Reunions… Dreamscape and Beyond

Dreamscape back then

This past weekend a ten-year dream of mine finally came true. I got to join up once again with the guys from Dreamscape, the band I played in during my college years. In the mid-90’s, we were all high school and college-aged guys with the whole world in front of us. We worked hard at our music, played all over the Annapolis area, and had the time of our lives. We became the best of friends and the best of combined musical talent. Looking back, those were definitely the “wonder years” of my youth.

Leading up to Friday night, the five of us spent a lot of time hashing up memories of the band days– the events that led to the creation of our band, crazy gigs we did, songs we used to play, people we remembered, etc., etc. And while it stirred up a lot of joy to recall those stories, it led us to the realization that we’re far gone from being the kids we were back then. While I don’t consider myself “old”, the experience elucidated the fact that indeed we’re all getting older.

However, the first hint I was given that perhaps we’re no longer the young guys we used to be came from my daughter, of all people. After the band agreed to get together, practice, and do a show, I got very excited and gleefully broke the news to my family. I thought they would be elated! But immediately, my oldest daughter began to laugh…I was crushed!

Disappointed, I asked her, “What’s so funny?”

She replied with an innocent smile, “Daddy, you all are old!” Hmm… That was a sobering dash of cold water. Needless to say, I tried to not ponder that thought for too long.

the guys from Dreamscape... now!

Well, after a few months went by and a handful of practices, the Dreamscape reunion finally happened, and in a nutshell, we had the time of our lives! Playing music with guys who were my dearest of friends and listening to the cheering of the crowd who came to see us was simply electric.

Another nutshell word to describe the evening: surreal. Here were the five of us from Dreamscape, after eleven years, playing all of that familiar music in front of many familiar faces, some of whom we hadn’t seen since high school. It felt like deja vu. I looked around and found  that not only was the evening a band reunion, but it also shaped up to be a high school reunion of sorts, too.

And then somewhere in one of our sets of music, it hit me… My daughter was right. I am getting older.

I realized that when we were ten years younger, we got together to have parties, concerts, gatherings, hang outs, and all of that. That’s what young people do. But what do older people do? They– and now, yes, we in their company– have reunions. Reunions are all about the joy of nostalgia, memories, recreating former bonds, and reminiscing on the effects the years have had on us. Young people don’t do that, but older– dare I say old!– people do it all the time.

So would I take part in another reunion like this again? Absolutely! In a moment’s notice I would. There are few pleasures in life that surpass the deep satisfaction times like these grace upon their participants. Yet as inspiring as the music was, the experience went well beyond notes and instruments. It was the human bonding that struck deep chords within me. If for nothing else, the hugs, the smiles, the surprises, and the conversations were well worth every one of our efforts to put on that Dreamscape show.

Late that night as my wife Blairlee and I drove home through the rain, Blairlee fell asleep, and in the quiet of our ride home, I got to thinking. I began to understand why people who are maturing in years look forward to things like heaven. Older people don’t see heaven primarily as an escape from life’s pains. That’s how young people tend to view heaven.  But heaven, properly understood, is a reunion– a reunion with God and with those who have gone on before us. Even in a noisy bar setting where my band played and people knocked back drinks through the evening, as people shared the joy of their reunion, perhaps way down in their souls, God continued to do some tugging, whispering to us all, “If you think this reunion is great, I have an even better one in store for you, if you’ll only listen, believe, and follow me.”

The Apostle Paul, always keenly aware of heaven’s imminence, once told an ancient church,

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

I love this passage. It’s comforting, beautiful, and quite powerful, too, especially if we can draw ourselves to believe the promise Paul points to. This, after all, is what all our earthly reunions foreshadow. Paul paints a picture of the Great Reunion in which both the dead and the living are caught up together into one final, eternal gathering. And it’s all made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus, who gave his all that we would never be estranged from God and from one another ever again. What could possibly be better than to know that God has provided a way for us to never be parted from himself or from one another, even beyond the shroud of death?

Looking at life and eternal life this way, I have an even greater desire for reunion now. Call me crazy or maybe too far gone, but I pray that one day Dreamscape and all those people who came to see us would be reunited again one Final Day. Only this time, the music we play will be in praise of the God who made us, loves us, and died for us. And our hands would be clasped together and with the Lord’s nail-scarred hands in a great celebration of God. And this time, there would be no one to yell at us, “All right, it’s time to close up and go home!” For our Lord would be the host. The food and wine would be served from his own banquet table, and the party would never end…

Tailgating with the Greatest Generation

It was a gorgeous, warm, sunny Saturday afternoon on the grounds surrounding the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. My family was in our regular spot setting up our canopy, tables, chairs, and food for yet another tailgate party. That’s our tradition before every home Navy football game, and it’s been that way for my wife Blairlee and my in-laws for many years. Noticeably hoisted in our little camp is the United States Naval Academy Class of 1942 banner. Blairlee’s grandfather, Commander Robert Childers, USN (ret.), was a Class of ‘42 graduate. When he and his wife died in 2000 and 2001 respectively, my mother-in-law took on the duty of hoisting their class’s banner. That banner has been posted in the same spot for many, many years and to this day reminds every passerby of one of the greatest classes the Academy has ever known.

