Hospital Church Blog

Better Than Winning the Lottery by Andy McDonald

2012-01-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, who hasn’t dreamed of winning the lottery? And if that fantasy hasn’t passed through your mind, certainly you’ve wondered what it would be like to have an attorney contact you about a fortune left to you by some relative you never knew. Or maybe you’ve imagined the “Prize Patrol” knocking on your door. Have you ever wished for your bargain buy at a yard sale to turn out to be the most valuable item ever seen on the “Antiques Road Show?”

It’s fun to flirt with the fantasy of receiving great wealth, of riches just falling into our lap. It’s the stuff of story, treasure hunts, and diamonds under our feet. Thinking of wealth coming our way and what that would enable can make for fun daydreaming.

I love asking people, “If money were no concern, what would you do, or what would you do differently?” Travel, quit your job, spend more time with someone you love, pay off your home, have a second home somewhere. Who would you help out with some of your pot of gold?

We like to imagine ourselves as generous philanthropists if “our ship came in.” But, in reality, it’s a maybe or maybe not! If we live most of our lives inverting one of Jesus’ clear statements, it just wouldn’t be that easy to suddenly change.

In essence Jesus said that it is more enjoyable, more blessed, more rewarding to give than to receive. But if we live our lives imagining the joy of receiving, if we are “getters” more than “givers,” then even if our ship came in, there’s a good chance our habits wouldn’t change.

But what if we believe Jesus? What if we began, even in our small limited way, to determine and then see ourselves as givers? Would Jesus’ words come true for us and our lives become the most blest? Letting go of some of our time, our stuff, our money means we could experience the same blessedness that we see in those who may be able to give huge, culture-changing gifts. Maybe the size of the gift isn’t comparable, but Jesus says we will be blest more as givers than as receivers. Of course, there’s only one way to find out, and that is to become givers over getters.

So in 2012, maybe a great resolution would be to begin or to enlarge our world of blessing by practicing living as a giver more than a receiver—After all, Jesus said being a giver is better than winning the lottery!

Andy McDonald

Worship Services, Anthems, and Comfort Zones by Richard Hickam

2012-01-22T13:38:00.003-05:00

Depending on your point of view, one of the benefits of being a church musician is hearing a worship service several times in one day. Yesterday’s message by Andy McDonald, “Going Beyond Your Comfort Zone,” and Doug Spinella’s testimony (and of course the music) struck a particular nerve in our family, and I had the distinct pleasure of hearing them all several times.

Having recently uprooted our comfortable, mission-minded life in Collegedale to serve here in Orlando, we occasionally go through the “have we made the right decision?” mindset. It is comforting to hear confirmations from others who have gone through the same struggles. It is even more life affirming to hear the scriptural basis for direction in our lives.

The closing anthem presented by our guest guitarist, Kasper Haughton, yesterday was “Where You Go I’ll Go.” I heard this popular song as recorded by Chris Tomlin for the first time last spring when my orchestra was invited to play at the church while we were on our spring tour. I thought it was a catchy tune but didn’t give it much thought afterwards. The song was also in the praise and worship playlist the week I came into town to interview. Here are some of the lyrics:

Where you go, I’ll go

Where you stay, I’ll stay

When you move, I’ll move

I will follow…

Who you love, I’ll love

How you serve, I’ll serve

If this life I lose, I will follow…

Do you ever play connect-the-dots with God? It’s becoming one of my favorite pastimes.

This week I watched a program from the archives on ABC’s Nightline program called “Does God Have a Future?” One of the sticking points from the skeptics was, even if there was a Creator, the idea that God was interested in what we had for lunch was quite absurd.

The idea of the Creator being a personal God is a scriptural absolute. When God says in Isaiah 43:1, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine,” leaves no amount of guessing. Furthermore, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to give you hope and a future.” Lastly, one of my favorites from Isaiah 30:21, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’”

I am reminded of several of my friends who right now are on the other side of the world in Africa helping orphans. Why not here in Orlando? you say. Well, because God has placed it in their heart that Africa is where He wants them to make a difference.

So my question for you is, What is God calling you to do out of your comfort zone? Live comfortably in the American dream? Doubtful. Follow the whisperings behind your ear? Probably. Connect the dots in your life; He’s speaking to you right now.

I’m sure you thought from the title that the Minister of Music was going to challenge your thoughts on comfort zones relating to worship services and music. Don’t worry – I may, but I’m still waiting to see that last dot come into view.

Richard Hickam

Jesus and Religion by Chad Hess

2012-01-15T18:34:00.002-05:00

If you've spent any time on Facebook or YouTube this week, you've probably seen the video, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” In less than a week since its release, it has gotten over 11 million hits, over 200,000 likes, 27,000 dislikes, 117,000 comments, and a slew of response videos (as of this writing). Clearly, this video has struck a chord with many people. Some people love the attack on the hypocrisy of religion; some seek to defend religion, while others want to throw both Jesus and religion out the window.

While I don't agree with everything in the video, I do appreciate the distinction the creator is trying to make between religion and Jesus. I don't agree that they are polar opposites, but there is certainly a difference between the two. It is possible to have religion but miss Jesus. It's also possible to follow Jesus and not accept religion.

Religion is the organization of people who have similar beliefs and practices regarding God. At its best, it is a community that strengthens one another and reflects the complexity of God. At its worst, it is a collection of customs and roadblocks that block access to the very One they are supposed to lead people toward. Religion is full of messed-up people who, despite the best of intentions, often botch things up. It's a frustrating reality.

But I don't look to religion for my salvation. Jesus Himself offers me that, and it is my relationship with Him that really matters.

So why even bother with religion? Because we are social creatures following a relational God, so there is great value in group worship. There are many facets of God that I have learned through the experiences of others, things I could not understand on my own. I have also found a family in my church that has seen me through my most difficult times.

I don't need a religion that is perfect because I have a God who is perfect. Plus, I fit right in with an imperfect religion.

Chad Hess

For All We Know . . . by Greg Creek

2012-01-08T16:27:00.002-05:00

I recently returned from a weeklong mission trip, vacation, training, and spiritual renewal all rolled in to one. I had a large part in the spiritual renewal portion of the trip. Many months ago, a team of us got together and decided on a theme for the week. I spent weeks preparing a program that would be presented by others. Each evening on the trip would be focused around a story of Christ. Even though I wasn’t the one speaking each night, I knew the topics they were covering and studied the stories extensively.

A little less than a week before I left, I started preparing myself for the reality that there would not be a whole lot of new discovery for me on this trip. I knew the stories forward and backward – even the big points that the speakers were going to make.

As I settled in the first night, waiting to hear everything I already knew, I was shocked. I had learned something from the speaker that I didn’t know. How could this be? I knew all the songs beforehand. I knew the drama beforehand. I knew the stories beforehand. I knew the speaker’s big points beforehand. I knew the small group questions beforehand! And yet, in all that I knew, I found there was plenty that I didn’t.

Some might think that I was just being egotistical, that I was approaching it like I knew everything. In my mind, I didn’t feel that way; I just felt like I had studied and learned and plumbed the depths of the topics. I was once again reminded of just how big God and His word are.

In our society, our views on many things have changed or grown deeper over time—the world is no longer flat, the sun is at the center of the solar system, fresh air is good, etc. Many people were perfectly content to just go on believing what they had always believed, but others chose to push forward, to search for deeper understanding.

Sadly, I was content to sit back and to continue to believe the earth was flat, so to speak, and I almost missed out on the blessing of knowing God better.

As I challenge myself to grow deeper, I invite you to join me in continually seeking to understand an infinite God and to approach the things we “know” with an opportunity to still learn a little more.

Greg Creek

My Occupy Movement by Tami Cinquemani

2012-01-01T16:38:00.003-05:00

A quick Google search of the word “Occupy” reveals that Webster’s definition of this word has been enhanced. A word that once simply meant, “To take or fill up (space, time, etc.)” has taken on a unique global meaning. NPR’s Geoff Nunberg has even chosen this term as 2011’s Word of the Year.

What was once a simple phrase has come to mean something new. “Occupy” now brings visions of protest, disappointment, outrage, and deeply and desperately desired change. Those occupying various areas around our world have been moved to action, unwilling to sit around and just observe the thing they feel must be changed for the better. When one “occupies” something, they have given themselves over to a cause, regardless of how they are misunderstood, disrespected, or mistreated. They won’t give up because the price of calling it quits is far higher than the price they are paying by continuing to occupy.

Regardless of where the politics of our society have taken this effort, I believe the basic and original intent of those on New York’s Wall Street, Cairo's Tahrir Square, London’s Victoria Park, and Dublin’s Dame Street (just to name a few) has been to decry an injustice and right a terrible wrong.

I believe this was the original intent of God – to occupy us. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

After sin entered this world, a plan was laid to send His Son to occupy His creation in a new way. I believe Jesus came into our world to decry the injustice of His children allowing themselves to be destroyed by selfishness and pride and to right the terrible wrong of our separation from our Heavenly Father. I believe it is Jesus’ deepest desire to change our lives for the better. Rather than simply observe the self-inflicted decline of humanity, He shook our world with a protest of the status quo. Outraged that the children whom He loved so deeply would allow themselves to be degraded and scarred with sin, He was moved to action. Our Savior’s birth in a manger is no small thing; it is an occupation of the most desperate degree. The price of leaving the perfection of heaven for the battles of earth, and eventually the ultimate cost of the cross, was considered a far less price to pay than to lose even one precious soul.

What/Whom God “occupies” can’t help but be changed (“And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart . . . “ Ezekiel 11:19), and this occupation is available to all (“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . “ John 1:12)

Though there are many times I try to clear Him out, my heart’s desire is to allow Jesus to completely and fully Occupy me.

Tami Cinquemani

Hearts Desire by John Monday

2011-12-25T10:36:00.003-05:00

Christmas Eve, 1971. The boy was six years old and up much too late. But honestly, what child in his right mind can will himself to sleep when Santa is due? Of course, Mom and Dad wanted him to go to bed, as did his older brother and sister. They had other Christmas obligations as yet unfulfilled. But all he had to do was go to bed.

He knew it was a thin edge, but he’d make it to bed before the jolly old Elf arrived, and if he played his cards right, he might even catch a glimpse – or at least hear him. It was 10:00 pm, and the schedule was clear: Santa comes at midnight. How exactly that important fact came to be known he wasn’t sure, but it was a fact nonetheless.

His sister heard it first, and he thought she was just pulling his leg, but then Mom heard it too. Everyone got very quite and, low and behold, there it was – the sound of sleigh bells. It was high overhead and barely audible, but it was there. SANTA WAS EARLY!

He must be in some kind of circling pattern, perhaps heading to Bermuda then back to Florida. Surely there was still time! Anxiety was building, but the plan was sound, so the boy stuck to it. Then Santa landed! Right outside the house! There was no mistaking the banging and clanging. And as if that weren't proof enough, Dad came flying into the house. He had seen him land! Santa was on his way in!

The gig was up; it looked like all was lost. The boy ran to bed as fast as he could. He didn’t peek, or open the door, or even brush his teeth; he just went to bed. This was much too close a call.

Had he not known that Santa was coming that night, he might have missed it. The sleigh bells could have been mistaken for a distant train. He could have imagined the reindeer landing to be a ladder clanging, or rocks on the roof. But he believed, and it was that belief that gave clarity to the evidence. Not only did he believe . . . he wanted it. As much as a six-year-old can want anything, he wanted Santa.

In the following years, the boy thought he heard Santa a few more times, but never again was the encounter quite so close.

I’ve learned something about the value of “want,” and its effect on faith. We see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe. While some may think this is cynical evidence that the objects of our faith are mere fantasy conjured up in juvenile minds, it’s just the opposite.

The fact that we want love, acceptance, joy, meaning, and forgiveness is powerful proof that fulfillment of these desires exists. The want for these good things is evidence that either there is satisfaction for our deepest desires, or life is a chaotic, meaningless accident. What a cruel and senseless creator; what a cruel and senseless creation – if we’ve been imbued at our deepest level with a desire that cannot be satisfied.

Deep in the heart of every person is a desire – a want – for the good and pure and true. Those desires of our heart are placed there by God that they might drive us to seek Him. For a six-year-old, that want might be personified in a kind and strong man that brings toys and happiness, but there is a deeper answer – a true satisfaction.

God created us to love and to be loved. He loves us so much that he granted us the freedom to turn from him, and we did – every single one of us. But his love was so boundless that, despite our faults, flaws, and self-centered depravity, He reached across eternity to rebuild what we destroyed, to touch that deep desire in us that is a broken reflection of his image. In his wisdom, He didn’t do it through punishment and retribution. He did it through a baby. He became one of us that he might be one with us. He suffered our pain and endured our punishment that we might be eternally restored to him in love, acceptance, joy, meaning, and forgiveness.

There are a thousand good reasons to believe in this God we call Jesus, but today I am focused on this one: There’s no other story that I so desperately want to be true. Of all the myths, stories, and religions, there’s no other that resonates so completely within my soul.

During this Christmas season, I hope you’ll take time to consider this Jesus, this Immanuel, this God with us. Is he the one your heart has been seeking?

John Monday

Extending Christmas by Andy McDonald

2011-12-18T13:36:00.002-05:00

What is it that anchors us to the joy and good feelings of Christmas? Okay, I know that for some there is no such anchoring, but for most of us it is the “Hap—happiest season of all!” This year as I’ve been looking at Christmas from a little different angle, it has caused me to wonder what the emotional ties are to this holiday.

Of course, as the pastor, I’m supposed to say Jesus is the reason for the season—and few would argue with that proposition. But whether we recognize it or not, I think the secret to the spirit of Christmas is the simple exercise of giving. For the few weeks surrounding Christmas millions of people are planning and creating and sneaking and wrapping and hiding and finally presenting gifts to people they love.

I can more easily remember gifts given over those received. Receiving a gift is nice and fun – sometimes down right amazing. But Christmas giving is a reminder, one with concrete evidence, that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Just think about a gift you gave. You planned. You thought. Then you carefully acquired, wrapped secretly, and then slipped the gift under the tree. The giver’s anticipation of Christmas morning trumps the hopes of the recipients.

I remember some Christmas mornings when one of our children would be so excited to have us, as parents, open what they were giving. They would be so caught up in their gift-giving that we had to go ahead and open their present to us so we could continue opening gifts.

There is a joy unspeakable and full of glory when we give, and Christmas brings this all to life once a year. So what if we kept it going? What if every day, each week, at least once a month we intentionally thought of someone and gave them a gift? It might be some physical object we make or purchase, or it might be the conscious gift of friendship, a smile, an invitation for lunch, a word of encouragement, or introduction to a new friend. Maybe, just maybe, we could extend the spirit of Christmas to the other 364 days this year just by continuing to give. After all, why stop all those blessings that fill the air at Christmas when we could cash in 24/7 on the reality that it is more blessed to give than to receive? And maybe the spirit of Christmas will follow us through the whole year.

Andy McDonald

Christmas Stories by Richard Hickam

2011-12-11T13:26:00.002-05:00

Pastor Andy’s current sermon series is on Christmas stories. I have a Christmas legend that came by way of one of my favorite authors, William Barclay. The story goes like this:

When Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus were on their way to Egypt, as evening came they were weary and sought refuge in a cave. It was very cold – so cold that the ground was white with hoar frost. A little spider saw the little baby Jesus, and he wished so much that he could do something to keep him warm in the cold night. He decided to do the only thing he could – spin his web across the entrance of the cave to make, as it were, a curtain there.

Along the path came a detachment of Herod’s solders, seeking for children to kill to carry out Herod’s bloodthirsty order. When they came to the cave, they were about to burst in to search it, but their captain noticed the spider’s web covered with the white hoar frost and stretched right across the entrance to the cave. “Look,” he said, “at the spider’s web there. It is quite unbroken, and there cannot possibly be anyone in the cave, for anyone entering would certainly have torn the web.”

So the soldiers passed on and left the holy family in peace because a little spider had spun his web across the entrance to the cave. And that, so they say, is why to this day we put tinsel on our Christmas trees. The glittering tinsel streamers stand for the spider’s web, white with hoar frost, stretched across the entrance of the cave on the way to Egypt. It is a lovely story, and this much, at least, is true – no gift which Jesus receives is ever forgotten.

As you are in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, what gift to do you have for Jesus? A thoughtful gift for Him this season will not be forgotten.

Richard Hickam

Angel Tree by Shae Beery

2011-12-04T18:24:00.005-05:00

When I was a child, my family fully embraced the traditions of Christmas. We decorated our home with the most cherished ornaments, lights, and bows. We handmade or purchased gifts with much thought about the receiver. We made plans to go to Grandma’s house for Christmas Eve, and my mother allowed us kids to be a part of the month-long baking of cookies, cakes, and holiday pies. Our home functioned much like every other home in our neighborhood. However, with all that holiday excitement occurring in our house, there was one tradition I looked forward to above all the other activities, and that favorite activity was the day my mother would take me to select a child off of the Salvation Army Angel Tree.

