor, and prolific author. In his book, "Watch for the Light," he writes:

“We love Christmas because, as we say, Christmas brings out the best in us. Everyone gives on Christmas, even the stingiest among us, even the Ebenezer Scrooges. Charles Dickens’ story of Scrooge’s transformation has probably done more to form our notions of Christmas than St. Luke’s story of the manger. Whereas Luke tells us of God’s gift to us, Dickens tells us how we can give to others. A Christmas Carol is more congenial to our favorite images of ourselves. Dickens suggests that down deep, even the worst of us can become generous, giving people.

Yet, I suggest we are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story—the one according to Luke not Dickens—is not about how blessed it is to be givers but how essential it is to see ourselves as receivers.”

I pray that this year you receive the wonderful gift of God in Jesus Christ.

Stay Connected...

ALTERNATIVE READINGS OF THE CHRISTMAS STORY

This past week I have been thinking about and reflecting upon alternative readings of the Christmas story. Last week our worship design team dialogued about the Christmas story as it is found in Revelation 11-12. Check out Marlaena Cochran's blog for some great thoughts on this in light of the Chronicles of Narnia film.

Today I have been thinking about Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 9 concerning generosity and especially verse 15 when Paul declares: "thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

I ran across these words from Bill Denton:

"There is One who has come through with the greatest gift of all. When God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins and to rise from the dead to give hope of eternal life, it was the gift of all gifts. No gift-loaded Christmas tree has ever secreted a gift as loving, as desperately needed, as beautiful, or as magnificent. We may struggle to give appropriate gifts, but God has come through for us with a gift for all time, for all eternity. It's an indescribable gift!"

This week as you reflect upon Luke 2 and Matthew 1, I pray the words of Paul will serve as a backdrop for the birth of Christ in your heart afresh. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Stay Connected...

BETTER DAYS?

Are you an optimist or pessimist?

Have you ever run across followers of Jesus who continually speak of the evils of this world and pray without ceasing that Jesus would come back and rescue them out of this mess? Now I realize that we live in a broken world, marred and flawed by sin, injustice and oppression and that every one of us experiences the consequences of the fall each and every day. But man, that think of thinking, praying, and living really depresses me.

It’s been interesting that over the past couple of months that God has been using two songs to renew my spirit, one by the Goo Goo Dolls and the other by the Robbie Seay Band – both interestingly enough entitled “Better Days.” You can watch the Goo Goo Dolls perform the song at Rockefeller Square and and listen to the Robbie Seay song at their site.

First of all thanks for listening to our song We hope this finds you driving in your car or where ever you are breath out and breath again know that life is hard, but its worth it in the end, listen to me now for the love, oh love, It's waiting for you just to say here come better days here come better days,better days, and a better place I know.Secondly I'm all screwed up so royally I stumbled my way here, but wait, oh wait grace has found me shaken up my soul, grace will follow where ever you may go, listen to me now grace, oh grace, is calling for you just to say here come better days here come better days, better days, and a better place I know.

(Robbie Seay Band)

Faith calls me to be a realistic optimist –yes sin is a reality and brokenness is all around but while we are here on earth we have the opportunity to bring real help and hope to people in real need. And in fact isn’t that what the message of Christmas is all about?

What do you think?

Stay Connected…

A GENEROUS CHRISTMAS

Yesterday during our worship gathering I spoke from Matthew 2:1-12 and the visit of the Magi. In their own way, the Magi invented the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas time. When they came into the presence of Jesus, the One born King of the Jews, they opened up their treasures and presented gifts. I have been thinking quite a bit about this story this week and hope it will inform my own gift giving this Christmas season.

At Christmas time we typically shower our family and friends with gifts. Trust me – I am not anti-gift giving. In our best moments we do so as a demonstration of our love for others – however, in our worst moments it can become little more than obligatory giving with very little heart or intention behind it.

This year the Timm family is going to try something different – we will include in our practice of gift giving, a costly gift given to those in great need, with the hope and prayer that it will make a real difference in someone’s life. We will be partnering with World Vision, utilizing their opportunities to give a gift that will help widows and orphans who have been impacted by the AIDS pandemic in Africa.

Perhaps you or your family would like to join with us this year. Take a couple of moments to check out the opportunities that World Vision provides through their Caring for Widows and Orphans site. There is a sobering reminder of the real need in our world as you immediately read these words: “By the time you have finished reading this page, another four children will be orphaned – joining the 14 million children around the world who have already been lost one or both parents to AIDS.”

What do you think? I’d love to hear your ideas.

Stay Connected…

WORLD AIDS DAY - KEEP THE PROMISE

This past summer my daughter Abby and I visited with my parents in northern Wisconsin. This was the place where they both were born and raised. One beautiful afternoon we took a walk through a small town cemetery. It was fascinating to read the names on the tombstones and I was amazed at how many names I recognized. Grandparents, uncles, and aunts – I paused to stop and give thanks for their lives. But one stopped me in my tracks – it was the grave site of one of my cousins, a man just a few years older than I – and a life cut short by HIV/AIDS.

Today is World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is a yearly, global event started in January 1988 to promote awareness and action in the fight against HIV/AIDS. According to UNAIDS estimates, there were 37.2 million adults and 2.2 million children worldwide living with HIV at the end of 2004. During the year 4.9 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35. Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world. In Africa alone, more than 17 million people have died from AIDS and another 25 million are infected with the HIV virus, approximately 1.9 million of whom are children. Every day in Africa, HIV/AIDS kills 6,300 people. 8,500 people are infected with the HIV virus and 1,400 newborn babies are infected during childbirth.

This year, the theme of World AIDS Day is "Stop Aids: Keep the Promise" which reminds us that our government leaders need to be held accountable for their commitments to the fight against AIDS and act in order to delivered the promised results. (taken from the ONE website).

I invite you to take a few minutes today to listen to the "The World AIDS Day ONEcast" which features former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, Bono, U2 lead singer and co-founder of DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade for Africa), Chris Martin of Coldplay, and author and Christian leader Tony Campolo.

Stay Connected...

THE GOAL IS SOUL

If the goal is soul, how do we get there? Well for me, a huge part of the journey to soul is music, both playing it and listening to it. Music is a powerful soul force in my life. So I thought I would highlight a couple of artists and recordings that are nurturing my soul right now.

First up - Jeremy Camp. Right now I am listening to his latest release, "Live Unplugged." It is my favorite (plus you get a bonus DVD of the concert - what a deal). Jeremy has quite a faith story. Camp experienced a major loss in his life as very early in his marriage, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and shortly after died. After losing his newlywed wife, Jeremy fueled the pain and hurt into his songwriting as a testimony of unwavering faith in God's comfort and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. One of the things I love most about his music is the message of hope that is born from real pain and heartbreak. If you would like to learn more about his story, follow this link to an interview from the March 2003 issue of Christianity Today.

Camp rocks! In fact some of his other releases may be a bit much for some of you. That's why I recommend the "Live Unplugged" release. Think Creed meets Jars of Clay with the a string quartet and an awesome percussionist thrown in for good measure.

My favorite tracks - Understand (track 1):

Every time I fall down on my face
I see the one who bore all my shame
Well to know that you are everything I need you to be
You're my ever present help in time of need
I know you understand it all
So why don't I get back on my feet again...

And Empty Me (track 6):

Holy fire, burn away my desire
For anything that is not of You and is of me
I want more of You and less of me
Empty me, empty me
Fill won’t You fill me with You, with You…

What a great prayer – may it be so!

Stay Connected…

GENERATIVE FRIENDSHIPS - PART 2

For two Sundays during the month of November, my good friend Terry Mann and I partnered together in a non- traditional pulpit exchange. I had a blast hanging out with the people of Fountain Park Church and you can listen to the message I shared with them based upon Ephesians 3:14-21 and 1 Corinthians 13 entitled, "Gong."

Terry did a great job opening up Genesis 41 and the Joseph story to our congregation and you can listen to his message, "What's in a Name?"

Thank God for generative friendships!

Stay Connected...

AN AIDS TEST EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE

What do you know about AIDS, the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time?

