ON PREACHING, POST-ITS AND HOLINESS

In a church our size and a pastoral staff who have designated ministry assignments, I only get to preach once a month, for which I am thankful. My main assignment is in the area of worship, but I also love preaching so much that I grab every opportunity presented to me.

Last night in our midweek worship I had the wonderful privilege of preaching God's Word again.

Preaching a message titled, What Drives You? based on Galatians 5, on what it means to be led by the Spirit was precipitated by a conversation I had with a lady a number of weeks ago. The lady, who used to come to our church (and admits that she now goes to another) held a view about being Spirit-led that is not exactly Biblical. I figured, if a lady her age who has been in church for a decade now has deficient views on the Life in the Spirit, there must be a huge number of folks who also do.

Judging by the vibrant response of the congregation, unwavered attention (despite the fact that we went 10 minutes overtime*) throughout the message, I'd say, the people had fun learning about what it means to be Spirit-led as we went along the study of God's Word. It was amazing to see how the people were so hooked and interested in the topic, perhaps because it was something close to their hearts- or perhaps to all of our hearts! To be Spirit-led is a call of God to every Christian, and choosing to be led is a constant struggle because of the presence of the two natures inside of us- the Spirit, who leads us to do God's will, and the sinful nature that tries to prevent us from doing so. Everyone struggles with what St. Paul referred to as the two forces that are in conflict within us. But still, we are a people called to holiness-- and I say that in a generic and Biblical way. As Christians, regardless of denominational loyalty or theological leaning (Calvinist-Arminian), we are all called to holiness.

(We went overtime- the clock in the Fellowship Hall ran out of battery power that it stopped at 8:10! I kept glancing at it so I'd finish at 8:25, and be done with the benediction by 8:30!)

We closed the Midweek Service in a non-traditional way. I had the ushers give away Post-its® on which I asked congregants to write down the issues/sins they struggle with the most and we will altogether post it on the large wooden cross in the Fellowship Hall! After a brief prayer, I read Galatians 5:24-25, Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed (in our case "post-its") the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. I asked each one that once they're done, they can stand, walk down the aisle, stick their "sins" on the cross and walk out of the Fellowship Hall.

I stood at the door to shake the hands of the people when they come out. It was so moving to see some people write down their struggles on a little yellow Post-it® with tears. One by one they stood, to stick their Post-its® on the cross.

After dinner with Joel and Ces, and meeting briefly with Joy, I came back to the Fellowship Hall at 10 to pick up the Post-Its® so I can pray for the people whose struggles are summed up in those tiny pieces of paper. I have the Post-Its® on my table here at home. Later, I'll bring the post-its to GCF's Prayer Room.

PASSION CONFERENCE (FOR ALL AGES?)

Passion Conference tickets are SOLD OUT as of yesterday!

People are stoked! I bought some tickets to give away to college students I "hang out" with! But I have the feeling that Passion Conference in Manila will not be the same as those held in the US. I have a strong feeling that the Passion Movement leaders will a little bit disheartened when they realize that the Ultra will not be filled with university student and their leaders but people of all ages- contrary to what they envision Passion Manila should be, a movement of university students ages 16 to 22!

Some people failed to communicate that Passion is a student-driven conference with the heart to mobilize Christian students to intentionally live out the Christian life in their campuses, and make the Lord's renown the premier motivation for doing so. Passion's vision is "...uniting students in worship and prayer for spiritual awakening in this generation." I'm pretty sure there'll be a good number of university students on Friday, but I doubt that it will be just them and their youth pastors, disciplers, and leaders.

Yesterday, I overheard two ladies in their late 30s who are making last minute calls to reserve tickets to the "Chris Tomlin concert" called Passion for their friends! A couple of weeks ago, a 58-year old woman asked me if I needed a ticket to the "Chris Tomlin Passion Concert" because she had one left from the 10 tickets she bought for her friends-- I'm guessing that her friends are not exactly kids taking Elementary Physics at a local university. I've had more encounters with older and younger people- outside of the Passion age bracket who have tickets to the event!

At our initial meeting with the Passion Leaders early this year, it was clearly communicated that Passion is a student movement and that the event will be strictly for university students and their leaders.

At any rate, I do hope there are more students ready to inspired and mobilized, than spectators who just wish to see Chris Tomlin do a one-night worship concert!

YOU GOTTA LOVE 'EM

The Dynamic Trio. Finalizing this Sunday's Worship set this afternoon at 4, I received a text from Joy telling me that she'll pick me up "6-ish" from church for dinner with Lennie at the mall! I kept working, occasionally glancing at the clock infront of me to be sure I'd be at the lobby earlier than I expect her to arrive. At 5:30, I received a message telling me to come down to the driveway and that she's waiting there! Well, 5:35 is not exactly 6-ish, is it?

Dinner, by the way, was at my prodding.

After dinner, we walked to Powerbooks. We ended up going to our favorite sections of the bookstore. I bought a book by James Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. Lennie bought a book about touring Manila's little known but amazing spots. Joy browsed titles-- just titles, I guess. At Cafe Breton, we each ordered what I dearly call, pet desserts (stuff we never get tired having!). Our conversation was sprinkled with fairy dusts, basketball, vacations, relationships, people, ideas, etc.

On the way out, Joy tried to insist that she "drop" me at Shang-rila to meet with Marybeth and Heidi who are in Manila for a three-week holiday from Michigan and Ontario, respectively, to tell them, at Marky's suggestion, of the already known fact that they missed their flight to Boracay this morning! Some people are way too smart to suggest that I tell others about something already obvious, aren't they? Haha!

The Dynamic Duo. Yesterday at the morning service, I stood during praise and worship at my favorite section in church when i lifted my eyes to balcony and saw a familiar face standing out of the Sunday morning crowd! Marybeth! Standing beside her was Heidi! They'd flown in a day before and made sure to come to worship at GCF- their home church while they both served as missionaries with Faith Academy until June 2007.

Seeing them in church was a total delight, more so having to shake their hands and engage in a real nice conversation with them. They were meeting a missionary couple for lunch but it was raining cats and dogs! Typhoon Igme's tailend was stronger than I thought it would be! Observing the howling winds, gustiness and heavy rains evidenced by the fallen bushes and potted plants at the church patio, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that no one can run into it without getting drenched!

In their Sunday best, Marybeth and Heidi ran out of the church and into the rain! Ingrid smiled at me and said, "Hmmm...what brave cowgirls! I wouldn't do that!" Had they waited 15 minutes, they would have made it to the mall a little drier!

The Creatively Crazy Team. Returning from lunch last Sunday, I met with the Worship Creative Planning Team. Our meeting may be best described as a productively creative crazy jungle! 'nough said!

These people surrounding me-- Oh, you gotta love em!

THE COLOR PURPLE

After meeting with the leaders of LifePursuits Conference, I had a rather prolonged lunch with Chris and Abe. After heading off different ways, I figured that I have the whole afternoon to myself. I decided to go to my favorite video store at The Podium to check out the latest movie releases. Having seen nothing interesting, I walked to the older movies section. Straining my eyes as I looked through rows and rows of DVDs, I found a film I've been searching for in a fairly long time.

