Interactive Sermon

Sitting By The Lake...

...reflecting on The Shack

I've completed 12 chapters of William P. Young's fictional work, The Shack.  I must say that I am rather enjoying it.  This even after having taken a few tours around the blogosphere and reading many criticisms of the book and its theology.  Here are some thoughts of mine through 12 chapters:

First, this is a work of FICTION.  I really get bothered when people label something as heresy or spiritually deadly (both terms I've read on the internet spoken by believers whose names you would know) that is, in its nature, intended as entertainment not theological treatise. 

Secondly, as people are screaming that the Trinity is being profaned and that Universalism is being implied, I ask: Does God the Father appearing to the main character in the book as a rotund black woman named Papa, or Jesus appearing as a rather unremarkable middle-eastern man, or the Holy Spirit as a halogram-like Asian woman cause you alarm?  How about an assertion that while all roads don't lead to heaven, that Jesus willingly travels all roads to meet people?  

Fiction.  Right there on the back cover, the book's genre is listed as fiction.  As fiction goes, this book has been engaging for me.  I'm enjoying it.

Finally, reading this book IS stirring some of my theological thinking.  Like I've always enjoyed Brian McLaren's (you know, that other great heretic across the blogosphere) fictional trilogy, Young has caused me to give much thought to God's perspective on human suffering, depravity and man's independence.  I am of the mind that any work that causes you to consider God, and to revisit pat answers that have fallen short in your own experience, is very good.

I'll let you know if I'm still feeling that way when I'm done.  But, so far, so good.  I'd recommend the book.

Any thoughts from anyone out there who has read it?

Learn You Some Southern

My observations of the English language (I think that's what it is) in the mountains of western North Carolina have me longing for a long talk with someone from Boston.  Let me give you a few of the area's favorite words and a quick grammar lesson.

First, new words for your vocabulary.

Thaar.  Used in the place of the English word there.  No one says there, here.  It's a sure giveaway that you ain't from 'round hayar.

Hayar.  Used in place of the English word here.  Nothing is here, here.

Youens.  Used as a plural you.  I think someone in the south got wind of the fact that we Yankees make fun of their combination of the words you and all into y'all, so many of the mountain folk have taken to youens.  I'm not kidding, at a breakfast diner a few days ago Shari and I were asked, "Youens need anything else?"

Now where grammar is concerned, I've gathered by observation that pronouns like this and that are not used by themselves, but require adverb qualifiers to really be southern.  Where the majority of the English speaking language have learned to associate pronouns by context, the folks in the south seem to need to associate by, well... association. 

"Youens want any coffee in that thaar cup?"  You see that it would have been sufficient to ask "Would you like coffee in that cup?"  But, perchance someone were confused about just which cup was being referred to, as the youens gives away the fact that there is more than one person at the table, the waitress can cast her eyes the direction of a particular cup and motion with the coffee pot in the direction of that thaar cup, and then there is no uncertainty about her inquiry.

"Take this hayar road about a quarter mile and youens'll see it on the riiight."  Once again, it would have been clear enough to me to have heard, "Take this road", assuming we were on or near a road that the direction could have been associated to.  However, our friends in the south want to be very clear - this hayar road... that one riight thaar in front of you... youens know?  Shari and I thought we saw a church called "The First Baptist Church of This Hayar Road" when we were riding through the mountains. 

(You notice that I included a typical southern contraction youens'll in that thaar example.  I don't suppose I need to explain it.)

One last thing, this one not about vocabulary or grammar, but rather culture.  In the mountains of North Carolina, if you're a believer in Christ, you're also a Baptist.  No kidding, in one 17 mile stretch of Route 9 (the winding mountain road between Black Mountain and Chimney Rock) Shari and I counted 11 Baptist Churches.  You know that thaar makes this hayar Presbyterian a little anxious.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Vacation,Asheville

Parson To Person

I've returned to work on the Parson To Person manuscript.  I'd love to complete it by summer's end.  Right.  Anyhow, a few of you have been asking for more of it here.  So, here's a bit more.  If you're not familiar with the story or characters you can find earlier episodes under Parson to Person in the category list. 

