. . . inviting people to church pt 6 . . .

You've now shared something about your church. You've shared pictures of your grandchild or niece serving communion on a Sunday morning. You've asked a friend, neighbor or co-worker if they go to church. There will be one of three answers:

1. Yes

2. No

3. Sometimes

We're going to talk about what to do when they say "YES" today. 

The first thing you want to say is, "that's great!" Then ask them about their church and why they love it. The temptation will be to get them to move to your church. However, that's probably not the best thing to do. Our goal is to help Jesus build the kingdom by inviting people who don't go to church or who don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ. There's a term in the church world called "sheep steelers," and that's when one church steals people from another church, usually through cooler or more exciting worship and programs (not that our's isn't cool!). Our goal is NOT to steal sheep. We want to invite NEW people into a loving environment where all experience the grace of God. 

Of course, you may not like the church your friend goes to and that's okay! What's most important is that they are growing in their relationship with Jesus. If they are being hurt, that is another topic to be discussed separately. 

The conversation doesn't stop once your friend says he or she goes to church. Instead, it opens up a door to have faith conversations in your workplace, favorite restaurant, Elk's Club, wherever you hang out. 

A couple of weeks ago I was at a lunch with some members of our church and during the time of prayer, the server asked us to pray about something specific. You never know where other Christ-followers are, but one thing is for sure: God is everywhere and people are tapping into the Spirit all the time. My goal for the next gathering is to ask her where she goes to church. She might not, but she may know that God exists and might want an invitation to our church. 

Opening up a conversation about where someone goes to church may not lead to that person coming to yours, but it opens up a new place where faith can be developed. The possibilities for deepening a relationship with Jesus, and extending the ministries of the body of Christ are endless. 

. . . Enough & Generosity . . .

We've been in a sermon series the past two weeks based on Adam Hamilton's book, Enough. We have been talking about our relationship with our stuff and what God has to say about it. Our stuff by itself is not a bad thing. We need things for survival, food, clothing, a home to live - some of it is essential. However, there are times when our stuff detracts us from fully living in relationship with God. Together we are discovering the ways in which the things we have are a gift from God, first and foremost and how we use those gifts to honor God, and to do God's work in the world.

For some of you, giving to a church might be a new thing. Each year we conduct what we call a stewardship (or giving) campaign and the purpose is to help us establish stable and workable budgets for the next year. Your giving helps us connect more fully with our mission field, which is our surrounding neighborhood and community. It helps us provide for our serving projects at Laurel Hills and the Community Meal we will launch next month. Your giving allows us to be a church that makes a difference in the world. Your giving allows the church to pour out God's grace and carry out our mission: connecting people to Jesus Christ. As a church family, we should do whatever it takes to help connect those who do not know Jesus to the life-changing grace he offers.

If you are unsure of where to start, we will talk about practical tips this weekend in worship. 

Thank you for what you have given in 2019 so far. Your gifts have been felt as we build a transforming community where everyone is included, accepted, and loved... right here in Raytown, Missouri.

. . . inviting people to church pt 5 . . .

So the past few weeks have been a whirlwind in my life, but everything has been centered on helping me stay focused on reaching people for Jesus Christ. I went to St. Louis to observe a new kind of ministry and how they are engaging people who are unchurched (never been to church) or dechurched (used to go to church, but haven't in a LONG time). It's so interesting to see so many different expressions of worship as we seek to go into the world to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

One of my main roles as a pastor of any United Methodist Church is to go into the world to lead people to Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus, that is all of our roles, and one of my responsibilities is to help you and equip you to do the same. I see it as my greatest job responsibility and it is an answer to prayers when I see you inviting people to church, or finding ways to reach those who don't know Christ yet.

The first steps toward inviting a friend or someone in our own family to church is a tough one. I'm committed to helping you make those steps as you gain confidence to do so. In the past two weeks, I talked about the importance of small groups. Small groups are intended to help you articulate how you see God moving in your life and in the world.

So now that you're in a small group and you're confident God is alive in the world, what's next?
The first step is to pray, and then casually talk about an event you just attended at church. It might even come up in casual conversation if you've posted photos on your social media sites. It could be as easy as showing a photo of your kids, grandkids, or nieces, or nephews to a co-worker on a lunch break and saying, "we had such a great time at the Great Pumpkin Paint & Take at my church on Saturday." Or, "the Family Ministries Coordinator at my church sent my kid this card for an award he recieved..." There are many ways to casually bring things up.

The next part of the conversation should be natural like, "we do great events and service activities. Do you go to church?"

This type of conversation develops out of already knowing something about the person you're talking to. You won't be blind-sighted by a negative response. You will know already if that person is receptive to it.

Next week, I'll have tips about what to say if they say yes, or if they say no.
Stay tuned friends!

. . . inviting people to church pt 4 . . .

Sometimes I have to ask, what is most important to us? Inviting someone to church, or helping someone to experience Jesus' invitation into a relationship with him?

So many churches in America are in decline and our tendency is to go into panic mode. We think, oh if only the band were better, if only the preaching was better, if we had a theme park for children's ministry... then I'd invite someone to church. Sometimes though we miss the point and we don't look at our own relationship with Jesus Christ.

Church invitation grows out of our own desire to know Jesus. When our hearts are transformed by the grace of God, our own church attendance is given priority. If we have things that take us away from church on a Sunday morning, we find different ways to worship. The internet and social media have made connecting with our church home more accessible on those Sundays when we can't be present. It doesn't replace it altogether but serves as a substitute when needed. I know many of you watch the services when you are on vacation or have some other obligation.

Did you know the majority of first-time visitors have already watched a service online? So today, the step toward church invitation is to like our social media pages, share the service video, and events on your timeline. Even better, check-in to church on Instagram & Facebook on Sunday morning. This is a first non-threatening step. If you are nervous to ask someone to church, one way is to make your church more visible. Last week Al Roker mentioned that they had cut their vacation short because his grandson was scheduled to be an acolyte (an assisting role in the church, often by children)! I thought that was pretty cool - he inserted in his banter the role of the church in his life.
Most people - even those hurt by the church, especially Americans, are respectful of our faith. So today, I encourage you - like our social media pages! You never know who might see that and get them thinking about their relationship with Jesus.

