It might seem that, if traditions are flexible in some way, that focusing on tradition would not be a solid source for discerning God’s will. This is quite true if by “tradition” we mean the practices we accept as normal, and meaningful, but when we talk about Tradition in discernment, we are speaking of something much more stable and powerful. Tradition, in our quest, is much more than just, “the way we’ve always done it.” Instead, we are looking at how the Christian Church across history has understood and applied biblical truth to the issues we face.

For our purposes, we are asking how the early church understood the teaching of Jesus and the rest of Scripture, along with how the church maintained its theology and mission across many centuries. In this case, tradition does not refer to personal, familial, or regional practices. Instead, the goal is to connect with the larger Christian Tradition that forms the foundation upon which we build our theology and practice.

Why is Tradition important in discernment? Consider these points:

Closer to the Original is Better

Maybe you played the Telephone Game at some time. The game involves putting people in a circle. The first person says something quietly into the ear of the person next to them, then that person does the same until the comment makes its way around the circle. Typically, the final words are quite different than the words originally spoken.

In a similar way, the closer we can get to the time when Scripture was written and theology formed, the more accurate our understanding of what the original words and ideas meant in the their context. We can have a much greater confidence in the interpretation of the Bible and church theology as we listen to the voices closest to the original.

In order to discern God’s direction, we must consult the voices of the early Christian mothers and fathers, for in them we find a clearer, more accurate understanding.

Consistency is Valuable

While the value of the early voices of the Christian community cannot be stated strongly enough, there is also is also great significance in the way the Church consistently expressed, and practiced, its theology. After we examine the teaching of Scripture and consider the interpretation of the early community of faith, we should also look at how that interpretation was maintained across 2000 of Christian history. When we see biblical teaching reinforced by the early faith community, and consistently maintained in the centuries to follow, we can more clearly discern God’s direction, and have more confidence in the direction we take. As Gordon Fee said, in his book How to Read the Bible for All its Worth, “Unique interpretations are usually wrong.”

Many Issues were Already Addressed

When we investigate the teaching of our Tradition, we often discover that many of the issues we wrestle with were already deeply considered and addressed. Too frequently, modern Christians struggle with discernment on issues that have already been answered. Just as education does not require us to relearn, or prove again, what we already know to be true, so our life of faith does not require us to readdress the foundations of our faith and theology

Can you imagine the frustration you would experience if you had to prove your math tables every time you wanted to pay for something, or make change? It would be exhausting, and unnecessary! We accept that these foundations have already been addressed and have no need to be challenged again and again.

In the same way, the Church has already addressed many aspects of our faith and theology, and we can safely accept that foundation in our spiritual discernment. A good, modern example is how we understand what Christians often refer to as the Old Testament. Frequently, I hear people say that the Hebrew Bible no longer has an influence over our Christian life, or that the God of the Old Testament is not the same as the God of the New Testament. These are bold assumptions and thankfully, they were already addressed.

In the year 144, Marcion of Sinope put forth his theology stating that he believed in Jesus Christ was sent by God as the Messiah, but he rejected the Hebrew Bible, and believed that the God of the Old Testament was a lesser god, and not the God of the New Testament. After much consideration and debate, the sound minds of the early church denounced Marcion’s position as heresy, restating the deep connections between the Christian witness and that of the Hebrew Bible, and reaffirming that the God of the Hebrew Bible was indeed, the same God found in Jesus and in the teaching of the early biblical writers.

When such claims are put forth in our modern day, we can say with confidence, that these issues have already been addressed and there is no need to reinvent the wheel by defending the faith against them once again.

Tradition is not infallible, but when layered upon the truth of Scripture, we have an even stronger foundation from which to discern God’s will. Tomorrow, we will turn our attention to the third layer of this process: our experience. Until then, may the cloud of witnesses that went before us, and surrounds us, help shine light upon your path.

