What does suffering for Christ look like today?

Last night I was glad to meet with our K2 fellowship group to lead a discussion on "Jesus Calls: Believe in Me and Follow," which is the chapter I had written for the book, Jesus Matters.

It's been a long time since I wrote my first draft, but it was good to think through the subject once again, and to see it through new eyes--with a different perspective than me and my co-writer, Peter; a different perspective from the two editors, a different perspective from our young adult readers, a different perspective from the other groups and people I've talked to.

Our group discussion included the Matthew 4:18-25 account of Jesus calling his first disciples; the latest issue of the Canadian Mennonite; evangelism and peace and justice concerns in the Mennonite church; dealing with difficult people and other practical issues of daily life--all very much related to the central concern of God's call in our lives and following Jesus.

In response to the discussion question "what does suffering for Christ look like for us today?", there were a number of comments and stories--some comment on the reality of persecution and violence faced by some Christians; other comments on the cost of forgiveness and the challenge to follow Jesus in spite of criticism from others.  One commented, is suffering for Christ not so much physical for us, but more psychological and spiritual?  I'm still mulling that one over--what do you think?   

Feb 4, 2010 at 2:12 PM

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Stressed Out by Christmas?

My sermon last week generated a lot of response from a wide range of people and ages, from high school students to middle-aged working people to retired folks. Some had stories to tell about their own difficult experiences, others asked for the quote from Frank Peretti.

Here it is from The Wounded Spirit:  "begin treating everyone who passes your way as a priceless, precious, miraculous creation of God, a person for whom Jesus Christ bled and died, a person who matters to God just as much as you do."

The quote doesn't use the word "gentle," but I related it in my sermon to Philippians 4:5 "Let your gentleness be evident to all."  In stressful times, one of the ways to de-stress is to be gentle with everyone including yourself!  To treat everyone "as a priceless, precious, miraculous creation of God" because that's what they are and you are too!

Dec 16, 2009 at 4:29 PM

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The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

This book was sitting on my desk at home when we still lived in our house, and I finally started reading it this last week while on vacation. It's subitlted "One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible."

So far, I've only read the first hundred pages or so, but it's certainly living up to it's billing as hilarious, tender, entertaining, fascinating and even inspiring.  Written by a self-proclaimed agnostic, it's a kind of spiritual quest that explores the Bible with intelligence, curiousity, and honesty that I find refreshing and thought-provoking. 

I like the Scripture quotations scattered throughout the book, the clear explanations of Bible stories, the discussion of various interpretative and historical issues involved in understanding the Bible--these are all over-simplified by the author's own admission since any one of these could fill an entire book on its own, but it's done very fairly I think and  makes for a very entertaining and informative read.

This book could only have been written by a man--you'll see why when you see the beard he grows as part of his quest and hear his account of dancing in religious celebration with several hundred Hasidic men--but it makes me ask questions about my own faith and the writing process.  How do I understand and interpret the Bible and live it out in my own life?  If I were to write a book about living biblically--if you were to write a book about living biblically--what would it say?

Have any of you read this book? 

Nov 5, 2009 at 11:33 PM

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Jesus Matters has arrived

If you ordered a copy of Jesus Matters--or if you didn't order but would like one anyway--please pick up a copy at the Welcome Centre this Sunday after worship.

With the author's discount, the cost per book is $13 including tax and shipping costs. 

Thanks to the clerk at the post office who carried the almost 50 lb box of books to the car for me, thanks to Trent for carrying the box from my car to the Welcome Centre, and thanks to Gary for being at the Welcome Centre!

Sep 24, 2009 at 8:16 PM

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Jesus Matters Ordering Info

I've just received confirmation that I can use my author's discount to order copies of Jesus Matters: Good News for the 21st Century at about $13 Canadian including GST and shipping. The exact price will depend on how many we order, but it'll be less than the regular $19.54 Canadian plus shipping.

For the table of contents and a book excerpt, please see store.mpn.net/productdetails.cfm   To place your order at the reduced price, please add a comment to this email, or sign up at the Welcome Centre in the church foyer.

Aug 21, 2009 at 12:58 PM

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Prayers for a Privileged People

Every so often the name of Walter Brueggemann makes an appearance in one of our sermons. I’ve referred to him on a number of occasions, Rod quoted him last Sunday, and Charlotte Siemens noticed his name coming up as she prepared for a recent sermon at Eben-Ezer. Perhaps most well-known for his Old Testament scholarship, Brueggemann has also written a book called Prayers for a Privileged People.

Like Brueggemann, we too are “privileged people” with many many material resources, connections, and much power compared to the rest of the world. How do we pray? How can we pray? Brueggemann’s book is filled with prayers of confession, prayers of honesty, prayers of transformation. In some ways, these prayers are very much contextual and very much American, with references to the State of the Union and Superbowl Sunday, and what he says doesn't always match up with what I would say or how I would say it—and yet, as I read his prayers, I find myself praying also. “Enter the deep places of our life and claim us for your purposes. We would be more free than we are, more bold than we dare, more obedient than we choose. We wait for the gift of your large gift of life that will wrench us away from death to the miracle of Easter joy.”

