Circuitous Journey to God

Moneyball

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000-06:00

I don't watch much TV, but I do watch quite a few movies. Mostly I watch purely for entertainment and escape. Sometimes I watch documentaries or other movies for their educational value. Sometimes, I run across a pleasant surprise. "Moneyball" starring Brad Pitt is one of those surprises. This movie is an absolute joy for baseball fans, but hidden underneath are lessons about leadership and family that sneak up on the unsuspecting viewer to provoke thought long after the cheering has ended.Without spoiling the movie, Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) is the General Manager of the Oakland A's. He finds himself in the dilemma of trying to field a competitive team against others who have much more money to buy the best talent. Armed with the insights of a recent Yale graduate, Peter Brand, (the only fictional significant character in the movie) Beane begins to confound conventional baseball knowledge with his trades and signings of new players. The old school reacted the way the old school always does: *Anger: There are several scenes where the older scouts vilify Bean and Brand for decisions with which they disagree. *Ad Hominem attacks: When all else fails, opponents pointed out that Bean washed out as a big leaguer and that Bean had never played the game. *Backbiting: After parting ways, the opposition spoke loudly against Bean on radio and in other outlets.Beane persevered through all the interpersonal difficulty, but then also had to face the dark moments of failure and doubt that come when charting new courses or taking new approaches to problems. Anyone who has ever pushed a new idea in the face of loud opposition will identify with the trials he experiences. Perhaps most difficult are the conversations with children who are asking questions based upon the nasty things they're hearing about their parent. How could people hate and disrespect the one they love so much? On the other hand, how does a person under that kind of scrutiny provide stability and safety for his children?Why would a preacher identify with what Billy Beane experienced in Oakland? Hmmmm.... :)I also enjoyed the scenes with Beane and his ex-wife and daughter. Although perhaps for comic value, and I make no assumption about the real life scenario, the interplay between Beane and his ex-wife's new husband demonstrated the challenges blended families face. When Beane listens to his daughter sing a song she composed, you can see him fighting back tears not only for its musical quality, but mostly because of the lyrics. I won't spoil the ending of the movie, but suffice to say, I think that little song made a big impact on Beane.So it's worth it! Watch it for the baseball, ponder it for its lessons on family and leadership.Grace & Shalom,Steve Kenney

Creator God

2012-01-06T11:07:00.001-06:00

It is not just God's history to be a creator; it is his nature. He not only creates objects and processes. By that I mean that every baby born is rightly seen as a creation of God even though scientists could explain the processes of meiosis and subsequent birth without ever referencing the ultimate creator standing behind that process. God is rightly seen as creator because God created the process. God's creation continues. The ships used by Christopher Columbus are diminutive, in part because the men of 1492 did not stand as tall as they do today. Where a 5 foot tall man might not have been rare, today a 6 foot tall man draws little attention. Creation moves on. There are new breeds of cattle, new hybrids of plants. The earth is being continually reshaped by the movement of tectonic plates and the steady eruptions of volcanoes. Stars are being born and dying. The universe is expanding. God's creative activity never stops! And yes, it is most amazingly seen when he takes a cold dead human heart and indwells it with his own spirit. Grace & Shalom,Steve Kenney

Leaf Blower Theology

2011-12-09T09:08:00.001-06:00

We're having car trouble lately, so bad that I needed to requisition our son's Daewoo from his campus in Berea Kentucky. Needless to say, I'm sensitive to treating the car right. When I drive I'm listening for noises to make sure I fix anything that might begin to go wrong. Yesterday as I drove into the church's parking lot, the car began to make a strange sound. I pulled into a parking spot, put the car in park and sat quietly to listen to this alarming sound. I turned the radio off so I could hear the sound better. It was a high pitched whining type sound out of step with the idle speed of the engine. I could hear that it came generally from the front of the car so I was thinking "engine" instead of "power train," especially since I had only very recently heard the sound. I stepped on the gas and the sound became harder to distinguish but did not go away. I put it in drive and then reverse with no apparent change. Completely puzzled, I shut off the engine only to hear the strange sound continue. It was our neighbor's leaf blower!I realized that this is a parable. How many times do I hear something that I think is coming from scripture, but it's actually coming from another place? How many times do I read parables and hear a message not from God, but from my surrounding culture? I read a book recently where the author discussed some of the amazing grace parables of Jesus and saw instead that Jesus was defending free market capitalism. Since I was not in the same car that author was in, I was able to see that he was confusing a leaf blower for an engine sound. Where are my leaf blowers? Where are the aspects of my belief that I think came direct from God and/or Scripture, but in actuality came from the Laings Church of Christ at best or the surrounding American culture at worst?I'm concerned that we do not always distinguish engine sounds from leaf blowers. It is chilling to listen to "after church" conversations and realize that much of what we focus upon was whatever Fox focused on last week. Our passions are stirred not by the cross, but by whatever we've been told to be outraged by. (and is outrage really the best Christian response anyway?) We mean well, we want to take the best care of the car we can, but are we hearing clearly?May God grant us the wisdom and discretion to hear his voice above all others. May he grant us filters to recognize when we're being distracted by leaf blowers.Grace & Shalom,Steve Kenney

Too Ungrateful to Believe?

2011-11-28T14:03:00.001-06:00

"Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves." -- Henry Ward BeecherA person who cannot or will not be thankful will struggle with belief. The posture of thanksgiving is the place where belief and obedience can begin. It is only when we realize we have been given gifts that can never be repaid that we begin to truly contemplate the great giver. We do not think of God when we receive what we have earned; we think of him only when we think we have received much less or when we realize we have received much more. At those times when i believe I have been treated unfairly be life, I begin to question and doubt God, but at least at that point, I'm engaging God. My cries may go unanswered, but something inside of me begins to whisper that they have not gone unheard. Like Job, I may need to repent of my thoughts and actions once God breaks through, but at least I will have been thinking about the big issues. Good questions tend to be asked, but they tend to be asked from a position of pride and assumed privilege, which at its core will block deeper understanding. As long as we insist on what we deserve, we will struggle with faith.At other times, I realize I have been given more than I deserve. I've been saved from disaster, given a wife I don't deserve, given children who surpass their raising. From this position humility flows naturally. At times we might even feel embarrassed by our gifts. G.K. Chesterton summed this up nicely in his poem "Evening"“Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands and the great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?”Paul spoke of humans who see God's creation, but refuse to honor him as God or "give him thanks" in Romans 1:21. He goes on to point out that as a consequence, their thinking ends in futility and their misguided minds are plunged into darkness.Could it be that one of the first steps to a deeper understanding and belief is simply to be thankful for what we have already been given?Grace & Shalom,Steve Kenney

The Jesus Mission by Steven K. Scott

2011-11-21T11:10:00.001-06:00

The cover to this book states "Christ completed 27 missions while on earth. Take up the 4 He assigned to you." One should probably not be surprised when such promised mathematical precision fails to materialize. In fact, if the mindset of "list making" does not appeal to you, you should not attempt to read this book. The tagline for the book is not revealed until much later. After finally seeing the 27 missions and the 4 tasks, one is left with that feeling one has after listening to a salesman list the 13 reasons this product is superior, or the feeling one has after watching an infomercial for ginsu knives. It has the flavor of a lover charting out 21 reasons why his lover should marry him, followed with a pie chart of the 4 responses he hopes she will return. The whole project is too neat times 27. Amazingly enough, this book purporting to be centered on Jesus rises to a climax which decries the "Santa Claus" Jesus and the "liberal socialist" Jesus. If you think Bill O'Reilly has slipped in, you would not be far off. With a passing nod to O'Reilly, we hear that the ancient parables of Jesus about grace were actually capitalistic manifestos from the lips of free market Jesus, whose driving concern was apparently to anticipate Barack Obama and ensure that corporate profits not be redistributed in any kind of progressive taxation scheme. After derogatory characterization of any sincere Christian who believes these parables of grace are most ironically misread as envoys of laissez faire capitalism, he boldly pronounces that Jesus is his political possession by declaring "Jesus and the liberals are on opposite ends of the spectrum." There is no serious discussion of Jesus' teachings on the Christian response to taxation or other political responsibilities, only a complete wresting of parables from context.Come to think of it, I should not have been surprised. Reducing the story of Jesus to a list, no matter how well-intentioned, cannot fail to violate context. The story of Jesus is the context. It is not just wrapping which we must discard on our way to principles. Such a euclidean Jesus is a caricature of the living vibrant Word we read about in scripture. The project is flawed.That having been said, the book is filled with wonderful anecdotes and illustrations and provides much in the line of "Chicken Soup for the Soul." Some of the author's life experiences are truly inspiring. While the overall project of reducing the vibrant message of Jesus to a series of checklists ultimately fails, I do not believe anyone else attempting to reduce the message of Jesus to a laminated checklist would do any better."I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"

Seeing God in Preaching

2011-10-10T13:03:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday I spoke about the goal of preaching: to see God. Many fine but lesser objects may be substituted, including gaining Bible knowledge or teaching morality, but the highest goal is to gain an appreciation of God. Even exposition of God's word should be done with a view that Scripture if the window through which we see God, and it is not itself the object of our study. Instead Scripture is a tool of our study - a tool which the Spirit of God uses to grant us awareness of God. I ran across this quote today:"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts." ... A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God [1948], p.9. The idea that God yearns to meet us in the preaching moment is an awesome and humbling thought. May we listen and speak faithfully as God draws us increasingly deeper into his life.Grace & Peace,Steve Kenney

Osama bin Laden

2011-05-02T01:17:00.004-05:00

We have heard tonight that Osama bin Laden has been killed by US troops in Pakistan. If anyone deserved to die for his sins, it was certainly bin Laden. As a US citizen, I am relieved to know that one of our national enemies has been removed.

My relief is short-lived however, because I am more than an US citizen; I am a Christian. As a Christian, I echo the heart of God and take no delight in the death of the wicked. Consider Ezekiel 18:23 - "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

It is tragic when religious fervor justifies ruthless brutality. The tragedy increases when the sins of such an individual rise to the level that it results in death to others and to himself. God mourns the entire cycle of murder and revenge. As a Christian, I also yearn for the day when that mad cycle is over. Rest assured, evil will not die with bin Laden. We will continue to mourn the sad condition of this world until Christ finally calls it to a close and squares all accounts with either justice or mercy. In the meantime, I find it difficult to celebrate the end of one who has received the just end of his sins. I take no delight in such punishment, albeit deserved.

May God's kingdom arrive on earth in the fullness it is experienced in heaven.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Belief Seeking Understanding

2011-04-16T07:08:00.001-05:00

"For I seek not to understand in order that I may believe; but I believe in order that I may understand, for I believe for this reason: that unless I believe, I cannot understand." -- Anselm of Canterbury

As one who has struggled with the incredible story of Jesus, I cast my vote with Anselm and with others like Pascal who teach us that Jesus will never been understood in the abstract, but only in the living. He is not understood at a comfortable distance, but only in close communion. The view from a distance is only enough to entice us or even to haunt us. We see Jesus as an amazing teacher, or perhaps as "a" son of God who embodies the will of God better than any other human, yet the idea of an incarnated God offends our intellect and extends our imagination to the breaking point. From a distance, he looks like a great man, in fact like the greatest man.

But when we step into faith our vision focuses. When we stand in the midst of his community, we find ourselves confessing with the saints of all ages words we never thought we could say and mean. We find ourselves mouthing "worthy is the lamb." We fall down and say "My Lord and my God."

Now if you're on the outside watching us do that, and hearing us say these things, I want you to know that I understand your reactions. It seems we are a gullible sort. It seems we possess faith that no thinking person could ever hold. I am not offended that you react this way. I only wish you would step into the life of faith and see for yourself that Jesus is the unique Son of God, because it takes belief to truly understand.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

My Developing Views on "Calling"

2010-11-10T00:15:00.003-06:00

"If you quote me, date me." I've heard that from so many wise people, most recently Mike Clemens in Juneau Alaska, that I don't know who to credit. Anyway, here's my most recent thinking on "calling." Since it is a subject where I continue to think and adapt my views, please date this entry "November 10, 2010 at 12:17 a.m."

:)
Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

1
I do not believe the Bible teaches a call to ministry as such. The Hebrew Scriptures describe an inherited priesthood through the lineage of Aaron. Prophets, on the other hand, are given a burden from the Lord and then speak the word of the Lord to the people. That prophetic call is fulfilled at various times in the royal court, a cultic realm, the marketplace, or even outside the borders of Israel. The rise of the synagogue brought a new kind of leadership. Of course there are no scriptural descriptions of how those leaders were chosen, but it appears to have been a somewhat democratic process.

In the New Testament, I see the concept of call falling into three general and somewhat overlapping categories. The first one pertains to the twelve apostles. The gospels paint Jesus as clearly and specifically calling each of these men. Later, Paul will experience this same divine calling to the specific task of apostleship.

Secondly, there are numerous passages in the New Testament that describe calling as a salvation act. (e.g. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13); “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39); “…to call people from among all the Gentiles…” “…who are called to belong to Jesus Christ..” “..called to be saints..” (Romans 1:5,6,7))

A third category speaks to God calling his people to an ethical life. (e.g. “..called to be holy..” (1 Corinthians 1:2); “God has called us to live in peace.” (I Corinthians 7:15); “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1); “God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7); “…called us to a holy life…” (2 Timothy 1:9)

The last two categories overlap significantly, often making ethical demands based upon implicit salvation assertions. The first category appears similar to the prophetic calls of the Hebrew Scriptures. Any analogy to a modern day clergy/minister seems forced and unconvincing to me. In my opinion, the modern day analogue to our clergy/minister positions is found in the synagogue, not in priestly or prophetic traditions.

To summarize, I do not believe that the scriptural examples of special calls for prophets and apostles form a paradigm for contemporary ministry, thus there should be no requirement for a specific call experience for one to be a minister in a local church. Instead, I analyze “call” under the general rubric of the Holy Spirit’s gifting and organizing the church.

I do not clarify the scriptural origins of call in an attempt to invalidate anyone’s personal sense of calling, but instead I clarify to offer legitimacy to the ministry of those who, like me, identify an objective giftedness and a subjective sense of urgency to ministry, in an understanding of giftedness and the mysterious work of the Holy Spirit, not in the specific and at times dramatic call stories of characters like Amos, Jeremiah, Jonah, Matthew, or Paul. I believe this clarification is helpful to all those sincere people who feel a compulsion for ministry, yet cannot relate a “Damascus road experience.” Many of these people have been gifted by God to lead his people, but are sadly caused to question their own legitimacy solely because they do not have a dramatic vision or discrete life experience which demonstrates their call. Their giftedness leads them to experience a certain urging toward ministry which at times they may label as a “call” but which upon closer examination, pales in comparison to that of Isaiah, Elijah, or Paul. The perceived need to have such a story causes such ones to doubt the gift that has been vested in them, and in communities which require dramatic call experiences, divests them of leadership legitimacy.

2
I have chosen to be a minister because in many ways, I cannot stop doing it. Frederick Buechner’s quote resonates with me: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." I find great satisfaction and deep joy in ministering to a congregation of God’s people. I am most drawn to the teaching side of ministry, but enjoy counseling and visiting as well. My deepest satisfaction comes with observing Christ growing in the hearts of others and realizing that I had some involvement in that change. I am inextricably drawn to ministry.

Not only do I have a subjective desire to minister, but I believe I have been gifted for some form of ministry. From my earliest memories, I have been a verbal person. My grandmother taught me poetry before I knew how to read. My school teachers all encouraged me to be a lawyer. Although the educational system constantly pushed me to law, I have always experienced an inner urging toward ministry. Even the horror stories of my two minister uncles did not deter me, nor my mother’s constant wish that I would avoid the paid ministry and stay in the more stable and sometimes less stressful field of law. I believe I have been shaped for ministry.

Finally, I receive affirmation from spiritual people. At times I have taken a step back from ministry, but that has never lasted long. Without exception I have been approached by people to ask me to be involved in a more public way. While I have not always initially welcomed those invitations, I have never regretted the decision to step forward once initial adjustments have been made. I believe their encouragement to me as a minister validates and confirms my subjective analysis.

3
Clarity is emerging as to what kind of minister I should be. Initially I pictured myself as a country parson. I hoped to preach in a rural community and do some writing on the side. Then I became interested in academia, but have not finished the required degrees to be considered for teaching, although I have adjuncted before in Business Law. I would still welcome the opportunity to be involved in the lives of young people in an academic setting. I wonder at times if my niche is campus ministry, due to my desire to be around bright inquisitive people, my affinity for and comfort level with postmodern thinking, and my willingness to not only teach classes, but form relationships with college students.

On the other hand, I love the pulpit. I am not a classical preacher, in that my sermons are “too long” and at times use “too many big words” and are not delivered in a typical sermonic style. Even so, the church where I preach celebrates the messages, and views my weaknesses as mere quirks. I love sermon and class preparation and organizing our small groups. I continue to wonder where I can best serve. I am currently in a small church in a small town, but am wondering if I would be better suited in a college type town in a more northern setting. Wherever I find myself, I will be using my natural verbal inclination to minister in the pulpit, small groups, and perhaps in a college setting.

Dorothy Wilson RIP

2010-11-09T14:56:00.004-06:00

This entry may explain a bit why I call my blog "Circuitous Journey to God."

I grew up in a rural Monroe County Ohio. My family attended the Laings Church of Christ. My best male friends all attended that church. One of them was my cousin, Tom Jones. Tom came from a strong loving family consisting of his parents, Charles and Elsie, and his older sister Dorothy.

Tom went to work right out of high school, even though he was clearly bright enough to pursue advanced education. One week, he and I went to Nashville. It was the first "big trip" for Tom and he had an outstanding time. We went to 3 Nashville Sounds baseball games and enjoyed a week of hospitality with Tom and Holly Lavender. We traveled back to Monroe County on a Saturday.

The next Sunday was Father's Day, 1981. I traveled to Caldwell Ohio to preach for a church over there. That afternoon and evening, severe thunderstorms including tornados swept through our area. Back home in Monroe County, the storm was severe enough that Sunday evening church services were canceled. When I came home from Caldwell, Tom & Dorothy and several other of my friends had gathered at my house. The party was breaking up by the time I got there. We went outside where Tom and I set off my fireworks we had bought in Tennessee. Everyone then left.

I hung around outside for a few minutes. All of a sudden, I heard a horrific crash. I had been in a car wreck myself, so I recognized the sound. Immediately I got into my volkswagen and headed down the road to see what had happened. I didn't see anything. I made it all the way a mile down the road to our neighbors' house and saw nothing. I guessed I was just jumpy. I guessed something connected with a dark memory I had and made me believe I had heard Tom & Dorothy in a wreck. I went home.

About an hour later, Elsie called. She told me that Tom & Dorothy weren't home yet and she was concerned. They only lived 6 miles away, so they definitely should have been home. An icy chill spread down my spine, out my arms, and through my guts. I knew that my ears had not deceived me. Instead, I began practicing deception. I told her that they hadn't actually left that long ago, but that I would trace their route to be sure all was fine.

Before I could leave the house, another friend called me. Not wanting to explain my fears, I tried to shake off the call. I ended up being rude to him to get off the phone. By then my dad was noticing my strange behavior, so he questioned me about my rude behavior. I quickly told him what I suspected. He said he would go with me. We got into our 4WD Ford pickup and headed down the road.

The storm had blown a lot of leaves down. Branches were strewn all over the road, but a quarter mile down the road, I saw a different branch. I saw a dead branch laying across the road, not one with leaves. Why it drew my eyes, I will never know. There were so many others, but this one caught my eye. I looked up to see the tree it fell from, then followed that tree's trunk to the ground. On a mildly banking curve, and below the typical sight line of traffic, I saw a huge gash in the side of the tree. The bark was completely exposed as if it had been suctioned off by a giant predator. Beside that tree, I saw Tom's demolished truck.

My Dad called for me not to go down, but I was already down the hill. I went to Tom's side of the truck and saw he had obviously been killed on impact, an impression confirmed by all responders and by the funeral home directors. I went around the truck where I expected to find Dorothy in no better shape. In truth, she really wasn't in much better shape, but she was alive. She was horribly trapped, but she recognized me right away. She started saying "I knew you would find us! I knew you would find us!" Then she began to worry that she was unable to rouse Tom. She would try to shake him without response. I told her we needed to pray. She began calling out "Oh God!" But that was the extent of her prayer.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." (Romans 8:26 New International Version)

We continued to pray saying no more than "Oh God!" I thought I was staying with Dorothy and praying with her until she died, but she did not die. Eventually she was taken to a hospital where she stayed in ICU for quite some time. Not only was her life spared, in my opinion, as an answer to the Spirit's prayers that night, but she met a man who became her life partner. I'm not saying they didn't know each other before this incident, but I am convinced that Tim rose to a place of importance in her life that their marriage became the only possible next step to this story! They raised a family together, and shared life from that horrible day in 1981 until she died from cancer this past weekend.

It has always bothered me that Dorothy may have thought I deserved some kind of credit for finding her. The truth is, I should have found her the first time, but I didn't. I drove right by, convincing myself that I was being melodramatic. My lack of certainty in what I KNEW I had heard, left her lying there in horrible pain for at least another hour. To the extent that she felt anything like gratitude toward me, I feel like a deceiver.

We saw each other from time to time after all this, but we never really talked. I didn't want to dwell on that night, and I'm sure she didn't either. I know that if I told her these things she would say "you did the best you could" and I suppose in many ways, she'd be right. I thank God that Dorothy survived and that she had many years as a wife and mother. I'm thankful for her family that survives her.