Find out by taking the World Vision AIDS Test now. This interactive test—which takes just a few minutes to complete-could change the way you think about AIDS forever.

Stay Connected...

THE GOAL IS SOUL

My favorite poet, prophet, and Irish rock star has a saying (you might even call it a life mantra) “the goal is soul.” That resonates with me, especially as I think about the great commandment of Jesus, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength.” Many of us have some handle on the heart, mind and strength stuff (passion, intellect and muscle), but when it comes to loving the Lord with soul, things tend to get a bit fuzzy.

Lately I have been reading a great book by Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing - The Search for a Christian Spirituality. He talks quite a bit about soul. Here is a brief except to get the conversation started:

“A healthy soul, therefore, must do two things for us. First, it must put some fire in our veins, keep us energized, vibrant, living with zest, and full of hope as we sense that life is, ultimately beautiful and worth living. Whenever this breaks down is us, something is wrong with our souls. When cynicism, despair, bitterness, or depression paralyzes our energy, part of the soul is hurting. Second, a healthy soul has to keep us fixed together. It has to continually give us a sense of who we are, where we came from, where we are going and what sense there is in all of this. When we stand looking at ourselves, confusedly, in a mirror and ask ourselves what sense, if any, there is to our lives, it is this other part of the soul, our principle of integration, that is limping.” (14)

What comes to your mind when you hear the word soul? Is there anything in Rolheiser’s description that resonates with you? Anything you question or disagree with?

Stay Connected…

ETERNAL GOD

Recently I have found myself reading, reflecting upon, praying and singing the words of Moses, the man of God as they are recorded in Psalm 90. This Sunday in our worship gathering we will take time to do so communally and we will introduce a powerful song by the Robbie Seay Band called, "Eternal God."

Perhaps God has something to say to you this day through these ancient words:

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, you mortals." A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered. We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Relent, LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands" (Psalm 90, TNIV).

Stay Connected...

BRINGING BACK MEMORIES

My wife Patty is the best. When I got home tonight after a very long day, she surprised me with an early Christmas gift (complete with Christmas bow and sticker) - The Vertigo 2005 U2 Live from Chicago DVD.

If you didn't have the opportunity to see U2 this time around, go as quickly as you can to your local Borders, Barnes and Nobles, Best Buy, wherever and purchase it! Incredible, stuff, really.

Stay connected...

WEEKEND UPDATE

It's Monday - what kind of weekend did you have? Mine was filled with a wide variety of life giving experiences.

On Friday night and Saturday morning our worship team gathered for our annual fall retreat. We have been doing this for a couple of years now every November and it is a fruitful time. On Friday night we share a meal together and then spend time watching DVD's of various worship settings and reflecting together upon what we see. This year's line-up included Tommy Walker and his team in Zambia, Hillsong and Delirious united with a worshipping congregation of about 20,000, Shane and Shane in an intimate coffee house kind of setting, and Jars of Clay live in concert. As well, we watched Rob Bell's Nooma, Rain, reflecting upon the times our Father has carried us through the storms of life.

On Saturday morning we worked on a bunch of new material. Be on the lookout for some of these songs in upcoming worship gatherings:

• Wholly Yours by David Crowder Band
• Communion by Third Day
• Salvation Is Here by Hillsongs
• I'm Not Ashamed by Tommy Walker
• Holy Is the Lord by Eoghan Heaslip
• Wrap Me in Your Arms by Michael Gungor
• For This Reason and All of Me by Lincoln Brewster

Sunday morning I made the long journey to the North Hills to spend the morning with Terry Mann and the Fountain Park community. It was a true joy worshipping with them and having the opportunity to sharing from God's Word with them. My message was entitled, Gong, and we looked together at Ephesians 3:14-21 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

And last night to cap off the weekend off, I was at Heinz Field watching our Pittsburgh Steelers give the Cleveland Browns a pretty good beat down. Love it! Thanks Tom, it was a blast!

Stay Connected...

GENERATIVE FRIENDSHIPS

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a new way of thinking about friendship. I’m not really a “let’s just hang out kind of guy,” so this new way of thinking and living truly resonated with me.

The Emergent Movement talks about generative friendships – friendships that bear kingdom kind of fruit. Friendships that are filled with conversations (and lots of coffee) that move us deeper into the way of Jesus. I have been blessed with a number of these kinds of friendships, near and far, face to face and via the web and for each of them I am thankful.

Over the next two Sunday mornings I am going to be celebrating one of my most significant generative friendships. Twice a month Terry Mann, the lead pastor from Fountain Park Church and I spend a Monday morning together, drinking coffee, sharing our dreams and challenges, bouncing ideas off one another, praying and encouraging one another.

We enjoy spending time together so much that we decided to hang out together on a Sunday morning at one another’s worship gathering. This Sunday I will be speaking at their worship gathering (actually two of them) and on November 20, Terry Mann will be speaking at Christ Community Church of the South Hills. This is a non-traditional pulpit exchange (would you expect anything else from us?). In a normal pulpit exchange, pastors typically switch it up on a Sunday. We will be together for these two Sundays celebrating the connection we have in Christ and we pray that the energy from our relationship ignites some fire and passion in our communities of faith as well.

What do you think about generative friendships? Who has God brought into your life that moves you deeper into the things of God and helps you bear fruit? I would love to hear your story.

Yeah God for generative friendships!

Stay Connected...

LIQUID GRACE

I've been away for a while and it feels good to blog-in. The past two weeks have been challenging and the last seven days especially trying. It began with a complete computer crash, a trip to the ER with a blood clot in my leg (no worries - according to the doctors it was superficial and clinically irrelevant, two words I typically do not want attached to me) and the opportunity to walk with a friend of mine (and our community at large) through the death of his wife.

Yesterday during our worship gathering, we concluded a five week series on Environments and our metaphor was water. Did you ever stop to think about the shape of water? What shape does water have? You can't answer that question, because water doesn't really have a shape of it's own - it is fluid and takes the shape of the container holding it.

The phrase Erwin McManus uses is "liquid grace." And he writes in his book, An Unstoppable Force: "The Christian community is not a place without interpersonal crisis or challenge. In some sense we are all hypocrites in transition. We're all working it out. Sometimes fighting with God, sometimes working with God. That's why biblical community is such an extraordinary gift. It's not about being perfect or loving people who are always easy to love; it's about loving people through the love of God. It's about being loved even when you blow it, being loved even when you do not deserve it, an being loved by others who know you all too well, even when you find it difficult to love yourselves."

This past week I have received countless expressions of liquid grace. They have come to me through a variety of containers: my sisters and brothers on our leadership team (not perfect, but growing), my co-laborers in ministry (thanks Marlaena and Joe), members of Christ Community, and friends within the larger community. And mostly especially through my wife Patty. It is not good for this man to be alone and God showers me with His grace daily through
her life.

Thank God for His liquid grace!

Stay connected...

STUCK IN A MOMENT WITH U2

Here are a few memorable moments for me from the concert this past Saturday…

THE FIRST TIME – In October 1980 a quartet of from Dublin released their first album, “Boy;” as they say, the rest is history. This song reminded me of a series of worship gatherings at our church this past summer, “Prodigal People” taken from the powerful story that Jesus told in Luke 15. Bono sang:

I have a lover, a lover like no other
She got soul, soul, soul, sweet soul and she teach me how to sing
Shows me colors when there's none to see
Gives me hope when I can't believe that for the first time I feel love

I have a brother when I'm a brother in need
I spend my whole time running, he spends his running after me
When I feel myself going down, I just call and he comes around
But for the first time, I feel love

My Father is a rich man, He wears a rich man's cloak
Gave me the keys to His kingdom coming, gave me a cup of gold
He said "I have many mansions, and there are many rooms to see."
But I left by the back door, and I threw away the key
And I threw away the key, yeah I threw away the key
Yeah I threw away the key
For the first time I feel love

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY – In a post 9-11 world, Bono’s introduction to this classic song resonated with me: “America, this is your song now….”

