My family dragged me into the digital age kicking and screaming! They dragged me away from my trusted upright Underwood Typewriter--my friend of forty years. They found a good deal on a Word Processor--one I could afford--insisting (almost demanding) that I buy it.
I reasoned without hope. I argued against it. I dragged my feet everyway I could, but they pulled me along to the store and almost refused to let me go home without a purchase. That was a major step toward the computer age. I enjoyed my Word Processor, it multiplied my productivity and before you know it I was into a tiny--compared to what I now have--computer enjoying AOL, email, and the world wide webb.
The rest is history and I wouldn‘t go back! I am lost without my computer, although I can check my email via some other computer. I love what my computer does for me. It expands my whole life. I email widely and instant message with family and friends. I surf the webb, google, even tip-toe into Face Book, since a friend invited me. I can’t afford cell phones, I-pods, and all the gadgetry kids think is life-essential. I give thanks--freely--for the benefits of technology.
Nonetheless, I suggest some have gone too far down the road in the wrong direction. We contact more people over a wider area than ever before--wired to the world--but drifting too far into that Far Country of Individualism. Now, speaking to members and ministers of my own Faith Community, I offer this insight gained from Pastor Gary Brown in Winchester, KY.
While preaching about the Elder Brother of the Prodigal Son. Gary described living in that Far Country. He noted that the benefits always disappear when we stop our deposits into the Bank of Relationships. Both Elder brother and Prodigal dropped their family deposits. While Gary threaded his thoughts, I wandered down another path, contemplating the individualism, the independency, the lack of cohesion which the Church of God, Anderson, has experienced in recent years.
Pastors are overly involved paddling their own canoes … building their own “kingdoms.” Local congregations attempt their own foreign mission efforts. Our individualism reflects in the decreases in our cooperative budgeting--especially the national. It shows in many ways, including down-sized staffing at Chog Ministries and weakened programs. Dr. Ron Duncan and others have written and spoken to this point, leading discussion groups about our congregational polity, our voluntary Associations, our lack of corporate cohesion (cooperative) efforts--especially noteworthy at the national level.
I grew up on camp meetings and many other cooperative church ventures, and this is neither a promo for returning to camp meetings or other corporate efforts. It is to observe that too many among us live in a Far Country where individuals play Lone Ranger, remaining only loosely wired to the larger church family.
We are discovering that the benefits at the Bank of Relationships soon disappear when we stop making deposits to that account. We run out of benefits sooner or later, when we abandon those relationships from which our benefits came!
IS THAT A FAIR ANALYSIS OF WHERE WE ARE? We want all the relational benefits without the burden of the relationships? I married 62 years ago and I told my spouse that day that I loved her; I ought not need to tell her every day of those 62 years. But try it and see what happens…………..
If you are a pastor, or someone who wants no obligation beyond home base - strictly local option - no headquarters - no CHOG Ministries to coordinate programs and acts as liaison in coordinating our gross-output, think again! It “ain’t” going to happen!
Speaking Biblically, we are corporately THE BODY OF CHRIST--with all true believers everywhere. We work under one head--all equal. Every limb coordinates with every other part of the body, from the head down. What my hands accomplish is greatly enhanced by where my feet take me, as directed by up above. My heart functions with every other part of my reasonably healthy body. Thus, I accomplish far more together--in unity and purpose--than when each part functions independently.
In the church, we accomplish far more together than we can possibly achieve by ourselves, be we a mega-church or a mini-ministry. I’d love to see us functioning as a healthy, well-coordinated interdependent church, with a sound mind and strong body, rather than being a loose collection of disconnected body parts.
This is Wayne
From Warner’s World
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Grace
I love this story from Tijuana, Mexico. It comes via Riverside, CA. Eric Denton tells the story. Perhaps someone will read this account, who has not seen Eric’s Siempre newsletter. At right is
Grace; at upper left is Eric with David and Grace.
The church Eric pastors sponsors a children’s center in Tijuana--Siempre. It is part of their hands-on missions ministry. I read every issue of Siempre’s online newsletter. It reminds me what is happening in a world where God’s grace is in short supply. It shows me what happens when people give of themselves, share the story of Jesus, and make a positive difference.
What do you call an infant that has no name, Eric asked the other Sunday. How does one assume the great responsibility of naming a child placed in our care? What will their last names be if no one ever adopts them?
Alejandro, Siempre's director, told Central Church the story of getting the babies - how hard the people of DIF were working - how many babies they had to care for ... Eric could only think of how many never find the shelter of their care in Tijuana, a city of millions, a city that adds nearly a thousand new residents every single day, almost all of them living in poverty.
“What happens to those babies?”, asks Eric? Telling the story of these new infants on a recent Sunday morning, he spoke of infants without names. He reported “a woman in the church began to raise her hand like a kid in school, adding “it's been 25 years since I taught public school but it must be ingrained deep within.”
Mid-message, Eric turned and "called" on her: "Yes Jeri, do you have a question?"
"I know what we should name the little girl!" she said excitedly, "Grace!"
Suddenly, it seemed so obvious, says Eric, “the series I'm preaching, leading into Memorial Day Weekend is titled: Waiting for Grace. Grace had arrived... we just had to recognize and name her.”
Sharing the story with the leaders at Siempre, they immediately agreed that Grace was her name--Graciella in Spanish. “We then held the baby boy and as Dr. Ricks suggested, Jesus and Alejandro tried out Salvador.”
“Consuellos, the infants primary care giver, asked if we could name him David... said he seemed like a David to her... and so his name is David. God moves... we've prayed that God would give us the opportunity to help rescue abandoned babies as part of our work... now we've held them, named them... they're part of our lives and resident in our hearts.”
“He's given us the Grace we were waiting for,” concludes Eric, adding that “God moves and He changes us forever. Grace is waiting ... she's perfect, safe and at home at Siempre…”
To his congregation Eric says, “Grace is waiting to change your life. God moves. God's moving. Don't miss this moment of grace.”
Let no one of us miss our moment of “grace”, either to experience God’s moving in our own life, or to become a pipeline of God’s grace for another.
Wayne,
From Warner’s World,
From Warner’s World,
Reading Proverbs
On My Own Now … Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women Who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free … by donna lee schillinger (The Quilldriver, Clarksville, AR USA). $14.95.
Having known some of Donna’s family for many years, I appreciate their work in Hispanic Missions. This is Quilldriver’s second publishing, Donna’s first book. She first published Walking Man, the story of Narciso Zamora written by Narciso about his sojourn in Western South America. I was more than a little intrigued; I was curious what she would write. I discovered a young lady, younger than my own children, in whom I find great delight.
