Books, poems, and songs

Good Monday afternoon to anyone who decided to stop by today...

So you found a surprise today, didn't you? Amazing that the blog has been updated more than once in between Theophany services. I suppose I got inspired by a few of the voices that I've been hearing lately. No, I'm not hearing strange voices in my head--I'm talking about the voices that sing through the sound system in my car, speak from the written page, or muse from lines of verse. Springtime evokes a certain sense of culture for me, and I thought I'd share the work of some people who have caught my attention lately.

Books:

No Man Is An Island, Thomas Merton. Just started this one, but I can tell after one chapter that it's going to "blow my hair back" (for any Good Will Hunting fans reading this, you'll get that reference). Anytime I feel convicted in my own life after page 3, I know that I've got something special in my hands.

Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson. I've almost wrapped this one up, but I can tell that it will be one that stays with me for a while. The sooner that we move away from informational reading of the Scriptures to formational reading, the sooner the Bible will actually become living and real to us....and no one else helps us better to do that than Eugene Peterson.

Poetry:

Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke had beautiful eyes to see this life and this world, even at a young age. His voice is a treasure for anyone who has the heart of an artist.

The Ordering of Love, Madeleine L'Engle. If you grew up in my generation, you'll remember L'Engle from her novel, A Wrinkle in Time. Spend some time with her verse and sooner or later the tears will flow. She's beautifully honest, and simply beautiful as a human being. Her poems that come from a previous collection Cry Like a Bell tell the story of the Old Testament in postmodern verse. She preaches more in ten lines than I do in thirty minutes.

Music:

1. Theolonius Monk, Monk's Dream. Monk is one of those jazz geniuses who sounds cool and smooth even if you don't know what it is exactly that makes him a genius. Guess my jazz IQ isn't high enough to get that. But it makes you sound like you know what you're talking about when you can say, "Monk is a rare musical genius." Actually, I don't think about his genius too much. I just picked up a live recording of a concert he did in the 60s on Demand through Comcast. The cat is so cool and you can just enjoy watching him guide his trio, even if you've never heard him before. Jazz is a beautiful thing. And they always seem to have him on the CD carousel at the Panera on Cumberland. Trust me I'm there a lot.
2. Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams. Have you been outside lately? C'mon. Any hint of spring and summer makes Jack Johnson in season.

And check out these websites as you have time. These are some of my favorite artists these days.

www.andrew-peterson.com

www.derekwebb.com

www.squarepegalliance.com

If you have a sec, reply with some of the things you're listening to, reading, etc. My goal is to actually talk about books and music in a fun way, taking away the snob quotient as much as possible. So, I hope you don't think of these lists as posturing. As the Brits used to say to me, I'm hoping "it's just a bit of fun."

See you Sunday night...

Jack

Availability: "The One Thing Necessary"

Last night at Theophany we shifted our focus from the Apostles' Creed and began considering three practical, spiritual disciplines for the Lenten season. We'll have three services at Theophany during Lent, and I believe that we needed some practical messages that keep us in sync with the church year. Last night we talked about the discipline of availability, two weeks from now we'll reflect upon the Sabbath, and we'll consider the discipline of praise and adoration on Palm Sunday.

As I was thinking a bit further this morning about the discipline of being available to Christ and to one another, I was amazed at the simplicity of this discipline. Availability does not need great analysis, nor does it require an extensive theological discussion. At a very basic level, we need to ask the question, "am I available to simply be with Christ and be with my family and friends?"

Sounds easy enough, right? As I mentioned last night, availability is the most challenging discipline that Americans face these days, given the frantic chaos that comes with every week's schedule. We're not inclined to be uninformed about things; we are inclined to be unavailable, though.

I was thinking about the word itself today and was struck by the message of the very word itself. Availability is actually a compound word. Separate them and you have "avail" and "ability." When we look at it that way, we get a purere defintion--being "available" means that I am able to avail myself from one thing for something more important. This sounds quite different than the common refrain most people say about their schedules, "I'm not able to cut anything (avail) out.

I believe that the Gospel defines what is not only more important than our schedules, but what is most important on our schedules. Jesus called it the Great Commandments, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." In other words, I believe Christ is calling us to recognize that we are able to avail ourselves to obey and honor the Great Commandments, if we will trust him with what I call "sacred subtraction." Sacred subtraction is taking our weekly routines and schedules to the Lord and asking what needs to be taken away that a) is not fulfilling the Great Commandments and b) is making my life crazy, and making me tired and exhausted.

