I read this morning that Steve Jobs is finally stepping down as CEO of Apple. Jobs has led Apple since the mid 90s and under his leadership Apple rose to become one of the top companies in the word. For the past few years Apple's stock has fluctuated following Jobs' health. He was treated for cancer and then a few years later had an organ transplant and every time something looked bad for Jobs, Apple's stock would dip. Ultimately many feared that once Jobs did finally leave Apple's helm the company would plummet. Wow, talk about a lot riding on one guy.
What I appreciate about the church is that we don't build our entire fortune on one individual. Certainly a church has a pastor and that can be a draw for some, but then most churches have musicians and that can be a draw too. Many churches have strong youth programs or seniors programs and all of those connect with different people at different stages of their lives. You see it has never been about one individual, it has been about a group of individuals who come together to create something bigger than themselves.
Now there are churches out there who have built their entire identity on one specific individual and that seems to go well for a while but if that leader leaves, dies or gets caught in a scandal their stock dips faster than Apple's. What is important for us to remember is that our faith is not the result of a fantastic preacher or a talented musician but we put our faith in God. If we put our faith in anything else we will be disappointed. Certainly there are those who have helped us grow in our faith or who have introduced us to God but the goal is not to worship them, the point is to worship God.
Its not about one individual but many individuals, coming together to create something special. You are a part of that.
See you Sunday,
Chris
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Community
Yesterday Freedom School held their closing ceremonies in our fellowship hall. We have had the privilege of hosting them for 7 weeks this summer, like we did last year and the year before. The ceremony included some sharing, a little singing and some dancing, but what really got my attention was the amount of emotion that filled our basement. A healthy number of students and leaders were overcome by the conclusion of this program to the point that they couldn't hold back their tears. As the youngest group came to the stage (kids that are close in age to my own children) some of them had a hard time saying their brief line as they covered their eyes and wiped tears from their cheeks. Now I didn't get the chance to ask them why there were crying but I am guessing it was because they had built such a strong community with their fellow students and leaders that leaving this community was difficult if not painful. I wonder if community is so valuable to these students because too often their day to day lives seldom include that kind of love and support?
Two observations form this experience. First, what type of community do you have in your life? Have you been able to surround yourself with individuals who love and care for you? This is something we all need, we are intended for community with others, and I would hope that you have found this in your family, work, neighborhood and your church. If you haven't found this please email me (chermansen@christelca.org) and let me connect you with others. Second (which connects with the previous sentence) have you reached out to others who are desperately seeking community? It is very easy for us to live in a bubble and only interact with those that we choose but that is not how we are called to live as the Body of Christ. We are called to care for those that have been forgotten, over looked and dismissed. This is not always easy and quite often it is messy but it is what the Body of Christ looks like.
I cant shake the image of those little kids crying from my mind but it is a good image. It reminds us how important community is and how much we need it. I hope and pray that you have a strong community around you and I challenge you to bring others into your community so that they might experience that love too.
See you in Church,
Chris
Two observations form this experience. First, what type of community do you have in your life? Have you been able to surround yourself with individuals who love and care for you? This is something we all need, we are intended for community with others, and I would hope that you have found this in your family, work, neighborhood and your church. If you haven't found this please email me (chermansen@christelca.org) and let me connect you with others. Second (which connects with the previous sentence) have you reached out to others who are desperately seeking community? It is very easy for us to live in a bubble and only interact with those that we choose but that is not how we are called to live as the Body of Christ. We are called to care for those that have been forgotten, over looked and dismissed. This is not always easy and quite often it is messy but it is what the Body of Christ looks like.
I cant shake the image of those little kids crying from my mind but it is a good image. It reminds us how important community is and how much we need it. I hope and pray that you have a strong community around you and I challenge you to bring others into your community so that they might experience that love too.
See you in Church,
Chris
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The things we get excited about...
This week I almost thought that Jesus had come back! But then I realized that the NFL had finally settled their labor dispute and there was in fact going to be football. I find the things that we get excited about very interesting. The amount of time and energy spent on the NFL issue was astounding but what was even more astounding was the amount of joy and celebration that followed. Boy do we love football.
The debate in Washington has only further increased the amount of polarization and political animosity in our country. This tension isn't just between the politicians but between coworkers and neighbors, friends and family members. Are we really focused on what is the best for all people or what is in our best interest? Do we really care about each other or are we more concerned with making sure the political party we identify with wins?
And then maybe a footnote to these issues is the attacks in Norway. A horrific experience but on our American news radar it is here today, forgotten tomorrow.
Now with all of these in mind, and as worked up as we may get about one or all of these issues, that excitement is short lived. It is how we have been trained. We wait for the next big story to come around and then that issue, which seemed like the most important thing in the world at that time, is completely forgotten. Where can we find lasting excitement?
