It's Time, Go!

“Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshipped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28: 16-20 (Message)

The cool thing about Scripture and interpretations is this: many people see/receive many things from them. The above Scripture is one that many denominations/traditions interpret in many ways. I love the way The Message version eloquently expresses the tension of some disciples, “Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.”

No matter how you interpret, view or look upon this passage you have to admit that this phrase captures the emotions and reservations of the disciples perfectly. I can imagine that the disciples were a group of people with different backgrounds, different stories – much like us FTE Fellows. We all came to this place with different stories, different ways of interpretation, different callings. I can also imagine how reserved some of us might have been on those first few days. Some people simply holding back, struggling, preventing themselves from “risking themselves totally.”

The Good News for us is that Jesus remains undeterred. Regardless of what we bring to the table or how we approach our days, Jesus is right there to give his charge. For us, The Holy Spirit began to do its magic and by the end of day two you could feel a sweet Spirit in the air working in and amongst us, loosening the hold we had on ourselves. Rev. Mike Waters put it best at the end of day four, “there’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.”

Today, we all witnessed how awesome and magnificent the power of the Holy Spirit is. Closing worship is always powerful, but there was something about today’s worship that really summed up our entire week at the conference.  You could feel the power and witness in the songs by the choir. You could feel the sincerity and vulnerability in the sermon.  You could feel the hurt and pain in the voices of those who led us in the Hip Hop Prayers, “These are the prayers of my people,” Rev. Waters said. The most powerful moment, for me, was the prayers at the end of the service when we all gathered around our roundtable leaders.  It was simply a moving experience. God truly was there with us. It was a beautiful experience, one that served to move us to action, to realize our call – our commission.

No matter what we bring to the table, no matter where we are along our journey, no matter our struggles or strengths Jesus remains ready to send us to Galilee.  “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go!”  It’s that simple, just go!

I pray that God moves you in a mighty way towards action – action that is honest, humble, sincere and genuine.

“God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

The Beloved Community

Love is creative and redemptive. Love builds up and unites; hate tears down and destroys. The aftermath of the ‘fight with fire’ method which you suggest is bitterness and chaos, the aftermath of the love method is reconciliation and creation of the beloved community. Physical force can repress, restrain, coerce, destroy, but it cannot create and organize anything permanent; only love can do that. Yes, love—which means understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill, even for one’s enemies—is the solution to the race problem. (and for any problem for that matter)
—Martin Luther King, Jr., 1957

As day two of the FTE Conference comes to a close I find myself spiritually exhausted. If you've ever preached a sermon you know what I am talking about. Spiritual exhaustion is that moment when you have given or received your limit of spiritual food for the day. I mean we all get "full" when we eat right? It's the same concept. Currently I am suffering from a severe case of spiritual "fullness." 

Today was our first day to dive right in and explore the in's and out's of The Beloved Community - a radical vision inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King. It was a vision grounded in the promises of grace, love, mercy, compassion, and healing - promises that, he hoped, would alleviate the race problem and bring healing and justice to our society. It was a heavenly vision inspired by his interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. 

Today we talked a lot about building and understand what a Beloved Community really is. After day two I think I am understanding just what Dr. King envisioned. 

This conference is a Beloved Community. We are a community of believers gathered together under the auspices of grace and love for one another working toward a common purpose and goal - spreading the love of Jesus, living in intentional relationships with those around us, being accepting - not tolerant of people around us (I don't believe in tolerance - tolerance creates a binary of "us" tolerating "them"), and working towards the common good of humanity. 

This morning in Opening Worship Becca Stephens, found of Thistle Farms, said, "in the end, grace and love are the most powerful elements of social change we have" echoing the words of Dr. King. "Love is creative and redemptive," he said. Love is a way to redeem things that are broken and create new ways of being among struggle and strife. 

Though all of us gathered here at this conference may not agree on doctrine, polity, or policy of our churches or communities we can agree on love and grace being expressions of right action and not simply right belief.  

