Sleeping With the Fishes

Sunday afternoon, Cindie and I were waking Hannah from her afternoon nap when we noticed Dorothy, her fish was lay still on the glass marbles that line the bottom of the fish bowl.

We brought Hannah downstairs while we did a quick brainstorm. What do we do? Swap in a new fish and hope she doesn't know the difference, or introduce her to one of life's most painful truths?

We chose truth. Cindie told her that Dorothy was dead. We were not sure she would even know what that meant. She said she wanted to see. So we went back upstairs with her. When she saw dead Dorothy, she began to sob. "I don't want Dorothy to be dead."

And at that I began to cry over $1.29 Meijer-purchased Beta that has always brought me more pain than pleasure.

Numerphobia

This past week, while sorting through the mail at church, I came across an envelope with a hand-written address but no return address. I opened the envelope, and the only thing in it was a "Mega Millions" lottery ticket. The date for the drawing was before the post mark on the envelope. Therefore, I reasoned that the person who sent this had already discovered what it was worth and decided to give it in secret.

Not long ago I was talking to someone and the conversation came up about what we would do if we suddenly had a fortune. This person told me that they would give millions to the church. The conversation made me a touch uncomfortable. First, it seems unhealthy to fantasize about such situations.

Secondly the reality of what likely would happen to the church if we suddenly had millions of dollars scares me. The differing agendas would create intensified conflict. It would be a very difficult test of our unity and character. That kind of money can make people go mad.

So as I checked the numbers on the Mega Millions website, I didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved that the ticket was not a winner.

Mostly, I was just confused. Why did someone send us a losing lottery ticket?

5 years

In April of 2000, I walked into the lower level of the church building with my then-girlfriend-now-wife Cindie.

"You're late." The observation was Gene's, an elder who had formerly been "in the ministry" himself.

In retrospect, I wonder what I must have looked like. A twenty-two year-old college senior, walking in twenty minutes late, with his girlfriend and without a clue. I credit those guys with great courage, though they probably had very little idea what they were getting themselves into.

Insanely, Cindie and I seemed to have many more reservations about trying to lead people two, three, and four times our age into spiritual maturity. We were terrified. There were many long talks and arguments and fights and tears that went into this decision. But when all was said and done, we knew that this is where God wanted us to be.

Of the fifty-some people that voted, there were five who voted 'no'.

Since that time, one word has defined the way this church me, and my family: grace. I have been instructed, corrected, encouraged and supported by the eldership. We have not had to sweat much about money. We have been cared for like family.

Mark Christian once told me that if you play your cards right, the honeymoon period between minister and church can last for decades. The honeymoon has lasted for five years now, but I credit them more than I credit anything I have done.

Acts 2

Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

It's more than a little odd to me that so many differing visions for what the church should be have been based off this one text. A2 is a conference put on by the good folks at Willow Creek. They see their ministry as a fulfillment of the Acts 2 passage. So do house churches. So does the church at which I serve.

I guess it just hits us in different ways. Maybe that's God's intention. I am encouraged and inspired by the many different ways I am seeing this vision fleshed out. What do you think the fulfillment of that passage would look like.

Not a Soaker-Oriented Church

A couple of summers ago, a buddy of mine from high school asked me to return to Algonac and conduct his wedding. The wedding was held at the smallest church building I've ever seen. The church there was "Soaker-Oriented". They had little regard for redeeming a broken world. They just came on Sunday's and soaked in the beautiful traditions. It was about them. Guests might be begrudgingly welcome so long as they make no attempt rock the boat. As small as my hometown is, I didn't even know that this church existed until I did this wedding.

As I talked to some of the people belonging to that church, I found that their doors were about to close. Understandably, this was very painful for them. But the way they were dealing with this pain was inexcusable.

"We have all decided that we are not going to another church for at least a year." As one old lady told me this, my blood began to boil. How dare they withhold their resources from the kingdom!? With such a self-centered mindset, it's no wonder their doors closed. Perhaps it was better that their disease be quarantined from the rest of the Church.

This was not an Acts 29 church. They were not a continuation of the practices and attitudes of the Church in Acts.

Acts 11:19-21
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

As a result of persecution, these folks not only had to close the church doors in Jerusalem, they had to leave town. But they did not run off to sit and sulk about what was lost. They became missionaries. Average members became founded churches wherever they went. And they did this despite (or perhaps due to) losing the leadership of the Apostles (8:1).

They understood the Commission is not just for clergy. It was the responsibility of every person who called Jesus "Lord". Far from being Soakers, they were Seekers as Jesus defined the term in Matthew 6:33

Hard to hear from atop a soap box

When I first was studying the reaction of the Jewish Christians to the conversion of the of Gentiles (10:44- 11:18) I was disappointed. How could they have bee so narrow-minded. Had not Jesus made it abundantly clear that the gospel should be spread to all nations?

The more I thought about it, though, the more impressed I was. The change that had just been introduced to them was seismic, and yet all they required was a simple explanation for their grumbling to turn to praise. This shows an incredible openness to change. They simply needed to see how this was God-directed.

Perhaps God's people today are not as stubborn as we like to think. Perhaps they simply need a clear, theo-centric explanation of the need/reason for change.

What would have happened if Peter stormed off in a self-righteous huff? "How dare they question me? I'm an Apostle, capital A! I'm the Rock! Do they suppose to know Jesus better than I?" Would their grumbling have ever turned to praise over the Gentile mission?

Sometimes the problem is not the audience or the message but the messenger. It's hard to hear from atop a soap box. We would do well to be as humble and patient as Peter. See how God will use a simple explanation to turn grumbling to praise.