I always selected a girl who was most like myself. Then, with a budget clearly spelled out (Yes, I understood the parameters of a budget at 8 years old and I was a thrifty shopper even then!), my mother and I would purchase one toy, one stuffed animal, one outfit, hygiene products, a bag of candy, and a box of candy canes! I loved rushing home and watching my mom carefully wrap each individual gift with colorful paper and Christmas bows. But before we would seal up the box, I would go to my drawer and pull out my most favorite pair of pajamas. I would select the pair that was most like new, and I would wrap them up myself. My mother told me that I should give something of my own to this child and not just buy everything. And so, every year I would carefully select the perfect pair of pajamas and include them in the box. And I loved it. Of course, later in the week I would forget that my beloved PJ’s were given away and riffle through my clothes for a second in search of something to wear. But then a smile would come to my face as I realized where they had gone.

I haven’t selected a child off of the Salvation Army Angel Tree for many years now, but I’m thankful my mother began this tradition of giving that has lasted my whole life. As I’ve gotten older, the opportunity to give has taken on various forms: visiting nursing home residents, assisting in children’s classes at church, getting involved with groups that help to clean up the devastation of a natural disaster, and even traveling to other countries to build schools, help orphaned children, and give medical attention to those in need.

These experiences have taught me many things, but the greatest one is this: The spirit of giving doesn’t have to be confined to the Christmas season. Additionally, blessings are not only reserved for the receiver but are also poured out to the giver. Don’t be afraid to give of yourself this Christmas and throughout the year—there is no shortage of blessings to be given . . . or received.

Shae Beery

FHC Member and Guest Blogger

Deciphering Truth and Lies by Tami Cinquemani

2011-11-27T14:53:00.006-05:00

I love family traditions. I think one of the reasons this is my favorite time of year is because the holidays are steeped in tradition. Each family will enjoy their own special version of holiday rituals that will bond its members and celebrate the season. My family enjoys its own unique traditions – things like the family football game after Thanksgiving dinner, celebrating “Mikulas” by opening Christmas stockings on December 6, candlelight communion on Christmas Eve, and late nights playing “Mafia.”

For those unfamiliar with the game, “Mafia” begins when each player secretly selects a playing card from the Moderator. The card chosen identifies whether you are a mafia member, police officer, doctor, or townsperson. The game proceeds as the mafia members try to hide their identity by “knocking off” the other players, and the other players try to save their town by seeking out the truth and discovering whom they can trust. There are accusations, presumptions, pleadings, and debate –lively discussions and enthusiastic arguments. There is triumph when perpetrators are caught, and shocked bewilderment when trusted family members are found to be lying and deceitful gangsters. Nice family game, huh? Okay, so maybe you have to be Italian to appreciate the fun.

I was talking with my son-in-law the other day, and we were discussing the book of Hebrews. Though the authorship of this book of the Bible is debated, one thing is clear – whoever wrote the book was intent on people knowing the identity of Jesus. The letter was written to a group of first century Jews at the beginning of the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. This group most likely consisted of both believers and seekers of the Christian faith.

The Hebrews were in danger, and insecurity and fear can lead to bad decisions. They were beginning to doubt the truth that would save their lives. There were those who sought to deceive, trying their best to convince the new believers that their trust should be put in things that would only lead to death. When persecution began and hardship prevailed, things they knew were not true seemed reasonable and became very enticing. Hebrews was written as a witness to the truth that the only hope, the only possibility of security, and the only path to salvation is in Jesus.

Is this any different than what we confront today? Even during a season when we are surrounded by the startling and astounding truth that God sent his Son to save our world, we so easily get distracted. There are many deceiving messages to sort through: God can’t be trusted; We have to save ourselves; I’m too sinful to save. The list is long. The lie is clear: Jesus isn’t enough.

The message in Hebrews is as relevant to us today as it was to the Jews of the first century:

“We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help. Hebrews 4:14-16 (CEV)

The truth is clear. Jesus’ identity is revealed, and He not only saves the town . . but the whole world.

Tami Cinquemani

Changes in the Air by Greg Creek

2011-11-20T19:04:00.002-05:00

In the last few months of living in Florida, I’ve had opportunities to venture outside the state. At some point during my trips away, I stop, notice the foliage, and think, “Oh yea, it’s Fall.” Living in Orlando, I don’t get to experience the seasons like I have grown accustomed to in different parts of the country. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll be welcoming Christmas in a pair of shorts . . . which is just weird.

When living in a less tropical area, the first clue that Fall is upon me is usually the changing colors in the trees. Then I get confirmation of the season’s change by a blast of cold air when stepping outside. Trees that are always green and weather that is warm all the time has me thinking that nothing is really changing.

I was talking with a friend of mine a few weeks ago, and he was explaining to me the different growing seasons for fruits and vegetables in Florida. Until that point, I just assumed you could grow just about anything at any time in a tropical climate. That conversation made me realize that, despite what I thought, there were changes happening around me. Even though I was still walking around in shorts, it was cooler now than it was a few months ago.

The truth is, change is always happening, but I’m not always noticing. When I broaden that idea from the seasons to my life, it makes me wonder how much I’m missing around me because I’m not taking the time to notice. There’s an old saying that encourages us to “stop and smell the roses.” It makes me wonder if there are other important things happening around me that I may be missing because I’m too caught up in what I expect to see. Perhaps I need to stop and notice the foliage, even if its shades are more subtle and nuanced.

Greg Creek

Christ's Low Standards by John Monday

2011-11-13T17:34:00.003-05:00

Occasionally things happen that cause us to reevaluate, or perhaps just more deeply consider, what we or the organizations we are associated with stand for. Just such an event has recently captured my attention and created no small amount of conversation around the subject of the doctrines that we hold dear. It’s not a new conversation, but it has received renewed vigor as of late and raised the question, “What can or should a church require of its members?”

Churches exist. This might seem a simplistic place to start, but it really is fundamental to the conversation. As organizations, churches, associations of churches, denominations, and many other religious organizations exist and have the right to define themselves. This right certainly isn’t restricted to religious institutions. If you want to join the Rotary, the PTA, or become a board certified lawyer or surgeon, you will be expected to meet the minimum standards of that organization.

Likewise, churches define what membership in their organizations means and what is required for entrance. The requirements vary widely but seem to have a common point of contact. Almost invariably, churches have some body of doctrine that must be intellectually acceded to in some public forum before a person can be accepted into membership. This in itself is not a bad thing. I believe that Christ himself established this pattern.

Good churches that desire to honor Christ and protect his people believe this and strive to understand what a “good” christian should be. As a result, churches codify expanding lists of doctrine that the potential member needs to understand and accept. Elders and theologians gain some new insight, and a few decades later it’s a required belief for all members. The administrators and gatekeepers of the organization observe a weakness or abuse, and another “fundamental” teaching is defined and codified. The church organization becomes involved in preserving and protecting the institution of the church with ever-enlarging circles of protective doctrines. And that’s our right.

In fact, our government protects and defends that right. The problem is that, while we have every legal right to define the human institution known as the church, that organization is not Christ’s Church. Christ’s Church is the body of Christ that has Christ as its head and every believer in Christ as a part of the body, and we have no heavenly right to exercise our legal rights in Christ’s Church.

Christ has defined what it means to be a part of his Church and has defined a criteria for entrance. On our best days we try to organize our human churches to honor the standards that Christ established; some days we do better than others. But when we claim the right to define what is required, we move into extraordinarily dangerous waters. And when our requirements for entrance exceed Christ’s we move from danger to peril and quickly arrive at the place where our church organizations can no longer claim part in Christ’s Church.

We must understand that there is a standard; in fact, there is a double standard. God’s requirements for entrance into his kingdom are so high and exacting, and we are so flawed and depraved, that we have no hope of ever crossing the bar. We do, however, have an advocate in Christ. He has cleared the hurdle and removed it. Having accomplished the work of the law and completed the work of salvation, he has reset the bar and this is it . . .

Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

and receive eternal life.

All those who believe in Christ and receive his free gift of eternal life are brothers and sisters in Christ’s Church and, by God’s grace, I want them to be accepted in my church.

May our church organizations and denominations always remember that we’re not here to preserve and purify the church. We’re here to walk with people and to love them into a life-long friendship with God.

Amen

John Monday

He's Watchin' You by Chad Hess

2011-11-06T18:21:00.001-05:00

My two-year-old son has a stuffed frog that he loves. When I get him up in the morning, he brings it with him as comfort as he wakes up. A month or two ago when I sat him down for breakfast, he didn't want to let go of Froggy. So I put Froggy on the table next to him. He looked at Froggy with a grin and said, "Froggy's watchin' you.” Since then, we have done it every morning, and he loves it. The thought of his Froggy watching him gives him great delight and pleasure; it's comforting to him.

I find this an interesting juxtaposition to the way we typically react to the idea of God watching us. When I hear people say, "God is watching you," it is usually done in the context of judgment and "Be careful what you do or say." But it doesn't have to be this way. If we have a loving and committed relationship with God, we should be happy that God is watching us because it means God is with us. It means that he is watching over and protecting us. He is not a God of whom we have to be afraid. He is a God who loves us and wants to spend time with us. So I can be happy that God is with me – and I am comforted that he is watching over me.

Chad Hess

Music and Change in the Christian Church by Richard Hickam

2011-10-30T17:45:00.002-04:00

Change has always been a problem in the religious community. For centuries, theological differences have splintered Christians into camps that have become Catholics and Protestants, new denominations, and even sub-groups within denominations.

In 1611 as the King James Bible was about to be published, Dr. Hugh Broughton, a seventeenth-century British scholar in Greek and Hebrew, wrote the following review: “[The Authorized Version] was sent to me to censure: which bred in me a sadness which will grieve me while I breath, it is so ill done. Tell his Majesty that I would rather be rent in pieces by wild horses, then that any such translation by my consent would be urged upon the poor churches . . . .The cockles of the seashores, and the leaves of the forest, and the grains of the poppy may as well be numbered as the gross errors of this Bible.”

The King James Version . . . really? I thought that was the supreme sacred version?

Music within the church is no exception to this problem and has been a difficult subject for worshippers and worship leaders. Consider how German churches in the time of Johann Sebastian Bach reacted when new instruments were introduced in their worship services. Here, the incident happened within the sphere of classical music in a church setting: “When in a large town [Bach’s] Passion Music was done for the first time, with 12 violins, many oboes, bassoons, and other instruments, many people were astonished and did not know what to make of it. In the pew of a noble family in church, many Ministers and Noble Ladies were present, who sang the first Passion Chorale out of their books with great devotion. But when this theatrical music began, all these people were thrown into the greatest bewilderment, looked at each other and said: ‘God save us, my children! It’s just as if one were at an Opera Comedy.’ But everyone was genuinely displeased by it and voiced just complaints against it.”

Upset about J.S. Bach in church? Really? Wow!

One last story: A nineteenth-century Protestant Church was considering acquiring an organ for the worship services. At that time, most churches did not accept the use of instruments in worship. Even organs were not allowed since they were commonly used in theaters for entertainment. But one progressive church went against the established tradition: “Though the demand for better music was becoming increasingly insistent, the non-Episcopal Churches were very reluctant to admit organs. An English gentleman made an offer of 500 pounds to the first ‘dissenting’ church that would venture on the innovation . . . Finally the Brattle Street Church surrendered to the inevitable and decided to have an organ, but even after the order had been sent to England and the instrument was on its way, the congregation was torn with bitter strife. One wealthy member besought with tears that the house of God be not desecrated, promising to refund the entire cost of the organ if the evil thing might be thrown to the bottom of Boston Harbor. But gradually opposition subsided.”

Opposition to organs in church!?! The humanity!

The examples presented here illustrate the concept that, at one time, everything is new, then it becomes tradition, then it becomes old. The guiding force presented in the New Testament should be our litmus test when it comes to such things. The examples and theme here is taken directly from Lilianne Doukhan’s book “In Tune with God.” I would close with her illustration of a passage from Romans where she substitutes music-related terms for some of Paul’s expressions:

“One man’s faith allows him to [listen to] everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, [listens only to a particular style]. The man who [listens to] everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not [listen to] everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” (Romans 14:2-4).

Richard Hickam

A Great Epitaph by Andy McDonald

2011-10-23T15:01:00.003-04:00

It may not be something you spend much time pondering, but when your loved ones are trying to decide what epitaph should be inscribed on your grave marker, what would you suggest?

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of working with families as they plan for funerals and burials. The whole process, no matter how honest and fair the funeral director, always leaves me with the same sort of feeling that I have after buying a car - maybe pleased, but always wondering just how much better I should have done in my dealings.

Part of the grave marker selection process is the opportunity to cast in bronze or carve in granite an appropriate epitaph, which the dictionary defines as: “an inscription in memory of the dead person.” Cemetery sales people make suggestions, which may work well for some families, but not for ours.

When my Dad was dying, he actually picked out his own epitaph! On his grave marker it says, “Napping till the resurrection.” That was what he wanted, and we made sure it was what he received. He was confident in his belief that death was like a sleep, and he was confident that, because of Jesus, he will one day rise on the resurrection day. Dad enjoyed a good nap, and the concept of thinking of death as napping until the resurrection brought him comfort as he faced death.

I don’t ever remember having any conversations with my father-in-law about grave stone epitaphs. So when my mother-in-law and I met with the cemetery representative, we weren’t really prepared when we were asked what the epitaph should say. All the “helpful” suggestions from the cemetery personnel weren’t that helpful.

Then, in a moment of genius, my mother-in-law suggested just three words. When I heard her, I laughed and agreed it was the perfect answer. He was a great man, a good father, and a loving husband, but giving him all the honors due him doesn’t honor him as well as the epitaph. Any other accolade would only champion a single side or individual trait that marked his life. How could we capture, in just three of four words, his lifelong journey? He had jumped into some youthful rebellion, spent time in the armed services, worked for some good and bad bosses, finally developed his own business, and did well for himself. Life transitioned him from stubborn to determined, from competitive to cooperative, from controlling to relaxed, and from demanding to accepting.

So on his marker you’ll find this three-word epitaph: “Improved with age.” What a compliment. While his health deteriorated, and his freedoms became restricted, and his ability to control disappeared, it is such a compliment to note how he faced all that life brought his way, and he “Improved with age.”

So what about you? Improving with age? And at the risk of being accused of being morbid—What would you choose as your epitaph?

Andy McDonald

Rediscovering the High Road by Tami Cinquemani

2011-10-17T00:21:00.002-04:00

I have friends who are of a variety of faiths or no faith at all. I have friends who are sold out to their political party – to the Right, the Left, and those in between – as well as friends who want nothing to do with politics. I have friends who have been hurt by prejudice and racism and others who struggle with judging others based on their culture, gender, or ethnicity. I have friends who are pet lovers and others who find life much happier without a feathered or furry friend. I have friends who are married and others who are single – either by divorce or loss of a spouse. I have friends who are straight and others who are gay. I have friends who have had children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren and others who have decided not to have children at all.

I am both blessed and challenged by these relationships. They force me to think outside of the box and understand that I live in a world where there is beauty in variety and richness in knowing others unlike myself. There is a kaleidoscope of people whom I appreciate, welcome, and admire – people with whom I enjoy sharing life and its diversity.

Facebook has become a wonderful “place” to gather with all of my friends in one place. It is because of this reality that I sometimes find deep frustration when viewing what fellow Christians post on Facebook.

As Christians, we profess a desire to follow Jesus – the epitome of grace and mercy. We treasure scriptures filled with direction to “Love your neighbor as yourself . . . Honor one another above yourselves . . . Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” These are faithful and regular church attenders who post comments, cartoons, and essays without any concern given to those who may be wounded. It’s not a respectful and thoughtful exchange – it is an aggressive and careless offering without regard for someone struggling with and finding identity with the very issues they flippantly malign.

Politics, sexuality, race, religion . . . the list goes on. I personally believe these topics can and should be discussed in a positive and respectful manner – even when there is a difference of opinion. This is where learning, understanding, and tolerance take place. However, most of what I see has no resemblance to honest and respectful thought. It is generally a cheap shot taken to smack someone down.

I know the standard response: “Can’t you take a joke?” “Come on, lighten up.” “If you don’t like it, just don’t read it.” Really?

Or there’s another attempt at justification: righteous discipline. After all, Jesus didn’t tread gently when clearing the temple. Well, here’s the thing: (1) We’re not Jesus, and (2) Jesus’ anger was directed at those who were misrepresenting who He is to those who needed Him.

It is so easy to throw stones and cast judgment from our computers. I wonder if these same comments would be made face-to-face, or if personal contact might cause pause before those hurtful words and thoughts are flung. I would like to think the eagerness to “share wisdom,” by offering scorching opinion and making snap judgments might be stalled when it is seen first-hand how they cut and hurt.

At the 2009 Willowcreek Leadership Summit, Gary Hamel stated that “Church has become a weekly convocation for the converted and the content.” How sad . . . and how true. If what we are hearing and experiencing at church does not challenge us and demand that we behave differently when we leave, why do we bother attending? If we put on a “Jesus face” and shake hands with our fellow believers then turn around and behave with unconcerned ugliness to our world, we are defaming and defacing the name of the God we claim to serve.

I believe our world is richer because of the variety of thought and opinion found on this journey of life. My hope is that, as we make the trip, those who profess Christianity rediscover their directions to the “high road.”