The Color Purple. It came out in 1985, but I remember first seeing it in the summer of 1991, just weeks before high school! It made such a lasting impression on me that I began to like movies with a such theme- race relations, slavery with a redemptive, heart-warming twist.

Immediately, I grabbed the lone copy in the shelf and headed home.

Taking place in the Southern United States during the early- to mid-1900s, the film follows the life of Celie Johnson as she struggles through life in the early 1900s. All through her early to mid-life she struggles with ugly circumstances and copes with her miserable existence. Towards the near-end of the movie, Celie and Shug (short for Sugar), a friend she made early in the movie, walk on a meadows surrounded by purple flowers, they talk.

Shug: God love admiration.
Celie: You saying God is vain?
Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think God doesn't like it when you walk by the colour purple in a field and don't notice it.

It was through their experience that they realized that though they suffered a lot, there is a God who redeems. Those circumstances allowed God to reveal his faithfulness as he intervened to save them. The circumstances were perfect for their indivudual growth. They provided the perfect opportunity for them discover that they could trust God as their faithful friend. They were perfect for deciphering how much they had grown as they faced forty years of their individual wilderness journey.

MATCHMAKING AND GOD'S WILL

In the middle of preparing for a sermon I'm preaching next Wednesday, I received three text messages of the same thread consecutively from three different people who are total strangers to each other. I figured, I should take a break from writing my sermon and blog about it!

Kai Shao- that Chinese practice of introducing strangers with hopes of romantic fruition. One guy (who too, by the way is single) wrote, "Bro I met this girl at work who I believe is your type! You should meet her! Watchatink?" These highly concerned/desperate friends meet persons they think would be my perfect match! I know a number of couples who were results of kai shao. Nothing bad about the practice, I just don't think it's for me.

Along that line of thought, a friend of mine has been suffering the consistent bugging of her relative trying to convince her to consider the "long-haired pastor." I met that relative. She seemed fine. But I'm getting convinced that she's either of the following- she's desparately concerned with her niece or she must have sustained a real bad head whack in the not so distant past.

I thought, it's funny how people act up when the moon is up! But then again, it's day time!

One text message reads: "Bro, malay mo baka ito na si God's will!" (Who knows, she could be God's will!) First off, I do not like the idea of beginning a sentence concerning God's will with the words "malay mo" (who knows?). Second, God never has very much communicated with people through burning bushes. He chooses chiefly to communicate through burning hearts. Hearts that are passionately in love with Jesus Christ.

I believe that if you are really, really serious about finding God's will for your life, but you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then that is the place to begin. But if you do know Christ as Lord and Savior, and you are struggling to find out what God's will is in light of his lordship and under the authority of his word, then the Apostle Paul has some clues for you and me here, as he writes

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. We are to examine our lives, in the light of the Holy Spirit, and more than asking "Who is God's will for my life?" we must ask the question, "What is God's will for my life?" When we are filled with the Holy Spirt, we are more liable to figure out the answer.

MEN TALK

Men and Mood Swing! Having a nice balance of male and female friends, I love how God wired both genders so uniquely! 

I just got home from dinner with my single bros!! You know how it is when men eat out together-- we can't help but notice pretty girls who walk past our table, or outside the restaurant, or at the counter; dinner conversations vary from the midweek service sermon to family issues, from sports to politics, from critiquing movies to digging philosophical concepts. When I eat out with my female friends, we talk about their pet passions and other people (which isn't bad at all-- just different)!

As ma' men were just about to finish eating, one of my female friends came by from a nearby restaurant where her family had dinner and sat amongst us-- immediately, the mood changed!

The Case of a Misplaced Heart. Over the course tonight's dinner conversation (briefly before the girl joined us)-- along the line of girls, match-making, and relationships, I said something that seemed to have come out lightly or loosely, or rather jokingly that struck a chord in some guy's heart! What did you say? You ask. Simple, I just said, "I gave my heart away a long time ago and never got it back." On the way out of the mall, we again briefly talked about what I said, and just like any other men talk, before we knew it, we quickly shifted from that to "Nice hanging out with you guys! God bless!" If I were among girls, they would have asked us to go to a nearby coffee shop and talk some more about what I said!

Just last Tuesday, I was watching a worship webcast of church in Minnesota where a man named Don Bugbee was sharing his story about how he once fell in love with the girl of his dreams as a college student. His relationship with her grew, and they eventually married. One summer 11 years later, after a long vacation from the beach his wife informed him that there is another man in her life. His shock of the news was coupled by hopelessness. His heart was broken into pieces and there was no way for him to win her back. The bits and pieces of what was left of his heart was blown away. In no time they divorced, and he lost his heart away to pain.

He gave his life to Christ. It wasn't until he was able to forgive his ex-wife when he began to feel that healing taking place and his heart taking shape again. He has remarried another woman who loves God more than she loves him.

ON COLLEGE LIFE AND MINISTRY

Gearing up for Passion Manila. This morning, one of our youth pastors was requested by Becca Music (the company sponsoring the Passion Manila event on August 1) to give them a hand in welcoming the Passion Ministry leaders from Atlanta- Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin and forty others. Now, I have an appointment act as host together with a number of others for the Passion Team! I'm so stoked!

This exciting university student-focused event is expected to gather 10,000 college kids and pack the PSC Ultra Stadium for a night of worship, teaching and challenge! Our university students at Church are most passionate about this event, and as a worship pastor who spends a whole lot of time with them, the excitement has rubbed off on me.

My college life story. I just wish that such a movement existed when I was in college! My friends and I were movers in the Campus Crusade for Christ in my university, but due to the CCC's lack of staff/workers, the whole ministry was run by just us-- the kids.

But it wasn't that way when I first walked the halls of the Arts and Sciences Building of Trinity. As a freshman, I explored every bulletin board in campus, wondering which group I could best join! I saw the CCC bulletin on the first floor of the AS Building, and it did not send out a good impression! The tattered colored paper, the dusty cork board, the smudged signage gave away an impression that the bulletin board acted as a gravestone on the tomb of a once vibrant college ministry!

I posted a message on the board, wrote there my cellphone number. A girl named Imelda contacted me-- she was an inactive remnant of the long dead group, and an over-staying junior. With the help of a friend named Gilbert, I met with Imelda and soon after, we were meeting for Bible study. In a month, we had 20 active members. We contacted Jason, a CCC Staff who came to visit us to witness the resurrection of the campus ministry! Excited, he invited us to a monthly gathering of leaders at the CCC Training Center in Quezon City. Not long after, our group was a strong voice in the gatherings. We were able to send people to a mission trip, raised funds for the Leadership Training Institute, hosted a Christian concert attended by 700 people all in a semester's span! I remember having coffee with Gilbert at the newly-opened Starbucks on Morato Avenue, telling him, "Bro, the Spirit is impressing upon me that this is going to work!" And it did. A whole new movement was born and with our members being people of influence- leaders of campus organizations, student council officers, editors of the school paper, dean's listers- it was astounding to see the Spirit breathing life into the ministry.