The post Discern God’s Will – Tradition appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. There he found, not only worshippers, but people exploiting the spiritual needs of many who were there by using that experience to make a high profit. The faithful were not permitted to pay the temple tax in the common currency of the day. Instead, they were required to exchange it for the currency of the temple. It was at the point of this exchange that people would be gouged with an unfair exchange rate.

Seeing this travesty, Jesus turned over their tables and declared, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” It is one of the few times we see Jesus angry, and there is no mistaking his concern. Clearly, the money changers missed the point of worship and were exchanging the gift of God for the trappings of profit.

In our journey of faith, we too can miss the point. We may not be hurting others for our profit, but we can lose sight of the real gift of being the Church of Jesus Christ. We can replace an intimate walk with the Savior and with the world, for ritual and routine. We can replace the “house of prayer for all nations” with the “house of getting my needs met,” sacrificing the call for our comfort.

We are meant to be the church for the sake of the world and to the glory of God. Prayer and ministry for our community, region, and the nations of the world is at the heart of our identity. Called to lift Jesus high we need to come in low, as John the Baptist did saying, “I must decrease that he might increase.”

The good news is that when we embrace our true calling as the body of Christ we find the blessing of God. Like the child who learns to appreciate and value the gift more than the packaging, we discover that the valuable gift of God is found beyond the trappings of religion. In our faithful embrace of God’s vision for his church, we find the joy of a personal relationship with Jesus, the beauty of community, and the power of a dynamic relationship with the world.

Let’s not settle for the box and paper, but search deeper for the real gift of God. Let’s be the house of prayer for all nations and see the world transformed by the love and power of Jesus Christ!

The post House of Prayer appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

It is not a question you will hear many people ask, at least not in such blunt words, but often it is the reality behind much of our motivation. With a world full of demands and desires, it is easy to look for the minimum investment required, but is that what God asks of us? Is that what God is like? There are many comments I have heard throughout my ministry about what the Lord requires of us. More frequently than I would like, or would expect, the heart of these comments are rooted in this minimalist mentality.

God, however, demonstrates a heart of extravagance toward us. We celebrate God’s blessings in our life and anticipate God’s provision in the future. In this divine generosity we find the example of the holy life. God blesses and cares for us, showing us great compassion so that we, having experienced these joys can share them with others. This is the heart of grace and hospitality that exemplifies the Spirit’s presence within us.

Yesterday, a good friend invited us to her home for a Christmas luncheon. Her home was decorated for the season and the table was set for the guests to enjoy. She prepared appetizers and placed them around the kitchen so that we would all be able to visit as we gathered. Drinks were offered, special dishes prepared and love was shared. Her hospitality made everyone feel welcome and valued. Each piece of the celebration was an expression of love.

It was clear that much time was given to the preparation of the two hour event. All of the graciousness we experienced was the result of a lot of planning, decorating, and cooking. It was also an expression of our friend’s heart, and each person was blessed as a result. Such a blessing warmed our heart toward our hostess and toward each other.

Sharing gracious hospitality is a wonderful expression of the joy of the Lord that is within us. Yes, it takes time, energy and commitment, and there are few shortcust along the way. Sure, it is extravagant, but so is the love of God whom we represent. Each act of hospitality says, “Welcome, you are loved, appreciated and valued.” It is a witness that simply cannot  be shared with a meager mentality.

Last night, we ended our day with a Christmas concert at the church. Every year, we invite a local men’s chorus to share their gift of music with us and the community, and every year the people come to get in the spirit of Christmas. It is always a special occasion, but one of the highlights remains the reception that follows. Church members make a variety of finger foods from deviled eggs to veggie pizza for our guests to enjoy, and every year people stay and visit with us and with one another. It is a wonderful time of community and it is there that we often hear people say how welcome they feel.