I was surprised how well our conversation went. We had far more in common than I would have thought. Many of my issues were his issues. Many of my insecurities were his insecurities. I felt, rather quickly, that Father Dom was someone I could trust, and someone I could probably talk to. He was very transparent with me.

“Yes, that scandal has been a huge concern for us all”, Father Dom conceded as he removed his glasses and massaged his eyes. “One of the cases that made the news actually involved a former priest at the parish that I had served in the early nineties. The allegations concerned an earlier parish in his ministry, but we were always concerned that someone from the history of our parish might come out of the woodwork. It is an unspeakable harm that these men have perpetrated. It has hurt the church. More than that, however, it has hurt the cause of Christ. My constant prayer is for more opportunities to convince people that while men will fail them, Jesus never will!”

What a radical truth: men will fail me, but Jesus never will. I knew that. I had preached that. I had often given that very message to others. But did I believe it where my own trials were concerned? If I am completely honest, I wondered where Jesus had gone in the midst of my latest saga.

“Hey Brian”, a voice approached me. I looked up to see Jack.

“Ah, Jack Higginbotham, pastor at Abundant Life, this is Father Dom… uh, I’m sorry, I don’t know your last name?”

“Acosta. Dominic Acosta. Pleased to meet you Jack”, Dom completed my introduction.

“Father Dom is new to St. Boniface”, I offered to Jack.

“Pleased to meet you,” Jack replied with a tone and a look that spoke dismissingly. “Enjoy your lunch, gentlemen. I just thought I’d say hello.”

I’d known Jack for seven years. Never had he ever been so brief. I watched him take a seat at a table in the corner and pull out his Blackberry. He looked up and met my eyes a few times. Jack’s perspective on this scene – me enjoying lunch with the local Catholic priest a couple hours after the local Protestant clergy meeting – it occurred to me, was that I was eating with ‘the enemy’. Come to think of it, that would have been my gut feeling just a few months earlier. Now, I found this whole setting to be a little humorous. I felt as though I was going through somewhat of a theological awakening, while Jack and others of my peers were stuck in some narrow theological rut.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Creative Non-Fiction,Parson To Person

Thoughts From An Inner-tube

Most of my yesterday was spent in an inner-tube in the Rocky Broad River.  Water levels are the lowest I've seen, so it didn't make for adventurous tubing, this day was more about floating and relaxing than conquering water falls and rapids.  Still, there's nothing like it.

We managed a visit to Bubba O'Leary's and also to their second shop, Bubba Outfitters.  I scored a new black Bubba's t-shirt.  That's good because Shari and the girls are embarrassed about the condition of my old white one.  We also learned that there is a new Bubba.  The original Bubba passed away a few years ago.  The new Bubba is just a puppy - a rather large one.  The owners say that he's not ready for prime time yet.  He needs to mature a bit.  Still, we can't wait for the new Bubba to make his debut working at the store.

I took a break from grilling last night.  Supper took us to Fat Buddies.  Fat Buddies is simply the best BBQ joint in the south.  It is worth a trip from anywhere.  Shari, the girls and I had what the call the pig-out feast for two.  Note: there are six of us.  Their feast for two is really a feast for six and then some.  We snapped a quick picture of our waitress Kaylin as she delivered our onion loaf.  She was a good sport putting up with all these New Hampshire hillbilly wannabees. 

On the reading front, I finished a pretty in-depth, week-long study/read through Amos yesterday.  Quite honestly it is a tough read.  I've come away convinced all the more that God doesn't want our external displays of affection, but rather our heart's genuine devotion.  The text has fueled much thought for me.  All the same, I've moved on to studying the middle chapters of Matthew's gospel.  I need a little Jesus/grace infusion.

For those of you who are interested, I am seven chapters into The Shack.  God has shown up - as a portly black woman.  Jesus appears as a middle-eastern carpenter covered with sawdust and the Holy Spirit appears as an Asian woman who is difficult to see in focus.  I'm not sure but I'm guessing that some of the many Christian bloggers who have expressed concerns over the book will start their criticisms here.  I'm actually enjoying the read thus far.  They are presently discussing the interrelation between each of the three persons of the Trinity.  I'm not encountering anything I'd call heresy yet - and I'm keeping in mind this is a fictional story, not a theology primer. 