My involvement in the movement affected even my ministry in the local church. I assisted my dad in leading the youth and college ministries at the church he was pastoring, in addition to my worship ministry leadership.

I was gone for a couple of season in an exchange program, but people kept in touch. It was at that point when the Lord has placed worship in my heart to be my main focus.

Soon after college, I went on to pursue a theology degree and my fervor for college ministries somewhat took a back seat. There is something about theological and seminary studies that make people feel old!

At any rate, now is a great time to be alive-- the Lord's renown is rising from among the peoples of the earth!

PRETTY BASIC, INDEED

Mid-day Thursday, I texted a friend to say that we were watching The Dark Knight that evening. Her immediate reply read, "I thought we're watching Batman?"

Alright, I just thought of sharing that cute story which has nothing to do with what I really intend to blog about.

Oseola McCarty was 91 when she died of liver cancer. For a rather brief moment about a decade ago she became quite famous because she had given away her life savings of $150,000 to help total strangers get a college education at the University of Southern Mississippi in her hometown of Hattiesburg. She died in the little frame house where she earned a small fortune taking in laundry and ironing.

Oseola McCarty (1908-1999)

In the summer of 1995, Oseola decided to give away most of her estate, saying there was nothing in particular she wanted to buy. She had lived a solitary existence surrounded by rows of clothes she made pretty for people who knew her only as the washerwoman. “I’m giving it away so that the children won’t have to work so hard, like I did,” she said.[1]

Her gift had quite an effect on people. For an old woman who only came out of her house to worship at Friendship Baptist Church and to buy groceries, she was little prepared to be honored by the United Nations, to be visited by President Clinton, and to receive more than 300 awards, including an honorary doctorate from Harvard. [2]

Contributions from more than 600 additional donors made her initial gift worth half a million dollars. After hearing of her generosity, Ted Turner gave away a billion dollars saying, “If that little woman can give away everything she has, then I can give a billion.” People would see her in airports and flock to her. Some people just wanted to touch her, as though she was good luck.[3]

This effect intrigues me. She did a very simple thing, really, something that, say, anyone in this room could do in their own way. “There’s a lot of talk about self-esteem these days,” she said. “It seems pretty basic to me. If you want to feel proud of yourself, you’ve got to do things you can be proud of. Feelings follow actions.”[4]

Pretty basic, indeed. But more than just knowing she'd feel good when she does something good, she did good out of her deep faith and love for Christ.

You want to feel really good about yourself, about your life, then you have to do things that matter in the name of Christ. Not big things, necessarily. Not things that are beyond the range of your life, like discovering a cure for cancer or giving a billion dollars, but simple, important things, nevertheless. Things that are well within your reach, like acts of courage, compassion, and, yes, generosity of a kind you had not considered before, but are entirely capable of accomplishing: opportunities that come as regularly as the rain.

____________________

1 Bauman, Stephen, All Stirred Up, October 2, 2005 CCNYC

2 ibid

3 ibid

4 ibid

A WEDDING THAT WAS, A MARRIAGE THAT IS

Excitedly, I hopped off a friend's SUV and hurried to the sanctuary of the Union Church of Manila to make it to Ro's and Natalie's wedding! I made it just in time for the processional. As I walked to the lesser conspicuous area in the sanctuary, I auddenly felt so much at home in a church sanctuary not ours as familiar faces from GCF dotted the 800-seat worship hall.

Ro stood at the altar with Dr. Pantoja and his best man, his brother Emil. He looked sharp in his white tux-- he always does in any suit or shirt he dons! God blessed him with a real well-built physique. After a few minutes, Natalie emerges from the stairs at the back of the sanctuary in her pearly white gown. Gorgeous!

She walks down half the length of the aisle where she was met by her parents who then walked her to the foot of the altar where she was given to Ro! And no matter how many weddings I've been to, I always find such practice beautiful and fascinating to behold, really. I looked around and saw a number of ladies in tears. 

I sat alone in the back admiring the sanctuary, the pipe organ, the emotional event. Just as I was beginning to immerse myself in the moment, a strikingly articulate 20-ish woman stood behind the lectern and read scripture! I do not know her name, I do not know where she's from, all I can say is that she's pretty! (Hmm, writing that made me feel a wee bit like I'm back in high school again!) All other elements seemed to have become preliminaries when the two exchanged their vows to each other before God and His people. Ro made a beautiful vow as did Natalie- but hers was more emotionally delivered that there wasn't a dry eye in the whole room before she ended.

The hour-long but meaningful ceremony was capped the usual time of photo opps and processional. As the photos were being taken at the chancel, Dr. Pantoja walked towards me and said, "Glad you made it! Did you find someone to take your place?" I answered, "Yes, Pastor, I did...Ross Tan is leading tonight in my stead- just as the Doctor ordered!" He laughed and said, "Well, I'm going back to GCF to introduce the speaker and lead the prayer time. I'll try to make it to the reception." I was like, "Hmmm...if I knew that he was going back to church and run back for dinner, I should've planned to do the same." But I thank God for Ross' availability which gave me more time to witness my old friend's special day.

The reception was fantastic. Brian and Majar sat next to me on both sides, and we had a great time devouring the feast laid bare before us! I glanced to my side and behold Ms Scripture Reader was at the adjacent table! There was a real quick program during the reception to which very few people paid attention-- lesson: if you wish for your guests to participate in the program, do not serve good food!  

After the dinner and program, as I made my way to the back of the country club pavilion, I heard a voice called, "Pastor Las!" That felt a wee bit strange, that's how folks from my old church addressed my dad! She called my title again. I turned and she stood with her husband smiling beside her saying, "So Pastor Las, there's no other recourse but to be the next one in line to get married...I love seeing our younger pastors get married!" That was perhaps the fifth comment of that nature I got since the time I arrived at the country club! I get a lot of that for a man whose love life is like that of a monk's!

At any rate, P. Ro and Natalie are now married! My prayer is that they shall be an example of what scripture says about marriage, and that they will have a Christ-centered one, that God may be glorified in their life as husband and wife!

Congratulations, Ro and Nat!

CHILDLIKE WONDER

Just as I was becoming more desperately praying for someone to take on my "offer" to lead worship in my stead tomorrow night, an answer came in the form of a text message. Ross, one of the members of the Worship Creative Planning Team said he's coming to the rehearsals this afternoon (which he did), and in effect saying he is willing to take the lead tomorrow night as I go to my old friend's wedding.

At around 2PM, I was at the fellowship hall sitting in on a seminar on Love, Sex and Lasting Relationships when my drummer called in to say that he won't make it to rehearsals for some work-related issue that required his attention. My first recourse was to whisper a prayer that the Lord will provide me with a drummer. The answer to my prayer was sitting right across the room from where I was! I asked if he could play. Immediately, he agreed to! Isn't God amazing?