We could make cookies and coffee and say, “thanks for coming,” but that just doesn’t have the same feel to it. When we take the time to make the little extras we are saying something about the God we serve and the people we love. Just like the Christmas luncheon we attended, it is all of the special details that share the heart of love with others. There is certainly more than making food involved in sharing Christian hospitality, but Jesus reminded us that even offering a cup of cold water in his name was great ministry, and when we offer ourselves to others in this way we share God with them.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “Practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:13) It is a simple command, but one with great power. When we practice hospitality, we demonstrate what God is like. It is a part of the Christian life that we need to make time for, and Christmas affords us many opportunities to practice. We serve an awesome, extravagant and gracious God. What a wonderful privilege it is to be like him as we serve others.

May your holiday season be filled with divine blessings and as you practice hospitality, may you be God’s blessing to others.

The post Practice Hospitality appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

The Bible does challenge us to be a prophetic voice to the world, including our nation and our local communities, but it also reminds us that judgment begins with the house of God. So, we must be sure we’ve removed the log from our own eye, before we go after the splinter in someone else’s eye. We need to speak out against injustice, but nowhere are we called to complain, deride and malign others. In fact, the scriptural call is quite the opposite. We are commanded to pray for our leaders so it will go well for us in the land. We are to be the emissaries of the Kingdom who actively work to share the love, grace and peace of God in all we do. We are servants of God who with speech seasoned with grace, speak life to the world around us.

The problem is, we like to blame and complain. We want to deal with our frustrations and concerns, but frequently do so by spewing all forms of negativity and anger that only fractures an already broken society. Sometimes, we even feel like we are doing something constructive while we are actively participating in attitudes and actions that destroy.

Let’s face it, not much is required to gripe and complain about things or people. That is the common, ordinary response, but we are an uncommon and extraordinary people. We know that far beyond our elections and votes, God is weaving a master plan that leads to something amazing. We know that God is fully invested in that plan, offering himself in Jesus Christ to heal our human brokenness, grant us forgiveness of sin, and restore us to right relationship with him. We have the Holy Spirit living in us to teach us everything and empower us to accomplish all God sets before us. With such knowledge and empowerment, should we really settle for whining and complaining?

Wouldn’t it be so much more powerful if we took the biblical call to pray for our leaders seriously and did so every day, even on the days they fail or make choices we disagree with? What a witness it could be if we treated others the way we want to be treated. I know how much it hurts in my own life when people speak critically about me. I would much rather engage in dialog and work toward a common understanding. I recognize that I will never be able to please everyone, but I still want to work with those who dislike my leadership for the glory of God and the good of the world. If I want people to respect and seek to understand me, then I ought to offer the same grace to others. The same is true for everyone.

We are given so many gifts in Christ: grace, love and freedom to name a few. What an impact it could make if we shared those same gifts with others, including our leaders. So, I invite you to join me in a choice to be different, to consciously decide not to engage in petty bickering, gossip and hurtful comments; to choose to bless instead of blame and offer the same grace we would like to receive. Let’s watch our words and think carefully about what they create and who they bless, or curse.

I recently found an inspirational image on Facebook that I believe sums things up nicely. Using the acronym THINK it read:

Before you speak: THINK
T – is it True?
H – is it Helpful?
I – is it Inspiring?
N – is it Necessary?
K – is it Kind?

If it passes the test, then maybe we should speak it. If not, maybe we should just talk to God about it.

The post Blame or Bless? appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

It is not that I cannot live without my technology, though I do have a bit of withdrawal when I step away for a while. The real issue is the ability to connect with people I know and love. I am accustomed to hearing the news of their lives on Facebook and Twitter. Interacting with friends and colleagues by email is commonplace, and the ubiquitous cell phone makes instant connection a daily reality. I even have Skype connections with friends in several other countries, allowing me to video chat with them whenever I like.

This is not only my life, it is the way many, if not most of us keep and maintain relationships. We are part of a very connected world and those connections continue to grow. We understand the need for those connections yet, we can all too easily miss the value of real, deep relationships. We can be so busy with all of our activities, that we neglect the most valuable connections in our lives.

Not long ago, I watched two high school students visit the coffee shop I frequent. They purchased their drinks, sat at a nearby table, then pulled out their cell phones and proceeded to text for the next hour. They rarely spoke to each other. They were so busy with their connectedness, they missed the relationship that was literally right in front of them.