She has a solid academic background in the behavioral sciences with a Master’s Degree in anthropology. She offers a variegated background typical of bright, curious, sensitive people. As one who spent a lifetime working out of the Bible as a resource manual, I wondered at her mining skills for digging into Solomon’s “Proverbs” … all 285 pages.
I have never read Proverbs as much as I “intended;” Donna has. She rewarded me without preaching or pitching pious platitudes. She offered me and other readers thoughtful insights into wise living, each chapter leaving a handle to use in discovering “Wow!” experiences.
She didn’t just read a Commentary either; rather, she wrote out of years of social work, Peace Corp, and travel, with discreet transparency. She used her experiences and insights--high times and low times--to create (communicate) life-concepts that I found personally reaffirming, life renewing, even biblically solid.
Young adults now on their own will benefit from Donna’s wisdom, especially younger women--guys too! Although I number with her elders, I had no difficulty understanding her, even when she conversed in the chatty colloquialisms of the younger set. My wife and my daughter would thoroughly enjoy reading her. My friends can benefit from her insights. Although she targets young believers, non-believers will find her as refreshing as a Spring shower.
Find Donna at http://www.the/ Quilldriver.com; http://www.onmyownnow.com/; or http://www.walkingman.ws/. You can learn much more about her as well as finding her numerous resources: free downloads, reading and listening resources, et al.
From Warner's World,
I recommend On My Own Now from the Quilldriver herself,
Wayne
Having known some of Donna’s family for many years, I appreciate their work in Hispanic Missions. This is Quilldriver’s second publishing, Donna’s first book. She first published Walking Man, the story of Narciso Zamora written by Narciso about his sojourn in Western South America. I was more than a little intrigued; I was curious what she would write. I discovered a young lady, younger than my own children, in whom I find great delight.
She has a solid academic background in the behavioral sciences with a Master’s Degree in anthropology. She offers a variegated background typical of bright, curious, sensitive people. As one who spent a lifetime working out of the Bible as a resource manual, I wondered at her mining skills for digging into Solomon’s “Proverbs” … all 285 pages.
I have never read Proverbs as much as I “intended;” Donna has. She rewarded me without preaching or pitching pious platitudes. She offered me and other readers thoughtful insights into wise living, each chapter leaving a handle to use in discovering “Wow!” experiences.
She didn’t just read a Commentary either; rather, she wrote out of years of social work, Peace Corp, and travel, with discreet transparency. She used her experiences and insights--high times and low times--to create (communicate) life-concepts that I found personally reaffirming, life renewing, even biblically solid.
Young adults now on their own will benefit from Donna’s wisdom, especially younger women--guys too! Although I number with her elders, I had no difficulty understanding her, even when she conversed in the chatty colloquialisms of the younger set. My wife and my daughter would thoroughly enjoy reading her. My friends can benefit from her insights. Although she targets young believers, non-believers will find her as refreshing as a Spring shower.
Find Donna at http://www.the/ Quilldriver.com; http://www.onmyownnow.com/; or http://www.walkingman.ws/. You can learn much more about her as well as finding her numerous resources: free downloads, reading and listening resources, et al.
From Warner's World,
I recommend On My Own Now from the Quilldriver herself,
Wayne
Doing Church
A family member sent me this notice from Pastor Jack Hilligoss to his Burns Avenue church family in Lake Wales, Florida.
“Dear HPC family, Just a quick note to say, ‘Thanks” and to celebrate with all of you who came out to take part in our first, “Don’t Go to Church” Sunday this past Sunday. We have been learning for five weeks that the church is not a denomination or building or institution, but a family of people whose lives have been changed by Jesus and who exist to have radical, positive impact for him in their community.
“We saw a little piece of that this weekend. Nearly 300 HPC members showed up and went out to over 15 sites to serve Lake Wales. We dug drainage ditches, organized libraries, visited nursing home patients, planted trees and cleaned up around local schools, installed plumbing for the Chamber of commerce, painted rooms for Circle of Friends, installed shelving at community centers, built a ramp on the home of a disabled person, cleaned a yard and scrapped paint for a new transitional housing unit for the Care Center…and more!
“I have been getting wonderful and exciting messages of gratitude from principles, camp leaders, and community leaders all day today. What a privilege to serve in a church where so many are serious about wanting to serve.”
What a neat way for this growing congregation to relate to their community. Nice change of pace as a way of doing church. Find a need and fill it; that is Christian worship at its best..............
From Warner’s World,
Wayne
“Dear HPC family, Just a quick note to say, ‘Thanks” and to celebrate with all of you who came out to take part in our first, “Don’t Go to Church” Sunday this past Sunday. We have been learning for five weeks that the church is not a denomination or building or institution, but a family of people whose lives have been changed by Jesus and who exist to have radical, positive impact for him in their community.
“We saw a little piece of that this weekend. Nearly 300 HPC members showed up and went out to over 15 sites to serve Lake Wales. We dug drainage ditches, organized libraries, visited nursing home patients, planted trees and cleaned up around local schools, installed plumbing for the Chamber of commerce, painted rooms for Circle of Friends, installed shelving at community centers, built a ramp on the home of a disabled person, cleaned a yard and scrapped paint for a new transitional housing unit for the Care Center…and more!
“I have been getting wonderful and exciting messages of gratitude from principles, camp leaders, and community leaders all day today. What a privilege to serve in a church where so many are serious about wanting to serve.”
What a neat way for this growing congregation to relate to their community. Nice change of pace as a way of doing church. Find a need and fill it; that is Christian worship at its best..............
From Warner’s World,
Wayne
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A Test of Divine Revelation
Back in December I reported a story of Buddhist clerics and local council officials holding 13 newly converted Christians captive in a pagoda in a southeastern mountainous district of Bangladesh in an attempt to forcibly return them to Buddhism. Such events happen regularly in countries around the world from Baghdad to Beijing.
Christians sometimes have difficulty accepting other Christians. Christians are often persecuted by Muslims, Hindu’s, and Buddhists alike. Examples come daily of people of one religion attempting to disallow others not of their faith the right to live in their country. They deny other religions no political rights and often attempt to enforce their religious beliefs upon any and all living in that country (theocracy).
The religions of the world have varied differences, but all have their sacred writings. Christians have their Bible; Muslims have their Koran; Hindu’s have their sacred writings, so Christians are not the only ones who feel their writings are sacred. Many, in fact, believe the truths within their sacred writings are divinely revealed.