. . . inviting people to church pt. 3 . . .

So often in the church world, we focus on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Growing closer to our Lord is the most important thing we can do, but he asks us to not stop there. Before he went to be with God in Heaven, he gave his disciples a commission, to go and make disciples of all nations. While it feeds our souls to be with others who proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it can become entirely too comfortable and we forget to share the love of God with others outside our groups.

Small group participation is essential for inviting people to church. But not just any small group. Most of us are accustomed to gathering with other Christians for Bible studies and other topical studies. These studies are fantastic; they help us know about God. What many are light on is getting us to talk about our experience of God in our day-to-day lives.

Small groups that help us focus on our experiences of God are part of the DNA of every Wesleyan tradition. It is in small groups called Class Meetings, where people in the 1700s in the United Kingdom & United States began to see their lives as actively apart of God's great story.

So what small group are you in? Do you need to be in one? If you are in a study group, make a point to ask each other the question: "How have you experienced God this week?" If you are in a large group, break up into smaller groups of three. It does not need to take up the whole time together, but it will help you begin to think about God in your daily living.

. . . we interrupt this program . . .

This morning before the sun even touched the eastern horizon I stopped by the church on my way to the airport. I had forgotten my kindle and I look forward to reading all the books I've wanted to read over the past year on the plane! Haha, okay - I can't get them all done, but I do some catching up.

This past week in church I confessed one of my sins. (I've been in a confessional mood lately, I guess). I do not keep my Sabbath regularly. I probably take a full Sabbath once a month and I notice the effects, especially when I have worked multiple days in a row. So yes, I called Jesus Travis this week in my sermon. And I read most of my sermon. I typically don't need to do this. I always write out a sermon to help me stay on track, but by Sunday morning I only have the FULL theological insights written out so I don't get them wrong.

---
Some of the lights in the sanctuary had been left on and as I walked in, I noticed it was the lights above the cross. I was reminded in that moment, that I don't have to do it all. Like most Americans I am driven by success, but in that moment of silence before the cross, I was reminded by that still small voice - God is already working miracles. God is already redeeming the world through Jesus Christ. All I need to do is follow - and part of that is remembering that even when I think I am needed, that the world will keep on spinning and the things that don't get done - they don't get done.

That's tough to accept when you want nothing more than for everything to be done perfectly, or you want results right away.  The problem is that it's not faithful to how God calls each and every one of us regardless of how we carry out that call. God rested, we need to rest. God commands us to keep the Sabbath Holy - we are not just producers, we are creative beings, made in God's image. Even the master Creator rested.

So, I'm on my way to Nashville for a time of learning, worshipping and resting. Learning is one of the things that brings me great joy, so this really is a Sabbath for me.

. . . inviting people to church pt.2 . . .

Last week, I shared some first steps for inviting people to church. They are more about how to prepare yourself than the actual invitation. Today is a little more prep.

One of the things that happens in our church world is we truly believe in Jesus - we believe his life, death, and resurrection were a gift so we can have abundant life both here on earth and in the afterlife. However, we often don’t know how to talk about how God has worked in our lives.

So, step THREE this week is, know your story. It is so important to know how God shapes our lives. If we step back and reflect, we can see here and there very obvious times when we know God was with us. However, we are not very used to looking for God in our everyday lives. We know, at least we say we know, that God is with us all the time. We talk about the Holy Spirit flowing through us, but we don't often know what that looks like... so how do we do that?

Step FOUR: lead or join a Life Group. These groups are designed to help you identify where you see God at work in your life's story. They are designed to help us acknowledge the "nudgings of the Spirit" as we like to say. They are laid back groups where you can talk with ease about your faith without feeling judged. One of the first steps toward talking about your faith with others who may not know Jesus yet, is talking with people who already share your faith.

Here's how Life Groups work:
1. You meet either every week or every other week. The goal is to meet at least twice a month.
2. Eat a meal or a snack together - eating together is the best way to bond with others.
3. Keep things confidential.
4. Ask a series of questions that help you focus on God:

• How is it with your soul? Or where have you seen God in your life?
• How are you connecting to God (fasting, journaling, praying, reading Scripture)?
• What are your successes or struggles in that?
• How can we help you?
• How is God nudging you or what is God pointing out to you?
• Who do you want to fill the empty chair?

I hope this is helpful. 

. . . inviting people to church . . .

We have become accustomed to fear inviting people to church. I get it - nobody likes rejection! Think back to those days when you got up the nerve to ask a boy or girl out on a date, and they said no! It's not fun to be told no. We begin to think we don't measure up, or we're not good enough. It's the same when God finally gives you the courage to invite someone to church and you're told NO! It's awkward and defeating. But guess what? God is with you no matter what. I have to remind myself that each Sunday when I look at the congregation and don't see many of the people I have personally invited to church. I get it!

I've had people express that they love hearing messages about focusing outward and developing relationships with people not yet at church. You want to invite, but you're not sure where to start. Over the next few weeks, I will give you some resources and tools to help you invite people.

Today I have two:

1. Pray - This is the most important step. God will be at the forefront of the invitation. God comes before us, God comes alongside us, God carries us, God comes behind us. Prayer is essential as it gives you the courage to lean into God in what can be an uneasy situation.

2. Change your thought process - for real! So often when we think about inviting we start thinking about the "what ifs." What if it makes people uncomfortable? What if they have been hurt by a church? What if they reject me? Lots of "what ifs!"

But, "what if" you begin thinking about the opportunity instead?

What if God has been at work in someone's heart? What if they are simply waiting to be invited to church? What if they are grieving and in need of healing? What if one question changed a life?