I spent three years in Bible college, and another in graduate school learning loads and loads of theologcal, philosophical and Biblical studies which kind of fried my brains in the process. Over the last several months, I've been asking the Lord to redevelop in me a child-like faith! That's what Christ in the Bible teaches us to have in receiving God's kingdom. Simple answers to prayers are God's way of doing that.

I believe there are three characteristics of children that Jesus desires in us. Think of four to six-year-old children. What are they like?

First, children are straightforward.  Children say whatever comes into their minds. They are not worried about social convention, what others will think, or about what every one else is doing. They are not self-conscious. They say what they think.

Second, children are trusting. That is, they believe that others are straightforward. They tend to believe what others tell them. My 3-year old nephew, Jacob loves it when I throw him up in the air and catch him again. He never refuses an offer for me to do that to him. Once I set him on a ledge and asked him to jump off. He did, believing that his uncle Jon will not allow him to fall and get hurt.

God in His great mercy provides us evidence that He is indeed trustworthy – and so we are to believe Him in that simple, trusting manner of a child.

Third, children have a sense of wonder at the world. One Christmas when my niece Hannah was four, we were walking around the hotel lobby when we stopped to admire a genuine ginger bread house, large enough for an adult to enter in, decorated with loads of candies. Hannah took one look, and was overwhelmed, saying, "Oh, that house is so fascinating." First off, I never thought she'd know the word invigorating, second, I never really thought of the gingerbread house as invigorating as it was yummy. To children, the world is full of surprises, full of things that they don’t understand. They know that they don’t understand everything, so they are frequently lost in wonder.

How do these characteristics apply to the way we receive the kingdom?

Start with wonder: We need to be overwhelmed with the wonder of His love and power. "He created this world around us! He can do anything! And He came for me! He loves me!"

Second, we need to be straightforward with regard to our sinfulness, as the kids on stage were this morning when I asked them.

Third, we need to trust in Jesus, believe Him with the simple faith of a child, knowing He is so far above us that we will never understand Him – but we can trust Him.

_____________________________

My personal reflection on Childlike Faith, message © 2000, Thos. C. Pinckney

THIS WEEKEND- A WEDDING, AN OPPORTUNITY, A PREDICAMENT, A WEDDING.

Tomorrow, my friend and classmate in masteral studies, Rommel and his fiancee, Natalie are getting married.

I remember him coming to GCF for the first time from Bowie, Maryland to become our Youth Pastor right after graduating from Washington Bible College. The eldest son of two migrant Filipino nurses, Ro felt a nudge from God to come and serve in the Philippines. As he began getting accustomed to Manila life, he, I and Faye started hanging out after class, helping him to adjust to all things foreign to him. A gifted preacher and athlete, coupled with good looks and an animated personality, he was an instant hearthrob to tons of girls at church, and even those from outside the church.

I remember meeting her for the first time when her theatrical group staged a musical at church. An hour after the performance, the worship center was fully empty and I was just about to lock my office door, she walked up to me and said, "Hi! I'm Natalie, I'm part of the Rahab team. I left my blouse at the changing room, could you bring me there?" I did, but we did not find any blouse. I told her that the the janitors may have gotten it and may end up in the lost and found section on Sunday. She gave me her cell phone number since she mentioned that she goes to another church. A few days later I texted her to say that we could not find her blouse. That was about the last communication I had with her.

A couple of years later, they met each other through somebody else when she and her family started attending our church. They became friends, they fell in love, got engaged, he became youth pastor in another church and tomorrow they tie the knot.

It's amazing how love grows. I pray all the best for Ro and Natalie as they embark on a journey of life together.

AN OPPORTUNITY, AND A PREDICAMENT. Tomorrow, I am assigned to lead worship all day (7, 9, 11AM and 6PM) again. It's always a joy for me to lead our congregation to worship. The Spirit has led me to line up a selection of songs that make me excited. However, tomorrow at 4PM, Ro and Nat are getting married! I just learned that even our Senior Pastor, who is officiating the ceremony has asked somebody else to preach in his stead at the 6PM service. That leads me to thinking- since people don't (or shouldn't) marry so often in a lifetime, and it's an honor to be invited by a friend to witness and participate in milestone in his life, I should be asking someone to take my place at 6PM. BUT WHO?

THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE 2008

As I write this, 650 Bishops of the worldwide Anglican Communion convene at the University of Kent in Canterbury for the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference hosted by the figurative head of the Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev'd Rowan Williams. The first Lambeth Conference was held in 1867 convened by Archbishop Longley.

Archbishop Longley said in his opening address, however, that they had no desire to assume "the functions of a general synod of all the churches in full communion with the Church of England," but merely to "discuss matters of practical interest, and pronounce what we deem expedient in resolutions which may serve as safe guides to future action." The resolutions of the Lambeth Conferences have never been regarded as synodical decrees unlike the General Conferences/Assemblies of other denominations, but their weight has increased with each conference. Each of the subsequent conferences has been first received in Canterbury Cathedral and addressed by the archbishop from the chair of St. Augustine, believed to be the first pastor of the cathedral church of Canterbury.

The Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England, the mother church of Anglicanism

What's so special about this decade's Lambeth Conference that even the Roman Catholic pontiff, Benedict XVI expressed concern for it?

Well, 230 Bishops representing a quarter of the world's Anglicans including the Archbishop of Sydney (AU) and the Archbishops of Africa are boycotting the 2-week-long conference as the Communion experiences a slow but steady rift between conservatives and liberals over the church's stance on sexuality which first sparked at the Episcopal Church's 2003 consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. Gene Robinson is openly gay. Since then, the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) has experienced mass exodus of its members, parishes and even dioceses.

These large conservative, growing parishes and dioceses have started coming under the bishopric of Anglicans in Africa. The African branch of the Communion is said to be the most theologically conservative, orthodox and fastest-growing of all Anglican provinces.

Truro Church, a historic congregation in Fairfax, VA- a church in which George Washington and his father served as Vestry men (the equivalent of an elders council), withdrew from the ECUSA and joined the Nigerian-supported Convocation of Anglican in North America (CANA); Falls Church, Falls Church, VA, one of the largest ECUSA congregations in the East has joined the same group. Christ Church Plano, said to be the largest congregation in the whole US diaffilliated with the ECUSA in 2006. The Dioceses of San Joaquin (CA), of Pittsburgh and of South Carolina are at the either at the brink or have left the larger church.

Conservative Anglican leaders staged their own conference in Jerusalem last month at which they pledged to form a council of bishops to provide an alternative to churches who they say are preaching a "false gospel" of sexual immorality.

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) said member churches would continue sponsoring breakaway conservative parishes in the liberal western member countries and called for a separate conservative province in North America.

Abp. Rowan Williams, the titular head of the Anglican Communion addressing the Lambeth Conference 2008

Archbishop Rowan Williams, leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans, said the GAFCON plans were "fraught with difficulty." Pope Benedict XVI en route last Saturday to World Youth Day in Australia, told reporters: "I am praying so that there are no more schisms and fractures among Anglicans."