I'm even thankful for the journey that began that night. Even though I had been at a church that very day preaching, I was speaking of a God I had merely heard rumors of throughout my life. I first felt the presence of God surrounded by the macabre sights, nauseating smells, and chilling sounds of that night. God was no longer a proposition to me; he was a presence. Where tragedy might make some people question whether God exists, it actually had the opposite effect on me. It made me realize his reality. I understood God less after that, but believed in him more. To this day, I am turned off by the simple explanations offered by some Christians as to why bad things happen to people, but my questions pertain to how and why God does what he does, not to whether or not he is real.

I've had other tough times in life. Even now I have struggles that cause me true heartache. My passion for God has driven me into service in his church, where I have been introduced to higher concentrations of more uncaring people than I have found anywhere else. It would be easier to stay away. But the love of God and my firm conviction in his reality compels me to try to share even when my "differences" draw me into sharp conflict. In fact there are times when I repeat the prayer Dorothy and I learned together, "Oh God!" and I realize that the Spirit of God speaks the words I could never speak.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Calling

2010-09-27T10:30:00.002-05:00

"The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work that you need most to do and that the world most needs to have done...The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
-- Frederick Buechner's "Wishful Thinking"

Why do you do what you do? For the money? the prestige? Did you choose your profession to please your parents? to meet girls? My best wish for you is that you can know that your time is spent at the intersection of your great joy and the world's need.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Perichoresis

2010-09-18T20:56:00.002-05:00

I love this poem. It refers to the word that eastern Christians believe describes what western Christians call "the trinity." It pictures the way the personalities of God interact with each other, completely a part of one another, yet retaining complete individuality. If you see the hint that the last part of the word reminds you of "choreography" you'll understand the allusions to dance.

Then, since we are called to be partakers of the divine nature, it can truly be said that we are called to learn to dance with God.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Perichoresis

O elegant and gentle Leader of the dance,
we do not know the meaning of each step
nor how to rightly turn this way or hold this pose.
Each spinning step or angled movement's twist
does sometimes give us vertigo here where we stand;
this mystery of how the rhythm's pulse
and how the music's lilt are tuned to only You
has caught us up, and we are overwhelmed.

O grace-filled, grace-bestowing Leader of the dance,
please teach me how to twirl and how to move;
please teach me how the song pervades each dancer's form,
these dancers who have learned to dance with You
throughout the ages of the song, the holy song
You sang in ages past to Abraham,
to Isaac and to Jacob and his Hebrew seed:
Now sing to me and give me, too, this life.

O Leader of the dance, this perfect partnership
of Leader and of led, of God and man,
this Incarnation's holy dance we see in You,
You now invite us to accompany.
This awesome dance, a truly cosmic synergy,
the interpenetration of us men
with Deity -- with Trinity! -- the universe
beholds and stands amazed and bows its head.

O holy Leader of this cosmic circling dance,
the union of both man and God is here
and imaged in the holy mystery of life
conjoined, a woman and a man conjoined.
He takes Your role as gentle leader, she as Church,
she follows him, and he must die for her;
their dance together joins the dance eternal now,
and in that human dance we see our God.

O Holy Trinity, Your dance eternal now
descends on us and consecrates our own,
the revelation here as Body and as Blood;
herein we taste the God become a man,
and men become as gods as David prophesied.
The Trinitarian rhythm has become
our own, to guide our dance, to grasp our hands and lead
us in the dance of stillness perfectly.

Copyright © 2004 by Andrew Stephen Damick

Prayer for Safety

2010-08-01T13:33:00.003-05:00

Faith does not allow itself to be limited by fear. The apostles braved persecution of all kinds to advance the Kingdom of God. In my own life, however, I am struck by how often I pray for safety. My overriding concern for myself and my family is that nothing bad happen to us. Contrast that with Paul who when faced with grave physical danger would pray for boldness and for an open door for the gospel. How would my life look different if I learned to pray for boldness and open doors rather than safety? What if I went into conflict and controversy not worried with whether I will survive or be understood, but with whether I will hold up under the test in a way that brings glory to God?

What would I be doing differently today for God if I were not afraid?

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

No computer!

2010-06-05T17:19:00.005-05:00

Now I know it seems silly to claim I have no computer since I'm typing on one now, but what I mean is that my laptop has momentarily died. By "momentary" I mean, I do not know when it will revive again. I cannot get to my sermon notes. I cannot use it tomorrow to record the sermon. In short, I feel hampered tremendously because I do not have my laptop!

What would Jesus do? Some might assume he would simply speak life to it: "Dell, arise!" But I suspect that he would no sooner use his powers to heal his laptop than he would use them to turn stones to bread. Instead, I imagine his ministry would continue unimpeded because his ministry was powered not by Dell, but by the Holy Spirit.

Ah, so can I proceed unimpeded? or am I addicted to the bells and whistles of modern technological life such that I will find the need to apologize tomorrow for the lack of Dell's imprint on my class and sermon? This is not as obvious an answer as one might wish....

But it does cause me to reflect. As silly as my conundrum might appear to be, many churches today minister only through programs. Without a program, organized by staff, blessed by elders, and peopled by volunteers following the program rules, ministry would not happen. If all the programs were gone, would we know what Jesus calls us to do? Let's remember that he calls us to mission, not programs. Therefore, let's not confuse

Vacation Bible School with reaching and loving the community;
Sunday school with educating our children;
a monthly potluck with true fellowship;
a slick ten minute cracker & grape juice with true communion;
our Sunday offering with a generous heart;
money to missions with a heart for the world;
listening to prayers with actually praying ourselves;

or any of the other things we do so often when we rely on things that at their best only assist, but at their worst replace, true discipleship.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Proof of faithfulness? or boorishness?

2010-05-11T17:06:00.003-05:00

A good friend writes me that her friend's boyfriend is a member of a Church of Christ which maintains that it is coterminous with the New Testament Church. Her friend has visited this church a few times, but the preaching inevitably devolves into bashing "the denominations" in general and Catholics specifically. It seems more than a coincidence that her friend's background is catholic. My friend questions whether there is some book or some saying I can offer that would help this young man with his sectarian attitude?

That's a tough one. How do you convince someone that his or her attitude is at best abhorrent to evangelism, and at worst, unChristian? It's especially challenging when we recognize that this particular mindset has a built-in defense: the gospel is a sword and the world will resist! So their boorish behavior brings about results they mistakenly label as proof of faithfulness. As sincere as they may be, they have been taught that their harsh stances are in the spirit of Phinehas and of Jesus in the temple. They cite instances of persecution of God's prophets as precedent for their own chilly reception in this culture. While it is true that the world resists God, and that the pure gospel message is a difficult pill for rebellious people, it is also true that our packaging of the product often brings about more resistance than would have otherwise been there. A heart prepared by the Spirit to receive the message could be turned around and off by the harsh attitudes and condemning tones typical of far too much proclamation. Ironically, the shrinking size of many of these churches is seen as evidence of their true faithfulness. After all, if they compromised, they'd grow, right? All who live godly will suffer persecution. True, but it is not ONLY the godly who suffer persecution. Let's be sure that the resistance we meet is to the pure gospel of Jesus, not to the partisan attitudes of his followers.

At first blush I think "yes there IS a good book to read on this issue: the Bible" but many read the Bible, not for self-improvement, but for argument bolstering. I know whereof I speak because I used to be there. So in addition to the Bible, let me recommend a nice introduction to what the Stone Campbell plea was at the time of its origin. I'd recommend "Renewing God's People" by Holloway & Foster. I think it might also be helpful to read "UnChristian" by David Kinnaman. Hopefully that discussion would demonstrate that many are turned off by US, not by the gospel. A focus on what really matters can also be assisted by reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and Simply Christian by N.T. Wright. This helps us insure that any arguments we cannot avoid actually be worthwhile arguments.

May not only our words, but even our manner, be gracious.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Courage

2010-04-28T12:01:00.002-05:00

Jesus said that a person who follows him must be willing to leave family and friends behind. His followers must not concern themselves with whether they save their lives or lose them. In fact, he said we'd be better off to think about the one who could destroy both body and soul rather than to worry about those who could only kill the body. When the early Christians were persecuted to the point of death, John passed on the message of Christ: "Be faithful, don't deny me, even if it costs you your life." (Revelation 2:10)

When I contrast this with how many times I have stayed silent, not to save my life, but to avoid criticism or to ridicule, I am truly shamed. Even in our churches, we fail to speak boldly for Christ more to save faces than to save our lives.

I wonder, what would the world be like if Christians were as bold as Jesus calls us to be? One thing for sure, it takes more courage than I have. I believe it takes more courage than humanly possible. This kind of boldness is the product of the Spirit's work in us. It is evidence of Christ's formation within us. The Spirit of Christ does not make timid followers. Can I truly claim to be his follower if I'm too frightened to move? Lord save us.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

A Perfect Congregation (in my opinion!)

2010-03-21T23:51:00.002-05:00

I realize there is no such thing as a perfect congregation, but if one existed, I think it would look something like this:

A perfect congregation is passionately in love with Jesus and with each other. They are content but not satisfied. They search to grow deeper in God’s grace, moving closer and closer to the center of God’s will, always aware that they have not achieved perfection. To me, a perfect congregation sees itself as a part of God’s grand kingdom, and has an open attitude toward other believers who do not share all our beliefs. The perfect congregation exists to worship God and to do good works. It is a positive, joyful place. It is a place where people smile.

Not everyone agreed with Jesus. Some people even actively opposed him. Some said he was a party animal; some criticized him for not being careful with whom he associated. You could disagree with his reading of the Hebrew Scriptures; you could object to his claims to be God’s son. The one thing that had no traction at all, though, was to say that he was a jerk. In all of the controversy we read, not once do we hear him being accused of being rude or boorish. To me, a perfect church would stand for the truth in a way that gives clear hearing to the truth of God while being consistent with this beautiful attractive winsome nature of Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Power of Darkness

2010-03-16T03:09:00.005-05:00

Why are you coming out to get me in the dark like I'm some kind of criminal? Why did you assemble a SWAT team like I was going to fight you? Why are you treating me like I'm a terrorist? Haven't I been downtown every day? Haven't I been openly teaching in your main worship area? Is there anything I've done that's sneaky or underhanded? Oh, but this is your way, isn't it? You go under the cover of darkness. (see Luke 22:52, 53)

On the Mount of Olives, Jesus exposes a fundamental difference between people truly seeking God and people seeking their own way. It's the litmus test of openness. Jesus is completely transparent. He has no guile. His opponents, however, secretly plot his demise. They find a discontent disciple, and rather than counsel him to be an honorable follower of his rabbi, they capitalize on his malcontent nature. Rather than engage in open discussion, they send verbal assassins to trip him up, and when that fails, they determine to kill him.

This would be awful if it only happened once. Unfortunately, even today, people use the power of darkness. Rather than engage openly and honestly, they twist words, quoting without context, lobbing questions with secret agendas, finding malcontents to form a hit squad. Some even go to the point of having secret meetings with selected few to remove the "troubler of Israel."

Adopt this litmus test: would I do what I'm doing right now if everybody knew what I was doing? If I feel that I need secrecy, why exactly do I need it? Would I say what I'm saying about that person if that person could hear me? The religious assassins of Jesus felt justified in what they did. Perhaps if they'd paused and considered how sneaky they'd become, they'd have realized that something was wrong.

Sign your name to what you do. Speak out loud and in the daytime. If your intentions are good and honorable, this will be no impediment to you.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Job Description for Ministers

2010-01-26T10:59:00.003-06:00

Folks from Fellowship Church, don't be overly alarmed at this, but like all other ministers, I sometimes check the "churches looking" pages on webpages to see what is happening at other churches. Since I am not running for any elected office and do not expect to be invited to speak at any national lectureship, let me go on record as saying that in my opinion, all the churches are missing the point.

Superman is spoken for. The Messiah has already come. We expect him back, but probably not to apply to your pulpit committee. The descriptions listed begin ambitiously and then slip into absurdity. The minister will prepare sermons and classes for each week, follow up on visitors, be involved in the community (?), conduct home Bible studies, teach others to conduct home Bible studies, counsel people in need, visit hospitals and funeral homes, regularly visit all members, meet regularly with the elders, and hold office hours.

This is not the description for the entire church or even just the staff; it is the typical description for one (super?) man!!

gulp.

The saddest part of all is the violence this does to Christ's body. The church exists as the body of Christ in the world. Each member has its function. No one member has EVERY function, just as in our physical bodies, no part has every function. To assign all functions to one body part is to do violence to the body. It is not good for that overworked body part and it is not good for the body as a whole. Such job descriptions show no appreciation for the beauty of God's crafting in the body of Christ.

When the opportunities for benevolence in Jerusalem became daunting, the apostles set up seven helpers to take care of it. Imagine. The apostles, who did not need the study time non-inspired contemporaries need, still needed to focus on "the ministry of the word and prayer." If they needed that much, wouldn't we need more?

I have yet to see a "job description" that appreciates the need for study and prayer. I assume the churches believe this "goes without saying" but in my experience, the things that go without saying end up going without doing. Where's the church that appreciates the need for contemplation? The need for outside reading? Is it any wonder our pulpits are often dry?

I hope before I die to see a revolution in ministerial job descriptions. I hope our language reflects a Christ-centered, father-oriented, Spirit-empowered ministry. Why not set out plainly that the candidate must follow Jesus with all his heart, soul, strength and mind? Why not require this person to spend daily time reading God's word and being alone with him in prayer? Although the ultimate shape of a person's devotional life will be shaped by the dance of the human spirit with God's own spirit, suggested guidelines could be included for devotional reading, Bible reading, prayer, fasting, etc. Would a person so centered be a drain on the pulpit? Need we fear that a pulpit so empowered would be ineffective?

To require our spiritual leaders to be spiritual people would not be inefficient.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Jacob's Spotted Sheep

2010-01-22T09:05:00.002-06:00

In Genesis 30:31ff we read of Jacob's strange plan to exact some revenge from Laban. Laban, his father-in-law, had not dealt honesty with Jacob. When Jacob determined to leave, Laban expressed a desire to give him some parting gifts. Jacob ostensibly refused the parting gifts except he asked to take all the spotted or dark-colored sheep. Laban agreed, probably because most of his sheep were white and this plan would enable him to give gifts to Jacob, but not very many gifts.

Jacob then devised some trickery. "He placed fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink." (Genesis 30:37-38). When the stronger females were in heat he would place the branches in the water; otherwise he would not. This trickery worked. Jacob's flocks increased.

Now we as modern readers who understand Mendelian genetics and meiosis are faced with a dilemma. How could this possibly have worked? Why would wood branches make any difference to the wool coloring of an unborn sheep? Nothing could seem more preposterous to a scientifically trained person. Jacob has devised a plan which simply makes no genetic sense.

One hint is found in Genesis 31. There God tells Jacob: "Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you..." (Genesis 31:12). It seems that Jacob's silly device has been met with God's valid device to build a flock for Jacob. Jacob had no real effective contribution; God was taking care of him. Jacob may have believed his "branches in water" trick was working, but it was God who was at work.

I wonder how many people today who consider themselves "self made" would be amazed to have a conversation with God and find out that their efforts at creating their own future were as futile as branches in water, and that God had been providing for them all the time. I wonder how many Christian people believe that their spiritual welfare is the result of their own efforts, not realizing that all are acts of obedience amount to peeled branches, and that the effective actor is God.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

What is at the Core of Your Faith?

2010-01-06T20:28:00.004-06:00

At the very center of a Christian's faith is the person of Christ. Close to that core, but slightly outside, are the teachings of Christ. It is possible for someone to be impressed with the teachings of Christ and to adopt those teachings as a commendable way of life without actually being sold out to Christ himself. When that happens, the person will live with a certain morality, but in times of great pressure, the hollow core will be exposed, and that individual's faith will be found wanting. As long as stress is low, that will live a moral life, which will look to the outsider like a Christian life, but which lacks the vitality of having Christ at the core.

Similarly, some have a basically conservative view of life. This view is consistent with a basic morality and responsible ethic. This person will be a responsible member of society. He or she will be a good employee, a trustworthy spouse, and a loving parent. The basic conservatism allows this person to fit into society and even be assumed as a Christian. In good times, this person might even attend church services and be known as a faithful member. Unfortunately, this person does not have Christ as the vital core of his or her life.

The Christ-shaped life is radically different than the mere moral or responsible life. It does not merely fit into society or church, it challenges and reforms it. Animated by Christ, it lives a life dedicated to the love of God and neighbor, not simply to conventional morality and ethics. In fact at times, conventional morality and ethics will reject authentic Christianity.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

"Success" at Church

2009-11-02T10:41:00.002-06:00

There is no other success for Christians than to become more Christlike. Even to think of "success" is to open ourselves to idolatry and ego. We think of building bigger churches, having larger assemblies, distributing larger contributions. Especially Americans think "more bigger" is "more better" when in fact we might be called to serve in a season of pruning. Focusing on things like attendance and contribution (an elder once said "I measure success by two things, attendance and
contribution, and both are down...") means we lose our Lord's ability to insist on eating his flesh and drinking his blood, even when it makes the masses leave. As anyone in an institutional church can testify, for many leaders, the highest good is to not rock the boat, to make sure that nothing is said or done in a way that offends anyone. But this view of success makes us timid waiters at a table peopled by finicky customers. We fetch clean forks, raise or lower the thermostat, change the music, and return perfectly good plates of food, all because we are terrified they might choose another restaurant next time.

If we are to truly be successful, we must embrace the cross. We must realize that our success may look to all the world like failure. If we can do that, then perhaps an atmosphere can be fostered that encourages Christlike growth.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney
Russellville KY

The Only Christians

2009-10-19T14:40:00.004-05:00

Francis Bacon once said “It is not what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; not what we preach but what we practice that makes us Christians.

For too long many of us have defined Christians as those who believe certain things, rather than those who behave in certain ways. We've tried to find the one true church based solely upon what their positions were upon certain doctrinal issues, usually the hot topics of the day. The search itself oftentimes led to ugliness.

Perhaps you’ve been discouraged by someone who constantly spouts rivers of orthodoxy while being dry of the milk of human kindness. I hope instead that you’ve met those who have experienced God as love, and even though they might not be able to explain everything they believe or answer every theological question, they live the life of God. Those are the only Christians, and they make up the only church.

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

Keep it short?

2009-09-16T10:53:00.002-05:00

"We discourage the position of those who are impatient of the sermon, who walk out when it comes on, or who paralyse (sic) preachers by a demand for brevity before everything else. I speak of those who do so on the ground that they go to Church to worship God. I should like to say here that in my humble judgment the demand for short sermons on the part of Christian people is one of the most fatal influences at work to destroy preaching in the true sense of the word. How can a man preach if he feel throughout that the people set a watch upon his lips. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but the preacher is not a wit. And those who say they want little sermon because they are there to worship God and not hear man, have not grasped the rudiments of the first idea of Christian worship ... A Christianity of short sermons is a Christianity of short fibre. (sic)" (pp.68-69) P. T. Forsyth, Positive Preaching and the Modern Mind.

I fully recognize that I and other preachers may not be easy to listen to for more than twenty minutes, yet I believe what P.T. Forsyth has said with all my heart. I've never seen a church on fire for the Lord that put a time limit, explicit or otherwise, on the pulpit. I've never seen people who are concerned about seeking deeper discipleship who stare at their watches after a few minutes of the sermon. On the other hand, I have seen churches grow cold and lifeless, all the while holding regular Sunday "preaching services" sometimes for decades.

So which comes first? Does a deep desire for the Lord lead to more tolerance for sermon length? Or does a tolerance for sermon length place a person in the position where their hunger for the Lord can grow? I suspect it's both. Like any form of discipline, it may not be enjoyable at first, but with persistence, the benefits just keep coming.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Disciple v. Christian

2009-09-04T23:54:00.003-05:00

We call ourselves Christian, yet the word is only used 3 times in the New Testament. Far more common is the word "disciple." The shift may be significant. "Christian" implies identity. We might think of one being Christian because of what that person thinks or believes. "Disciple" implies more than just identity. A disciple has an inclination of heart and life. A disciple does not just believe; he or she imitates. Perhaps the shift from disciple to Christian in our speech reflects a shift from action to thought. It may be helpful to remember that Jesus calls for people to follow him much more often than he calls for people to believe in him. While it is possible to conceive someone who intellectual believes but does not do anything, and thus defines self as "Christian," it is much more difficult to imagine someone who follows, but does not believe. By focusing on the active life of the disciple, identity will become self-evident. Discipleship seeks to embrace the cross. Christianity seeks to understand it. Both are good, but I cast my lot with the overwhelming scriptural preference for "disciple."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Tyranny of "Pretty Good"

2009-08-18T10:37:00.003-05:00

We want to grow in deeper discipleship. Yet at times we look back and realize that we have stagnated or even declined in that walk. Why is that?

Oftentimes the answer is that we stagnate and even decline because we had been doing pretty good. When we feel that we're doing well, we will oftentimes become complacent. The athlete who is pleased with his or her early training may take a break instead of pressing even harder. The student who gets a good initial jump on the final research paper may find that it ends up getting set aside until the night before.

As for Christians, it is easy to look at what our lives used to be and become content. If we're not careful, our churches become not centers of passionate people, but enclaves of the content and complacent. What can be harder to motivate than a church or a person who is doing "pretty good"?

Will a church with no declining numbers feel the need to reach out?
Will a church with no recent splits work on unity?
Will a church with a satisfactory number of recognized leaders develop more?
Will a church with fulfilling small groups work on making them outstanding?