A theologian by the name of Bruce Epperly once said, 

"We have too often proclaimed the equality of humankind and defined some persons as non-human, unworthy of self-determination, equality, or loving relationships. We have affirmed the quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and condemned some persons, based on the accidents of economics, ethnicity, or sexuality, to lives of misery, duplicity, and limitation." 

The promise and hope that can be gathered from this is that change is possible and has happened. The church is equipped with leaders, much like those at this conference, who will change how we experience church and how the world perceives of the church. Leaders who have different gifts, but all these gifts when combined, manifests into a mighty and powerful ministry for the glory of God.

We can do it, I promise ... but only through grace and love of God, neighbor, and self. Change is happening, equality is possible, and God still sits on the throne!  

Glory to God, Amen. 

Lent is About Discipleship: An Ash Wednesday Reflection - Rev. Juan Huertas

Lent is About Discipleship: An Ash Wednesday Reflection

"Jesus in the French Quarter" © 2012 Todd Rossnagel

This past Sunday I had the great joy of baptizing three month old Jane. It is always an honor to gather people around these important times in their life. As she laid quietly in her mother’s arms I asked her mom to renew her own baptismal promises and to make a covenant to raise Jane into her baptism.

Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness,
reject the evil powers of this world,
and repent of your sin?

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you
to resist evil, injustice, and oppression
in whatever forms they present themselves?

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior,
put your whole trust in his grace,
and promise to serve him as your Lord,
in union with the Church which Christ has opened
to people of all ages, nations, and races?

(The United Methodist Hymnal, p 34)

Living into these promises takes the community into which we have been initiated and it takes intentionality and a constant rehearsal of what these promises mean. After all renouncing, rejecting, and repenting takes the continued work of the Spirit in us, accepting, resisting and confessing requires the same.

So as I poured water upon her head I wondered if we ourselves recognized the magnitude of what was happening here? As we welcomed another into our community of the baptized, did we see it as an entrance into the community of those who have made covenant to the Lordship of Christ, to the way of sanctification?

Each time I begin ministry with a new congregation I am thankful for the season of Lent. Here in Louisiana it is common for many to give something up, chocolate, cokes, alcohol . . . As I enter these new spaces I remind the community of something that has transformed my own Lenten journey: Lent is not primarily about giving up instead, at its core, is about discipleship, about those who are preparing to make baptismal vows and our renewal of those vows in light of Easter.

This Lenten season I am thinking about Jane, about how we as a community of believers will model for her the meaning of what John Wesley called Christian perfection, our journey towards a fully sanctified life.  How do we help one another open ourselves to the work of God’s Spirit in sanctification? How do we allow our worship, our devotional life, our service to the world shape our souls into reconciling love? How do we grow into justice seeking, forgiveness, and radical hospitality?

So it begins today, with our recognition of our humanity and our need for divine grace. It begins with God’s invitation to change our hearts and life, to turn from sin and death, and believe the good news. It begins with our gathering as God’s people and the mark of our baptism being made visible.

Here we go again Jane, your family is about to begin a journey we’ll take together for the rest of our lives. A journey into the promise of our constant conversion, our perfection in love, our sanctification, the Risen Lord made evident in us, for the life of the world!

Let us observe our Lent thus, giving our sufferings, our bloodshed, our sorrow the same value that Christ gave to his own condition of poverty, oppression, abandonment, and injustice. Let us change all that into the cross of salvation that redeems the world and our people. And with hatred for none, let us be converted and share both joys and material aids, in our poverty, with those who may be even needier.

- Archbishop Oscar Romero

Lenten Journey - Feb. 29

^{1 Samuel 3:1-11}

¹ The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

 ² One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then the LORD called Samuel.

   Samuel answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

 ⁶ Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

 ⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

 ⁸ A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

 ¹⁰ The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

   Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

 ¹¹ And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.