But splitting is nothing new to Anglicanism. It is a part of the DNA of the Communion! Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon for Anne Boleyn. The Pope would not approve it, so he separated the Church in England from the See of Rome, and thus begun the Church of England as we know it. The Wesley brothers who initially begun revival movement within the Church but ended up splitting away and establishing the Methodist Church.

Now the Anglican Church is on the brink of another split, this time over an issue that has been debated (which should not be) among Protestants for nearly two decades now, sexuality. But the issue is a classic example of culture clashing or more like dominating the Church, as against the Church influencing culture. For some people, the culture is fast becoming the deciding factor, while the theologically conservative ones fight for orthodoxy's claim to redeem culture.

For a great number of loyal Anglicans, unity is more important than doctrine. But for many orthodox Anglicans, the unifying factor of the Church is its confessional faith in Christ and the Bible as traditionally understood by the Reformers.

The Episcopal Church begun as a result of the American revolution when England lost control of America, the Church of England made the national church as province of the Anglican Communion.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqm5Q5hGS50]

THE SPIRIT IN WORSHIP

Last night, as I was thinking through our Worship Creative Planning Team's agenda for this afternoon's meeting, the Lord kept impressing upon my heart-- more like reminding me of a very fruitful conversation I had with Tim Hughes over lunch a couple of months ago on the importance of the Holy Spirit in our worship. My mind kept racing back to that moment over and over. At 1:15 in the morning, I felt led to walk to my study table and turn on my laptop to specifically read Tim's Blog (which I have not visited in more than a week now. I began reading his July 10 post where he talks about the same issue- the Spirit in worship. Immediately, I sensed that when I open the meeting this afternoon, I should talk about this as part of the opening devotional.

Tim writes,

On 21 August 1911, Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' painting was stolen from the Louvre in France. The Louvre was immediately closed down for an entire week as a mass operation swung into action to hunt down the missing masterpiece. When the museum was finally reopened, thousands of people queued up to see the blank wall space, where the Mona Lisa once hung.

It seems crazy that so many people would pay to essentially see nothing. I guess this can be like our church services without the Holy Spirit. We get caught up with the external things - the songs, the sound, the lighting, how the band look, how people are responding. The danger is we judge a successful time of worship by how great the band played and how intense the experience was. All of this can happen without the Holy Spirit.

We mustn't let that happen...It's a challenge to remember that we must keep getting desperate to see God's Spirit at work. To be surrendered to His lead and obedient to His call. To be passionate in prayer and willing to take risks. Only then will we see true breakthrough in the worshipping life of our churches.



A. W. Tozer once said, “If God took His Holy Spirit out of this world, what the church is doing would go right on and nobody would know the difference.”

On a similar thread, WA Criswell said, "There are many things we do in our churches that does not have the Holy Spirit in it."

Worship is the active response to God the Father through the Son. The worshiper stands in a personal relation of son-ship to God on the basis of adoption in Christ. Praise, prayer, preaching, the celebration of ordinances, confession, and giving are all Christ-centered actions. The focus of the church's worship on the exalted Christ through the Spirit gives new depth to our walk as Spirit-filled disciples. The worship of God through the Son is in and by the Holy Spirit. Fitting and acceptable worship can only be offered by and through the enabling ministry of the Holy Spirit.

ON BOUNDARIES AND BEING TETHERED

As an exchange student, I was jogging one of the many country roads around the university with another guy from the exchange program who was a self-described hedonist and freethinker. we've had a number of conversations together, and everytime I tried to share my faith with Him he never failed to scoff the message I presented. He tells me that I am so bound to my religion, and that I should be freed from my narrow-mindedness.

A pastor-friend of mine is getting married - tie the knot as they say, on Sunday. He's doing a countdown to the day he will be tethered on his facebook page.

On a similar thread, last Sunday, Pastor Luis preached on having secure foundations. He mentioned how we should determine the to keep ourselves anchored on/tied to God and His Word.

Everyone knows that boundaries are necessary.

We are most free when we are like a kite.

Now think about a kite. When is a kite most free?

When it is separated from all restraints or when it’s tethered?

John Newton, slave trader turned repentant pastor, author of the hymn Amazing Grace, once authored a poem called “The Kite” or “Pride Must Have a Fall.” In that poem the kite wishes that it would be free from all restraints so that it could really soar. Here’s one verse from the poem:

Were I but free, I’d take a flight

and pierce the clouds beyond their sight

But, ah, like a prisoner bound

My string confines me near the ground.[1]

As the poem goes on, the kite ultimately gets free of its restraint. But is it able to soar? No, it crashes into the sea.

When we buck all God’s restrain, we do not become free, we become subject to cultural, emotional, philosophical captivity.[2]

Not very long ago, I was sitting comfortably in a couch at the church's lobby when a woman who was waiting for her younger daughter sat across me. After some casual "hellos" I asked about her older daughter. There was a huge sigh before she opened her mouth to speak. "I'm afraid she's lost...and it all started when she got into showbiz...She has accepted daring roles. She thinks she's free but she really isn't." "Ma'am," I told her "she'll come crawling back one of these days realizing that she's bound and needs to be freed."

Let’s affirm that God really does have our best interest at stake when He lays before us His parameters...Whenever we violate those boundaries we do not become free. We begin to plunge in lifestyles that are self-destructive spiritually and physically.[3]

Boundaries are meant to help us remain free. Ironic as that sounds, it's true!

_____________________

1 A Larger Wisdom "The Kite" by John Newton, Dr. Ronald Scates HPPC Dallas July 6, 2008

2 ibid

3 ibid

on worship, gooseberries and great expectations

WORSHIP. Planning service has always been part of my ministry role description as my major concentration together with worship leading. From as long as three months ago, I have prayed for a dedicated team that could help me plan out worship services, and as expected, the Lord directed me towards the people He's wants to be part of the team.

With the approval and support of the Core Staff or the Pastoral Leadership team to which I belong, I started meeting with the team and I can never lea ve out is the fact that it is the Lord who discernibly superintends our meetings. Anyone who is close to me knows that I hate long meetings. I've always believed that meetings should be brief so there'd be more time to spend doing things for which meetings are convened. But meeting with this team is different. I love how the Lord allows the team to see together what the He wants us to do and address.

Each year, when GCF issues a congregational survey to feel the pulse of the church, the worship ministry is always indicated as the top reason why people keep coming. We have amazing music, heart-felt worship singing, and great expository preaching.

In our three initial meetings, we concluded that: a) our church must grow in our experience of worship, b) we need to look at and address the things we do in our worship gatherings that may not be helpful in deepening our worship life, c) we must help the worship volunteers to be led in a deeper walk.

The execution of the first service we planned and prayed for took place last Sunday. It was amazing! The seamless flow of worship- from beginning to end was totally a work of the Spirit. We prayed that the Lord would allow us to feel the pulse of the church concerning the direction we're headed towards, and He did through the affirmation of the leadership and congregants. The Spirit is leading us to the direction He wishes for us to pursue.