As a Christian, I know it is easy to become dogmatic and stake a claim to universal divine revelation. We can become defensive and reactive when differing with other Christians about how much authority the Bible has, whether or not it is inerrant, and other such issues.
As easy as it is to disagree with other Christians, how much more difficult is it to avoid being dogmatic when there is a clashing of opinions regarding the writings of vastly differing religions?
I raise this question to share this thought: when we insist upon something as truth that is neither inclusive, universal, or respectful of others, it is neither divine nor is it revelation. I believe in the teachings of Jesus, but I do not believe in them just because he said them, or because I believe he is the way, the truth, and the life, or even because I believe in his divine origin.
More than anything else, the one thing that motivates people to accept the teachings of Jesus is because they work; they are pragmatic. They are inclusive,universal,and respectful, of any and all. They lift everybody; they omit no one; they respect even their enemies.
Without looking to any one religion to illustrate with, or to point fingers with, I suggest that anything one practices-or-believes must work for everyone. If it fails to work for one, it should not be for anyone. If it denies rights or respect to any color, creed, or culture, it has neither God nor divine revelation behind it, be it the God of the Christians, or Allah, or Buddha, or Jahwey.
This may not be very profound, but truth has the power of God--divine revelation--behind it. So, the next time you get on your religious soapbox,
be sure what you advocate works,
be sure it lifts all people everywhere and not just select persons, and
be sure it respects people--even those who disagree with you.
It is not truth just because you believe God said it..........................
From Warner’s World,
Wayne
Christians sometimes have difficulty accepting other Christians. Christians are often persecuted by Muslims, Hindu’s, and Buddhists alike. Examples come daily of people of one religion attempting to disallow others not of their faith the right to live in their country. They deny other religions no political rights and often attempt to enforce their religious beliefs upon any and all living in that country (theocracy).
The religions of the world have varied differences, but all have their sacred writings. Christians have their Bible; Muslims have their Koran; Hindu’s have their sacred writings, so Christians are not the only ones who feel their writings are sacred. Many, in fact, believe the truths within their sacred writings are divinely revealed.
As a Christian, I know it is easy to become dogmatic and stake a claim to universal divine revelation. We can become defensive and reactive when differing with other Christians about how much authority the Bible has, whether or not it is inerrant, and other such issues.
As easy as it is to disagree with other Christians, how much more difficult is it to avoid being dogmatic when there is a clashing of opinions regarding the writings of vastly differing religions?
I raise this question to share this thought: when we insist upon something as truth that is neither inclusive, universal, or respectful of others, it is neither divine nor is it revelation. I believe in the teachings of Jesus, but I do not believe in them just because he said them, or because I believe he is the way, the truth, and the life, or even because I believe in his divine origin.
More than anything else, the one thing that motivates people to accept the teachings of Jesus is because they work; they are pragmatic. They are inclusive,universal,and respectful, of any and all. They lift everybody; they omit no one; they respect even their enemies.
Without looking to any one religion to illustrate with, or to point fingers with, I suggest that anything one practices-or-believes must work for everyone. If it fails to work for one, it should not be for anyone. If it denies rights or respect to any color, creed, or culture, it has neither God nor divine revelation behind it, be it the God of the Christians, or Allah, or Buddha, or Jahwey.
This may not be very profound, but truth has the power of God--divine revelation--behind it. So, the next time you get on your religious soapbox,
be sure what you advocate works,
be sure it lifts all people everywhere and not just select persons, and
be sure it respects people--even those who disagree with you.
It is not truth just because you believe God said it..........................
From Warner’s World,
Wayne
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
CA Same-Sex Marriage Ban...
From the Washington Post comes this announcement today:
News Alert1:06 PM EDT Tuesday, May 26, 2009
California Supreme Court Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Ban Court upholds voter-approved ban on same-sex unions, but allows existing same-sex marriages performed before the November referendum to stand.
The announcement set off a firestorm of opposition by those who thought they could bully their way through the legal system. They threaten reprisal and further court action. This is to be expected; there are those who put their personal priorities first, before culture, creeds, customs, or whatever else is.
It is also as I expected, and I expect it to continue. I respect the civil and legal rights of same-sex individuals. However, same-sex--from self-manipulation to self-determination--does not change the biological fact of the case. Neither does it change the deep rut of history that goes deeper than choice, or religion, or morality. A sex partner in any kind of relationship, whatever it is called, must seek help from a member of the opposite sex to create that third person and thereby constitute a "family".
It has always been that way, whether we like it or reject it. I do not see that changing in the forseeable future, however much one may rail against the way things are.
Wayne………….,
from Warner’s World
News Alert1:06 PM EDT Tuesday, May 26, 2009
California Supreme Court Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Ban Court upholds voter-approved ban on same-sex unions, but allows existing same-sex marriages performed before the November referendum to stand.
The announcement set off a firestorm of opposition by those who thought they could bully their way through the legal system. They threaten reprisal and further court action. This is to be expected; there are those who put their personal priorities first, before culture, creeds, customs, or whatever else is.
It is also as I expected, and I expect it to continue. I respect the civil and legal rights of same-sex individuals. However, same-sex--from self-manipulation to self-determination--does not change the biological fact of the case. Neither does it change the deep rut of history that goes deeper than choice, or religion, or morality. A sex partner in any kind of relationship, whatever it is called, must seek help from a member of the opposite sex to create that third person and thereby constitute a "family".
It has always been that way, whether we like it or reject it. I do not see that changing in the forseeable future, however much one may rail against the way things are.
Wayne………….,
from Warner’s World
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day Conclusion
As Memorial Day 2009 comes to a close, I’ve been blogging for just over a year. Since I was involved in research regarding the patron saint of our church, D. S. Warner, and since I carry the same name, it was an opportunity not to be passed by. So, I launched Warner’s World on blogsite.
I have written narrative since being an introvertive teen that corresponded with numerous pen pals in distant places. I love writing, but I had no interest whatsoever when told on a listserv that I should try blogging. I think I clogged that e-community with political opinion that created too much dissension.
Since blogging, I find I like it, although I am not sure how many read me. I started out intending to offer opinions regarding aspects of peace, as opposed to war. I’ve not succeeded well in doing that, although I have argued for peace (I think justifiably), and against a political administration that introduced preemptive war as American policy--an historical first for us.
Today, I refer back to something Paul Williams wrote. He writes for the very readable religious publication Christian Standard, at Standard Press of Cincinnati. I like the magazine, and knew former Editor Sam Stone as a very fine Christian gentleman, brother in the faith, and personal friend. Sam’s son Dave later replaced Bob Russell at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville.