Over the years, the number of Class of ‘42 graduates who show up to their tailgate party has steadily dwindled down. They’re all in their late 80’s and early 90’s now. So at most of our tailgate parties, my family members, the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Robert Childers, USNA 1942, are the only ones present.

But on this past Saturday afternoon as we were setting up for the much-anticipated Navy-Air Force game, two men from the Class of ‘42 parked and strolled over to join us. They came with coolers of food and drink and plenty of conversation. One of them seemed to be particularly careful to make sure we each had enough to eat and drink. I guess that was his grandfatherly side showing itself! As I asked them questions and got to know them, I saw that these men carried an air of both strength and humility. Like so many other women and men in uniform, they served, often in dangerous assignments, defending our country and asking for very little in return. They were sailors who spent the better part of their adulthood as officers in the United States Navy. They served all over the world, retired in the early 1970’s, and worked civilian jobs until they reached their second retirement. They weren’t quick to tell war stories or talk much about the things they accomplished. It’s almost as if their service in the Navy was as much a part of their being as breathing. (I mean, who waxes eloquent about taking a breath?)

As I got to know these men from the Class of ‘42, I learned the distinctive mark of their class: they graduated and were commissioned a semester early. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The next day, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan, launching the United States into World War II. Eleven days later, on December 19, 1941, the USNA Class of 1942 graduated and were deployed into war. 44 of them died during the conflict. Now, out of a class of 563, there are about 100 left.

These men are a part of a dying breed, a generation once dubbed by journalist Tom Brockaw as “the Greatest Generation.” Born in the late teens and early twenties of the last century, this generation grew up during the Great Depression. Over 10-million of them served in World War II while the rest stayed home to operate an extremely efficient war machine. When the war ended, they started families and built an enormous industrial, academic, economic, and military force which would elevate the United States to be the greatest superpower the world has ever known.

Never before or after this generation has our country seen the kind of ingenuity, loyalty, and hard work they produced. They were the parents of my parents, and they were my grandparents. And there are fewer of them as the years pass along.

Sadly, this will be the last Navy football season in which the Class of ‘42 will host a tailgating spot. With so few who come to games anymore, the survivors of their class elected to give up their spot. So, we’re doing it up big this year, celebrating and remembering a class of true heroes. Long after the last of the USNA Class of 1942 dies, their legacy will live on, not only in the United States Navy, but throughout the country and our world. They forever challenge future generations to live up to our best– to live a life of service, honor, sacrifice, faith, and hard work for the betterment of the world around us.

Should the President Address Students?

There’s been much fire and controversy brewing over President Obama’s address he will deliver tomorrow to America’s students. If you’re at all conscientious of the news, no doubt you’ve seen the pundits battle back and forth over whether or not its appropriate for the President to make his address. People fear an underhanded plot to indoctrinate students with his political agenda or that he’ll use the platform to advance his policies. Or perhaps some think the President is seeking to recruit the next generation of Democratic voters. Then we hear stories of parents pulling their children out of school tomorrow and entire schools and school systems turning off the television.

Is this right or even necessary? What’s a fair Christian response to all of this?

Let me begin by saying on a purely personal, individual note that I tend not to agree with portions of the President’s governing philosophies, foreign, and economic polices. I acknowledge places I agree with him. There are also many points with which I disagree, and I do so respectfully. (By the way, I will not publicly divulge any of the details. I’m perfectly willing to be open with people one-on-one, but on this or any other public forum, I’ve been learning to keep my political thoughts to myself.) The key here, however, is to disagree respectfully. Why? As an American and as a Christian I oblige myself to honor the office of the Presidency, no matter who occupies the office.

So let’s take a look at tomorrow’s presidential address to school students. I took a look at the White House’s page detailing tomorrow’s address. The President is going to encourage students to work hard, take advantage of their education, graduate, and to set goals and priorities for their future. That’s all! Yes, the U.S. Department of Education has created optional educational resources for teachers to utilize before and after the President’s address. As an educator, I looked at them. They’re grade level-appropriate discussion and exercises geared to help students receive the most from the address. It’s not Obama worship. There’s no discussion of any policies. (Yes, recently there was one discussion question recently modified to move it away from “supporting the President” to setting personal goals. That was a wise change. After all, the speech’s purpose is not supporting President’s goals. It’s about furthering the lives of students.) And any teacher knows that resources like these are a menu. Teachers pick and choose activities to match the needs and abilities of their students. Or, they may bypass all of it.