Will a Christian who is still progressing feel the need to pick up the pace?

The truth is that the greatest deception many of us will face is the idea that we are doing pretty good, and that God is satisfied with our mid-range efforts. Remember, Paul pictures our "reasonable" sacrifice as being the offer of our very bodies. (Romans 12:1)

"I don't consider myself to have attained or accomplished everything, but instead I press on to the goal of the high calling of God." (Phillippians 3:14)

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Church's Place in the World: Revelation

2009-07-25T17:38:00.003-05:00

Revelation gives us a behind the scenes picture of reality. The powers of this world which look to formidable are exposed as weak and powerless. The rulers are defeated, Satan is crushed. All this is the work of God, yet he involves his people. In Revelation the church is seen as persecuted, praying, and persevering.

Revelation reminds us that the place of the Christian in the world is not in the accepted power centers. In fact, those power centers actually exalt themselves against God. The extreme image is that of a government which demands worship to an idol, but the letter serves to open our eyes to all the other ways that the world demands our allegiance. In this context, the church's unwillingness to compromise full devotion to Christ becomes politically unwieldy. Interestingly, Christians throughout the centuries are seen as not being as patriotic as they ought to be. This results in persecution in one form or another.

What is the church to do when faced with such persecution? The answer is to pray and to persevere, even if it costs us our lives. This is a difficult lesson when all that is required by opposing powers is just a pittance of acknowledgment. "Just say 'Caesar is Lord.' You don't even need to mean it." But a Christian will do no such thing. Even if it costs us our lives, we will not acknowledge a national or worldly power beyond that of Christ.

From the perspective of the world, Revelation teaches us that God's people often look like abused outsiders who have no real impact in the direction of things. From the perspective of heaven, the prayers of the persecuted saints rise up to heaven and effect the full deliverance of God's people.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Church's Place in the World: Good Works

2009-07-25T17:28:00.002-05:00

Without a doubt, we are Christ's body in the world today. Just as God was incarnate (became human) in the person of Jesus Christ, so we today continue that human presence of God in the world by continuing the tasks he valued. One of those tasks was to go about doing good. (Acts 10:38). Many of his miracles were motivated by compassion.

Throughout the ages, his disciples have been characterized as people who do good works. Tabitha, for example, was always doing good and helping the poor. (Acts 9:36). Paul describes us as a people who have been saved precisely so that we can perform good works. In Ephesians 2, Paul emphasizes that we are saved by the gracious acts of God. Having been saved, we exist to do good works, which is the reason God has created us.

Christians are not saved because they do good works; they do good works because they are saved.

May those who come in contact with Christ's people find themselves blessed by the good works those people perform.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Church's Place in the World: Witness

2009-07-23T18:57:00.003-05:00

The church's evangelistic presence in the world is that of witness. This is in contrast to other evangelistic images which do not capture the richness of the church's presence. Those images include apologist or teacher/professor. In these images, the Christian is called to know the answers and to be able to confound opposition. The key qualification for evangelism is knowledge and ability to communicate. The tool is the Bible, properly highlighted and keyed.

I focus on two statements by Luke that I take as paradigmatic:

"...repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Luke 27:47b-48

^"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

The image of witness is more complex. Certainly the witness may at times persuade. The witness may find tools of apologetics useful. Still, the most important qualification for a witness is experience. The witness speaks from what she or he has seen, heard, and touched. The exercise is not merely an academic one, but an experiential one. The Bible is helpful, but the tool is the word incarnated in the life of the witness. Focusing on witness naturally leads us to focus on Christ, who has said that he will draw everyone to him if he is lifted up. Focusing on witness allows the Christian to be comforted by the fact that the convicting is done by the Holy Spirit. The witness simply tells the experience.

In fact, this is exactly what we see in Acts. We see the Holy Spirit leading the mission as it expands from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. At key moments, sometimes subtely, Luke emphasizes that the spread and the success of the mission depended on the Spirit's work, not on human ingenuity.

I hesitate to use a legal analogy, but the analogy of witness works. While a witness inherently tries to convince the jury or judge, a witness who tries too hard to convince looses credibility. The believable witness simply relates his or her testimony and leaves it up to the lawyer (in this case the Holy Spirit) to make the application and the argument to the fact-finder. The pressure is off for results, but the demand is on for a simple telling of God's story.

We are witnesses.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Church's Place in the World: Suffering

2009-07-20T19:19:00.005-05:00

Why did God place his church in this world? What is it supposed to do? What is the meaning of the church? These are some images I think are helpful to understanding why God has placed believers into communities as opposed to just isolated individuals waiting for Jesus to return.

Jesus had a physical body in order to suffer on our behalf. When he returned to God, he left a physical body behind to continue suffering on behalf of others: his church.

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:17
"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." 2 Corinthians 1:5
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings..." Philippians 3:10
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." I Peter 4:13
"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." Colossians 1:24

The image of the cross is key. The church does not reflect Jesus when it lives in ease, but when it endures hardship. The world is not drawn to God by our demonstration of luxury, but by our steadfastness in suffering. Tertullian said "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." Christians would do well not to be shocked by suffering, but to expect it, and to glorify God in it.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Bible Reading

2009-05-09T22:29:00.002-05:00

Alexander Campbell wrote an article on Bible reading that is so outstanding I want to reproduce it here. Let me list what I think are its high points and then encourage you to read his full text.

If God just wanted us to have a rulebook, he would have given it to us. He wants us to wade through the text, to be immersed in it. Just like children who receive large inheritances often do not benefit from the money, so do people who receive an inheritance of orthodoxy fail to appreciate it when it did not arrive as a result of personal pursuit of truth. We read the Bible, not just to capture truth, but to catch the spirit of the book. We read the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible. We read so fervently that at times our reading becomes a dialogue. He speaks in his word and we answer in our hearts. Our reading becomes a devotional conversation because, unlike other books, the author is always present with us as we read this book.

Excellent. Well done, AC! And may I also add that I feel a deep need to defend Alex from those who paint him as an unfeeling rationalist. We "read the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible." Enjoy? Yes, enjoy. Our reading falls into a dialogue? Beyond that, AC says that this happens "almost (u)nconsciously." That sounds almost mystical! It's as if AC was a spiritual man! Indeed he was. He deserves more respect than he receives due to the backlash of what some of his followers have done with his teachings. But I digress....

Without further ado, please read and consider this article from Alexander Campbell as found at http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/mh1839/BIBREAD.HTM

BIBLE READING.

NOTHING is more talked about amongst professors, and nothing is less practised, or indeed less understood, in proportion to its acknowledged importance, than the reading of the Scriptures. The Bible is, upon the whole and in general, in churches, families, and closets, a neglected book. It is, indeed, occasionally and statedly read in many churches and in many families; but it is not read rationally nor religiously; and therefore, for the most part, fails in being relished; and [35] consequently in reaching the heart, and in being practically believed and understood.

To be read advantageously, the Bible must be read in the order of its books, at regular intervals, and with a solemn and religious reference to the most exact and full conformity in heart, in word, in action, to all its pure, and holy, and heavenly lessons and precepts. But even this is too vague and indefinite for the exigencies of the times. Permit me, then, to explain:--It was not the design of the Author of the Bible that men should have a synopsis or summary of its doctrine, either before their eyes in writing, or committed to memory. Had such been his design, he would have given us, by the hand of some inspired person, just such a summary as would have been complete and infallible. But he has not done it; and, therefore, such a document would be, to say the least, inexpedient and unprofitable. It would have been a substitute for the constant reading and studying of the Book. Now this is the very thing that the Author of the Bible does not desire. His will is that we be constant readers; that by the constant attrition or wearing of the truth upon our moral nature, our minds may be exactly conformed to the image of Him who breathes into us the Spirit of our God. It is impossible to keep any company long and constantly without catching its spirit and becoming assimilated. Equally impossible is it to be frequently in company with Moses and David, Isaiah and Jeremiah, Jesus and his Apostles, without catching their spirit. This is what God designs and desires in giving us the Bible to read. He would that we catch the spirit, rather than learn the doctrine, of this Holy Book. Now this is the philosophy of the fact, that there is no substitute for constant reading: for although all the precepts and promises, or the whole doctrine of the Bible could be learned or committed to memory, and faithfully retained, it could not serve that special and supreme intention of the Author of this Book, in giving it to us as the means of sanctification and of our being imbued and inspired with the Spirit of our God.

Fortunes, it is now well established, are generally the ruin of their inheritors. The exceptions are just enough to make it a general rule that riches are laid up for children to their hurt. It is cruel in fathers to make fortunes for children: for, in so doing, they deprive them of the pleasure of employing their talents as they have done, and thus throw them, in a great measure, idle upon society. They also prevent them of the pleasure of doing, and ultimately enjoying good; for we are so constituted that our powers of acquiring pleasure must ever be proportioned to our efforts in communicating it to others. And this is a work for which they are pre-eminently disqualified who are taught to live on energies not their own.

Hereditary orthodoxy, or fortunes of sound doctrine, made and bequeathed by our fathers, are still more fatal to their heirs than large inheritances of earthly goods and chattels. If sons are generally ruined in this world by large inheritances from their parents, they are, perhaps, as often ruined in the next world by large inheritances of orthodox sentiments and opinions, of which they are possessed by the wills of their ancestors, without the trouble of reading and thinking for themselves. There are not more helpless cases on earth than the heirs of orthodoxy; for they are infallibly right without evidence, without examination, without any concern of their own. These persons are [36] wholly unapproachable. They are right by necessity, by prescription, by inheritance, because they are right; and you are wrong because you are wrong, or because you dissent from them.

It is not intended by Him that rules in heaven, that we should possess either faith, knowledge, or grace by inheritance from our earthly or ecclesiastic progenitors. He intends that every man should dig in the mines of faith and knowledge for his own fortune--that every man should live and be rich by his own efforts. He thus calls forth and employs all our faculties, and affords us the pleasure of profiting by our own exertions. "If," says Solomon, "thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, [true religion,] and find the knowledge of God," which is eternal life.

Bible reading is, therefore, as much an essential part of Heaven's scheme of human sanctification, as the giving of the Bible is essential to the communication of the light which it contains. There is no substitute for it. Sermons, prayers, conversations, catechisms, tracts, and each and every religious exercise superadded, can never compensate the neglect of Bible reading. It has a place, a power, and an influence peculiar to itself. There is a communion with the Father, and with his Son, our Saviour, attainable by means of this sacred reading, which is not vouchsafed to mortals in any other way.

But there is a critical reading of the Bible--a polemic reading--a sectarian reading--and a penance reading--which, however frequent and sincere, reach not within the circles of grace and spiritual enjoyment. The Bible is a sort of world in itself; and as mankind pursue and find many different objects in this wide world of nature and society, so Bible readers of all classes will find in it the respective objects of their pursuit. The politician, the jurisconsult, the orator, the rhetorical florist, the chronologist, the antiquary, the poet, the historian, the philosopher, the man of science, the artist, &c. &c. may all read the Bible with advantage to themselves and their professions; and, indeed, every class will find that in it congenial with its aims and designs in reading.

But a devotional and sanctifying reading of that sacred Book, is essentially different from the readings of the theologian, the moralist, the sectary, and the virtuoso of every caste and school. The man of God reads the Book of God to commune with God, "to feel after him and find him," to feel his power and his divinity stirring within him; to have his soul fired, quickened, animated by the spirit of grace and truth. He reads the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible; that the majesty, purity, excellency, and glory of its Author may overshadow him, inspire him, transform him, and new-create him in the image of God. Such a reader finds what he seeks in the Bible as every other person finds in it what he searches for. The words of Jesus to such a one are spirit and life; they are light and joy; they are truth and peace. Such a one converses with God as one who speaks by- signs. His readings are heavenly musings. God speaks: he listens. Occasionally, and almost inconsciously, at intervals he forgets that he reads, he speaks to God, and his reading thus often terminates in a devotional [37] conversation with God. The Lord says, "Seek you my face;" he responds, "Thy face will I seek." Thy Spirit saith, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" the Christian reader replies, "Open thou my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The Spirit saith, "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart;" and the devout reader answers. "With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments." The Bible reading of all enlightened Christians generally terminates in a sacred dialogue between the Author and the reader.

There is a peculiarity attendant on this reading which I beg leave to remark with emphasis. The Author of the Bible is always present with his Book. This is not true of any other book in the world. Most authors are dead; and we sometimes regret that we cannot speak to them. But this Author for ever lives, and is for ever present; and, therefore, while we read his written word it is as natural as life sometimes to speak to him on certain subjects as they occur. "Truly, then, our communion is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Christians, do you read the Bible in your families every day? Do you read it in your closet every day? And do you read it not to quiet your conscience as a work of penance; but do you read it as a pleasure anxiously to be sought after? If you do, I need not tell you what utility, pleasure, and happiness is in the blessed employment. But if you do not, you may rest assured there is something greatly wrong, which, if it is not abandoned, subdued, or vanquished soon, will cause you sorrows, if not agonies, when you will be less able to conflict with them than at present. Resolve this moment, I pray you, that you will begin to-day to read the Bible, to enjoy God and Christ and the hope of immortality. "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thine heart; so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man." Then will you say with Solomon, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared with her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor: her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." "Begin to-day: 'tis madness to defer." The religious world--I mean the great majority of all professors, are Bible neglectors. Their ignorance, prejudice, and error show it. I beseech you, daily, habitually, constantly, prayerfully read the Bible in its proper connexions, and you will grow in grace as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord will bless you, as he has said, in this deed. Read James i. 22-25., and may you prove it true!

A. C.
Erwinton, Barnwell District, S. C. December 4, 1838.	}

[The Millennial Harbinger, New Series, 3 (January 1839): 35-38.]

My Father was a Wanderer...

2009-04-28T17:28:00.001-05:00

"My father was a wanderer..."

Abraham was called to leave Ur. The Israelites were instructed to worship in a tabernacle. Although God permitted the human innovation of the temple, Stephen points out its ability to become a distraction at best and an idol at worst. Allegiance to place, institution, even ancestry, can be counter to the Kingdom of God.

I believe many people are "church drifting" because they are seeking authentic Christianity. Although it is possible to find that in established churches - I've seen it done many times - established churches gather barnacles. In time, the barnacles are defended with greater vigor than the original ship itself. No wonder that people wander the docks moving from ship to ship sensing that the authentic gospel has eluded many established churches.

Conversely, many people are "church drifting" because we have trained them to be consumers. Don't like the songs? We'll change them. Don't like the preacher? We'll fire him. Afraid of innovations? We'll crush them all. Tired of traditions? We'll throw them all out! Both sides of the spectrum are guilty of catering to the most non Christ-like impulse of all: the desire to have our own way.

If we stopped trying to sell Christianity like a product to a group of increasingly discriminating buyers, and instead began modeling discipleship, what would happen? I predict that our churches would initially shrink dramatically, because there are many who want no part of deeper discipleship. But in the long run, the vineyard would be pruned of the fast-growing casual vines, giving ground to the slower-growing fruit-bearing vines Jesus wants. We will have to be open to failure if we ever want to see that kind of success. Like Jesus, we must be willing to let inauthentic disciples be offended and leave rather than to lower the standard for what true discipleship requires.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Easter Irony

2009-04-12T08:13:00.002-05:00

How ironic is it that we tend to celebrate Easter with new clothes? Not only will the crowds at church today be larger, they will be better dressed than at any time of the year. It makes me wonder if this really brings glory to the one who came declaring good news to the poor. Would we honor Christ more by wearing a new suit or a bonnet or by taking the price of those things and giving them to the poor? Are these gifts really to honor him? Or do we use a day to honor him as a ruse to gift ourselves?

I've heard all about "giving our best to God." Consider this parable. There once was a boy who wanted a puppy more than anything in the world. He prepared for his birthday by fixing a place for the puppy to live. He bought food and puppy toys. He even read books on how to care for his new pet. He knew his grandparents were coming and he was so excited because they had called him and told him that in honor of his birthday, they were coming to his house and bringing him their very best. Since he had made no secret at all of his passionate desire for a puppy, he was certain he knew what was going to happen. When his grandparents drove up the driveway, he could scarcely contain his excitement, but somehow he managed to sit calmly in the living room and await their arrival.

In what seemed hours later, his grandparents came into the room. Grandpa had on a new suit with sharp creaky new shoes. Grandma had a beautiful dress with a flowing new bonnet. They pranced in front of him like runway models. "Don't you like our new clothes?" In honor of your birthday, we decided to give you the very best!"

Now the boy was a wise boy, and he dearly loved his grandparents. He looked at their new clothes and he saw their excitement in modeling for him so he was truly happy that they had come. He saw how they smiled at each other and seemed to be genuinely enjoying his birthday. "Yes" he thought, "this truly is a nice gift. I appreciate their effort. I love seeing them happy. I'm glad my birthday brought this gift to them."

He set aside the puppy food, the toys, and the books. After all, his birthday would come again next year.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

My Parents Were So Young

2009-04-07T11:31:00.002-05:00

All my life I've thought my parents were old. In fact, I defined "middle age" as my parents, and "elderly" as my grandparents. Now life is teaching me that I was wrong.

When I graduated from high school, my dad was 39 years old. I thought he was well into "advancing years." Now my youngest is about to graduate high school and I will be 47 years old. I see how young I feel and imagine seeing him graduate while I was only 39. I am now the age my dad was when my daughter was born. Amazing!

I look at people who are white-haired and see them as I always have. Those are people who lived through the depression. Some of them are WWII vets. A very old person at a nursing home might even be a WWI vet!

WRONG!

Those older soldiers in the parade now are Vietnam veterans. I remember them coming home from the war as young men. I remember seeing them, just a bit older than me, marry and start their families. The WWI vets are all gone. The very old vets in assisted living are from WWII or even Korea. Time marches on.

I watch a ball game. I remember hearing about a kid who is going to have a great career. He was about my age. I watched until he became a wily veteran. I watched until his body gave out on him, even though his skills remained. I see him now coaching. I see a young phenom coming into the major leagues now, born the same year I graduated from law school.

You're not as young as you think you are.
They're not as old as you think they are.

We're all on a journey. We're getting there quick. When I think of how quickly we're getting there, it takes my breath away. At times, it depresses me. But then I think "what's the purpose of all this?" "Why do we even cling to life?" and I realize, that our whole purpose here is to fear God and keep his commandments. Our whole purpose it to cooperate with God in the advancing of his kingdom and to go live with him in a timeless realm.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Learning God's Will in Roundup Montana

2009-04-03T22:39:00.003-05:00

Step into mystery....

There can be little doubt that we can know what God's ultimate will is for our lives. In fact, that will is so plain that we are responsible for our failure to ascertain and follow it. He intends that we join him in his advancing his dominion over this earth. We are to be the emissaries who bring healing, teaching, feeding, consoling, and every other kind of self-sacrificial loving conduct which demonstrates the growing kingdom of our God. To fail to do so it to be part of the problem. Here the Bible speaks plainly: "those who do not gather for me, scatter abroad" and "those who are not for me are against me."

But of the steps to be taken, we are not so sure. What exactly does it mean for my life? I know I am to be involved in God's kingdom advance, but should I leave the law and go into full time ministry? If I am in full time ministry, should I stay in this town or move to that one? Should my children attend Christian colleges even if it means we will take on a lifetime of debt?

Should I marry this girl?
Should I take that job?
Should I move to Osh Kosh?
What kind of car would Jesus drive?
Suburbs, inner city, or country?
Have children? adopt? be a foster parent?
Be a missionary? a teacher? a welder?
paper or plastic?

The questions never get easy, but here's one idea: I think God can use kingdom-oriented people in all walks of life. I'll never forget the Christian mechanic in Roundup Montana who blessed our lives so wonderfully when our Chevy Luv blew up on its way to Prince Rupert Canada. We stayed in Roundup for 3 days. He treated us like guests. I learned so much from him. I doubt if he views himself as a missionary, but he was to us. No one will eulogize him about the service he provided to that young Church of Christ minister and his wife as they drove to Juneau Alaska, but he changed my life. He taught me that "God didn't come to make bad people better; he came to make dead people live." I have repeated that excellent summary of the gospel many times. But for a blown soft plug and an improperly shipped part, I might not have had the 3 days in Roundup to learn from that mechanic. Wish I could remember his name. I really wish he would read this post somehow and recognize himself. I couldn't thank him at the time because I didn't fully comprehend his gifts to me.

Do your work. Don't look so confused about the "how to" of advancing the kingdom. Look into the face of the person in front of you and be the kingdom to that person. That's what God wants you and me to do.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

God, I don't like your answer.

2009-04-03T21:30:00.006-05:00

NOTE: I wrote this over two years ago. I publish it now because it may speak to others who suffer indecision and, at times, depression. I want you to know that I still have moments of great indecision, but that God has been faithful through these ordeals. As many of you know, I did not leave the ministry, but am still preaching at Fellowship Church in Russellville. (check our webpage at loganfcc.com) Many people have helped me through my dark nights, but I must especially thank my wife Leslie, my kids JaneAnn, Erin and Scott, and Pam Jones. I don't know that I'm any more together now than I was then :) but I do know that I will survive.

:)
Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

(and now for a 2+ year old blog entry...)

I haven't blogged for a while, not because I haven't been thinking about things, but because I'm not sure my thoughts are safe for public consumption! What I mean is that people who hear me as a preacher can read this blog. People who might one day consider hiring me might peruse its contents for insights into my character. Truth be told, despite the blogs explicit confession that my journey is a circuitous one, in other words, it will not always be straightforward to its goal), I have tried to manipulate this space to create an image I think is consistent with ministry.