ON BRIDGES AND GOOSEBERRIES. Love takes root. I’ve seen this happen with my own eyes. I have even felt it sprout in my own life.

Tonight, I was talking to a guy experiencing a bad case of the third wheel.

It began like so many false starts- being a simple pontiff- you know, a bridge-builder for another boy to a girl. He was a gooseberry- you know, 'gooseberry' is also slang for a third person accompanying (ie tagging along with) a couple on a date. The two he was bridging and acting gooseberry for eventually fell in love. But he too grew in love with the girl in the process. Now, he couldn't help but remain silent and be resilient.

What's a gooseberry to do? He was living in his perfect little bubble then a friend asks him for help. So he did.

(Okay, this isn't my gooseberry friend)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

As humans, we constantly look for something or someone in which to place hope. The response of our spouse. The fruit of our ministry. The guy or girl we have our eye on. The potential of a son or daughter. The success of a business venture or educational pursuit. Hoping in people and circumstances is inevitable. The problem is, each of these things can crumble, leaving disillusionment in its wake. For the believer, though, the disappearance of these things does not signal the end of hope.[1]

Back to relationships (since I know that's why you're reading this). For many reasons — most of them outside our control — potential relationships will fizzle. Sometimes we receive solace when we later see why the relationship would not have worked anyway. Other times we're left to wonder about what could have been. Either way, "hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12).

The process is something like emotional whiplash. Over the course of weeks or months, a certain dream seems within reach, and then, suddenly, we're exactly where we started. It's depressing.

So what's the cure to such heartsickness? Whom or what is my object? Scripture never instructs us to hope in anything but the Lord and His Salvation (Titus 2:13). All other hopes are encompassed within that one, fantastic hope. Anything that happens in my life should be purposed to glorify God and reveal that hope to others.

And when I understand the hope of my salvation, I will recognize anew the power and faithfulness of the One who oversees my life. If He is faithful to redeem my sinful soul through His Son's blood, He can be trusted in the other areas as well. [2]

In fact, God rewards those who hope in Him. Lamentations 3:25 says: "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him." And the Psalmist declares: "No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame" (Psalm 25:3). That is refreshing truth. God will never say, "You were wrong about My feelings for you." His promise is sure.

The next time I have a great conversation or connecting moment with a guy who seems perfect for me, I will hope. God created me that way. But this year I want to set my dreams even more firmly within His care. I want to make Him the object, my Savior and God who never fails. [3]



______________________________

1 Suzanne Hadley "Object of My Affection" Copyright 2008 Focus on the Family.

2 ibid

3 ibid

OUT OF FRAGMENTS

This may sound crude, but I woke up this morning with a real nasty brain fart. I woke up at 7AM, and for some weird reason, I went back to sleep. Finally waking up at 9, I read, my Bible, prayed and checked my email- totally forgetting that I had a meeting scheduled at 10. Good thing I remembered about the meeting early enough for me to prepare- 9:20. In the shower, I was praying that God would send a cab right at my building's doorstep before I make it down to the lobby. It was an inter-church coordination meeting, and as representative of the host church, I can not- should not be late.

The moment I stepped out of my condo building, lo and behold, a cab was waiting right up front. I told the driver that he was an answer to prayer. He mentioned to me that as he was driving down Annapolis Street when he felt a nudge to drive down Eisenhower hoping he'd get to pick up a passenger by chance. That made me smile. It was God who nodged him, providing an answer to my desperate prayer. I was in church 10 minutes before 10! That was about the quickest I've ever made it to church- still arriving the earliest!

The meeting went pretty well. But more than just meeting to plan an inter-church young adult convergence/conference, deepening fraternal relationships are being forged in ways that only Spirit of God could cause~ more like a fulfillment of Christ's prayer in the book of John "that they may be one as We are one." There may be some disagreements in terms of ideas, but there is a general sense of unity. I love how the Lord works. The big picture of Spirit-formed unity is fast becoming clearly emblazoned in my head as it is in tangible terms within the small group of young adult leaders/pastors/lay people- two Baptists, a girl who grew up Methodist, two young men from the Alliance church, one Christian Reformed.

One of the guys I met with was reading M. Scott Peck's best-selling mid-80’s book entitled, The Different Drum, a personal and impassioned call to re-awaken profound commitment to building and sustaining strong bonds of human community, in which Peck wrote, “In and through community lies the salvation of the world.”[1]

I've met a number of people who attribute the disunity of evangelical Christians for their non-belief.

Though now perhaps sounding a bit dated and inclined towards dramatic hyperbole, Peck addressed something that was much on people’s minds in those days – a felt sense of personal fragmentation and isolation and a general lack of communal commitment to the common good, to things that were larger than individualistic self-indulgence.[2]

The generation preceding mine was hungover from the self-expression and self-absorption of the 60’s and 70’s, beleaguered by the nuclear threat of the Cold War, intractable racism, wanton greed, and broken cities, not to mention broken families, people were longing for reconnection, for belonging to something larger than their own whim – they wanted authentic relationships that were healthy, wholesome and generative.[3]

Creating authentic community is a driving concept for our cultural moment. Of course, in a very real sense, this has always been the case, if not expressed in the same way across the generations. Human beings have always striven to make sense of how individual identity corresponds to the collective – to family, tribe and nation- and denomination.

mosaics are a wonderful example of fragmented pieces coming together

and making a beautiful picture.

Well you can see how this longing for authentic community relates to our call as the Body of Christ to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind' - this is the great and foremost commandment, and there is a second like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” God, self, neighbor. All relationship, all the time. Were I to say today that most of humanity’s intractable problems starting in our individual lives and running through our families, city, nation and world were problems related to broken community, I’m guessing I would find near unanimous agreement. [4]

Our unity is based on the essentials of our faith, and we won't let non-essentials get in the way. We hold our minds and hearts and hands open to our own astonishing diversity that represents an even larger diversity. We are the beneficiaries of all these excellent things openness. Community isn’t something that happens to us; it is instead something that emerges almost mystically as our intentions and energies blend with others for the purposes of loving God, self and neighbor. [5] This is a crucially important concept to grab hold of. Indeed, having been called together by Jesus Christ, our hope, we could say, “In and through community lies the salvation of the world.”

_______________

1 M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987, p. 17

2 Stephen Bauman, Building Community, June 8, 2008 Christ Church NYC

3 ibid

4 ibid

5 ibid

SURRENDERING LOVE TO FATE

In an attempt to go back in history to study the worship/liturgical life of Christianity in review and preparation for a course I will be teaching in Bible college next semester, I stumbled upon a little group of French Protestants simply known as the Huguenots.

I'm pretty sure that that name is unfamiliar in every way for a number of my readers. I first learned about the Huguenots as a freshman in Trinity University, when I enjoyed a hobby called bookworming.