Don't you hate that feeling when you are walking in a crowded place and someone calls your name but you can't find the person? Or how about when your all alone and you hear your name but when you look around no one is there? I hate that feeling. It actually happened to me yesterday as I was walking back to my car from class. Someone called out "hey, Austin" but as I turned to look among the cars I couldn't find anyone. Creepy feeling isn't it?

I imagine Samuel felt the same way when God spoke to him but he couldn't find God. Samuel thought it was Eli but Eli was sleeping. Finally after Samuel woke him up three times Eli realized what was happening. He told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." So, Samuel did as Eli had told him to do and there before him was God speaking to him. 

I know I miss the voice the God all the time. I get caught up in all my STUFF and I fail to hear God speaking over and over again directly to me! Have you ever just stopped and realized how busy you are? When is the last time you sat in complete silence with no outside "noise?" 

Last Wednesday night I found myself in the inner depths of the Earth's core. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Our Mission Team journeyed down into a cave on the Island of Eluethera, The Bahamas exploring an underground cave where stalactites and stalagmites were our general surroundings. We came to this open cavern after trekking half an hour. It was probably 40X40X40...so pretty big. The cavern was filled with huge rocks where if you stood on them it was similar to that scene in the Lion King ...you know what I'm talking about. You were the King of the World!!! After we all calmed down we decided to turn off all the lights and sit in complete silence. It was completely silent with the darkest dark surrounding you that you will ever experience. It was wonderful. Most of the girls didn't like it, though. It was enlightening to me how uncomfortable those moments were. Notice I said moments, because most people simply couldn't handle it, and they broke the silence with laughter, screams or silent sobs! I wish I could have those moments more often. Moments where nothing could interrupt the silence. Maybe then would I start listening for the voice of God and not listening to the "noise" in my life. 

For Lent, I am walking with God through the wilderness of thanksgiving. I want to live in a season where I am honest with myself about all the things I have been blessed with. I want to live in a season where I am humbly seeking God's face and His plan for my life. It's in the moments where I can be completely silent, observing all that is around me, is where I meet God. 

The hardest part is the listening and the silence....

I've been living my life similar to Samuel. I've been focusing on all the wrong things, missing God when he speaks to me. God has been calling my name over and over again, yet I am completely caught up in my own life that I have failed to get caught up in the life God wants me to live. 

Over the past few weeks God has been making Himself known to me over and over again because I am living in a season of expectancy. I don't want to be surprised by God, I want to KNOW that God is speaking to me, will speak to me and has spoken to me. God's hands are at work all around me and I pray that I will take the time to stop, listen, notice and hear the still, small voice of God.

Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening. 

The Season of Lent

Lent is my favorite season of the Church. It is a time where we get to walk 40 days in the wilderness with Jesus. It's a time where we can begin to look inward and devote ourselves to a new life in Christ. It's a time to be content with our "wilderness," walking towards our "Easter(s)."

Although this is my favorite season I get really frustrated with how some people treat this holy time. We all know the routine question during lent: "What are you giving up?" {Routine} <- For me, routine shouldn't be a word associated with Lent. Sadly enough, this has been the case for most. We see lent as a time for giving up something. Over the past few years I haven't given anything up simply because I didn't feel my "thing" I was giving up was very sincere. I had to ask myself, "Why are you giving this up?" Was I being sincere? Was my "thing" I was giving up honest, sincere or honorable to God? Was this really going to be an humble wilderness experience for me?

Saturday as I was riding back from DFW International Airport on our return trip from the Bahamas where we served a week in service to the people of the Island of Eluethera I began to think inwardly about my experience there and my life at home. My heart became heavy. These people live with so little compared to my dazzling life. I have so much STUFF and yet I am never content. These people live modest lives knowing that the next hurricane is just a few months away where devastating winds and rain will simply take more away, yet they live content with what they are blessed with.

