I'm not getting it

So Sunday mornings continue to be a struggle. I just sit through a service at a church where I'm just not "getting it" which we drove for 30 minutes to get to. Every minute is so predictable because it's the same cookie cutter, new-start, "with-it" Nazarene program. People are not engaged...musically or homiletically. It's not that the leadership is bad or the people aren't sincere...I just feel like after 13 years of being on the "inside" of such a church-event...we're missing the point.

As I walk down the hallway and say good morning to someone...she just looked back down at her feet like I didn't exist. Yeah...grace-filled relationships and community...people aren't quite catching on.

And while I'm sitting through the service with a mental critique list compounding...everyone else seems to get it and go for it and enjoy it(including my family). Again, as I've said before...perhaps it's me. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's me (to some extent). And when conversationally cornered or forced to explain what I don't "get" or what I disagree with...all I attempt to articulate comes out like "well...it just doesn't seem relevant (blah, blah, blah)...it seems like an alternate reality that we've created which exists in near total isolation from the rest of our lives (blah, blah, blah)...it's so self-centered and devoid of compassion, justice, and mercy (blah, blah, blah)...

I'm beating my head against the wall...literally!

Holiness Codes and Organic Church

About every third or fourth article on this site is definitely worth reading. Here's one that deals with "holiness codes" and the destructive legalistic view on alcohol and tobacco. I'm not about to say that all the "holiness" folk need to stop at the pub on the way home or go buy a pipe...but isn't it interesting how unbiblical (or extra-biblical I should say) our prohibitory stand is on these issues?! One could easily proof text a few verses regarding sexual activity and produce complete chastity as being a step on the path to "holiness." And as the article mentions...all the while we're stuffing our faces and ignoring the poor, spending our money in ways which continue the unfair labor practices and substandard wages (doesn't the Bible say the worker is worth his/her wages?).

On a fairly different subject...I continue to read through Organic Church (by Neil Cole). He continues to emphasize the organic nature of the Kingdom of God which is evident in many of Jesus' parables. The parable of the farmer and the seed seems to indicate that planting and spreading seed is our main task. However, in Cole's estimation, most churches (especially the megachurches) are spending most of their time, energy, and efforts in trying to make things grow...finding the right program, implementing the right discipleship/small-group/assimilation strategy, investing in the weekly EVENT rather planting good seed or even preparing adequately for a harvest.

Now, I'm not competely comfortable with everything Cole is saying...for instance, he really seems to be tearing down one method of church planting just to propogate another method. Although the method he is talking about seems to be very true to scripture and the early church's practices...still, I'm not sure it's healthy or helpful to say that true organic and biblical churches or movements are going to multiply like crazy and spread throughout a city in about three weeks. To me, that's missing the point that an organic process is one that takes time, the right conditions, proper environment and climate, etc...

A Good First Date

It felt like a first date in some ways...this past Tuesday evening visit to a buddy's house church gathering. I guess because I have this weird "I hope it works out" feeling about the whole thing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the informal time of sharing a meal and then talking/praying together. Deb was not able to be there with me...so I feel like our attempt to be on the same page in this journey just isn't working out very well.

But the fellowship, conversations, and atmostphere were all exactly what I was hoping for. Careful I must be (hear Yoda's voice narrating my story) not to be prematurely predisposed to putting down some roots in that community and area of Cincinnati.

Well, Starbucks got the best of me today...I am beat and should be in bed already. I have to get up early for a workout and then be back at the cafe by 10am. Blessings....

Re-Brewing at Starbucks

I just had a favorable conversation with my district manager today at Starbucks. Looks like I should be back into position as an ASM (assistant store manager) by the first of November. That was very encouraging indeed!

And with 9 new stores opening in the greater Cincinnati area within the next 18 months...some great opportunities lie ahead.

Tomorrow night I'm really looking forward to meeting with Thurman and his fellow Vineyard Central friends for a house-church gathering down in Norwood. Now that some vocational and physical-fitness goals are coming into focus...let's see where God is leading us from a spiritual and domestic standpoint.

Thoughts and prayers go out to all those who suffered deeply on this day five years ago.
Shalom...

Pain, Gain, and Being Vain

Pain is my new best friend....because in terms of muscle development and fitness pain does indeed = gain.

Here's my new "Fourth Place." (Because I work in my "Third Place.")

I know, it looks like your typical meat locker of a place to work out...but it's my best option while we're in this part of town. And I'm sure many of you realize the unquestionable connection between physical health/discipline and spiritual health/disciplines.