So what’s all the hubbub about? How can a President’s address to school students encouraging them to be their best cause so much turmoil? Sadly enough, it’s a sign of our times. Politics has turned from impersonal debate on the issues to a personal vitriol designed to destroy political opponents. We’re seeing this now with the Right’s relentless attacks on the Obama presidency. And we saw President Bush (43) weather the same kind of blistering, nasty attacks from the Left, ironically from the same people who have the gall to be deeply offended that Obama is taking so much heat! And I would have thought  the Right would have been angered enough from the tactics of the Left during the Bush years to prove themselves to be different. But people are people. And right now, people are swept up in an ugly cycle of personal politics fanned into flame by a hardened political Left and Right who know nothing of cooperation or compromise.

President’s Bush and Obama, as vastly different as they are, had one thing in common upon assuming the presidency. They both had a passionate desire to change the tone of politics in Washington. Both have had their successes and their failures. In some instances, both Bush and Obama pushed back on the tugs from their base to reach compromises. At other times, they both had succumbed to petty partisanship. My prayer for our country’s sake is that President Obama will be successful in keeping his word to shape the different kind of politics he promised during his campaign.

As for myself and fellow disciples of Jesus, I think we would be very wise to adhere to Paul’s teachings on how to relate to governing authorities. He said,

…it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give of their time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:5-7)

Is that to say that we should never be critical of our leaders? Absolutely not! Use your First Amendment rights. Vote. Stay informed, and get involved. The difference, however, is the tone and attitude we take and what battles we choose to fight.

I mean, c’mon now… Differ as vigorously as one might with President Obama on polices and philosophy, can we reasonably and rationally argue that he’s using tomorrow’s address to indoctrinate students into liberalism?? Where is the hard evidence? What grounds do we have to assume he would do such a thing? Yes, I’m sure people will vigorously argue that this is exactly what the President intends to do, but I’d also argue that these conspiratorial assumptions tend to be the kind of shrill, alarmist, unreasonable efforts that do virtually little to move our country forward. Depending on who is in power, these same, predictable tactics simply shift from one ideological base to the other. The Left used them during the Bush presidency. The Right is using them now.

After Obama’s address to students takes place tomorrow– and it will!– I’d love to see something different as Congress re-engages on health care reform. Can any of our elected leaders demonstrate the kind of statesmanship to argue their vision for reform, listen to other points of views, work together with leaders who differ, keep the good of the American people in mind, and create a bipartisan consensus that the majority of “we the people” can embrace? I hope and pray so… And I also pray for an end to the hard Left and hard Right venom that is destroying the kind of civil political discourse our founders hoped would last more than a mere 233 years.

Working through Anger

I’ve been contemplating a series of Sunday messages that talk about anger issues. How do we follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in identifying anger, processing it, and using it constructively to bring about positive change? When I observe other people, circumstances, and even myself, I see too much unchecked, unacknowledged anger, and that’s not only unhealthy, but dangerous. I’m convinced that much of the “acting out” we hear about in news stories and the destructive life decisions people make have their roots in anger and resentment.

Living in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, I live in a high-stress area, and so I see visible signs of anger mismanagement on a daily basis. It’s a growing, congested, fast-paced, politically and economically powerful, expensive, transient area where many people work in high-stress professional jobs they attempt to balance with family and personal life. Many of us live in constant tension. In a post-9/11 world filled much political and economic turbulence, all these factors only seem to intensify. I’ve often said that it’s no wonder we have two world-class cardiac hospitals and the best cancer treatment facilities money can buy. It’s a taxing area to live, work, and play.

So, put all of that together, and we’ve got the perfect fiery cauldron for anger leading to often severe mental and physical health issues. No matter our economic class or race, I see many of the same health issues: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, domestic violence, addiction, insomnia, sexual issues, hypertension, heart issues, obesity, cancer, and so much more. So much of this, I believe, finds its roots in thorny depths of unchecked, unresolved stress-induced resentment and anger.

Of course, people bring what they’re feeling and experiencing into the Church. Therefore, a much-needed aspect of our discipleship must include learning how Jesus navigates us through the stormy waters of high-stress induced anger, not just for our sakes, but to be a light to the world around us, modeling peace and wholeness through the indwelling love and peace of Jesus Christ within us.

To engage my congregation in anger issues, I’m piecing together a 4-part sermon series. Here’s a rough outline:

1) Part 1: Working through Anger with Ourselves

2) Part 2: Working through Anger with Others

3) Part 3: Working through Anger with God

4) Part 4: Working through Anger with Uncontrollable Circumstances

Right now, I’m researching possible Scriptures to guide the conversation each week. I’m also looking for resources and perspectives. I’d truly appreciate any thoughts and feedback from any of you as well as your prayers. I’m not naive enough to think that I’ll solve all the world’s anger problems with a sermon series, but perhaps addressing these issues head-on will serve as a catalyst to acknowledge our anger and discover a path to healing.