Enough palaver. Paul Williams wrote this about the Iraq War: Some estimate that by the time it concludes, America will have spent a staggering $2 trillion on the war in Iraq. Christian Century reminds us that with $2 trillion we could stabilize Social Security for 75 years, or provide health insurance for 10 years to every uninsured man, woman, and child in America. If we took the money overseas we could do even more. Two trillion dollars would take a big chunk out of hunger for decades to come in the water-starved regions of Africa.
That calls to mind an excellent piece by the Rev. John W. Wimberly, Jr., pastor at Western Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.. He makes a really strong case for WAR--No Longer an Option--John 18:1-12 (COGPF Newsletter, Spring 09).
Although Wimberly deserves a repeat, I will leave it for now with a couple of observations.
1.One can make a strong case that more wars have resulted from bad political decisions and poor diplomacy following WWI than any other single factor, except personal profit.
2. We continue to endure wars because war is profitable for arms manufacturers and those who profit from violence.
Eisenhower warned against the dangers of the “military-industrial complex” in 1961. Harry Truman, says Wimberly, followed the money and uncovered the “war-profiteering in World War II.” No one has yet to follow the Iraq War money but tracking it would reveal enormous profits by a few--names I have heard often in the news.
Proper investment of the $2 trillion we put into the Iraq War would have eliminated the major problems facing our warring world today. Just today I heard a Vietnam veteran interviewed and he admitted that his war experience is still with him every day this many years later. Noting Arlington National Cemetery, and others like our Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, and I conclude at the end of this Memorial Day that we have paid too dear a price for pricey profits for a few and for the insufferably bad politics of selfish diplomacy.
When will we join forces and insist that WAR IS NO LONGER AN OPTION? Wayne
From Warner’s World
I have written narrative since being an introvertive teen that corresponded with numerous pen pals in distant places. I love writing, but I had no interest whatsoever when told on a listserv that I should try blogging. I think I clogged that e-community with political opinion that created too much dissension.
Since blogging, I find I like it, although I am not sure how many read me. I started out intending to offer opinions regarding aspects of peace, as opposed to war. I’ve not succeeded well in doing that, although I have argued for peace (I think justifiably), and against a political administration that introduced preemptive war as American policy--an historical first for us.
Today, I refer back to something Paul Williams wrote. He writes for the very readable religious publication Christian Standard, at Standard Press of Cincinnati. I like the magazine, and knew former Editor Sam Stone as a very fine Christian gentleman, brother in the faith, and personal friend. Sam’s son Dave later replaced Bob Russell at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville.
Enough palaver. Paul Williams wrote this about the Iraq War: Some estimate that by the time it concludes, America will have spent a staggering $2 trillion on the war in Iraq. Christian Century reminds us that with $2 trillion we could stabilize Social Security for 75 years, or provide health insurance for 10 years to every uninsured man, woman, and child in America. If we took the money overseas we could do even more. Two trillion dollars would take a big chunk out of hunger for decades to come in the water-starved regions of Africa.
That calls to mind an excellent piece by the Rev. John W. Wimberly, Jr., pastor at Western Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.. He makes a really strong case for WAR--No Longer an Option--John 18:1-12 (COGPF Newsletter, Spring 09).
Although Wimberly deserves a repeat, I will leave it for now with a couple of observations.
1.One can make a strong case that more wars have resulted from bad political decisions and poor diplomacy following WWI than any other single factor, except personal profit.
2. We continue to endure wars because war is profitable for arms manufacturers and those who profit from violence.
Eisenhower warned against the dangers of the “military-industrial complex” in 1961. Harry Truman, says Wimberly, followed the money and uncovered the “war-profiteering in World War II.” No one has yet to follow the Iraq War money but tracking it would reveal enormous profits by a few--names I have heard often in the news.
Proper investment of the $2 trillion we put into the Iraq War would have eliminated the major problems facing our warring world today. Just today I heard a Vietnam veteran interviewed and he admitted that his war experience is still with him every day this many years later. Noting Arlington National Cemetery, and others like our Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, and I conclude at the end of this Memorial Day that we have paid too dear a price for pricey profits for a few and for the insufferably bad politics of selfish diplomacy.
When will we join forces and insist that WAR IS NO LONGER AN OPTION? Wayne
From Warner’s World
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Birthday
May 24th--
Just like any other day, except it was Sunday. I put the coffee pot on and we had breakfast. The phone rang as I prepared to attend early service at North Avenue. My wife answered, announcing, “You can talk to him yourself!” I took the phone, not knowing who was on the other end. “Is this your real birthday?” asked the caller.
Caught off guard, I laughed; it was Steve, from Prestonsburg. I was only in P-burg four times this winter, bolstering the efforts at Reformation Publishers, doing whatever I could at the church, and enjoying life in SE KY. In P-burg, Steve knew we celebrated my birthday early, (our daughter in Winchester used it as an excuse to take her mother out and Steve knew I had to get over to Winchester for a birthday bash). Even after I returned to Battle Creek (on one of my trips north), Megan, one of the P-burg youth) called long distance to wish me happy birthday and I lamely explained it was still early for my “real” birthday. So when Steve called, his question had a history behind it.
When I finally arrived at early service, Pastor Jim prefaced our conversation with “I had a phone call this morning…!” He didn’t sing “Happy Birthday” to me, (that would have been a disaster), but they would have in P-burg. The church did recognize me, however; 58 years in ministry is a while, and I am humbled that I can still be of use here and there.
As if that was not enough, our daughter insisted her mother take me out for birthday dinner. So, rather than go cheapy, as I would have preferred, we went to Old Country Buffet and thoroughly enjoyed overeating, chicken, fish, seafood salad and a ton of other salads etc etc , washed down with milk and a cup of coffee.
I share this to unpack Jim Sparks sermon outline from Philippians 1:3-11 (one of my favorite books) - “Living On a Prayer…” The service did recognize Memorial Day, but Jim’s sermon offered a prayer of thanksgiving. He suggested we thank God for community, (Phil. 1:3); for confidence 1:6; for reversing our plans (1:9); and for the great hope (1:10-11).
On this great day in my life, I can give thanks for the great hope, that I have within. I do thank God for sometimes reversing my plans, and I am thankful for the confidence I have in-and-of Him. But, I was especially taken with thanking God for the community of which I am a part. We don’t begin to understand the value of that word.