Anyway, I've been to the gym 7 of the last 8 days and am determined that a part of this whole life transition is going to include some health & fitness goals. It's ridiculous how long I've talked about getting into shape...losing some weight...and improving my overall health and energy level. I used to say that I'll be in top physical conditioning and health by the time I'm 30. Well, that was over five years ago! So now I've got less than 5 years to develop the kind of habits which will lead to some great health and physical wholeness for the second half of my life (assuming I don't get hit by a semi while I'm cycling or something).

It may also lead to some additional income within 3 to 6 months as well since I'm pursuing an ACE certification to become a personal trainer. Interesting how much spare time I have now with a normal 40 (or less) hour work week!

P.S. Let's hear it for Zoomtown!!! Cincinnati Bell's DSL service...we are now online and zooming for $20/month and saving lots on the old cable/internet bill (of course, I just spent all that savings on the gym membership, but still...!)

An Encouraging Conversation

As you know from my last post...I recently experienced a real life planes, trains, and automobiles episode. Interestingly, when I missed my flight from KCI to IND, I wasn't real shook up about it. Partly because it was entirely my fault...but I also just had this sense of divine providence in the "air." Well, what resulted from my time mis-management was a very meaningful and enjoyable conversation on the alternate flight to Detroit (where I was to fly standby back down to Indy).

To boil it all down for you, the young lady who sat beside me (who turned out to be a bit older than I thought...but "old" has become such a relative term to me) was a SWF former FBI employee who now owned her own private investigation business. My reply was, "Oh...I loved Magnum P.I." to which she replied, "Me too!" More importantly, she is a devout Catholic (not sure why I always feel the need to qualify a Catholic as devout or not...perhaps the same qualification should precede the adjective of Protestant/Evangelical/Christian as well) who finds herself in a serious relationship with a very sincere Budhist. The relationship is progressing (though marriage has not really been on the conversation menu just yet) and the diversity of religion is finally emerging as the proverbial elephant in the room. When she found out my history and status as a pastor or sorts, she was very interested in my opinion on the whole situation. What makes it problematic is that this guy is morally, ethically, and spiritually superior to probably any "good Catholic" guy she's been in relationships with.

I found it very difficult to lay the whole evangelical spiritual smackdown on her. I mean...I know the whole "no one comes to the Father except through me" and "I am the way, the truth, and the life" etc, etc. But the Spirit just didn't seem to be giving me a green light to say those kinds of things. I suppose it might be because I'm branching out of my own little spiritual box and believe that the way we are conditioned and raised in our own little religious bubbles...results in a very narrow dogma that Jesus might not appreciate. And again...it may just be that I'm out of touch with the Spirit...so why would I be directed by the Spirit in a conversation like that?!

But as she said on the plane...my experience of "branching out" at least leaves me hanging on to the right tree. Budhism is a whole different spiritual ecosystem. But it results in a similar since of morality, compassion, and service to others...so that's kind of confusing.

Anyway...it was a fabulous conversation and we exchanged email addresses so we could both check in on the other's journey and I can find out if she marries the Budha boy!



Next post...I'll share my crazy newfound fitness fettish. For now...I must rest so I can crack some eggs at the crack of dawn and have some breakfast with my darling daughters.

Let the waiting continue

My last post was about waiting...and here I am again.

There is certainly a dark side of the internet. I should have been completely content to sip my Anniversary Blend at the Starbucks just a few hundred yards down the terminal from Northwest gate 63. But the allure and seduction of tapping into a great force of world-wide communication sucked me in. The laptop slithered from it's padded lair and hissed into action. Before I knew it, I had opened myself up to the hypnotic stare of the one-eyed VAIO.

With about 45 minutes before my flight was to board...I hit bloglines and began to catch up on some friends and their blogs thinking I had plenty of time. Suddenly I had this panic attack of time-management anxiety. Sure enough...I had lost track of the time as I was reading, commenting, and following a few rabbit trail links. I threw the serpent back in the bag with a tangled mass of cords and began walking briskly back down the terminal. As I was selected for a more thorough screening...I knew it was going to be too late. I told the screener/agent I was trying to catch the 8:25 flight to Indy and he apathetically replied, "Oh...they already closed the door on that flight since all flights leave ten minutes prior to departure time?"

So I found the next earliest route to Indianapolis (through Detroit) and returned to the gate...to wait some more. Instead of arriving at 10:55am in Indy...it will be more like 2:45pm. It reminds me that much of our waiting and struggle (not that all waiting is a bad thing) comes as a result of our own choices. I think of the other "waiting" which is going on in our lives...
Waiting to get back on track with Starbucks management...
Waiting to get out of debt...
Waiting to find where we'll deepen our roots...
Waiting on the wind of the Spirit to fill my sails once again--which I know is more about waiting on my own attempts to position the sails properly.
Waiting for the restoration of contentment and joy
Waiting....

Well, one kind of waiting is nearing an end...they just started boarding my alternate flight. I better bag the beast and report for stand-by.