It is easy to sacrifice our most significant relationships, with the busyness of life, even the parts that seem to bring us closer together. We can be so involved that we neglect our relationship with good friends, with family, and even with God. Slowly, we step away from being together and before long we moved further than we ever expected, and sometimes, we don’t even know we moved.

The writer of Hebrews remembered the value of staying connected. In the tenth chapter, we find these important words, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (10:25) There is something powerfully important about meeting together, about building real, meaningful relationships. We need God, and we need each other.

We’ve probably all heard the guilt-laden arguments for being in Church and for taking more time with God, as if the litmus test of a healthy spirituality is how busy we are with religious activity. Such thoughts are a real shame, because they hide the deeper reason for making time for these relationships. It is not for duty’s sake that we gather, nor are we trying to avoid guilt. Instead, we make time for God and one another because it is good for us to do so. It is good for our personal wellbeing, it is good for the community of faith, and it is good for the world. When we are properly grounded in the relationships that matter, we can be our best for ourselves and others we meet along the way.

Like so many other choices we make to live healthy lives, taking time to stay spiritually connected is important. I encourage you to prayerfully consider whether or not your choices truly nourish your soul, and in turn, the lives of others. I know I need to do this on a regular basis to be sure that I do not substitute what is good for what is best. Make time for the people and things that really matter, and may we all be blessed as we celebrate our connection with one another.

The post Stay Connected appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

When we speak of worship, beyond our Christian conversations, we easily equate the action to deep emotion and value. “I worship the ground she walks on,” we say, and we know that we are sharing how deeply we feel toward that person we love. To say such a thing is an expression of profound love, appreciation and desire. It is the nature of worship to evoke and respond to these rich feelings and thoughts.

Strangely, this is not always the definition of worship within the walls of the church. We speak of worship as an event, a time when we gather with other Christians to sing, pray and listen to the weekly sermon. Often there is a sense of duty attached to the experience, “I have to go to worship,” and careful listeners will hear the implied words, “but I don’t have to like it.”

Sometimes, worship is defined by our preferences and desires. “I really didn’t like worship today. It didn’t move me. I just wasn’t feeling it.” We are disappointed if we don’t know the hymns and frustrated if the experience goes too long. Instead of extravagance of worship, there is a sense of meagerness in spirit.

In the opening of Chapter 12 of John’s Gospel, we find Jesus at Bethany, the place where Lazarus lived. There is a dinner party being given in Jesus’ honor and people we gathered for the event. Suddenly, Mary brings roughly a pint of expensive perfume and begins to pour it on Jesus’ feet, wiping it with her hair. The Bible adds, “and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

Jesus was blessed, but not everyone saw a blessing. For others, it was too extravagant an action. It was a poor use of an expensive perfume. Why, it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. In short, this precious gift of perfume and of Mary’s heart was seen as a “waste.”

But, Jesus didn’t think so. To him it was deeply profound. It showed the great love and devotion in Mary’s heart. It was an extravagant act. It was worship. The party was in Jesus’ honor, but it was Mary who chose to bring him worship.

When we gather together in worship services. It is not primarily to get our needs met. It is not really about our preferences and desires. Nor is it meant to be a duty, an obligatory gathering to “get through.” No, it is an opportunity to share our deep love for God, to offer what we have in pure abandonment to the One we love. It is a time to give ourselves in extravagant expressions of love that can, in their own way, fill the house with the fragrance of the perfume of worship.

As we gather today, and in the days to come. We need to remember that worship is an action. It is so much more than the name of an event. It is an opportunity to pour out our love for God and to receive God’s love in return.

Mary surely heard the critical words as she offered her gift, but she also heard the words of Jesus himself when he affirmed her and her actions; when he made it clear how much he was blessed by her extravagant worship. Don’t we want to hear the same thing? What blessing it would be to know that our actions, our gift of our very selves touched and moved the heart of God.

May we worship expectantly and extravagantly as we offer what we have to God and receive the blessing that comes from truly doing so.