Community may begin with family, and I have a loving family of incalculable worth to me. Community may includes a neighborhood, a village, even a city. In my case, it includes a “faith family” in which I have been a minister_writer for more than half a century. Again, in my case (and I’m not alone in this) that community incorporates my biological family, my North Avenue family, my P-burg church family, and the line reaches out until it falls off the horizon. In a short time, I may experience a oneness of community in Battle Creek, SE Kentucky, Clarksville, AR; The LA Basin, the Pacific NW, Nis, Serbia, or elsewhere
There was a day when some people thought ONE WORLD was something out of the Apocalypse, to be shunned. Our ONE WORLD “community” is a fact to be enjoyed, if we have enough spiritual insight to value and enjoy it. There are those who threaten it. There are powers that can potentially destroy it. The atom bomb that fell on Nagasaki in WWII is now merely the trigger to the incomprehensible Hydrogen Bomb, so General Lee Butler tells us.
If I heard the General correctly--former head of SAC Command and the officer at the other end of the President’s red telephone--one H-bomb in downtown LA could blast a crater 6000 feet across, something like 175 feet deep, and 20 miles away it would incinerate a person’s clothing, and eliminate buildings 30 miles away. That is a worst case scenerio. There are many other facets of our world community with which we struggle, but it comes down to this: Martin Luther King said it more eloquently; I say it simply: we swim together, or we drown together. That is the bottom line of how important community is.
I enjoyed the recognition from my closer community today, and beyond. There is also a larger community out there that I value. I deeply respect the values of my church tradition, and out of that, I have a reverence for our global community of varying colors, creeds, and ethnicities.
There is no one out there who is unwelcome in what I would call “my community.” I covet peace, prosperity, and freedom for every boy, girl, man, and woman around the globe. I work for that. I pray for that. Never underestimate the values found in the word community.
So much for birthdays; now to get back to the business of making this a decent place where we can live together. Wayne,
from Warner’s World
Just like any other day, except it was Sunday. I put the coffee pot on and we had breakfast. The phone rang as I prepared to attend early service at North Avenue. My wife answered, announcing, “You can talk to him yourself!” I took the phone, not knowing who was on the other end. “Is this your real birthday?” asked the caller.
Caught off guard, I laughed; it was Steve, from Prestonsburg. I was only in P-burg four times this winter, bolstering the efforts at Reformation Publishers, doing whatever I could at the church, and enjoying life in SE KY. In P-burg, Steve knew we celebrated my birthday early, (our daughter in Winchester used it as an excuse to take her mother out and Steve knew I had to get over to Winchester for a birthday bash). Even after I returned to Battle Creek (on one of my trips north), Megan, one of the P-burg youth) called long distance to wish me happy birthday and I lamely explained it was still early for my “real” birthday. So when Steve called, his question had a history behind it.
When I finally arrived at early service, Pastor Jim prefaced our conversation with “I had a phone call this morning…!” He didn’t sing “Happy Birthday” to me, (that would have been a disaster), but they would have in P-burg. The church did recognize me, however; 58 years in ministry is a while, and I am humbled that I can still be of use here and there.
As if that was not enough, our daughter insisted her mother take me out for birthday dinner. So, rather than go cheapy, as I would have preferred, we went to Old Country Buffet and thoroughly enjoyed overeating, chicken, fish, seafood salad and a ton of other salads etc etc , washed down with milk and a cup of coffee.
I share this to unpack Jim Sparks sermon outline from Philippians 1:3-11 (one of my favorite books) - “Living On a Prayer…” The service did recognize Memorial Day, but Jim’s sermon offered a prayer of thanksgiving. He suggested we thank God for community, (Phil. 1:3); for confidence 1:6; for reversing our plans (1:9); and for the great hope (1:10-11).
On this great day in my life, I can give thanks for the great hope, that I have within. I do thank God for sometimes reversing my plans, and I am thankful for the confidence I have in-and-of Him. But, I was especially taken with thanking God for the community of which I am a part. We don’t begin to understand the value of that word.
Community may begin with family, and I have a loving family of incalculable worth to me. Community may includes a neighborhood, a village, even a city. In my case, it includes a “faith family” in which I have been a minister_writer for more than half a century. Again, in my case (and I’m not alone in this) that community incorporates my biological family, my North Avenue family, my P-burg church family, and the line reaches out until it falls off the horizon. In a short time, I may experience a oneness of community in Battle Creek, SE Kentucky, Clarksville, AR; The LA Basin, the Pacific NW, Nis, Serbia, or elsewhere
There was a day when some people thought ONE WORLD was something out of the Apocalypse, to be shunned. Our ONE WORLD “community” is a fact to be enjoyed, if we have enough spiritual insight to value and enjoy it. There are those who threaten it. There are powers that can potentially destroy it. The atom bomb that fell on Nagasaki in WWII is now merely the trigger to the incomprehensible Hydrogen Bomb, so General Lee Butler tells us.
If I heard the General correctly--former head of SAC Command and the officer at the other end of the President’s red telephone--one H-bomb in downtown LA could blast a crater 6000 feet across, something like 175 feet deep, and 20 miles away it would incinerate a person’s clothing, and eliminate buildings 30 miles away. That is a worst case scenerio. There are many other facets of our world community with which we struggle, but it comes down to this: Martin Luther King said it more eloquently; I say it simply: we swim together, or we drown together. That is the bottom line of how important community is.
I enjoyed the recognition from my closer community today, and beyond. There is also a larger community out there that I value. I deeply respect the values of my church tradition, and out of that, I have a reverence for our global community of varying colors, creeds, and ethnicities.
There is no one out there who is unwelcome in what I would call “my community.” I covet peace, prosperity, and freedom for every boy, girl, man, and woman around the globe. I work for that. I pray for that. Never underestimate the values found in the word community.
So much for birthdays; now to get back to the business of making this a decent place where we can live together. Wayne,
from Warner’s World
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Being Careful With Our Words
“Fridley High School is a better place because of the energy and attitude of Dakota Warner.” The recommendation that concluded with that sentence strongly affirmed the difference you make where you live and work--Fridley, MN.
Of course I’m proud of it; he’s my grandson! I have coveted him for Christian service since he was an infant. I can get a little misty-eyed when I remember how proudly I lugged him all over the city of Anderson, IN during our annual Church Convention following his birth. He is the grandson I thought I would never have. He and I rocked many a mile in those wooden rockers at Cracker Barrel that year.
I confess it is easy for me to complain about the music of the young, the loud beat, the way they drive their cars through neighborhoods with their sound systems leaving everything not nailed down dancing to the tune of destructive decibels. But, I ask myself, “is the place where I live ‘a better place’ because of my “energy and attitude?”
We are in short supply of civility today. We rush about pell mell, wired, but isolated. We communicate from our isolation, emailing, blogging, texting, twittering, and whatever is newest. The news reported a mother called into court recently for emailing harsh words that allegedly drove a young girl to suicide.