I hope if I decide to take off the mask, you will not go away. I hope that if I admit that I am filled with confusion, doubt, second thoughts, questions, objections, and at times even sadness and hurt, it will not cause you to stop reading or to never consider me in a ministry position. The truth is, however, I cannot keep this up. I have done it for over a year and I can't keep doing it. I am tired. Very tired. I am confused. Very confused. I do not understand my place in ministry. I am not happy with the position I have placed my family in. I am unsure that I have made wise decisions. I am concerned that my wishes do not match my calling.

As anyone reading my profile knows, I wanted to leave the law to go into full time ministry. When I did that and moved to Russellville KY, I moved with the same promise any minister in Churches of Christ has: none. I knew that I could come down here and be fired in six months or less. As it turned out, I lasted 17 months. That was long enough to uproot my family from their home for the last 12 years. Had I moved away from Russellville, my two youngest children would have each gone to 3 different high schools. I chose not to do that, even though I had much trepidation about living in such a small community where I had been so rejected.

In order to make ends meet, I was forced to go back into the law. I am now an Assistant County Attorney in Logan County Kentucky. I do not do the type of prosecution I did in West Virginia. I had paid my dues in West Virginia and was prosecuting more serious cases. Here I prosecute misdemeanors. It's still important and someone has to do it, but the pay reflects that the expectation is that it will be a lawyer just out of law school who does it. I have refrained from starting a private practice because I wanted to be able to leave here if a good ministry opportunity presented itself.

In the meantime, we were faced with the question of where we would worship while my two youngest finished high school. I considered going to Nashville to Otter Creek, Woodmont, or some similar place, but decided against it since all we would be doing is visiting as outsiders. We would not be able to be truly involved in ministry traveling that many miles. I considered attending the Russellville Christian Church or using the time to travel around to many different denominations to experience them first hand. I even considered staying at the Crittenden Drive Church of Christ, but decided I could not face the level of animosity voiced by some and unopposed by others. I don't know which hurt more.

There was a group of Christians who had left Crittenden Drive and formed a new assembly. I did not want to be a part of that group because I did not want to be seen as a "church splitter." I resisted going there, but decided that it was a better option than any of the others I had considered. When I started attending there, they had a pulpit minister. I was happy to take a seat in the audience and hear him. Soon, though, I was teaching class, leading songs, giving communion devotions, and becoming more visible in the assembly. After a short time, I started preaching there. I hoped that I could give the fledgling group some guidance as they began their life together. I hoped they would grow in deeper discipleship but not be beholden to me. More than anything, I hoped my presence there would be a positive influence, and not a crutch on the one hand, or a detriment on the other. I fully expected more of my friends would join us after I began preaching there. Perhaps to their credit, none did. It can truly be said that the Fellowship Church of Christ does not exist because of me. They started without my input, no one came over just because I was preaching there, and I am convinced they will be a bright light for the more progressive wing of the Stone Campbell movement years after I am gone.

Now our children are graduating and college is around the corner. I had hoped to be able to move to a church in the Nashville or Abilene area to support them in their studies at Lipscomb or Abilene Christian. Instead I have experienced my anonymity with these churches. I tried out at one rather large Nashville church. I assume they will not be offering me the position since I saw on their web page that someone else has started there. I applied at two other churches and have yet to hear anything substantive from them. One church in the Dallas TX area eliminated me a day after I applied. Others simply accept my applications with black hole effectiveness. Resumes and CD's go in, but not even light returns. I recognize "church time." I know that committees are notoriously slow about communication with applicants, but when that applicant is trying to consider whether God really is calling him to this kind of ministry, is the message "no" the intended message?

I'm sadly determining that this may be the case. My attempts to gain counsel from established ministers have failed. My attempts to gain a hearing with more progressive churches have failed. My contact with legal positions brought positive results in less than an 8-hour day. I have prayed fervently that God would guide me. My experiences here and the lack of positive response from anyone other than the Fellowship Church (who have been super to us) combined with the positive response in the law leads me to the sad conclusion that God is calling me to the law.

But I must say that I don't like that answer. I have fought against it. Before I left the Crittenden Drive Church I had a legal opportunity that would have solved many personal, professional, and financial problems, but I turned it down hoping that things would improve at Crittenden Drive. When I was in the throes of that painful decision, I taught the Bible classes at church camp. I eventually decided to stick it out at Crittenden Drive and I turned down that position. Shortly thereafter, my time at CD ended.

Since then, I have remained determined to minister, but once again found myself being pulled back into the tarry pits of law. Now as I try to break free from that stranglehold, I find that my applications raise no excitement. I was so sure that I was a preacher, and even as a lawyer, was often advised that this was my true calling, but within the churches, that view is more questionable. Those outside the church see me as a preacher; those inside the church see me as a dangerous change agent or some kind of radical liberal. I don't disagree with either view. I'm just sad that I can't seem to escape the law.

I'm pouting, and I need to stop. God has answered my prayer with a deafening roar of silence from his churches and with the fast positive response of lawyers. I have determined that God was testing my resolve in ministry by placing hurdles in front of me which I was to scale and conquer. I realize now that he was directing me back into a life I would not voluntarily choose for myself. God's will is hard, but he holds all the cards. I wish I was wrong about his answer, but I do not believe I am.

I just have a hard time accepting that I want so much to preach, but God sends me to law instead.

Mark 5:18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

Maybe Jesus is just sending me back to a people who would not otherwise attend church. Maybe as a lawyer I'll be able to contact victims, defendants, officers, etc. who would not otherwise see Christ. Maybe this is exactly where I need to be.

Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

This is the second time I have left the ministry. I left it in Juneau because I did not think there was a place for me in the Churches of Christ. I was hearing about Rubel Shelley and others like him, but assumed they would soon be annihilated. I could not see me anywhere except Churches of Christ, but I knew I could not join the exclusive legalistic teachings required by most pulpit committees. I went to law school.

I could never leave preaching. I did it all through law school. I did it when I moved to Wheeling. When I moved to Charleston, I took a pulpit position where I preached for six years. I was sure I had found my calling. I was excited to move to Kentucky and devote the rest of my life to preaching. What makes this time harder is that now I do see a place for me in the Churches of Christ! I do believe there are places I could match well. Yet God seems to be sending me back into the law. Or am I just turning back from the plow????

This was terribly personal. It sounds so unsure. One of my very best friends will tell me I have made a mistake by being so open. I lay this out though for two reasons:

1) If you have advice for me, I crave it.
2) If you have ever felt confused about God's calling for your life, know that you are not alone.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Into Great Silence

2009-02-06T13:50:00.003-06:00

I just watched the documentary "Into Deep Silence." It's hard to call it a scintillating movie, because it details life in a monastery with no narration or soundtrack. Our tastes for flash and flamboyance are not met by this movie, but something deeper is. Even though much of the film shows the believers engaged in silence, the close up of the faces tells an unexpected story: these men are content. Despite what appears to be a rigorous lifestyle, their faces are calm. Without breaking into cheshire-like grins, they exude a quiet joy. In one scene, long-robed monks sled/ski down a snowy hillside. The image encapsulates the experience of the movie. It is at once surprising, but on deeper reflection, clearly appropriate. It fits. These men enjoy their life with God and with one another.

I took a health questionnaire this week. It told me I'm doing pretty good on things like diet, exercise, etc., but that I should work to eliminate stress from my life. I wonder if that's just a template answer for Americans! What person reading this could not stand to reduce the level of stress in his/her life? Who among us does not wonder at times if we might be a tad depressed? Our lifestyles are built on a rampant consumerism which is fueled by unsatisfied desires. Working harder and harder because we want more and more, it is no surprise that we experience stress. Even in our churches, spirituality and faithfulness are often defined by how much we are doing in the local church. How much time are we giving to the church's programs?

What if every morning we knelt in silent prayer before God instead of turning on the radio? What if we sat across from our family, and even if there was no need to talk, we looked at each other's faces and smiled instead of reading the sports page? What if we talked at supper instead of watching the TV out of the corner of our eyes?

God appears subtly, and speaks to us in a still, small voice. The clutter and noise of our lives often causes us to fail to see him or hear him. Consciously, we may not even think much about that absence, but our hearts were built to be his throne, and they cry out in agony for the missing Lord. I am convinced that this anguished cry is experienced as stress.

The health questionnaire was right. I do need to eliminate stress from my life. "Come to me, you weary, heavily burdened ones, and I will give you a break. I will relieve your stress. Take my yoke upon you. It'll help you carry what needs to be carried in a way which is not so hard on you. I intend to bring you peace."

"Do you see how the animals have enough food, and the plants have enough nutrients and sunshine? You're more important to me than animals and plants. Why are you worried? I'll take care of what you need. Just put the Kingdom of Heaven first, and watch how all these other things you're worried about fall into line."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Mixed Reaction to the Inauguration

2009-01-20T10:34:00.002-06:00

The inauguration of a new or returning president is one of the high points of American life. Today we watched the inauguration of a president who in many ways represents an era of accomplishment and progress unimaginable forty years ago. The United States has shown itself capable of reaching great heights.

But at the same inauguration, we saw examples of great boorishness. At such a normal and formal occasion, outgoing President George W. Bush was not shown proper respect. People booed loudly. They chanted "hey hey hey good bye" and "no more Bush!"

The results of the election spoke loudly enough. George W. Bush did not deserve to be treated in such a disrespectful way. We could celebrate the arrival of Barack Obama without cheering the departure of George W. Bush. We could celebrate without condemning. Or can we?

Perhaps the reaction of the crowd tells us much about how our culture has changed. The idea of respecting those in authority, regardless of whether we agree with them, seems to have waned. But for Christians, that obligation does not change. As Peter instructed us, "show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (I Peter 2:17 NIV)

Can we be critical of a leader, yet respectful? On the other hand, can we respect a man we did not support in the election? If we are Christian, we are called to do exactly that. On this day, as on all days, our primary obligation to our government is to pray. If Christians in Peter's day were called to be respectful to and pray for Caesar, we can certainly do that for George W. Bush and for Barack Obama.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Innocent as Doves

2008-12-13T13:15:00.006-06:00

In Matthew 10:16 Jesus teaches that we should be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. What is Jesus
asking us to do when he asks us to be as innocent as doves? I think he's referring to a pure integrity, an innocence
of heart. He wants his disciples to act wisely, even shrewdly, but not cynically. It is easy, once we "see how people
are" to become negative or even to use cunning techniques to deviously "get them before they get us." It is very
difficult to maintain an innocence and purity of heart while at the same time seeing people as they really are.

I think he's teaching us to avoid two extremes, both of which damage our witness to the world. The one is a
pollyannish view of the world and of people that says that everything is good and getting even better. Instead, as
Christians, we take seriously the Biblical doctrine of the fall of humanity. We realize that something is wrong with
each and every one of us! We are not fair; we are not honest; we are not safe. Even with the best of intentions,
we will fail and disappoint. We are broken.

The other extreme is to come to that knowledge, which alone would prompt us to act shrewdly as snakes, and to
become hardened. We expect no quarter and we give none. Knowing how we will be pilloried by ministry, we
become overly defensive. We constantly look for the other shoe to fall. Such an attitude carries its own
repulsion and accomplishes the fulfillment of all its negative prophecies.

But if we could see people as they really are, and in so doing, see ourselves as we really are, then we will be able to
grant the same forgiveness that we so desperately need. We will be able to say "Father forgive them, they don't
understand what they're doing." Then we would be the type of person who wouldn't break a tender damaged plant,
or put out a candle struggling for flame.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Coincidences Can Be True

2008-11-17T19:46:00.003-06:00

From time to time people will doubt a historical account because it contains coincidences which they assume to be merely authorial glosses meant to make the story more interesting. But in our own history, we have seen remarkable coincidences be true. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the second and third U.S. Presidents respectively, died on the very same day. Furthermore, that day was July 4, 1826: the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Was this a historical gloss to demonstrate the unity of the signers despite the deep political differences between Adams and Jefferson? Many would suspect an ancient historian of just such propoganda, but it actually happened!

O.J. Simpson was convicted of burglary 13 years to the day from when he was acquitted of murder. Was it a gloss created to show that justice actually happens? One would think so if reading ancient history or a Biblical story, but it actually happened!

Perhaps we should not be so quick to assume an account is fanciful, merely because the details ares strikingly ironic or coincidental. As our own nation's history shows us: coincidences do happen!

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

An Inclusive Fellowship

2008-11-11T16:29:00.003-06:00

I have not known any Christian who, when he seriously considers fellowship, does not become more inclusive. The Biblical ideal of fellowship sees the act accomplished by the unifying work of the spirit and the salvific act of Jesus. Within that rubric, differences are tolerated and even expected. The focus on God maintains unity.

Focusing instead on people and differences will bring disunity. We will note all the disagreements we have in matters of faith and practice. It will not be enough for us to be united in Christ, instead we will seek unity by doctrinal agreement. Such efforts will be constantly frustrated.

Think of political parties. If a party unites behind its candidate, all the differences among the delegates tend to be diminished. If the delegates begin to focus on all the areas of disagreement, their candidate will not have the benefit of a unified party to advance the candidacy. On the other hand, if the delegates focus on the individual at the lead of the ticket, disagreements may come, but they will be dealt with internally, or at least in proper perspective. "We may not agree on everything, but we do agree that we need to elect...."

What would it be like if Christians began to realize that our intramural squabbles do not advance the ticket? What is really important is to advance the cause of Christ. What makes us one party is not that we agree on every detail, but that we follow the same person. Now, even as we discuss our differences, we live with an appreciation that we at least support the same ticket.

When I hear the voices in the world who doubt Jesus, blaspheme God, mock the Holy Spirit, I value all the more those voices who speak reverentially and devotedly of God, his Son and his Spirit. I crave their fellowship. I pray blessings to them. My circle of fellowship expands, and I consider it pure joy.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Stay on Point!

2008-10-29T09:10:00.002-05:00

Election day is coming. Many say this is a crucial election. Of course I wonder how the selection of president could ever be anything less than crucial. As the campaign winds down, the political handlers do their very best to remind the candidates to "stay on point" or "stay on message." It is vitally important in the last few days of a campaign not to get bogged down in issues that don't matter, or to pursue personality conflicts, or to allow anything at all to detract attention from the main compelling points of the respective candidates.

I want to echo that same crucial point to my fellow believers. I've perused blogs and bulletins, seen the marquee signs at church buildings, read the mass emails, and heard the rumbling discussions after services. Folks, we are in the last days. Scripture teaches us that the last day could come at any moment. We have no time to get off point, to become bogged down in issues that don't matter, or to allow personality conflicts to detract attention from the main point of this compelling season which is: "Jesus is the crucified Lord who has come to bring reconciliation to the world."

We are dangerously close to straying off point. Make no mistake about it, even this US presidential election pales in comparison to the message we have been entrusted to faithfully deliver. We cannot afford to allow ourselves to be taken off point. Resist the urge to believe that somehow God's sovereignty is up for popular vote. Question the fear that tells you that the future of the world hinges on the collective decision of the US Electoral College. Eliminate anything that causes you to place your confidence or hope (faith?) in something (someone?) other than Jesus himself.

The Lord is (even now) in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Financial Pain

2008-10-10T11:29:00.002-05:00

Am I the only one who is having way more month than paycheck? A quick check of the news tells me I am not alone. So what will we do? We wait for the markets to reverse, for Congress to act, for the next big invention to propel us to the next industrial age....

There is another perspective that Christians are blessed to meditate: our God is greater than Wall Street, and he does not need Wall Street to bless us. For too long, I have stared at my IRA reports and my checking account and despaired. What if instead I remembered that all that I have is God's and that all that I am is God's?

I don't mean to be triumphalistic here, but none of this ultimately matters. Maybe this downward spiral will be a good reminder to us that money cannot bring security. In fact, nothing in life brings security. If we find rest in this life, it will be with God. We will live in an insecure world, secure only in God. Not money, military, governments, psychologists, not even friends or family can bring us peace in this insecure world. We open our eyes to insecurity, see it for what it is, then lift our eyes to God who is the true source of our help.

Some of us may end up broke, but through God's strength, we do not need to be broken.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

The Past is Prologue

2008-09-05T12:50:00.002-05:00

So many times we can predict what might happen in the future by looking at what has happened in similar circumstances in the past. The reason that works is that people tend to act in ways that are consistent with their long-held beliefs and attitudes. The reason it sometimes doesn't work is that people change, and they are not always consistent, even in those areas where they have not changed.

What about God? Will looking into past actions yield insights into how he will react today? Some would deny this, believing that God was so different in the Old Testament that reading that text provides no new insights for the 21st Century reader. Others point out that the very nature of God is to be unchanging and that to imply any kind of change from Old to New Testaments is tantamount to a denial of the nature of God.

I think both sides could use a little challenge. For those who see no value into the Old Testament history of God's dealing with humanity, I suggest they look deeper to see the recurrent themes of creation, fall, redemption which occur from Genesis 1 and forward. To those who see no changes at all in the way God deals with us today, I suggest time in the conquest narratives where entire populations of people were ordered to be removed from the earth.

Here's my suggestion: I think what has changed is us. I suggest that the underlying theme of creation, fall, redemption is an insight into theology and anthropology. It tells us something basic about God and humans. But humans have moved from where we used to be. Therefore, God deals with us differently than he used to, not because he is different, but because we are different.

When my children were born, I treated them as babies. As they grew older, I tried to treat them in age-appropriate ways. Now as they approach their adult years, I begin to treat them (hopefully!) more and more as adults.

When we were young, we were treated with law. Now that we have grown, we set that aside, and we are treated with grace. We are treated as adults. The shift in treatment does not show arbitrariness in God; this shift shows growth in humans. With that in mind, what do the scriptures teach us about the respective natures of God & humans? I conclude that they teach that God is a persistant lover who creates and redeems the loved ones who constantly fail to appreciate his love, fail him, and fall. The first word is God's (creation) and the last word is God's (redemption). In between we are faced with our nature as created imperfect fallen beings.

I'm glad the first word and the last word belong to God.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

There's only one Direction

2008-08-12T17:12:00.002-05:00

No matter what happens in life, the only direction we can go is forward. We may mourn the past or we may celebrate the past, but we can't go back to it. No matter what has happened, we can only move ahead. So if what happened was good, celebrate it, treasure it, and move ahead. If what happened was heart-breaking, learn from it, and move ahead.

Sometimes we step with light carefree steps, sometimes with tired discouraged plodding, but standing still to look back with gloating or dread simply means we have stopped, and that guarantees failure in the one direction that matters: forward.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Lord's Supper Guidelines?

2008-08-05T10:59:00.005-05:00

I saw some guidelines recently for those who preside at the Lord's table at a sister congregation. The person who posted asked for our reactions. My reactions are slightly edited and expanded below:

I actually agree with almost everything in the guidelines, (although I wonder about
sports illustrations - Did Paul's use of them trivialize scripture?) yet I am left
squeamish. The practical beginnings re sound, video, etc. quickly move into some sound
scriptural teaching, which then subtly blends "accepted exalted opinion" with
the scriptural teachings contained. I'd advise looking into our background of church
history to see if we've had any experience, pro or con, with similar statements of belief
and practice.

I'm sorry to see time guidelines. I'm sorry to see churches accepting a third emblem at
the table. (offering). I'm sorry to see what appears to be a striving toward uniformity
and a fear of diversity. Would it really hurt our assemblies if a young man new to the
faith, currently active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, use sports analogies?
(Chariots of Fire? The Natural, whose greatest achievement came at his death? the
Marshall football team story? "huddling" in football? etc.) I think that
prohibition speaks to the sensibilities of established members and latently stiffarms
(sports analogy!) those who haven't spent an entire lifetime in our assemblies. Such an
exaltation of uniformity and orthodoxy CAN be dangerous. Jesus spoke of such things.
The concern for "dignity" and an otherwise appropriate somber mood smacks more
of "Saul's daughter" than David. (note in 2 Samuel 6:16 for example that David's wife Michal
is referred to only as "Saul's daughter" when she disdained David's worship of God because
it was not consistent with her sensibilities. Might modern keepers of orthodoxy learn a
lesson from her?)

I would recommend an ad hoc approach where true problems that arise are dealt with in an
sensitive loving patient manner by simply having lunch with the "offender" and
talking through the problem. Freedom with a determination to mentor those who use it
inappropriately is better than legislation which leaves no room for discussion.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

burdens and blessings

2008-08-02T18:03:00.002-05:00

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

My jobs don't naturally encourage much physical activity, so sometimes if I have time, I try to work it into my daily routine. I needed to get some things from Dollar General today, so I decided to walk instead of drive. It's a little over 1 mile one way, so the round trip wouldn't be bad. It's only 90 degrees today, which for August in Russellville KY is not bad at all.

The problem is that I didn't consider that the return trip I'd have the things I'd bought. I put the things in a plastic bag and started home. About half way there, the bag was cutting into my fingers (which are still numb as I type this) and getting pretty heavy. Plus, the 90 degrees started to feel warmer. Then it occurred to me to open one of the teas I had bought! The bag that was such a burden was actually a blessing! I was able to quench my thirst AND lighten my load by drinking a tea. Cool!

I started to view the heavy bag as a blessing. But after a while, I realized that my fingers wouldn't be so numb and tired if I didn't have the "blessing" cutting off my circulation. So which is it? It's a blessing that was kind of a burden. It was a burden that provided its blessing.