Shame on me. Shame on us. I think I'm starting to realize what my wilderness needs to be this Lent.

I want to devote myself to be aware of my surroundings. I want to live in a wilderness of thankfulness everyday for things that come so easy to me. I want to walk with Jesus through my wilderness where I will truly commit myself to living a more holy life.

So, let me ask you:

What will your wilderness be?

Will your wilderness be sincere and honorable to God?

Why are you doing this? What are your motives?

And finally the most important question, What do you want your Easter to look like?

I pray that God find you this season in a spirit of humble submission to the Will of God. I pray that you will be convicted in your daily life to notice the little things. I pray that you are truly looking inward and living in a season of wilderness, walking with the God who calls us to a higher life than than the life we live daily.

Psalm 51

 ¹ Have mercy on me, O God, 

   according to your unfailing love; 

according to your great compassion 

   blot out my transgressions. 

² Wash away all my iniquity 

   and cleanse me from my sin.

 ³ For I know my transgressions, 

   and my sin is always before me. 

⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned 

   and done what is evil in your sight; 

so you are right in your verdict 

   and justified when you judge. 

⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth, 

   sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 

⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; 

   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

 ⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; 

   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness; 

   let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 

⁹ Hide your face from my sins 

   and blot out all my iniquity.

 ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God, 

   and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence 

   or take your Holy Spirit from me. 

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation 

   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, 

   so that sinners will turn back to you. 

¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, 

   you who are God my Savior, 

   and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 

¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord, 

   and my mouth will declare your praise. 

¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; 

   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 

¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is^[b] a broken spirit; 

   a broken and contrite heart 

   you, God, will not despise.

 ¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion, 

   to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 

¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, 

   in burnt offerings offered whole; 

   then bulls will be offered on your altar.

"Blessings Through the Tears"

"'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights 
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise..."

Have you ever broke an ornament or a candle holder and glued it back together? Have you ever dropped it again and it broke in the exact same place? It seems that fractures and cracks in our lives are the easiest places to feel hurt, pain, and despair. These places are hard to heal. They are hard to keep from breaking open again. 

Recently I have felt a void becoming apparent in my life. I have been missing something spiritually. I'm not quite sure what it was but I knew it was there. Over the past few weeks I have been out of town and I haven't been able to worship at my church and I was finding myself empty. I wasn't receiving the meaningful worship I needed to make it through my own trials and sufferings. It was a struggle just to make it through the week. I don't know if you've ever had this experience, but I find myself being aware of this...which I think is weird...but that's another story. 

I think most people know when they need one of those spiritual experiences....

Today, I needed one. 

It's been a tough few days, yesterday was especially hard. I found one of my broken places being torn open again. I needed to find God somewhere, anywhere! I was yearning to know His presence once again. 

This was the first week I have been back for worship at Noel since before Christmas. As Sunday School was nearing its end I really starting thinking about the service I wanted to attend. At Noel, we have two services that begin at the same time, Traditional and Contemporary. I thought that some good-ole' church hymns was what I needed. Saying the creeds, the Lord's prayer, and the Doxology might do the trick. As I headed for the Sanctuary I realized it was 10:35....Traditional service had already started. Instead of walking in late and trying to find a seat without being noticed I decided to slip into Contemporary which had just began. People were still taking their seats so I found one near the front among our Youth Group. I thought to myself, "I guess this will do, I wish I was in Traditional." 

God works in crazy ways doesn't he?

It turns out the music, people, and message in the contemporary service was just what I needed. The band played a song that has really turned my lousy weekend around and healed the scar that was broken open again this weekend. It was Blessings by Laura Story. 

"What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?" 

Today I realized that through the tears God's grace is ever-present, yearning to make his presence known even in the hard times of life. 

Even though I had a really tough day yesterday with all the emotions of life swirling around, I realized God's promise for my life, "Surely I am with you always...I will never leave you or forsake you..."