TILL HE COMES Blog

Here is one of the greatest mysteries of life: Why do stores stop selling seasonal items once the season arrives that these items are for?

I am new to New York, and so don’t have any of the items that living and driving in New York require – like sand, salt, shovels, sleds, gloves, coats, hats, snowpants (for the kids), etc.

I went to numerous stores today to try to find all of the above, and every store gave me the same answer, “Oh, we stopped selling those things back in September.” In Walmart, I went to the “Seasonal” section, and the employees were stocking the shelves with coolers, lawn chairs, and beach balls! It’s 20 degrees and snowing today! We still have at least three months of winter left, and then a few months of spring before anybody will be using coolers and beach balls!

Am I really the only person in the United States who wants to buy snow shovels and ice salt in December and January when it is icy and snowing? In our procrastinating society, I have never understood why stores don’t carry season items all the way through the season that the items are for. Or at least half way through. It is one of life’s unexplained mysteries to me.

So help me out. Honestly, do any of you actually buy your snow shovels in September and your beach balls in January?

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I was asked today by one of the people I work with if it was okay for a Christian to celebrate Kwanzaa.

My immediate response was, “If you can’t celebrate Kwanzaa, you can’t celebrate Christmas either.”

Now truthfully, I don’t know a whole lot about Kwanzaa except that it is a holiday with similarities to Christmas and Hanukkah for the world African community.

But even with my limited knowledge, and without even doing a google search, I can guarantee that there are many Christians and churches which condemn the celebration of Kwanzaa.

So here is a fun little exercise to do tomorrow after you wear yourself out  opening all your presents. Search on google for “Why Christians shouldn’t celebrate Kwanzaa.” (If you really want some fun, search google for “Jerry Falwell on Kwanzaa.” I’m not sure if he ever said anything about it, but if he did, it’ll make for a good Christmas laugh.) After you do your search, every time you read the word “Kwanzaa,” substitute the word “Christmas.” Most of the time, the objections for one work for the other as well.

For example, here is what you might read: “Kwanzaa is not religious! It was started by pagans!” But did you know that “Christmas” was a holiday long before Christ was born? It wasn’t called “Christmas” but it was celebrated on December 25 by decorating trees, beautifying them with glitter and lights, and then passing out presents. Christmas has pagan roots – lots of them.

Here is something else you might read: “Kwanzaa has so many negative elements…like selfishness, greed, a focus on humans rather than God, self-esteem, etc, etc.” Again, I’m just making these criticisms up. I have no idea what sort of things go on during a Kwanzaa celebration. But again, just stick in the word “Christmas” where we read Kwanzaa above, and the statement is still true.

Am I trying to say that we should not celebrate Christmas either? Of course not! I believe that Christ is a Redeemer, and there is nothing beyond the reach of His redemption. Both Kwanzaa and Christmas can be redeemed by Christ and celebrated by any who wish.

Festivus, however, is another issue… ha ha.

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One of the blogs I read is De-Conversion, which is a blog for and by people who struggle with many of the elements of religion–especially Christianity. If you want your faith to be challenged, or you want to know what many people in the world think of your beliefs, this is the blog for you!

One of the contributors, Quester, recently made a post about hell. He concluded this post with the following retelling of Luke 10:25-37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan. This retelling struck me, because it reflects my own journey over the past 4-5 years in my understanding of Jesus, grace, and missions.

Here is what he wrote:

One day, a theologian decided to challenge a street preacher. “Preacher,” he asked, “what must we do to be saved?”

“What is written in the Gospels?” the preacher replied. “What do you read there?”

The theologian answered answered: “It is through Jesus that we are saved. We must believe in Him.”

“You have answered correctly,” the preacher replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But the theologian wanted to justify himself, so he asked the preacher, “And who is this Jesus that we must believe in?”

In reply, the preacher said: “A man was walking downtown, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stole everything, even his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him to die. After he died, Jesus came to him, wearing a frayed loincloth and a crown of thorns. Blood dripped from his hands, feet, brow and side. He was beaten but not broken, and there was a fanatic gleam in his eyes when he raised his head to snarl,

“Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” (Mt. 25:41b-43)

Again, Jesus came to him, blond and blue-eyed with a sad smile and a pure white robe. He sat in the midst of quiet children and clean sheep and gently told the man,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Mt. 7:21-23)

A third time, Jesus came to him, almost unrecognizably: a young, Jewish man with traces of sawdust on his faded blue jeans. When he saw the man he took pity on him. He went to him and healed his wounds, tears of compassion falling down his face. Then he took the man up in his arms, and carried him to our Heavenly Father. “Look after him,” he said, “I have paid for any debt he may owe.”

“Which of these three do you think was a saviour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The theologian replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

The street preacher smiled, “Go and do likewise.”

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I have been a long time reader of Chris Elrod’s blog, and he recently announced his departure from the blogosphere. To say goodbye, I am posting one of his final posts below that all church planters (and all who are followers of Jesus), should read. I strongly encourage you to also go and browse his archives (which are still active).

You will be missed Chris!

You Gotta Love that Sh*t
by Chris Elrod

Curse words are just words…but oh what a tapestry of division they can weave.  Recently I was meeting in a restaurant with some other church leaders.  Sitting near us were two truck drivers that were cussing up a storm in their conversation.  In between f-words and a-words one of the guys said REAL LOUD…”you gotta love that sh*t”.   That was the final straw for one of the pastors at our table and he asked the waitress if we could move to a different location…because he was offended by the language of the men.  That’s when it hit me…some people are offended by cussing…but it’s music to my ears.  When I hear cussing…I hear people far from God.  When I hear people far from God…I hear an opportunity to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.