I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away
How long... How long must we sing this song?
How long? how long...
Broken bottles under children’s feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won’t heed the battle call
It puts my back up Puts my back up against the wall
Sunday, bloody Sunday

PRIDE – I actually received two text messages during this song. One was from Bono in response to my text message in support of the ONE Campaign (try texting your full name to 86483 and see if it works). The second was from a friend who told me that she actually became a Christian at a youth event while the band was playing that very song – how awesome is that?

MISS SAVRAJO – Stripped down with the Edge playing keys and Bono doing his best impression of an Irish tenor, handling the Italian operatic lines originally sung by Luciana Pavarotti (who received birthday greetings from Bono and their crowd as he celebrates his 70th birthday this month).

SOMETIMES YOU CAN’T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN – This was an emotionally powerful moment as Bono actually took off his shades and notes from deep within his soul poured forth as he sang about his combatant, yet loving relationship with his late father.

PARTY GIRL – Did you ever wonder what happens to a guy in the audience with a sign that reads, “Me + Guitar = Party Girl?” You get to jump onstage and play the song with the band. The guy was pretty good – he had all the chords changes down and even got a chance to play the lead part (all the time standing right next to the Edge). Catchy little tune from “Under a Blood Red Sky” and impressive performance by the guy; I think I would have peed myself.

One more post coming about the ending of the concert and until then...

Stay connected…

U2 COMES TO PITTSBURGH

Over the past five years or so, God has used U2 as a powerful catalyst in my life to press deeper into Scripture, God’s heart, and God’s kingdom. And after month and months of anticipation, this past Saturday I had the opportunity to gather with family members and friends (both near and scattered all around the Mellon Arena) to experience first hand the art and heart of U2. Later this week I will share a few of my favorite moments of the concert, but today I am thinking about the larger impact and impressions the event had on me.

COMMUNITY – How many bands have come and gone over the last 29 years? Why do I ask that question? Because the four members of U2 have been together for 29 years of uninterrupted musical community. While countless other bands flame out, burn out, implode and explode, these guys continue to make music together and truly enjoy one another. While recognizing the unique contributions each member brings to the table, in U2’s case, 1 +1 + 1 + 1 = “One” incredible musical experience far beyond the individual contributions. I loved to watch the non-verbal communication on stage – the occasional glance and smile, huddling together around a mic, the sharing of the spotlight; a look from Bono that signaled one of his famed lyrical improvisations; these guys are living inside one another’s skin. One of my favorite moments was during an acoustic version of “Stuck in a Moment;” when the Edge blew a change, Bono whispered in his ear and they played it a second time this time nailing it perfectly.

What I experienced on Saturday night was a powerful vision for musical community. I have been playing with some guys in a band for a few years now and I pray that 30 years from now we have the kind of love for the music and more importantly for one another that I saw on display on stage at the Mellon Area.

THE EDGE – While Bono may be the soul of U2, the Edge is the heart. Above the stage was a large screen that contained four separate viewing areas, one section dedicated to and focused upon each of the four band members. Quite often I found myself captivated with the Edge, riveted on his amazing guitar skills. The man plays with incredible passion and simply makes his guitar sing. Whether he was blazing through classic riffs from “One” or “Where the Streets Have No Name” or the tasteful changes on his acoustic on “The First Time” or “Stuck in a Moment,” the signature sound of U2’s music flows from the Edge’s heart through his hands.

TRANSCENDENT MOMENTS – Last week I read about a workshop that will be presented at Willow Creek’s Next Generation Conference on worship leadership entitled “Everything I Needed to Know abut Worship Leading I Learned from an Irish Rock Star.” Let me tell you, U2 understands flow and how to move (and there is a big difference between move and manipulate) an audience. In a recent interview in Rolling Stone, Bono was asked, “What are you trying to do with the audience?” He responded, “To lose my own sense of self, self consciousness – and theirs. It’s an amazing thing. We’re not really a rock & roll band. We’re pretending to be a rock & roll band and sometimes we get away with it… Our set list is designed in a kind of three-act structure, to get people out of themselves and to get ourselves out of ourselves. And to get to a place where everything feels possible…Our definition of art is the breaking open of the breastbone, for sure. Just open-heart surgery.”

I have been a worship leader for quite a few years and feel like I have a pretty good experience base to draw from; but, Bono and the boys took me to school. There were times when I thought my heart was going to explode (Elevation and Where the Streets Have No Name) and tender moments when tears flowed freely (Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own). Surely the presence of the Lord was in the place and I knew it!

It’s a beautiful day; don’t let it get away!

CALLED AND SENT

I didn't sleep much last night. And that's ok. God was stirring me.

After a potent worship gathering in the morning, a frustrating Steeler loss in the afternoon, last night a large group of people gathered for worship at the Open Door, followed up with a lively dialogue with Tony Jones about the shape of the emerging church. Tony is the national coordinator for Emergent and possesses one of the sharpest theological minds you will ever encounter (check out Tony's blog for some heavy duty stuff).While I am not a huge fan of the phrase "emerging church," (I much prefer missional church), Tony rearticulated the heart of the movement - Emergent is all about rethinking theology and rethinking the Church within the context of friendships with a heart to simply follow Jesus into the world. That my friends, energizes me – big-time!

This brings me to the called and sent thing. The first pattern of a missional church is "discerning missional vocation." The word vocation signifies a call and in the Scriptures that call is to participate in God's grand purpose for the world. The call is to come to Jesus and then follow Him into the world and join the activity of God wherever and wherever we are able.
Missional Churches are continually seeking clarity on the call, especially as it relates to identity and location. They give attention to:

• where they are in a geographic, social, and cultural context
• when they are in the flow of history and change
• who they are in continuity with a tradition and re-forming it in the present
• why they are welcoming God's call and entering God's coming reign

Let me raise a few questions:

Where are We? Where is our missional assignment? While I understand we have a responsibility to be engaged in mission to the ends of the earth, our primary responsibility is local. How would you answer the “where are we” question? Are you/we clear about that? I have to confess I am wrestling with this one right now and am unsure that our faith community is zoned in on this one.

When are We? Are we aware of the unique opportunities that stand before us in our time? The Scriptures speak of these moments as kairos moments, opportune times. Because God has placed us in a particular space and time, there are unique situations that face us and demand our attention and energy? What unique opportunities stand before us, right here, right now?

Who are We? Our faith communities are rooted in a theological and historical flow.
Are we clear about our roots and are we re-thinking together about how we will faithfully express ourselves in our world today?

I will save the “why we are” question for later. But in the meantime I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the above. Is God stirring anything in you about the identity and call of the church in the world today? What do you think?

Stay Connected…

PATTERN 1 – MISSIONAL VOCATION

The first pattern that is identified in missional congregations is that of missional vocation. The authors define it as follows:

"The congregation is discovering together the missional vocation of the community. It is beginning to redefine success and vitality in terms of faithfulness to God's calling and sending. It is seeking to discern God's specific mission vocation (charisms) for the entire community and for all its members.”

Ok, without unpacking that definition (I will do that in the next post), let me raise a few questions:

should a church be concerned about success?
how do we typically define success in church?
are these good and accurate indicators of congregational health?
what new benchmarks might a missional church want to consider as better indicators of congregational effectiveness and health?

What do you think? Jump in – share your thoughts and ideas with the community.

Stay connected…

TREASURE IN CLAY JARS

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power from is God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Each month I spent some time with other 4 or 5 other guys in the Pittsburgh region talking about leadership in the missional church. Two of us are old guys and the rest of the group are what I like to call emerging leaders - they keep me on my toes and I am grateful to God that our lives and ministries are becoming more and more interconnected. Believe me, there is a lot of iron sharpening iron that occurs.

This fall we determined that we would read together a book published by The Gospel and Our Culture Network entitled Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness (Lois Barrett et al.). The book is a follow-up to a seminal book on the missional chucrh written in 1998 by Darrell Guder, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America.

