Outreach How-To: Listen Twice, Speak Once

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry… (James 1:19 NIV)

To answer before listening — that is folly and shame. (Proverbs 18:13 NIV)

God gave you two ears but only one mouth because he wants you to listen twice as much as you talk. (anonymous)

You know the sayings: listen before you respond, think before you speak, avoid jumping to conclusions.  It is hard but important to do; listening well can help us resolve conflicts before they begin, communicate effectively and meaningfully, and keep our minds open to other peoples’ ideas.

So why do we struggle to listen to others so frequently, both at home and in public?  Why are we so quick to speak and slow to listen?

Surely you know what this is like.  Often I will react to something my wife says, or to something that another customer says or does at the grocery store, without thinking about what I choose to say first.  There is so much more wisdom in simply slowing down, thinking and praying quietly, and then responding carefully.  Arguments and wars and tragedies, great and small, can be avoided.

Can you imagine what would happen if Israelis and Palestinians listened to each other’s desires and viewpoints – I mean, really heard each other?

Can you imagine what would happen if Darren Wilson had listened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri the other weekend?  What if Michael Brown had listened to Darren Wilson?

Can you imagine a political debate in which the opponents actually listened and responded to each other instead of giving us pre-cooked sound bites? (No, I can’t either – but I can dream!)

Listening is so important to human communication and to society in general.  How can this simple idea influence the church’s outreach efforts?  I think the possibilities are endless:

  • When standing in a long line at the store, you listen to the conversations around you.  Then you realize you can offer an encouraging word to your neighbor.
  • When hearing someone describe their troubled home life, you listen carefully instead of explaining how your own home life is (or was) worse.
  • When inviting someone to church, you listen to her to discover her story.  Her story is valuable in itself, because she is a child of God.  Then, humbly and compassionately, you explain why you think worshiping Jesus might make a difference for her.
  • When a guest visits church and tells you that he works at a local restaurant, you learn his hours and eat at that restaurant when he is there.  (And you leave a generous tip.)

The key idea to listening as an outreach device is the concept of caring.  If you really care about people, you will listen to them carefully and orient your life around their responses.  This is, I believe, one of the messages buried within the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

And the second key to listening is a challenge for me personally:  responding appropriately.  God gave you two ears, yes; but he also gave you one mouth.  Listen to others, show your concern for them, but remember that your own words can have tremendous influence – for good or for ill – in the lives of those around you.

We are called to reach out to others for the sake of Christ.  Listen to your neighbors as you do so!

The Dangers of Monolingualism

How many languages can you speak?  I mean, how many can you speak fluently?

I feel convicted as a citizen of the world that I am monolingual:  I speak only one language fluently.  And I’m not happy about that fact about myself.

Yes, I studied German in high school and college.  But I had five different teachers over the span of four years, so I never got far in mastering the language.  And yes, I studied biblical Greek in seminary, but that doesn’t really count.  (Besides, it’s a reading-only skill.)  In the final analysis, right now I can speak fluently in only one language, the language of my birth.

There is something significant about that last statement:  the language of my birth.  It is a sheer coincidence of genetics, timing, and God’s sovereign will that I was born to English-speaking parents in a predominantly English-speaking country.  Nothing in my daily life requires me to know any language other than English.  And if you’re reading this article, changes are that you are in the same situation.

I strongly dislike the fact that I am monolingual.

This feeling rose up in me during the trip to Europe which Tara and I enjoyed last month.  For the second half of this trip, we were in Riga, Latvia, participating in the biennial World Choir Games.  (Think of the Olympics, except all the competitors are singers.)  Choirs from around the world filled downtown Riga with song and with multiple languages.

Our hotel was a 15-minute bus ride from the main arena venue.  Local shuttle buses transported us and other choir members to and from the arena.  On these buses, we regularly sat or stood next to people from Nigeria, China, Russia, South Africa, Canada, Venezuela, and other parts of the world.  Hearing all the different music styles and spoken languages was an amazing experience!