Not very long ago I was reading a story by the Rev. Gerald Mann, founding pastor of Riverbend Church Austin, Texas. Gerald Mann was invited to be a keynote speaker at a fundraiser sponsored by the Catholic Church. When he stood to speak, he opened his talk by saying, "I'm glad to be part of raising money for a Catholic project eventhough I'm Southern Baptist." Laughter broke. He went on to say, "I find this a privilege because I never thought this could happen to someone like me. You see, my great-grandmother's last name was Foy. She was French. She never met her grandfather- her father's father. She belonged to the last batch of Huguenots who left France to North America- her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were killed by Catholics." There was sheer silence, according to Rev. Mann. After the meeting, the Bishop approached him and ask for forgiveness on behalf of the Catholic church.

Frank Puaux suggests, that the name Huguenot is a clever pun on the old French word for a covenanter (a signatory to a contract). While others suggest that the name huguenote would be roughly equivalent to little Hugos, or those who want Hugo, a respected French king.

In reaction to the growing Huguenot influence in France, and the increasing instances of Protestant zeal, Catholic violence against them grew, at the same time that concessions and edicts of toleration became more liberal. In what became known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 24 August – 17 September 1572, Catholics killed thousands of Huguenots in Paris. Similar massacres took place in other towns in the weeks following, with death toll estimates again ranging wildly to as high as 110,000. An amnesty granted in 1573 pardoned the perpetrators.

What captured my attention in all this is a painting. Yes, you read it right, a painting by Millais titled, A Huguenot and his Catholic lover on the eve of St. Bartholomew's day.



When one takes a closer look at the painting, one will notice the sheer mixture of emotions on the faces of the couple- a sense of anticipation for their meeting; a sense of fear and insecurity- that they were spending their last night together; there is a look on their faces that seems to communicate that their religions are at war against each other and there is no way they can stop it- one of them will inevitably be killed by the sword the next day, and thus they say "goodbye" and surrender their love to fate.

The painting is so moving that part of me wishes to name these lovers and write a book, a short story, or something in memory of people whose lives and love have been caught in religious wars.

I want to name the man, Etienne, the woman, Sandrine. The painting is inspiring enough to compose something, thus I will write their story during my free time, hopefully.

ENOUGH GRIT AND GRACE

A cold shower after a real fun dinner and movie, Mama Mia with friends, I sit in front of my computer waiting for the late night news to come up!
My friends and I spent a couple of hundred pesos for dinner and our movie tickets. As professional single young adults, the rising cost of everything doesn't seem to affect the way we spend. Perhaps, the feeling of invincibility of youth still linger- we spend because we can afford, and nothing, no one can stop us!

Tomorrow, public transportation fare goes up: a peso or so for jeepneys, cabs will raise their flag down fare by 10pesos, buses will raise the minimum fare by a couple of pesos. Gas price has gone up almost a 100% in the last three months or so! This afternoon, the students from several universities all over Metro Manila staged a walk out, and marched to the streets in protest of the government's inability to halt the rise of cost of basic goods and necessities. This crisis is global. Whether one lives in the US, Argentina, France or the Philippines, the rising cost of living is felt in astounding ways. It may be not be as strongly felt in Sweden as it is in Thailand, there is no escaping. Is there hope for my country? Is there hope for humanity.

But there is hope. Humanity has thrived over millenia despite all the storms of life, God designed humanity to be resilient. I call that grit - that innate indomitable spirit each human being possesses. But grit is not enough, because grit without grace is can only bring humanity up to a certain point of resilience.


A mini-crisis takes place in the Gospel. I was just reading about it today. Jesus sleeps in a boat while his disciples face a dangerous and difficult storm in the middle of the sea. Even though Jesus was smack dab in the middle of that boat, with his disciples, they were not spared the storm. The clouds and wind didn't say, "Oh, there's Jesus, we better go around. And there are his disciples, faithfully serving him. We'd better side skirt them, too." In fact, the clouds and wind hit so hard that professional fisherman thought they were going to die. And when that happens you know it's got to be a bad storm. [1]

John Wesley was making a transatlantic voyage when his ship encountered a fierce storm. He and others clung to their bunks and hid their heads. Also on that ship was a group of Moravian Brethren Christians. At the appointed time, just as they did every day, they calmly gathered to hold their daily worship service and sing praises to God, in the middle of the storm. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, was impressed. From that moment on he prayed that God would give him the ability to likewise ride out life's storms with the same confidence he saw demonstrated that day. Because grace makes grit more meaningful and a lot stronger.


The disciples, in the midst of their desperation, finally looked in the right direction. My guess is that at first they were looking at each other. They were probably saying, "C'mon John grab that sail harder." "Andrew, steer, row." Some of you may be going to all the wrong places and people for answers. Look to God! He's the only one who can help at this time. The problem for many people is they have never hit a big enough storm. They have never come to the end of their limits or themselves. Have you found yourself praying more in the last five days? Why? Because we realize how dependent we are on God. And we are desperately aware of our limits. That's what storms are. They bring us up short of our limits. [2]


The disciples needed to understand their main problem was internal, not external. Our greatest problems are always those within us, not those around us. Jesus did calm the storm. He did take care of their fears. He did stand up and look at the wind and waves and said, "Quiet, be still." But he didn't take care just of their fear, and just of their felt needs, he went deeper to look at their unfelt needs and he said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"[3]

Horatio Spafford was waiting on his wife and children to cross the Atlantic. And midway across, a storm capsized their ship and his family was lost. On his return voyage, he asked the captain to stop somewhere in the area where he believed his family's ship capsized. And as Spafford looked over the side of his ship he penned these words, "It is well with my soul. When peace like a river attendth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say. It is well, it is well with my soul." [4]


That's grit and grace.



__________________________
1 "God, Don't You Care," Rev. George Antonakos, September 16, 2001
2 Ibid
3 Ibid
4 Christian Worship Hymnal, 1955 Judson Press

WHO WANTS TO BE HAPPY?

Noah, the church's Human Resources Department Administrative Assistant came by my office asking about the movie he was writing a review of- The Pursuit of Happyness. His problem was that he was reviewing a movie he has not yet seen! Given my personality, instead of immediately helping him, I tried to convince him to watch the movie first before even proceeding. Given his bubbly and insisting personality, he bubbly insisted that I tell him the plot and speak my mind concerning the movie! I did. I also told him to check my blog if he wanted to know more about what my thoughts on pursuing happiness!

Happiness. Even the US Declaration of Independence has a clause containing it to highlight its importance alongside freedom, and even life itself. It reads, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[1] Because they say, life is of no worth without freedom or happiness.

But, whether sacred or self-evident, do you believe you have a right to happiness? I think that’s the way the phrase has insinuated itself into our consciousness. Notice I dropped a few words. I said, “a right to happiness,” as opposed to the original, “a right to the pursuit of happiness.” They are somewhat different things, if you think about it. The former suggests a universal human entitlement. The latter a universal human goal.[2]

You might remember the well-known and well-beloved words in Matthew’s gospel known as the Beatitudes, sometimes called “the blesseds”. In order to make them more accessible, one modern translation presents them this way: Happy are those who are spiritually poor…Happy are those who mourn…Happy are those who are humble…Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires…Happy are those who are merciful…Happy are the pure in heart…Happy are those who work for peace…Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires…[3]

Of course, these are very different from what passes for happiness in today's culture— they have nothing to do with material desires, for instance. Within popular culture, doesn’t happiness equate with having stuff and things accompanying a relatively carefree life? Ever-onward upward mobility, graced with good lovin’, good food, good times and good health?