Treasure in Clay Jars centers on case studies of nine missional congregations from across the United States and Canada that are diverse in their denomination affiliations, worship styles, political stances, and socioeconomic background. The book explores eight concrete patterns common to these churches. Although the patterns may look different in each setting, the authors argue that these eight patterns can be recognized in any congregation seeking to participate in God's mission in the world. These patterns are not so much about specific activities, but more so about the very heart and soul of the church. The authors write: "the church does not exists for itself, but for participation in God's mission of reconciliation...Mission is the character of the church in whatever context it exists."

For today let me simply list the eight discernable patterns and then in some follow-up posts, I'll share some thoughts and reflections on these patterns and open up some dialogue. As you read through the list, are there any that get your pulse rate up? Which ones energize you or stir up your curiosity? Drop a comment, would you?

Pattern 1, Missional Vocation
Pattern 2, Biblical Formation and Discipleship
Pattern 3, Taking Risks as a Contrast Community
Pattern 4, Practices That Demonstrate God's Intent for the World
Pattern 5, Worship as Public Witness
Pattern 6, Dependence on the Holy Spirit
Pattern 7, Pointing Toward the Reign of God
Pattern 8, Missional Authority

Stay Connected...

SOMETHING TO BE

Well I capped off my weekend by spending a couple of hours with my daughter Abby at Heinz Hall (along with a few other friends scattered throughout the venue) enjoying the Rob Thomas concert. The show rocked. For those of you not familiar with Rob, he is the lead singer of Matchbox Twenty and his biggest commercial hit was a song he wrote and recorded with guitar genius Carlos Santana, “Smooth” (he did a great scaled back version last night –I love to hear deconstructed arrangements - very Sting-like – but that’s a different story). The show included stuff from his solo project, great MB20 songs, obscure Tabitha’s Secret songs and a few classic covers like “Let’s Dance” (David Bowie), “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” (Tom Petty and Stevie Nix) and a beautiful Tracy Chapman song.

Rob opened the song with the title track from his solo project, “Something to Be.”

I can't stand what I'm starting to be
I can't stand the people that I'm starting to need
There's so much now that can go wrong
And I don't need somebody
Trying to help it along
It's the same old song
Everybody says you've been away too long
Everybody wanna tell you what went wrong
Wanna make you like an icon
Till you believe that they're right

I've been looking for something
Something I've never seen
We're all looking for something
Something to be…

The song reminds me that life is all about being. Yesterday in our worship gathering I reminded our community that it is not only important to know who we are but as well to possess a vision of who and what we will become.

Rob’s opener got me thinking - a number of years ago I discovered a book by Brennan Manning (Abba’s Child) that radically changed my life (perhaps even saved my life): Manning said, “Define yourself as one radically loved by God.”

I heard not long ago that the key to real life is “simply” to become what we all ready are.

We're all looking for something
Something to be…

What do you think?

Stay Connected…

WEEKEND PREVIEW

Well it's Friday and that means the weekend is upon us. For most of you that means down time, but for those of us in the ministry thing everything has a sense of building toward Sunday. Here's a quick look at the next couple of days in my life - what's happening in yours?

Friday night is Pizza Night in the Timm Household. We have a few places in the rotation like Pepperoni's in Bethel Park, Little Nippers on Beverly Road, Mineo's and my favorite, Caruso’s in Uptown Mt. Lebanon. What's your favorite - who's got the best slice in your neighborhood?

Saturday night my son Sam's high school soccer team has a big match as they take on Peters. I must say everyone had pretty low expectations for the team this year, but they have worked their way up to a number two ranking in WPIAL. Peters in the only undefeated team in WPIAL AAA and the match is on their pitch; it will be a real test. What kind of games will you be playing (or watching) this weekend?

Sunday morning we begin a new series at our church's worship gatherings. I am pretty pumped abut the series on "Environments." Each week we'll be looking at an element in the creation and allowing it to serve as a metaphor for our life as the People of God. Here are the five environments and they way they speak to our call and purpose as a community of faith:

Wind - Mission is why the Church Exists
Fire - Relevance to Culture is not Optional
Earth - Creativity is the Natural Result of Spirituality
Wood - Structure must Submit to Spirit
Water - Love is the Context for All Mission

Do any of these elements peak your curiosity?

And on Sunday night I will bring the weekend to a close by attending the Rob Thomas concert at Heinz Hall. Rob is the former lead singer for Matchbox 20 and earlier this year released an excellent solo project. I have never attended a rock concert at Heinz Hall; the acoustics should be great. How about you: what are you listening to these days?

Have a great weekend and stay connected…

THE TASK OF LEADERSHIP

True confessions - I have a fascination with the papacy. Although I disagree with Rome on a number of theology points, in 1978 as a nineteen year pre-Christian, I watched as the white smoke billowed forth from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and Karol Wojty³a was introduced to the world as Pope John Paul II. From that moment I was hooked - the mystery, the intrigue, the pomp and ceremony, the hat (yes the hat!). Patty as a former Roman Catholic can't quite figure it out (nor can I for that matter). Part of my Christmas Eve tradition for the past twenty-some years has been watching at least a portion of the Pope's Christmas Eve mass.

This past semester I have been teaching a class on Leadership at the Greater Works School of Ministry and our primary text has been Reggie McNeal's book, "A Work of Heart." But a couple of weeks ago we took a detour and spent an entire class discussing leadership lessons from the life of John Paul II. A bunch of American protestants spending two hours learning about leadership from the life of a polish priest - pretty cool stuff if you ask me.

John Paul II has been the only pope I've known. And now we have Benedict XVI. Only time will tell if he captures my interest like John Paul, but I thought I should try to get to know the man. And so I spend some time reading the text of his homily from his installation mass this past Sunday. Again, there is much I do not agree with biblically and theologically; but Benedict made this profound statement about the task of leadership:

“My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him so that He himself will lead the church at this hour of our history,”

I love these words. Leadership isn't about promoting our own agenda or asserting our own will - it's all about bringing the community together to listen for the voice of God and than following Him into the future. In this hour of history, I find myself privileged to serve with a number of sisters and brothers in a strong leadership community in my local church. I could think of no higher goal than together discerning the voice of Christ and following Him with faith and obedience.

Let the ones who have ears, hear what the Spirt is saying to the Church!

CELEBRATE SOMETHING EVERYDAY

How can we up our amazement factor? Celebrate something everyday. Take time to say thanks. I was reading today in Mark 8 where we find the miracle of the loaves and fish - Jesus takes seven loaves of bread and a few fish and feeds thousands - amazing! When the disciples the bread and fish, the first thing Jesus did was give thanks. One of the church fathers, St Bede said this about Jesus' actions:

"As Jesus was on the point of refreshing the multitude, he gave thanks. He gave thanks in order to teach us for the favors we have received from heaven and to impress upon us how much he himself rejoices at our spiritual refreshment."

For some of us it is a fairly common practice to give thanks before a meal. What if we stretch it out a bit and began to say thanks in advance of the events, people, and experiences that bring refreshment to our souls? Before we tee off on the first hole - say thanks for birdies and double bogies and everything in-between. Before we embark on a walk - say thanks for legs that carry us and a glorious creation to enjoy. Before we listen to a piece of music - say thanks for ears that hear and souls that respond to a beautifully crafted song.

Open your eyes; there's great stuff all around. Stuff that is well worth celebrating and giving thanks.

BECOMING A PERSON OF WONDER, HOPE AND IMAGINATION

The other day our family rented what I must say was one of the best movies I've seen in quite some time. "Finding Neverland" is the story of JM Barrie, the imaginative genius behind the story of "Peter Pan." Seeing the film brought back a fond childhood memory; in fact one of my earliest Pittsburgh memories (our family moved to Pittsburgh when I was 10 years old). My parents took me and my younger brother to a local production of "Peter Pan" and I was particular amazed and captivated by Peter's ability to fly across the stage of Baldwin High School (sorry for the aside). "Finding Neverland" goes far beyond a children's story - it is a film about wonder, hope, and imagination, themes that all of us should revisit on a regular basis.

Jesus came to announce and enact the kingdom of God. He invited people to enter into it and experience a whole new dimension of life. In his invitations, Jesus used many images to help people understand what God's kingdom was all about - one of the most powerful is found in Matthew 18:

Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(Matthew 18:2-4)

Why did Jesus liken the kingdom to a child? Because children have a tendency to live more naturally as people of wonder, hope, and imagination.