One event captured my attention.  On a trip back from the arena, we packed into a bus along with a large children’s choir from China.  The American person next to me – a member of our local choir – made a comment under her breath that was not disparaging or disrespectful, but it was something she did not intend the Chinese children to understand.  (My memory fails me now as to what she said; it was something innocuous such as “There sure are a lot of them in this choir!”)

Partway through our bus ride back to the hotel, a few Chinese girls standing nearby began speaking to us.  In perfect English.

I could not return the favor of speaking in their native language.

What’s worse, my friend’s comment was in fact understood by those children.

I learned a few valuable lessons that day:

  1. Never assume that your neighbor cannot speak English.  You may be surprised to learn that he or she does!
  2. Always remember that many millions, even billions of people in this world speak a language other than English.
  3. Our lives and cultural experiences are enhanced when we are multilingual.

I am grateful to have learned English at an early age.  But now I feel that I must redouble my efforts to learn at least one other language, in order to be able to communicate with more people.

Remember also that the gospel was proclaimed in many native languages on the Day of Pentecost:

Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? (Acts 2:8 NIV)

Do you want to learn a new language?  Check out www.duolingo.com – it is a free website that will teach you any of a number of languages at an easy, comfortable pace.  I’m learning Spanish there!

Pastor David

Discipleship How-To: Financial Stewardship

Everyone has money, even if just a little. Everyone has stuff, even if not very much. None of us want to lose our money or stuff; most of us wouldn’t mind having a little bit more.

So what does it look like for a Christian, a follower of Jesus, to handle the things of this world? What does God expect of us? How best do we honor Christ through how we handle money and other tangible resources?

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalm 24:1-2 NIV)

I believe there is one fundamental realization upon which we must build our practices of discipleship in this area: everything belongs to God. All the money in your pocket and in your bank account belongs to God. All the electronic devices within your grasp belong to God. All the coal, oil, gasoline, and wood that you use to heat your home, power your car, and mow your lawn – these all belong to God. All of it belongs to God!

We are simply stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

Abraham realized this, I believe, when he returned home after rescuing his nephew Lot and defeating several neighboring kings in the process. Abraham’s encounter with the mysterious Melchizedek features an important biblical truth: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19 NASB). Only then did Abraham, apparently spontaneously, give Melchizedek a tenth of everything, thus forming the basis for our practice of the tithe. (See Genesis 14:17-20.)

The tithe, a basic standard in which one gives ten percent of one’s income to the church, is a time-honored practice and useful indicator of spiritual health. When we tithe, we acknowledge the truth that everything we have belongs to God, and we owe our very existence to him. Living on the 90% that remains after the tithe is, truly, a blessing. Do you tithe regularly? Is that part of your spiritual lifestyle?

God isn’t interested in pure numbers, though. Once, when Jesus watched people putting money into the temple offering plates, he commented that a poor widow’s two tiny coins were worth more than many rich people’s large gifts (Mark 12:41-44). It could have been that those rich people were giving a tithe of their income, or even more than that. But the one who was applauded by Jesus was the one who acknowledged that everything she had belonged, quite literally, to God.

So let’s assume that you tithe or that you are working toward tithing, toward giving a tenth of your income to the Lord. What do you do with the rest of your money? What do you do with the rest of your stuff?

Have you met someone who needs a hot meal or a new pair of shoes? Do you have a friend whose car is broken down and needs repairs? What about the struggling family whose son is growing into the size of clothes that your boy just outgrew?

How much of your money is going toward junk food, carbonated beverages, tobacco, or alcohol? Are you saving for the future? What kind of (and how much) debt are you in, and are you making progress on paying it off?

If God were to audit your books (those entitled “My Money” and “My Stuff”), what would he find?

One of the surest signs of spiritual health is the wise, God-honoring use of material possessions. Be a good steward of what God has entrusted to you!