The post Extravagant Worship appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

In my comment, I affirmed the quality of the piece and the Nature Conservancy’s willingness to post it. I added my own acknowledgement that many Christians are deeply concerned about the environment and believe that we are called to be good stewards of all creation. I even added a reference to John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules, “Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.” It was not long before several other Christians “liked” my comment and went on to post similar concerns about Christian awareness of environmental issues.

I did not think much more about it throughout the day as I spent time with family on the last days of our vacation. When we stopped at the coffee shop a little while ago, I decided to read more of the 150 plus comments on the issue. I was shocked!

Rather than celebrating the awareness, passion and efforts of many in the Christian community, numerous posts were filled with anti-Christian and anti-religion rhetoric. It would seem that only atheists have anything to offer to the environment. One commentator even stated that atheism was thankfully free of the baggage of self-righteous, judgmental attitudes (even as he self-righteously judged all religions in a few short sentences).

I was indeed shocked, not by the anti-Christian attitude (I’ve become accustomed to that), but rather by the shoddy reasoning and self-negating comments of the people who stand in judgement of the faith. There is no doubt that great evil has been done throughout history in the name of God and by people claiming to belong to God. However, there has also been great good that came from faith in Christ and true followers of him.

People who celebrate their pure scientific understanding and education forget that a great majority of the institutions of higher learning that gave them such understanding were born from the Church’s support. Forgotten are the great investments in the arts commissioned by the Church. Lost are the tremendous acts of charity done in the name of Jesus Christ by the religious institution and by countless individual Christians.

The choice to be Christian is just that, a choice, but the selective memory of the past is not, nor are false stereotypes, misinformed comments and poor reasoning. These errors must be avoided by atheists and Christians alike. Just because we want something to be true, does not make it so, no matter how much we wish it, tell it or believe it.

There is room at the human table for all of us and how beautiful it would be if we could all bring our distinctive perspectives to the discussion and our unique abilities to tasks at hand. The Scripture says, “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Maybe it is time to focus on working toward the truth together instead of attacking one another.

Just some thoughts from the cafe on Saturday night.

The post Good Reasoning and Getting Along appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

As I reviewed the chapter on we are joined together to fulfill God’s purpose, I was struck by his reflection on disciple making. Platt writes, “Disciple making is not about a program or an event but about a relationship… Disciple making involves inviting people into a larger community of faith where they will see the life of Christ in action and experience the love of Christ in person.”

I wonder why we often work so hard to find substitutes for real relationships and community. We take a simple (though not always easy) revelation and then work hard to complicate it with our self-made substitutes. Life, ministry and discipleship are not as complicated as we would believe. It really does come down to authentic, God-directed relationships.

Jesus, when asked to summarize the commandments replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” He added, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Simply put, Jesus said that the message of the scriptures and the heart of the Gospel is: Love God and Love People. Instead of pouring our resources and energy into fancy programs and flashy promotions, could it be that we should invest ourselves in our relationship with Christ and our relationships with others.

My emerging goal is simply this, “Keep it Simple.” There are thousands of good ideas, but none of them will have greater impact that the message and impact of Jesus. Certainly, if he felt spending three years sharing life with 12 people as a good discipleship strategy, then it might be worth our time to follow his example.

The post Keep it Simple appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Each year multitudes of people may commitments to themselves, to others and even to God. Their New Year’s resolutions seem fixed in their minds and possibly in their hearts. The intentions are good, but the follow-through is not. Somewhere between the affirmation and the action something gets lost, and they return to the way things were before… comfortable and familiar.

This year, I want to challenge you to something different. I want to encourage you to use these days to diligently seek God for His vision for your life. What is it that God wants you to do or become? Then I want to encourage you to take some steps to make that a reality in your life. It will take more than a wish. It will take a proactive choice and a commitment to see that choice through.