Tami Cinquemani

Our Gut Response by Chad Hess

2011-10-09T18:03:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I was leaving work and heading home. I picked up my phone to call my wife as I usually do. However, when I grabbed my phone, I discovered that it wasn't working. I had been having some problems with it, and now it was completely dead. For a geek like me, a dead cell phone is a big deal. I started thinking of every possible way of contacting my wife, and after about five minutes, I had come up with a complicated plan of using a computer to text her. As I was walking back into the office, it occurred to me that I could simply use the land-line phone in the office to call her. Such a simple and obvious solution; yet it took me five minutes to think of it. I realized that the reason I didn't think of such an obvious solution sooner is that I wasn't used to using a land-line phone to call her.

Our gut response to a problem is formed by the habits we make. When something happens, we turn to what has worked for us in the past. When it comes to communication, my cell phone and computer are my gut response (when a face-to-face conversation isn't possible). When it comes to my spiritual life, prayer should be my gut response, but I have to admit that it isn't always. This is probably because I don't pray as much as I should. But this experience taught me that my first response isn't always the best response. Prayer should be our first response in every situation. When we are used to praying to God about little things, it will be more instinctual to pray when bigger things happen. Prayer is the best response – in little situations and in big ones. I plan to make a habit of it.

Chad Hess

Frustrated By God by John Monday

2011-10-02T15:49:00.005-04:00

He’s a little frustrated with God – a new experience, at least in his conscious mind, although it’s probably been a growing reality for a while.

As a Christian, getting frustrated or, heaven forbid, angry with God is really not acceptable. Any hint of it should be quickly met with repentance, and self-flagellation or maybe just the easier route, denial. You see, He has a problem; it doesn’t matter what it is, but it’s real and poignant, and the outcome is uncertain. Dealing with it is like swimming in mud, and God isn’t fixing it!

A moment of honest prayer went something like this, “ If you’re the God who made everything and cares about all of us, then you’ve got to fix this.” Make no mistake; this wasn’t so much a prayer of surrender as of frustration. Then, out of the blue, when he wasn’t asking or listening, he became aware of God. While “prayerfully” wallowing in his problems, God said something like, “You want Me to work on the things that are important to you, but who’s praying for the things that are important to Me?”

He was ashamed as a litany of the people, places, organizations, programs, and initiatives that are in desperate need paraded through his mind. Things that are in need of time, attention, money, love, prayer. He felt small. Not because he was unimportant to God, but because he’d become way too important to himself. He was reminded that God has an agenda (Jeremiah 29:11), and it’s not our agenda (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So the question we all must ask is, What kind of a God do we want? Do we want a god in a bottle who pops out on demand, does our bidding, then conveniently returns to his bottle until needed again? Or do we want a God who made plans for us before the foundations of the world? Do we want a god who will bless our plans? Or a God who graciously allows us to participate in His? In short, do we want God or an idol?

Truth be told, many of us just want a genie, a god who will hear our problems, listen to our solutions, and implement them. But there’s a better way, and I want to want it.

However, as we move toward Gods’ agenda and away from ours, there’s another learning; As long as we keep frustrations to ourselves, deny our depravity, and put on a false face before God, idolatry will continue like a festering sore. But we need not live in a state of denial or self-flagellation – nor hide our anger, frustration, disappointment, impatience, self-importance, and arrogance. As we approach God honestly and give our garbage to him, he will take it and do with it as he sees fit. We can bring our crud to God. Because . . .

”We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin. So we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness to receive mercy and find kindness, which will help us at the right time.” Hebrews 4:15-16 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

This God we profess is not a magical servant or a cruel master. He is our loving Father, Redeemer, and Savior. When we get that, it changes everything.

John Monday

Clearing the Stuff by Greg Creek

2011-09-25T15:37:00.004-04:00

I love stuff. With hobbies in music, electronics, and all-around tinkering, I have amassed a lot of stuff that is interesting, useful, neat-looking, or just cool for whatever reason.

I have recently determined that I hate moving, having lived in three houses in three months. As we went about packing up our house the first time, I started looking at everything with one question in mind: “Will I really miss that if I get rid of it?” I had grown quite weary of packing, and these feelings were only during the first move. Little did I know another move was on the horizon!

During the first move we got rid of lots of stuff--clothes, electronics, and randomness. During the second move we got rid of more clothes, more electronics and, even musical instruments (which was not an easy thing for me to do).

What I realized was how quickly stuff can just pile up. But not just any stuff – stuff that we never used, stuff that we didn’t need, stuff that just got in the way. After several moves I thought it strange how much stuff I was lugging around that I didn’t need. It took longer to move, cost more to move, and made it more tiring to move.

In the midst of the second move, I saw a friend whom I had not seen for some time. Using the word “friend” is probably a bit of stretch. I had some deep resentment toward this person though I was really the one at fault. For the last 12 months or so I had been impressed that there needed to be reconciliation, and in the midst of the second move, God worked out a meeting. After meeting and talking with this person, my mind still overrun with thoughts of the second move, I realized that I had been carrying the “stuff” from this relationship with me.

As much as I hate to admit it, getting ridding of the clothes, electronics, and yes, even the instruments, was somewhat of a relief and felt good to purge. However, that relief was nothing compared to the relief I felt with the reconciliation that I encountered with my friend.

I’d be willing to assume that we all have some extra stuff in our lives, whether it’s the physical stuff that fills our storage closets and garages, or whether it’s the stuff of emotional baggage, grudges, and the like. Start your spring-cleaning early this year, and purge all the stuff . . . it feels great.

Greg Creek

Some to Nineveh, Some to Fiji by Richard Hickam

2011-09-18T14:43:00.002-04:00

I must admit, I was quite embarrassed to lead a youth group on a mission trip at the ripe age of 41 and have it be my first mission trip. I had been impressed over the last several years, after taking my performance groups to various educational (Washington, D.C.), exceptional (Carnegie Hall), and downright fun (Walt Disney World) venues, that there was something more that I should be doing. It’s not that any of the other stuff is bad…I believe in a well-balanced diet and lifestyle, but I did feel like something was missing in my Christian experience.

After arrangements were made and I discovered we would be heading to the South Pacific and the Fiji Islands, the excitement started to build. My mantra became “some are called to Nineveh, and some are called to Fiji!

The trip changed me in many ways; as a matter of fact, I don’t think I would have accepted a call into music ministry full time at the Florida Hospital Church if I hadn’t had this mission experience. The call from Andy McDonald came immediately after this trip, and I know I wouldn’t have taken it if I hadn’t seen God opening special doors once I decided to go “all the way” with Him.

Anyway, I love “Top 10” lists, so I made this “First Time” list of the things I did on this mission trip at the age of 41 to let people know , when you walk through a door that God has opened for you, your life of excitement is only beginning!

My List of Firsts on the Fiji Mission Trip 2011

First mission trip

First time taking a group out of the country (an adventure on many levels)

First time to the South Pacific

First time to be away from electronic devices and air conditioning for a substantial period of time

First time to understand for what a handkerchief is used

First time to be eaten alive by mosquitoes

First time snorkeling

First time parasailing

First time to lead a paint crew

First time driving on the wrong side of the road!!!

First time to see how badly people wanted to get to America

First time in a native village

First time to receive a Whale’s tooth!

First time to pull a tooth (three, thanks to Dr. Joe Milholm!)

First sermon preached

First sermon preached using an interpreter

First time to play a concert in a prison (outside, in the Fijian tropical sun)

First time to lead the Hallelujah Chorus with orchestra and chorus in a prison concert and understand what it really means to live the gospel as in Matthew 25:36

First time I have depended on God so much and seen Him in such a clear and vivid way!

As our church begins a new adventure partnering with Small Steps for Compassion (Tanzania, Africa), I would challenge you to join this mission project, and get ready for God to use you - wherever you are in your journey - in new and powerful ways!

Richard Hickam

Our ADHD World by Andy McDonald

2011-09-11T16:03:00.004-04:00

When we stop changing, we are dead! Our bodies are constantly in a cycle of cell division and replacement. It’s interesting science: how rapidly each type of cell replenishes and the rare ones that don’t. Today we know the epidermis, or surface layer of the skin, is recycled every two weeks or so. The epithelial cells that line the surface of the gut are new every five days, while those in the main body of the gut appear to last 15.9 years prior to replacement. Our very bodies are constantly changing.

Today there is growing evidence that we are experiencing changes in the way our brains function. Research at such places as the Child Health Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle has demonstrated that our increased time in front of active screens (TV, video games, computer, blackberry, ipad, iphone, etc.) are changing the way our brains function. The age-old ability to pick up on nuance and simple human facial expressions seems to be decreasing, and our insatiable need to “get things done” drives us to attempt increased multi-tasking, which seems to be disabling us from a healthy ability to concentrate. In addition, the constant stimulation from these outside sources creates a sense of boredom when the stimulation stops.

There may have never been a more critical time in human history for us to hear and practice, “Be still and know that I AM God.”

I’m guilty. There is much more to accomplish for the optimum health of the branch of the Body of Christ called Hospital Church than I can get done! So I end up multi-tasking. I listen to a lecture while I check my emails or clean up my office. I never drive without using that time to make a call. Even in preparation for a sermon I find myself flitting between reading a book and searching the Internet for facts, figures, or illustrations.

To seek sanity, I have reverted to my “First Thirty” rule. Most days, before I engage in anything else, I make time to just be still. It isn’t easy. I want to make a list, plan my day, and jump to doing – and doing is important. But I’ve found that, without those “First Thirty” minutes, I tend to forget the truth that “It is not by my might or my power” - or by clever technology, or faster processing, or multi-tasking - that God’s work is accomplished in me and in His world. It is by His Spirit that His work is done. (Zechariah 4:6)

I guarantee that today things will change, and probably at a higher speed than yesterday. When we stop changing, we are dead. But in order to manage all that comes to us in our 21^st century world, maybe the wisest way to start our day is to be still and, in that stillness, come to know the God whose character is so perfect as to be changeless. I believe that in our connection to and in our knowing God ,we can better manage our ADHD world and embrace the inevitable change.

So take a mini-Sabbath every morning (or if you’re a night owl, every night), and turn off the TV, put the computer to sleep, silence your phone, lay your ipad face down and stop—be still, and let God remind you that only He is infinite, He is God, and it’s okay for us to be finite.

Here’s my First Thirty plan:

• Find a comfortable place to sit, and use the same place whenever possible.

• 5 minutes just being quiet before God - letting go of worry and concentrating on listening.

• 10 minutes of prayer, writing out your thoughts in prayer to God

• 10 minutes of reading a devotional work or the Bible. (The object isn’t to see how much you can get read but how much of what you read gets in you!)

• 5 minutes memorizing the Bible.

Or just being still and listen for all 30 minutes!

Make your own plan of how you will carve out some “Be Still” time.

Andy McDonald

How Will They Know? by Tami Cinquemani

2011-09-04T16:50:00.004-04:00

“And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

I remember singing this song when I first became a Christian back in the Eighties. John 13:35 states, “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Is this true today?

My husband, Jeff, and I were driving to church a couple of weeks ago, and as we drove down the street of the church, we saw an elderly woman standing in the road waving her arms. We pulled up to her and asked what the problem was.

“I’m 93 years old, and I’ve locked myself out of my house,” was her response. We pulled into the driveway and, while Jeff worked on jimmying open a window, I chatted with the woman. In a matter of minutes, he had climbed into the house and opened the front door. The dear lady was delighted

“You’re Seventh-day Adventist, aren’t you?” she asked. “Do you know how I know that?”

I would have liked nothing better than to hear her say, “Because you’re so helpful,” or “Because you cared about me,” or something along those lines. What she actually said was, “Because you’re so dressed up on a Saturday morning.”

I’m afraid this may be one of the only reasons many Christians are distinguished as such – because of their attire as they head to weekend services. Unfortunately, that may be one of the more positive things associated with Christians lately. Personally, that frustrates me. However, it can be an understandable designation when our behavior is not always consistent with our message.

I just wonder if things would be different if Christians were completely filled to overflowing with the love of Jesus. If we started each morning, spent each day, and ended each evening with a conscious decision to allow Jesus to fill our hearts and minds, for what would we be known? If we treated each person we met as a fellow child of God – regardless of their status in this world, would people see a clearer resemblance to our Heavenly Father? If our first reaction was to love and serve rather than to judge and label, would the way we dress even be noticed?

And they’ll know we are Christians . . . by our love.

Tami Cinquemani

A Work In Progress by Chad Hess

2011-08-28T17:43:00.003-04:00

Several years ago I went through the difficult challenge of a divorce. One of the challenges I faced was accepting the reality that other people would know I wasn’t perfect. I always knew I wasn’t perfect; I just didn’t want other people to know. Through the help of my counselor, I came to accept the reality of my imperfection. This is not to say that I stopped trying to improve; I just accepted the reality that no one is perfect. The graphic on this blog is a picture of the incomplete puzzle I framed to remind me that it is okay to be a work in progress.

Why is it so hard for Christians to admit imperfection? I’m not talking about saying you are a sinner; I’m talking about admitting the specific sins you struggle with. Why is it so hard for a church to acknowledge and talk about problems that the church is facing? I’m not talking about glorifying the sin or cheapening grace; I’m talking about honesty and transparency. This doesn’t mean we should walk around with a t-shirt that lists our deepest, darkest secrets. Prudence is required in our disclosure.

A perfect church is only appealing to perfect people. But since neither of those exists, why do we pretend they do? When I was going through my divorce, I sought the help of others that I knew were divorced. I wanted someone who could understand what I was experiencing and help me through it. The lost and broken people in this world (you know, the ones the church is called to save) are going to be drawn to people who offer both empathy and hope. Christians who can say, “I know what you’re going through. I’ve been there and, while I’m not perfect, I’m also not where I used to be. Let me share with you how Jesus brought hope and healing to my life.”

Chad Hess

I Heard Jesus in a Key West Taco Bar by John Monday

2011-08-21T17:22:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago my family and I went to the Florida Keys for a few days of snorkeling, boating, and fun while reconnecting with old friends. On Saturday evening we drove an hour south to watch the Key West sunset, experience the spectacle that is Mallory Square, and wander Duval Street.

After seeing beautiful sail boats silhouetted against the sunset, human statues entertaining children, listening to banjos, guitars, and mandolins, watching cats and old men jump through hoops, and being mesmerized by didgeridoos (google it), we found ourselves in Amigo’s tortilla bar. That's when I heard Jesus.

It wasn’t a trance-inducing vision from heaven or a prophet decrying the decadence of an immoral society. It was a simple statement printed on the side of every plastic cup at Amigo’s: “Once you’ve ruined your reputation, you can live quite freely”.

It reconfirmed for me two things that I’ve come to believe. The first is that God can and will use any and all means to reach us; be it movies, music, or plastic cups. I’ve begun to rethink the entire notion of “secular” as it relates to me as a Christian. I believe that, no matter where I go, what I do or see, who I talk or listen to, God is already there. So if I hear truth in a Jimmy Buffett song, see beauty in a painting, or read prophetic words on a plastic cup in Key West, how can those things for me be secular? Christ is in me and will always be wherever I go; secular (separate from God) is not an option.

But that only deals with the way the message was delivered. The second thing that really awed me was the basic gospel message encapsulated in a restaurant slogan. I don’t know, but I doubt it was the intention of the owners to preach the gospel, just as I doubt it was Pilate’s plan to reveal truth when he nailed a sign over Christ’s head reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”. But the intended purpose does not negate the truth or Gods ability to use it. And were I trying to convey the gospel message, I may have phrased it a little differently, but as I think about it, no better.

Were I writing a biblical paraphrase, I might use such a saying to communicate the message of Ephesians 2: 4-10: “4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions … 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

or Isaiah 64:6:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

Or maybe I’d use it to express the sentiment of Romans 3:23-24:

“23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Everybody, but especially we Christians, need to understand that our efforts, or works, our good deeds and intentions are not very good, and if we strive to advance, preserve, or protect our “goodness,” our reputations will become a trap that will enslave and separate us from Christ, the Author of freedom.

So I wonder, did God inspire the words on that cup, or did he just orchestrate my travels so that I would see them? I don’t know, but I do believe that, realizing the ruined condition of my reputation, I can live quite freely in the grace of Christ.

John Monday

Grace Is No License to Sin by Andy McDonald

2011-08-14T14:27:00.003-04:00

The two incidents weren’t two weeks apart – the dreaded, unnerving experience of being pulled over by a police officer. I wasn’t speeding. I didn’t run a light. I hadn’t ignored a stop sign. I couldn’t be accused of reckless driving. No, it was simply that I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt.

The first time I was coming around a corner and saw two motorcycle cops who were ticketing another driver. As soon as I saw them, I recognized the absence of my seatbelt, so I quickly reached over my shoulder, pulled it forward and clicked it in place. But as soon as I passed the officers, one of the motorcycles immediately pursued me and pulled me to the side of the road. Before he got to my window, I had my license and insurance in hand and was fumbling for the registration. He asked me why I took my seatbelt off when I approached them. I explained that I wasn’t taking it off – I was putting it on. Why in the world would I take it off as I approached them? A few minutes later he returned, gave me back my cards, and explained that he was only going to give me a warning. He also explained that, had he ticketed me, it would have been $116.00!