This week know that I am praying with and for you as you find ways to begin sitting down with people and investing in new relationships. Remember first and foremost, people respond when we have a relationship first.

One tiny step you can do today is like our Facebook page. Social Media awareness is important these days!

. . . Meeting new people . . .

Last Thursday I met with Roger Ross, the Director of Congregational Excellence for the Missouri United Methodist Churches to talk about the current state of our re-launch. Pastor Robyn joined us and there is definite excitement from varying levels in our denomination about the work being done in Raytown. It may be slow going, but we are doing work in our community, prayer walks in our neighborhood, the community meal launch team is gearing up by focusing outward.
One sign of a healthy church is when we are thinking and praying about those not with us. Our prayers are what help us gain the confidence we need to start going outside our building and investing in relationships with others. I see you all taking these steps if you're not already fully doing it. These kinds of efforts, going outside to meet new people, is what grows and multiplies the kingdom.

Roger told me about a pastor in Eureka, Missouri who has made it his goal to meet 20 new people each week. As I heard that I was like, WOW! Who has time for that? Guess what, it's totally doable - I never realized until Thursday that meeting 20 new people each week is not only possible, it's probable. Think about it, you go to the grocery store, and you intentionally go to a cashier you've never met. You ask him how his day is, ask him what he's excited about in the next few days, introduce yourself, and get his name - then write it down! I decided to give it a try - and I got 6 names in less than five days. I have prayed for those people by name each night before going to bed.

Here was my prayer last night (I'm writing this on Tuesday):

God of grace,
I lift up to you Rachael - move in her heart to hear your voice. Move her into a relationship or a deeper relationship with you.
I lift up to you Tyler - move in his heart to hear your voice. Move him into a relationship or a deeper relationship with you.
And so on...

This practice in just a few short days has made me intentional about meeting someone new each day and praying for them by name.
This practice is almost effortless, but it requires I pay attention to those around me.

My prayer for you is that you join me in praying for all the new people you meet as you venture outside the church walls.

. . . take this cup of suffering away from me . . .

I read this quote this morning in my devotion:

"It is said of God that no one can behold God's face and live. I always thought this meant that no one can see his splendor and live. A friend said perhaps this meant that no one could see his sorrow and live. Or perhaps his sorrow is splendor."*

I was stumped by this quote. Sorrow is splendor? We can't see his sorrow and live?
It's perplexing, I'm not sure exactly what he means, but here are two ideas I have about it.

1. The only way we see God's heart actually breaking is when we enter fully into the realm of heaven. As a Wesleyan, I believe fully that the kingdom of God has come near and is being realized as we speak. So, we live partially in this world and in heaven. We see those things that would cause God sorrow, but we don't actually see his heart breaking. When we enter into the realm fully, we may be able to see it. I'm not too sure about this one. I think that when God works on a different timeline and when we die we enter into the realm fully, meaning that the kingdom is already restored in some metaphysical way. OR!

2. Perhaps it means when Jesus fully redeems the world to its original intention, we will no longer see God's sorrow since we are living fully at that point. To live fully in my mind means living fully with God. To live fully with God means the actualization of the kingdom of God. Because we live in this life, we only know that God's heart breaks for the violence and harm we as humans put on each other. So when we see God's face, his sorrow will be over and we'll see the full splendor of God's radiance.

However, that leaves the question, is God's sorrow splendor? I don't think so. I think God's splendor will be fully revealed when God no longer suffers. I could be wrong though!


What are your thoughts?


Pete Scazzero quoting Nicholos Wolterstorff. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day: A 40 Day Journey with Daily Office (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2018), 100.

It's a FORraytown Friday!

Yesterday as I was looking over my blog, I realized that I still have a blog called, Angie in Raytown. A few years ago... about 12, I used to hang out at Benetti's... A LOT! I was involved in local politics, I was more of a quiet participant, but I did do phone calls and go door to door. This was not my strength, though. It probably had something to do with the fact that I just wasn't into politics, or that God had other plans for me. There was a guy there who was the editor for one of the local papers and he had asked me to write opinion pieces about the school district. I couldn't tell you his name or the paper's name anymore.

One thing has remained strong over these years, I still have a HUGE heart for Raytown. This is the city I grew up in. It is the school district that formed me until fifth grade. It is the city that I know God is doing something new in. Over the next couple of months, I will share my story of why I feel called by God to be a pastor in Raytown. I've always thought it came from when I worked at a church in Lee's Summit, but after finding my old blog, I realize God's been calling me a lot longer.

For today though, I want to talk about the parks.

Some might say this is old news, but I think our hearts harden when we forget. Early in the morning on June 15, Rayauna Hill, a beautiful young girl, who had a life of opportunity ahead of her, lost her life in an act of senseless violence. That morning was supposed to be a community beautification and building day. Jennifer Perkins and a group of Raytown citizens had been organizing a city-wide clean-up (which by the way was amazing! Such great work), but it was a somber morning as we all gathered at City Hall. You could tell that people were trying to be strong and positive. It's hard to focus on community building when your city is suffering.

In the following days, people shared their varying opinions about what to do with the parks. Should we put gates around them? Lock them up after a certain time of night? Hire more police? Stop going to the parks because they are dangerous? I don't think any of these things are the full answer. They may provide temporary relief, but I think there is something deeper going on.

The parks are not dangerous. A place can never, by itself, be dangerous. One reason they become dangerous is when people with extreme degrees of opinion get together and cannot figure out how to handle conflict.

I think the most important thing we can do is identify the root of the violence and address it at the core level. What are those roots? Single parent homes? Parents working two to three jobs to ensure children can sleep at night? Undiagnosed mental health issues? Homelessness? Lack of economic opportunity? Systemic racism? Social media bullying?

The list goes on and on. There is not one particular cause for the increase in violence we have experienced.