Someone emailed me about “my Christian president,” after I defended him on a controversial issue. The text of the email was polite enough, but the subject line suggested more of a snipe at him than a conversation with me.
Questioning the hateful words of certain bloggers, Dan Wooding, founder of Assist News, wondered “what kind of lives these attackers lead and why they are so hateful in their words, which he described as the ‘Wild Wild West of the Blogosphere.’” Do they, he asked, have any joy in their lives or do their personal attacks make them feel superior to those they go after?
With Wooding, I recognize that not all blogging is negative. On the other hand, I challenge the value of making one‘s living with such acidic penmanship. Online conversations contain so much that is full of poison and vulgarity, making Wooding wonder “what non-Christians make of the so-called Christian blog sites that are often so vicious in their attacks against other believers.”
I don’t like living in a world with terrorists, but neither do I applaud the belittling and derogatory verbal terrorism we see and hear all about us. I have observed “Christian” online communities (listserv’s) simply collapse because of domination, arrogance (insensitivity), and incivility. In this communication age, we do well to think in ways that allow us to act more in keeping with Jesus. He teaches His followers that it is out of our hearts that come the issues of life. On one occasion, He said “as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31,NKJV).
Another time He announced, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34.35, NKJV)
Such teachings caused Paul to conclude, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Whether emailing, blogging, texting, twittering, or just conversing, we do well--especially Christ-followers--to avoid injecting more hateful words than already exist in the vocabulary of this hate-filled world. This is especially true in the political arena, where words become divisive, disagreeable and sometimes daubed with venom.
There is room for disagreement in many arenas, but never let our words to each other bring the words of Jesus into disrepute. Let our communication--thought, word, and deed--express more of what Wooding calls “Love Central” and less of “Hate Central.”
Thank you Kody, for modeling a positive role. Thank you for making a difference in other people’s lives. You exhibit that most essential ingredient in the recipe of good leadership--a quality which we often find ourselves in short supply.
Wayne, from Warner’s World
Of course I’m proud of it; he’s my grandson! I have coveted him for Christian service since he was an infant. I can get a little misty-eyed when I remember how proudly I lugged him all over the city of Anderson, IN during our annual Church Convention following his birth. He is the grandson I thought I would never have. He and I rocked many a mile in those wooden rockers at Cracker Barrel that year.
I confess it is easy for me to complain about the music of the young, the loud beat, the way they drive their cars through neighborhoods with their sound systems leaving everything not nailed down dancing to the tune of destructive decibels. But, I ask myself, “is the place where I live ‘a better place’ because of my “energy and attitude?”
We are in short supply of civility today. We rush about pell mell, wired, but isolated. We communicate from our isolation, emailing, blogging, texting, twittering, and whatever is newest. The news reported a mother called into court recently for emailing harsh words that allegedly drove a young girl to suicide.
Someone emailed me about “my Christian president,” after I defended him on a controversial issue. The text of the email was polite enough, but the subject line suggested more of a snipe at him than a conversation with me.
Questioning the hateful words of certain bloggers, Dan Wooding, founder of Assist News, wondered “what kind of lives these attackers lead and why they are so hateful in their words, which he described as the ‘Wild Wild West of the Blogosphere.’” Do they, he asked, have any joy in their lives or do their personal attacks make them feel superior to those they go after?
With Wooding, I recognize that not all blogging is negative. On the other hand, I challenge the value of making one‘s living with such acidic penmanship. Online conversations contain so much that is full of poison and vulgarity, making Wooding wonder “what non-Christians make of the so-called Christian blog sites that are often so vicious in their attacks against other believers.”
I don’t like living in a world with terrorists, but neither do I applaud the belittling and derogatory verbal terrorism we see and hear all about us. I have observed “Christian” online communities (listserv’s) simply collapse because of domination, arrogance (insensitivity), and incivility. In this communication age, we do well to think in ways that allow us to act more in keeping with Jesus. He teaches His followers that it is out of our hearts that come the issues of life. On one occasion, He said “as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31,NKJV).
Another time He announced, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34.35, NKJV)
Such teachings caused Paul to conclude, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Whether emailing, blogging, texting, twittering, or just conversing, we do well--especially Christ-followers--to avoid injecting more hateful words than already exist in the vocabulary of this hate-filled world. This is especially true in the political arena, where words become divisive, disagreeable and sometimes daubed with venom.
There is room for disagreement in many arenas, but never let our words to each other bring the words of Jesus into disrepute. Let our communication--thought, word, and deed--express more of what Wooding calls “Love Central” and less of “Hate Central.”
Thank you Kody, for modeling a positive role. Thank you for making a difference in other people’s lives. You exhibit that most essential ingredient in the recipe of good leadership--a quality which we often find ourselves in short supply.
Wayne, from Warner’s World
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tree or Post?
Are you a tree or a post?
This very old joke really asks whether one believes in Post- or Pre-millennialism. Most people are not interested in such jokes, and much less in the answers to the question. I thought of this when I re-read Stanley Jones a while back. His book on the Kingdom of God, The Christ of Every Road. Jones, pointed to fallacies in both pre-and-post millennialism.
Post-millennialism chose a course of gradualism. It searched for the Kingdom of God at the end of a long search in humanity’s social progress. It prioritized social progress, believing that man would ultimately achieve the Kingdom of God through social progress. Then would follow Christ’s coming with a thousand years of peace and prosperity. Post-millennialism lost the redemptive lift that comes brings with the born again experience, as emphasized by evangelicals.
Pre-millennialism, declared Jones, deferred the Kingdom of God to a future apocalypse. This left social progress to humanists and theological liberals. Evangelicals lost their social relevancy, except for the second coming of Christ.
Each theory reduced the Kingdom of God to the coming of social reform. Pre-millennialism made contemporary Christianity a dead issue for the here-and now. It offered no social uplift. It made Christianity strictly a personal, individual issue.
Jones saw that Jesus began his teachings and his ministry with the Kingdom of God. Jesus launched his ministry with “Repent because the Kingdom is here, now” (Matthew 3). He introduced God’s authority by teaching us to “seek first the kingdom of God“ before pursuing other issues of life (Matthew 6:33).
This left pre-millennialism the lame excuse that Jesus failed to establish his kingdom at his first coming because the Jews killed him (still clinging to their political-military power). Evangelicalism still claims a quasi-conversion in Jesus, but fails to comprehend living under his Lordship and personal authority.