I was grateful to not be fined, but I was mad about the whole incident. Like every other citizen who might choose, I could ride a motorcycle down much of I-4 or the Turnpike at 70 mph with no helmet and expect no one to stop or fine me. But if I didn’t wear my seatbelt, sitting inside my car driving 25 mph in a residential area, it could cost me $116! Of course, I kept these thoughts to myself, simply thanked the officer, bucked my seatbelt, and continued on my way.

All too soon, I was again driving along, minding my own business, when a patrol car pulled up behind me, sounded his siren, and pulled me over. Once again, I was being very law-abiding when it came to speed, stop signs, and traffic lights, but on this short errand had, once again, failed to click my seatbelt in place. This time I was sure I would pop up on his computer as a “seatbelt violator,” and I’d be getting a ticket. But the officer was gracious and just gave me a warning. It was a different branch of law enforcement, and he said the ticket would have been $115.00. One again, I was grateful for grace.

Sometimes people accuse that if we give too much grace, offer grace too freely, or let people experience grace too often, that grace recipients will simply abuse grace. Even I have thought that on occasion. But my recent experience with receiving grace from two different law enforcement officers makes me think otherwise. Instead of creating some bold sense of presuming on grace, I clearly recognize my guilt, and I don’t want to push the limits of grace – wherever those might be. Instead, I am wearing my seatbelt more faithfully! Oh, I still sometimes simply forget; the habit isn’t habitual yet. But I’m better at buckling before I begin rolling and – even when I forget initially – as soon as I realize I’m not bucked up, I immediately remedy the situation!

Interestingly enough, I’m not doing so because a cop might be watching or out of fear of facing a fine. With this quick, double occurrence of receiving grace, I don’t want to presume upon it. It is grace experienced that motivates my buckling up. Grace really is “amazing” on so many fronts. What if everyone who has recognized they are recipients of God’s grace became grace dispensers to everyone they know and meet? It might just change the world.

Andy McDonald

Our Current Debt by Tami Cinquemani

2011-08-07T13:30:00.002-04:00

This morning’s newspapers, talk shows, and Internet news feeds share a common theme: the United States’ credit rating downgrade from AAA to AA+. The happenings of the recent past have led U.S. credit rating agency S&P to question our nation’s ability to pay our debt and have a credible long-term plan for reducing it.

And even in this crisis situation, even though the bickering and lack of willingness to work together has brought us to a place where none of us want to be, the partisanship and pettiness continues. As I’ve watched the theatrics acted out on our political stage for the past several months, I just want to be in the room and plead, “Come on, people! We know we’re in trouble, and we’re all in this together. These pathetic one-sided arguments are counter-productive. Can’t we just admit the problem, come together, and take a bold stand on the true solution?”

Our Senior Pastor, Andy McDonald, had a great sermon yesterday. He talked about the story in John 9 where Jesus heals the man born blind. The religious leaders of the day were furious. Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. Jesus solved the problem; he brought healing and wholeness to this man, but He didn’t do it in the way the Pharisees wanted it done. They grilled the healed man, even questioning whether he was actually ever blind! Their arguments were preposterous, petty, and completely missed the point. Jesus was the answer!

As a church, I hope we learn from the mistakes of our political leaders as well as the mistakes of the biblical religious leaders. There is only one solution to our human “debt” problem – Jesus. We can easily get bogged down in meaningless petty arguments that get us nowhere. It’s time we admit the problem, come together, and take a bold stand on the true solution. Jesus makes it clear in Luke 10:41-42: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the solution. Jesus is enough.

Tami Cinquemani

Absolute Surrender by David Achata

2011-07-31T14:34:00.005-04:00

“I say it again, God will bless you. You have been praying for blessing. But do remember, there must be absolute surrender. At every tea-table you see it. Why is tea poured into that cup? Because it is empty, and given up for the tea. But put ink, or vinegar, or wine into it, and will they pour the tea into the vessel? And can God fill you, can God bless you if you are not absolutely surrendered to Him? He cannot. Let us believe God has wonderful blessings for us, if we will but stand up for God, and say, be it with a trembling will, yet with a believing heart: ‘O God, I accept Thy demands. I am thine and all that I have. Absolute surrender is what my soul yields to Thee by divine grace.’”

I read this the other day in Andrew Murray's book, Absolute Surrender. This quote is behind the journey my family and I are embarking on very soon.

Many of you know that Amy and I have sensed the Lord guiding us over the past few months to make a huge move out west. We've seen many confirmations that we're moving in the right direction. But ultimately, it's all about absolute surrender. I can understand why Paul says in Phil. 3:13. "I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead . . ." I question if people can be "absolutely surrendered" to Jesus – but that's what believers are moving toward. I know I want to move toward that.

When a person considers the cost of following Jesus (Luke 14:25-34), one has to ask, "How is this possible?" How can one attain what Jesus wants: absolute surrender? It's in the quote. I think it has to do with recognition of what we were made for. Murray would say that a pen is made for writing. It can't write correctly if two hands are on it. It can only be given up for writing if a single hand is guiding it.

This past year has been a process of me taking an honest assessment of my motives, my passions and how they line up with what God wants for my life. The result: I saw there were other "hands" on the pen of my life. The hand of job security, the hand of health insurance, the hand of a great church and the hand of a great neighborhood. Those things aren't bad, but when they become ultimate and end up standing in the way of the call of God, they need to be demoted to their proper place.

I haven't attained absolute surrender, but I'm on the way. What kinds of things do you need to surrender? Give yourself up to the master. Let him be the hand that guides your life, and you'll find yourself on a journey, and if you ever come back, you'll be transformed so much that it's like you never really came back. Like Murray says, "Let us believe God has wonderful blessings for us, if we will but stand up for God, and say, be it with a trembling will, yet with a believing heart: 'O God, I accept Thy demands. I am thine and all that I have. Absolute surrender is what my soul yields to Thee by divine grace.'"

It's been a wonderful experience working at Florida Hospital Church. Thanks for a great journey!

David Achata

Follow the Achata’s adventures: http://gowithoutknowing.tumblr.com

When Daddy Comin? by Chad Hess

2011-07-24T17:12:00.002-04:00

For the past two weeks, I have been home with my family celebrating our new arrival! Since there is only so much I can do for our new baby, most of my time was spent playing with and taking care of our 20 month old son. I loved this time of bonding with him, and he loved the time with his daddy. I knew it would be difficult for him when I started back to work on Friday. Sure enough, Friday afternoon I got a text from my wife that our son was repeatedly asking “When Daddy comin?” No text has pierced my heart like that. He’s not really old enough to understand exactly why I’m not there. He just knows that he misses his daddy.

Sometimes I feel that way about God. I don’t fully understand why He doesn’t come; I just know that I miss Him. I want to see Him. I want to play with Him. I want Him to love on me. I know someday He will come, and we will go home. But until then, I wait with longing.

My experience with my son has also taught me one other thing: this longing to be together is even worse for the Father than it is for me.

Chad Hess

I Believe In God by John Monday

2011-07-17T16:47:00.012-04:00

I believe in God. I don’t mean in the sense that I believe he exists. I do, but I'm talking about a different belief.

I believe in God the way I believe in my friends. I believe he’s happy to take my call, that he looks forward to spending time with me. That he is interested in what I have to say. That he’s anxious to listen and eager to help. That if I need to move, he’ll bring the truck.

I believe in God the way that I believe in my employer. I believe that he has a purpose for me and that he supplies me with the means to accomplish that purpose. I believe that he has created a job perfectly suited to my interests and abilities and that he’s there to coach, mentor and expand my abilities, responsibilities, and job satisfaction.

I believe in God the way I believe in my parents. I believe that he sees through all the errors in judgement, mistakes, misdeeds, ignorance, arrogance, rebellion, and nonsense to see the good in me. I believe that, despite failure after failure, he still has confidence in me. That no matter how many times I turn away he’s watching and waiting with open arms, anxiously expecting me to turn to him. I believe that every time I turn to him he receives me as a perfect child despite my extreme imperfection.

I believe in God the way I believe in my country. I believe that God seeks justice and protects the innocent. That he implements laws to protect me, not him. That he places wise and honest authorities over me for the benefit of me and everyone else.

I believe in God the way I believe in my favorite restaurant. I believe that God prepares good things for me and wants me to enjoy my food. I believe that God takes pleasure in serving me, and that he’ll always be there with a wholesome and appetizing meal.

I believe in God the way I believe in my City. I believe that living in community with God protects me from countless problems of which I’ll never be aware. That God likes, builds, and wants a community where people are more inclined to help than to harm. That he wants community identity, purpose and good.

I believe that any time I see any of these good things anywhere or in anyone I’m seeing reflections of God. Whether I’m eating with friends, working on a project, attending a concert, exploring an art show, or helping a drug addict in a homeless shelter, the good that is there is God.

Do I believe that God exists? Certainly, but more importantly I believe IN God.

UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT BY ANONYMOUS:

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your response. You’re right.

My life is soft and extremely comfortable. I have been born and raised in America, and despite any illusions I might have to the contrary, it is very hard for me to understand the reality of a boy soldier or a child sex slave. Truth be known, I’ve often wondered - if I had to do something like carry my dying child across a Somali desert in search of food and water that might not arrive in time - would I still be so arrogantly sure of my middle class American God? When I look to the power of my own faith, my usual answer is: probably not.

Furthermore, my arrogance and self-importance exceeds your suspicions. I’ve often thought and even confided to those closest to me that my life is pretty heavenly and that, given the opportunity to continue my current status forever, I would likely choose it over any anticipated heavenly glory. I lay in my bed at night and occasionally think of the child sex slave, the boy soldier, the Somalian mother watching her infant die at her dry breast, the countless orphans in AIDS-infected nations, those in my own community who are suffering quiet horrors at the hands of cruel, monstrous parents or spouses.

I think of the millions of children who have never been loved, who have never had any opportunity to experience any of the good that I believe is God, and I wonder, How can they ever come to know God? I pray, much too briefly, for them, then I fall asleep in my climate-controlled home, on my ridiculously comfortable bed, and I continue my comfortable life.

These realizations about myself have made me belief that one thing you said is probably not true; I don’t think I’m a “very nice man”. If nice is measured by the things that one might think it should be - like self-sacrifice and consideration for others, or by the measures that Christ used - like “treat others as you would want to be treated” and placing the needs of others before my own, then I’m truly not nice at all. If I measure myself only against the rest of depraved humanity, then I guess I’m about average, but that’s not a very high standard, is it?

But I owe a further apology because my words have led you to false conclusions. Neither my church, my job nor my employer are perfect. My friends, while wonderful, are not always there at my whim. In my country the laws are often meted out unfairly, and the innocent sometimes suffer horribly. The businesses and people in my city are sometimes more concerned about their profit than my welfare, and even my parents have occasionally disappointed me.

So when I say “I believe,” I’m not talking about a strict reality but rather a hope, an ambition, a vision for how it could be. The New Testament calls faith the substance of thinks hoped for, the evidence of things unseen; this is the belief to which I refer. I do see the good things I referred to in the article sometimes, and when I see them, I believe I’m seeing God’s plan for how it can be for all humanity, how it will one day be for all humanity, and for how he will ultimately transform even my hard and selfish heart.

In the meantime, he’s transforming me a little at a time, and as he does, my heart for the boy soldier, the child sex slave, and the mother of the dying infant is growing. As the heart of God grows in me I sometimes sleep a little less soundly in my much too comfortable bed, and I’m moved a bit more toward changing the world into the image of God.

You clearly have a heart for the oppressed that I believe comes from God. I believe that God has used you to check my reality, and I thank you.

Lastly, I am a flawed and selfish man, and though any attempt I make to describe my God will portray him as small, I’m compelled to share him anyway. However small my understanding of God may be, I do believe that he has a purpose for me and for you and that he equips us to accomplish that purpose. I believe that purpose is wrapped up in the prayer “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” I would ask you to consider, as your words have made me consider, What am I doing to accomplish that purpose?

John Monday

Justice for Caylee by Tami Cinquemani

2011-07-10T16:38:00.003-04:00

“Justice for Caylee!” the crowd chanted outside the Orlando courthouse as the jury’s decision was announced.

Television and radio personalities weighed in as well. “I absolutely cannot believe that Caylee’s death has gone unavenged,” said CNN’s Nancy Grace.

Kim Kardashian (who – interestingly enough – is the daughter of one of O.J. Simpson’s “dream team”) stated she was “truly sick” over the “not guilty” verdict.

On the CBN News Facebook page, one viewer wrote, "She will answer to Someone more powerful...the Righteous Judge!"

“Where is justice for Caylee?” yelled a woman outside the Orlando courthouse. Where indeed?

I have found a very mixed bag of thoughts and emotions about this verdict on my Facebook page. Some believe justice was served as a lack of evidence allowed for the reasonable doubt necessary for a verdict of “not guilty.” Others are quite descriptive in the harm they’d like to see inflicted on the defendant – as well as the jurors.

And then there are those who find solace and satisfaction in a God who, they are certain, will eventually give Casey just what she deserves. After all, the Bible says, “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord!” (Romans 12:19) Justifiable rage! Sanctified revenge! Blistering penalty! The wrath of God!

But let’s think that through for a minute. The Bible also says, “There is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10), “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), "They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Psalm 14:3)

If the wages of sin – any sin – is death (Romans 6:23), then that whole rage, revenge, penalty, wrath thing is something Casey absolutely deserves . . . just as much as I do.

I don’t know about you, but I’m terribly thankful that Romans 6:23 doesn’t end there. Yes, the wages of sin is death – but the gift of God is eternal life. Our God is the prodigal God – the God recklessly extravagant in love, forgiveness, and mercy. I can rest in the assurance that there is nothing that can separate me from His love (Romans 8:38-39). And if I am thankful for the grace that is extended to me, how can I wish for anything but that same grace to be extended to every other sinner in this world – even those whose sins are televised for the world to see.

Tami Cinquemani

Going, Not Knowing by David Achata

2011-07-03T16:58:00.003-04:00

Four weeks from today we pack the U-Haul and head west. I can’t believe it’s been almost eight years since we moved to Florida. We’ve had such a great time here and have learned so much. We’re entering into what we have started calling “a season of learning.” This is pretty silly though, because isn’t everything we do a learning experience anyway?

I’m learning that faith is kind of like this. We think we can label certain times of our lives as “faith journeys” when truly, isn’t every day a faith journey?

A few weeks ago Pastor Andy preached a sermon called Faith That Walks Away. At one point he quoted Paul in Acts 20:22 where Paul says, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” Andy’s point: Christians are people who are always “Going, not knowing.” This, he said, is what it means to live by faith.

But isn’t everyone living this way? After all, who really knows what’s going to happen to them during the course of their day? We all make plans, but none of us really know what’s going to happen by the time the sun goes down tonight. We are “going, not knowing” whether we recognize it or not. EVERYTHING that’s done is a matter of faith. EVERYONE is always “going, not knowing.”

In Acts 20, the Apostle Paul says that he doesn’t know all the details about what’s going to happen to him. He did, however, reveal the few details he did know: “that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.” (20:23)

Paul didn’t know what was going to happen to him. He just knew it wasn’t going to be easy. So why did he do it? He did it because his own life wasn’t worth anything to him. He didn’t live for his own interests. Instead, he had one all-consuming passion: to “finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (20:24)

What if we all lived “going, not knowing” lives? We all do anyway. But what if we did it on purpose? What if, like Paul, we embrace it instead of being afraid of it?

Imagine you woke up tomorrow and 20 years of your life had passed. Take a moment and wander around the results of your “going, not knowing” life. What do you think it’s going to look like?

David Achata

Why Grace is So Hard to Believe by Andy McDonald

2011-06-26T12:59:00.003-04:00

It is really a simple problem in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I think it’s pretty hard to believe in many other denominations as well, but it may just be a little extra hard with our heritage.

For decades we have held public evangelistic meetings. Members have been encouraged to bring friends to these meetings and some do, but many only have friends who are already part of the denomination which reduces the opportunity to have “friends” to invite. In addition, the community is blanketed with mailers inviting people to attend the series (crusade, effort, lectures, etc.).

Attendees of these meetings are presented a carefully crafted series of messages to present truth in a seemingly irrefutable way. Those who begin buying into the speaker’s worldview and understanding of scripture are subtly, or not so subtly, led to see their new understandings not just as truth, but as a teaching which affords them a superior status in spiritual knowledge.

The novice in prophecy, hermeneutics, and maybe spirituality in general, gets this rush of moving rapidly toward expert as compared with the general population. Finally, agreeing to become part of the "remnant church" of Bible prophecy. the new member senses they are on the inside track and part of a favored group, those who are “right”.

We challenge new believers to leave family, friends, churches, workplaces (when Sabbath is an issue), to step out and be separate - to walk by faith in this new light that has come to them. So it isn’t hard to imagine that, over time, they may be tempted to believe they deserve God’s favor. After all, look at all the things they sacrificed: from alcohol, caffeine, sugar, meat, maybe even cheese, etc. in their diet, to their old wardrobe, jewelry and overly expensive clothes, to friends, family and workmates, to hobbies and Sabbath activities, and of course the burden of knowing all the “right” answers to all the end time events. Not that any of these choices aren’t necessarily “good” but there is a risk.