However, there is something that each of us can do to address at least one of those issues. At Raytown Chapel Church, we are exploring where we can make an impact. We trust that God, through Jesus Christ, has offered us a life of abundance, and we want to make sure all know they have an opportunity at it. It is freely given. \

So, this isn't simply an opinion today, this is a challenge: what will you do to build this community? What will you do counter negative with positive? We all have a role. Mine this week is to listen; to join the Mayor's Ad Hoc Violent Crime Reduction group to hear what our leaders are thinking.

. . . make a joyful noise to the Lord . . .

I saw this meme this morning on one of my Christian pages and I immediately thought about all the times when people have criticized worship for one reason or another. I think modern Christian society has forgotten that we truly worship God when we enter into our houses of worship. It's not about perfect worship with fog, awesome lights, a flawless praise band, or amazing organist. Those things definitely create atmosphere and engage the senses in a variety of ways, but it's not what makes worship great.

I wanted to post this on my timeline, but I know that many would be offended by it, so I brought it to my blog so those interested could see my thoughts. Facebook tends to create such enmity over simple things.

One thing difficult to balance is how to speak hard truths in a grace-filled manner. I really enjoy Francis Chan's Bible studies and his preaching, but I wonder if he ever actually said this to someone. It's one thing to say it in a Bible study, where the observer can't talk back (I imagine heads nodding in agreement), but how would a person react if he said this, exactly as it's written, to someone's face? I wonder.

So often we hear how the church has harmed people, and to me, this meme harms - even though I agree with it. We want people to worship with us, but when we post stuff like this I think it alienates those in our church from wanting to participate. They leave and go to a different church. That's why I didn't readily share it on my Facebook timeline. I love my congregation, even when I hear criticism about worship or the way I minister. However, I think there is a better, more balanced way so we can help grow the kingdom more effectively.

One of those ways I've found most helpful comes from John Wesley, the founder of the Wesleyan denominations, like the United Methodist Church. Here is what it says in our hymnals from point seven:

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.*

When we come into our houses of worship, we are to sing to the Lord. True, the sound shouldn't overwhelm and cause our eardrums pain, but we should sing with all our hearts to God.
When people tell me they can't sing, I tell them, God loves your singing no matter what. When people tell me they don't like the songs, I ask them whether they think God does or not.
Yes some songs are hard to sing, we may not like the lyrics to some songs, but I believe if we try our best then it will be pleasing to God.

And yes, what about those songs that are not theologically in line with our doctrine? That's why I'm a Pastor, I help identify those songs that speak contrary to the message with we want to share.

*The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship (Nashville, Tenn.: United Methodist Pub. House, 1989), vii.

. . . I looked for him but couldn't find him . . .

Last night as I lay restlessly in bed, my mind turned to prayer. As a former atheist I often begin to question where God is, or if God really does exist.
Our new campus has been open for almost four months, and it's been tough work. It's been detrimental to my soul. People are not coming. I spend time in the community, I invite people to church, but few are coming. I turn to God frequently asking for people to come.

Last night as I lay awake I thought, maybe I'm doing this for the wrong reason. Maybe I'm trying too hard, maybe God is seeing this as something personal, something that will make me look good. I do want to help build God's kingdom, but for me? Or for God?

I prayed over and over last night, "for you God, for you God, for your glory God. I am your servant God. Use me in the way you need." Then my thoughts turned to, "maybe it's because I don't believe enough. Maybe it's because deep down I know God doesn't exist?" I turned to God again, "are you not really there? Am I being foolish?" Sometimes the heart is harder to convince than the brain (queue Frozen).

This morning my devotional spoke into the darkness I felt last night:

Upon my bed, night after night,
        I looked for the one whom I love with all my heart.
    I looked for him but couldn’t find him. 

 “I will rise now and go all around the city,
        through the streets and the squares.
I will look for the one whom I love with all my heart.”
    I looked for him but couldn’t find him.The guards found me,
        those who make their rounds in the city.
“The one whom I love with all my heart—
        have you seen him?”

~Song of Solomon 3:1-3

Mother Teresa struggled in her faith. She painfully struggled with feeling God's presence, yet even through it, she trusted. Even though it hurt, she trusted.

Pete Scazzero says, "Mother Teresa came to realize that her darkness was the spiritual side of her work, a sharing in Christ's suffering, a treasure for her and her unique work." (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Day by Day, 82).

Maybe my doubt is the spiritual side of my work. I by no means can compare my work to that of Mother Teresa's, but I can trust in God even when I don't feel God's presence. I can continue to do the work because I know how much Jesus struggled during his earthly life. Partnership with Jesus means embodying both the successes and struggles he encountered.

As followers of his way, we often cling to the promise of abundant life here and now. Abundance isn't always defined as happiness, it's experiencing the fullness of life. Sometimes that means wading through the struggles to find the light, and then share it. 

. . . Throwing stones . . .

“Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b
  
Yesterday I sat with a panel of potential jurors while State prosecutors and defense attorneys made decisions about who could be completely fair during a murder trial. I could not have been fair, I would have found him not guilty.

Jesus told those who brought the woman caught in adultery before him, whoever is without sin, throw the first stone. None of them could do it; they had all sinned. Maybe they hadn't committed adultery, but they had sinned - we all have. I follow in their footsteps; I have sinned. I have not murdered anyone, but I have sinned. I cannot throw stones.

I found myself in a precarious position. Which law rules my heart more? That of my country and state, or that of my God?

I love my country, and I appreciate the justice system we have, but I chose the latter. Not because I don't think he didn't do it, but because I think there is a better way of addressing the brokenness in our society. As I sat and listened to people share stories about violent crime in their lives, my heart broke. I wondered how many here know they are loved by God and that our Lord has a more perfect way for each of us. I cannot throw stones.

As I sat in the courtroom, I made eye contact with this very young defendant as a way to say "I see you." I prayed for him and knew that his choice was not what God intended for his life. As the prosecuting attorney asked us if we had any religious convictions, I was the first to raise my hand. 
I told her, "I would want to figure out what in this child's life led him to fire a weapon on someone and end another's life." 