Learning How to Vacation

As I write this, I’m in the first half of a much needed two-week vacation here in sunny Florida. My family and I drive down this way every summer to stay with my mother and step-father who both work for Walt Disney World and live almost right next to the Magic Kingdom. (We can hear the train whistles blowing from the Walt Disney Railroad and fireworks exploding at night.) Of course, with family who work for Disney World, we have the added perks of getting into all the parks for free!

Having been been to Disney World numerous times over the past nine years, I’ve moved beyond a wide-eyed fascination with Disney magic to enjoy some things that first-timers might ordinarily miss, things like people-watching and tuning in to the finer aspects of Disney’s creative and marketing genius. There really is so much to see, take in, and enjoy. But being a people person, I’ve learned to enjoy watching how people behave when roaming around the parks and resorts.

As for the people here,  if you haven’t been to Disney World before, you might think that Disney’s guests all beam with smiles and merriment. At least that’s what you see in pictures and commercials. You do see some of that, yes. But I also see a lot of tension. People come here with great expectations and a desire to “do it all.” So I see people eagerly rushing around and even arguing with one another and with their kids. (My sister, a Disney World call center employee who has spent her last several years dealing with guests, calls Disney “the fight capital of the world.”) Or, I see flat, tired looks on peoples’ faces.  After their stay, many folks return home exhausted, feeling the need for another vacation to recover from the one they just had.

Why is that? I’ve found that there are two sides of a coin to Disney World. On the one side, Disney offers a complete escape from reality. From the moment guests arrive to their resort or a theme park, they enter an alternative reality, an exquisitely orchestrated fantasy world of play. It removes its guests from the outside world into an all-encompassing Disney-style imagination world. Disney weaves together everything guests see, hear, touch, smell, or taste to create this new dimension of happiness.

Caught up in the created euphoria, I see Disney’s guests stretching themselves to the limit in order to be fully immersed in the happiness Disney promises. That’s the flip-side of the coin. Unrealistic expectations slam against the reality that even Disney cannot satisfy the insatiable hunger guests bring with them to lose themselves in Neverland. Walt Disney World, for all of its wonder and fun, isn’t heaven… It doesn’t soothe the longings people bring with them– not by a long shot.

So for my family, we’ve decided to do things a little differently. En lieu of going out every day, we’ve taken plenty of time simply to relax. Instead of the normal running around non-stop from here to there, we’ve taken a much slower, leisurely place. I’ve gotten over the guilt of feeling lazy and non-productive to enjoy just sitting around. I read or work on some fun projects, help my parents around the house, play with the kids, or if I feel like it, hop on the computer to blog about it. I’ve resisted the temptation to worry about work or answer e-mails. It will all be there when I get back. World War III doesn’t appear to be breaking out. So why worry myself about things instead of taking advantage of the precious opportunity I have right now to rest?

I’m re-learning that vacation is a form of Sabbath, not an escape from reality. If I or anyone else needs vacation to escape reality, then it’s probably time to re-evaluate, re-prioritize, or make adjustments to that reality. Sabbath, on the other hand, has a plain purpose: it is God’s gift of rest, re-creation, and reflection. Sabbath offers new life and a deepened perspective to those who take it.

I haven’t come to Florida to escape the world. The inner issues I had when I left are still with me. The conflicts back home will still be there when I get back. But in seeking Sabbath, God has offered me the rest and renewed strength I’ll need to handle all those fires within and without.

So will my family and I be running around in Disney World? You bet! But for me it’s not an escape. I’m using the time to remember what’s most imporant in my life, specifically my relationships with my wife and children, and of course with my God. Can I see God in new ways throught the people I meet and the experiences I have? I pray so. Can my family develop some deeper bonds to sustain us through the stresses of everyday life back home? I pray for that, too. All of this is Sabbath.

And so, I’m going to get off the computer now and enjoy the Sabbath time God has offered me. I hope and pray for each of you that when you have those rare moments of time to enjoy vacation, that it truly becomes a time of Sabbath and not a cheap escape from reality. In reality, there is no such escape!

The Cycle of Death and Resurrection in the Church

We disciples of Jesus Christ hinge the epicenter of our lives on Christ’s death and resurrection. It’s more than just a doctrine to be preached (what we call kerygma) or something for individuals to believe and trust for their salvation. The more I live as a disciple and serve as a shepherd of Christ’s Church, the more I see that the death and resurrection of Jesus is a massive force that shapes the movement of all things. In the turn of the seasons or in the life cycle of butterflies and flowers, we see universal images of Christ’s death and resurrection. Indeed, all of creation sings in celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So how might it change the way we understand Church if we look at its life through the lens of Christ’s resurrection? To get to the point, might the decline of most mainline Protestant churches be a sign of death with a doorway into resurrection? Instead of consternating over the state of things, can we re-imagine the church we’ve inherited by allowing things to die in order to release new, unfettered life?