VBS Questions

Last week at VBS, our children came up with a list of questions that they wanted to ask God. They wrote these down on large, red cardboard question marks, and then the question marks were placed side by side to create large, red hearts. This was to remind the children of that day’s Bible theme: even when you don’t understand, Jesus loves you!

Today, I read through those questions and found some of them to be very profound. In this space, I will do my best to answer a few questions from my perspective. What do you think? Can these questions spark conversations around your dinner table, church pew, or Sunday school classroom?

How did God make himself?

God was never created; God has always existed, from before the beginning of time. Jesus Christ is “the image of the invisible God,” and “by him all things were created” (Colossians 1:15-16). The Spirit of God was present before the universe began (Genesis 1:2). It’s hard to understand, but God simply is. There never was a time when God was not around!

What happens to animals when they die?

I wonder this myself. Tara and I had a dog named Lindy who died a year ago, and we miss her very much. Where is Lindy now? Sometimes we say that people who believe in Jesus go straight to heaven when they die. Maybe this happens with animals, too. (But remember, the Bible teaches that Jesus will return to earth at the end of time, and then all Christians will be raised from the dead to live with him forever (1 Corinthians 15).) Will our pets be waiting for us in heaven? I sure hope so!

Why do people get in car accidents?

This is a very powerful question, and I don’t have a good answer for it. I do not believe that car accidents are “supposed” to happen, as if they are somehow in God’s plan – especially when someone dies in the accident. Tragedies happen to all different kinds of people, and often without reason. While I do not know why accidents happen, I do know that God provides comfort to all who are suffering (2 Corinthians 1:1-11). And maybe that’s enough.

Do you [God] like naptime?

Absolutely, God loves to rest! After God created the universe, he took a whole day off (Genesis 2:1-3). Sometimes it’s not fun for a kid to take a nap, but trust me, napping is an acquired taste. But rest assured: God never falls asleep on the job of being our God and watching out for our needs (Psalm 121).

Why does my dad need to work on the house?

(I wish I knew more about this question, because it almost seems to come from a painful or lonely place.) Dads need to work on houses because they love their children. One of a parent’s many jobs is to make sure his or her children are safe, warm, and protected from bad weather. When your dad works on the house, you can remember that God the Father is watching over you as well (Psalm 127:1).

Why do people smoke?

Smoking releases very addictive chemicals into the brain. People who smoke usually know that smoking is very bad for you, because it leads to deadly forms of cancer. But people who smoke have a very hard time quitting, because of those addictive chemicals. The Bible does not address smoking directly, but it does teach that we should honor God with how we use our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Why do teenagers sometimes get mad at grown-ups?

It is hard to be a teenager! During your teenage years, you change in many ways. Your body, mind, and emotions develop very rapidly – but not always at the same rate. Sometimes, teenagers feel grown up but still have to listen to their parents. Sometimes, they feel mad about something at school or involving their friends, and that anger carries over into relationships with adults. Sometimes, teenagers don’t understand what they are feeling at all. But trust me, eventually those feelings of anger will go away as the teenagers become grown-ups themselves.

Why does my brother pick on me?

Brothers (and sisters) pick on their siblings for many reasons. Maybe they want to feel better about themselves, or maybe they are upset because others picked on them. They may not realize how much it hurts you when they pick on you. My advice is to follow the Golden Rule, and to remind your brother (gently) of the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12 NIV).

Will the Cleveland Indians win the World Series again in Pastor David’s lifetime?

Yes, they will! (Hebrews 11:1)

…I hope.

It’s Complicated

Hobby Lobby.  Contraception.  Health care reform.  Abortion.  The death penalty.  Welfare.  Wars.  Drones.  Prayer in schools.  Gun control.  Gay marriage.

Do I have your attention yet?

Chances are, you have strong opinions about the above topics, which have been at the forefront of public conversation in recent days and months.  Is there a “correct” Christian perspective on these issues?  Is it possible that well-meaning followers of Jesus can have differing opinions?  How should we vote, speak out, or defend our beliefs?

