Life In Greencastle

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places ..." - Ephesians 1:3 Yesterday afternoon this small band of pilgrims set out for a campsite back in our woods.  Earlier in the afternoon, my mother-in-law had gone down into the woods and started a fire out of left-over 2x4 pieces and dry sticks.  Then, steadily, she built up the fire - first with small logs then with larger limbs.  By the time our small community arrived at the site about two hours after she had started the fire we were greeted with hot red coals ready to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows.  It was about as simple an afternoon as you can have, and it reminded me that our Lord wants to help us redefine what it means to be rich. As I sat underneath a high canopy of trees near the fire and our children rambunctiously played football nearby, I couldn't help but feel blessed.  It was impossible not ...

My daughter hasn't been sleeping well recently.  She's convinced that the shadows in the corners of her room are havens for monsters.  We've tried to tell her otherwise.  Mice, sure.  But no monsters.  There are no monsters. Sometimes she falls asleep when we are still awake and moving about getting ready for the next day - resting in the assurance that the scary things won't come out until after we are all at rest.  Sometimes she even sleeps through the night.  Other times, though, she drifts off to sleep only to wake up in the dark of night.  Scared, she does what all children do and drags herself and her five stuffed animals, comforter, and pillow out of her bed, across our house and places it all at the foot of our bed where we awake in the morning to find her nestled and cozy and sleeping.   Last night Elise awoke around 11 pm frightened and began her journey to our room.  I was still awake, lying on the couch in our living...

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you:  proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with utmost patience in teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.  As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully." - Paul's words to Timothy in the second letter

It's Tuesday, and the second full day of talks here in Dallas.  We've just heard from Alan Hirsch, a guy who immediately sounds intelligent given his Australian accent (I need an Australian accent).  He's noted for imploring the Church to rediscover risky, adventurous, messy missions.  And there's a lot in what he has been saying that is resonating with me and our situation as a church. Alan Hirsch has been pointing out a great challenge.  The world around us needs the ministry of Jesus in significant ways.  You all know this story.  This modern world is full of incredible benefits and a wealth of resources.  On Sunday, I was able to leave my home, travel about 1,000 miles in about two hours, land safely and was easily shuttled another thirty minutes to a clean, spacious and comfortable Sheraton hotel room.  Amazing. But, there's another picture that captures this modern world.  And that is the reality of poverty hiding underneath the rea...

"Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see, only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, perfect in power, in love, and purity." The Fellowship of Presbyterians - Day 1 - Travel Something strange happened shortly after our American Airlines 737 took off out of Indianapolis.    The sun came out.  Actually, something else happened.  I, along with a plane full of passengers, finally saw the sun shining brightly - a minor miracle previously denied us by the reality of heavy clouds hanging over Indiana much of the past few days.  Our plane, though, broke through to a higher reality. It's hard to remember this, but the sun's glory never ceases to exist ... or, at least, it won't for a very, very long time.  But, of course, our perception of the sun is an entirely different matter.  Whole days can go by without some sense of its illuminating warmth, and every night - from our perspective - ...

"You see, I've done a lot of work for the Church - I'm aware of it.  It has been my only thought, my only care.  I have raced hard and covered as many miles as the most committed missionary.  At a certain point it occurred to me that what the Church lacked was not work, activity, the building projects or a commitment to bring in souls.  What was missing, or at least was scarce, was the element of prayer, meditation, self-giving, intimacy with God, fidelity to the Holy Spirit and the conviction that Christ was the real builder of the Church:  in a word, the supernatural element.  Let me make myself clear:  people of action are needed in the Church but we have to be very careful that their action does not smother the more delicate but much more important element of prayer. "If action is missing and there is prayer, the Church lives on, it keeps on breathing, but if prayer is missing and there is only action, the Church withers and dies." - From Letters...