Aug 9, 2009 at 6:13 AM

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Jesus Matters - Now in Print!

A few weeks ago, I received my advance copies of Jesus Matters: good news for the 21st century, published by Herald Press, with a foreword by Shane Claiborne (of "Jesus for President" fame who seems to be speaking at youth and young adult events everywhere these days), and chapter one by yours truly. . . .

I haven't had a chance to read the finished book yet, but the process to this point has been very satisfying (see earlier posts, April 12, 2008 and March 14, 2009), and I'm excited now to see the book in print!

Copies were actually available at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Saskatoon, and I understand that the book table sold out at that time--which I hope indicates a strong interest in the book, and not just that the book store had brought in too few copies in the first place!  Stan, did you get a chance to pick a copy up for the library?

Since then, I've also heard from the editors that funds were provided so that all lead pastors in Mennonite Church USA received a copy, as well as every leader for youth and young adults at the recent Mennonite Church USA Assembly (with over 4000 youth and young adults registered, that means a lot of young leaders!).

Since the book focuses on Jesus, and since our worship and preaching theme for  the coming year Sept-June 2009-2010 will be "Jesus Be the Centre," I hope that the book will be useful for us as a congregation as well.  And beyond that, I pray that it will also reach those in our community and world who are sorely in need of good news, the good news of Jesus.

I'll have more info soon on ordering books at a discounted price, so stay tuned!

Aug 2, 2009 at 7:24 AM

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Society of Biblical Literature

Walter Brueggeman whose work in Old Testament I greatly admire, or like New Testament scholar and bishop N.T. Wright who seems to be turning into the CS Lewis of this generation, biblical scholarship certainly undergirds the work I do as a pastor. It shapes my own reading and study of Scripture, is a resource for sermon preparation, and helps me think theologically about the rest of my ministry as well.
 

For me, highlights of this year’s SBL include:

(1) since the Academy of Homiletics (i.e., Preaching) was meeting at the same time this year, there were a number of sessions on preaching—too many to take in them all—but I was able to take part in several excellent sessions on collaborative forms of sermon preparation, preaching in the context of the congregation, biblical studies and preaching;

(2) an afternoon of papers focused on the Bible, ethics, and the environment—this session was standing room only, partly because of the topic and partly because of Terence Fretheim who is apparently well-known and well-respected although I had never heard his name before….his paper was excellent though, and I look forward to sharing his work sometime in an adult Sunday school class;

(3) many many other excellent sessions that will either directly find their way into my preaching and teaching in the coming year or will indirectly help shape my ministry;

(4) the chance to network with other scholars and pastors, including some of the professors from Canadian Mennonite University; Eastern Mennonite Seminary; Tabor College (a Mennonite Brethren school in Kansas); a Methodist pastor friend who has been working on a sermon-writing project with me over the last year;

(5) book displays of recent books and standards, all at 40%-50% off, so this was a great place to invest my book allowance—I’ve already started reading Prayers for a Privileged People by Walter Brueggeman and am looking forward to reading Marva Dawn’s new book How to be Well when You’re Ill. Both of these are written by scholars, but definitely not in the stereotype of the dry academic—they are also lively works of faith, very concrete and useful.

(6) as you can tell, I've returned with a lot of new ideas and energized for ministry--if you're interested in hearing more, please ask me!

Nov 28, 2008 at 6:42 AM

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In Praise of Libraries

- The Mennonite which used to be left in the waiting area by the church offices, but now circulates from the library.  Some of the news in this U.S. version overlaps with the Canadian Mennonite which is part of our every-home plan, but all of the articles are original

- Leader which has a very helpful article on Anabaptist worship in the Fall 2008 issue that I’ve shared with our Worship Committee

- Timbrel: women in conversation together with God which focuses on creation care for its July/August issue

- Faith Today which has an article on Canadian hymns (like What a Friend We Have In Jesus, Breathe on Me Breath of God, which I didn’t know were uniquely Canadian)

This is just a small selection of what's available...there seems to be something for everyone in our church library--even if you don't love libraries quite as much as I do!

Oct 3, 2008 at 9:00 AM

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Suffering and the Courage of God

      It’s deeply theological yet very accessible, with many stories from his own struggle with bipolar depression and from his ministry as an Episcopal priest and founder of an ecumenical community learning centre. Chapters include “Exploring God’s Help: From Rescuer to Resource,” “Compassionate Presence: How to be Better than Job’s Friends.” I found it very helpful and beautifully written too.

      Just one quote as an example: “The world with all its pleasures and pains isn’t simply meant to be experienced, still less to be worried about. This world is meant to be prayed, to find voice through us. Every encounter with goodness is a call to praise, every brush with suffering a call to prayer, a participation in the world’s own yearning for God. Every challenge we face is an invitation to enter more deeply into the pattern and power of the always-available divine Life manifested in Christ.”
 

Sep 22, 2008 at 8:24 AM

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