In what way is Neverland similar to the kingdom of God? It has to be believed to be seen. I love what Darrel Manson had to say about Neverland and the kingdom (http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/comments/darrel/2004/11/finding-neverland.html)

"But Neverland is more than an issue of imagination versus reality: it is also a matter of belief. One does not merely imagine Neverland. Neverland requires belief not so much an intellectual assent as a complete emotional acceptance. When we allow ourselves to believe in such a place as Neverland (or perhaps the Kingdom of God), we open the door to a reality that is beyond us. To find such a new reality is among the greatest gifts of childlikeness and is a blessing that only an adult can truly appreciate."

Check out "Finding Neverland." Watch it with the eyes, ears and imagination of a child. While it's not the Gospel, you just might find your thoughts turned toward the kingdom of heaven.

TO HANNAH

I know a girl she puts the color inside of my world
and she's just like a maze
where all of the walls all continually change.
And I've done all I can
to stand on the steps with my heart in my hand
Now I'm starting to see
maybe it's got nothing to do with me.
Fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters, too.

Boys you can break, you find out how much they can take.
Boys will be strong and boys soldier on,
But boys would be gone without warmth from a woman's good, good heart.

(John Mayer, Daughters)

It's hard to believe but this morning I woke up as the father of an 18th year old daughter. It seems like just yesterday when your mom and I brought home a beautiful, bald-headed baby girl from the Beaver Medical Center (we wondered if you would ever have any hair; no worries, God has crowned with grace and beauty). And today I am sitting in a coffee shop listening to John Mayer with tears in my eyes, grateful for all the incredible gifts you have brought into my life. Growing up in a family without any sisters, your presence in my life has taken me into places I could have never dreamed of. Hannah, thanks for putting the color inside my world:

the joys of shopping; (even in NYC and Chicago - and look out LA);
the trials of parallel parking (as they say the 4th time is the charm);
our annual August bike rides at Ohiopyle (we finally made it to the end of the trail);
the music of artists like John Mayer, Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5, Mraz, Something Corporate, and Dashboard Confessional (you know I love those chords);
sharing cups of coffee at Border's or Starbucks (thanks for being the only one in our family who will drink the stuff with me).

Hannah - you are an incredible gift from God and it has been a joy these past 18 years being your father. It's blows me away to even imagine that God would entrust me with such a precious gift. Thanks for inviting me into your world and the more I know you, the more I love you. May God continue to bring much warmth from your good, good heart.

Happy Birthday Hannah!

BRINGING THE KINGDOM NEAR (LESSONS FROM THE MUSTARD SEED)

Again Jesus said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32)

This weekend Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost, authors of the book, "The Shaping of Things to Come" will meet with leaders here in Pittsburgh. Together we will explore what it means to be a missional church in this part of the world. I believe our dialogue is going to rock our region and I think it is timely to read these simple words of Jesus in preparation for our gathering.

What is the kingdom? It is the very presence of Jesus who is Himself the mustard seed. During the past weeks I have been reading through the Gospel of Mark and alongside my Bible I have a copy of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. This volume is a collection of commentary from voices within the second to eighth century of the faith community and its intent is to allow the living voices of the church in its formative stage to speak as they engage the sacred pages of Scripture. This morning I find the words of Peter Chrysologus speaking to me:

"Yes, it is true; a mustard seed is indeed an image of the kingdom of God. Christ is the kingdom of heaven. Sown like a mustard seed in the garden of the virgin's womb, he grew into a tree of the cross whose branches stretch across the world. Crushed in the mortar of the passion, its fruits has produced seasoning enough for the flavoring of every living creature with which it comes into contact. As long as the mustard seed remains intact, its properties lie dormant; but when they are crushed they are exceedingly evident. So it was with Christ. He chose to have his body crushed, because He would not have his power concealed. And He sowed His seed in His garden, that is in His bride, the Church."

What would it be like if Jesus became deeply rooted in our communities and his life began to spring up in and through us? How might Jesus be calling us to give our own seeds over for the kingdom, to allow our own hopes and dreams to be crushed in order that our communities might become all God intended, created, redeemed, and gifted them to be? Perhaps through our time together this weekend, we will discover afresh what a church might look like that finds its life fully in Christ and from that source grows deep and tall in its world, providing shelter and shade for weary men and women, boys and girls.

BRINGING THE KINGDOM NEAR (LOVE)

Earlier this past week I spent a couple of hours with our teaching community talking about the first chapter of a great book by Jeff Medefind and Erik Lokkesmoe entitled, "The Revolutionary Communicator." (For more info: http://www.relevantstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=122). I picked up the book thinking it would present to me the magic formula for more compelling Sunday morning talks. Surpise. Big surprise. It offers a whole lot more. What I did discover was the authors present seven relational pathways that Jesus followed to impact, connect and lead people. Much to take to heart.

Chapter One is all about attentiveness. Early in the chapter they reference the words of Mother Theresa: “As far as I am concerned, the greatest suffering is to feel alone, unwanted, unloved."

When Jesus announced, "the kingdom of God is at hand," He was taking direct action to alleviate this kind of suffering. Jesus was and is, "God-with-us," and His attentiveness to others brought the kingdom of God near. And the central value that empowered His attentiveness was love: love for God and for others.

As Christ followers, we have the opportunity each and every day to announce and enact the message of love to those in our world. Love is a powerful weapon in this kingdom revolution. It has the capacity to diffuse hatred, strife, division; it builds up, encourages, and brings people together.

Bono and the boys of U2 are raising an important question within the title of their latest CD and supporting tour. It's a question every person who aspires to become a kingdom revolutionary needs to grapple with and it reflects the power of the weapons Jesus has entrusted to our care. Question: How do you dismantle an atomic bomb? Answer: With love!

BRINGING THE KINGDOM NEAR (HOPE)

Last year Marlaena Cochran spoke at one of our CCC worship gatherings on the topic of hope. She referenced Eugene Peterson who describes hope with these words:

"Hope is imagination put in the harness of faith. It means a confident, alert expectation that God will do what He said He will do."

I love that description and it fits so well with Jesus announcement in Mark 1:15: "The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" A spiritual, economic, and political malaise had settled upon much for first century Palestine. Although in the back of their minds, the Jewish nation had a promise from God that one day His kingdom would be established, quite frankly there was very little expectation and even less confidence that God would actually do what He said he would, at least in their lifetime. When Jesus announced that the in Him the kingdom had come, he was declaring that God was now doing the very thing God said He would do. Jesus came to proclaim HOPE.

Hope is a powerful weapon in this kingdom revolution. Hope has the capacity to counteract, and even neutralize its arch rival, despair - that brooding, oppressive sense that things will never be any different. One of my favorite texts of Scripture comes from Ephesians:

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20 -21)

Immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine - that's hope: imagination in the harness of faith!

Bringing the kingdom near means incarnating a message of hope - becoming and living day in and day out, as people of hope. Today let your faith in God run wild. Live with a confident and alert expectation that God will do what God said He will. And as a kingdom revolutionary, bring that message into the circles of despair that are all around us.

Let's keep hope alive!

BRINGING THE KINGDOM OF GOD NEAR (FAITH)

This week I'll be sharing some thoughts on bringing the kingdom of God near.

Erwin McManus in his latest book, "The Barbarian Way" writes: "The invitation of Jesus is a revolutionary call to fight for the heart of humanity. We are called to an unconventional war using only the weapons of faith, hope and love. Nevertheless, this war is no less dangerous than any war ever fought. And for those of us, who embrace the cause of Christ, the cost to participate in the mission of God is nothing less than everything we are and everything we have."

The first words from the mouth of Jesus as found in the Gospel of Mark are these: "The time has come; the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:14-15). Jesus was declaring that in Him and through Him, God was unveiling His plan for Israel.