The sun has just burned off the morning fog.  Must be time to grab the tubes and...

Hurray For Monday

Monday has gotten a bad rap.  Traditionally we've hated to see Mondays arrive as they signal the beginning of the work week.  Here on our little vacation, however, Monday brings welcome sights and sounds, or better said, a lack there of.  You see, our little paradise remains rather quiet Monday through Thursday.  The only folks who are here are the folks who have traveled far to get to this quiet little lake, and who tend to respect others who have ventured great distances to enjoy the peace and quiet.  Weekends, however, find the locals flooding in.  The sights and sounds change dramatically for 48-72 hours.  Here is a page from my journal of my observations on Saturday:

What is the point?  This scene includes such a vast array of people in pursuit, pursuing an answer - their answer.

There are the grandparents who have set aside these days to invest totally of themselves into the life of their ten year old grandson.  He has just emerged from their camper in his red bicycle helmet, eagerly awaiting his Grandpa's success in removing his bicycle from the roof-top carrier on their car.

Next to them an entire family of anglers have settled in.  They are serious about their fishing as is evidenced by the amount of their gear that litters the bank of the lake, and the patience it must take for them to have spent every waking hour this day bating hooks and casting out lines, with little or no luck as best as I can tell.

Still further down the row are four young adults.  By all appearances they are gearing up for a weekend of the sort their parents would likely disapprove.  Their loud music spoils the calm on the lake.  Their conversations and accompanying laughter get louder with each can of Budweiser they consume.  The last round of raucous laughter came when the two boys stripped to the waist and jumped into the lake in their blue-jeans some ten yards from a big sign that clearly reads "No Swimming Allowed".  The girls retreated briefly into their cabin, emerging in scant bathing attire to join them - one of the girls daringly stressing the limits of the material that composed her bathing suit; a "whole 'lotta butt and a little bit of britches" would have been my father's description of the scene.

Finally there is that family of six at the end of the row.  Mom, Dad and four children sequestered here for a chance to reacquaint themselves after what has been a busy year - work, school and activities having carried them all in opposite directions for most of the time.

Well, that's how it looked on Saturday.  This morning it is much nicer.  Quiet.  Calm.  The sun rose and I've been watching it dance off the water all morning while the rest of my family sleeps in.  I've got pancakes and maple flavored sausage ready to go on the griddle when they wake up.

Oh and speaking of meals - for those of you who have heard of my campsite grilling exploits, we're off to a good start.  The seasoned shrimp sosates were a hit on Friday.  My chile-jack chicken with pineapple went over really well on Saturday night.  Shari and I found it was especially tasty when accompanied by a Wailua Beer (a Hawaiian Wheat Beer w/Passion Fruit).  Last night we went simple - Montreal steak tips and grilled veggies (potatoes, carrots, roasted peppers and onions).  Wish you were here.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Asheville,Vacation,Sosates,Wailua Beer

Preparing Our Hearts

We visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville yesterday.  The short story is that George Vanderbilt had this house built in the 1890's to be his bachelor pad.  It is the largest private residence in the United States with more than 200 rooms.  The inside of the house measures 4 acres and it originally sat on more than 125,000 acres of land.  A few years later he married.  He and his wife had one child.  Then fourteen years into their lives together George died of post-operative complications having had an appendectomy.  I walked through the house (takes a full 2 hours to view just the 60 rooms open to the public) and thought about opulence.  Stark contrast to my friends in Namibia who need nothing more than the warmth of love to make any house a home.

This morning I've awakened to the splendor of my God.  There is a light rain falling over the lake in front of me and the birds seem to be singing all the more - they must love the overcast morning.  From where I sit, I've watched a young family - father, mother and toddler son - sit down to breakfast and begin by thanking the Lord.  These are the sights and sounds that make up our God's dwelling - the hearts of believers.