It's a bag that had something heavy to carry, but refreshing to drink. Maybe labeling things as "blessings" or "burdens" keeps us from seeing the other possibilities.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Fan for Jesus

2008-08-02T11:44:00.003-05:00

Who's your favorite football team?

Well, in general, I'm not a fan of Notre Dame, North Carolina, New Mexico, Washington, Maine, Central Florida, Kansas, etc. etc. Truth be told, I can't stand Michigan at all. Michigan State is getting on my nerves. I don't appreciate Texas as much as I used to. I have a special grudge against Florida.

Did you figure it out yet? I bet you did! Although I've listed a lot of teams, the Michigan hint probably told you I'm an Ohio State Buckeye fan. But wouldn't it have been easier if I had just said I am a Buckeye fan?

What do you believe?

Well I'm not for these special interest groups, that's for sure! I think we need to restore traditional values. I'm worried about the influx of people who don't share our viewpoints. I don't believe in gay marriage or abortion. I'm concerned that we've never had a worse choice for president....

OK, I think I'm getting it. Are you a Christian? Probably would be labeled evangelical? Thought so.

But wouldn't it be easier if we retained (or found?) an emphasis on Jesus? Wouldn't our stance be so much easier to understand if it wasn't confused and muddled with all the other issues that make us look so angry?

And to put a fine point on it, I fear that twenty years from now some of our rhetoric which floats around on forwarded emails, and even preacher discussion groups will be as embarrassing to us as some of the 1960's racial rhetoric from Christians still is. We are judging entire people groups based upon our perceptions of how their most extreme adherents act, yet most of us do not even personally know a Muslim. We are willing to viciously oppose a candidate because his middle name frightens us, and not just to oppose him, but to vilify him. We act as if the injunction to "show perfect courtesy to all men" does not apply to political candidates. We are coming close to having explicit political screens for ministers. We have already put up implicit political screens, where someone (visitors? the lost?) with different political views will simply avoid us due to the discomfort of being around us.

Agree or disagree with that last paragraph, but this one is firmly established in the eyes of all who fairly observe: we are trading our gospel message for a political one. Our new message makes us sound angry, narrow, frightened, confused, and ill-informed. We are not living as children of the kingdom of the God who reigns on heaven and earth. Our message is becoming muted because of all the other items we are mixing in our "gospel plus..." message.

Our message is Jesus. He is our passion! He is who we write about, think about, pray to, rely on, meditate about, read about, and discuss.

Or is he?

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Will God Do Anything Today? (or can I just stay away?)

2008-07-13T14:40:00.002-05:00

What would happen if I considered that God might actually do something at our assembly? What if today is the day that he started revival? What if today is the day his Spirit brings a message we need to hear for the future of the kingdom in our city?

Zechariah went into the temple to conduct the service as it had been for hundreds of years. He said the prayers that had been said on thousands of days. There was no reason to expect that the routine of this worship would be any different. But then God "showed up." Gabriel appeared to him and told him that God's great promises were about to be fulfilled, and that he and Elizabeth would have a huge part in that by being John the Baptizer's parents. What if Zechariah though about the routine of his worship, and decided that one more repetitious service would not be important?

Every Sunday morning, I wonder what God might do. Will today be the day that something amazing happens? I can't script it. I can't predict it. Yet I pray for renewal and revival for this church all the time. Could this be the week it begins?

Some rightfully point out that there is no legal requirement that we attend every service. I don't disagree, but I fear that it oftentimes leads to a lackadaisical attitude toward attendance. It is quite possible that the Sunday routine will be re-enacted yet again. But what if isn't?

So every Sunday matters. I don't attend regularly because of some legalistic demand that I attend. I attend because I wait with baited breath for God to do something in our midst. I don't want to be missing when he decides to do it.

I don't want to risk missing something amazing.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Mary

2008-07-12T22:14:00.003-05:00

How important was God's choice of a mother for Jesus? Would any woman have done?

Protestants have almost been identified with how little respect they give Mary. This is unfortunate, because Mary is truly perhaps the most amazing woman in Scripture. I am especially struck by her reaction after she hears the news that she is to have a child by action of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:38 she simply says "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

The news she received was news that meant the redirection of her entire life. What would her fiancee think when she becomes pregnant and he knows it is not his child? What about her family? her community? How will the course of her life change? But her thoughts do not revolve around the radical readjustment of her future. Instead, they focus on being available for God's purposes. That shows an amazing faith! God chose well when he chose Mary.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Christian Warfare

2008-07-11T10:57:00.003-05:00

"The church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood,not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it." -- Jerome

We don't have an army that wears a national flag. The Lord's army does not use weapons of war. We follow a leader who appears to have been defeated, the lamb "slain from the foundations of the world." Please be careful that our nationalistic fervor and our understandable patriotism does not overwhelm the peaceable language of God's kingdom.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Persecution

2008-07-08T10:51:00.004-05:00

"If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning." -- Martin Luther

We need to be careful what we pray for! I pray for patience, and I get trials. Why? Because enduring trials is what brings patience and hope. I pray for the advance of God's kingdom, but in the same prayer, I thank God that I live in a country that does not persecute religious assemblies.

But what if it did? What if every Sunday we had to wonder whether this meeting would be our last? What would happen to our attendance then? I suspect it would rise -- after it falls dramatically. The lukewarm would not survive. The ones who are there out of family habit and obligation would not risk arrest. But the ones who remain would be true disciples of Christ. They would be invigorated by opposition.

And what of our neighbors? Who knows how many do not respond to Jesus because they do not see a cross? The call to come to Jesus is explicitly a call to the cross, his and ours. In many settings however, one would search high and low for any true cross. In fact, many church leaders do everything they can to not offend, or even make uncomfortable. Even in our service, we seek to not ask too much of people who already have such busy lives. But how can we call people to become committed disciples when there is no real cost to our cross?

I must confess that I lack the courage to pray for persecution. Yet I acknowledge that God's kingdom would advance if the church would lose its assumption of "favored nation status" within this country. Our compromises would be exposed. Our lack of faith would be impossible to ignore. We would rely on God rather than on legislation or judicial activity. We would actually begin to grasp that the kingdom Jesus brings is not of this world.

Lord give us the faith and the courage to pray for the advance of your kingdom...and whatever that might entail.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Wait on God

2008-07-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

As a child, nothing made me angrier than having to wait. As an adult, that hasn't changed! Some of the most intense "discussions" my wife and I have ever had have been times when I feel I've been made to wait for her. Waiting is hard.

In my faith, I have always felt that I am waiting for God. I wait for stronger faith. I wait for answers to why I, and others, suffer. I still am waiting for explanations for the vicissitudes of life. I wait and I wait and I wait, and frankly, I tire of waiting.

But here's an idea: Waiting on God is a spiritual discipline.

God does not act on our time schedule. God has never promised to make me comfortable. Instead, he yearns to have me grow up. If waiting will one day teach me patience, I suppose I should settle down into a life of expectancy. I should not be surprised if my life does not provide instant gratification.

But it isn't only me who waits....

18Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18 English Standard Version)

The Lord waits. We tend to become angry when someone makes us wait. We tend to be embarrassed when we make someone else wait. I think this verse calls us to wait on the Lord who in turn waits on us. We do this without anger or embarrassment. God understands, and he is so patient. May we become like him, and model that to the dear people who come in contact with us. Let us be known as people who "wait to be gracious."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Einstein

2008-06-24T11:39:00.006-05:00

A minute ago I was fixing lunch when I heard an unusual sound right behind me. I turned to see our ironically-named cat Einstein sitting on the floor, looking me in the eye and making a noise with the most sincerity you'd ever imagine! It wasn't quite a meow. It was more of a ye-ow, but that doesn't even capture it. What made me laugh was the look in his eye. He actually looked like he thought he was speaking my language!

Now he's walked into the living room and laid down on the floor. He's watching me. I can't tell if he's miffed or amused. Maybe he's bemused. Hmmm. I asked him if he wanted to eat, but he walked out of the kitchen. I thought he was headed toward the door so I asked him if he wanted to go out, but he just sat down where he is right now. I asked him to say it again and he just looked at me. He seems to be patiently waiting while I type this.

We're at an impasse. He doesn't speak English and I don't speak feline. He may have said something profound, but if he did, I missed it. Maybe he's warning me about radon gas. Maybe he senses a storm coming. Maybe Timmy's in the well. I don't know. Or maybe he just told me a great joke. Maybe that sound was the punch line! If I could just understand it, I'd be rolling on the floor laughing! (ROTFL for you email afficionados)

Now if I could become a cat, I could communicate to him. I'd explain that he never needed to run from me all those times when we first rescued him from a certain early death. Life had been so hard to him and he seemed to expect the abuse would just continue. If I could become a cat, I'd explain everything about his early life and how we really wanted him to be at home with us. Yet if I became like him, I'd have to speak in cat, and does cat language really have a word for "humane society?" Does it have a word for "vaccination" or even "home?" I might have to amend my message to the language he understands. I might not be able to fully explain myself because I'd be limited by the capacities of his language!

When Jesus came to earth, he communicated God's truths to us. He embodied them; he demonstrated them. But he was as limited in being able to say those truths as I would be if I could speak cat to Einstein.

After I left my cat-body and returned to my human form, Einstein would remember me and want to continue the conversation. He might approach me in my kitchen and say something that sounds like a meow or a yeow or a garble. He would recognize that he had not said what his heart really intended. He would reach a point where the words he could use were simply insufficient. It would be really nice if I would leave a companion for him to, among other things, help him communicate with me.

Jesus left the Holy Spirit as an aide for us. The Spirit intercedes for us, wording our prayers to God with groanings and utterings beyond our capacity to speak. We can be confident that God hears us, not because we are expert in God-language, but because the Spirit is.

When this life is over and I return to God, will my future be more like my earth life? or more like his divine life? So how to I picture this upcoming enhanced life? Inadequately and inaccurately, I'm sure.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Speaking Too Quickly

2008-06-12T13:15:00.003-05:00

"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." (Proverbs 12:18 English Standard Version)

I have known people who can speak immediately upon impulse and have wise gracious things to say. I do not seem to be one of those people. Even without stress, I prefer to ruminate with my thoughts and speak later. In a discussion class, I am often the last to speak, and even then, do not have anything weighty to offer. How much more when the blood is running hot and the stresses are mounting, should a person like myself reflect longer and hold his own counsel? It's a hard lesson, but one I hope I am learning.

Even when a person is right in such a situation, the timing makes it wrong. The fact that people are angry makes them less-inclined to hear words that are actually true, although unwelcome. Unfortunately, people in those situations will often take a person who is trying not to react as a person who is playing the "silent game" or somehow being manipulative, when in fact, that person may have just been trying to not show anger.

I am learning a new phrase that I hope handles this dilemma. I am trying to say "I will talk to you about this later. I do have thoughts, but I want to pray about them a reflect upon them a bit before I say them." I hope that this will show that I am not playing a "silent game" or that I am not uncaring, but that I do not want to be a person who speaks harsh words like sword thrusts.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Good Intentions

2008-06-03T10:20:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. (English Standard Version)

It's so easy to have good intentions about many things: sending money to the Jars of Clay "Blood Water Mission" or a university or increasing my support of my local church. I see people who are in need and I think of helping them - soon. I eat at a restaurant and yearn for the day when I can help the server by leaving a $20 tip. But all of these plans tend to happen....soon.

The challenge is to take good intentions and to turn them into good actions. Let's turn our thoughtful deeds into memories, not daydreams.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Gentleness

2008-05-27T17:26:00.003-05:00

"Let your gentleness be evident to everyone." (Philippians 4:5)

What are Christians like? You may have a lot of answers in your mind to that question, but I hope that one that jumps to mind immediately is "they are really gentle people." Unfortunately, that has not always been my experience of God's people. Instead, they seem angry. They see all that's wrong with the world and they spend a lot of energy and venom combatting it. Perhaps there is no arena where this is more evident than in politics. Sometimes we adopt the tone of the arena we are in. Political discussion is often equated with "mud slinging." A major temptation for Christians in that arena will be to seek beneficial policies without becoming involved in the nastiness of the arena.

Imagine if Jesus got involved in the nastiness of his own trial. Imagine if he conducted himself as the Chief Priest did, or sacrificed integrity the way the Sanhedrin did. Would it have been understandable? Definitely! Would it have led to our salvation? Definitely not!

One place where we can see ourselves being drawn into an attitude and atmosphere which does not reflect the glory of God is in the email we forward. It seems that so many of the "forwards" complain about prayer in school, posting the ten commandments, or any number of other "hot button" items that some Christians simply cannot seem to talk about in a gentle way. The forwarded emails not only contain messages unwelcome to many co-workers, they also contain a spirit unwelcome in civil society. We should be ashamed!

So how do we show ourselves gentle in the midst of a world that sometimes makes us angry? Continuing to read in this same section of scripture, Paul says:

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ..." (Philippians 4:8 New International Version).

Maybe if we focused more on the positive, even in the world, we could avoid our sacred spiritual scowl. Maybe if we focused more on the praiseworthy, we would not be so quick to complain. Maybe then, someone might see the beauty of Jesus in us.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Juries & Forgiveness

2008-05-07T18:22:00.003-05:00

When I first started prosecuting, I used to get very frustrated with juries that wouldn't convict when the evidence was sufficient to support a conviction. I still feel that way about cases involving serious crime like rape & murder, but I'm starting to soften my view towards cases where the jury fails to convict on certain misdemeanors when the evidence was strong enough to do so. It seems to me that what many of the juries are doing in those cases is practicing a kind of communal forgiveness. Perhaps it's motivated by a feeling of "there but for the grace of God go I" or perhaps it's simply motivated from a forgiving heart. In any event, it seems to me that the founders of our nation incorporated a basic Christian principle when they set up a system that guarantees that a person cannot be convicted unless a jury of his peers does so. Whether intentional or not, it almost builds forgiveness into the system.

Clearly this "forgiveness" can be abused, as in cases in the deep South in the early 20th century where rampant racism convicted African Americans of crime, but then acquitted klansman for their lynchings. Such actions do not smack so much of forgivenss as they do complicity with crime. Still, it seems to me that the opportunity for forgivenss to enter into the system is not a bad thing.

I remember the example of a depression era case of a man who was charged with shooting a deer out of season. The defendant took the stand and admitted to shooting the deer, but said that he did it to feed his family. The jury acquitted. The foreperson afterwards was asked "How could you convict when the man admitted shooting the deer?" The foreperson replied "the judge told us that we were the only ones who could determine who was telling the truth and who wasn't, so we decided that when the defendant told us he shot that deer, he was lying!"

My point is that forgiveness can be scandalous and extreme. It is not predictable. It cannot be limited to any one circumstance. In human hands, there is even the possibility of abuse by conflicting with the demands of justice, yet in the hands of God, the impulse to forgive perfectly meets the demands of justice. He forgives and he is just. No human being acts with the purity of God, but when we forgive one another, we start to look like God. As Jacob commented after recieving the gracious forgiveness of his brother:

"...what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God!"
(Genesis 33:10b New Living Translation)

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Roger

2008-05-03T09:48:00.007-05:00

My friend Roger was the class clown. He was an athletic young man, but not particularly good at any sport. He was on the basketball team with me, but he only played when our lead was safe. He didn’t make as good of grades as he could have. He really didn’t care.

He killed himself one weekend without really giving any of us a hint. The night before he killed himself, I saw him where he worked sacking groceries. He said “hey call me tonight. I really need to talk to you.” That was an unusual request from Roger, but not so unusual that I actually called. I don’t remember with any certainty what I did instead. My faint memory is that I talked to my girlfriend on the phone and then went to bed.

I heard about his death on Monday at school from a cruel-hearted guy who happened to be one of the popular ones. He was holding his fingers up to his head in the shape of a gun, "squeezing" the trigger, then flopping his head violently and hanging his tongue out. "I heard McCammon blew his brains out!" It makes my blood run cold to this day to remember not only what happened, but how it was told. All these years later I am stunned by the hopelessness and desperation that would allow a person to take his own life feeling that he has no other alternatives. I am also stunned at the callousness of people who can relate such a tragic story in such a flip way. The guy I heard it from was also on the basketball team with us.

I wrecked my parents' car in a very violent way when I was 16 years old. By the grace of God, I and my two passengers were safe. We were standing by the road as the traffic was waved through by the police. I could hear people in the cars saying things like "cool!" and "nobody made it out of THAT one!" and "do you see anybody? Can you see blood? Do you see any sheets?" The questions were not of concern, but of excitement. I could see why the crowds cheered at the coliseum. The milk of human kindness runs dry in the face of interesting tragedy.

What's the point? I don't think there is one. Roger's suicide was pointless. The reactions to it were inane and disgusting. Listening to passengers in cars hoping to see a glimpse of my own lifeless body left an impact. This is truly a cruel and fallen world. It's the type of world where people could celebrate in the streets upon the news of planes flying into towers. There are no simple answers to these problems, and there is no simple solution. In fact, it's so complex that it required God coming down into this mess and allowing himself to be victimized by its worse elements: religion and politics. One offers simple explanations while the other offers simple solutions. Both are depraved. We don't need new ideas, explanations, or solutions. We need a Savior, and we are blessed to have one.

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

So Pessimistic I'm Hopeful

2008-04-30T11:18:00.002-05:00

I used to believe Christians should be optimistic. In fact, I was optimistic myself. What I learned, however, is that my optimisim is constantly being challenged. I want to believe the best about people, but people constantly disappoint. So I amend my optimism to say that at least Christians will be honorable, reliable, compassionate, but my experience as a pulpit minister has taught me that this is also not true. Everywhere I turn, the things I want to believe in fail.

All this gives me great hope. Why? Because as long as I can believe that people will ultimately seek truth and do the right thing, I remained optimistic about the future, but I also stopped relying on God to step in to broken situations and make something beautiful out of something that is absolutely shattered. Now that I realize that we will never get it right, we won't believe right, do right, or say right, I am left to the stark reality of our need for a Savior. Only when I completely despair of humanity's inability to suceed can I truly rely on God as our only hope. The beauty is that once I rely on God to be that only hope, I can rest assured that he will weave beautiful tapestries out of our travesties.

So now that I've become pessimistic about people, I've learned to lean on God. Leaning on God instead of humans means that I am now hopeful where in the past I was merely optimistic.

"We know that God works for the good in all things...." (Romans 8:28 paraphrase). I know that most of the circumstances of this world are bad (pessimistic) but that God will use them for good (hopeful).

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Jeremiah Wright

2008-04-28T22:29:00.003-05:00

Jeremiah Wright has caught a lot of flak recently for excerpts of his sermons which have been found on Youtube. I encourage fair-minded people to look at his entire body of work. His recent speech before the National Press Club in Washington D.C. emphasized his view of liberation theology, transformation, and reconciliation. He emphasizes that "different is not deficient."

It is hard for a dominant cultural group to hear itself questioned by a minority, but it is useful and instructive. His speech from April 28, 2008 will answer a lot of questions. Better yet, find the sermon which inspired Barak Obama to use a phrase as title to his book "The Audacity of Hope." Here is a link where you can see the outline and also download a free audio file. It is a wonderfully moving sermon.

http://resources.christianity.com/details/cht/19000101/07B1BF53-5CC6-44CC-A7E5-5D9B9B7DEFF7.aspx

Admittedly, he has views on HIV and conspiracy theories that will not be shared by everyone (and which I do not buy) but he should not be reduced to sound bites or youtube clips. As one preacher defending another, I can honestly say I would not want a person selectively editing my sermons either!

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Make My Joy Complete

2008-04-27T00:51:00.002-05:00

What would make you truly happy? Probably depends on your needs! Imagine you were imprisoned with no guarantee that you would be released. In fact, you realize that you may even be executed. Now what would make you happy?

When Paul was in that situation, his thoughts went not to his survival, but to the serenity of his dear Christian sisters and brothers in Philippi. Perhaps his intense time with Jesus in the wilderness had caused him to care about what Jesus most cared about. Before facing his own death on the cross, Jesus' thoughts went to the unity of his followers. Now as Paul faced his own mortality, his thoughts went to the unity of the believers.

Until the unity of believers is as important to us as it is to Christ, we cannot claim to have restored anything he would care about.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Calling or Staff?

2008-04-05T10:16:00.003-05:00

"There is a movement away from treating people who work for the church as people with a calling and towards treating them as a member of staff." (Mark Mansell, employment partner at the law firm of Allen & Overy as quoted in Christianity Today, April 2008, page 15.)

There are so many ways for human beings to order their relationships with one another. There are so many ways for us to understand what motivates each other. How would the relationship between ministers and churches improve if the churches saw the ministers as people with a calling, not just as staff members? If a church saw a minister as a person with a calling from God would they want to regulate details of his ministry? Can you imagine the Israelites demanding Moses keep office hours? or wear a tie? Can you imagine the elders of Israel demanding to see a rough draft of the Ten Commandments before Moses delivers them to the flock?

But Moses was different! He had a special relationship with God!

True. But does that mean that God does not choose people today to have a special ministry relationship with him? Perhaps the reason people today do not often treat ministers as people with vocation instead as just "staff members" is that some ministers today really are just staff members, and not people with calling? Perhaps we've fallen into a corporate "employer/employee" relationship because that's all we've ever seen modeled.

Or perhaps it's because we have not taken seriously the idea that those who labor among us could be called by God to a special service. Perhaps we fail to see how God might call diverse people to serve in diverse ways, and we instead wish to see the "new guy" serve just like his predecessor, who could always be counted on to (keep the sermon short, wear a tie, attend Kiwanis, visit the hospital, lead VBS, keep office hours, and any other requirement that is imposed when churches lose kingdom vision.)

