Pastor's Blog

I'm three months into this seminary class at Eastern Mennonite University on Spiritual Formation in Ministry and really enjoying it. The professors are terrific teachers with tons of real ministry experience. They're turning our class of nine into a small group. The material requires we dig deep into hearts and share our emotions, uncertainties, and fears with one another. It's been difficult, painful, humbling, and freeing at the same time. Class sessions involve open discussions, tears, laughter, and support. A spirit of grace and understanding has descended upon the group, which I interpret as a gift from God.

The course requires each student develop a Rule of Life, an ancient practice and discipline among Christians and one being re-emphasized today. My Rule includes daily scripture reading, scheduled prayer, contemplative walking, and spiritual journaling. I've never prayed so frequently and intensely as I do now. We're encouraged to share our thoughts with others and this blog is a vehicle through which I will share some of what I'm writing and drawing in my pastoral journal. People blog for a variety of reasons; some to keep a record of their thoughts, others because they believer their lives are important and have value. I started this blog for other reasons. The process of writing down my thoughts and feelings helps distill them; sharing your perspective with others helps shape my thinking, and journaling is a way of allowing my inner creativity to be released (besides music).

Blogging as a spiritual discipline? I think I prefer play instead. In Homo Ludens (Beacon, 1955), Johan Huizinga suggests that the ability to play may be more centrally characteristic of humanness than our capacity to think. It is certainly true that whole human beings need to know how to play and think. But I believe that journaling and blogging can be a discipline for dealing with life as well as an instrument of play.

I'm delighted when people comment on an entry here or there; your responses makes me feel understood and validates that you can relate to some of my joys, sorrows, fears, struggles, and weaknesses. Pastors are being encouraged to blog as one way to be transparent and allow others to see what's on our hearts and minds. There was a recent article in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania newspaper about Lancaster County pastors who blog. They mention Brian Miller, associate pastor at Sunnyside Mennonite Church, whose blog Just An Apprentice has been on my radar screen for years.

I also came across another neat blog - A Simple Desire - by Will Fitzgerald who publishes daily commentary on the scripture verse in Mennonite Media's Third Way Cafe website. You might want to check A Simple Desire out. Fitzgerald doesn’t claim to be a theologian, (although he reads Greek) so he tries to write honest first reactions, thoughts of songs, poetry and situations he has lived through.

A wonderful piece by Linda Apple.

My father used to remind me that being with people - not accomplishing great things - was the most important thing in life. He used to say, "remember Ben, God created mankind as human beings, not human doers." I knew he was making a play on words (something he loved to do for fun), but that line always brought a smile to my face.

He died suddenly in August and like Linda's uncle, his wife was named Bernice too. I thank God that last December, I took some time to sit down with Dad and write down as much as he could remember about being a missionary among the Navajo in the 50's and 60's and a medic in the France and Germany during World War II. His strong faith and deep convictions prompted him to declare CO status before the draft board. They promptly rejected it and sent him to the front line instead. He witnessed horrible things and did some pretty heroic and brave things to save other people's lives.

My dad definitely gave the greater gift. I'm going to take Linda's advice this holiday season. I don't want to feel the tyranny of the things that need done.

NOTE: This piece was written by Glen Vanderloot. I don't agree completely with everything in it, but wanted pass it along as food for discussion. I received it as one of his daily email inspirations sent me via email.


Henri Duvernois wrote a short story called Clothes Make the Man. It is the story of Tango, part of a three person band of thieves. They were planning a robbery of a safe in a very affluent neighborhood. The other two members, Mareault and Eel, had cased it thoroughly.

Their plan was for Tango to dress as a police officer and walk up and down the street, easy and slow, like a real cop on his beat. Then if anyone heard the other two, no one would be suspicious. That's all Tango had to do.

Tango put on the police uniform. He felt uncomfortable, after all he was usually running from the police. But when he looked in the mirror, he was impressed. He looked good.

At the scene of the robbery, Tango was a little nervous walking to the street, but nothing happened. So he began walking up and down the street as he was told. As he turned the corner to walk around the block, he saw a police lieutenant coming toward him. He was filled with panic and wanted to run. With tremendous effort he restrained himself and continued walking toward the lieutenant. When Tango was just a few feet from the lieutenant, Tango saluted him. The lieutenant casually saluted him back.

That gave Tango confidence as he continued his job of walking up and down the street. After a few more trips, he found an elderly lady hesitating at the corner. She made two or three false starts to get across the street and each time turned back.

Tango walked up to her and offered her his arm. With dignity he walked her across to the other side. She said
              "Thank you so much, officer."