As we prepare to worship in the morning, I'm planning to take my family on an hour long drive to Hickory, NC.  There, a friend of ours is the organist for a wonderful gathering of believers called Corinth Reformed Church.  It is a treat to worship with these dear folks.  After church we will likely enjoy a Backyard Burger lunch with our friends (isn't God good?).

As you prepare to gather at Christ's Church, Jesse and the music team have a great set of songs ready to lead you all into the Lord's presence and Scott Field has a message to share from the word. 

I look forward to joining with you to worship in spirit tomorrow morning - as we bring the body of Christ into the different locations where we gather.  Blessings!

Reading On This Trip

Greetings again from the mountains of western North Carolina.  It's a little overcast this morning.  I miss the beauty of sunrise over the little lake here against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but that's okay.  It's even beautiful when it's cloudy and gray. 

I've been reading through Amos yesterday and today.  Tough stuff to read.  I'm struck by the question God asks his people (Judah and Israel), "Can two walk together who are not headed in the same direction?" 

As for other reading on this trip, I've brought along a copy of a novel entitled The Shack.  A number of my friends have read it and have recommended I read it - everything from, "It was great" to "It's heretical".  Heretical?  Come on.  It's a fictional work.  Still, you know that kind of talk peaks my interest.  So, I dove in last night just as I was nodding off.  Managed to read the into, and get started into chapter one.  Good writing style and voice is the only comment I have so far.

Did you read The Shack?  What did you think?  (Don't give anything away... as I am just getting started.)

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,William P. Young,The Shack

On The Road Again

Before I could even say I was fully over my jet-lag, we're on the road again.  This time it is our annual visit to the Asheville, NC area that we call home for a couple of weeks each summer.  What does one do in the mountains of western North Carolina, you might ask?  Nothing.  That's the point. 

I awoke this morning to my friends - song sparrows and Carolina Wrens - my mountain alarm clock.  I ventured out to greet them, cup of coffee in hand, and had a long conversation.  Catching up, you know.  It has been a whole year.  In bird years...

As I type this blog post, two of the old-timers that call this area home are chatting about the good times within ear shot.  I heard one of them talking about the "most beautiful one he had ever seen".  I assumed he was talking about a woman.  After a couple more minutes I realized it was a trout that he was describing.

I'm watching a couple of very young children walking with their dad just across the dirt road.  They are caught up in the wonder of all the sights - and dad is taking the time to take it all in with them.  He's pointing out a spectacular spider-web at the moment.  It glistens with dew in the early-day sunlight.

I've realized once again how much I dislike the pace of life we all seem to fall into throughout the year.  When is the last time you slowed down to listen to song sparrows sing you awake?  When was the last time you sat on a lawn-chair and recalled with your best friend the time you caught a record trout?  When's the last time you took a walk with your children and took in the wonders of it all?

It's day one of vacation in North Carolina.  I cook all the meals for my family when we're here.  This morning's menu is eggs, bacon and hash-browns on my griddle.  I better get to it.  Hey, when was the last time you stood in the mountains and smelled bacon on the griddle?   

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Asheville

Come Along With Us

The 2008 G.O. Team is preparing to come home.  Our final few days of the trip include much built in debrief time.  This is typically a very emotional time for the team.  Pray for us!  And come and join us at http://goteamnamibia.blogspot.com

Preparing Our Hearts

As the body prepares to gather at Christ's Church this weekend, our Namibia team will be gathering with our friends at church in the communities of Arandis and Okahandja Namibia to worship the Lord. 

At CCA, Richard will be bringing a message from the word and Shari has a special band put together to lead the congregation in song this weekend.  You might give some of the Psalms of Ascent a read this weekend to prepare your hearts - the Psalms between 120 and 134 - songs that were sung or recited as worshippers journeyed to Jerusalem.

If you think of it, I'd ask you to especially be praying for my side of the 2008 Namibia team on Sunday.  We will be leaving the community of Arandis after the church service, and leaving the relationships we've made behind is a very emotional point of the trip.  Please pray God's grace and blessings upon us.

And I will look forward to being back to worship with you at Christ's Church next Sunday!