In those occasions where I've been privileged to work with churches that have a true kingdom vision, they worked with me to propel me ahead in what they considered my calling. They encouraged me to do things that would benefit, not only the local church, but the kingdom in various locations. They did not worry about "job details" but instead supported me to respond to God's call. They understood that Joshua isn't Moses, Elisha isn't Elijah, and even Peter isn't Jesus, and therefore did not measure me against the excellent qualities of God's servants who served in those positions before me.

Truth be told, I believe that many ministers today are failing their calling from God because they are in churches that merely demand they be good staff members. These ministers lose their ability to speak prophetically because they stand in fear of losing their livelihood. They give up their opportunities to serve creatively because the organization has a job description. Instead of the fresh ministry of a wild man like John the Baptizer, the church has opted instead for fungible priests in monotonous orders of worship. They've traded honey & locusts for a diet of pablum, and they starve accordingly.

I propose a model where churches and ministers cooperate with each other to follow God's lead. As long as the two parties can do that together, they do. If those respective understandings of what God would require today differ significantly, then the minister will need to find another base of operation. But how much more vital ministry would be done if both minister and church saw the church as a support and launching pad for ministry, rather than as the limits of where ministry will be done according to house rules?

Of course this model would demand that good staff members everywhere, some of whom have learned what to do not to upset the big givers and to keep the elders calm, will have to search their hearts to see if they have a true calling...

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

That's What I was Trying to Think

2008-03-30T23:39:00.002-05:00

We had an amazing night tonight. We met at the Russellville Christian Church for a service where the singing was led by some local Mennonites and I preached. All 3 churches joined in one praise to God. Afterwards we hung around and ate desserts and just got to know each other. We started at 6:30. The good times did not wind up until going on 10:00.

I preached from John 17. I was delighted to see the acceptance on the faces of the members of all 3 churches. Jesus craved unity. The world needs it from us. We have got to start taking it seriously. I especially remember one young man who told me that he had pondering these issues a lot recently. He told me "that's what I was trying to think" as he told me why he connected with the sermon. I knew what he meant! In many ways, I felt like this night was the night I've been aiming toward for years. It was awesome!

We have many differences, but tonight we saw that we have Jesus in common. We will continue to meet separately, but maybe we can serve the community together. And as I pledged to them "next Sunday, there will be prayers at the Fellowship Church of Christ for our fellow-Christians at the local Mennonite Church and at the Russellville Christian Church."

I wish you all could have been there!

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Easter 2008

2008-03-22T21:47:00.003-05:00

I'm looking for an excuse....

I grew up believing that at Easter the only thing I could talk about was the Easter Bunny. At church, I could talk about anything but the resurrection. It would be a great Sunday to concentrate on Leviticus.

Nothing against Leviticus, but the longer I follow Jesus, the more I think the amazing thing about him is that he rose from the dead. I find that more fascinating and timely than a sermon from Leviticus. Maybe I'm not being profound enough, but I think coming back from the dead has got to be the most awesome heroic thing that anyone has ever done. I find myself wanting to talk about it more and more. I don't want to avoid the subject on any day, especially not on Easter.

This means that when the annual anniversary of that great event rolls around, I want to remember it in a special way. So tomorrow morning, during our time together at the Fellowship Church, I will welcome the opportunity to center again on the resurrection of Jesus.

Even though it's Easter. ;)

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Palm Sunday 2008

2008-03-16T01:16:00.002-05:00

Jesus final entry into Jerusalem was made amidst great national furor. No wonder the crowds quoted from Psalm 118 and Zechariah 9! Just as we will often use examples of movies we have recently seen or books we have recently read, these people made references from scriptures which were forming their thinking at this special time of year. When they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, it struck a spark with something they had been looking forward to for centuries. To have it happen at the feast of Passover couldn't be better! It was perfect. Evil would certainly be vanquished.

And yet today we see that evil has not been destroyed. In Iraq, Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul, Paulus Faraj Rahho was discovered dead on March 13. He had been kidnapped from his church weeks earlier. There have been waives of anti-Christian violence in Iraq. In January 2008, three Chaldean churches were bombed in Mosul, two in Kirkuk and four in Baghdad. Explosions also hit the orphanage run by the Chaldean nuns in al-Nour, as well as a convent of Dominican sisters in Mosul Jadida. Several priests have been abducted. In October, 2006, an Orthodox priest was kidnapped, beheaded and dismembered. June 2007 Father Ragheed Ganni, along with three deacons, was killed in a hail of gunfire upon getting into a car.

Why are Christians attacked? I'm sure there's no single right answer, but it is in part due to the fact that they are a soft target. They do not have a militia. They do not live to retaliate. And despite what the rhetoric of some may say, this is not a holy war between Moslems and Christians, therefore, there are no Christian troops assigned to protect them. In fact, the misinformed loose talk that speaks of the Iraq invasion as some kind of "holy war" does a great dissservice to our Christian brothers and sisters. To the extent that we echo this misperception, the blood of our brothers and sisters is on our hands. Christians have no militia. We do not choose to meet the weapons of human warfare with the weapons of human warfare. We meet hostility with forgiveness. We meet murder with hope.

Followers of Jesus know that a kernel of wheat remains by itself unless it falls to the ground. Only then can it multiply. Jesus's choice is clear: He will set aside his right to life, his right to be treated fairly, and will sacrifice himself for the good of his enemies. Not just his friends, his enemies. Just as the Christians in Iraq may hide, flee, or die, but do not retaliate and shed blood, so we are called to be instruments of peace, even where that choice places us in harm's way.

Those of us who follow Jesus take up the same cross.

So we keep going to places where we will be misunderstood.

We keep going to places where we will not meet expectations.

We keep going to Jerusalem.

We keep going to die.

And in so doing, we glorify God, we Honor his Christ, and we become part of God’s mission to call the world back to himself.

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

Believe half of what you see...

2008-03-14T10:12:00.002-05:00

I'm always struck by how much evil exists in the world. Like condemned inmate John Coffey in "The Green Mile" I think I just can't hear any more of how many awful things people do to each other. But lately I've been struck by another of the marks of our fallen world: deception.

When I first think of the problem of deception, I think of the obvious example of people lying to one another. We all know that "liars go to the lake of fire" and few would even dispute the justice of that. It's because of this that we say "believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see." As we grow older, we realize how much wisdom is in that proverb! How much pain would be avoided if we did not pass on things that we did not personally know for a FACT were true! But we consider the source and pass it on as reliable.

FOOTNOTE: This is why I am concerned about Christians passing on the email rumors that abound about political candidates and other issues. Being able to read (see) it perhaps encourages us to categorize this as something we've actually seen, and thus worthy of a 50% reliaiblity ratio, when in fact it belongs in the 100% category of believing "nothing that we hear." Somebody somewhere snickers every time a Christian rushes to forward an email about Madelyn Murray O'Hare (dead for almost 20 years now) or conspiratorial notes about the forces at work against us. (normally punctuated by some sort of call to "wake up!" or "stand up!")

The real problem is not liars, because for the most part, they overstate their case and are quickly discounted. The problem is that the deception which has entered into the world has injured our very capacity to speak and hear truth. I fall for things that later I realize I should never have given any attention to at all. I say things which leave mistaken impressions, not because I meant to mislead, but because my ability to communicate truthfully is impaired. Language fails to fully describe an incident. Language is ill-equipped to describe motivations, feelings, beliefs, emotions. We use twisted instruments to speak to twisted instruments that recieve and interpret. Is it any wonder that James says that the tongue is set on fire by the fires of hell? Is it any wonder that misunderstandings are daily occurrences?

These are the things that make me crave the truth of Christ. Not just the "opposite of false" truth, but the reality of Christ. Being able to grasp what is real, unhindered by my compromised ability to percieve truth. I look forward to "knowing as I am known." In the meantime, I see and speak in murkiness.

I have dirty hands at the dinner table.
I view masterpieces with myoptic vision.
I listen to symphonies with deaf ears.
I speak poetry with a mute tongue.
I hug with short arms.
I love with a darkened heart.
I cry out for healing.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Unity and Diversity in Writing

2008-03-04T10:51:00.003-06:00

Some say that my penmenship is not the best, but I was reading a handwritten note from a colleague today and could barely make it out. All of a sudden I began to ask myself "how do I ever understand this?" A forensic expert would certainly say that we write nothing alike. And yet, we are both writing the english language.

I daresay no one person's handwriting is completely duplicated by another, and yet we can read each other's writing. Our diversity is shown by the fact that all of our writing is different. Our unity is demonstrated by the fact that we have enough in common that the chicken-scratching some of us call "writing" is usually recognizable by others.

To carry the analogy further, our children at times see our writing, and not understanding what it is all about, they will take pen to favorite book and scribble. They do not think they are scribbling; they think they are doing what we do. But it cannot be read! It is pure nonsense! There are times people have said my writing looks like that of a child, but that is not quite true. With some effort, people can make sense of what I write, even though I do not write the way "good writers" do.

In the religious world, we focus on the differences in our handwriting and separate. Perhaps if we focused on the fact that we can still read each other's writing, we could see the differences as intriguing, fascinating, and sometimes even humorous. Further, we can do this will still separating out the writing which is immature and uneducated and frankly amounts to no more than mere scribbling.

Do you see? I am not the standard. Jesus is. There is other handwriting that bears witness to him.

Timing for Observation of Lord's Supper

2008-03-04T10:39:00.002-06:00

Recently an email discussion group I am in posed a question about churches observing the Lord's Supper at times other than Sundays. I offered the following answer to that limited group, but now make it available to you as well.

My view on the "other than Sunday" Lord's Supper question is that it comes down to command and example. The clear command of Jesus is simply "as often as you do this, do it memory of me." There is nothing in that command which would specifiy how often this is done at all.
Now in the early church, it seems to me that they interpreted this command first of all to do it every day (I believe Acts 2:42 is a reference to eucharist) and later it moved to a more weekly observance. (Acts 20:7 may be an example of that, but does the fact that they did it ON that day mean they did it ONLY on that day? That is a possible inference, but by no means a necessary one). Does the early church's interpretation and implementation of Jesus's command bind us? Do we need to do everything the early church DID? or do we need to do what Jesus SAID? (careful. landowners might want to check the example of "holding all things in common.")

I think it is natural that the early church began to focus on Sundays as a special time of observing the Lord's Supper, but I am not convinced that we are limited to that time only. The first time it was observed, for example, was a Thursday. I think our emphasis should be on the purpose of the memorial, not the form, especially since the one who instituted it didn't lay down specific form (hence we argue over "one cup" "alcoholic" etc.) but he insisted that it be a memorial to him.

If I asked someone to remember me when they do a certain event, I would not be offended if they began to observe that event weekly, but I very well might be offended if someone else chose to do it more than just weekly or even on a different day, and were then stopped.

Some have "finessed" this question by pointing out that Sunday morning for a Jewish person begins at 6:00 Saturday. That being the case, the Saturday night observance is actually a Sunday morning. But that would also mean that the Sunday night observance would actually be on Monday morning! I don't think that's the point. I think the point is remembering Christ, and my advice would be "as often as you do this, do it in remembrance" of him.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Feedback with Don Neagle

2008-02-26T07:12:00.002-06:00

Hello!

If you've found this page due to listening to our segment with Don Neagle this morning, I want to thank you for listening. I hope that the discussion motivated you to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ. I'd like to give you a short summary of what we are trying to accomplish at the Fellowship Church of Christ.

The goal of spiritual discipleship is to become more and more like Christ as he is formed in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is both something that we do intentionally and something that we receive faithfully. There is no contradiction here, although there is mystery. We embrace that mystery.

We proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is here, near, and coming. We see the kingdom breaking into the world today by the presence of the church. The kingdom does not yet exist on earth exactly as it does in heaven, so there is still growth to be done, but there are times when the presence of the kingdom is unmistakable. We see evidence of the kingdom in healing, comfort, love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, gentleness, etc. Yet at the same time, we see that much remains to be done as we still live in a sinful world still subject to sickness and death. We are amazed not so much at the presence of evil in the world, but at the God-inspired moments when goodness prevails. We boldly insist that in the end, evil will not reign, but that God's kingdom will be all there is, and will be in all that there is.

We proclaim the gospel of this kingdom, not just as a matter of personal salvation, but as a reclamation and a recreation of the universe. God created the world, and he continues to recreate it every day. Every day is a day the Lord has made. We want to rejoice and enjoy it. By his gospel, he proclaims the message of his renewal of all things to all who will hear. We live in the experience of the perfect world to come. We do not experience perfection, nor do we deceive ourselves in viewing it as some sort of personal accomplishment, but we receives tastes of it in the love of family, the support of discipling small groups, the praise of the fellowship, the selfless acts of service, and the experience of ministry. The birth of a child, the dawning of a new day, the budding of trees in spring, and all other such things remind us that our creator God continues to bless us with his involvement in the universe.

It may be ironic, but the awareness of the worldwide concern of God causes us to be quite serious about our personal relationship with God. We realize, moreover, that this personal relationship will not be sufficient if it does not consider the worldwide concern of God. God does not call us to be passively saved, but to be actively redeemed. We are God's possessions for his purpose. We have not been called to gather at a monument, but to join his mission in the world. God loves the world, and he calls his followers to share this same love, and to proclaim it all of our days. It is our fervent desire that you would know that we share God's love to the world, and wish to reflect that love in our service to him.

We would love to share the life of discipleship with you.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Lament: A blessing from God

2008-02-25T00:55:00.004-06:00

I have been impressed in the last couple years with the gift of lament. By that I mean that God shows his approval of our confessed sadness and struggle in part by his incorporation of so much lament in the Psalms. But it is not only David who takes his complaints and pain before God. Job does. Jeremiah does. Paul does. Habakkuk does. Jesus does. And if we are honest to God, we will also.

Bad things happen to us. We think it is faithful to buck up and soldier on, but the truth of hte matter is, we struggle under the weight of the unfair circumstances we experience. Do we think God is unaware of our struggle? Do we think he is ignorance of our anger? So we carry it inside, all the while allowing it to eat away at our faith and our joy.

In the last week, I have encouraged the Wednesday night class at the Fellowship Church to focus on lament. I have asked them to write a prayer to God which speaks bluntly about the biggest pain we are currently experiencing, or the biggest most unfair pain in our lives. After speaking that lament frankly, spend time in the prayer remembering times when God has rescued us of past difficulties or rescued others who have expeirenced what we are experiencing. Close by asking God to do an amazing thing in your life. Promise him praise for the victory, and promise him you will persevere should he choose another route. "not my will, but yours be done." I have asked the class to read/pray/edit this prayer every day for seven days and then report back what the experience of a time of lament has done.

My experience is profound. I truly recommend that you try this in order to understand. I further recommend that you try this "in community" so that you have faithful brothers and sisters to bounce your experiences off of and compare notes. What I have experienced in this time of lament is that I am coming to a point of saying "so what?" I read what I first wrote in anger and sadness, and it's hard for me to feel the same intense emotions. I find myself drawn more to the "remembering/refreshing" part of the prayer than the shocking part where I pour out my anger and frustration to God. My personal experience is that of confessing something to God which I thought would hurt our relationship, but it has actually benefited me to be open with him. He has brought healing to me for the events of the past year in ways that I simply cannot describe to you. By expressing anger toward my enemies, I have come to be able to let go of that anger, and feel pity instead. They truly have no clue what they're doing. And that's a shame, because they're impacting lives. But now when I pray for them, it is with a sincere heart which wishes them well. i want their faith to explode with fruitfulness. I want them to experience the joy of the Lord. And when that happens, I bet they'll never guess that I was praying for them! But having been honest to God about this pain, it no longer matters.

"Come to me, you ones who are weak and burdened down, and I will give you rest." A God who makes that invitation will not melt in the face of your anger and hurt. Take it to him, and don't be surprised if you find healing you had never imagined.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

"Lead" us in prayer (?)

2008-02-14T14:57:00.002-06:00

It is difficult to imagine anyone seriously arguing that we have much to learn about prayer. I suggest that we begin by taking prayer out of the building.

When many think of prayer today, they think of a person up front with bowed head invoking the phrases and tones of public prayer with which we have become spirit-numbingly familiar. As a young boy, I was taught at a "Timothy class" how to "lead" a public prayer. The problem was, I did not "lead" a prayer; I "said" a prayer. It is quite possible that the church did not pray; they listened.

To lead a people in prayer is to help them become aware of God and focus their hearts toward him. It acknowledges the inclinations of the heart and "reflects them up." It is not necessary to actually say a prayer in order to lead in prayer. Once we grasp this, we will unchain prayer from the pulpit and allow it to permeate the daily existence of disciples. Only when prayer is unleased to fill every day and every moment of our lives will its power ever be tapped.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney
Fellowship Church of Christ
Russellville Kentucky

Christians Follow Christ

2008-01-28T08:54:00.000-06:00

Christians Follow Christ.

That seems simple enough, but is it? How does one "follow" Christ? Is it a matter of finding commandments and keeping them? Surely that cannot be set aside, but is that all? I suggest it means that we actually become like him. In order to do that, it will take more than knowing his words or commandments; we will need to seek his heart. We will need to know not only what he did and said, but also what he thought and felt.

Luke 6: 40 "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher."

Note that it is not enough to understand the teacher, or obey the teacher, but the goal is to actually "be like" his teacher. A fully taught disciple will not be content with just obedience. A fully taught disciple wants to be able to accurately imitate the life and thought of Christ.

This leads to a whole new definition of "faithfulness." It can't just be how many services are attended, or how many sermons are preached, or even how many prayers are prayed. It can't be how many people are led to Christ. No, there's no way to avoid this. It can only mean that I become more and more like Jesus.

Colossians 1: 27 "....God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

But some protest: "how do you measure that!!??" and I respond, "why do you need to judge another man's disciple?" Yet I also respond, "you'll know." When the life of Christ takes residence in the life of a disciple and Christ is actually formed in that person, the fruit will demonstrate, in ways that attendance charts could never capture, whether that person is of Christ. We will hear it in everything he or she says, and see it in everything that person does.

And I think this changes the way we pray….

Lord Jesus,
Help me to see the world the way you see it;
Break my heart with the things that break yours;
Give me joy with the things that give you joy;
Help me to care much about the things which concerned you most;
And help me emphasize less things that concerned you less;
Create a new spirit inside me: your spirit;
Adjust my heart until it beats in rhythm with yours;
Mold my desires until I want what you want;
Lord Jesus, show me your heart;
Give me your heart;
I’m desperate for you Lord;
I want to know you, even in this life;
Lord give me a glimpse, and then empower me to live it.
Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Eternal Life

2008-01-01T23:32:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about eternal life recently, and I've got to tell you, if it's anything like this, I really don't want it. I had what was to be routine surgery recently but developed rather serious post-operative issues. I'm only now (week & a half?) getting my mind back. I would not want to live like when I was checked back into the hospital. I would not want to live with the agonizing pain I suffered almost constantly. Thank God for morphine, oxycotin, lortab, and valium. but what kind of life is that?

When God said man would die if he disobeyed, I think we took the warning too literally. Because Adam was not buried the next day many say "aha! Death did not happen right away!" But I think it did. I think he started dying that day, and I think he saw signs of it that we take for granted. I think on the way out of the garden he stepped on a thorn. He yelled "ow!" and pulled the thorn out. A drop of blood hit the ground. He "lived" but he had just had a taste of what it is to die. Even women in the very act of giving birth will experience death.

I realize now more than ever that I will not live forever. I realize that God will not give me eternal life in a 46 year old body. It will be a body without pain, without tears. I will not tear the toenail off my toes. I will not have my cornea scratched with a fingernail in a basketball game. I will not tear a hamstring. I will not have surgical implements implanted in my body which require me to take medicine to be functional. I will not fuss with my wife because I am not at my best and I just can't seem to be nice. I am so sick of this body of death! This body of death is given to us to serve God and begin experiencing the life he gives. That's not only ironic, that's good news.

Come on in, the water's fine!

2007-12-11T14:14:00.001-06:00

What is the purpose of our assemblies? Do we gather to encourage one another (church centered)? to worship God (God centered)? to evangelize seekers (outsider centered)? As if that question were not hard enough, we must ask another one: “Should our worship change with the times or cling to tradition?” I will suggest that the answer to the former question is “yes” and that the answer to the latter is “neither or both” depending on how it is heard.

I suggest that our assemblies center on worship to God, and secondarily to encourage one another, and finally to welcome and integrate the stranger. Often we hear voices crying out that one of these components is “the” reason for Christian assembly. Typically there will be reference to Hebrews 10:25 stating that the reason we gather together is to encourage one another and to encourage love and good works. Yet when we review the Biblical record, we see that all of these purposes were components in early Christian worship, although in my opinion, they were not all equal components.

Humans tend toward narcissism. It is natural for us to see the world revolving around us. The highest needs we perceive are needs that are personal to us. When we come to Christ, we give up this center place, and give it to him. This is essentially what we mean when we say that Christ is lord of our lives. It is thus paradigmatic to me that a shared Christian worship assembly should center and focus upon Christ. As we argue to move the focus of worship away from God and onto the church or the stranger, we should question whether our natural tendency toward egocentrism is driving us. This does not mean that every such impulse is wrong, but it does mean that having such a strong natural tendency should make us especially careful to scrutinize ideas which would tend to shift some of the focus onto humans. Lifting God to the highest place in our corporate experience honors him and gives purpose to our assemblies and our lives.

