Be the change by Jason Valendy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
God has been transforming lives in Texas? Oh wait...
The Central Texas Conference (which is a geographical region in which 300+ churches are grouped together) celebrates 100 years in existence. To celebrate this anniversary the conference decided to throw a big party an invite all the churches to set up tables in the Will Rogers convention center. These tables will have the history of each community of faith in the conference with pictures and a narrative for people to learn about them.
The conference decided that this event would be an opportunity to invite Willie Nelson not only because he is from the area but also he grew up Methodist. :Loads of people were exited and the churches plugged this celebration as an opportunity to hear Willie Nelson. Kinda neat.
Until Willie Nelson drops out.
People are not happy. People are concerned that the attendance will be hit dramatically. Because, lets be honest, how many people are really drawn to the idea of looking at a bunch of slide shows of churches they do not know about.
I am saddened by this whole thing. And not that Willie Nelson will not be there.
Our conference has the opportunity to share with the whole central Texas area that what the UMC has done in this part of the country. We have build hospitals and schools and feed countless people only to be outnumbered by the amount of people we have clothed. We have joined with the major metropolitan areas to help with homelessness and we have helped create cross religious conversations and ministries. We created Metropolitan board of missions and United Community Centers. We have campus ministries and youth ministries and built homes. The Central Texas Conference has done so much and the best way we could think to celebrate it is to have slide shows and Willie Nelson.
Did I mention that Willie Nelson is not coming? Did I tell you how much people are questioning this event at this point? Did I mention, that to my knowledge there is no worship of God?
Is the music and celebrity of Willie Nelson more transformational that the mission and ministry of God through the Central Texas Conference?
Is Willie Nelson more important or has had a much greater influence in the lives of people in the Central Texas area than the United Methodist Church?
Willie Nelson will not be there but you can be sure the Living God for whom created you and me and gives life to the entire world will be there.
But even that might not be a big enough appeal.
The conference decided that this event would be an opportunity to invite Willie Nelson not only because he is from the area but also he grew up Methodist. :Loads of people were exited and the churches plugged this celebration as an opportunity to hear Willie Nelson. Kinda neat.
Until Willie Nelson drops out.
People are not happy. People are concerned that the attendance will be hit dramatically. Because, lets be honest, how many people are really drawn to the idea of looking at a bunch of slide shows of churches they do not know about.
I am saddened by this whole thing. And not that Willie Nelson will not be there.
Our conference has the opportunity to share with the whole central Texas area that what the UMC has done in this part of the country. We have build hospitals and schools and feed countless people only to be outnumbered by the amount of people we have clothed. We have joined with the major metropolitan areas to help with homelessness and we have helped create cross religious conversations and ministries. We created Metropolitan board of missions and United Community Centers. We have campus ministries and youth ministries and built homes. The Central Texas Conference has done so much and the best way we could think to celebrate it is to have slide shows and Willie Nelson.
Did I mention that Willie Nelson is not coming? Did I tell you how much people are questioning this event at this point? Did I mention, that to my knowledge there is no worship of God?
Is the music and celebrity of Willie Nelson more transformational that the mission and ministry of God through the Central Texas Conference?
Is Willie Nelson more important or has had a much greater influence in the lives of people in the Central Texas area than the United Methodist Church?
Willie Nelson will not be there but you can be sure the Living God for whom created you and me and gives life to the entire world will be there.
But even that might not be a big enough appeal.
What do you think Jesus was "Stupidly good" at?
My brother shared this video with me the other day and I really enjoyed the thought (albeit not very PC) of every person is "stupidly good" at three things. While this is a bit trivial and odd, it is fun to watch.
My question to you is this: What do you think Jesus was "Stupidly good" at?
My question to you is this: What do you think Jesus was "Stupidly good" at?
Jesus and Shakespeare
Recently I heard and analogy that Shakespeare was less of a poet and more of a chemist who used words as his chemicals. It was an interesting thought and helped me understand a bit more about how Shakespeare could create so many words we now use today.
Granted not all of the words in Shakespeare "made the cut" so to speak and some of the language makes no sense. Scholars argue that is acceptable because just like a chemist, not all experiments work out well.
For instance, Shakespeare is credited as "creating" the prefix 'un'. He put the "made up" prefix in front of words just to see if they 'worked'. I cannot imagine a world in which 'un' did not exist and it is only because Shakespeare took the chance and pushed letters together that no other person thought about pushing together.
That got me thinking about Jesus.
What if we thought of Jesus as a chemist as well and he used the fruits of the spirit as his chemicals.
Shakespeare did not make up letters, he had the same alphabet others had he just courage to use it in ways no one else had. Jesus did not make up 'love' or 'peace' but he had the courage to use them in ways in which no other had.
Love your enemy.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's.
The first will be last and the last will be first.
Be like a child.
Eat with sinners.
Be crucified in order to expose cycles of violence and sin.
Shakespeare's courage to use the tools helped to create a new world (for instance a world with 'un'). Jesus' courage to use the tools helped to create a new world (the Kingdom of God).
I am challenged by the Triune God to also be a 'chemist'. What would it look like to push together love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in ways no one thinks about?
Can I push peace and violence together?
Can I push love and hate together?
Can I push self control and consumerism together?
Can I be a "chemist"?
Granted not all of the words in Shakespeare "made the cut" so to speak and some of the language makes no sense. Scholars argue that is acceptable because just like a chemist, not all experiments work out well.
For instance, Shakespeare is credited as "creating" the prefix 'un'. He put the "made up" prefix in front of words just to see if they 'worked'. I cannot imagine a world in which 'un' did not exist and it is only because Shakespeare took the chance and pushed letters together that no other person thought about pushing together.
That got me thinking about Jesus.
What if we thought of Jesus as a chemist as well and he used the fruits of the spirit as his chemicals.
Shakespeare did not make up letters, he had the same alphabet others had he just courage to use it in ways no one else had. Jesus did not make up 'love' or 'peace' but he had the courage to use them in ways in which no other had.
Love your enemy.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's.
The first will be last and the last will be first.
Be like a child.
Eat with sinners.
Be crucified in order to expose cycles of violence and sin.
Shakespeare's courage to use the tools helped to create a new world (for instance a world with 'un'). Jesus' courage to use the tools helped to create a new world (the Kingdom of God).
I am challenged by the Triune God to also be a 'chemist'. What would it look like to push together love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in ways no one thinks about?
Can I push peace and violence together?
Can I push love and hate together?
Can I push self control and consumerism together?
Can I be a "chemist"?