We live in a time of increased polarization within our country and around the world.  Republicans and Democrats in the US are being pulled toward their ideological extremes.  Sunnis and Shiites in the Middle East are engaging in bloody conflicts against each other.  Conservative and liberal Christians are separating from each other in congregational life, public discussion, and even geographical location.

When it comes to any of the issues that divide us, I too have my own opinions.  I believe some stances are morally appropriate, and others aren’t.  But I also believe in a more important truth, one that guides my conversations with people about these issues:

It’s complicated.

Should Hobby Lobby be required to provide its employees with full insurance coverage for contraceptives?  Regardless of whether you say “yes” or “no,” the truth is that it’s complicated.

Should our nation legalize same-sex marriage, or use drones to eliminate enemies in other nations, or pass tighter gun control laws?  It’s complicated.

These issues are complicated because they impact different people in different ways.  They are complicated because my opinions, wisdom, and experiences on any given topic do not equal the sum total of all people’s opinions, wisdom, and experiences on that topic.  They are complicated because life is complicated.  The world is not black and white (there are many different shades!); Christianity cannot be boiled down to heaven or hell (there’s so much more to faith than that!); ethical questions do not always have nice, clean answers.

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap [Jesus] in his words.  They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.  “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.  You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.  Tell us then, what is your opinion?  Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”  But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”  They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this?  And whose inscription?”  “Caesar’s,” they replied.  Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  When they heard this, they were amazed.  So they left him and went away. (Matthew 22:15-22 NIV)

Should the ancient Jews pay their required taxes to Caesar, whose Roman Empire occupied their God-given inheritance?  Or should they revolt against Rome and trust God for the victory?  (Historical note: the Jews tried the latter, and their revolt ended in Rome’s utter destruction of the capital city Jerusalem in AD 70.)

In this passage, Jesus proclaims an astounding truth:  the kingdom of God is not the kingdom of this world.  And we are to be citizens of God’s kingdom – even while we live as citizens of this world.

In short, life is supposed to be complicated.

So build your opinions about Hobby Lobby and gay marriage and gun control, and be sure your opinions are founded in the truth of scripture.  But listen carefully to the opinions of those who disagree with you, especially when their opinions are founded in scripture as well.  Listen to the stories of those affected by major current events, and tell your story faithfully also.

And always give to God what is God’s – even your very life – as complicated as that is to do.

Jesus and the World Cup

The World Cup is an amazing event, in which representatives from dozens of countries compete in soccer, the world’s most popular sport, in order to earn the title “best in the world.”  That recognition will go down in sports history, and the winning team will be on top of the world until the next World Cup is held in four years.

What lessons can we learn from this event?  Consider these ideas:

People can unite around common interests.  Of course, national pride is tremendously strong at World Cup time.  We all hope our home country wins its next match, if not its group and the entire tournament as well.  However, I am amazed how so many millions (and billions!) of people around the world can be “tuned in” to this event, either literally or metaphorically.  For all their differences, many of the world’s people have something in common:  love of football.

  • For Christians to consider:  Can you imagine what church would be like if we focused on what we have in common, rather than on what divides us?  I am thinking about groups of denominations, individual congregations, and even friends and neighbors.  What if we were to “tune in” to our common faith in Jesus Christ and work together for the peaceful expansion of the kingdom of God in this world?

People can become excited about meaningful things.  A soccer game is ninety minutes long, and some people find that to be far too long to be interesting.  But did you see that goal from thirty meters? that beautiful corner kick? that perfect header? that successful penalty kick?  When something takes place that impacts the course of the game, people watch closely and become involved.

  • For Christians to consider:  We believe that Jesus is the most interesting thing in the universe.  But somehow our church gatherings tend to become mundane, routine, and just plain boring – for guests, for young people, and sometimes for well-seasoned adults!  What makes our gatherings meaningful for you?  How can we best communicate that meaning to others?  How are we transformed and energized by our regular encounter with God through corporate worship?