This is not to say that the assembly is the only place we experience God. We need to experience God in the sanctuary, the home, and the closet. But God should be the primary focus of each of those places. As Charles M. Olsen has suggested in "The Closet, The House and the Sanctuary" (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1709) a synergy will develop when each of these loci for worship are fully developed. I rush to add that this synergy will only be Christian where God is the focus of each and every aspect of our worship and prayer experience. Yes we join the story of God, but it remains HIS story. Ours simply merges into his. Our story is relevant only as it pertains to and interacts with his story. As Frank Burch Brown has written, (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1959) it is not just a matter of taste where our preferences are exalted and served.

Yet we also focus upon each other in our assemblies. We want to encourage and support. As Trudy Bush has hinted, (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2622) we do not want our times together to become so introspective that the stranger is not welcomed. Instead we welcome the stranger, not by losing the distinctiveness and transcendence of Christian worship, but by refusing to place artificially high barriers to the stranger. Not only do we encourage participation in the life of the community on an almost trial basis, but we consider even things like music. This does not mean that we simply run an opinion poll on the most popular music of the day, but it does mean that we consider the worshipful effect of our music on God primarily, and on the church and the stranger secondarily. Although the stranger is certainly welcome, it must be clear that the stranger must be enculturated into the Christian community, and not vice versa. This will take careful planning and thought to make sure that the Christian assembly remains accessible to the outsider while still remaining obviously and unapologetically Christian.

As the church seeks to be relevant to the outsider, it will yearn to be contemporary. We are aware that many do not have a shared experience of faith, and we do not want our language and customs to be barriers to their considering the claims of Christ. We may be especially sensitive to any criticism of being "outdated" or "old-fashioned." We might be tempted to turn the reins of the church over to those we perceive to be more in touch with the younger generation. We might even become dismissive of devotional songs from the 1980's relegating them to a "retro" service or barely suppressing a grin as the older members sing them in an attempt to be more contemporary. "That was so yesterday!"

As the church seeks to comfort and solidify its members, it will remain traditional. No one likes change. Ironically, the implicit reason many churches want to be more contemporary is because we realize that the stranger will not want to change! A church may wish to remain traditional because it captures the experience of what worship was like. Such a church might be pleased to state that you can attend there and experience "worship the way it used to be" as if that were something to be cherished. This church realizes that if change comes, the members will be discomforted. Some might even leave for more comfortable pastures.

Are we forced to a choice between being open to the stranger on the one hand or being comforting and stable to our long time members on the other? Not necessarily. (Note that a choice between these two items is a choice between the two secondary items of importance in our assemblies. God is the first priority. Perhaps the tension between the two secondary choices would be alleviated if we remembered they are secondary?) A church that values both might have an experience much like Ryan J. Jack McDermott had in China (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2952) where he experienced the ancient liturgies rejuvenated with an intentional engagement with more contemporary concerns, yet which also held those ancient truths in such a way that the appeal to the contemporary person was ever new. As Carl Schalk has pointed out, (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1717) the goal should not be to remain traditional or to go contemporary, but to hold firmly to those aspects of community life that transcend time.

Consider the analogy of a river. We stand on the shores of an ancient river. We do not need to walk the shores all the way to the source to experience this river. We can experience it from these 21^st century shores, yet the water we enter flows from that ancient source. In that sense it is both ancient and contemporary. Many who proclaim their desire to hold onto the “old ways” have no real desire to hold onto the truly ancient ways, but instead pine for that spot on the shore where they first entered the river. By the same token, those who cry for contemporary experience are often simply picking a spot farther downstream. They sound so dissimilar, yet both are merely arguing for their preferred place on the shore. One insists on building a permanent structure at the place where they entered the water, while the other is quite ready to pack up camp and move downstream with the changing times, all the while within shouting distance of the river. Neither one ever quite immerses in the ancient waters.

We worship God alone, in personal ways that are both ancient and contemporary. In smaller settings we worship and pray in ways that include the other, but remain focused upon God. We may use ancient techniques to encourage contemporary growth, or we may use contemporary techniques to grasp ancient truths. In our communal assemblies, we remain focused upon God and worship him in ways that resonate with our ancient history, but remain relevant to our current setting, in part so that a stranger coming in will realize that "God is truly among" us. He is from everlasting to everlasting. There is no point on the shore more holy than another. The point is not the shore is holy, but that the river is. We join that ancient tide and experience the bond of the eternal God and his eternal community. Jesus is with us. As one of our brothers has said, he is the “alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.” We join with him and invite others to step from the shore into the river. We are quite willing to meet them on the shore where they put tentative toes into the refreshing ancient waters. Our goal is not to splash water onto the shore, but to invite people into the water. It is the same water that has flowed past distant shores, and we are equally aware that its flow does not stop here.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Spiritual Body Dysmorphia

2007-12-09T23:30:00.000-06:00

When we were expecting our children, we wanted everything to be perfect. But one thing we couldn't really control was the risk of becoming human. Like every other set of new parents, we waited with baited breath to make sure everything was alright. We were so glad when it all worked out!

But did it really?

I hope that each of my children will live long happy lives, but I know that they will not live on this earth forever. Our children are mortal.

Our children get tired. They have been sick. They worry about body shape, athleticism, brains, growing up, standing out, fitting in. They are humans.

We worry so much about our bodies. We wish we were faster, stronger, taller, thinner, younger. That's ALL of us, not just women.

We've forgotten why we have bodies. It is not just to exist. It is not just to attract the opposite sex. We have bodies to serve God. Even Jesus did not have ceremonies and sacred places. Instead he said "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me..." (Hebrews 10:5 NIV).

What kind of risks did Jesus take in becoming human? Did he risk birthmarks? Club feet? hare lips? psoriasis? scoliosis? halitosis? Can we imagine Jesus struggling with the weakness and imperfection of flesh that we experience?

And if he did, can we imagine that he would allow himself to become distracted from his father's mission for even a minute while he stared forlornly into the mirror? Can you imagine him turning to the disciples before he begins preaching the sermon on the mount to ask "How's my hair?" Can you hear him asking John before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem "does this robe make me look fat?" Of course not! Because such a fascination on the appearance of our body when there is such an awesome mission to be accomplished would be profane!!!

Gulp.

I am no raving beauty. But I have spent too much time worried about the weight I've gained. Too many times my quick words before climbing into the pulpit have been "Do my clothes match?" and "Is my hair OK?" An unhealthy obsession with our physical appearance can masquerade as humility, but it actually betrays a lack of focus.

Your body is the perfect instrument to serve God. You have just the right amount of physical attractiveness. Your imperfections could even become ways to demonstrate the power and grace of God in your life. After all, it's not about us. And it's certainly not about our bodies!

Suggestion: View our bodies as weak & imperfect instruments we use to serve God

Romans 6:13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

I Corinthians 6:19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

Work that body!

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

A Great Non-Sectarian Day

2007-12-09T23:10:00.000-06:00

It occurs to me as I sit in my living room tonight that without any pre-planning at all, we had a great day of accepting one another in Christ today! From my own perspective, my day began by attending the early morning service at Russellville Christian Church. I listened to Brent Crabtree present a very nice lesson about telling the good news of Jesus. Then at the assembly of the Fellowship Church of Christ, Mike Boyles made a point to welcome all followers of Jesus, all who consider themselves a disciple, to join us at the table of the Lord. At the afternoon "business meeting" we listened to a presentation from a local chaplain who gave us great advice on how we can be responsible stewards in our benevolence ministry. We have agreed to do some work with him to be more effective in our service to people who are down and out.

Later it occurred to me that we have taken great strides here. As happy beneficiaries of the Stone Campbell movement, it seems we are getting back to the grand idea that we are "not the only Christians; we are Christians only."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Mission Alive Discovery Lab

2007-12-05T10:31:00.000-06:00

This last weekend, Leslie and I went to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Coppell to participate in a "discovery lab." A discovery lab is designed to help a couple decide whether a church plant with Mission Alive would make sense for them. Before going, each couple will take about four batteries of tests. Those tests will be thoroughly analyzed before the couple arrives in Texas.

Once we arrived, we have a hotel room in the same hotel as the other 3 couples. We will come to know them each pretty well by the time the weekend is over. Part of what is amazing about the weekend is the opportunity to get to know amazing people like the other participants. It is so exciting to be around such spiritually vibrant people.

The first 2.5 days of the lab are fairly non-directive. Each couple rotates through four interviews a day in addition to listening to presentations and participating in worship periods led by the participating couples. For the most part, we find ourselves answering questions like "Tell us about a time..." "Tell us what you would do if..." "Tell us why..." "What is your vision...your understanding....your view....your opinion...." It's somewhat awkward since most of us are accustomed to having a conversation partner share back once we give a definitive opinion. In this setting though, you do not receive immediate feedback - at least not immediate full feedback. You feel accepted, and welcome to speak, but you don't know what their reactions are. The best approach is to just be as honest as possible, and not to try to give "right answers."

At the end of the weekend, the tables are turned and the assessors give their reactions. It is very helpful to hear their recommendations and their reasons for their recommendations. I found myself confronted by the recommendations and reasons, but also found both to be more palatable given their obvious concern for the mission of God. There is no mean-spirited carping at this setting, unlike what most of us experience in churches or at one time or another from the spiritually immature, but neither is there unquestioning praise, like what most of us receive from our best fans. Without malice and without flattery, the assessors will simply tell what they honestly see.

So now we contemplate the recommendations. It will not be easy to get our minds around everything we've been told. Now that we're back in Kentucky, it will be easy to re-interpret everything we've learned, but I hope we will remember the vision they shared with us, and have the courage to implement it.

Please know that you do not have to be a preacher to go to a discovery lab. You simply need to be open to the possibility of working with a team in a church plant somewhere in North America. The personal insights that you will receive from the discovery lab are worth the initial look, even if you go no further.

Church Planting

2007-11-16T08:56:00.000-06:00

I believe in church planting. Of course I want to see established churches thrive and do well, but I believe that there is nothing like the beginning of a work to provide the fertile soil for growth, both numerically and spiritually.

First, it provides ground for spiritual growth because Jesus' promise to be with us is most contextually appropriate in mission. In Mark's gospel for example, Jesus leads into Galilee in chapter 1 to advance his mission. Over and over he returns to Galilee. At the end of the gospel, he ends by inviting his disciples, especially Peter to join him in Galilee where he has gone before them. "There they will see him." He gives an invitation to mission, which he leads. As we follow him into his mission, the promise to see him will be fulfilled. In Matthew's gospel, he promises at the end that he will be with us always, even until the end of the age. Again, it is significant to me that this promise falls on the heels of what we call "the great commission" where he sends his disciples into the world to make disciples. If I want to be where Jesus is, I will need to join him in his mission. If I want to grow spiritually, I must engage in the discipleship of walking with Jesus as he continues his mission.

Numerical growth is secondary. As we grow spiritually, doing what Jesus did, and engaging people the way he would engage them, people are naturally drawn to him. If numerical growth is seen as a goal, we will be tempted to use manipulative shortcuts. But if spiritual growth is the goal, long term numerical growth will occur, although I am convinced that the "pruning activity" of God means that sometimes numbers will fall before rising in the end. (Of course this will be the case more in an established church than in a new plant. As kingdom work begins to move in a church, those interested only in the routine of religion will be weeded out. This "failure" mirrors that of Jesus who at times had large crowds walk away from him when they were confronted with the true cost of discipleship.)

Leslie and I are fascinated by the possibilities of church planting. It's one of the viable futures we are considering right now. The group we are considering is called "Mission Alive" and you can read about them on their webpage at www.missionalive.org I encourage you to cut and paste that webpage into your browser and read about them. Even if church planting cannot be a part of your life, you can financially support this excellent work. In fact, Leslie and I will be attending a "discovery lab" at the end of November and need help with transportation costs. We would welcome partners who would assist with the cost of airplane tickets from Nashville to Dallas and incidental expenses.

By the way, you can read another article about "mission Alive" on the Christian Chronicle's web page at : http://www.christianchronicle.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=799
I don't know how long that link will be good, so hit it soon!

:)
Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Unity or Restoration?

2007-11-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

As an enthusiastic member of the Stone Campbell movement, I am acutely aware of the tension between trying to achieve unity (the work of the Holy Spirit) on the one hand, but seeking restoration (curiously also a work of the Holy Spirit) on the other. Many in my fellowship, the Churches of Christ, have sought restoration as the highest good. If there are any doctrinal disagreements, then lines of fellowship must be drawn. Others in the Stone Campbell stream are more like the Disciples of Christ who place unity as the highest goal, and are sometimes thus willing to place truth in a secondary role if it means we could all stay together.

I must confess I have been perplexed and discouraged by this quandry. In my own experience, I grew up in a very narrow "restoration" type church. The true Christians were defined more and more narrowly until we did not even accept many who carried the same label of "Church of Christ." I had to admit, the more I read the gospels especially, that we did not seem to be living the mind of Christ, especially as portrayed in John 17. But then as I determined to pursue unity, I became disappointed at how serious theological questions were shoved aside for fear it would cause disagreement and hard feelings. We could not seriously discuss challenging scripture because of fear we might not be able to stay together. I found myself deeply dissatisfied with both approaches.

Today, the word "confess" sparked a thought in my mind. This week I have been meditating on the following passage:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9 NIV)

It occurs to me that God forgives our sin in a way consistent with his faithfulness, his promise to forgive, that is also just. Consider the dilemma. God is just, and demands a fair disposal of sin. God is also faithful, and he has demonstrated his bias to forgive. These things do not conflict in theory, but they do in practice, much like unity & restoration. If God forgives the murderer, is he being just? If he exacts justice on the guilty, is he being faithful to his promise to forgive? In Jesus, God provides faithful responses that are consistent with justice.

A true contemplation of Jesus will inform us how to seek restoration while preserving unity. We will pursue unity while striving for restoration. An understanding of his ministry, which combined forgiveness, acceptance, patience, while at the same time calling his followers to a higher ethic provides a clue. At this time, I can't make it any simpler than to say that the tension between unity & restoration will be eased somewhat only as Christ is exalted. If either of these laudable goals is exalted, tension will result. If Jesus is exalted, both goals will be furthered, and the tension will be eased if not resolved.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Secularism & Toleration

2007-10-24T17:57:00.001-05:00

I have been very struck by, and completely agree with, Wolfhart Pannenberg's discussions of secularization. Christians fought so much among themselves that they became more and more marginalized in society. The secular society we see in many countries is the result of an undeclared Christian civil war. I also throw a hearty "amen" to his proclamation that it was not the American "separation of church and state" which accomplished this secularization, but the process of modernity and Christianity's failure to adequately engage the culture. A secular culture does not need to be the "end game" of human society, however, since the pointlessness of life will drive many to seek meaning for life in religion. Unfortunately, many nowadays assume that Christianity is a mere "rules system" and will not address their larger existential questions. Suffice to say, we need to prepare to explain and demonstrate that the Lord is good, and that in him, we are complete.

I also love Pannenberg's discussions of tolerance. We realize that we are imperfect. Truth is not imperfect, but our grasp of it is. We hold our views provisionally, knowing that in the consummation of things, we will then "know as we are known." In the meantime, this eschatological view necessarily results in tolerance. Now if we lose the view that we "see through a glass darkly" it will have exactly the opposite reaction and we will become intolerant.

This is a difficult subject to explain. I am often misunderstood. How can I preach with conviction what I "only" hold provisionally? But my point is that what is weak is ME, not the truth. My lack of visual clarity does not mean the image is fuzzy. My lack of auditory clarity does not mean the sound is distorted. I can only use the tools I have been given, and I recognize that the truth exists in a plane higher than my tools. Thus I hold truth "provisionally" meaning that my vision and hearing are faulty. I can therefore listen to others with whom I disagree and consider where I might learn and grow, all the while without being "blown to and fro by every wind of doctrine."

Holding truth provisionally does not mean holding it tentatively. It means that I am aware that certainty awaits in the perfect future, when the necessity of faith is removed. As long as faith is any part of the equation, it is clear that our knowledge is not perfect. One day we will know perfectly, but it is not possible for an imperfect being to know anything perfectly, even though we can be aware that the perfect exists.

:)
Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Emmy winner's offensive comments

2007-10-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

You may have heard about this. I won't say her name because I do not intend to publicize or humiliate her. I won't mention her show, which I have never seen and never will, mostly because I only have time for sports. I certainly will not quote her. The comment was truly offensive. But here's the gist of it: in making fun of all the people who stand up at award ceremonies and, in her opinion, hypocritically thank Jesus, she, shall we say, went to the other extreme.

Instantly the emails started flying. You may have already received one. If not, you probably will. "Maybe we can keep her from winning another award!!" Why would we want to do that? The media of this world does not support God. I'm glad the illusion is lifting. As soon as Christians stop believing entertainers or politicians (where there's a difference) will help us, the better off we'll be!

John 15:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (New International Version)

So we should not be surprised that Christianity is not celebrated at the Emmy's. We should not expect the world to slap us on the back. We need to be freed of the illusion that Jesus will receive fair press.

But how do we react? The email I received pointedly screams: "What if that had been Muhammad she had blasphemed?" Indeed. Someone might kill her. And had she made some other religiously offensive comment about a different group, forces might rally against her. Her career might well be ruined. Again, are we shocked? Did Jesus ever say anything to make us believe the world would treat us fairly? Did the one who was crucified tell us things would get better for us?

I'm glad she didn't say such a nasty thing about Muhammad. Whole armies would rally to kill her. Instead, she said it about Jesus. A safe target. A forgiving target. "Father forgive her. She does not understand what she's doing." I'm glad the offense came at us - a people who have been given generous hearts. I'm glad for her sake that she attacked a people who aspire to be meek. Perhaps she will still have a bright future after targeting a people who have been taught:

Matthew 5:43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (New International Version)

Let vengeance remain in the hands of God. May it be far from our hearts and our hands. Maybe if Christians show gracious reactions, all the while lifting up Christ, she might repeat the words of the centurion "truly this man is the son of God."

After all, her words were not directly pointed at us, but at Jesus himself. Not that this makes it any less offensive, but it means that I should look to his attitudes toward forgiveness. What would he say? "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven..." (Matthew 12:32a NIV).

How about that? She picked a fight against someone who won't punch back. And if we truly are his disciples, neither will we.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Read the rest of it!!

2007-10-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable. When I practiced law I used to be amazed at people who would come to court and quote a case they had clearly not read. I'd hear people quote that "the case stands for..." when in actuality, they were quoting the argument of one party that the decision goes on to ridicule!

In Christianity, I hear people quote verses completely out of context. Without sensitivity to the text as a whole, they build entire theologies on scrap verses pieced together like a child's art project cut and pasted from various magazines. They are then shocked to find "contradictions" and are forced to either lose faith, or simply ignore "problem passages" which seem to say the opposite of what their gluestick book of theology has demonstrated.

I just saw another example on the internet. I was looking at bumper stickers (yes my mind wanders at times) and found a category of politically liberal ones. I was looking in their "anti-religious" category and found this one:

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." -
-- Blaise Pascal

Wait a minute.

You're quoting one of Blaise Pascal's Pensees for an "anti-religious" reason!!! READ THE REST OF THE BOOK!!! I just finished writing a little ditty on Pascal for a class I'm taking. Suffice to say, he was not anti-religious. In fact, the Pensees were written to advance the Christian faith!

I hope that whatever your religious, political, cartoon, bumper sticker, laundry detergent, or "paper or plastic" preferences, you will be fully informed before making a final decision. That's why I encourage people to be daily Bible readers and to read the Bible through at least once a year. It's not to earn green stamps in heaven or frequent flyer miles or any other such thing. It's so we hear the words of God enough that we begin to speak with his accent.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Squirrel on a Wire

2007-10-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting on my couch a few minutes ago stumped at something I've been reading in Pascal's Pensees. It's a beautiful morning. I'm looking out my living room window at the green trees lightly dancing in the breeze.

Was Pascal a true Jansenist? It doesn't seem possible! It seems that he's sympathetic to them, but I don't see the obvious connections everyone else claims to. Can't someone feel sympathy for people, even for a school of thought, without being a part of it?

Soon the leaves will turn color. After all the drought we had this year, you'd think they'd turn sooner, but they're hanging in there! I love this angle. Even though I live in a neighborhood, this angle out my window makes it look like I live in the woods. This angle....my perspective makes it look different. I know I'm in a neighborhood, but it looks like I'm in the woods. That's because of where I'm sitting.

So I'm some 300 years after Pascal wrote. Maybe it looks different to me because of where I sit. The historical school of Jansenism wasn't even fully developed when he wrote! Bishop Jansen hadn't been declared a heretic! So some of the labels placed on Pascal due to his sympathy to Augustine and to Bishop Jansen were placed on him due to his sister's actions and comments, and were further assumed after both he and Bishop Jansen died. Perspective? Maybe what we see depends on where we sit?

Yes it depends on where we sit, but I really am in a neighborhood. My perspective may be a bit skewed, but it doesn't mean there isn't a reality. I should just never confuse my perspective with reality. What if I never moved off the couch? What if the couch was "the 21st century" and the view out my window was trying to understand truth, justice, God? My view would be incomplete, even misleading. It would be true, but only insofar as what I am seeing is real, but it isn't ALL of what's real. The trees are real, but I'm not seeing the houses. Perhaps if someone told me about them, I would believe them, but how? When I look out that window, I see no houses. How would I come to trust a witness who tells me I'm surrounded by houses? Would my reason and my experience allow me to put faith in such a witness?

Is Pascal the first postmodern thinker? I think he is, but really, he's going farther back. He's reacting to the increased emphasis upon rationality by reminding people that it's always been about faith. He's calling out to people not to rely on their vision from the couch. If I can only believe what I can prove by reason, then I'm limited to my view from the couch. Pascal reminds us that God is not ascertained only by reason or even primarily by reason. God is of a different order.