A large piece of this kingdom revolution was, to use NT Wright's word, "a call to become a renewed people." And so very quickly Jesus begins to invite others into this kingdom quest. Simon and Andrew, James, and John - they all abandoned their nets to follow Jesus and become the first kingdom revolutionaries. In some simple yet profound way, Simon, Andrew, James and John exhibited faith in Jesus. It is unclear as to what they truly believed about who Jesus was - but one thing was certain: they each possessed a level of confidence (faith) that indeed God was doing something unique and powerful in and through Jesus and they were compelled to be a part of it.

It is interesting to note that the first public expression of Jesus' ministry occurred in the synagogue of Capernaum. There Jesus confronted a man with an evil spirit who cried out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!" (Mark 1:24). Immediately Jesus silenced the demons and the man was delivered and liberated from their oppression. It's interesting that the first one to public declare who Jesus was, happened to be a demon. What's up with that? And why did Jesus silence them?

Jesus invites you and me to be a part of the kingdom revolution. As Erwin McManus says, it is an unconventional war fought only with the weapons of faith, hope, and love. One of the church fathers, Augustine, wrote this about the distinction between a devil's faith and the faith of a Christ follower:

"Faith is mighty, but without love it profits nothing. The devils confessed Christ, but lacking charity it availed nothing. They said, 'What do we have to do with you?' They confessed a sort of faith but without love. Hence they were devils. Do not boast of that faith that puts you on the same level with the devils."

As we ready ourselves for battle - let's check our faith and let's make sure it is a faith that is ready to work itself out in love.

THE POWER OF STORY (ENACTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD)

Stories are powerful. They serve as a window through which we gain a clearer view of the world. They can move us from indifference to compassion, from hatred to love, and from darkness into light. Stories shape our imaginations, and provide a sense of meaning, purpose, direction, and intention to life. They have the power to invite us into something larger than ourselves (in the words of Jim Collins a "BHAG," Big, Audacious, Hairy, Goal)

Here's a powerful story from Steve Chalke's book, "The Forgotten Message of Jesus;" it reminds me about the invitation we have from Jesus to "bring the kingdom of God near."

"In the frenzy of battle during World War II it obviously wasn’t always possible to return fallen soldiers to their homeland for burial. Many lay where they fell and are only remembered today by anonymous graves. Fearing this fate for one of their own, a US Company fight in the heart of the French countryside approached a Catholic priest to ask if they could bury their fallen colleague in the small, countryside graveyard attached to the church. To their astonishment, the priest turned them down on two grounds – the dead soldier was not a Catholic and there was no room in the already crowded graveyard. With heavy hearts the soldiers were left with no other option than to bury their friend just beyond the small wooden fence that marked the boundary of the cemetery and indicating its presence with a simple cross.

Within a couple of months the war was over and the company prepared for their journey home. But longing to say goodbye to their dead friend, they decided to return once more to the graveyard alongside where they had buried him. On arriving at the church, the cemetery looked much the same but, try as they might, as they walked around the perimeter fence they could not see any sign of the wooden cross they had left to mark the grave. Angered by they belief that the priest had removed even this simple memorial to they fallen buddy, they ran towards the church to challenge the priest. But as they approached, the priest came out to meet them. “I am so glad you have returned,” he said in a welcoming voice. “After you left I was troubled by my actions. I saw the dignity with which you buried your friend and realized the anguish my decision had caused you. I couldn’t change the fact that the cemetery was full so I decided to solve the problem in a different way. I’ve moved the boundary fence a meter or two so that your friend’s grave is now within the graveyard itself. I hope you can forgive me.”

Like the priest, sometimes bringing the kingdom of God near is not my first thought. But I pray that like the priest it might be my last one.

APRIL FOOLS' DAY

According to USA TODAY Snapshots, these are the top three April Fools' Day jokes:

1) Swiss spaghetti harvest: In 1957, the BBC said Swiss farmers were harvesting a huge spaghetti crop due to the near elimination of the spaghetti weevil. Coverage showed peasants picking spaghetti from trees.

2) Sidd Finch: In April 1985, Sports Illustrated writer George Plimpton wrote an article about a new Mets pitcher, side Finch, a Buddhist monk who could throw a 168 MPH fastball.

3) Instant color: In 1962, Sweden’s only TV channel broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert shows how viewers could convert their sets to color by pulling a nylon stocking over the screen.

April Fools’ Day or All Fools' Day, is celebrated around the world on the first day of April. On this day it is customary to play practical jokes on people, causing them to believe something that isn’t true or to go on a fruitless errand. Although the origin of the custom is unknown, a common theory is that it developed as part of ancient spring festivals.

I find it interesting that this year, we remember April Fools Day during the first week of the Easter season. What some might consider to be the biggest joke of all - God coming to earth, taking on human form, dying, and rising again to new life - is in fact the power and wisdom of God to save.

It's no joke - Christ has died, Christ has risen and Christ will come again!

"Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. "

1 Corinthians 3:18-19

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

Patty's Aunt Mary died earlier this month. She was an interesting, eighty-something woman who lived a rich, full life. Until the end that is: the last six weeks of her life were in a sense, a nightmare. Throw in a unclear diagnosis, medical and nursing home staff, power of attorney, family tension and strife, and no clear communication and documentation from the patient and what do you have: a living (and dying) nightmare.

I'm pro-life and believe that a true pro-life position is like a seamless garment of life, valuing life from conception to death. This is a complex issue with no simplistic answers and Christ followers must grapple with matters of life and death in and with faith.

I'd encourage you to take a look at Julie Polter's article on "End of Life Ethics"

http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0408&article=040841c

Take some time this week to speak with loved ones about matters of life and death. And do so prayerfully with sensitivity, to both the Spirit of God and to another as sisters and brothers in Christ.

TWIST OF FAITH: EMERGENT CHURCHES ATTRACT WORSHIPPERS WITH ALTERNATIVE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES

Check out the article in Sunday's Pittsburgh Post Gazette on the emerging church movement in Pittsburgh. I know all of the pastors referenced in the story (including BJ Woodworth who has been a guest speaker at Christ Community Church) and I think you will find it informative and inspiring. Leave a comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts and reactions.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05086/477120.stm

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

One of the treasures from the ancient practices of the church that has caught the attention of the people in the emerging church movement is the Stations of the Cross. This most likely is new to those of us from the protestant tradition, but the stations of the cross have helped men and women of faith throughout the generations draw closer to the amazing events that transpired in Jerusalem some two thousand years ago that fully revealed the Father's love for sinners. In a sense, Mel Gibson's, "The Passion of the Christ" is a two hour film on the stations.

Last evening at our Holy Thursday worship gathering we viewed a short piece created by Sally Morganthaler entitled "Stations." You can view it here:

http://sermonspice.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=50

On this day we call Good Friday, I'll be spending time reflecting on the passion of the Christ. A compelling website that features the Stations of the Cross is

http://communiquejournal.org/081203_stationsgallery/index.html

At this site you will discover creative renderings of the final hours of Christ's life, along with commentary that will draw your heart deeper into the amazing love of God displayed in Christ's sacrifice.

For those of you who prefer music, take a listen to Jars of Clay's powerful version of "What Wondrous Love." You can download from a number of sites including iTunes and

http://musicdownloads.walmart.com/catalog/servlet/AlbumServlet?id=76944.

May you encounter Christ's passion and love for you afresh this day.

A DAY WITH TIM SANDERS

Yesterday I had the unique opportunity of spending a day with Tim Sanders. For those of you not familiar with Tim, he is the Chief Solutions Officer and Leadership Coach at Yahoo! and the author of a pretty amazing book,” Love is the Killer App" (here's a link to a great summary of the book, http://www.fastcompany.com/online/55/love.html)

Tim was in Pittsburgh yesterday to film a 90 minute program for PBS (it will air here in Pittsburgh on April 21 - look for me, I am the guy in the red sweater) based upon his new book "The Likeability Factor." His thesis is not rocket science that's for sure: people who are well liked are more apt to get what they want out of life than those who are disliked. Duh!

Sanders described the four building blocks of likeability:

•Friendliness: your ability to communicate openness to others
•Relevance: your capacity to connect with others' interests, wants, and needs
•Empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people's feelings
•Realness: the integrity that stands behind your likeability and guarantees its authenticity

Just imagine for a moment what a community of faith might look like if we took these four foundational relationship skills seriously.