To understand what I mean, let’s take a look at Jesus’ own life and ministry. Born in a manger stall, his life began in small, lowly, lonely circumstances. By the height of his public ministry, Jesus was surrounded by thousands of people. Then from there, the crowds got smaller and his miracles became fewer and fewer. On the last night of his life, Jesus went from twelve companions, to eleven, to three, and then to no one as he was arrested and taken away to be judged by the Jewish Sanhedrin. Jesus, the one who captivated throngs of people, died an embarrasingly ugly death on a cross, scorned and rejected by the whole world. The Son of God, Son of David, the one whom people called Lord and Messiah, died.

But before Jesus died, he said a few things about the nature of his death. He said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it does, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).  Later in John, Jesus taught his disciples about the meaning of his imminent death. In one instance he said, “Very truly I tell you, all who have faith in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12, TNIV). How is that possible? God would send the Holy Spirit. Jesus then said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15-17a).

Right after the close of John, we read in the book of Acts that after the resurrected Jesus ascended, the disciples were filled by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. From there, the mission and work of Jesus Christ spread like wildfire throughout the entire known world. Just as Jesus had promised, the disciples, living and working in his resurrection power of God’s Holy Spirit, accomplished far more than Jesus ever did in his earthly ministry. His death opened the way to his resurrection, which in turn infused his ever-present life into the lives of his followers. One single seed died and erupted into bountiful fruit.

Could it be that the current mainline church finds itself in the waning hours of its life, much like Jesus’ last week? If we choose to see our decline that way, it would free us to imagine what resurrection might look like. We could allow the seeds of our tradition to bloom into new, unimaginably powerful life.

But instead, the mainline church has been looking for resuscitation.  We’ve been looking to pump new life into a dying body. Or as Jesus put it, we’ve been trying to pour new wine into old wineskins. The old wineskins are bursting and the new wine gets wasted. This simply doesn’t work.

John Wesley learned this lesson. The 18th Century Anglican church was a dead, corrputed shell of an institution. Instead of trying to challenge and change the internal structures of the church– for which he often got the boot!– he preached outdoors to masses of people, created small-groups of believers which he called classes, arranged them into regionally based societies, and called and equipped preachers and leaders. By doing all of this, Wesley ushered in sweeping revival, not only to the Anglican Church, but also in England the American colonies through this movement better known as Methodism.

I’m an inheritor of Methodism. But I’m seeing that the formalized version of Methodism which began in 1784 has run its course in America and is quickly heading to its death. Other forms of mainline church could share that assessment. Does that mean Methodism has failed? Not at all, no more than we could assert that Jesus failed when he died! But we must stop our attempts at resuscitation and instead make way for resurrection.

Resurrected church in America will in many ways resemble the pre-resurrection mainline church, but much like the resurrected Jesus, it will look, feel, and act very, very differently. Let me imagine what this might look like in decades ahead. As Sophia from the Golden Girls says, “Picture this…” In the resurrected church, disciples of Jesus will gather for worship, learn and study together, and engage in the missional work of serving and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. But long gone will be the old systems of mainline church structures and traditionalism. Congregational styles of church life may cease to exist or be radically reshaped into networks of disciples worshipping, learning, and ministering in small groups. Denominational structures will become less centralized to be simultaneously globalized and localized to support these networks of disciples. Pastors like myself may have to radically alter the way we live, work and support so that we’re acting more like apostles, building, equipping and shaping these small group networks.

Those are just a few ideas, but in each congregation, including my own, we’ve got to get on with readying our churches for a season of resurrection. We must allow failing, ineffective means, methods, and priorities to die. Then, we must allow the best remnants to grow up into a newly resurrected church.

I’d love to read your ideas and insights about resurrection, too. Let’s get the conversation going!!

Being Led to Stir up the Pot

Maybe it’s the summertime lull, which always proves to be a difficult time for churches and church leaders, but I’ve been feeling led to shake things up, stir the pot, wake the angry bull, or whatever other cliche you’d prefer to insert. Maybe it’s the strains and pressures of being a pastor, but I tend to shake off the malaise by shaking up my environment. Out of the remnants of what’s left are always the seeds of new life.

I’m also entering my third year of ministry here at First UMC. Third year is notoriously tough. Pastors spend the first two years getting to know their new congregation and community. It’s a time for honoring, educating, and building trust, so they are criticially important years. But usually by now, it’s time to step up, stir the pot, and set a direction that will take a congregation into its next chapter. Of course, anytime a leader dares to mess around with the good ol’ status quo, things get rough very quickly. I’m already absorbing hits from deviating off the norm.