I'm starting to get dizzy. Pascal is in my head so much lately I've been dreaming about him. I'm looking out my window and all of a sudden I see a squirrel dart mysteriously through the air from one tree to another tree across our driveway. How did he do that? In all that pristine natural beauty, there is an almost hidden electric wire. That surreal picture has been tainted by man's innovation. But does the squirrel mind? Absolutely not! Without that wire, he might have had to make a much more complicated "branch to branch" maneuver. Instead, he moved easily from one tree to another on that electric wire.

But what is that electric wire to that squirrel? Does he recognize it as a late innovation? Does he understand that the original forest did not contain electric wires? When he sits in his squirrel nest on his squirrel couch and looks out over the woods, does he see the wire as a natural part of the woods? How would he recognize it as an innovation? Who told him?

I move through the universe fascinated and perplexed at its scope. I search for ways to understand it. I am helped by thinkers who went before me in ways that I don't even understand, like a squirrel on a wire.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

For your morning mirror...

2007-10-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

I encourage you to print this out and read it every morning:

I am on a spiritual journey.
This day may have been created for me to enjoy;
This day may have been created for me to endure;
But I have been created for a journey to God.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Exaggerated Potential to Discourage

2007-09-30T13:08:00.000-05:00

Why do some people hurt us so much while the actions of others, although at times even worse, are so easily survived? I think it's because some people have an exaggerated potential to discourage, and that potential usually comes from their relationship to us and from our trust in them.

Many times the ugly things said to us by fellow Christians take the wind out of our sails, but if those same things were said by someone else, it would not be nearly so devastating. For the longest time, I've upbraided myself for being "overly sensitive" to shots that come from teammates. I think I'm changing my mind. I think that sensitivity is appropriate. People who supposedly share the same vision that we do are in a special position to discourage us if they use their words to tear down rather than to build up. Criticism from teammates hurts so much more than heckling from an opponent's fans.

On the other hand, I think of people whom we have come to trust. In the past they have been there when the going was tough. When others walked out, they hung in there and earned our trust. When someone like that disappoints us, it is so much more crushing than if the same negativity came from a total stranger.

So the lesson for me is twofold: 1) I will not disparage myself anymore for being hurt by people who have an exaggerated potential to discourage. People who are teammates or especially close to me can hurt me more because I have opened myself up to them more. I am more vulnerable to them. It is only natural that their wounds hurt more. The same point holds for those who in the past earned my trust, but now have disappointed. I have made myself vulnerable to them, and it is not shocking if their wounds hurt more. 2) I need to consider who in my life is in such a position to me that my words and actions have an exaggerated potential to discourage. Who is vulnerable before me? Certainly this will include my wife and children, but who else? Who has come to trust me, so that my failures would be even more devastating to them? I owe them and "exaggerated effort" to protect them.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Relief from the Life of Faith

2007-09-27T14:06:00.001-05:00

"The just shall live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17)

This statement can be properly understood, in my opinion, in two ways: 1) faith is what will justify or enliven the righteous ones; 2) the life of the righteous ones will be a life of faith.

I am especially concerned with the second statement. The first one describes the salvific effects of faith, while the second for me describes what I would call the ethical effect of faith. Those of us who are saved by God have enlisted for a life of faith.

What does that mean? Faithful people act when they do not see. Faith is the evidence of things unseen. It is the very substance of what cannot be substantiated. (see Hebrews 11:1) Where absolute proof is lacking, faith marches ahead.

But I don't want a life of faith! I want a life of perfect assurance! I want to pray to God and have clear answers to all my questions. See what I mean? I don't want to live with doubt, uncertainty, and fear. I want to live in perfect knowledge and perfect assurance. When I pray God's will, I want an answer large and unmistakable in the sky.

Hmmm. What does that sound like? Once Jesus' opponents asked for one more sign and then, say they, they would believer. What were they asking? "Remove all doubt, Jesus, and we'll believe you." They asked to be released from the life of faith.

Sometimes we unwittingly do the same thing in our quest for God's guidance. We are unsatisfied with imperfect knowledge and light enough only for the next step. We sit down and demand that God give more light. We claim an inability to act unless and until God makes the way perfectly clear. But does faith work like that? Remember Abraham left Ur of Chaldees "not knowing where he was going." Should he have prayed more? Would that be what faith does? Later he walked with his son up a mountain, prepared to sacrifice him, trusting that God would work it out in the end. Would faith wait at the bottom of the mountain until the dilemma was clearly solved? Job's faith was shaken so much that he despaired of life, yet of God he said "even though he slay me, yet will I trust him." Does faith need to understand all the intricacies of human suffering? Over and over we find faithful people struggling with the vision of the end. We see them acting "provisionally" in faith like Shadrach Meshach & Abednego.

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)

They went to the fiery furnace knowing that God could save them, but not knowing whether he would save them. Is such provisional faith useless? To the contrary! Instead it is the very attitude which allows bold obedience despite human weakness. Provisional faith says "let's assume God is alive, active, and on our side and act as if he were." It then moves boldly ahead while being open to continued guidance.

There is nothing unfaithful in taking faithful action without having all the answers. A requirement of perfect knowledge and understanding will make us not a faithful praying people, but a retreating and defensive people. We must be careful that our reticence to act boldly not follow the pattern of Gideon, who for many is a pattern of repeated and persistent prayer, but who is actually an example of one who does not trust God's calling and lead. Gideon did not have confidence in God's call, but instead obeyed him in the middle of the night, when he would not be seen, and asked for a second confirming sign from God immediately on the heels of receiving the first!

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Discouragement & Faith

2007-09-27T13:56:00.000-05:00

When I was young and would see a person I considered faithful act in a discouraged way, it rocked my world. If faithful people experience discouragement, who can escape it?

As I grow in understanding, I realize that the only people who avoid discouragement are those who attempt nothing. So I've been thinking more and more about how "provisional" faith is. What I mean is that faith takes us through the places where human imperfection allows no other alternative. I used to see faith as the highest quality of a Christian, and I believed that faith was largely equated with knowledge. How wrong I was!

If faith is the highest quality, then we should see faith lasting throughout eternity. Instead, faith will pass away. Faith is a bridge. Faith is a provisional quality to take us through this age. In the next age, we will not need it.

We need faith now because knowledge is imperfect. We don't always have answers. Our unanswered questions are survived by faith.

We need faith now because we don't always have courage. Our human bravery has a limit, but God asks us to go beyond our limits. Only faith will enable us to do that.

We need faith now because our vision is limited. We imagine a great future, but we cannot see it. Once we see it, we will no longer need to "image" it. For now, we see with the eyes of faith, which of course means that we do not SEE at all.

So far from being detractions, things like doubt, discouragement, lack of understanding or vision, etc. are actually part of faith. If these things did not exist in our hearts, there would be no need for faith. Faith is stepping out to follow Jesus even when we do not see the way clear. It is trusting him for the journey even when we have only enough light for the next step. It does not insist on having the entire path lit (I will not move until I have God's assurance of complete victory!) but instead steps out with trembling, weakness, and fear, all the while trusting that God will somehow multiply our feeble steps of faith into an eternity of spiritual victory.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Unity of Faith, Not Opinion

2007-09-24T08:37:00.000-05:00

On December 12, 1825 a member of the Dunkard sect wrote to Alexander Campbell to ask him about "triune baptism." (candidate is dunked 3 times). Mr. Campbell began his answer as follows:

"Dear Brother - for such I recognize you, notwithstanding the varieties of opinion which you express on some topics, on which we might never agree. But if we should not, as not unity of opinion, but unity of faith, is the only true bond of christian union, I will esteem and love you, as I do every man, of whatever name, who believes sincerely that Jesus is the Messiah, and hopes in his salvation." ("A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things" No. XI)

An opinion strongly held is still no more than an opinion. At times we are willing to divide because we are so sure we are right. We are entirely convinced that our position is correct. But the correctness or the tenacity of our opinions do not count. What matters if whether they are central to faith. If they are not, then no matter how clearly right we are, we must not make these prerequisites of fellowship. As Alexander Campbell so well said, "not unity of opinion, but unity of faith, is the only true bond of christian union."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

A non-competitive ministerial spirit

2007-09-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

There was a lot of work to be done in leading Israel. Moses had all he could handle. He wanted help because he was concerned about the people and the work.

God had 70 elders come out and stand around the Tent. The Lord then came down and put some of the spirit that was on Moses onto the elders. But trouble brewed when two men did not come out with the rest of them, but instead stayed back in the camp. Still, God chose them and gave his spirit to them also.

But they had disrespected God! They were showing factions and division! Certainly this most grievous sin would not be ignored by God! But God gave his spirit to the two hold-outs.

But they had disrespected Moses! Surely his leadership would now be called into question. Surely he did not deserve to be treated this rudely! Surely he would not put up with this insubordination! After all, he must show his strength!

Apparently Joshua agreed. Good-hearted Joshua who loved and respected Moses begged him, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"

But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:28, 29)

It is not important who gets credit. It is not even important if we are respected or understood. What is vitally important is that God's mission be advanced. If God chooses to use people other than those from our group, if God goes so far as to use those who are actually opposed to us, then may God's name be blessed. May his workers be multiplied, not our supporters. May we never forget that the essential question is the mission of God, not the reputation of his servants.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Show, don't tell

2007-09-23T17:19:00.000-05:00

I've listened to a lot of great points lately. Many of the arguments and positions I've considered have resonated with me. But what I really want to see are people who have had their hearts remade by the Spirit of God. I want to see consideration, tolerance, patience, yes even love. Since when do we get the idea that "being right" can somehow compensate for a harsh voice, impatient attitude, lack of consideration, etc.? If we were not allowed to speak to demonstrate our correctness, how would we demonstrate it? The answer is that it would be demonstrated only in our modeling the heart of Christ. Would it not be in the gentle way we treat one another? Would it not be when we demonstrate that brothers & sisters in Christ are safe with each other, even when they do not agree?

And if that is not the case, what can we ever say to make up for it?

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

A wonderful resource!

2007-09-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/taxonomy_dhtml

Copy & paste the above line into your browser and you'll find a page which allows you to search the papers of the Evangelical Theological Society and download articles free! It only goes back to 2001 I believe, but this is as excited as I think I've ever been about a web discovery!

Enjoy!

:)
Steve Kenney

More regarding emotions & belief

2007-09-13T18:27:00.000-05:00

If I believe something false (Ed McMahon tells me I'm one of 3 finalists!) I might become very emotional, but that is not a valid comment on the truth value of what prompted the emotion. But on the other hand, if I really do win the PCH sweepstakes, would I not experience emotion? If I do not experience emotion when I win, and I'm not being funny here, what's wrong with me?

So it's easy to put rationality ahead of emotion, but sometimes we can't get off the snide rationally. As a former trial attorney, I have become convinced that people tend to make emotional decisions and then justify them rationally. I can rail against that all I want, but there it is.

In fact, none of us will even work on a problem where we have no emotional connection. Mathematics is loaded with unsolved equations. I will sleep well tonight anyway. There are unsolved theological questions which I do not contemplate until something happens in my life to make them interesting and relevant. Then, once I am engaged (emotionally linked) I will puzzle over them. "I feel, therefore I think" or to put it another way "I care, therefore I think."

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Cheering for the Home Team

2007-09-13T18:18:00.000-05:00

I have to begin by acknowledging my bias: I am a geek. My initial objections to Christianity were that it didn't make sense to me in that it strained credulity. At the church where I was raised, I was told that people grow up, go to college, become liberal and lose their faith. I heard that as "one must remain uneducated to be able to believe this stuff." As I grew older, I couldn't do it, but I wanted to. The problem with this approach is that it sounded like a concession to me that Christianity simply could not hold its own in an intellectual battle. It didn't make sense, and the only way to keep adherents was to limit their education.

Eventually I met Christians who were quite emotional in their worship and even conversation. I must tell you that my initial reaction toward them was negative because I saw them being very enthusiastic in Christian assemblies where everyone agrees and there's a lot of positive reinforcement to do so. In my mind, they were being excited where it was safe to do so. The people who gushed to me about "how wonderful God is!" did not draw me, but in fact made me feel even more hopeless because I simply did not FEEL like they did. (please understand that these were/are wonderful people and I wanted badly to feel like they did, but I just didn't.)

I was and am a rationalist. I needed the writings of C.S. Lewis and people like him to help me with some of my objections and to open me up to faith. I was not as moved by people who "cheered for the home team" with their (no doubt legitimate) excitement in the assembly so much as I was moved by those invaders of the world who engaged the objections of the unbelievers.

Now that I've matured a bit in faith, I find myself much more open to more emotional expressions of worship and belief. I see now that emotions can be moved by the reality of God. To me, it is like seeing a bridge over a gorge covered by fog. Relying on my rational vision, I step onto the bridge and walk as far as I can see. Relying now upon experience, I can walk by faith over the part I cannot see, but now have "experienced" to be there.

So emotions and rationality are not opposed to each other in faith. instead, they are yoked together. They take turns leading according to the needs of the moment. We would do well to engage our minds and our hearts.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Long time, no post

2007-09-04T00:09:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've written. I'm just coming now to explain that. When I preached for the Crittenden Drive Church, every blog I wrote created controversy. Now to be truthful, I did not see how anything I wrote, honestly interpreted in its entirety, could be challenging, but I guess I underestimated. I thought any questions would be addressed in comments or by coming to me personally and it would be a nice conversation starter. I was wrong.

So if you're still with me, please know that my intent in writing is to start conversations. If you live close, I prefer that those conversations be in person. Otherwise, I'm perfectly happy to clarify what I've written in an ongoing written conversation. But especially since I'm not currently preaching anywhere, I think I'm going to need some kind of outlet for the occasional thoughts I have. So here's a place to try them on!

I watched "Triumph of the Will" the other night. It's a Nazi propaganda movie, ironically enough set in Nuremberg. It's chilling to watch all the praise doled out to Hitler, and to see all the pan shots of happy smiling people, especially since we know the atrocities that were happening at the time. For some reason, I still feel queasy after seeing it. If you have any interest at all in World War II or the Holocaust, or how politicians try to manipulate their image and the news, you should check it out. You can find it on blockbuster.com and other places, I'm sure.

God, can you hear me now?

2007-06-21T01:43:00.000-05:00

“Can you hear me now?”

Verizon made a bit hit with that commercial. The message is that their cell coverage is so good, their calls always get through. Of course Verizon can make no promise that once your call goes through, you’ll be happy with the result.

In our weakest moments of prayer we might think “Can you hear me now?” but that is never a faithful question. God hears every prayer, and yes I am convinced he hears the prayers of the most sinful and lost among us. The question is not the coverage (whether he can hear) but his response. Like those faithful martyred saints in the fifth seal of Revelation, we cry “How long O Lord…?” We know he hears us, but what will he do?

I just had a dream where attackers are in my house. Over and over I dial for help, but the dispatcher does not answer. In prayer, our calls always go through, but God is no puppet of his people; he is our master. He responds to us the way a good parent does: meeting our needs without creating a megalomaniac. He serves us, but is not servile. He washes our feet without giving up the justified title “lord.”

I realized that I’ve been asking God to relieve me from the life of faith. I do not want to struggle with uncertainty. I want to know exactly what the details of my life should be. I’m not content merely with general guidance. I want to know what city to move to on what date. In the meantime, I believe he will provide that answer if it is his will. But if it is not, then I am to follow him as closely as I can, even when I have doubts. Living with doubts is the life of faith. We are called to no other.

It is faithless to doubt whether God can hear us.

It is faithful to wonder what he will do and to follow him through, and in spite of, that doubt.

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

Impact 2007 with Frank Harris Dockins IV

2007-06-21T01:28:00.000-05:00

“God I give my life to you; come and live within me.”

Sitting out with Frank Harris Dockins IV as he leads the Crittenden Drive Church youth group in a devotion after hearing a stirring message from Jeff Walling is so amazing! Now I listen to Frank leading our youth in a devotion and I’m so impressed with his maturity. He has come so far, even in the time that I have known him! I don’t know what God will do with him or with this church, but I do know that God is using him right now, at 9:53 p.m. on Tuesday June 19, 2007 to connect with our youth and encourage them in their walk.

“You may not be the best speaker, but you may be the right one. It doesn’t always take the best, it takes the right one.” (great quote from Frank just now)

I look at this group and wonder where they will be twenty years from now. Will they have faith? Will they be a unified group? Some will marry and move away. Some will stay in Russellville the rest of their lives. What will their children be like? Can they learn something this week that will help their children? I’m praying for all of them right now. It’s easier because I can look in their faces and do it face by face.

Now they form a circle and pray together. I’ll join them sitting by their side. It’s so wonderful to hear them. They have no idea how much they encourage me, how much they thrill my heart to hear their growing faith being poured out to God. I hope they will always pray from the heart, and not let “form prayers” take over. These aren’t as well-worded, but they’re from the heart. To God, it’s the difference between a homemade Father’s Day card and a Hallmark card. Give me homemade any day.

A great day at Impact. I’ll try to write more later.

Grace & Peace,

Steve Kenney

Favorite Historical Characters

2007-06-12T20:08:00.001-05:00

It's really hard to rank a list like this, but here are my favorite historical characters, in rough order:

* Abraham Lincoln
* Dietrich Bonhoeffer
* Martin Luther King, Jr.
* William Tyndale
* Martin Luther

I admire these guys for their vision and courage. It's amazing how many of them died for their beliefs. How often today's heretic becomes tomorrow's hero!

:)
Grace & Peace,
Steve

Handling (and preventing) church splits

2007-05-30T12:05:00.000-05:00

(In response to a church which had intended to promote greater unity with other Christians in the area, and facing opposition to that unity, ended up with a split.)

An attempted at unity that ended up with a split? How very....familiar.

I think every church should sit down yearly and say "is there a legitimate kingdom reason for us to continue to exist as a separate congregation?" Embedded within that question are ones of whether a supported plant would be appropriate. I think that we do not address this question enough, so tensions build up and explode in dysfunctional ways instead of healthy ways.

Water under the bridge. Is it possible that this is an Acts 8 moment? Is God dispersing these people to various places so that they can be a blessing to the other places? Is this an Acts 15:36-41 moment? Is the hot dispute between these brothers something that could actually lead to greater service in the kingdom? Instead of just Paul & Barnabas we now have Paul/Silas and Barnabas/John Mark. I would reform the question from "how can we stay together?" to "is there a valid kingdom reason for us to stay together?" and "can we serve God better together or apart?" Accordingly, I'd be more concerned that Christ-like attitudes of forgiveness and mutual support by prayer be maintained than any predetermined outcome like physical unity. As we all know, we can assemble together but harbor all kinds of disunity, or we can assemble separately (paradox intended) with a common Savior, but differing irreconciable views on how to proceed. (you can't take John Mark and NOT take him on the same trip.)

Sometimes one will say "yes" while another says "no" to matters that need not divide us, but make it impossible for us to say both answers at the same time in the same assembly. At those times, it would be wise to consider whether this is an appropriate time to bless the community with two fully functioning, mutually supportive, assemblies. Our close ties in Christ could be maintained while differing styles and opinions are also respected. Rather than one assembly with five or six suppressed views, we could have five or six assemblies who mutually support and love one another, all practicing their faith and experiencing freedom in Christ in different ways. How would that not be a blessing to the community? How would that not further Christ's work?

Hope these ramblings at least spark some thoughts. Bathe this situation in prayer. I don't know where this issue is happening, but I'm praying right now that God's spirit will work the miracle of unity among people who are often self-directed and insistent upon our own way.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney

Praying the Options

2007-05-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

I've been reading and thinking a lot about God's guidance. In the past, I've been leaning towards the "laying out a fleece" idea of asking for guidance. By that I mean that I pray to God "if you do this, I"ll take it to mean....but if you do that, I'll know that you want me to....., ok?" Then when events line up with that prayer, I feel that God has guided me. Oddly enough, I think he did exactly that with our move to Crittenden Drive in Russellville. Both Leslie and I "laid out fleeces" and both were met to the "T."

I've become convinced that such a prayer is at best tempting God. I think God blessed that prayer the last time because we did it from such sincere hearts. Now I think that what God would rather we do instead of bargaining with him for guidance and/or deliverance (e.g. "do this for me and I promise I'll...." or "do this and I'll know that you want me to....") is to "pray the options" and wait for him to give us an answer. How will that answer come? I'm not sure. But I think I'm getting closer to God's will by not being sure than I ever was when I was so sure of how to pray and how God would answer.

By "praying the options" I mean that we should calmly and in an unhurried manner, discuss with God what our options are, much like our children do with us. We reverently say to God "here's one thing I can do, and here's another, and here's yet another option I see. Do you have yet another?" Then we simply wait in prayer. We expect an answer. We live our lives knowing that we have asked for God's guidance and we have placed the options in his hands.

This is embryonic, but let me tell you what I think happens. First, I think he will unsettle me where he does not want me to be. I think I will begin to sense discomfort, even discontent, or at its most extreme, unhappiness in my current situation. Second, I think he will lead me to a calm settled peace on the option(s) I should exercise. I am convinced that he will lead by clear direction ("come over to Macedonia") and also by blocking ("the spirit of Jesus prevented us"). If we have a calm settled peace over more than one option, then I think we have freedom. He's telling us that any one of those will do.

I'd love to hear your experiences in how you pray for guidance, and how you've received it.

Grace & Peace,
Steve Kenney