Not only did I glean some good stuff from Tim (and let me say upfront I don't agree with everything Tim presents; although he does come from a Christian faith perspective, there were a couple of moments when I wanted to stop the cameras and do a bit of biblical and theological work with him) - but the beauty of experience was connecting with others in the studio audience. There were about 40 of us from all walks of life (business, the non-profits sector, and even the church), some who traveled as far as Wisconsin and Alabama to be a part of the event - who are seriously interested in making a real difference in their world. The 93 year old man who generously gives of his time and love, marketplace leaders who are shaping and nurturing environments of love and grace in their organizations, people who are investing their lives in others for the sake of Jesus Christ, couples and individuals who simply want to bring some joy and goodness to a world that is hopelessly spiraling downward in a doom loop.

God gave us a special gift: a community that had a limited lifespan of about 8 hours, but it was a true gift indeed. And at various times throughout the day, Tim reminded us that what we were involved in has the potential to change the world. That's a pretty bold statement, but one that has a lot of truth in it. When men and women, boys and girls, who have a high likeability factor, leverage that for the sake of Christ, I believe this world can be turned right side up.

PALM SUNDAY 2005

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow
In the name of love

What more in the name of love?

Pride (In the Name of Love), U2

Today was Palm Sunday. Our community of faith is in the early weeks of a series entitled Rediscovering Jesus (Who He Was and Is) and this morning I spoke on Jesus the King. For Christ followers, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of a week long journey with Jesus through a variety of experiences that reflect the full spectrum of emotions: the joy of his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue of the garden, the betrayal by a friend, the horror of the cross, the sadness and despair of the disciples, and the exhilaration of His resurrection.

It all begins with Palm Sunday when Jesus declares that He is indeed the long awaited King. The crowds immediately embraced Him with shouts of Hosanna (Salvation now!) And yet they quickly turned on him when they realized Jesus was not the kind of King they envisioned.

Jesus was the King of love. Every fiber of His being cried out love. In light of His mission of love listen again to U2's lyric:

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

I recently read a sermon by Mike Kinman entitled "An Army of One" by Mike Kinman. He closes with these words and I leave them with you as well:

"This week let us claim our pride in the name of love, let us walk with Christ and see what love has already done. Let us sit in awe and wonder and contemplate what love is doing right now. And as Easter dawns and we breathe in the air of the resurrected life, let us look back at where we've been. Let us look forward, too at the world that is set before us. And let us ask what more Christ calls this army of one, and each of our armies of one, to do and be."

What more in the name of love?

SCORE!

No, I'm not talking about March Madness (although I just watched Texas Tech upset Gonzaga). This morning I scored tickets to U2's concert in Pittsburgh on October 22.

I have to confess I am pumped. Over the past 30 years I have had the opportunity to see just about every major musical act - from my very first concert in 1972 (Elton John) - to celebrating a birthday with Paul McCartney a few years ago in Cleveland. U2 is the one super band I have never seen live, but in October a musical dream will come true.

7 months but who's counting...

SHARE THE WELL

Yesterday, I downloaded from iTunes (I am trying to say goodbye to CDs), Share the Well, the latest release from Caedmon's Call. The heart for the project and the songs that flowed forth were birthed through the band's visit to a number of different countries and cultures (India, Brazil among others). God enlarged their vision and gave them eyes to see His work all around them as well as a deep compassion to share the well and to leverage their music as a means of helping meet people's real needs.

This project is personally challenging. For the past eighteen months I have been focusing my energies (along with many others) on getting a new church off the ground. We express our mission at Christ Community Church through the following words: "helping people connect with God, one another and our world." And God is calling us to enlarge our vision of "our world."

If that vision resonates with you at all I'd encourage you to check out the band website:
http://www.caedmonscall.com/ns/sharethewell/

Share the well
Share with your brother
Share the well, my friend
It takes a deeper well
To love one another
Share the well, my friend...

You know I've heard good people say
There's nothing I can do
That's half a world away
Well maybe you've got money
Maybe you've got time
Maybe you've got the Living Well
That ain't ever running dry.

Share the well...

BLINK

I'm delving into the latest book by Malcolm Gladwell entitled Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking. Now there's a book title you have to love. Who wouldn't want more thinking power without having to think about it?

Gladwell is one of my favorite authors. A couple of years ago he wrote the best-selling The Tipping Point, a study in idea, thought, and social epidemics (that book has huge implications for a social movement like the Christian faith - I highly recommend it. BTW: Blink came into my hands through the kindness of my friend Laurel. She happened to be in Boston a few weeks ago and noticed in the local paper that Gladwell was giving a talk at Harvard. Knowing that I loved his previous work, Laurel found a way to obtain a personally inscribed copy of the book for me. What a great gift. Thanks Laurel!)

Here's a summary of the book:

"Don’t think - blink. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work -in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?"

I'm pretty pumped to discover the power of thinking without thinking. I love practical stuff that will add value to my life (especially if I don't have to think much about it). And I've certainly want to grow in my ability to make good sound decisions (sometimes I make decisions by listening to my gut and then doing the opposite - I'm pretty sure that's not what Gladwell has in mind).

I'll keep you posted on my discoveries. If you want to explore for yourself, follow the link in my Stuff I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To section.

FREEDOM

Last night I watched a woman walk (actually fly) into freedom. It was a big night outside the prison gates in Alderson, WV and at the Greenbrier Community Airport. Martha Stewart was released from prison after serving the first phase of her sentence for her conviction on charges connected to the sale of her shares in ImClone Systems.

My wife Patty has been a fan of Martha for quite some time. Over the years, I have to admit I have grown to respect Martha and have actually watched a few episodes of her TV show with Patty.

I was interested to see what Martha looked like last night upon her release from prison. I realize it was a highly choreographed event, but Martha looked really good. There was lightness in her step, warmth in her smile, and a sense of genuine joy on her face. Being released from prison can do that to a person. Although Martha did not speak to the reporters and well-wishers gathered, she did release a statement on her website that read:

"The experience of the last five months in Alderson, West Virginia has been life altering and life affirming. Someday, I hope to have the chance to talk more about all that has happened, the extraordinary people I have met here and all that I have learned. I can tell you now that I feel very fortunate to have had a family that nurtured me, the advantage of an excellent education, and the opportunity to pursue the American dream. You can be sure that I will never forget the friends that I met here, all that they have done to help me over these five months, their children, and the stories they have told me. Right now, as you can imagine, I am thrilled to be returning to my more familiar life. My heart is filled with joy at the prospect of the warm embraces of my family, friends and colleagues. Certainly, there is no place like home."

I pray that these words are true and that Martha's experience in prison has been and will continue to be, a life altering and life affirming one.

Although most of us have not had the kind of prison experience Martha Stewart had, we do know what it's like to be held captive. A number of years ago the band Creed burst onto the musical scene with the song, "My Own Prison."

"A court is in session, a verdict is in,
no appeal on the docket today, just my own sin.
The walls are cold and pale, the cage made of steel
Screams fill the room alone I drop and kneel.
Silence now the sound, my breath the only motion around.
Demons cluttering around, my face showing no emotion
Shackled by my sentence, expecting no return.
Here there is no penance, my skin begins to burn.

I cry out to God, seeking only his decision
Gabriel stands and confirms
I've created my own prison."

We all create our own prisons - prisons of anger, denial, addiction, hurt, fear, pain, sin. One of my own personal prisons is the cell of resentment. One conversation this week with a friend reminded me that my anger toward a particular person is still enslaving me. It's imprisoned me and I need to get out.

As well, others seek to enslave us through their own sinfulness words, intentions, and actions. And yet the truth of the Jesus story is that Jesus came to set the captives free. In one of Jesus' first public appearances He said,

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” [Luke 4:19-20]

What enslaves you? What does your prison cell look like? And what have you learned about yourself, others, and God in the midst of that place? And although there won't be any TV cameras or private jets to whisk you off to the next season of life, Jesus is there - He holds the key, and He wants us to walk into His freedom.