Fueling my conviction to stir up the pot are some books that God has literally dumped into my lap in the last three days, one from my wife and several others from a church friend who happened to be cleaning out his library. Here are some of the titles:

Richard Stearns, The Hole in Our Gospel (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009)

Brian Sanders, Life After Church: God’s Call to Disillusioned Christians (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2007)

Julia Duin, Quitting Church: Why the Faithful Are Fleeing and What to Do about It (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008)

Vince Antonucci, I Became a Christian and All I Got Was this Lousy T-shirt: Replacing Souvenir Religion with Authentic Spiritual Passion (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008)

and possibly,

Kenneth C. Haugk, Antagonists in the Church: How to Identify and Deal with Destructive Conflict (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1988)

From the titles, maybe you can piece together what theme I’m centering on. In stirring the pot, I’m challenging current assumptions about church, unnailing them, and throwing them out in order to build a more authentic, Christ-centered, missional Body of Christ. That will undoubtedly be unsettling for some, but by keeping the conversations going between God, these books, my blogging community, and my church family, I’m convinced we’ll discern God’s will together.

As I read, I’ll post some new ideas and invite your reflection, too. I really look forward to that! So, fellow pot-stirrers, let the fun begin!!

A Way Forward for Health Care Reform

Like most of you, I’m not even close to being an expert on health care issues. Rather, I’m an observant voter and tax payer who cares about the direction of my country. I’m also a follower of Jesus, and that characteristic above all else shapes my views on the issues. But I have to admit, when it comes to health care, I’ve been perplexed about how to view current efforts to reform its quality and accessibility. On the one hand, I agree with the vast majority of Americans that there must be some kind of health care reform in order to create quaility, affordable options for all Americans, especially those who currently have no health care coverage. I also believe, along with most Americans, that both federal and state government have a role to play in making this happen.

Yet on the other hand, I haven’t been able to discern a clear direction forming on either of these fronts of the great health care debate. How do we create affordable, quality health care for every American? And what is the role of government in making this happen? No one solution seems to be emerging from all the fiery House and Senate negotiations. And of course, I haven’t even mentioned the real thorny issue: in the throws of economic recession, who’s going to foot the bill??

So, after giving all of this some thought, I’d like to offer several suggestions from my little island in the blogosphere. If you like them, spread them around. If you don’t like my suggestions, tell me and others what you would propose.  At the very least, we’d all walk away a little more informed and engaged in the issue of health care. That’s not such a bad thing, is it?

So here goes…

Chris Owens’ Health Care Reform Suggestion List for President Obama and Members of Congress

1) Government must be more of a facilitator, not merely an arbiter in creating health care reform. I appreciate all the efforts of the Obama administration and Congress in tackling this issue head on. Agree or not with their presumptions or conclusions, they are actively engaging an issue that affects every American. What concerns me, however, is a dangerous attitude which many Americans including myself perceive that somehow government knows best and will fix the problem. I believe that attitude is a big contributor to Obama and Congress taking political hits in the polls lately. People are scared! Why? Everyone knows that government is stretched too thinly into way too many things as it is. We roll our eyes all the time at governmental inefficiencies. (Don’t you just love your trips to MVA or DMV??) Are we to now believe that our government will suddenly, miraculously get it right with our health care?  Without degrading its quality and accessibility, will it all be as rosy as they say? We’ve got our share of serious reservations.

2) We can more realistically create solutions through public, regular, open dialogue between health care providers, health insurers, and government leaders. Of course, these conversations have been going on, but not as publicly (and probably not as regularly) as they need to be. As a citizen, I’ll feel a lot better about the decisions being made when I see that all the parties who hold sway over my health care are working together to create a solution. I know I’m not alone in believing that. Say what you will, but frankly I’m alarmed by what appears to be a handful of Washington elites– who may or may not be experts in health care!– making decisions that will affect the care of my family, especially for my son Jacob who has Down syndrome, a person who will need excellent, affordable care for the rest of his life. I would feel significantly better if I could see and understand a forward-moving dialogue process that creates shared solutions.

3) Slow down the decision making!! Another reason why our national leaders may be losing ground in the polls is that the American public sees a lot of haste in handling an extraordinarily complex, expensive issue. President Obama, I know that you want results without unhelpful stalling tactics. As a fellow leader, I understand. But concerning our nation’s health care, we’ve got to get this right or it will cost lives. So create and communicate some longer term benchmark goals for progress and hold Congress to it.