I seriously don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches that appeal to themselves.  I don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches to reach other church people.  I really don’t understand “leaders” that plant churches with no real heart to reach people far from God.

Don’t get me wrong…reaching people far from God is messy.  They cuss…they have serious issues…they smell…they drink…they live lifestyles that are at times really repulsive.  Reaching people far God also means going to places that church folks have been taught not to go.  People FAR from God do not hang out in Starbucks or Junior League meetings…they hang out in bars, porn shops, downtown streets, bowling allies, courtrooms, emergency rooms and R-rated movies.  It’s not easy…it’s not pleasant…it’s not always rewarding.  However, reaching people far from God with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what the Father called us to do.

I know that quite a few potential church planters read my blog so let me say this to you.  If you don’t want to do ministry that is messy…don’t plant a church.  If you just want to “feed the saints”…don’t plant a church.  If you just want to stop having to take orders from your current pastor…don’t plant a church.  If you just got fired, let go or laid off from a ministry position…don’t plant a church.  If you are still trying to impress seminary professors with your preaching skills…don’t plant a church.  In fact, if you think planting a church is cool…don’t plant a church.  If you think those things, It’s probably going to be best for you to get a job in your state denominational office…where it’s safe, there’s a steady paycheck and you only have to interact with other Christians.

On the other hand if you love the smell of vomit and beer….if you love to hear about people’s addictions…if you love hearing the f-bomb dropped by every member of a family (including kids)…if you love people wearing halter tops and Budweiser t-shirts in the Sunday service…if you love people putting three dollars cash in the offering plate and crossing their arms during worship…if you love getting 3 a.m. marriage counseling calls…then by all means…plant a church.  I’m not talking about you liking that stuff…I’m talking about…you gotta love that sh*t!!!

Church planting done right is messy…and attracts messy people.  If you don’t have a passion for the mess…if you don’t hear someone cussing and think, “That person is a potential guest for my church”…if you don’t wake up every day with an unquenchable thirst to see people far from God come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…church planting is going to be a miserable experience for you!!!

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Though the reason I came to New York is for a government job, I am convinced that one reason I am up here is for “church planting.” I won’t do this at work, of course! First and foremost, I will be a good employee.

However, after work, one of the things I want to do is plant a church. So in a sense, I’m church planting on the government’s dime! This kind of church planting does not require any fundraising. In a sense, since I am a government employee, all of you who pay federal taxes are technically supporting my church planting efforts. So thank you! I appreciate your generosity!

Anyway, I have already realized that it would be nearly impossible to plant a typical church in area of New York. In fact, as I meet more and more people, I am convinced even more that the only kind of church that will make any progress at all up here, is the type of church that most Christians would not consider “church.” It wouldn’t even be similar to what has come to be called “house church.” I doubt we would ever have a “church service” or have any paid “staff.” There will probably not ever be a “church building” or any sort of “church programs.” Definitely no bulletins, songbooks, Sunday school classes, overhead projectors, worship teams, or websites. We would not give ourselves a “church name.” I am convinced that the less “churchy” we are, the better we will do as the church in this area.

We would be so unchurchy, that most of the people in the church would probably not even know we are “church.”

Is that possible?

Right now, the church consists of five people (not that I’m counting numbers! ha ha): myself, my wife, and our three girls. This next year or two, we are going to focus on loving and serving each other, and loving and serving one or two of the families in our immediate neighborhood (within 100 yards of us). There will be no strings attached. We just want to love and serve.

Some people will say, “That’s not church planting! That’s just following Jesus’ instructions for believers!” Yep. I believe that if we follow Jesus, we will naturally be the church. And wherever the church is, the church gets planted. That is my entire “church planting strategy.” Simple. Organic. Reproducible.

Will this strategy result in a mega-church? Nope. But that’s not my goal. My goal is to change lives, and that gets done one person at a time.

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I am fairly new to the New York church scene (10 days!). So far, here are my observations:

1. Unlike Dallas, mega churches are not on every corner. In fact, I have yet to see a single mega church. To the contrary, I doubt most of the churches I have seen could fit more than 100 people. Though I knew Dallas was a bit of an anomaly, it still amazes me how different the rest of the world is. (By the way, if you are thinking of planting a church in Dallas, I recommend you reconsider.)

2. Of the churches I have seen, the vast majority seem to be of the “mainline” category – Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, etc.

3. I have met three Christians among my fellow employees at my new job. Within 30 seconds of our conversation, all three let me know they were “Hyper Calvinists.”

4. I have had a couple ”religious” conversations with other people in the area (though I consider all interactions with all people to be spiritual). Both people were essentially atheistic or agnostic.

5. Since my job is with the federal government, I have kept my ears open for hints as to how the government views “religion.” My initial assessment is that the average government employee up here agrees with Karl Marx, who said that “religion is the opiate of the masses.” In other words, religion is a government-approved drug to help keep people happy. It is not really for those who “have their life together” but for those who need a little help to hobble along, or a little hope to keep them going.

Tomorrow, I will post my initial thoughts about church planting in this area.

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