Having behaved, obeyed, believed, and chosen all of the above and more, there is a damning temptation to which we may succumb. We may block the freedom that God’s grace brings. Why? Because grace, in order to be grace, must be undeserved by the recipient, and when a person is tempted and then begins to believe that they deserve grace, it is no longer grace they receive but rather something they imagine they are owed. And to not receive grace is to not receive life.

Whether you are the worst person, literally the most diabolical person who ever lived, or whether people would wish to confer sainthood on you because you seem so holy, in either case you deserve nothing but death eternal, and you get life eternal only as an act of God’s grace which you do not deserve.

Maybe, just maybe, sometimes we Christians aren’t very gracious dispensers of grace because we have fooled ourselves, with the devil’s assistance, into believing we somehow deserve grace and that there are others around us who do not deserve it, so we don’t deliver it.

Getting grace right is acknowledgement that we don’t deserve it, and giving grace right is to acknowledge that to whomever we extend it, the only qualification for receiving it is not deserving it. That’s what makes it grace. And that’s pretty amazing.

Andy McDonald

What I Learned From My Dad by Chad Hess

2011-06-19T15:39:00.004-04:00

I have learned many things from my dad - far too many to list in a blog. The older I get, and especially as I am a dad myself now, the more wisdom I realize my dad has. Two of the biggest lessons I have learned from my dad is to serve God according to the passions and gifts he has given me, and to work hard at whatever task I am doing. These may not be the most glamorous or most obvious lessons, but my dad’s not a glamorous or flashy kind of guy. He’s more quiet and practical.

My dad is a very hands-on, behind the scenes kind of guy. He has a servant’s heart and is always willing to help. The role of a deacon in the church is a pretty natural fit for him, and it’s a position I’ve seen him do for as long as I can remember in many different churches. I’m sure that, over the years, my dad has been asked to serve in many other positions, but he’s always been a deacon, sometimes the head deacon. When I was younger, I sometimes wondered why my dad never “moved up the ladder” to be an elder in the church, but now that I’m older, I realize there is no hierarchy in the church and the position of elder isn’t as good of a fit for my dad. He found his place to serve, and he doesn’t try to be something he isn’t.

Another lesson I have learned from my dad is to work hard at whatever task I am doing. My dad has had many jobs over the years, some not very prestigious. But whatever the job, he worked hard, he gave his all, and because of that, he excelled at the job.

I have applied these lessons in my own life, and I have discovered the happiness that comes from working hard and working within my gifts and passions. I’ve also discovered that I’m a lot more like my dad than I realized - but that’s a good thing . . . most of the time. :)

Happy Father’s Day to my dad and all the dads out there.

Chad Hess

7-Day Creation: Crossing the Literal Line by Tami Cinquemani

2011-06-12T18:46:00.007-04:00

Updated June 13, 2011:

In response to an article I recently read in the June 2011 issue of Ministry Magazine, I wrote the following blog on the topic of a 7 Literal Day Creation. I’m afraid my thoughts may have been misunderstood, so I’m going to try to clarify my intent in writing this blog.

First and foremost, I would like to state that the very purpose of a blog is to offer one’s personal opinion on a topic. This blog is NOT a church position paper. It is MY thoughts on this topic, and nothing more.

I think there is so much to gain and nothing to lose in respectful and intelligent conversation on topics. Since a great deal of my time and energy is in church work, much of what I read and listen to is of a more spiritual nature from a variety of sources and thought processes. We have so much to learn from the opinion and perspective of others, and I think it is unfortunate when a Christian of any persuasion appears to fear the freedom of critical thinking and attempts to stifle conversation on a religious topic. This was my concern with the article I was responding to.

My intention was not to take a stand on the issue of a 7 Literal Day Creation. My intent was only to suggest there is room given biblically for more than one conclusion on the matter. I never even stated my personal opinion outside of making it very clear that I absolutely believe it was God who did the creating.

Please understand – my ONLY point is that these are conversations that are healthy to have, and they should be encouraged rather than stifled. I hope this clears up any misconceptions of any perceived agenda in my blog.

In the June 2011 issue of Ministry Magazine, Dr. Greg A. King, dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University, laid out his argument for why it is necessary to believe in a literal 7-day creation. I have to admit that I was quite distressed after I finished reading the article.

Though I appreciate the sincerity with which Dr. King shared his beliefs on the subject, I absolutely disagreed with his selective hermeneutics and found it disheartening that Christians would put so much effort into their insistence that every believer fall in line with this presumption. I also fear this type of dogmatic essay will only serve to squelch healthy conversation and, as a result, do damage to relationships within and outside of the Christian church.

I don’t disagree that the Bible uses the time frame of a “day” when relaying the creation account. I also know that there are other places in the Bible where biblical scholars have chosen to adopt a “day-for-a-year” principle.

As far as the importance of sticking to a “literal “interpretation of the Bible, there are areas, such as the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16) or the entire book of Job where the genre uses allegorical illustrations to prove a point. The Bible was written by and initially for people who probably believed the world was flat and that sea monsters filled the oceans. It’s crucial that we consider culture and context as we read scripture. Should we subjectively pick and choose what we believe is literal or figurative?

I’m not saying I don’t believe God created our world (I do). I’m not even opposed to the idea that He did it in seven literal days (He may have). All I’m saying is that, whether it was in seven literal 24-hour periods of time or millions of years doesn’t change the value I place in scripture or the purpose I find in a weekly opportunity to worship and rest on Sabbath, and it absolutely has no effect whatsoever on my salvation.

I strongly believe we need to be open to what scientific discovery has to offer, honestly admit that the bible does not demand a definite time stamp on creation, and stop pointing fingers at those who come to a different conclusion than we do. The fact is, there was only One who was there at the time who actually knows how things went down, and I think it’s time we stopped trying to put our words in His mouth.

Tami Cinquemani

How to Choke Out the Kingdom by David Achata

2011-06-05T16:22:00.002-04:00

I’m currently trying to save money to move across the country. The result is the constant struggle deciding what’s a necessity and what’s a luxury. The whole process is teaching me that I’ve lived for a long time getting used to having materialistic comforts.

In light of this, I’ve been thinking on Matthew 13 and the parable of the sower. The parable is about the Kingdom of God (or the reign of God), suggesting it is like a farmer who “went out to sow his seed.” Jesus then proceeds to list all the places the seed fell:

1. along the path (birds ate it)

2. in rocky places (died because of shallow soil, no root)

3. among thorns (got choked)

As the disciples are trying to figure all this out, Jesus tells them, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” (13:11) In other words, the disciples got something that the crowds didn’t.

Jesus goes on to explain that when people hear the good news about the Kingdom (ie. A new way of life is available to humanity through Jesus Christ), a few problems can occur:

1. They don’t understand it, so “the evil one” snatches it away (vs. 19).

2. Trouble or persecution comes, so they lose hope (vs. 20-21).

3. They get sidetracked with the “worries of this life” and the “deceitfulness of wealth” (vs. 22).

The more I talk with people, the more I see that most of us fit into one of those categories. When God puts a dream in our hearts and a vision of the way things should be, it either grows in us or it’s choked out. Jesus was gracious enough to give us a clear picture of how that can happen.

As I continue to decide what things in my life need to go and what needs to remain, my continual prayer is that I will have: wisdom to understand what God wants to do in me and in my world, toughness to handle hard times, and clear focus so I don’t get sidetracked.

David Achata

Fakin' the Fruit by Chad Hess

2011-05-29T13:57:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, my one-and-a-half-year-old son gave me a picture that he had drawn. To be honest, I had no idea what the picture was supposed to be. It was just a bunch of squiggly lines. So I told him that. I told him that the drawing was horrible, I couldn't even tell what it was, and not to bring me another drawing until it was much better. Okay, before you stone me, that's not actually what happened. I did what every good parent would do; I accepted the scribbles, grateful for the intention behind it. And I thanked him and told him what a good boy he was. Was that pandering? No. It was recognizing the limits of what a one-and-a-half-year-old can do.

Mark 11:12-14 offers a curious story in which Jesus condemned to death a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit. The strange part of the story is that Mark says it was not the season for figs, so there was no reason to think there would be figs on the tree. Except that the tree had leaves, which advertised that it would have fruit. So it seems that Jesus did not condemn the tree because it didn't have fruit; he condemned it because it claimed to be something that it wasn't.

I see a similar tendency among Seventh-day Adventists, although I'm sure other Christians do the same thing. When a person accepts Jesus or comes to the church, we want to immediately fit them into the mold of what we think a Seventh-day Adventist should look like and act like. We want them to have all the right “fruit and leaves,” even if it doesn’t accurately reflect who they are. I think Jesus' story gives a strong warning against this.

I know that my son's drawing abilities will improve as he gets older. Likewise, I know that a new believer in Christ will continue to grow in their relationship with God and their understanding of God's will for their lives. I want our church to be a place where each person can authentically be who he or she is, even if that is a bare fig tree, still growing.

Chad Hess

Cruel Hope? by John Monday

2011-05-22T16:58:00.004-04:00

“In the beginning God...” Gen 1:1

Steven Hawking, the eminent theoretical physicist and cosmologist, made headlines this week when he said “Heaven is a fairytale for people afraid of the dark.” A bold remark from a man who has been facing the prospect of an early death from ALS for almost 50 years. I’ve long been an admirer of Dr. Hawking. His mind, his writing, and his personal triumph, are brilliant and inspiring, but I’m confounded by his seeming ability to face death and eternity so stoically. I wonder if his stoicism might be his way of coping with a truth that we all eventually come to understand...death is inevitable.

However certain death is, it’s rarely welcome - I mean truly welcome. There are times when - due to suffering, illness, injury or disability - we may accept the inevitability of death, maybe even come to see it as a release, but it’s rarely welcome. Given the choice, wouldn’t most choose life? And if healthy, vibrant, active life were offered, who would choose death?

However, once we’ve embraced death, it’s nearly impossible to allow hope for life; it would just be too painful. We view with pity those that cling to vain hope when we see their end coming. We generally think they would be better off to accept reality and enjoy their remaining days rather than grasp at hopeless cures. This is a sentiment echoed by the apostle Paul when he said “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19) He understood that clinging to false hope is a worse fate than accepting cold reality.

Believing in God can be like that. Those who have taken the leap and crossed the line to disbelief don’t want to endure the pain of failed hope, so they reject hope and embrace the inevitability of death. To believe in a God that knows all, created all, loves all, and restores all is simply too inconceivable and too risky.

Would even the most hardened heart say, “I don’t want to be loved. I don’t want joy. I don’t want to engage in an exciting life with the one who loves me most?” Of course not! The truth is they’ve lost hope that life without the fear of death is possible, so to entertain notions of God is akin to believing that a magic pill is going to cure my end-stage cancer. So can we believe the first four words of the bible?

To believe them is to believe the inconceivable. Is there really a God who created everything? Who has a dynamic knowledge of the all that is? Who knows the number of galaxies in the universe, the number of stars in each galaxy the nature of every planet spinning around every star - and is totally focused on ME? wants to be with ME? loves ME?

Our minds strain to conceive such a God.

But to reject God defies logic. Everything in our human experience, everything in the universe, everything in our heart screams that we are created on purpose, for a purpose, with a purpose. Reason demands that where there is a garden there is a gardener, where there is a building there is a builder, where there is order there is one who ordered.

So we’re left with a decision: Do we reject reason, reject hope, reject the longing of our hearts and embrace a chaotic, random, pointless existence? Or do we believe in a God who is more vast, more able, more imminent, more omniscient, more personal, and more loving than we can ever imagine? The choice is ours and, from our limited perspective, there are valid reasons for either.

To believe in God requires risk and courage. It requires us to open ourselves to the eternal, to the majestic, to the most amazing life imaginable. It requires us to relinquish control. It means suffering the ultimate disappointment if God is a lie. So maybe Stephen Hawking is right and Heaven is a fairytale for those afraid of the dark, or maybe he’s wrong and a Godless universe is a place of denial for those afraid of the light.

I choose to follow the desire of my heart. I choose hope. I choose God. If you believe the first four words, the rest is easy.

In the beginning God...

John Monday

Do Jesus' Directives Apply to the Death of a Terrorist? by Andy McDonald

2011-05-15T13:50:00.005-04:00

Our natural reaction when wronged is retaliation. Every mother observes this, even in her otherwise precious toddler. One toddler pushes another toddler, bites or hoards the desired toy, and the other toddler pushes back – usually a little harder, gives just a bit harder bite, or hoards two toys rather than just one.

In the human heart, there is a divine desire for justice that easily warps from “justice for all” to “justice for me and my cause.” Stories are told of some “injustice” done to the member of a gang. To reset the balance of life fairness, the injured gang rises up to make things right by perpetrating some greater injustice to the opposing gang. What results today is a gang war. In yesteryear it was the Hatfields and McCoys, and when replicated by nations, this behavior results in catastrophic loss of life in war.

When we have been wronged—individually, as a family, gang or nation, what is the “right” response? There is national duty to protect and defend the people of our nation, but where does that merge with a sense of payback or vengeance? I’m not sure where that line is, but I am troubled by where our latest victory has led.

Rejoicing at death on either side of the issue seems out of character, especially for people called to “Love the Lord our God with all our hearts and our neighbor (every other human on earth) as ourselves.” Paul says that “love suffers long and is kind. Love keeps no record of when it has been wronged. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable. And love is for justice.” 1 Corinthians 13

What does all of this mean in light of Osama bin Laden’s death? Are the teachings of Jesus only for individuals and not for nations? And if they are for nations too, then where is that line between protecting the citizen and payback? How much justice, from our perspective, can we meet out without stepping over Jesus’ call to “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-48

It seems appropriate that we might rejoice that the world is a safer place minus OBL (if that is actually the case, and continued terrorist attacks make it questionable). Still, such rejoicing is ethically different from rejoicing over the death of a fellow human, regardless of how severely inhumane he was. Let’s rejoice that the cause of terrorism has been weakened, and let us rejoice that this leader will no longer be a perpetrator of evil, orchestrating the continued deaths of many.

And – as difficult, counterintuitive, and counter-terrorist mindset as it might be – let us simultaneously maintain a sense of a diminished world whenever a human life is lost.

Andy McDonald

Happy Mothers' Day by Vicki McDonald

2011-05-08T11:41:00.004-04:00

The Bible is a rich source of examples of characters that reflect many aspects of the human life. However, when it comes to the role of a mother, these character models are difficult to find. While there are a few mothers mentioned, the tender nurturing Mom we all hold up as a template seems to be lacking. For instance, there is Sara who finally conceives at an extreme age and bears a son, only to have her son taken off and nearly offered as a sacrifice as a young man! Another is the daring Jochabed who hides her baby in a floating basket, later agreeing to become his wet nurse and having to hand him over to Pharaoh’s daughter to be raised in the palace. Hannah pleads and begs for a baby, but when her prayer is answered, she takes her young son and gives him to the priest to be raised in the temple.

What kind of mother could do such extraordinary acts? Were their acts somewhat dysfunctional or influenced by culture and time? Even though we have these stories, the Bible fails to give us any insight into their parenting skills or the foundational elements that would be the character-building framework that helped these children grow and become used in a significant way as leaders for God.

As a mother of two gifted children, I knew early on that I would need to individualize my approaches to help each child feel special. Our first-born, a girl, loved books and learning and really enjoyed doing things independently. Our second child, a boy, loved making things and anything social. At one report card period our friend asked how they had done. Our daughter proudly pronounced that she had straight A’s, and my son got a big grin and happily announced . . . “I have a variety!” What’s a mom to do?

I propose that the reason the Bible is silent and does not offer us much in the way of a “Mommy template,” or recipe for motherhood, is that God originally designed that each child would be able to experience and feel a Mother’s heart that is perfectly paired to respond in a way that is as unique and individualized as every mother/child relationship. Thus, each mother - starting with God to Eve and from each generation - perpetuates this Godly nature that comes from the Originator of a heart of love. This is an exclusive love that is shared and refreshed, embedded in a nurturing spirit to match the needs of the newest generation.

“Nurture and love your child in Gods ways; so when they mature they will have understanding…”
Proverbs 22:6

Vicki McDonald
Proud Mother
ARNP/Clinical Risk Manager
Wife of Senior Pastor

Living in the Wet House by Tami Cinquemani

2011-05-01T18:19:00.002-04:00

I was listening to an old podcast the other day – “Know When to Fold ‘em” on This American Life. It included a story about the St. Anthony Residence in Minnesota. According to their website, “St. Anthony Residence provides permanent housing for late-stage chronic alcoholic men in Ramsey County with repeated admissions to detoxification centers and a history of failure in traditional chemical dependency treatment programs.” Most people call this type of residence a “wet house.” Though there is a rare instance of an occupant joining a detox program, the residents of St. Anthony are more likely to die in the home than get help.

This segment of the program broke my heart. It is quite clear that these men have given up hope. The individuals interviewed were not self-righteous or smug. They weren’t happy with their state, but they had come to a point where they accepted the fact that there was nothing they were capable of doing about it. Though opportunities for hope and healing were readily available, the mission of St. Anthony was simply to reduce harm – to both the residents and others.