Post-millennialism is a dead issue today. Pre-millennialism flashes brightly, like a flaming meteor. Thus, the Evangelical push for support of the State of Israel as the chosen people. This leaves the Christian Church an historical parenthesis, after which God will reestablish His rule through the Jews and Jewish worship (a fundamental heresy)
We passed Easter, but the question still clangs boldly, “What if it really happened?” If it did, we need to come to terms with Jesus’ introduction to God’s authority and begin on that basis. What Jones wrote in the 1930s applies in 2009: the American church echoes too much of American cultural life and too little Christian converting of life’s crisis experiences. Modern church life pipes in too many echoes of the prevailing culture into our churches, giving it a religious tone, which is then amplified through what it calls preaching.
When we fail to begin with the immediacy of the Kingdom of God and repentance, we end up with nothing more than the relative kingdoms of the world. We stand in the foothills of relativism rather than on the Mountain of God’s Kingdom. As a consequence, we suffer from low visibility. Beginning with the relative kingdoms of the world, we end up with neither the power of the world nor the permanence of the Kingdom of God.
Religion comes in many forms. Hinduism invites you to empty yourself into Nirvana. Buddhism teaches you how to lose yourself in nothingness. Islam offers 5 core rules to practice and leaves you to believe what you will about things.
Christ offers a cross; He costs all. Yet, only He brings love, forgiveness, and liberty of self. And what interests me as I read current world events is this: the followers of Christ tolerate differing faiths within the political system (diversity). All others persecute and deny the personal rights of those who believe differently (political theocracy).
This is Wayne, in Warner’s World
This very old joke really asks whether one believes in Post- or Pre-millennialism. Most people are not interested in such jokes, and much less in the answers to the question. I thought of this when I re-read Stanley Jones a while back. His book on the Kingdom of God, The Christ of Every Road. Jones, pointed to fallacies in both pre-and-post millennialism.
Post-millennialism chose a course of gradualism. It searched for the Kingdom of God at the end of a long search in humanity’s social progress. It prioritized social progress, believing that man would ultimately achieve the Kingdom of God through social progress. Then would follow Christ’s coming with a thousand years of peace and prosperity. Post-millennialism lost the redemptive lift that comes brings with the born again experience, as emphasized by evangelicals.
Pre-millennialism, declared Jones, deferred the Kingdom of God to a future apocalypse. This left social progress to humanists and theological liberals. Evangelicals lost their social relevancy, except for the second coming of Christ.
Each theory reduced the Kingdom of God to the coming of social reform. Pre-millennialism made contemporary Christianity a dead issue for the here-and now. It offered no social uplift. It made Christianity strictly a personal, individual issue.
Jones saw that Jesus began his teachings and his ministry with the Kingdom of God. Jesus launched his ministry with “Repent because the Kingdom is here, now” (Matthew 3). He introduced God’s authority by teaching us to “seek first the kingdom of God“ before pursuing other issues of life (Matthew 6:33).
This left pre-millennialism the lame excuse that Jesus failed to establish his kingdom at his first coming because the Jews killed him (still clinging to their political-military power). Evangelicalism still claims a quasi-conversion in Jesus, but fails to comprehend living under his Lordship and personal authority.
Post-millennialism is a dead issue today. Pre-millennialism flashes brightly, like a flaming meteor. Thus, the Evangelical push for support of the State of Israel as the chosen people. This leaves the Christian Church an historical parenthesis, after which God will reestablish His rule through the Jews and Jewish worship (a fundamental heresy)
We passed Easter, but the question still clangs boldly, “What if it really happened?” If it did, we need to come to terms with Jesus’ introduction to God’s authority and begin on that basis. What Jones wrote in the 1930s applies in 2009: the American church echoes too much of American cultural life and too little Christian converting of life’s crisis experiences. Modern church life pipes in too many echoes of the prevailing culture into our churches, giving it a religious tone, which is then amplified through what it calls preaching.
When we fail to begin with the immediacy of the Kingdom of God and repentance, we end up with nothing more than the relative kingdoms of the world. We stand in the foothills of relativism rather than on the Mountain of God’s Kingdom. As a consequence, we suffer from low visibility. Beginning with the relative kingdoms of the world, we end up with neither the power of the world nor the permanence of the Kingdom of God.
Religion comes in many forms. Hinduism invites you to empty yourself into Nirvana. Buddhism teaches you how to lose yourself in nothingness. Islam offers 5 core rules to practice and leaves you to believe what you will about things.
Christ offers a cross; He costs all. Yet, only He brings love, forgiveness, and liberty of self. And what interests me as I read current world events is this: the followers of Christ tolerate differing faiths within the political system (diversity). All others persecute and deny the personal rights of those who believe differently (political theocracy).
This is Wayne, in Warner’s World
Human Trafficking
Georgetown University law professor and former Department of State advisor Laura Lederer commended board members at The Wesleyan Church Headquarters in Fishers, IN. for the Church‘s efforts to help stop the trafficking of humans for sex and labor servitude.
Leaderer helped frame the United States' law against trafficking. She told church leaders trafficking is prevalent in every big city in America, and that up to 17,000 persons (half of them children) are trafficked into America each year. She estimated the total number of trafficked persons at 27-28 million and calls the problem"modern-day slavery."
I salute our Wesleyan compatriots for their storied history of fighting for human freedom and justice. Active in the underground railroad movement, one Wesleyan church became the scene of the first women's rights convention. Freedom's Hill Church, now restored as a historic display on the campus of Southern Wesleyan University, was targeted by 19th Century slave traders and its pastor faced hanging because of his protection of slaves.
Lederer old the story of Rosa, age 13. Trafficked to America, Rosa was forced into prostitution by a group of men who gang-raped, beat her and then abandoned her in a trailer without food or water for three days. A wife and mother of three daughters, Lederer, currently serves as vice president of an anti-trafficking agency. She urged Wesleyans to "first of all educate yourself, to read about trafficking to learn about the harm of it; and then to find a way to bring that information into the community."
As Wesleyans join others in efforts to abolish human trafficking and care for its victims, I have this nagging question: when will the General Assembly and local congregations of the Church of God, Anderson get serious about such issues?
As a Body of Believers, we can be defensive to say the least, even prickly, about issues like biblical authority, holiness as a lifestyle, and the unity of all believers. Yet, we are so slow about letting go of our in-house issues, and too often too slow to practice the really important issues we preach. As a self-styled Reformation, we need to devote ourselves more seriously to what we preach or take down our brag flag.
This is Wayne in Warner’s World
Leaderer helped frame the United States' law against trafficking. She told church leaders trafficking is prevalent in every big city in America, and that up to 17,000 persons (half of them children) are trafficked into America each year. She estimated the total number of trafficked persons at 27-28 million and calls the problem"modern-day slavery."
