I Lied!

As we were discussing Acts 13 last night, Sharon cried out, "I lied!" She had already shared with us about her car wreck last week which totaled the old, uninsured vehicle she had been about to sell, and we were thankful with her that she wasn't seriously hurt. She had said that she didn't know why those kind of bad things seem to happen to her. But later in the evening, her heart was touched and she cried out, "I lied!" She went on to confess that she had not disclosed the many problems the old vehicle had to her potential buyer, and that she had even told him that it ran fine, which we all knew was not true. So now, she was convinced and convicted that God had taken the car from her because of her sin, and she asked for forgiveness.
So, as our crowd continues to grow, and a few new folks like Kelly and Victor continue to join us each week, I give thanks for moldable, breakable hearts like Sharon's that set an example of what our lives in the Kingdom look like. As I shared with Don later, when spontaneous, public confession like Sharon's breaks out, I'm convinced we're doing something right and God is truly leading us.
We were all touched by her transparency and her willingness to share with The Gathering! She feels safe enough there to expose her brokenness. This is real church! HALLELUJAH! The world is watching!

Take This Bread

From Sara Miles' book:
"I think that we're being called to something harder than being conventional 'Good Samaritans.' To understand ourselves, individually and as a church, being rescued by strangers and foreigners, by the wrong people. To understand ourselves, individually and as a church, as beaten, hungry, hurting, lost at the side of the road. Called to touch parts of ourselves that are strange and damaged and needy. Called to receive love from people we don't know and have no reason to trust. And only then, in turn, being called to the second part: to go and do the same thing -- knowing it will change us in ways we didn't plan and may not like. And both receiving and giving mean really opening ourselves to strangers -- in whose bodies we find, and upon whose being depends, our own salvation."
"O God of abundance, you feed us every day.
Rise in us now, make us into your bread,
That we may share your gifts with a hungry world,
And join in love with all people, through
Jesus Christ our Lord."
AMEN!

Real church

What a joy it is to leave a meeting about church matters (like insurance, defibrillators, and personnel issues) and race downtown to The Gathering, where the response to the open question of "How have you seen God working this week?" is a chorus of smiles and raised hands eager to share! Thanks, friends, I needed that encouragement from the time spent with you! To share tears with Pam, and jokes with Carl, and songs with Don and Sanna, and birthday cake with Grace, and Bible knowledge with Dixianna and Don, and smiles with Kristin and Dana, and life lessons with Brian, and wild rambling stories with Rick, and food and love with all - now that's real church! Hallelujah!

But our church is different!

I didn't write this, but it sounds eerily like my thoughts. With a tip of the hat to [rhymes with kerouac]:
"For reasons that even I don't understand, I've been serving as an elder in our church. I really believe God wanted me here, but have no idea why (yet). Our church has all the same flaws that I've already mentioned, and some that I haven't. What I've learned is that churches are complicated, unwieldy beasts with multiple layers of politics, history (personal and corporate) a diversity of theological stances on any one issue, petty ugliness and occasional glimpses of poetic beauty. It is possible that church can indeed propel good folks in their journey with Christ, can help to mold and shape them, can even liberate them. Friends - true friends can be found. Real ministry - in the finest sense of the word - can and does happen, but all of these things seem to happen in spite of the organization and not because of it. Good, bad, ugly, beautiful - church has it all. It's just that we absolutely must not mistake going to church for following Jesus."

Each of Us Bears His Own Burdens

Wednesday as I sat listening to a gracious Muslim man describe his view of grace and salvation, I was thinking how familiar some of his statements sounded. The church of my childhood had some very similar views; God's grace only goes so far - you must work hard and pray hard and perform every righteous act and follow every religious rule and then pray for further forgiveness on your death bed in the "hope" that God will grant you mercy and you will spend eternity with him in the "non-smoking section".
Sorry, I left that church behind, and if that is a widespread view of the teachings of Islam, then friends, have we got some good news for you!
GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases!
His mercies never come to an end!
They are new every morning!
Great is thy faithfulness!
The LORD is my portion says my soul!
Therefore I will hope in Him!

A blind man searching for a black cat...

OUCH! Once again, Steve over at Ragamuffin Ramblings has stepped on my toes about how out-of-touch much of our organized religion has become. My daughter bought me the book, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, for my birthday, and it is probably next on my reading list. I want to be a part of a community of faith that is loving enough and gracious enough to connect and teach and learn from radicals like Steve. The world is watching!

53 is....