Before I say much more about this subject, I think it's high time we begin a dialogue, not an extended monologue from me. What thoughts do you have on this subject? How does this discipline of "sacred subtraction" speak to you based on your experience?

I look forward to hearing what thoughts will come from a conversation such as this...

Peace.

Jack

An online base for prayer and encouragement

Good afternoon on a sunny Monday to you all...

Wasn't last night a wonderful time of worship together? We were truly blessed to see our brother, Kevin Blue, take one more step into the calling God has placed on his life when he preached the Word at Theophany. Everyone with whom I spoke was so proud of Kevin, and I know that the Holy Spirit used Kevin to speak to my heart and life as well.

I thought that the blog would be a wonderful place for us to pass along support and love to Kevin for the Word he preached to us last night. We celebrate the gifts of the Spirit as a community, and I hope that we can extend that support across this blog.

I've also been thinking about how this blog might be useful for the upbuilding of our people and God's kingdom this week. It occurred to me that not every post need be a conversation about the Scriptures or theological subjects. Maybe this can be a place where prayer requests are given, where members of our community can drop in and include the requests listed here in their personal prayer lives.

As we begin posting the prayers we would lift as a community, I would encourage to pray "kingdom prayers." Indeed we are commanded to pray for the sick, the grieving, and the hurting; still, we often forget to pray for God's kingdom to come; to pray that non-Christian family members and friends would accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Consider what prayers are important to the heart of JEsus and offer these as a response to this posting. Let's see what God will do in the lives of his people when we commit ourselves to pray.

Jack

Not even the French take this long of a break....

October 2nd. What an indictment for this blogger. October 2nd was the last time that I posted a blog, and my promises for new postings have been empty thus far. Today, I deliver. Better late than never, eh?

Since I last posted on the Theophany Blog Site, I've gotten engaged and have begun planning a wedding for July 7, 2007. Seriously, the 7/7/07 date wasn't intentional symbolism on the front end. Emily and I kind of stumbled into that date, as it was the best date we could find available for all parties involved. Anyway, all that to say that I'm happily engaged since the last posting...SOME THREE MONTHS AGO!!!

I hope that all 3 of you out there who believe this blog still exists can have a laugh at me laughing at myself. After all, one of the most accurate criticisms of Christians is that we take ourselves much too seriously. No one ever accused me of taking this blog too seriously, that's for sure.

Ok, enough with the self-depracation. There's actually some great things going on, and at the top of the list is the preaching debut of our own Kevin Blue, this Sunday at 6 PM in the chapel. Be sure to notice the time change: 6 PM. We're pushing the time up this week because of a small little football game in Miami. We want as many people to be present to worship the Lord and support Kevin as possible. Kevin's going to be great, and it will be a blessing to see one of our own accept the call of God on his life.

Since our last posting, we've seen our little community grow and relationships in the Lord have been emerging, too. We welcomed Lucy Cooper into the world (continue to pray for her growth) and have seen the passing of another year. God has been good, even in the midst of all the struggles we face week in and week out.

And speaking of facing struggles on a weekly basis, I preached yesterday in morning worship about the issue of finding fulfillment in your life's vocation. Maybe you struggle finding fulfillment in your job, but I was praying that the Lord would use Jeremiah's example for us to see that ministry can happen as much in the mechanic's garage as it does in the church building itself. The question is this, "are we looking for the place where the Potter wants to shape our lives in his image, or in our own?"

Alright, that's enough from me. Three months and you get nothing. January 29, 2007 you get more than you wanted. I hope that we might renew this online community and talk a bit about our struggles to truly find God's calling on our lives, wherever we live, work, or play.

Peace...

Jack

Contentment in the Father's presence

One of the abiding questions that a preacher always faces is, 'What did they hear/interpret when I said ______________ ?' As I was writing the sermon for last night's Theophany service, I was especially curious to know how the community would respond to this statement I made: 'Jesus is completely comfortable with His Father and because of the great amount of time he spent in his presence, he knew the Father’s heartbeat for his life and for the world.' I believe many people who are seeking to be faithful to the Lord would want the same thing to be said of their life with the Father.

Now I present that question to you for another purpose than simply satisfying my curiosity as a preacher. I present this question because I believe it would be a good conversation to continue as a community, and I believe the Holy Spirit will 'guide us into more truth' if we continue talking about this issue.