I salute our Wesleyan compatriots for their storied history of fighting for human freedom and justice. Active in the underground railroad movement, one Wesleyan church became the scene of the first women's rights convention. Freedom's Hill Church, now restored as a historic display on the campus of Southern Wesleyan University, was targeted by 19th Century slave traders and its pastor faced hanging because of his protection of slaves.
Lederer old the story of Rosa, age 13. Trafficked to America, Rosa was forced into prostitution by a group of men who gang-raped, beat her and then abandoned her in a trailer without food or water for three days. A wife and mother of three daughters, Lederer, currently serves as vice president of an anti-trafficking agency. She urged Wesleyans to "first of all educate yourself, to read about trafficking to learn about the harm of it; and then to find a way to bring that information into the community."
As Wesleyans join others in efforts to abolish human trafficking and care for its victims, I have this nagging question: when will the General Assembly and local congregations of the Church of God, Anderson get serious about such issues?
As a Body of Believers, we can be defensive to say the least, even prickly, about issues like biblical authority, holiness as a lifestyle, and the unity of all believers. Yet, we are so slow about letting go of our in-house issues, and too often too slow to practice the really important issues we preach. As a self-styled Reformation, we need to devote ourselves more seriously to what we preach or take down our brag flag.
This is Wayne in Warner’s World
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Making a Difference
The Rev. Jeannette Flynn caught my attention recently when she challenged church leaders to rediscover some old truths and reopen the wells of our fathers. She acknowledged that the body of Believers to which she (and I) belong is “intentionally committed to relational activity as a people.”
She insisted, however, that she was not talking about a return to denominational loyalty. She wanted us to live out “the Great Commission and the Great Commandment” and refuse “to be self-sufficient.” She asked that we “tear down” our “false god of distorted autonomy and reclaim our birthright as brothers and sisters who will hear, believe, love, and serve together for the greater good of ‘God’s kingdom!”
I have always believed we achieve more in community than in fragmentation. I have never understood how we proclaim Christian unity as a core value while relegating other believers to a secondary denominational level.
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful day if we all practiced the Bible we defend so pugnaciously? I like what Paul wrote in his letter to Ephesus. Unload the bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander…along with all malice. Rather, “be imitators of God, as beloved children” and “walk in love, just as Christ also loved you. . .” (4:31-5:2)
I am justifiably proud of a young member of the class of 2009 in north Minneapolis. He received this commendation to assist him into college. The teacher wrote as follows:
"It is very exciting for me to write this letter of recommendation for___. I have been teaching and coaching in Fridley for over 20 years and it is a real pleasure to have a student like ___. D___ exhibits many qualities that are not seen very often in today’s generation. He is determined to making himself the best he can be in all his endeavors.
"He is also working with those around him to guide them to find their personal success. D___ is committed to the process and involvement in the task at hand while keeping an eye on the end result. I have witnessed the positive effects D___ has on students in the class room, hallways, and cafeteria and in the athletics. D___’s willingness to get out of his comfort zone and promote healthy risk taking has made him a true leader in our school.
"He has demonstrated many star qualities (cooperation, compassion, generosity) that have benefited the classes D___ has been in. He is very good at keeping it in perspective for himself as well as his classmates and peers."
What pleases me most about this is his willingness to make everyone else personally successful while he strives for his best. That is the mark of a true follower of Jesus!
Rob Noonan lives in Toledo, Ohio. I’ve never met Rob, but I think I would like him as a neighbor. With the downturn of the economy and the emptying out of Toledo‘s downtown office buildings, Noonan got pink-slipped on his $140,000-a-year construction management job.
Mind you, although the credit markets froze, Noonan continued showing up at work. “He remains one man working without pay in a cluster of vacant cubicles, trying to make something out of nothing” (emphasis mine).
We cannot all be as generous as Rob Noonan, but we can all demonstrate cooperation, compassion, and generosity to those we encounter, and we can work with people around us to guide them in finding their personal success. It is not as much about making money as it is about making a difference.
This is Wayne in Warner’s World
She insisted, however, that she was not talking about a return to denominational loyalty. She wanted us to live out “the Great Commission and the Great Commandment” and refuse “to be self-sufficient.” She asked that we “tear down” our “false god of distorted autonomy and reclaim our birthright as brothers and sisters who will hear, believe, love, and serve together for the greater good of ‘God’s kingdom!”
I have always believed we achieve more in community than in fragmentation. I have never understood how we proclaim Christian unity as a core value while relegating other believers to a secondary denominational level.
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful day if we all practiced the Bible we defend so pugnaciously? I like what Paul wrote in his letter to Ephesus. Unload the bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander…along with all malice. Rather, “be imitators of God, as beloved children” and “walk in love, just as Christ also loved you. . .” (4:31-5:2)
I am justifiably proud of a young member of the class of 2009 in north Minneapolis. He received this commendation to assist him into college. The teacher wrote as follows:
"It is very exciting for me to write this letter of recommendation for___. I have been teaching and coaching in Fridley for over 20 years and it is a real pleasure to have a student like ___. D___ exhibits many qualities that are not seen very often in today’s generation. He is determined to making himself the best he can be in all his endeavors.
"He is also working with those around him to guide them to find their personal success. D___ is committed to the process and involvement in the task at hand while keeping an eye on the end result. I have witnessed the positive effects D___ has on students in the class room, hallways, and cafeteria and in the athletics. D___’s willingness to get out of his comfort zone and promote healthy risk taking has made him a true leader in our school.
"He has demonstrated many star qualities (cooperation, compassion, generosity) that have benefited the classes D___ has been in. He is very good at keeping it in perspective for himself as well as his classmates and peers."
What pleases me most about this is his willingness to make everyone else personally successful while he strives for his best. That is the mark of a true follower of Jesus!
Rob Noonan lives in Toledo, Ohio. I’ve never met Rob, but I think I would like him as a neighbor. With the downturn of the economy and the emptying out of Toledo‘s downtown office buildings, Noonan got pink-slipped on his $140,000-a-year construction management job.
Mind you, although the credit markets froze, Noonan continued showing up at work. “He remains one man working without pay in a cluster of vacant cubicles, trying to make something out of nothing” (emphasis mine).
We cannot all be as generous as Rob Noonan, but we can all demonstrate cooperation, compassion, and generosity to those we encounter, and we can work with people around us to guide them in finding their personal success. It is not as much about making money as it is about making a difference.
This is Wayne in Warner’s World
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