Fifty-three is:
(courtesy of Wikipedia)

* the natural number following 52 and preceding 54. (duh!)
* the 16th prime number. It is also an Eisenstein prime.
* written in hexadecimal is 35, that is, the same characters used in the decimal representation, but reversed. Three multiples of 53 share this property: 371 = 173, 5141 = 1415, 99481 = 18499. But 53 can not be expressed as the sum of any integer and its base 10 digits, making 53 a self number.
* The atomic number of iodine.
* The code for international direct dial phone calls to Cuba

* The racing number of Herbie, a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own, first appearing in the 1968 movie The Love Bug
* Part of the title of the 1912 movie North of Fifty Three, remade in 1917
* "53 Days" a novel by Georges Perec

* Ringo Starr’s book "Postcards From the Boys" (2003) contains 53 postcards from fellow Beatles
* Fictional 53rd Precinct in the Bronx was found in the TV comedy "Car 54, Where Are You?"
* Tony Baretta also worked out of the fictitious 53rd precinct
* "53rd & 3rd" a song by the Ramones
* "53 Miles West of Venus” by The B52's
* Levi's 53 children's sneakers
* George Washington was born on the 53rd day of the year: February 22, 1732

* At Age 53:

--Samuel Morse sent first message by electric telegraph (1844)


--Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves (1863)

--French engineer Gustave Eiffel designed internal supporting structure of Statue of Liberty (1885)

--Charles Bronson starred in "Death Wish" (1974)

--Johnny Carson renewed his "Tonight Show" contract at $5 million/year (1979)

Sports
* Football field: width: 53 1/3 yards (150 feet)
* Pitchers Jim Palmer and Gaylord Perry each had 53 career shutouts
* Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale wore #53
* Most goals scored by a NHL rookie: 53 by Islander Mike Bossy (1977-78)
* Most points by a rookie in a NBA Playoff game: 53 by Philadelphia's Wilt Chamberlain, 1960
* Most field goals (3-games series, NBA Playoff), 53 by Michael Jordan, 1992

So, along with Herbie, Ringo, Abe and MJ, I say bring on #53! (Thursday is my 53rd birthday)

Frankly speaking.....

Frank is one of those mysteries of our downtown ministry. He has taught me a lot, and I must always be ready to learn from him. A few years ago when we first met, he was loud, combative, demanding and unfriendly. He would come in to Karing Kitchen, sit down at a table off in the corner of the room by himself, sometimes one that wasn't even set up to eat at, and start making loud demands for service. He's a big, working man and can be very intimidating. He was hard to love!
But over the years, after some consistent attempts at conversation and friendship, his heart has softened and his smile has become more and more apparent. He still tries to put on that gruff exterior, but a smile and a wave from across the room is now enough to bring that big smile to his face. He regularly praises the LORD and will readily testify to His goodness.
This week he showed up at The Gathering on Sunday night for the first time. He was there early and took up a seat at a table by himself at the very back of the big room. He didn't say a word to anyone all night and left without comment. Oh well, I thought, I'm glad he made the attempt, at least, but chalked the experience up as one more failed effort at outreach.
On Monday night, in more familiar surroundings, he told me how much he appreciated that time of worship and Bible study, especially the singing, and was recruiting the other guys at his table to come join "us" next week! He feels like he fits in well there, and expressed how much he is looking forward to coming back! I was amazed! But, I should not have been; I have seen God act so many times, even in the life of this one big man. Thank you LORD, for this stunning reminder of your power and love! The world is watching!

Life In The City

This really makes me mad! Carl was robbed at gunpoint last week while walking to the store in his neighborhood and can't pay his rent for this month. This raises many questions; Why was he carrying around all his money? (He has no bank account and no safe place to stash it.) Why didn't he pay his rent earlier, rather than carry around the money? (He tried, but the manager was out of the office.) Why does he stay in such an unsafe and insecure place? (A form of robbery in itself.) Why would anyone do this to such a nice, weak old man? (See above.)
There are no easy answers, so I'm left with my anger and outrage and I must act. It is unfair and unhealthy, but it is a "normal" part of life in the city. Everyone down here knows someone who has been robbed, mugged, or worse. It is a constant reminder that God's love is desperately needed. LORD come quickly!

May God's love be with you

Jeff and Jen did a great job with "In The Sun" last night at our Celebrate Freedom event. Michael Stipe and Chris Martin's version is also good!

The Trumpet Child

The new Over The Rhine CD releases August 21!