And yes, a child: twenty-year-old when the incident occurred. I cannot throw stones. 

After about five hours of questioning the jurors, the question that most caused me to pause was this, "do you think there should be a higher burden of proof because of the defendant's age." My card shot up. I could have just sat there and let others answer because she had told me that I would probably be disqualified anyway. But I had this nagging feeling of discomfort and indignation about the conflicting laws presented IN the court of law. I cannot throw stones.

In Missouri, jurors must be 21 years of age. I'm assuming the defendant was 21, but he was 20 when he committed the crime (edit, he was still 20 years old and today, 6.12.19, is his 21st birthday). What the law tells us is that if you are under the age of 21, you are not responsible enough, or equipped enough to make decisions about someone else's life. I cannot throw stones.

YET!!! Yet, in the state of Missouri, you are considered an adult at 17 years of age.

I brought this up to the lawyer. I said to her, "based on psychological development, a twenty-year-old's brain does not make decisions like a 28-year-old. We've been told today that this young man couldn't sit on a jury when this crime happened - so basically we're saying he can't discern what's right or wrong, but he could at the time."

At that point, the courtroom erupted in whispers. It was at that moment, I think everyone saw the flaw in the system. I cannot throw stones.

She went on to say something about a crime committed by a 17-year-old is the same as a crime committed by a 28-year-old. She used a car break-in as an analogy. I told her that age will always play a factor in my decision. She went on to say, but this is what the law tells us. To which I answered, "well then the laws are in conflict of each other, and I can't in good conscience make a decision on someone's life, especially when the law doesn't even consider a 20-year-old my peer."
I cannot throw stones.

At the end of our time together, I was not chosen. I was not surprised. But now I know our system is deeply flawed. There is a young man out there, along with thousands of others who have been convicted of crimes by a jury NOT made up of their peers. Furthermore, the jury wasn't even the same race as the young man. Justice is NEVER blind, and I don't believe he will get a fair trial.
We cannot throw stones.

Our justice system is not just - and it is inconsistent. Our justice system is black and white, but we all know life is spent in the gray. 

And the most inconsistent things is this: this young man can be sent to war, to fight someone else's fight. He can kill another human being at the age of 20 and be justified in doing so. It's all so complicated; it infuriatingly communicates appalling contradicting messages.

I pray for him and his family. I hope I can position myself to be a presence for young women and men who come behind him.

Why do we keep throwing stones?  

...launching small groups in churches...

Wow! I got to be a workshop presenter at Annual Conference.
While I am no expert when it comes to small groups, I certainly have learned a lot and continue to try new things.

If you attended annual conference and would like the resources used, please fill out the FORM.

Yes, I love forms!

Blessings,
Angie

...racing against horses...

We live in this crazy world that expects so much from us. We live in a culture of now, noW, NOW! In our jobs, in our churches, in our homes, we're looking for quick fixes to everything.

In our jobs, what can I do today that will increase my sales?
In our churches, what new program can I start to increase the number of butts in the pews?
In our homes, what can I do to make sure my kid is just as successful in soccer as yours?

Maybe it's about the long game. Maybe it's about slowing down and knowing people, or sitting in our discomfort and awkward silences. Maybe it's about letting ourselves be bored.

And I'm not talking about plopping down in front of a TV and zoning out. That is still too much work.

In his complaint to God, Jeremiah cries out in anguish after Judah broke its covenant with God?
    
    But I still have questions about your justice.
    Why do guilty persons enjoy success?
    Why are evildoers so happy? (Jeremiah 12:1b)

He's pleading with the Lord, what can I do? I am tired, they seek me out, they persecute me because I want them to turn their hearts back to you! And you God, you! You are far from me. You've abandoned me.

And God answers directly, but with encouragement and compassion:

If you have raced with people and are worn out,
    how will you compete with horses? (Jeremiah 12:5)



Why Jeremiah? Why must the results be instantaneous? Stop, look around - their (Judeans) brokenness took time to happen. Even their demise did not happen overnight. They turned their backs on me, their God - the ONE who brought them out of Egypt. All of this is their doing, not mine. But I won't stop it from happening!

But here's the Good News God delivers:
   "I will again have compassion on them and restore their inheritance and their land." (Jeremiah 12:15b)

 God looks to the future - and not just the immediate future - God is in the long game.

Maybe we should be too. Yeah, life is short, but we trust in God to get us there.

 

... don't love the world...?

I had to put a question mark on that one because I do not understand it. I think a trip to the library is in order to research a commentary. I did a quick google search on this and it only added to the struggle I've often had with this particular line of Scripture and others like it.

It says this,
Don’t love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the [Creator] is not in them.(1 John 2:15)

One particular commentator says that a love of the world will override our love of God. On the other hand, if we love only God, then our love of the world will disappear. You can read more HERE.

I just don't buy it -
 
How can I not love the world? God made the world so the world is inherently good, right? For me to not love the world is to deny that God our Creator loves it too.

How can I not love the world? God made humans and humans live in the world that God created. For me to not love the world is to deny that God of Creator loves humans...

I think it is left out of the Revised Standard Lectionary (a fancy way to say a three year cycle of readings for the church) is because lots of people put a big question mark on it. 

So until I read more, I give this passage a Scripture a big ole   

 

...may his children be orphans...

Sometimes the Bible says mean things. Sometimes the writers have harsh words to say against others. Sometimes you don't hear a thing about turning the other cheek... which by the way isn't about being passive or a doormat. You can watch my sermon here if you'd like. I'll write about it sometime soon.

Psalm 109 is about vengeance and is largely ignored in our churches as a preaching Scripture. It's as though Christians aren't supposed to have bad thoughts or say mean things from time to time. Okay, maybe it's not in our best interest to be jerks, but I think we need to dispel the myth that we don't get angry at other people. I'll be honest, I have yelled at my husband and my child. I've regretted it later and asked for forgiveness, but I've done it. I've thought bad things about my co-workers, people I work with AT church! I have even wanted bad things to happen to former church co-workers. Heaven forbid!