Jesus dealt with this when he talked to the Samaritan woman at the well. Remember, the one that had had many husbands and then the one that she was currently living with was not her husband (things weren't that different in Jesus' day either). Jesus clearly revealed to her that she was looking for passion, purpose and meaning in all of the wrong places. He told her that he would give her living water that would be like a spring in her soul that never stopped. Wow, talk about fulfillment.
Where do you find your excitment? Is it in the latest, breaking story? Or battling alongside others who share your same opinions? Or do you find it in winning? Or living vicariously through celebrities and athletes or do you find your purpose in your faith, in Jesus? Some of these are here today and gone tomorrow and some bubble-up like a spring that never runs dry. Which one are you picking?
See you in church,
Chris
The debate in Washington has only further increased the amount of polarization and political animosity in our country. This tension isn't just between the politicians but between coworkers and neighbors, friends and family members. Are we really focused on what is the best for all people or what is in our best interest? Do we really care about each other or are we more concerned with making sure the political party we identify with wins?
And then maybe a footnote to these issues is the attacks in Norway. A horrific experience but on our American news radar it is here today, forgotten tomorrow.
Now with all of these in mind, and as worked up as we may get about one or all of these issues, that excitement is short lived. It is how we have been trained. We wait for the next big story to come around and then that issue, which seemed like the most important thing in the world at that time, is completely forgotten. Where can we find lasting excitement?
Jesus dealt with this when he talked to the Samaritan woman at the well. Remember, the one that had had many husbands and then the one that she was currently living with was not her husband (things weren't that different in Jesus' day either). Jesus clearly revealed to her that she was looking for passion, purpose and meaning in all of the wrong places. He told her that he would give her living water that would be like a spring in her soul that never stopped. Wow, talk about fulfillment.
Where do you find your excitment? Is it in the latest, breaking story? Or battling alongside others who share your same opinions? Or do you find it in winning? Or living vicariously through celebrities and athletes or do you find your purpose in your faith, in Jesus? Some of these are here today and gone tomorrow and some bubble-up like a spring that never runs dry. Which one are you picking?
See you in church,
Chris
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Timeless.
In a culture where something is here today and gone tomorrow, what allows the bible to remain timeless? How can a single book continue to challenge, inspire and comfort us thousands of years after it was written?
What makes the bible so powerful is it's ability to read us. What the bible says to you today may completely change next year. The gospel of John may really open you up to God right now but next summer it might be the gospel of Luke or Matthew or Mark. God doesn't change, the bible doesn't change but we change. Passages that we simply cant connect with right now may knock us off our feet next month. For me, this has been our study on the book of James. James was a book that I discarded because it seemed like that's what every "good" Lutheran did, and so I never gave it much of a shot. (Here's a side hint: If you want to focus on something you have usually avoided, plan to preach on it for 5 Sundays! All of a sudden it becomes way more interesting!) James is connecting with me (and it sounds like a lot of you too) because it is a book that I (and maybe you too) need to hear at this moment. It is a book that reminds us of what it means to be a follow of Jesus. How we are called to live, how we connect with God and how we treat each other. It is something that we need to hear.
What parts of the bible have you struggled with in years past? Are there sections that you skipped over because they didn't seem to pertain to you at that moment and time? Maybe it's time to look at those sections again and see what God is trying to say to you today.
I have heard the story many times that Luther read the bible from cover-to-cover once a year. I am guessing he experienced the same growth that we are talking about and it's a growth that we need. So take a second look at those pages that have been dark for a while and see what God is trying to say to you. I would be interested to hear what He has to say.
See you in church,
Chris
What makes the bible so powerful is it's ability to read us. What the bible says to you today may completely change next year. The gospel of John may really open you up to God right now but next summer it might be the gospel of Luke or Matthew or Mark. God doesn't change, the bible doesn't change but we change. Passages that we simply cant connect with right now may knock us off our feet next month. For me, this has been our study on the book of James. James was a book that I discarded because it seemed like that's what every "good" Lutheran did, and so I never gave it much of a shot. (Here's a side hint: If you want to focus on something you have usually avoided, plan to preach on it for 5 Sundays! All of a sudden it becomes way more interesting!) James is connecting with me (and it sounds like a lot of you too) because it is a book that I (and maybe you too) need to hear at this moment. It is a book that reminds us of what it means to be a follow of Jesus. How we are called to live, how we connect with God and how we treat each other. It is something that we need to hear.
What parts of the bible have you struggled with in years past? Are there sections that you skipped over because they didn't seem to pertain to you at that moment and time? Maybe it's time to look at those sections again and see what God is trying to say to you today.
I have heard the story many times that Luther read the bible from cover-to-cover once a year. I am guessing he experienced the same growth that we are talking about and it's a growth that we need. So take a second look at those pages that have been dark for a while and see what God is trying to say to you. I would be interested to hear what He has to say.