I think Christians like to view themselves as “spiritual addicts” in a successful “sin detox” program. The fact is, if we view ourselves as people who are actively working on our recovery, then even if we slip a little bit here or there, we believe we’re still so much better off than those other sinners “out there.” Let’s face it, I’ve admitted my sin, and admitting the problem is the first step in getting better, right? And that gives me the right to point out someone else’s sin. Isn’t that “calling sin by its right name?” Isn’t that what Christians are supposed to do?

Personally, I think we’re ALL in the sinner’s wet house. We have a history of failure. There is absolutely nothing that will enable us to completely stop sinning, and we will all die in our sinful state. Wow! That sounds really depressing.

But . . .

there is something that makes all the difference . . . something that gives us hope. A Savior. Though, in our human state, we will all die in the sinner’s wet house, the Resurrection of Jesus promises a place of health, healing, and loving community without the addiction to sin. Our mission is to reduce the harm to ourselves and others – to live in such a way that our fellow residents see a clear picture of a loving, gracious, and saving God so He will become their hope as well.

Tami Cinquemani

Have You Decided Who Jesus Is? by David Achata

2011-04-24T14:13:00.002-04:00

Have you decided who Jesus is?  

That was the question I asked repeatedly to the students at the school where I was doing a week of spiritual emphasis a few weeks ago. I asked them the same question every day for five days. On the last day I spent some time with them in Mark 4 and 5. We looked at how the Pharisees labeled Jesus "The Prince of Demons" because he was casting out demons. Then we looked at how Jesus’ family came to take him away because, they said, "He is out of his mind." In other words, they thought he was crazy. Last, we looked at the bleeding, demon-possessed man living in the tombs who cried out, "I know who you are; you are the son of God! Have you come to torture us before the appointed time?"

My point was simple: Either Jesus is a demon, or he is crazy, or he is who he says he is. Have you decided who he is? Many of the students came forward and wept, confessing sins and testifying that they had never decided who Jesus is.  The more time I spend with people, the more I see that this is the heart of the issue.   People's issues about heaven or hell, or suffering or injustice, or homosexuality or heterosexuality, or whatever all become secondary issues when one asks the question, "Have you decided who He is?"  

The other day I was reading a quote by Lesslie Newbegin where he said that people like to have conversations about the idea of truth, but when truth walks into the room, all other conversations have to stop. I think this is how it is with a lot of the conversations I hear happening. While so much airtime is taken up debating this or that issue – I just wonder, if Jesus were to walk into the room, would that conversation even continue? I think that most of my conversations would cease, my jaw would drop to the floor, and I'd worship.  

Today is Easter, the day we remember who Jesus is. He’s the one who passes through walls (John 20:19-31) yet can still eat food (Luke 24:41-43). He’s the one who appeared to over 500 people after his resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6) and let people touch him so they’d have no doubts (John 20:27, 1 John 1:1). He’s either got to be who he says he is (John 14:6) or else we have no hope (1 Cor. 15:17).

The next time you get into a debate with someone about some sort of subject pertaining to Christianity, just ask, "Have you decided who Jesus is?" I bet it will change everything.

David Achata

Weighing the 28 by Bill Crofton

2011-04-17T13:00:00.002-04:00

I love being a chaplain at Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, and one of the responsibilities I enjoy is teaching this class. Last semester there were 34 students, and 31 of them were not Seventh-day Adventist. Many had never even heard of the denomination until attending school here. And most of those who had some knowledge of the SDA church fell into that zone of “Oh yeah, you guys go to church on Saturday and don’t eat meat, right?”

I always introduce myself to a new class with, “Hi gang, I’m Bill, a Christian who practices his faith within the sub-culture of the SDA church.”

“So, Pastor Bill, where did they get all these 28 anyway?” That was a question posed by a student of mine in the class, “What Seventh-day Adventists Believe.”

Short answer, “Well, the Bible of course,” was my reply. However, if you are asking me how many of the “28” are relevant to salvation, that is another matter.

How about it? What do you want people to know about your church, what you believe, how you practice Christianity? Ooooh . . . how you practice Christianity. Isn’t that the larger question, the more important question?

Since coming to the college, I have been asked by people, Are you happy? Is it comfortable being in such an environment with so many “non-SDA’s?” First, I must tell you that about 65% of our student body is of other denominations and religions. Yes! Not only is it comfortable, but in my humble opinion, it’s healthy. My job is to join their journey - be it faculty, staff, or students - and walk beside them. I am doing more listening, and that is not a bad thing.

So what do I do with the 28 - the 28 doctrines/teachings on the back of most SDA baptismal vows? Well, I like how Dick Deurkson, a good friend of mine, summarizes them in 5 major statements of the SDA Church:

#1 God loves you, and His Word (Bible) is still relevant for today.

#2. God loves you, and Jesus Christ IS God’s Son who came, lived, and

died for our sins.

#3. God loves you and has a purpose for your life.

#4. God loves you and desires to spend TIME with you.

#5. God loves you and cares deeply about the QUALITY of your life.

That is the BIG FIVE! Actually, I tell my class that the MOST important teachings, principles, laws, are found in TWO. Do you know which two?

Bill Crofton
Chaplain
Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences

An Acquired Taste by John Monday

2011-04-10T17:14:00.003-04:00

I like coffee. Well, that’s not really fair. I love coffee. I don’t like Starbucks or Seattle's Best, and I don’t like Mocha, Latte, French Vanilla, Santa’s Blend, Cappuccino or any of those frou-frou corruptions of coffee. I like coffee - plain, straight, black, bitter, Folgers coffee. But I’d have to admit it’s an acquired taste.

I can’t imagine that anyone who tastes straight black coffee for the first time likes it. Like many things in life - beer, cigarettes, whisky, broccoli, mushrooms, liver - if you want to enjoy coffee, you’ve got to commit to it. But once you’ve acquired the taste . . . Oh! How pleasant it is.

There’s a synagogue near our home that we pass on our way to church. As we passed it this weekend, the congregants entering in their traditional black coats and hats inspired my son to start telling me about traditional Jewish Sabbath restrictions. He explained to me that many of them even had to limit the number of steps they take on Sabbath. I agreed and further explained that some traditional Jews wouldn’t drive a car because that could be interpreted as a violation of the prohibition against building a fire on the Sabbath.

In an effort to help him understand that there are many cultures and that we should be careful about judging others, I started telling him that Jews aren’t the only ones that restrict some activities on their Holy day. In addition to spending time with God, “There are some Christians who hold that it’s okay to wade on the Holy day but not to swim. I explained that some will cross-country ski but not go sledding, while others would think it acceptable to walk but not to run.

As I was warming to the topic and trying to help him understand that we all may have some traditions that look odd to others, he stopped me. He appeared physically nauseated, looked straight at me and said, “That’s stupid. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I realized in that moment that he hadn’t acquired the taste.

Legalism is bitter, and when first introduced to the pallet will rarely produce a positive reaction. But placed in the right environment, encouraged with cultural support, and endorsed by Elders in the community, the taste will be acquired. And once you’ve acquired the taste, you’ll be as committed to it as I am to coffee or the alcoholic is to his next bottle.

But there’s another way. A way that is sweet from the first bite. A way that doesn’t require any “acquired taste” because we’ve longed for it all our lives. A way that brings life and hope, joy and forgiveness. That way is Grace, and it belongs to Christ.

So, I think I’m content with my son’s reaction for the moment. While I want him to think generously about the traditions and observances of others, I hope that he chooses the sweet and not the bitter. I hope that he opts for the Grace that will give eternal satisfaction to his soul, rather than the conventions of men. I pray that he never acquires a taste for legalism.

John Monday

Facing the Unknown by Chad Hess

2011-04-03T18:49:00.002-04:00

“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.’” -- Minnie Louise Haskins.

I first heard this quote several years ago in the midst of several major changes in my life. And now, many years later, it still really speaks to me. Of course, I’m again facing more changes and the uncertainty that can bring. I will graduate with a masters degree in May, and many people have asked me the inevitable question: what are you going to do now? The sad part is that I’m not really sure.

To put it bluntly, I’ve been pretty bad at guessing God’s will so far, so I’ve stopped trying. That’s not to say that I don’t plan for the future, but rather that I have learned to accept some degree of unknown. I could have never predicted the path that God has led me down, and I certainly could not have made a better path myself. If God had told me six years ago the path he would lead me down, I would not have believed it. And for that reason, I am okay with only seeing the step I am on (and maybe the step coming up). I can put my trust in the God who will never let me down and who has greater dreams for me than I can ever imagine!

Chad Hess

The Little Engine That Couldn't by Andy McDonald

2011-03-27T16:36:00.003-04:00

First, for those who don’t know me, I’m a hopelessly optimistic person. I love stories where the impossible becomes possible by hard work and a positive optimistic attitude. You know—Everest gets climbed, a company gets built, the farm gets saved from foreclosure. I value optimism so much that I’m irritated by pessimism. A new challenge faces one of us, and the most annoying thing I can hear is someone saying, “I can’t!”

One of the things I love about America is that its founding and history is so much about “I can.” It was Henry Ford who said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.” There are so many good things that could have been accomplished had people just thought they could. I’ve sat on many boards and committees, and I’ve watched good ideas get trashed because some voice simply said, “I don’t think we can do that.” Helpful, enriching, community building ideas scrapped over one vocal voice of small thinking. Fortunately, I’ve also experienced some against-all-odds ideas come to fulfillment because someone on the team kept waving the “I think we can” flag, and people were inspired to get behind their optimism.

Our lives have been imprinted by the famous story re-written by Watty Piper in the early 1950’s: “The Little Engine That Could.” Variations have been woven into children’s TV shows from “Captain Kangaroo” to “Sesame Street” to “Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood”. It is an endearing story that teaches the importance of not giving up easily and having that can-do attitude, telling ourselves, “I think I can.” We often discover that our hard work, perseverance, and positive attitude will bring our dreams to reality.

I’m afraid our American dream and this good and healthy way of approaching life have influenced our approach to righteousness. We begin to imagine that the mountain of becoming holy we must get over in order to be with a holy God can be scaled if we simply put the little engine story to work in our lives. Nothing could be further from the truth! Not to fall to pessimism, but when it comes to gaining access into heaven, perfect holiness – absolute perfect performance/obedience – is the price of the ticket, and all the “I think I can’s” in the world won’t conquer that mountain.

The Little Engine is a great story for so much of life – teaching endurance, perseverance, patience, positive thinking, etc. However, when it comes to getting into heaven, the better story is one of rescue. It is the person trapped in a hopeless situation without an outside party coming to the rescue. Consider the Chilean miners. What did they do to affect their rescue? NOTHING except not refuse the little capsule sent to pull them to the top. ALL the rescue effort, all the expense, all the work, and all of what it took for the rescue to become a reality was beyond them. Their rescue was a gift they chose to accept. That’s it! All their “I think I can” positive talk wouldn’t have gotten them out of the mine. Getting out was dependent on another’s effort.

So, when it comes to life in this world – business, education, completing tasks, etc. – remember “The Little Engine That Could.” It is a great motivating story. But when it comes to matters of salvation, think Chilean miners, and let the rescuing God rescue!

Andy McDonald

Embracing Ambiguity by Tami Cinquemani

2011-03-20T19:08:00.007-04:00

When I was very young I had some unique ideas about what life would be like when I grew up. Some of these beliefs are common to children: I would always live with my parents, I would watch TV all day and never have to go to bed, and I would never EVER eat broccoli again. There was one thing I believed, however, that was not shared by others. I was certain that, when I grew up, I would be a boy.

This idea may have stemmed from jealousy of my brother’s social life. He was two years older than me, and it seemed that he was always going to birthday parties. For some unknown reason, I presumed only boys went to birthday parties. I remember clearly telling my mother in my most soulful, tear-filled voice, “When I grow up and become a boy, I’m going to go to lots of birthday parties too!”

My mother never corrected me. She would listen to me, smile, give me a hug, and quickly put an end to any teasing my brother sent my way. She knew I’d eventually figure out the truth, and it was more important that my brother’s criticism of my inaccurate understanding not cause any scarring on our relationship.

Rob Bell recently wrote a new book entitled “Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived.” There’s a lot of chatter out there right now because many mainline evangelicals don’t believe in its theology and are pretty angry about a message they consider contradictory to the “Church’s” historic interpretation. There’s a lot being said in criticism of the book, and also in its defense.

I haven’t read the book yet, so I don’t have an opinion on its contents. However, I have read numerous reviews and watched Bell’s recent interview with Lisa Miller from Newsweek. The thing that stands out the most to me is the determination many Christians have to be “correct” – and to prove how “right” they are and how “wrong” Bell is.

There’s certainly a lot of religious opinions out there, and let’s face it, they can’t all be true. Like my mother dealing with a daughter who misunderstood some basic facts of life, I think God smiles . . . maybe even chuckles at some of the things we believe. He knows we’ll all eventually understand. There will come a time when we’ll all have a clear picture of what’s true.

In the meantime, I think the scarring that takes place when we attack each other saddens Him. These conversations should be had, and discussion is healthy. However, at the end of the day, none of us has a corner on the market of what is truth. Personally, I think we should all do more listening, adopt a little humility, and embrace ambiguity.

Tami Cinquemani

Someone Is Watching You by David Achata

2011-03-13T19:28:00.002-04:00

“If you’re going to date my daughter, you need to learn what it means to be a man of prayer.”

That’s what my girlfriend’s father told me when I was 18 years old. The next thing I knew, I was at a Promise Keepers conference. It was the most awkward, fascinating, inspiring event I’d ever attended up to that point in my life. For the first time ever, I saw grown men crying, praying and at the same time bashing chests together screaming victory chants about how they were going to be great men of God in this generation. I left that experience with a vision to be a man of God and a spiritual leader. Why? It wasn’t so much because of the conference, but what I saw in the man who invited me.

Jim was his name, and he was (and still is) a man of prayer. At that time, I remember him talking about a particular fascination he’d developed with early morning prayer. He’d observed that interesting things always seemed to happen at the wee hours of the morning in scripture. So he was up every morning by 4 a.m., walking and praying – sometimes for hours. I didn’t understand it then, but now I do. The example he lived seared an idea in my mind of what it looks like to live a life devoted to Jesus. I don’t know if he thought about it, but I was watching.

Whether you’re young or old, tall or short, fat or skinny, black or white—someone is watching you. Whether you’re married or single, parent or not—someone is watching you. What are they seeing?

Statistics show that most Christians have lulled themselves into spiritual complacency. The Barna group reports that fewer than 10% of Christian families spend any time during a typical week engaging in any spiritual conversation or activity. Yet, 72% of Christian parents believe they are doing well when it comes to providing regular spiritual experiences and instruction to their children. (p. 125, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions) Do you see a contradiction here?

According to a survey by America's Research Group, 95% of kids from Christian families attended church regularly up until middle school. Then at High School, that number fell to 55%. But by the time they reached college, only 11% of those same kids were attending any church on a regular basis. That’s right—11%. And that’s just the Christian kids. That’s not even taking into account that today 15% of Americans claim no religion. Yet, when the same survey was done on 18 to 34-year-olds, the number of young adults who claim no religion shot up to 46%. (American Religious Identification Survey) Yikes! The younger a person gets today, the more likely they are to not attend church.

Why? It’s because they are watching us. These stats don’t mean these people have no faith. Sixty two percent of that same group claim to be spiritual. Simply put, many are leaving church to find faith. Why? I think it’s because they are seeing the time (or lack of it) those who claim to be Christian spend in study and prayer. They’re watching how we treat one another. They are seeing how we spend our leisure time and how we act when we work.

In 2 Kings 2:7-10, Elijah is about to be taken away. He asks Elisha (his protégé), “What can I do for you, before I am taken from you; ask anything.” Elisha said, “Your life repeated in my life. I want to be a holy man, just like you.” (The Message) That’s the cry of my heart. As I look to Jesus, I see a holy man I want to know and be like, and it’s my hope that others see my life and say the same about me. What about you?

I attribute much of what I’ve become to a handful of people I’ve watched through the years. Would you make a commitment with me? Spend 30 minutes each day looking at the life of Jesus in the Gospels for 7 days this week. See how it affects you, and notice if it affects others around you. I’d love to hear what happens.

The world is watching.

David Achata

Taking the Scenic Route by Chad Hess

2011-03-06T15:28:00.002-05:00

I love efficiency. Truth be told, sometimes I’m a bit obsessive about being efficient. There are always so many things that need to be done that I can’t stand the thought of “wasting time.” I can get so focused on the end goal that I miss the benefits that come during the process of completing that goal. But I’ve learned over the years that rest is a necessary part of being efficient, and I’ve also learned the benefit that “interruptions” can bring.

Mark 5 tells the story of Jesus healing the daughter of a ruler named Jairus. In the middle of Jesus’ journey to the man’s house, he was interrupted by a woman with an “issue of blood.” Much to the dismay of the father whose daughter lay dying, Jesus stopped his journey to acknowledge the woman. The delay meant that Jairus’ daughter died, but this interruption led to an even greater miracle when Jesus raised her from the dead.