The psalmist here is a human being who has suffered an injustice and is seeking help from God. The psalmist recognizes that anger and a thirst for revenge is a natural tendency among humans. It is a part of who we are, but if you look closely, the psalmist is calling upon God to do these things. He or she is not doing them him or herself. She or he is addressing God. Now, I don't think God delivers on our human requests, especially if it is violent in nature, but I know God listens.

This is what it means to be in relationship with God. God seeks us out and wants all of us - not just our happy-clappy! God wants to hear our hurt so we can be filled by God's love, compassion, and mercy.

Besides, have you ever noticed when you tell another person about your anger and desire for revenge you get ramped up even more, and you get nowhere? Let God listen and fill you up! You won't regret it. You may not get easy answers or solutions, but you'll have time to process a bit more!

...their soul fainted within them...

I am not a believer of spiritual warfare for the most part. I believe that God is always at work. That also means I believe the tempter is also at work, trying to prevent God's work from happening. The tempter loves to distract us and pull our attention away from God.

During the month of January, I filled my soul regularly by connecting with God through prayer and Scripture. Today I sat down at my desk to take up my Psalm practice and realized that the last time I actually sat down for a purposeful time with God was on January 17, 2019. Surely that was a mistake - but the date I wrote down does not lie!

Spiritual warfare. 

As I reflect on this last month, I can see where I have been doing things in order to get people to come to my church. I want to extend the love of God, but I haven't been connecting with God. How will anyone come to my church if I can't take the time to let God fill me up.

I join with the Psalmist who says in Psalm 107: 4-5
some wandered in the desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town,
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

Yes, my soul has fainted within me.

I want all to know God, but not at the cost of my desperate hunger and thirst.

Luckily I know that even when I am far from God, I am still in the midst of God.

The Psalmist reminds us in the next verses (6-7):
They they cried to the Lord in their trouble
and God delivered them from their distress;
the Lord led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.


My to-do list is long, but I take this time to let my God feed my soul. 

. . . does faith always heal us . . .

There is this really famous story in the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew & Luke) about a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. Aka she had her period for twelve years straight. In the ancient Jewish tradition, she would have been considered unclean - an untouchable. She was an outcast in her community. I can imagine her desperation and resolve when she heard that Jesus was passing through her town. She found the courage to go into the crowd to get a glimpse, to possibly touch him. She knew that doing so would heal her.

In the middle of that crowd, Jesus felt the power go out of him when she reached out and touched the fringe of his garment... he asked, "who touched me?" Nervously she explained what happened. And Jesus cared for her and confirmed, "daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." (Luke 8:42-48 is one reading of this)

If it was only that easy for us today, 2000 years removed from when Jesus walked the earth. If only we could reach out and touch his cloak and be healed. I know the Holy Spirit is with us and it is easy to reach out to the heart of God, but sometimes our faith doesn't heal us. Our bodies aren't meant to last, but we want so desperately for God to heal us just like Jesus did that day two millennia ago.

Dave's surgery could not be completed today. The doctors found the mass in his pancreas to be twice the size the scan showed. They had to close him back up and will start chemo in two to three weeks.

As I left St. Luke's today I made sure to stop by the chapel to pray and to update our database at church. On the altar was a cross, but the mosaic on the wall showed the story of the hemorrhaging woman with Jesus (without the crowd). It says at the bottom, "great is your faith, be it as you desire."

When we receive news like the news above, we wonder and cry out to God, "isn't our faith great enough? This isn't what we desired!"

This story always brings me hope, but now my heart grieves. Rosemary, Dave and their daughters won't lose faith today because of this news. They will struggle to make sense of it and discern next steps. As for me, I'll remember what I've always believed, God answers prayers in ways that only God understands. Our minds cannot grasp the concept of the ways in which God works. All we can really do is know that God's intentions for us are greater than we have the capability to understand.

Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers.

. . . dave, the selfless . . .

This morning around 7:10 am I was admitted to pre-op along with Rosemary and her girls to see her husband Dave who was preparing for surgery to remove cancer from his pancreas.
Dave is 72 years old, and one of the kindest and encouraging people I've ever met.

I remember the day I met Dave. I was taking a lunch break in our church lobby and he walked in. He didn't walk up to me or indicate that he wanted to talk. However, I looked up at him and said something along the lines of, "have you ever read something so intuitive that it convinced you of something you really need to do?" He then sat down and we talked through the idea of older Christians mentoring new Christians (and not based on age). He shared with me how successful teachers are when they are mentored.

I wouldn't say that Dave and I are besties, but he is somebody that inspires me... like a good Elementary School principal should. And his wife Rosemary is a beautiful soul who has shared her own adoption story and her heart for orphans.

When I saw the post on Facebook that Dave has pancreatic cancer, my heart sunk. The first thing I knew to offer was a prayer circle. Now, nearly a month after his diagnosis I arose early to pray with him and his family before surgery.

When I arrived, their daughter Cortney ushered me to where Rosemary and her sister Amy were hanging out in the waiting room. Normally I can be pretty stoic during these times, but I couldn't even say hello. If words came out, they would have been followed by tears - possibly sobbing. Instead, I hugged Rosemary and took a deep breath. I will always remember Rev. Karen Lampe's words that pastors are supposed to be the strong ones, we must remain in control of our emotions during tough times. I can't help being an emotional being, but I understand why. They have probably shed enough tears that they don't need the pastor crying too. So I sucked it up and put on my big girl pants.

Within 10 minutes we were led back to the pre-op room to see Dave. I know Dave to be a strong man, and to see him in such a vulnerable position was almost too overwhelming. Again, big girl pants.