To set up the topic a bit, I believe it would help us to consider a few traits of Jesus' relationship with the Father. The first thing I notice about Jesus is that he repeatedly referred to himself as 'the Son' throughout the Gospels, especially in Mark and John. That's important because it shows us that the core of Jesus' identity is being the Child of God. Secondly, it shows us that, no matter how many ways Jesus was pulled, no matter how many demands he had on his time, he never compromised intimacy with the Father. He was completely free to admit that his relationship with the Father was more than a 'priority'--it was breathing life.

As we consider those two ways that Jesus related with the Father, I offer these two questions for discussion:

1. What challenges or distractions in our lives keep us from remembering that our core identity is simply being a daughter or son of the Father? Have requirements on us(whether from work, family, or society) to be 'productive' or to maintain a certain image held us back from the freedom of simply being a child of God?
2. When we talk about 'knowing the Father's heartbeat for our lives and for his world,' what excites you about hearing the Father speak in this way? What have been some difficulties in the past that keep us from hearing the Father speak to our hearts like he spoke with Jesus?

As usual, if those questions aren't that clear, I'll change them around a bit if you all ask me to. If not, I'll look forward to hearing God speak through our discussions. May the Lord lead us into deeper intimacy with him and deeper relationships with one another.

Blessings

Jack

Bridging the gap of Christian community--then and now

Good morning...

Sorry to those of you who have been checking in, only to find old posts on Table Talk. I think I've gotten my feet under me a bit now and I look forward to beginning some conversations again.

Last Sunday night, we looked at Acts 2.42-47 where Luke tells us the early church, 'devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, the 'life together,' the breaking of bread, and the prayers.' When I read this passage one word comes to mind: simplicity. Sometimes Christians in our time can make discipleship incredibly complicated. Then, we come to a passage like this and the calling is direct and clear: do these things.

I recognize that some thoughts probably circulate in your minds when you read this passage. We might think, 'well, that was possible in such a simpler time like the first century. Twenty-first century America is much different. We don't have the luxury of time like they had.' Another thought might be, 'these things sound so encouraging. I need them, but have no idea how they could become a reality in my life.'

I recognize these thoughts about this passage because I'm only voicing the ones that circulate in my head, too. Still, I believe the Holy Spirit can use this verse for Christian communities in the 21st century. I must believe it because I trust the authority of scripture that 'awe and wonder' settles in when we devote ourselves to these things.

So, I give that lengthy introduction to ask each of you. What do you think about this passage based on your daily and weekly lives? How can a Christian community in 2006 be inspired to do what the earliest Christians did back in 30 A.D.?

Most importantly, I would like to hear what you think are the major obstacles to authentic, Christian community in the 21st century.

Ok...I trust the Spirit will speak through your postings. Let's come around the Table and discern what God is saying!
Jack

All we need is love?

First, I'd like to apologize for not posting a new topic on Table Talk until Wednesday. Excuses are being left at the door, so I'll get on with the discussion.

This week I want to put a discussion on the Table which may challenge our thinking a bit. At Theophany on Sunday night we spoke about 'loving one another' and living out those commands that we find from Jesus in John 15. Let's fact it, though. Loving one another is ambiguous in John's Gospel and it doesn't get much clearer in the other long 'love scripture' in 1 John 4. We know we're supposed to love, but what does love look like?

This is a huge topic, and I only introduced one suggestion of how that happens in the sermon, saying that 'love is presence and presence is love.' That's one way in our culture we can love, but there's so much to be said on this subject.

'Love' is a popular subject in our culture, but the question I have is this, 'is there a difference between the way that Christians talk about love and the way that the world talks about love?' In the 1960s John Lennon famously sang, 'all you need is love.' A few years earlier, another Englishman, C.S. Lewis had something to say in his book The Four Loves to challenge an idea of love like John Lennon's. Lewis said (paraphrase), 'John's first epistle is correct to say, 'God is love,' yet the opposite of that statement is not true. Love is not God.' Do you agree with Lewis? Is there truth to John Lennon's lyric? Is there a difference between Love according to the world's defition and the love which Jesus speaks about?

Ok...I'll wait to hear from some of you on this matter. If this is too complicated a question, just say the word and I'll send another apology and offer another posting. Thought I would take the risk and see what would happen. At least it's now on the Table!

Jack