Tango replied
              "That's what we're here for."

Tango went back down the block. Emotions were stirring in him. In all of Paris there was not a more perfect example of a calm, strong guardian of the law.

Next he came across a drunk and Tango tried to hurry him along. The drunk became belligerent and Tango grabbed him as if to arrest him. As he was doing that his two partners in crime came out of the house. They were shocked to see what Tango was doing and yelled at him to quit.

Tango then remembered the lieutenant returning his salute, the elderly lady's gratitude, and his splendid image in the mirror. He stood tall as he stuffed the shiny whistle in his mouth and blew and blew and blew long enough to bring all the police in Paris. He called out

              "Crooks, robbers! I arrest you. I arrest you in the name of the law."

Tango became the police officer he was dressed as. He became who he acted to be. We can become who we act to be.

On our own, we are like Tango. We're not professional crooks, but we're sinners. In God's eyes, there are no degrees of sin. A sin is a sin is a sin.

However, we can do what Tango did. St. Paul wrote.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

(Colossians 3:12 NIV)

Even though those attributes are not natural for us, we can put them on. We can clothe ourselves with Christ-like actions and attitudes. We can act in Christ-like ways even if we do not feel it. Attitude often follows action. In the mean time, fake it `til you make it.

As we grow and mature in the faith, we can become compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. We have to work at until they become natural.

In the movie Dave, the Secret Service need a double for the president. Dave looks just like him. So Dave plays the role of president. He wasn't the president. But Dave faked it. He played the role of president until he felt presidential, until it became natural for him.

• It does not matter if we feel compassionate. We can act with compassion.
  
• It does not matter if we feel kind. We can be kind to others.
  
• It does not matter if we feel humble. We can be humble.
  
• It does not matter if we feel gentle. We can be gentle.
  
• It does not matter if we feel patient. We can be patient.

As followers of Christ, loved and forgiven by God, we can do all those things.

As we keep acting in those ways, the Spirit of God transforms us. St. Paul wrote

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Clothing ourselves with attributes of Christ means that we act like Christ even before we feel Christ-like.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) advises their members to "fake it `til you make it'."

Counselors often advise couples who have fallen out of love, to act as if they were in love until they are in love once again.

Often action precedes attitude. So,

• When feeling no passion, be passionate.
  
• When feeling no love, be loving.
  
• When feeling superior, be humble.
  
• When feeling detached, be compassionate.
  
• When feeling unkind, be kind.
  
• When feeling annoyed, be patient.
  
• When feeling harsh, be gentle.
  
• When feeling bitter, forgive.
  
• When feeling upset, be calm.

Fake it `til you make it. Clothe yourself with the attributes of Christ. Clothes make the person. The clothing of the Christ makes you Christ-like. Fake it `til you make it. Amen

I just finished a three-part series on "New World Speech," looking at the power our speech has on the lives of others. This past Sunday's message had to do with gossip ... that's not a windmill I want to chase from the pulpit too often. Here's one of the sermons slides I used to paraphrase Ephesians 4:21:

Do not seek gain or self-interest. 

This, then is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts a we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13)

It is tempting to follow the example of those who accumulate great gain, to Creation’s detriment. But the scriptures assure us: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong... Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:1-4) ... “those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (Psalm 37:9).


Christ affirms the inheritance of those who do not arrogantly press their neighbors and the Creation for all they are worth: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5); "...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).        


Joy is a by-product of stewardship. Fulfillment is a consequence of seeking the kingdom. It is the kingdom of God – Creation restored and renewed – toward which we are striving as children of God.

  “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land...” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20a).

We've been hearing a lot of "God talk" recently.  Politicians, athletes, and civic leaders have been dropping the Almighty's name in conjunction with all kinds of events or issues - everything from crediting a touchdown on the football field to justifying our country's right to go to war.

I'm tired of hearing religious words spoken by people who don't really mean them.  To claim to be a Christian, means that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, which then implies that his teachings and principles apply to your life and you patterning yourself after the example Jesus set before us.  When we speak admirably and boldly about our faith, about God, but then resist the demands of discipleship at the same time, it harms our soul and inner lives.
This lack of sincerity in radical discipleship is becoming increasingly damaging for Christians in America.  Let us be reserved with religious terms and expressions of faith.  Using them without meaning will destroy us.  Such hypocrisy is especially disastrous for our children.

In Matthew 6, verse 5, Jesus warns us sharply against trying to appear devout in other people's eyes.  Let us be genuine and say what we truly thing, even if we are off the mark, rather than use the right words without meaning them.