myopic pilgrim

Pat recently wrote about setting boundaries in pastoral work. Specifically, taking risks to show compassion on others. Things like, bringing someone into your home. He writes:

It’s tempting to use [our daughter] Kaileigh as an excuse - we can’t allow that anything in our home that puts Kaileigh at risk. This is a seriously large portion of the decision process, of course, but at what point is it simply a convenient excuse for us to not pursue compassion and mercy?

Man, this is so hard. When I finally had my own place, I envisioned myself opening my home to people in need. No opportunity presented itself, which just means I wasn’t in the world enough.

But now that I’m married (with a little one on the way) I have to think of my family’s well-being. I just don’t see bringing a stranger into my home with my wife there. But as Pat also wrote, we can’t simply say ‘no’ and leave it at that. I have a desire to be put myself out there a little more, to be a relatively radical follower of Christ. I say relatively because generally when one suggests picking up a hitchhiker or giving money to a homeless person, we’re hit with cautionary tales and reasons to avoid showing compassion. Why isn’t the first thing out of our mouths encouragement and praise to God that someone is shining kindness on someone in need? Why is following Jesus’ example in tangible ways that affect other people seen as radical?

What’s-his-name at PoM0 Musings (no, seriously. What’s his name?) blogged about this flash video. It’s about the Religous Right supporting Bush in the presidential election. Is God a Republican or a Democrat? What a surpise; He’s neither. The video and the proposed ad are less than neutral when it comes to Bush, especially in regards to the war, but that’s not what I want to talk about.

The ad proclaims on behalf of Christians everywhere who do not necessarily support the movers and shakers of the Religious Right (read: Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson): We are not single issue voters. I think they’re talking about the A-word, but I could be wrong. It might be Atkins not abortion their talking about. While abortion is important to me, so are the other things Sojourners (the ones behind the video and the ad) considers religous issues, e.g. the environment, poverty, and other social ills.

But doesn’t abortion seem to be the trump card? Read the rest of this entry »

Some days I lay my heart out in front of the congregation. I take a risk. Without using a song or hiding behind my guitar or piano, I try to express the feeling I’ve been feeling about God lately. It could be joy or thankfulness, but last Sunday it was penitence. I took up precious moments of the service when we could have been singing the latest Chris Tomlin song to explain the act of beating one’s breast.

Other days I’ll share my heart and I get back air. I remember sharing a prayer I knew that just filled me with a sense of humility before my Maker. God, be merciful to me for the sea is large and my boat is so small. I must be butchering it, but the sentiment is the same. The world and its forces are monstrous in scope. History has both the power to raise up individuals to breathtaking peaks and the power to crush them into oblivion. And here I am, in a simple row boat, just trying to make my way across crests and troughs. Yet God is above it all and it’s to him I make my plea. Help me. I feel vulnerable. Which is exactly how I felt as I looked out across a sea of puzzled and blank faces.
Read the rest of this entry »

I’m going through Titus with a couple of guys. Besides using Titus to find and appoint elders, I’m confident God has been preparing leaders to be found. You can tell who they are because, among other things, they don’t have a short fuse and they aren’t bullheaded. Paul also points out they “must be above reproach as God’s steward.”

Being a good steward is Christianese for wisely managing what God has given to you, things like time, money, or abilities. You’re not wasteful. We had a great conversation about this. Great because a simple life, if not a vow of poverty, goes hand in hands with things Jesus said and stood for. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re like me, you’re easily intimidated by the sophisticated and hip. And more likely than not, they will be holding a glass of wine while they ask if your shoes are Italian. I know enough about wine to make me look stupid. It’s a rare feat of bravery for me to order a glass in public, but Digs, an online magazine that claims to be a a home + living guide for the post-college, pre-parenthood, quasi-adult generation offers a Crash Course for the Wine Novice.