Major problems can be swept under the rug.  Surely you have heard about the financial cost incurred by Brazil as they prepared to host this year’s World Cup.  You probably have heard complaints from Brazilians that so much money is being spent on a one-time event, but so much need exists and persists in local communities near the new stadium venues.  Maybe you know about the working conditions of construction, food-service, and hospitality workers in Brazil.  But when the game comes on your TV, do you remember the many issues going on behind the scenes?

  • For Christians to consider:  Churches are notorious for hiding their problems from everyone – visitors and members alike.  We smile at each other on Sunday morning, ask “How are you?” expecting a pleasant response, and mask past conflicts and divisions.  We talk behind each other’s backs.  We question others’ motives.  We find fault and spread it privately.  But we shake the hands of visitors and invite them to come back; we pretend to be a united congregation; we hope the pastor (or time) will fix the problems.  What if we did not hide our faults but accepted our responsibility for their existence?  What if we ran toward Christ together instead of away from conflict separately?  What if our gatherings were marked by stark honesty before the Lord, true unity through faith in Jesus, and holiness of conversation by the power of the Holy Spirit?

What do you think?

Pastor David

Graduation and Rites of Passage

Last week, three young people from our youth group graduated from Bullock Creek High School. The ceremony was a wonderful time of celebration; around 140 teenagers, their families, and friends looked back on the past and forward to the future. A few select students commented on the wide-open nature of the graduates’ adult lives. A video presentation depicted the graduates’ early years and favorite high school memories. The Bullock Creek Superintendent, Mr. Charles Schwedler, commented in his remarks that this was his twentieth Bullock Creek graduation ceremony. I reflected on these things while I watched each graduate cross the stage, receive his or her diploma, and greet Mr. Schwedler with a handshake (or a hug).

My own high school graduation was nearly half my life ago, but I still remember it very clearly. Almost three hundred students formed my senior class, and the graduates’ names were called rather quickly, with just a few seconds between names. I noticed a striking difference at the Bullock Creek ceremony, thanks to the smaller class size: each graduate was allowed to walk all the way across the stage before the next graduate’s name was called. This prompted me to think about this ceremony as a rite of passage.

Life has a number of rites of passage such as graduating from high school. We participate in these events as many have before us, and once we go through them, there is no turning back. A high school graduate cannot “un-graduate” from high school. A Boy Scout cannot undo his “crossing over” and become a Cub Scout again. A baseball player cannot have another chance at his first professional ball game. A young person only gets one “first paycheck” from her first job. Two “single” people will never truly be single again after they are married, even if the marriage ends in divorce or widowhood.

At each of these moments, we acknowledge that something meaningful is taking place. A hurdle is being crossed; a transition is happening. Things will never be the same. Life will change and will have new meaning as the future becomes the present. It is crucial that there be some kind of group celebration at moments like these: a graduation ceremony, a “crossing over” ceremony, a cheering crowd of baseball fans, and so forth.

Our spiritual lives should include celebratory rites of passage, as well. We tend to make Christian faith a personal, private experience; we accept Jesus into our own hearts, we pray silently, we hide our tithes and offerings in envelopes. But certain moments in our spiritual development deserve public attention.

The most obvious example is baptism. We practice “believer’s baptism,” in which adults and youth (but not infants) are baptized by being immersed completely underwater. This is an act of obedience to Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20) and an outward symbol of the inward transformation that takes place when a person receives God’s forgiveness and commits to follow the Lord. Baptism is incredibly public; most sanctuaries include a baptismal pool in the worship space. And this is how it should be. When a person is baptized, the rest of the congregation celebrates this rite of passage. Those who have been baptized in the past have an opportunity to remember their own baptisms, just as the Bullock Creek ceremony helped me to remember my own high school graduation.

Are there other spiritual rites of passage? Other Christian traditions will celebrate a person’s first Communion. A marriage ceremony, done properly, is a spiritual rite of passage as well. Dedicating a newborn child is a spiritual rite of passage for the child’s parents. Other examples include the first time someone prays in public, gives a personal testimony, or even preaches in church.