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM SEASBISCUIT

Last night I spent a couple of hours with some guys kicking around leadership lessons from the movie Seabiscuit. Ken Smith, one of the members of our leadership team at Christ Community Church, did a masterful job of facilitating our discussion around three critical elements of servant leadership: caring about people; building community; and enabling others to succeed.

Seabiscuit, a past Academy Award nominee for Picture of the Year, is a heart moving story of triumph and perseverance set during the Great Depression of the 1930's. It is centered around a horse, but it's much more than a horse story (for a great summary of the film check out the review at http://hollywoodjesus.com/seabiscuit.htm).

One of my favorite scenes in the film is Charles Howard's (Jeff Bridges) first encounter with Tom Smith (Chris Cooper). Smith is a loner, an old school kind of guy who much prefers the wide open prairies to social parties. Smith is focusing his attention on an injured horse and Howard poses the question, "Why are you fixing him?" "Because I can," replied Smith. "Every horse is good for something...You don't just throw away a life because he's banged up a little."

I love that line (and it becomes the overarching theme of the film): "You don't throw away a whole life, just because he's banged up a little." Think about the implications. Life bangs us all up; we all carry around wounds from the past. Some are self inflicted. And we all contribute to the woundedness of others. Our culture is quick to throw people away. Signs of weakness and brokenness won't get you far in our "You're Fired" culture.

What would life be like in a community that cared deeply for people, a community that lived with intentionality and purpose - a community that made the decision that it would be the kind of place that doesn't throw people away, but instead cares for, loves, and nurtures the banged up, the wounded and the broken?

This may seem like pie in the sky dreaming (or as one guy said it's "swimming upstream"). Quite frankly, it is; it is counter cultural. But if we can learn anything from a horse story, it's this: sowing the seeds of care and love can change your world, my world, and our world.

MY FAMILY IS HOME

Last last night my wife and two of our children came home. They had traveled south for some sun and soccer. Since our oldest son is away at college, it was just me and Abby, our youngest, for five whole days. To be honest I was a bit concerned about how the days would unfold. But we had a great time together and it was amazing how quiet and calm the house was with just the two of us.

Well things changed rather quickly this morning - my wake up call went something like this: "wake up, the toilet is overflowing." And before I could wipe the sleep out of my eyes and the cobwebs from my brain, I found myself plunging, mopping, and disinfecting. A great way to start a brand new day!

Family life isn't always neat and clean, is it? We can spend a whole lot of time plunging, mopping, and disinfecting. It's rather sloppy and messy at times. Community life is like that as well. Put a a few (or ten or a hundred) people together and pretty soon some messy stuff arises. But we roll up our sleeves, start plunging and mopping and we discover it's better together than apart.

The quiet and calm of the past five days is gone - I'm glad the family is home!

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN

I mentioned late in December that one of my goals for 2005 was to spend some time listening to and reflecting upon U2's "How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb." It's a great CD that brings the band back to their musical roots and the lyrics provide plenty to chew on.

Did you catch U2 at the Grammy's - no pun intended, but it was the bomb. Set against a simple, unadorned white backdrop, the band performed "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own," a song that has actually been around for a couple of years (Bono first performed it at his father's funeral). The song speaks of a son's frustration with his father's unwillingness or inability to let his son into his world of suffering in order that he might share the burden of a terrible disease and sickness. Bono sings:

"Tough, you think you’ve got the stuff
You’re telling me and anyone you’re hard enough.
You don’t have to put up a fight,
You don’t have to always be right,
Let me take some of the punches for you tonight.
Listen to me now I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone.
And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own."

(Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own, U2)

This morning I spoke at our worship gathering from Acts 2:41-47 on the topic of community. One of the things I noticed in the text is that the earliest Christian community was described as a needs-meeting community. The Scriptures make it clear that no one had any needs. Now, that's an amazing statement. How could that possibly be?

Maybe a key was that people in the first century were quicker to acknowledge their needs with one another. It seems to be that there has been an “evolution” in our culture (maybe better said, a de-evolution) that the more mature you are, the less needs you should have. And God forbid, we might actually be needy!

One of the things I learned from Dr. Gilbert Bilizekian is that community is a place where we can know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served. One of the beautiful aspects of that definition is that community is a two way street: we not only know others, they know us, we not only love others, we are loved in return, we not only serve others, we are served.

I can’t make it make on my own and my guess is that you aren't much different. U2’ s song concludes with these words:

Sometimes you can't make it,
Best you can do is to fake it,
Sometimes you can't make it on your own.

The past three Wednesday mornings I've been hanging out with Matt in the men’s changing room of the Mt. Lebanon Swimming Pool. I’ve been trying something new: golf lessons. Now I really enjoy golf and although I have been at it for about five years now, quite frankly I've had limited success. An additional motivator is the fact that a month from today I'll be on the course in Florida with three good friends and thought it might be interesting to work with someone who actually knows what they are talking.

The word I would use to describe the experience is deconstruction. Now I know that's a loaded term but it fits. Matt, my instructor, is deconstructing my swing. It's been interesting to learn work the fundamentals: address, backswing, hinge, follow-through. I'm discovering that I have been doing quite a few things wrong. Why do I swing the golf club the way I do? Good question. That's the way I've always swung the club. My swing is a combination of my athletic ability, intuition, observing others, reading golf magazines, along with a few comments and pointers from well meaning partners. All of these have contributed to one thing: a technically, flawed swing. Now don't get me wrong, I can get the ball down the fairway and into the hole. But it would be a lot more fun if it could be accomplished with fewer strokes. And so Matt has been deconstructing my swing in order that it might be reconstructed with sound technical fundamentals.

Can I push this deconstruction thing a bit? I wonder what might happen if it was applied to some other areas of life? For instance, this Sunday I will be speaking on the topic of community. My guess is we all have a particular approach and way of doing community. But I wonder if the our perspective and practice is based on sound fundamentals? Or are we simply doing it and living it "they way we always have?"

This is one of the reasons why I am pumped about "The Shaping of Things to Come" (both the book and the experience with Frost and Hirsh on April 16). In a sense they are helping people deconstruct the church and rebuild it upon a sound biblical, missiological foundation.

This deconstruction thing is painful. I am finding it is difficult to leave behind old habits. But I am hopeful that the pain of change right now will lead to a more enjoyable future – both on the golf course and in the life of the community.

Over the past six months I've had opportunity to dialogue with people, both near and far, about a book written by two Australians, Michael Frost and Alan Hirsh. The Shaping of Things to Come is an important work for any Christ follower to consider, but especially those who are involved in new church developments. Frost and Hirsch have strong convictions that the time is right for the Church to be a force for positive change and transformation in the world today. They write:

"For the first time we in the West are living in what has been called a post-Christian era. Most people throughout the Western world have seen what the Church has to offer, and they found it to be wanting. The current credibility gap has made it hard to communicate the gospel with clarity and authenticity. Paradoxically, this is the case even though it is currently a time of almost unprecedented openness to issues of God, faith, and meaning. This is a time when the need for, and relevance of, the gospel has seldom been greater, but the relevance of the Church has seldom been less. If ever there was a time for innovative missionary effort in the West, it is now."

I have to tell you this book is rocking my world (in a positive way) and I am excited about the conversations it is stimulating among those involved in local church leadership. Through a very cool set of circumstance, both authors will be here in Pittsburgh on Saturday April 16 to discuss their book and to facilitate discussion among churches here in the Pittsburgh region interested in being a positive force in the world today. The event will take place at Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Oakland from 9 AM - 5 PM. Before that date I'd encourage you to do a couple of things:

1) get a copy of the book and begin to read it (http://www.hendrickson.com/html/product/36597.acad.html?category=academic)
2) block off April 16 and plan to attend the event (there is a $50 registration fee which includes breakfast and lunch. If that is an obstacle to your participation please let me know)
3) pray for churches in the Pittsburgh region who are committed to becoming missional communities of faith

Over the next two months I will be posting some thoughts about this book and the ideas it contains; I encourage you to join in the dialogue.