One of the first steps you can take to making God’s vision a reality in your life is to consider your crowd. “My crowd?” you ask. Yes, you know, the crowd you permit to surround you and influence you. If you are going to give that vision life then you must ask yourself if you are surrounding yourself with people who will help get you to where you are going. Is your crowd supportive of your passion for God? Are they willing to challenge you when you try to stop pressing forward or if you choose a contrary path?

So often, we pay little attention to the impact of others on our lives and we miss their ability to inspire us, and sometimes discourage us. People naturally gravitate toward people who are like them. Have you ever noticed how it seems that the complainers all cluster together, each one fueling the others’ concerns. The negativity grows and the entire group becomes ever more entrenched in those destructive patterns.

The good news is that it works both ways. Surrounding yourself with positive people, those who have great faith and keep pressing on to win the prize, will begin to have an effect on you. The more you are with them, the more you too will begin to embrace an attitude of possibility and promise. Even a negative person can become a person of great vision if they allow God to work in their lives and surround themselves with positive people.

I am not suggesting that you abandon your friends or your family, but rather, that you allow yourself to soak in the attitude and spirit of people of great faith so that you can achieve God’s purpose in your life and so that you can be a positive influence in your other relationships.

Fulfilling your resolutions will require more that just the right crowd, but with the Spirit’s help, it is a powerful first step toward making God’s vision a reality in and through you.

Be blessed as you seek God and His kingdom in this new year.

The post Consider Your Crowd appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

On Black Friday, we watched as people, rushing to get into a local Target to get discounts on televisions and other items, trampled a man and ultimately sent him to the hospital. A local news channel captured the horrific experience as the man, and others, cried out for people to stop only to watch them push by and even step on him. All this was for a good deal where the average person saved less than $100.

In the past few days, I’ve watched drivers ignore people waiting for a parking space, pulling in at the last moment just to block the waiting driver. I heard others cursing the person ahead of them because they did not go ahead and pull out into a river of traffic. I even caught two health care professionals in their scrubs mock and verbally abuse a woman who was obviously working with some challenges, because she was sweeping the floor and they could not get past her quickly enough. I know these are not isolated incidents, so I ask again, “What happened to civility?”

I watch as people and media, liberal and conservative, Christian and not, all malign and degrade everyone who does not share their particular worldview. Their words go far beyond unfriendly, they are simply malicious, intended to harm both feelings and character. They even identify these behaviors in those they oppose, but cannot see it in themselves.

Maybe the question is not just, “What happened to Civility,” but, “When did grievous sin become the acceptable norm?”

In one of the devotional books I am reading, one of the chapters focused on cultivating humility. The author suggested that for a week, we should focus on serving our family, instead of expecting them to serve us, by doing what they would like to do, without expecting them to do what we would like to do.
The assignment continued by encouraging the reader to let people have the best parking places, and allow them to cut in front of us, placing their desires ahead of our own. Not easy tasks, but important for those who want to embrace the life of faith the Bible describes.

The Apostle Paul offered the following command to the church in his letter to the Philippians, “Do nothing through selfish rivalry or pride, but humbly consider others to be more important than yourselves, and do not just look after your own interests, but look after the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4) There is nothing hidden or obscure in that passage. We are to consider others to be more important than we are and look after the interests of others, not just ourselves.

I could continue to lament the brokenness of the world, but real change begins with looking at my own brokenness. We could all continue to declare the evils of others, but judgement first begins with ourselves. If civility and righteousness are going to return to our land, then it will begin with people like you and like me choosing to live that way – every day. Then, we can challenge the broken systems of our world, not from a position of superiority, but of humility.

Maybe it is time for us to stop ignoring the needs of others, stop pushing and shoving our way through the world and its highways, even stop adding to the abusive political and social banter. Instead, we can choose to be representatives of grace, love and peace. We can exemplify patience and consideration. We can be the fruit of the Spirit for the world – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Yesterday was, “Pay It Forward Day.” Maybe every day we can make an investment in the future by celebrating the compassion, grace and forgiveness of God in our lives and reflecting the same into the world around us.

The post What Happened to Civility appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.