4) Knock off the anti-”big medicine” rhetoric. This ties in with my second suggestion. U. S. Representative and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi recently called insurance companies “immoral” and went on to say, “They are the villains. They have been part of the problem in a major way.” C’mon Nancy… You may have substantive grievances with insurance companies for turning people’s health care into private profit, but what do you expect to gain for America by turning yourself against the very agents with whom you’ll have to cooperate? Perhaps she hopes to punish her “big medicine” nemesis by taxing and regulating them into oblivion. But that will only create some acute pain for millions of people like me who hold insurance through companies like these. Those companies will invariably pass their tax costs along to us customers whose care will only be encumbered by additional government regulations. Unless Ms. Pelosi is prepared to offer a health plan comparable or better than the one I have and prove that it will be completely sustainable, she’s not helping matters.

5) Do not settle for any less than a broadly bipartisan solution to health care reform. In the past, major government initiatives like Social Security and Medicare came about through a long but fruitful bipartisan effort. Now we come to health care. Excellent, payable health care is something every American wants and needs. Why can’t Democrats and Republicans do what they always say they’re going to do: stop the finger pointing, sever their allegiances to special interests, and come together to create consensus? Do we have no statesmen and stateswomen left who can lead us though partisan bickering? If not, then I predict several things will happen. First, whatever is passed will only enjoy partisan support, lack the wisdom and insight of bipartisan thinking, and will therefore result in mediocre success. Then, when we citizens see what a mess this mediocre solution creates for our health care, a lot of politicians from both sides of the aisle will be ousted in upcoming elections. Maybe then we’ll have the kind of leadership our country deserves.

That’s my 2-cents worth. I don’t know enough to offer specific policy points. I have no comment on any of the policies currently being proposed. I just want to see a better process in place for creating those policies. After all, our health depends on it!

What Can We Make of the Beer Summit?

Well, the much anticipated meeting between the President, Dr. Gates, and Sgt. Crowley is over. We saw images of the three men along with Vice-President Biden carrying on like chummy pals, and so the question remains: now what? I think President Obama was right to downplay the importance of the so-called “beer summit”. After all, it was more a recovery effort of Mr. Obama’s after he interjected himself into the story with his remarks that the Massachusetts police “acted stupidly” in arresting Gates.

First, a word about the President’s comments. I don’t completely fault him for what he said. We tend to over-scrutinize every word a president says as if his every utterance has been planned and rehearsed and therefore infallible. Obama was responding to an off-the-cuff question with a very off-the-cuff answer. Granted, it wasn’t a very helpful answer. He pitched unfair aspersions upon the arresting officer which he would days later “recalibrate.” But be that as it may, he also answered as an African-American, obviously seeing things through a long lens of racial history in America. It’s very much understandable and forgivable, yes. But perhaps Obama now knows a bit more keenly that as President of the United States, he carries a most certain gravitas, especially as an African American president speaking on issues of race.

Now I realize that what I say here comes from my worldview as a white guy. At the same time, I have dear friends from many different races and proudly pastor a multicultural, multiracial congregation. I’ve learned from my experiences that people from different races and cultures view the world from a wide range of varying angles. Who’s to say which angle is the most accurate?

Just to give you an example, the day after the Gates arrest and the President’s ensuing commentary on it, I called one of my African American friends to ask him what he thought of all this. His first words were, “Oh man… You’d have to ask that question!” Obviously, the incident stirred up a lot within him.

I was amazed and dismayed– and maybe I shouldn’t have been– to find him questioning not Gates’ behavior nor the President’s remarks but the police officer. His gut told him, “This was racial profiling.”

Then I quoted the police report which detailed Gates’ outlandish behavior and the reasons for his arrest.

My friend held the report in suspicion.

Then I said, “But Crowley has an exemplary record as a veteran police officer. He’s even taught racial sensitivity courses. He has no record of racism in his past.”

To that, my friend replied, “But past behavior isn’t necessarily an indicator of future behavior.”

Then I blurted out, “What?? So you’re saying the officer is guilty simply because the charge of racism has been made?? So the charge is greater than any other evidence??”

I have to admit that beyond that I can’t remember the details from the rest of our conversation. My friend may have had some other good things to say, but my mind shut down after that. We talked some more and agreed to keep watching to see what would happen. By the way, my friend and I rarely agree on much of anything, however we really respect and learn from each other.

Afterwards, a day or so before the White House beer summit, my friend and I talked again. We saw things a little differently than before. While we still didn’t agree on who was to blame for the incident, we both did see that there was some overreacting from both Gates and Crowley. In other words, it was a momentary mistake of judgment. I would add that the President also committed a momentary mistake of judgment by the tone of his remarks.

So is that all it was? Was there no racism involved?

After thinking about things, I’m going to throw this idea out there: There was no racism inherent in anyone’s motives or actions. But racism, like a demonic force, stepped in as an outside intruder to make this incident into yet another firestorm to throw our country into a debate on racism that quite honestly will never be resolved.