After the anesthesiologist finished his talk with Dave we were allowed to surround Dave. I took my place on his right and told him how the entire church was acting as his prayer angels, not warriors. I never have understood why we go to battle with prayer. We are praying to God, it connects us to God. It is not a battle at all.

I asked Dave if he had any Scripture he wanted to be read and he said any would do which was good because I had one picked for him. Revelation 21:1-5.

"Behold I am doing a new thing!"

After, I anointed his head with oil, and we held hands and prayed.

Before leaving I told Dave I couldn't understand why he would be proud of me for coming. He had left me that comment on a post I made last night telling him I was praying hard. I told him I was the proud one to have the honor to see him before surgery, and that his courage and faithfulness are inspiring. He then turned it on me to tell me how much he thinks I'm an excellent minister, and that he and Rose Mary love hearing me pray. Even with anxiousness written on his face, he was still the encouraging person I've known him to be.

This is the kind of person Dave is - always putting others first.

As we turned to leave and as they were preparing to start an epidural, he told Rosemary, if you get to come back before surgery, don't be afraid. I'm going to have tubes in my neck and arms. It'll look scary, but don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid. That's who Dave is - always looking out for others.

I am so fortunate to know this man.

...gaslighting and local politics...

As a pastor, Raytown is my "mission field." What that means is that I am in ministry for the city of Raytown, Missouri. Whether you choose to be Christian or not - one of my priorities is to offer care. I can be #FORraytown all day every day, but as I’ve seen anger rising in social media threads, I feel I need to address it. Take it as you will, and scroll on past if you disagree.

More than anything, I care for you all. Obviously, I can’t sit down with each person and develop a relationship, but I do care.

I want to preface this by saying that I am NOT a psychologist. All of these opinions are my own.

With the Mayoral race in front of us (I will never tell you who to vote for or insinuate who you should vote for) emotions are high. I have seen the term “gaslighting” come up. I’ve even used the term in one-on-one conversations. Since I'm stuck at home today, I thought I'd write out my thoughts on the topic of gaslight. I'll even reference from Psychology Today and other sources.

1. What is gaslighting:

One individual by projective identification attempts to cause another individual to doubt his/her own judgments and perceptions. The basic pattern of the “double whammy” includes a verbal attack on the victim; the victim's response; and a gaslighting intervention in which the victimizer attacks the victim's judgments, perception, or reality-testing.

In English now: when one person causes another to doubt him or herself.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-25157-001

2. How does gaslighting work in personal relationships?

      Gaslighting is a form of persistent manipulation and brainwashing that causes the victim to doubt her or himself, and ultimately lose her or his own sense of perception, identity, and self-worth. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201704/7-stages-gaslighting-in-relationship

3. Does gaslighting happen to large groups of people in the public sphere?

a. yes, just read this. Dictators are experts.  

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/are-gaslighters-aware-what-they-do

4. How does one effectively gaslight?

a. When one person claims something with such an apparent intensity of conviction that the other person begins to doubt their own perspective.

b. Vigorous and unwavering denial coupled with a display of righteous indignation can accomplish the same task.

c. Bringing up historical facts that seem largely accurate but contain minute, hard-to-prove distortions and using them to “prove” the correctness of one’s position is another method. (I’ve heard this called the Straw Man Theory as well)

d. Gaslighting is particularly effective when coupled with other tactics such as shaming and guilting.

https://counsellingresource.com/features/2011/11/08/gaslighting/

5. Do gaslighters know they are doing it?

a. I’m convinced that many have no idea they do it - and there is really no malicious intent. I think by nature we want things done in a certain way. Some of us resort to thinking that everyone must think like us and will do what we need to do to get people on our side. One of the things I personally have noticed about gaslighters who are unaware they are doing it is when they don’t answer questions directly, or they answer a portion of a question.

Some gaslighters have learned how to do it and use the tactic to manipulate. In the article below, the author talks about the book 48 Laws of Power, which I have read. It’s all about getting people to do what you want, but in a way that creates positive results. I think gaslighters are after results that benefit them only. So, say someone wants you to be fired at your job, they will use the tactics for negative results.

Even if they are unaware they are doing it or not, it’s a problem.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/are-gaslighters-aware-what-they-do

6. How do I stop a gas lighter?

a. Quite simply, you probably can’t. Most of the articles I have read are about personal relationships, but the tactics work the same. Here are the tactics I have used

1. Don’t engage or confront, remove yourself from the situation. If you think you’re being gaslit on social media, don’t respond any further, or say that the conversation is over. I once had to tell a co-worker to stop talking to me for my own sanity.
2. Ask a trusted friend for their perspective. If you have things in writing, even better!

www.preventabusiverelationships.com/articles/gas_lighting_215.php

Articles for further reading:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/11-warning-signs-gaslighting

https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/verbalabuseinrelationships/2011/10/gaslighters-seek-to-destroy-your-sanity

... religion and science...

I have submitted this post to the Raytown Nexus online newspaper.

Every Thursday at noon I go to Breakfast & Lunch Lovers and have what I used to call Soul Talk. I recently changed the name to I’m Here to Listen because really the time is meant for me to hear from you, the people of Raytown. I want to know what is on your hearts and minds. As a pastor, this is a large part of my job – understanding where people are in their life journeys. Another reason I changed the name was because of the perception that I wanted to shove Christianity down people’s throats. As much as I’d love every person to become a Christian, the goal is to hear, to listen, and to develop relationships. If that leads someone to Jesus Christ, fantastic!

I promote these events through the group on Facebook, Raytown Unleashed. One individual passionately engaged me and told me they didn’t have time to talk about the state of their soul because they believed in facts. This person was under the impression that I believe God creates thunder. God is not Thor or Zeus, and does not create thunder… well, not in the way the ancients believed the gods did. There is this misconception in society that Christians do not believe in science or facts. I, along with many Christian pastors and Christians in general, do believe in science. I take medicine prescribed to me by my doctors because they have been proven to help heal illnesses. I believe that God gives us a variety of gifts. Doctors and scientists looking for cures for disease are gifted a certain aptitude for discovering remedies for disease.