Last Saturday night, my family decided to go down to the Disney boardwalk. We took the “scenic route” to get there. We spent a while walking around the boardwalk at the pace of my one year old and then took the bus over to Downtown Disney to get some food. Finding that area too crowded, we took the bus back to the Boardwalk. All in all, it was a nice, wandering trip.

From my typical goal-focused approach, it was a very inefficient trip, but that night it didn’t bother me. It was clear that our goal was to simply get out of the house, walk around, and let our child burn off some steam. And, while it may have seemed like a long, inefficient trip, my son has been talking about his ride on the bus all week. I guess sometimes the "interruptions" are the most memorable moments in the journey.

Chad Hess

What's the Plan? by Shae Beery

2011-02-27T10:16:00.003-05:00

True story.

It was November, 2006, and I was rushing through the supermarket. I had already been to the store that weekend, but in my haste to get all my ingredients together, I mistakenly left two crucial things off the list. Ugh! So with my condensed milk and bag of sugar in hand, I quickly made my way through the aisles and stepped up to the Express Lane in hopes of beating the holiday crowd home.

And that’s when it happened

As I approached the register, I was pleased to see only one customer ahead of me. He was an older gentleman who looked to be in his late 70’s. He was making polite conversation with the young check-out girl and awaiting the purchase total for his groceries. When the number lit up on the cash register screen, he slowly began to lean over and rifle through his single bag and started taking items out. He apologized to the young employee that he didn’t have enough money to cover his purchases.

As I stood there, I listened and watched him trying to decide between the “canned cranberry sauce that my Jane loves so much” and the whipped topping “I don’t really need.” It actually took me a few seconds to realize that his items couldn’t have added up to more than $10.00 and that I could easily cover his bill. The young girl at the register started up a new conversation about what he was going to make for Thanksgiving, and I was quite annoyed that she seemed to completely ignore the money I extended in an attempt to pay his bill! She held his gaze and was friendly, but her apparent CLUELESSNESS began to anger me as I considered how insensitive it was to talk about this meal that he so obviously wasn’t going to be able to prepare. “What is wrong with the youth of America?” I thought. Then it happened.

Out of nowhere, a supervisor showed up at the register. She greeted the man, complimented him on his dapper appearance, made concise chatter, and after a turn of a key and a punch of a button, picked up his groceries and walked with him out the door. “What just happened here?” I thought as I put my sugar and can of condensed milk on the checkout counter.

“Oh, that was my manager,” replied the attendant. Apparently, my thought actually came out in words. Feeling a little embarrassed, I continued. “Oh, um, did that man not have enough money? I was going to pay for him. Did he get all his groceries?” With a sincere smile, the check-out girl explained that her manager didn’t want anyone going without on Thanksgiving, so they had a plan for situations like the one I had just witnessed.

I was floored. They had an intentional plan that they executed with dignity and respect. Wow. Why didn’t they tell people about this? Didn’t they consider the marketing potential? Then I realized that “going public” would erase the dignity that this manager was trying to give her customer. I almost missed the point. Maybe I was the CLUELESS one.

This experience has stuck with me for years, and it continues to challenge me. Do I have a plan? The fact is, being intentional is work, it makes you vulnerable, and acting on it may not always deliver the expected response. Besides, opportunities that present themselves may not be pretty – or easy – or even very obvious. I know I am blessed with so much, and it would be inappropriate not to pass those blessings along, but quite honestly, I’m still struggling with my “plan.”

I’d love to know what your experience has been. Maybe we can help each other figure it out.

Shae Beery

The Sabbath Truth by John Monday

2011-02-20T11:54:00.002-05:00

When I decided to ask my wife to marry me, I began a crash course on diamonds. I thought my proposal might stand a better chance if accompanied by the most beautiful ring I could find. Fortunately, it worked. I quickly learned that there are four C’s you need to know when buying a diamond: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight.

If you’ve ever looked carefully at a diamond, you’ll notice that there are dozens of flat surfaces on the stone. In fact, there are between 50 and 60 flat surfaces on most diamonds. These surfaces are the diamond’s cuts, or facets, and the proper angling, size, and depth of the facets are what give the diamond its brilliance.

The top surface on any diamond is called the “table.” While diamonds may be impressive from many angles, they are specifically designed and cut to be viewed through the table. The goal when cutting the diamond is to have light enter through the table and then be reflected back through the table by the many facets. The better a diamond is cut, the more light will be reflected back through the table, and the more brilliant the diamond will appear.

I believe that God’s truth is much like a diamond. God’s truth is multi-faceted and may be appreciated from many angles, but when we turn ourselves to view it through the table cut we begin to see the beautiful brilliance that God intends.

If you travel in Christian circles, you’ll surely hear someone make reference to “God’s Truth,” or to “The Truth,” or in our denomination, “The Sabbath Truth.” When I hear the term invoked, I always wonder, what is “THE Sabbath Truth” that they are viewing all other Sabbath Truth through?

There are certainly many facets to Sabbath truth. There is the physical benefit we receive by unplugging and taking a rest. There is the relational benefit we receive by taking time to engage with our family, our friends, and our God. There is the spiritual benefit we receive by setting time aside to study and pray – just to name a few. But what is “The Sabbath Truth?”

It often seems that the truth that all other truth is being viewed through is correctness about the day, and there is really very little historical or biblical doubt as to the correct day. But is that the correct facet to view all other Sabbath Truth through? or have we perhaps tipped the diamond to view it through the facet that is unique to us rather than the one God intended to be primary?

While considering Sabbath, I found that the last mention of Sabbath in the Bible is in Hebrews, Chapter 4. The author makes an eloquent and logical argument that Christ is our Sabbath rest. He explains that any who enter into Christ have rest, and those that do not enter into Christ do not have Sabbath rest. The Bible then abruptly drops the topic of Sabbath, giving us the proverbial last word.

I believe that Hebrews is clear and intentional in its message, and I am convinced that those who believe in Christ have Sabbath rest. Christ is the primary cut, the table top of the diamond, The Sabbath Truth. I’m compelled to view all Sabbath truth through faith in Christ. I’ve no doubt that there are some flaws in the way I view God’s truth, but as long as I can keep looking through the right prism, from the right angle – through Christ – I can begin to see the brilliance of God’s beauty and find Sabbath unity with all who find their rest in Christ.

John Monday

Yes . . . and . . . by Andy McDonald

2011-02-13T13:17:00.002-05:00

Last weekend about 25 people from our church attended an Improvisational Training Workshop at SAK Comedy Lab. One of the great principles of improv that we were taught was the "Yes . . . and. . ." To keep the flow of improvisation going and not "block" progress, one of the most insightful processes is to use "Yes . . . and . . ." Instead of arguing or disagreeing or creating unnecessary grinding of gears, you simply are taught to go with the flow. Even if you have no intention of going where they are taking you, you still start with "Yes!" It is very affirming to hear that "yes." Maybe what makes the process work well is that it is not "Yes . . . but . . ." rather "Yes . . . and . . ." This affirms the story or conversation or idea that is given, then adds a new thought or directs to it without opposition.

As I was in the training, I wondered how many arguments and minor wars with our children could have been avoided with "Yes . . . and . . ." Imagine telling a teenager to go clean their room, and they explain that they have plans and will do it later. No war! “YES, you have great plans for a fun evening, AND it will feel so good to come home to a clean room rather than a messy one!” or “YES, I'm sure you’re going to have a great time, AND you'll want to hurry with your room so you won't be late!”

Sometimes I almost interfere in the parenting processes I observe in public places. Just this week I was in a drug store, and there was this obnoxious mother yelling at her kids to stop harmless behaviors. Of course, they were ignoring her, and so she just yelled more often and louder. The ridiculousness is that the kids weren't doing anything wrong. How great it would be for her, maybe in her mind, to play "Yes . . . and . . ." The kids wouldn't even need to know. She sees one of her children sit down on the floor while they wait for her to shop. She could freak out about germs; she might yell. Alternately, maybe even just in her mind she might say, "YES, it's fine to sit on the floor, AND as soon as we get home you'll want to wash your hands.”

It just seems that, in so much of life (even in areas we might think inappropriate), if we started with "Yes," we could direct the flow of thought and choice. Then by the "and,” healthy strides would be taken forward instead of getting mired down in an argument – often from our selfish ignorance.

So, in conversation with our children, in school with the teacher, talking to the repair person, hearing the diagnosis from the doctor, or directives from our employer, I say we start with a rousing “YES . . .” quickly followed by "AND . . .” We may find this non-resistant conversational tool opening doors to new possibilities and wonderful collaborations of which we never dreamed. What do you say? Oh, Yes . . . and . . .

Andy McDonald

Holy Ground

2011-02-05T08:25:00.002-05:00

Through the years, numerous people have asked why we use the “sanctuary” for so many different activities. We’ve used it for Vacation Bible School, banquets, graduations, movies, parties, and numerous other events. Why? Because it’s a great room!

In the Old Testament, the sanctuary (i.e., Temple, holy place, etc.) was the place where God resided, where his people went to meet him (Psalm 122:1).

In the New Testament, the sanctuary (i.e., Church) is defined as the people of God, individually and corporately. The New Testament tells us that God does not live in temples built by human hands (Acts 17:24), but that individuals who come to Jesus are joined with other believers and become a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). How is this possible?

The separation caused by the fall meant that man could not come back into the presence of God without death. This was why an angel was placed at the gate of the Garden of Eden with a flaming sword (Gen. 3:24). This separation was seen even further in the Old Testament with the Tabernacle and the sacrificial system. Priests could only enter into God’s presence by the blood of a lamb (Heb. 9:22). The point: to enter into the presence of God required death; there was no other way.

Yet when Jesus, the perfect lamb (1 Pet. 1:18-19), died for our sins—the separation between God and man was done away with. Why? Because only the blood of one who was perfect could free us from our sins and make it possible for us to enter into God’s presence (Rev. 1:5, Heb. 9:11-28). What’s the result? The result is that we don’t go to a place to be with God anymore; he resides in people individually and corporately.

How does this affect how we do life? It means ordinary things become ways we can live our lives before God. Whether it’s eating or drinking (1 Cor. 10:31) or whatever we do—God wants to be able to accept our lives as an act of worship (Romans 12:1-2). This frees us to use whatever means necessary to reach people and develop relationships with humanity (1 Cor. 9:22).

The beauty of it all is that God has always been using ordinary things like idols (Dan. 2), stars (Matt. 2:7), and culture (Acts 17:16-32) to communicate with humanity. If God is like this wherever He is; we are like this wherever we are. The result: life is restored, and things once used for the glory of man become used for the glory of God (even Superbowl parties).

So why use our worship center for so many things? Because it’s a great place to bring glory to Jesus.

Andy McDonald, Jeff Cinquemani & David Achata

From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by David Achata

2011-01-30T17:52:00.005-05:00

Most people have a big dream. However, as time passes, that dream can seem unattainable. Imagine this: Tonight you go to sleep. Tomorrow when you wake up, everything is going to be exactly how you want it to be. What does your life look like? Think it over. Well, that’s your dream. How do you feel now?

Now, it’s fine to dream, but the next question to ask is: What’s it going to take to get you from where you’re at to the dream you just dreamed? How you wrestle with that question will determine what becomes of your dream.

In Luke 18 we have the story of a rich young man. He had a dream. He wanted eternal life. So he got up his courage and approached Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18) The two of them then engaged in a little conversation about what the young man had done to move toward his dream. Turns out he’d tried pretty hard, but Jesus said it wasn’t enough. Yet still, Jesus saw the greatest obstacle keeping the man from his dream. Jesus said, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (18:22) The story ends with the young man going away sad because he wasn’t willing to give it all for the sake of the dream.

Here’s an interesting thing I noticed about this story—the young man comes wanting to know how to get eternal life (his dream), yet Jesus tells him that he needs to be a disciple (God’s dream), which would eventually get him eternal life.

What’s the point? To get that dream requires a big, uncomfortable step of some sort.

Are you willing to take that step? Are you willing to give everything for the dream?

Take courage today, my friend: “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (18:27)

David Achata

A Home Divided by Tami Cinquemani

2011-01-23T10:27:00.002-05:00

Today is a high day in the Cinquemani home. Not since 1941 have the Chicago Bears met the Green Bay Packers in a playoff game. I am a native Chicagoan, and you can take the girl out of Chicago, but you can’t take Chicago out of the girl. My husband, Jeff, on the other hand, is from Wisconsin, where the Green Bay Packers have sold out every football game in Lambeau Field since 1960. He is an unapologetic Cheesehead. Family and friends from both sides of the field will join us for the game.

We are a home divided, and Jeff and I have both received emails and Facebook notes offering strategies to manage and survive the anticipated battle. We think it’s pretty sweet that there’s so much concern, but we’re actually looking forward to a great time – regardless of the outcome of the game.

Though beliefs, culture, history, and heritage have formed very strong biases in our loyalties, there’s an understanding that something greater draws us together than separates us. Besides – let’s face it – we like the fact that we’re not all on the same side because it makes the game so much more interesting. Do I want my team to win? Sure I do. But that doesn’t mean I need to disrespect my opponent. Nor does it mean I need to carry a grudge or make someone else’s life miserable if I lose.

We get to make these kinds of decisions all the time in life. Whether it is in the realm of religion, politics, sports, or a myriad of other forums, we should be able to celebrate our own views and philosophies without demonizing someone else’s. We should be able to coexist peacefully and respectfully in a world of diversity.

So, today we’ll be feasting on kolacky and hot wings (Chicago favorites) as well as kringle and cheese (Wisconsin staples), and at the end of the day, it will either be the Bears or the Packers who go on to fight for the Vince Lombardi trophy. Either way, it’s going to be a great Superbowl because either my team succeeds, or the team of those I care about does. That’s what I call a “good time had by all” . . . and a win/win situation!

Tami Cinquemani

Silent Support by Chad Hess

2011-01-16T11:13:00.002-05:00

Last week, my one-year-old son was cutting three of his molars. He felt miserable! One night I was trying to put him down, but he was having a hard time falling asleep because his teeth hurt, and the medicine hadn’t kicked in yet. I lay down with him on the floor, and he started to relax. He kept opening his eyes to make sure I was still there. He never said anything, and neither did I. There was nothing I could say to take the pain away, but he was comforted knowing that I was there with him.

There is something very comforting about the presence of loved ones, even if words are not spoken. When a loved one dies, there are no words that can be said, but just the presence of others is comforting. Over 25,000 people came out to the memorial service in Tucson this week, not to offer words of wisdom, but to show their support through their presence.

Maybe it’s because I’m a guy who is always busy doing something, but it can feel odd and uncomfortable to just sit there. I feel like I’m not “doing anything”. But I have learned that sitting in silent support is sometimes the best thing I could do. There is a part of the story of Job that is often missed. When Job’s three friends came to see him, the first thing they did was “they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” (Job 2:13). After this is when the three friends opened their mouths, and it didn’t go so well! This story reminds me that sometimes my silent support can be the most helpful thing I can do and can be more eloquent than any speech or advice I could give.

Chad Hess

This is Only a Test by John Monday

2011-01-09T12:43:00.003-05:00

When I was in school, I tested well. This is not to say I was always a good student. I just seemed to intuitively understand test structures. I augmented my testing skills by researching test techniques and patterns. On multiple-choice test (my personal favorite) the most frequent answer is C, and the second most frequent answer is B.

I learned that, even if you don’t know the answer, you can almost always rule out at least one or two of the choices. You can further enhance your chances by knowing your instructors verbal patterns. When they say something untrue, they’ll say it one way; when they say something true, they’ll say it another way. Those patterns can be applied to the tests they create. I became convinced that, if a class grade were based entirely on tests, I could get a solid B without studying the subject matter.

Last week I spent some time talking to a new friend who is struggling with some of the religious doctrines she’s held since childhood. For the first time she is asking hard questions of her faith, and she’s wondering: What’s true? and What’s important?

Of course, these kinds of questions rarely just pop up. They usually start with a crisis that sets our beliefs on a collision course with our life, or with a friend that believes differently and seems to have well-reasoned explanations for their belief. Maybe it’s a religious formula that doesn’t seem to be working. Wherever it starts, I’m pretty sure that true faith must pass through crisis.

So, as we discussed the events that sparked the questions in her life, the conversation seemed to keep circling back to one particular doctrine – a doctrine that, while not totally unique to our denomination, is somewhat unusual and has come to hold special end-time significance. While the doctrine may differ from one denomination to another, the fact that we hold a unique doctrine that seems to separate us from everyone else is by no means unique.

Many faith communities have some doctrine that is different and gains special significance, and no matter how much we spoke we kept coming back to this one. We discussed how Christ is the author and finisher of our salvation. We talked about our total inability to do anything to affect our redemption. We agreed that true unity can only be found in Christ, and we discussed how doctrines can be used to bind Christians together or to pull Christians apart.

After much exasperation, the heart of the matter finally came out when she said, more than asked, “but what if that really is the test at the end of time?” . . . the test.

What if her fears are realized and this doctrine is the test? Have I studied enough? Can I grit my teeth and push through with a B? Will I pass? What about all those that studied for a different test.