So was there any healing balm to be found in the White House beer summit? Perhaps. It was a nice symbolic gesture. Frankly, that’s all it was. Both Gates and Crowley walked away still not agreeing on who was right and wrong. But they both seemed to walk away with a greater respect for the two different worlds in which they live and work. They both want to “move on.”

And that’s probably the best thing for them and for us, too. My African American friend and I drew the same conclusion.

Of course, there is no denying what an incredibly ugly, horrific scar the history of racism has left on America. From the earliest days of slavery in the American colonies to racial segregation and inequalities to the systemic and personal incarnations of racism we find today, that scar still lives and breathes. I truly believe that over time, the scar will will continue to weaken and fade. But I do not think that we will ever find any great coming-to-terms on the debate surrounding racism, i.e. who’s to blame and what are we to do about it.

The debate on racism is what fueled last week’s events, not racism itself.

There is no victor rising from the debate on racism, only casualties. Americans of European and African descent do not see issues of race in the same way, nor may they ever. Thankfully, it’s not necessary for us to agree in order to create racial harmony in the United States or anywhere else in the world. What we do need, however, is mutual respect for the integrity of differeing views. With my African American friend, I can learn to appreciate how and why he sees things as he does, even if I don’t view things the same way, and vice versa.

So, instead of debate, let’s dialogue. Dialogue builds bridges into community with one another. Dialogue might possibly bring new, creative solutions to the lingering issues of racism that the tired out debates could never deliver.

Finally, I’d like to offer a sure, absolute cure to the issues of race, this one from the gospel of Jesus Christ:

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. (Galatians 3:26-29, NTL)

If only we would all see, especially those of us who call ourselves Christian,  that God’s promise of Jesus Christ is our healing, our unity, and our life, we would have all the unity we need. And there would be no more need for symbolic beer summits.

Cheers!

More Inspiration from the Early Church Fathers: The Dying Prayer of Polycarp

I’m still reading through some of the writings from our early Church Fathers, the ones known as the Ante-Nicene Fathers (those who wrote before the Nicene Council of 324 AD.) To make a long story short, these writers were among the second generation of the Church, mentored by Apostles like Paul, Peter, and John. They provide a rare glimpse of what church life was like in the years immediately after the biblical records. They also show the tremendous perils the early Church faced, everything from dangerously divisive heresies to life-threatening persecution.

Polycarp, mentored by the Apostle John, was the leader of the church in Smyrna, a town located in modern day Turkey. He was eighty-six years old when he was captured, arrested, and publicly executed by the Roman authorities, and after his death, Polycarp became a widely celebrated hero of the Church throughout the Roman Empire. We still have some of his writings and the detailed description of his arrest and death called “The Martyrdom of Polycarp.”

Persecution and execution of Christians during this period of time was no rarity. The Roman Empire regarded Christians as “atheists” and “heretics”, atheists because they did not worship Roman idols and heretics for not acknowledging Caesar as a god. Christians were rounded up, coerced, tortured, and threatened with death to offer incense to idols and to say, “Caesar is Lord.” In response, most of these Christians refused and replied, “Christ is Lord.”

In the famous “Martyrdom of Polycarp” we have a story told by eyewitnesses of the events surrounding Polycarp’s arrest, trial, and death. There are a lot of obvious allusions to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and death, specifically Polycarp riding into Smyrna on a donkey, his silence before the questions and accusations hurled against him by the governor of the city, and the roar of the crowd demanding his death. One memorable scene occurs in Chapter 9 when the Governor of Smyrna demanded Polycarp to denounce his faith:

The Governor, however, still went on pressing him. “Take the oath, and I will let you go,” he told him. “Revile your Christ.” Polycarp’s reply was, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”

But my favorite, most moving scene from the entire account is Polycarp’s final prayer before the Roman authorities attempted to burn him alive. (I say “attempted” for a reason. You’ll have to read the account for yourself to find out what happened!) Here is what he prayed, rendered into current English:

O Lord God Almighty, Father of your blessed and beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have been given knowledge of yourself; you are the God of angels and powers, of the whole creation, and of all generations of the righteous who live in your sight. I bless you for granting me this day and hour, that I may be numbered among the martyrs, to share in the cup of your Anointed and to rise again to everlasting life, both in body and in soul, in the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among them this day in your presence, a sacrifice rich and acceptable, even as you appoint and foreshadow, and now bring to pass, for you are the God of truth in whom there is no falsehood. For this, and for all else, I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you; through our eternal High Priest in heaven, your beloved Son Jesus Christ, by whom and through whom be glory to you and the Holy Spirit, now and for all ages to come. Amen.

If only you and I could faithfully pray with such passion and love! So often, though, our comfortable existence reduces our prayers to formalities and formulas. Maybe if were more like Polycarp and stood a little taller and bolder for Christ, we might be forced into learning how to pray something like this. And then we’d rediscover just how much God honors the prayers of the saints to reveal the fullness of God’s glory and power.