See you in church,
Chris
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tweeting Away
For the first time i tweeted. Now I like to think of myself as fairly hip, with a decent grasp on what is popular but Twitter was something that I had not dabbled in. I was watching the MLB All Star game and they encouraged the viewers to tweet with the "hashtag" #asg. It was incredible how many users were a part of this discussion. The "tweets" were coming in so fast it was impossible to keep up. People from all over the country, maybe even the world, sharing a common language, this evening it was baseball.
As people of faith we have a common language, the question is are we using it? When it comes to church, God, the Bible, Jesus, etc we all speak the same language, we may differ on some things, but for the most part it is the same language and the core of our conversation shares a ton in common. Are you a part of the conversation? When we use our language, when we come together, when we are a part of the conversation incredible things happen but we have to be a part of the conversation, we have to talk.
I will admit, tweeting was fun and I can see how it can become addictive but what was even more fun was being a part of something where we all shared a common interest, it was fun being a part of something. We are a part of something, we are a part of the body of Christ. Now, join the discussion.
PS - It also made a boring game interesting.
As people of faith we have a common language, the question is are we using it? When it comes to church, God, the Bible, Jesus, etc we all speak the same language, we may differ on some things, but for the most part it is the same language and the core of our conversation shares a ton in common. Are you a part of the conversation? When we use our language, when we come together, when we are a part of the conversation incredible things happen but we have to be a part of the conversation, we have to talk.
I will admit, tweeting was fun and I can see how it can become addictive but what was even more fun was being a part of something where we all shared a common interest, it was fun being a part of something. We are a part of something, we are a part of the body of Christ. Now, join the discussion.
PS - It also made a boring game interesting.
Monday, July 11, 2011
September 11--10th Year Anniversary
Here's a blog that will require some input.
The buzz among the senior pastors throughout the country right now is how to acknowledge the 10th year anniversary of 9/11. Some are doing very little thinking that to go overboard continues to dredge up the past, create more bitterness and perpetuates hatred. They will light a candle and acknowledge it within the prayers.
Others are going all out with testimonies of surviving family members and soldiers returning from the battlefield. This is a significant event in our country's recent history, they argue, in terms of lives lost, an attack on American soil and a ten year war on terrorism. To let it slip would be a mistake.
Some of it depends on where you live. Certainly those in New York or with a membership filled with military members, 9/11 will have heightened awareness.
How about you. To what extent do you think we ought to acknowledge 9/11 at Christ Lutheran?
Peace,
Pastor Scott
The buzz among the senior pastors throughout the country right now is how to acknowledge the 10th year anniversary of 9/11. Some are doing very little thinking that to go overboard continues to dredge up the past, create more bitterness and perpetuates hatred. They will light a candle and acknowledge it within the prayers.
Others are going all out with testimonies of surviving family members and soldiers returning from the battlefield. This is a significant event in our country's recent history, they argue, in terms of lives lost, an attack on American soil and a ten year war on terrorism. To let it slip would be a mistake.
Some of it depends on where you live. Certainly those in New York or with a membership filled with military members, 9/11 will have heightened awareness.
How about you. To what extent do you think we ought to acknowledge 9/11 at Christ Lutheran?
Peace,
Pastor Scott
Friday, July 1, 2011
Faith, Church and Independence Day
As a person of faith on the 4th of July some parallels should ring within your soul. This Monday we celebrate freedom and the birth of our country. Across the country we see an abundance of flags, spend quality time with family and friends and hopefully see a fantastic fireworks show (at least that is one of the things I look forward to). So where is the connection to faith? It begins and ends with freedom, but instead of just talking about a country we are talking about an entire world. Instead of celebrating victory over another land we celebrate victory over the greatest enemy we have ever known.
Through Jesus we have an even greater freedom than what we celebrate on Independence Day, freedom over sin and death. Going all the way back to Genesis an eternal condemnation was handed down to all of humanity because of sin. A burden that was carried until the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Because of his life, death and resurrection we have been given victory over this sentence and have received the gift of eternal life. As powerful as the freedom we celebrate on Monday is (and it is powerful) the freedom found in Jesus is even more powerful. This freedom is celebrated across the world and it's gifts extend beyond this world and this life, they extend into eternity.
If you have struggled with understanding the power of this gift I hope this parallel connects some dots for you and just as we celebrate our country's freedom may this celebration also lead to the great freedom we have in Jesus.
See you in church,
Chris
Through Jesus we have an even greater freedom than what we celebrate on Independence Day, freedom over sin and death. Going all the way back to Genesis an eternal condemnation was handed down to all of humanity because of sin. A burden that was carried until the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Because of his life, death and resurrection we have been given victory over this sentence and have received the gift of eternal life. As powerful as the freedom we celebrate on Monday is (and it is powerful) the freedom found in Jesus is even more powerful. This freedom is celebrated across the world and it's gifts extend beyond this world and this life, they extend into eternity.
If you have struggled with understanding the power of this gift I hope this parallel connects some dots for you and just as we celebrate our country's freedom may this celebration also lead to the great freedom we have in Jesus.
See you in church,
Chris
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