Finally, I realized the answer to this test is the same as every other test of faith. If this is indeed the test, then I fail. That’s it. If there is some special formula that must be adhered to in order to be saved, then I either have messed it up, or I surely will. If my salvation is dependant on my ability to pass any test, no matter how simple or complex, then I’m in trouble.

We are saved by faith and faith alone in Christ and Christ alone. There are no other choices. And if we’re operating in a “just in case mode” by saying, “I believe that Christ will save me, but I’m going to be ready for the test just in case,” then we’re doomed. Christ is clear; we either depend completely on him, or we don’t depend on him at all. He’s funny that way.

I’m firmly convinced that there is a test, and on the day the scores are read, I get to use the ultimate cheat. I can either get credit for my test or I can get credit for his. I know my choice.

So go forth, live free, have a little fun, don’t worry so much . . . the fix is in.

John Monday

When Will We Ever Learn? by Andy McDonald

2011-01-02T18:16:00.002-05:00

As we were approaching the New Year of 2011, I received a special supplement to the Signs of the Times magazine in the mail. The title of this piece is, “2012 Doomsday or Distraction?” What is it about our human nature that makes us sure we can predict the future, determine the date for the end of the world, or predict the exact day of Jesus’ return? I received this literature to encourage me to have our church order thousands of these pieces to distribute or sponsor mailing them to our whole zip code.

I’m not any kind of last day’s expert, but I found the pamphlet pretty well done . . . and painfully incomplete. The topic about date-setting for the return of Jesus or the end of the world provided a near perfect opportunity to humbly use our denomination’s experience as a warning to others not to take the same path.

You see, the Seventh-day Adventist movement was born following the “great disappointment” of the group from which we came. Many of our early pioneers had been sucked into the date-setting that ended with the “great disappointment” when Jesus did not return to our earth on October 22, 1844.

To think that Seventh-day Adventist editors of “Signs” would fail to include, if not highlight in this document, our own experience is some kind of spiritual blindness. It reminds me of what it would be like for an alcoholic to write about the evils of alcohol but fail to share his/her own experience.

This gross, intentional omission, in my opinion, only further erodes trust in our denomination. In contrast, imagine how much confidence building careful self-disclosure would have created –“Take a lesson from us – we've been there, done that. We know the fallacy of date setting – don't make the same mistake or be sucked in by it."

But no! On page 10 of this pamphlet is a long list of failed dates when Jesus was predicted to return or the world was to end, and 1844 is conspicuously absent! For me, that makes the entire piece disingenuous and an embarrassment to me and the denomination I love and serve. I have written the Signs editors but have yet to hear from them. Here’s a portion of what I said:

“Next time, and regularly in Signs of the Times magazine, PLEASE don't hide truth and write in a self-promoting, self-flattering way. Our failures are as valid as all those other failed dates, and we can learn from them and use them to help others not fail where we did. Do better work next time, and I'd recommend either adding truth to this piece or pulling it. Otherwise, it only stands to do harm to our movement when our critics, who know our history, see the blaring omission in our telling of the story.”

As Henri Nouwen writes so poignantly, “We are wounded healers.” But if we pretend not to be wounded, if we present ourselves as having it all together – without error – we deny the world the opportunity to learn from our wounds. Setting dates for the world to end and Jesus to return is a bad idea. We know this from personal experience and maybe, just maybe, if we are transparent, we can help others not miss what Jesus said, “No one knows the day and the hour except the Father,” and, “At an unexpected hour the Son of Man will come.” (Matthew 24:36; Luke 12:40)

Andy McDonald

Celebrating Change by Tami Cinquemani

2010-12-26T09:36:00.002-05:00

This has been a very odd Christmas for me. My daughter got married in June, so this was the first year of “sharing” the season with my new son-in-law’s family. When the newlyweds asked if we would mind having an early Christmas this year, my husband and I assured them that we would be willing to adapt to whatever they wanted to do. We were determined to be good in-laws. Besides, our family is always looking for new things to do – so celebrating Christmas the week before Christmas sounded like a good plan . . . well, at least when we made that decision . . . back in July.

We had our early Christmas, and it was wonderful! Family, food, presents, music – the whole nine yards. Then, a couple of days later, my daughter and her husband left for Georgia, where they would spend the rest of the holiday with the other side of the family. Christmas 2010 was over . . . for us, but not for the rest of the world. This became very apparent when talking with friends, watching television, and walking through the grocery store. The excitement was all around us, and it was . . . depressing.

I thought I came up with the perfect solution. If being surrounded by Christmas only reminded me of what I missed this year, then I should put Christmas away. So on Wednesday morning, December 22, I packed it up. That’s right – the decorations, the music, even the tree – wrapped, boxed, and stored back up in the attic. I felt even worse.

It wasn’t until two days later – on Christmas Eve – that I had an epiphany. I began to realize that traditions, celebrations, and the sacredness of certain days are extremely important, but I also understood that circumstances change, and life experiences sometimes take you in new directions. I had a choice to make: To mourn what is in the past and be stagnated by the loss of what is familiar, or to embrace the life change as an opportunity to intentionally plan and initiate new traditions.

I came to the conclusion that there is sacredness in family tradition, but it’s not the specifics of the tradition that are sacred – it’s the value of the time and effort the family members are willing to invest.

So we’re embracing the life change. We’re experimenting with new traditions. And we’ve decided that Christmas 2011 will be a great opportunity to try some new things!

Tami Cinquemani

Christmas Means the End of Religion As We Know It by David Achata

2010-12-19T09:08:00.003-05:00

With only a few days to go until Christmas, my kids are getting amped up to see family, open presents and eat sugar. My daughter has even designed a calendar (pictured above) that looks like a Christmas tree. On it she’s put numbers that count down how many days are left till the big day. I’m excited too.

This year, however, I’m excited less about gifts (although I’m anxiously awaiting what my wife will unveil this year) and excited more about what Christmas represents. Christmas represents something I want to be a part of. Simply put, Christmas represents the end of religion. What do I mean?

John 1:14 says that the Word “became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is John’s nativity scene. Literally, this says the Word “tabernacled” among us. This is meant to refer us to the Exodus narrative where Moses wants to see God, but God says—“You can’t look at me or you’ll die.” (Exodus 33) So God comes up with a plan that was a foreshadow of the real plan: “Build a Tabernacle, and I’ll reside there. This way we can be together.”

Thousands of years later, Jesus shows up in the real “Tabernacle” of his body so that we could see His Glory, God’s Glory. (See John 2:19-22) This means the end of religion as we know it. Why? Because, unlike many other world religions, Christians have no temple – we have Jesus. We have no priest; we have Jesus. We have no sacrifices to make; Jesus was our sacrifice. All these religious methods are gone because we don’t get a religion. Christmas means we get a person!

In his book, The Barbarian Way, Erwin McManus writes, “Two thousand years ago God started a revolt against the religion he started. So don’t ever put it past God to cause a groundswell movement against churches and Christian institutions that bear his name. If he was willing to turn Judaism upside down, don’t think for a moment our institutions are safe from a divine revolt.” (p.114)

Isn’t this wild? God causes a revolt against the religion he started? How confusing, exciting, ground shaking – how threatening! Like C.S. Lewis said “He is not a tame lion.”

I’ve recently been enjoying a TV show on hulu.com called “Bully Beatdown.” Basically what happens is people write in and tell Jason “Mayhem” Miller (Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Champion) about the people who are bullying them. Miller then invites them to be on his show where he challenges them to a fight. If they win, they get a bunch of money. If they lose, their victims get a bunch of money, and they have to apologize at the end. The bully always loses.

Watching this show has taught me one thing. When a bully gets beat by an MMA fighter, he is always humbled. Why? Because the MMA fighter could kill him but he isn’t allowed to. It’s humbling when salvation comes from the place least expected.

Welcome to Christmas. How humbling: the all-powerful, almighty God humbling himself, making himself vulnerable (Phil. 2). What does this all mean? It means the end of religion as we know it. In Jesus we don’t only get a teaching to follow, we get a person to know. Even more humbling, in that person, salvation comes from a most unexpected place – a baby.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)

Merry Christmas everyone!

David Achata

Workin' It Out by John Monday

2010-12-12T11:35:00.003-05:00

Yesterday our church family decided to forgo our normal worship service in lieu of serving our community. We gathered together, prepared for service in 16 different places, dispersed throughout the city, served and then returned to share our experiences. I’ve never been happier with or more proud of our church than I was that day.

We volunteered at the Track Shack 5K Reindeer Run at Sea World, at the Hemophilia Foundation Holiday Walk at Lake Eola, and at the Orlando Children’s Church. At least three different groups went caroling at Florida Hospital while children and their parents visited 170 cancer and NICU patients, bringing them bags filled with blessings. We wrote letters to military personnel, tilled gardens at a local school and cleaned carpets at a community center. Four hundred plus members of the Florida Hospital Church served the city, and if we’re not careful we could actually be deluded into thinking that we did a good thing.

As Christians, we are convinced that our salvation, our redemption, our future, our life, our eternity, our very existence is completely dependant on Christ. We hold that our actions, our deeds or misdeeds, our morality or lack there of, is as filthy rags in the presence of a Holy God. It’s the distinguishing doctrine of Christianity. We are not capable of doing any good thing.

It's not to hard to get most Christians to agree that we don’t do anything to affect our own salvation, but we can be quickly tempted to believe that our actions have an eternal effect on others. It’s sort of crazy; we think that, while our good works do nothing for our own salvation, without our efforts others will never be saved.

So what's the point? Why get up at 5:00 am and pass out water to runners? Why pack bags with books and snacks and deliver them to cancer patients? Why clean carpets for people we’ll never see or know?

I began to understand the value of our service the first time my four-year-old son helped me wash my car. His help cost me time and resulted in a worse job than I’d have done alone, but the thrill of having a son that wants to help his father is hard to explain, and the value to the son is incalculable.

God, in his infinite grace, has allowed us to help him in his work - but remember, when we serve others, it’s not an act of our graciousness. Our service is an act of God's grace to us. I’ve no doubt that God could more efficiently complete his work without me, and I’m certain that Christ will accomplish what he has intended to accomplish. But yesterday he let me and four hundred of my friends help, and I’m as proud and happy as a four-year-old washing his Daddy’s hub caps.

I want to do it again - how about you?

John Monday

To Pray or Not to Pray by Andy McDonald

2010-12-05T08:28:00.002-05:00

Let me begin by telling you that I am a praying person. I believe it is important for us to pray. Scripture is filled with the prayers of faithful followers of God. When Jesus was on earth, he taught his disciples to pray, and he was often in prayer. The Bible also tells us that we don’t know what to pray for as we ought, and so the Holy Spirit interprets our prayers into some heavenly language. We are counseled to pray for the sick, to be unceasing in our prayers. The Bible is clear in its directive that we should pray.

While I believe in the importance of prayer, I must be completely honest; I don’t have a clue as to how it works. God is present everywhere and is all knowing, so when we pray for a sick friend undergoing surgery, we certainly aren’t informing Him. We don’t catch God off guard making Him say in surprise, “Really, your friend is in the hospital?” Undoubtedly, he already knows. Also, God defines himself as love. So the God who is perfect love loves the person we pray for even more than we do. It doesn’t seem, then, that we are talking God into “saving, healing, protecting” or doing something for them that God wouldn’t want to do whether or not we intervene.

I think about poor John the Baptist in prison. Jesus isn’t that many miles away, and John sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one they were expecting, or should they look for another. Maybe John’s faith is slipping a bit with prison life. Jesus isn’t rescuing him. Surely John prayed for safety, protection, escape, but he died. Was God less faithful to the beheaded John the Baptist than to the apostle John who is only banished to an island prison? However it works, it’s different than a vending machine where we put in our prayer and get our blessing. It is different than some benevolent Santa Claus-like God to whom we send our list of blessings desired, and he delivers them on just the right day!

When we start trying to figure it all out, the web only seems to get more tangled. Maybe we do best when we pray, trust and endure whatever comes because Jesus has conquered death and hell. All the things he said and did in his life, and the sacrifice of himself in death, were authenticated with the resurrection. It is that resurrection reality that validates all the claims of Christ and initiates the Christian church. Regardless of whether or not we “get our answer” or a seeming silence or even a no, the reality is we still go on trusting that, in his time and from his perspective, the resurrected Christ will set all things straight. In the meantime, with a word of courage and hope, we are changed as we support one another with our prayers. It’s the right thing to do!

Andy McDonald

The Gift of Time by Chad Hess

2010-11-28T10:10:00.003-05:00

There is a handwritten note on our refrigerator to my wife from an 8 year old girl that says: “Slow down and make time to play games. Have fun. Everyone I know just keeps working. I have to play all by myself. So slow down.” It’s a constant reminder for me of the balance that is easy to forget.

It’s amazing how kids can cut right to the heart of things. They don’t really understand deadlines at work or the artificial priority some things have. They don’t really understand financial struggles or the other compounding stresses of our lives. But they do understand the value of play. They do understand the value of quality time. And they know the difference between distracted attention and undivided attention.

As we begin the often hectic holiday season, don’t forget to give the gift of time. Play a game with a child, a sibling, or the whole family. Your time, your love, and your undivided attention are very valuable gifts that don’t cost you anything. But their worth is priceless.

Chad Hess

The Word of God is Looking for a Church to Join by David Achata

2010-11-21T07:53:00.003-05:00

Every few years I re-read Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic book The Cost of Discipleship because it serves as a good reminder of what life in Christ is about.

Today I was reading his chapter about the Church called “The Visible Community.” Bonhoeffer writes: “The word of God seeks a Church to take unto itself. It has its being in the Church. It enters the Church by its own self-initiated movement.” (p. 250)

I learned a little song at summer camp when I was a kid that totally contradicts this statement. It went like this:

If I had a little box to put my Jesus in

I’d take him out and hug him and put him back in

And if I had a little box to put the devil in

I’d take him out and SMASH HIS FACE! and put him back in.

It’s kind of cute, but it serves to illustrate the point. We can’t put Jesus (The Living Word, ie. John 1:1) into parameters. We don’t have Him—He has us! We can’t give Him our list of expectations and expect he’ll deliver. What happens more often is that he gives us the list of expectations and then we philosophize about how he really meant something different. Here are some examples:

Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes, even his own life-- he cannot be my disciple.

John 12:24 "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

Matthew 19:29-30 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

Luke 6:27-35 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."

Mark 8:36 "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

I guess I'm just at a place where I'm tired of rationalizing away what Jesus said so I can do what I think will be more comfortable. Sometimes I feel like a crazy man. Bonehoffer was crazy, too, though. He, however, understood the nature of the call when he said:

"The disciple is dragged out of his relative security into a life of absolute insecurity (that is, in truth, into the absolute security and safety of the fellowship of Jesus), from a life which is observable and calculable (it is, in fact, quite incalculable) into a life where everything is unobservable and fortuitous (that is, into one which is necessary and calculable), out of the realm of the finite (which is in truth the infinite) into the realm of infinite possibilities (which is the one liberating reality). The Cost of Discipleship p.58

So what's the point? I think the point is that the Word of God is looking for a church to join, and when it finds that church—those people will learn about infinite possiblities of God's liberating reality.

David Achata

Leave It! by Karen Spruill

2010-11-14T08:53:00.004-05:00

My dog, Teddy, is easily distracted by every bit of trash, leaves, sticks, bugs and acorns, that we come across on the sidewalk or in his line of vision. If he sees it, he puts it in his mouth. Of course, I know that some tidbits will be especially tempting as I anticipate his attraction from my height advantage. So when I take him on walks around the neighborhood, I really appreciate one of the commands that he learned in obedience class. I end up using the “Leave It!” command a lot. I want him to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the big beautiful world. There are birds, squirrels, children, other pets, water and flowers for us to explore together. However, Teddy will never get the Big Picture of what our walk could become if his nose is on the ground messing with junk.

Usually within one or two firmly voiced commands from me, Teddy has dropped the offending item. I say, “Good Boy!” and we are on our way. His obedient response makes our time together more much enjoyable with less tugging on the leash and worry over what he has just swallowed. I love it when my dog becomes re-focused, turns his darling little face toward me and we set off again on the path before us.

Since I have used the “Leave It” command, I have thought a lot about how much easier my life would be if I could audibly hear God say that to me at times. In my morning quiet times or as I try to meditate, I find it helpful to practice "Leave It" when my mind wanders to worries or lists of duties. My daily walk with God is interrupted as I become distracted by so much of the “trash of life.” Often it is just a bunch of little things that do not amount to much, but as I spend time on them—pick them up, puzzle over them, chew on them, or even play with them—I forget about my Master. Teddy is at least on the end of a leash as we walk. In my life, I am free to get just as distracted as I chose and wander far away.

Perhaps God does use the “Leave It” command in many ways. Surely the 10 Commandments are "Leave Its" designed to protect us from harm. Sometimes other people that I attempt to walk through life with offer me "Leave Its" as they share their experiences or wisdom. The Scriptures and godly authors, with the examples of those who have walked before us, are full of "Leave It" messages.

“Lord, Help me to listen to your Leave It commands. I truly want to look up and see that we have much to explore together.”

Karen Spruill

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Member of the Florida Hospital Church