I cannot deny science is real. I also cannot deny scientific theories such as the Big Bang Theory. The misconception is that all Christians believe that God created the universe within an earthly week. I don’t think it is wise to confine God to such human restraints. It is quite possible that God did such a thing; I can’t rule it out at all! But, it is the immensity of the universe and the energy that we cannot see or fathom that actually led me to a belief in God in the first place. It expanded my mind to think about things outside myself. Sometimes we think science has all the answers (and it does have a lot!) and we narrow our thinking just like religion used to do. Yes, religion and Christianity still do this, but I believe there is room for a God that is larger than any of us can imagine. The realm of God is as immense as our expanding universe and exceeds our human understanding.

If you want to read more about my journey of becoming a pastor in the United Methodist Church, stay tuned. I will share my journey with all of you over the next several months.

Peace to all!

Angie

Campus Pastor

Raytown Chapel Church

...they made his spirit bitter...

They. They, he, she, people...

Sometimes they make our spirits bitter. They make us speak harsh words.

As if we don't have any control over our lives.

If only they would act a certain way my life would be better. Would it really? How much control are we so willingly putting into other people's hands?

I've done it. Moses certainly did it. The Israelites complained to him for leading them into the wilderness to die. They no longer trusted their leader. And what did Moses do? He turned around and complained to God. Moses, like so many of us, fell victim to "they." Because of his distrust, he ended up not getting to witness the promised land. They. (psalm 106:32-34 for the curious)

What chance do we have then of having complete control over our lives? Well, we have to first realize that we are made of God's essence and we need to trust in God in order to find wholeness in our lives. When we don't trust, we rely only on ourselves; and it only gets us so far. This happens in crises most of the time. When I was battling depression in my twenties, I truly believed that I could program my life in such a way that would lead me out of my weariness. What it did was cause distraction. Once the distraction was gone, I fell apart. The time away from the distraction made me aware that something was missing, which I often filled with other imperfect people.

God didn't make us into partial human beings who need to be made whole by others. We are already whole and our relationships bring abundance to our lives. Trusting in God first is paramount for well lived lives.



Note: this is not to suggest that I think we will negativity into our lives. People disappoint us all the time, and others are seriously hurt by other people.

Children who experience abuse have no control over that. However, we as people have a responsibility to respond to children who have endured trauma even if they don't figure out how to address it until they become adults. We must be able to trust God first in order to enter into healing relationships with others.

re-framing God's claiming

One of the things that Dr. Mike Graves often mentioned in his preaching class was the importance of preaching against the text. Most often Christian pastors preach from the New Testament. This testament is all about how God is at work through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
From time to time, we need to preach from the Hebrew texts because they are an important part of our history and how we have arrived where we are now as a religious institution.

The older texts can be hard to read and are unfortunately almost always read out of context.

Today I finished Psalm 105. It is primarily a psalm remembering the Israelite's exodus out of Egypt, however, the main body of it is couched between sections of praise.

Verse 44 caught me off guard because it was in the context of praising God.

"God gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples..."

It's lines like these that justify modern people to take lands from others.It's lines like these that justify our inclination to want to build walls between peoples, or not take care of the broken and wounded.

In truth, the Bible does say God gave the land to the Israelites - but God also exiled the Israelites from the land because they were not upholding the law God set before them. If you look at the whole of Psalm 105, the psalmist is remembering the grace that God gave FIRST to the Israelites. The psalm ends with a reminder to keep God's statutes. It's really a warning embedded in praise.

Praise God, keep God's commandments - don't mess up. The Hebrews, like us, had such a hard time following the law that God had to come in the body of Jesus Christ to rectify the world.

I don't think God is in the habit of testing us with spiritual warfare, but God certainly wants us to grow closer in relationship with God through Jesus Christ. So in Jesus, God simplified the laws to two:

Love God - Love Neighbor.

Simple. How hard can it be? Terribly! We continue mess it up even though we know that keeping these two commandments lead to abundant life! We mess up and then often go a step further and justify our actions by choosing select passages that support them.

One thing I do know about God - when we as humans think we can outsmart God, God acts. At the heart of all that we do, everyone, regardless of religion should aim to love each other. It just makes good sense.

...give thanks to the lord, call on her name...

As a rule, when I speak about God I refrain from applying gender.

For the past two years, I have been transcribing the Psalm into journals. I don't do this every day because there is a lot of Bible to read! I have never been good at memorizing Scripture so this practice has allowed me to feel the Scriptures. It has helped in the sermon writing process because I can more easily identify with the emotional side of what is often a highly academic endeavor. The process reminds me that God may be all-knowing, but God is also all-emotional!

Today I transcribed the first 11 verses of Psalm 105. Normally I write word-for-word what is in the New Revised Standard Version translation. I decided at verse 3 to replace all he, his, him, with she, hers, her. I was surprised by the feelings that arose in me. I caught myself saying things, like...

"A woman would never say, "...the word that he commanded. It sounds so harsh! Women aren't harsh!"

Truthfully though, that's asinine! As I woman I command, I judge... I can be harsh. We all can be.

But going back I see that this particular psalm mixes what I perceive to be soft (feminine words-not that they are) and hard (masculine words-not that they are). I may have to go back and look at the other chapters I have transcribed. Perhaps this will be my next endeavor when I finish this more than two-year task.

But check out this verse - you'll see what I mean, I hope:

He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded.

Now read it like this:

She is mindful of her covenant forever, of the word she commanded...


It is reminiscent of how I interact with my daughter. I am mindful of her well-being, the promise I've made to God to protect her and love her, but at the same time, I have to be a disciplinarian - which often seems harsh and ugly. The verse though is nurturing while being authoritative.

This is our God - a nurturer with expectations for our well-being because she loves us.