I believe Christians do not always celebrate these rites of passage with enough vigor and excitement. When a person is baptized, this is a huge deal! A life has been transformed, and we should praise God! When a couple is married, it’s not just a warm, sentimental moment; it is the spiritual uniting of two souls that God has called to become one. We should celebrate and stand in awe of God’s work! When someone takes the courageous step of leading in worship for the first time, we should rally around that person and affirm the spiritual growth that God is accomplishing in him or her.

I also believe that our rites of passage, spiritual and otherwise, are rather slanted toward our younger years. You could potentially experience all of the above events by age 25 (or even earlier). What, then, do you do for the next fifty or sixty years of your life? Are there no more hurdles to cross, no more transitions to experience? Once you “graduate” into fully adult life, what is there left to achieve?

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and direction to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:1-7 NIV)

Let the wise add to their learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. A high school graduation ceremony is called “commencement” because something is starting, not because something is ending. Rites of passage propel us into the future, and it is crucial for us to celebrate these moments to encourage others and ourselves to move forward in our spiritual development in the Lord.

Celebrate our graduates! And take the next step in your own life!

Pastor David

Outreach How-To: Pay it Forward

In recent years, the phrase “pay it forward” has become very popular in Christian circles.  The movie by that name (produced in 2000) helped to make the phrase famous.  Even in Midland County, we have seen this phrase take on new meaning connected to the life and death of young Jayden Lamb; around here, people “pay it forward Jayden style.”

You probably know what this means: to do something nice for someone else, even a stranger, before they do anything nice for you.  You might pay for the person behind you in line at McDonald’s.  You might leave your waitress an extra-large tip and a word of encouragement on the receipt.  You might donate blood, hold the door open for a stranger, or offer to take a picture for a couple holding their camera at arm’s length.  All of these ideas are summed up in one word:  selflessness.

“Paying it forward” is a wonderful thing to do.  After all, it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).  What’s more, Jesus taught us to do unto others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12) – something we learned, hopefully, at an early age and continue to practice our entire lives.  And living selflessly is at the core of what Jesus did by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13) and dying on the cross to take away the sins of the world (Matthew 20:25-28).

But there’s a problem with “paying it forward”:  it can be done outside the context of relationship.   If you pay for a stranger’s coffee at Starbuck’s, that’s great, but what have you done except help that person feel good and save them a few dollars?  If you leave an encouraging Post-It note in a library book, that’s great, but how does that strengthen your connectedness to other people?

In Christian circles, we frequently talk about “outreach” as a primary goal for our lives.  We want to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others, because it really is good news.  But if we only pass tracts to strangers or put bumper stickers on our cars, then we may be missing something.  Reaching out to others requires a connection between people.

Do you remember watching the movie E.T. (1982)?  The quintessentially memorable moment in that movie occurs when the extra-terrestrial “E.T.” reaches out his shining finger and touches – and heals – Elliot’s injured finger.  (“Ouch!”)

Making an impact on someone’s life means we have to risk making personal contact with him or her.

So, pay it forward, Jayden style or Jesus style.  Live a life that is beneficial to those around you.  Do nice things; say nice things; help those in need.  But don’t do it impersonally.  Take the extra risk of learning a name, making a friend, asking a question.

Pay for the person behind you in line, and introduce yourself to her.  Learn her name.  Ask her if there is any other way you can help her today.

Do a random act of kindness for a stranger, and learn his name too.  Ask him about his story, sit down for a cup of coffee with him, and listen to his life experiences.

Say hello to your neighbors, and take over a plate of cookies.  Invite them over for dinner.  Give generously to meet their needs, and remind them that God loves them too.

Build relationships with those whom you bless.  If you never see them again, at least you are becoming more selfless, more sensitive to the needs of others.  But who knows?  Perhaps your paths will cross again in the future.  Maybe you can become an encouragement, a spiritual asset, a praying friend for your neighbor.

After all, wouldn’t you like to have more friends like that in your life?

Doctor of Ministry and You

This fall, I am planning to begin a four-year journey: the Doctor of Ministry program at the Anderson University School of Theology. This is the seminary at which I earned a Master of Divinity degree before coming to serve at Mt. Haley. The Doctor of Ministry (or DMin for short) is a professional, applied, and terminal degree. I have discussed the particulars of this opportunity with the Church Council, and today I would like to share with you why I am excited to take on this challenge.

First, some details: The DMin is designed for people actively serving in pastoral roles. It is a part-time distance program; I will continue serving as the full-time senior pastor at Mt. Haley for the duration of this degree. Over the next four years, I will take one class per quarter, excluding summers. Almost all of my studies will take place at home, except for a week-long set of “intensive” classes in Anderson each term. The final year of this degree will include a “Professional Project” that will directly apply to our ministry together at Mt. Haley.

This journey’s benefits to our church will, I believe, be tremendous. Down the road, I will choose between two tracks in the program: “Spiritual Formation” and “Leadership Development.” At this point, I am leaning toward the former; spiritual formation has to do with growing deeper in the faith, building stronger relationships with God and others, and learning to follow Jesus more closely. (I have used the term “discipleship” to describe this in the past couple of years.) The classes I take each term will certainly find direct application in our life together as a congregation. My desire is that this process will strengthen Mt. Haley spiritually even as it strengthens me professionally.

The overarching theme of all programs at the Anderson School of Theology is “Biblical Reconciliation.” This DMin program is no exception. The curriculum is designed to emphasize God’s work of reconciling humanity to himself, as well as our work of reconciling with each other and with God. Restoration of relationship is at the core of this idea. To study spiritual formation through the lens of God’s desire to love, heal, and forgive – this is especially appealing to me.

I am excited to begin this program and to share its benefits with you! Please keep me in your prayers through this process. If you have any questions about the DMin program, its requirements, or its impact on Mt. Haley, come and talk with me any time. Your input is valuable to me!

Pastor David

The Nest

Today, I would like you to meet my new neighbor. In the past week, a bird has begun building this year’s nest in the corner of my office window. My desk is no more than three feet away from this new home. He (or she?) knows I exist, but as long as I don’t get too close to the window, I don’t seem to frighten the bird away. I am looking forward to watching eggs hatch and chicks feed from this vantage point in the upcoming season. Already, I am enjoying how my neighbor is carefully constructing the family home, one mouthful of mud and twigs at a time.

The Bible makes a few comments about birds’ nests:

If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life. (Deuteronomy 22:6-7 NIV)

This instruction appears in a strange, seemingly disconnected segment of Old Testament law – take a minute to read the whole chapter! Many of the commands surrounding this passage have to do with respecting life: human, plant, and animal alike. How often do we think about our treatment of animals or our use of natural resources as an issue of stewardship? Is our well-being dependent on our interactions with other species in God’s creation?

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. (Psalm 84:1-4 NIV)

My new neighbor’s nest is extremely fragile; in a matter of seconds, I could open the window and destroy all the work that has been done. Yet the fragility of the nest pales in comparison to its setting: a brick building is quite stable and secure. Are we constructing our fragile lives around a solid foundation? Do our souls find their place of safety in the house of the Lord?

Thus Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the wild birds nested in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19 NET)

When we build our lives on the good news of Jesus Christ, we are participating in something much larger than ourselves. Our spiritual family tree has its roots in Jesus; his kingdom is vast and all-encompassing. Are we living as members of the kingdom of God? Are we working diligently to strengthen our own nests? Are we building meaningful relationships with those who are nesting in other branches? Are we inviting wanderers to find their home in this kingdom?

Let us learn from the birds of the air, for whom God cares. And remember, we are much more valuable to God than they are! (Matthew 6:26)

Pastor David