Think about every other possible thing you believe you need, must have, in order to live fully, completely, as a whole person, freely pursuing your happiness. And then, consider how this pursuit becomes an enormous burden given our tendency to make secondary ends our primary drivers.

We read Jesus say to his listeners, “Come to me, all that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”[4]


But, honestly, we tend to ignore the phrase that invites us to take on his yoke. We’re not entirely certain we like the sound of that. In fact, it sounds kind of contradictory, doesn’t it? Our rest will be found in taking on a yoke? Taking on a yoke sounds the opposite of freedom. But, that’s the paradoxical faith we profess. Laying down our burden at the feet of Jesus, taking on his light yoke, we find our true rest, even, our heart’s deepest desire, call it happiness.[5]



So here, at the end, comes as an invitation to set down the burden of your pursuit. Let it go. If only for the rest of the day. Take on the light yoke Jesus offers instead. Try it on. You’ll find it fits your need like a glove and with it comes a freedom you never could possibly have imagined.[6]

______________________________
1 wikipedia, US Declaration fo Independence
2 4th of July 2005 weekend,, S.Bauman Christ Church NYC
3. Today's English Version
4 4th of July 2005 weekend,, S.Bauman Christ Church NYC
5 ibid
6 ibid

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" SAYS GOD

(The succeeding story appears with permission)

Last night in our Bible study, one guy shared why he was no where to be found by any of our church friends in the last several months. Well, he was going through a phase- a phase I wish none of my readers will ever go through. He'd grown so disappointed with his own life and the things surrounding his circumstances that he came to believe he had no control over the things he was facing and thus he goes through this phase. But even before I continue, let me say that, first, I think the decision he was making in the phase is just plainly insane; second, it's not a decision one makes to get God's attention. He was giving up on God!

While he was sharing, every ounce of who I am wanted to leap over the table, grab his head, shut his mouth and make him listen to what I was about to say. Finally, after detailing all that had to him, I was able to speak. In the spirit of Christian love, I tried to rebuke, discourage, encourage, reprimand, uplift, edify and admonish the guy's soul. That's what the Church is all about- we are a hospital for the broken, the battered, the bruised and the bored.

In my short little speech (since I wasn't the one facilitating), I told him and everyone that the decision to give up on God is in every way insanely inane. I know the word insane is strong, but that's just it. In the process, I told him that we should never give up on God because He never gives up on us. He never tells us "Catch me if you can" instead He says, "Take a closer walk with me because I want a closer walk with you."

During our prayer time, I told him that I was glad to see him and that he should never feel that way towards God ever againm because, if anything, trials and tough times are designed to make us better people, stronger and humbler beings. They are designed to chisel a character out of our rough souls!

What is God's will for your life, and in mine? I want to say something that is very important about understanding the will of God and our ability to discern what it is. God never has very much communicated with people through burning bushes. He chooses chiefly to communicate through burning hearts. Hearts passionately in love with Jesus Christ. If you are really, really serious about finding God's will for your life, but you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then that is the place to begin.[1]

You can divide God's will into his general will and into his specific will. His general will is always, always very clear. We find his general will clearly revealed in Scripture in the area of what you and I are to believe; ethics, morals, life-style, how we are to behave.

But most of our questions about the will of God don't come in that general area, do they? They come in a specific area. Who should I marry? Should I take this job or that? Am I to move? Should I continue chemotherapy or not? A lot of times, we get worked up in tizzy over what God's specific will for our lives is, without grounding ourselves and being sure we understand what God's general will is for our lives.[2]

Like the Christian guy who was fretting over 'Should I move in and live with Anne, or Sheila?' Well, if he knew the general will of God, that would not have been a question at all. He wouldn't have top choose between Anne or Sheila. Read through the Bible with me in its entirety; so that over the years as you will rub up against other people the clearly revealed general will of God, it becomes our anchor. It becomes our guidepost. It becomes the lens through which we can better discern the specific will of God. I can tell you now what God's supreme will for your life and mine is: its that we have an intimate personal relationship with him through Jesus Christ.[3]

Matthew Henry, the great Biblical scholar, one night was walking home and he was mugged, beat to a pulp, his wallet stolen. That night in his journal, Matthew Henry wrote these words: "Lord, I thank you. I thank you that I have never been robbed before. Lord, secondly I thank you that they took my wallet, but not by life. Thirdly Lord, I thank you that I was the one who was robbed, not the one doing the robbing."

The word "thankful." In the Anglo-Saxon it means "thinkful." When we examine our lives, when we think out our lives, when we think about our lives in the light of God's grace and our personal relationship with Christ, it is then we ought to be thankful for a whole lot of things. We have such a God of grace and mercy. Isn't it wonderful that he blesses our lives, not just in those areas where we are thankful. When was the last time you gave thanks for our shampoo?[4]

He continues to bless us, even in areas when we are not thankful. But you know what? When you and I are thankful, our heart beats more closely in sync with God's heart. When that happens, you and I are much more likely to discern God's specific will for our lives.

Martin Luther once said that, "If it were the will of God, I would plant an oak tree today, even if I knew Christ were coming tomorrow." [5]

www.confluentthoughts.blogspot
www.confluentthoughts.wordpress.com
www.pjonlas.multiply.com
__________________________________
1 Sermon June 20, 1999, Dr. Ron Scates Central Presbyterian Church, Baltimore
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Ibid
5. Luther's Sermon, The Bondage of the Will

A SONG, A NOTE, A THOUGHT

INDIANA. HOW JON MCLAUGHLIN BECAME OFFICIALLY MY FAVORITE INDIANA-BORN MUSICIAN!

All I've kept myself updated with the last couple of years has been Christian Contemporary and Worship Music! Then comes Jon McLaughlin!

Yesterday afternoon after the Church, I was demonstrating to Joy, the pianist, how a portable speaker system that I'd just been given by one of the guys in the worship team works. As we were picking what song to play, she clicked "So Close" from the movie Enchanted. I've seen the movie but the song never had a recall for me. But hearing "So Close" again-- every word of it, was close to amazing!

I was just leisurely listening to random music while finalizing this Sunday's worship set when an unfamiliar but soothing tune in the piano started playing; a soft-sounding singing voice of a man started putting intelligently written words to the tune. The title immediately caught my eye: INDIANA! A state name that has become close to me in the last several months, where a number of people I have not yet met in the flesh have taken a special place in my heart!

Here's a video and the words to the song:

I'm glad I never lived next to the water
So I could never get used to the beach,
And I'm glad I never grew up on a mountain
To figure out how high the world could reach.

I love the miles between me and the city,
Where I quietly imagine every street.
And I'm glad I'm only picturing the moment.
I'm glad she never fell in love with me.

For some the world's a treasure to discover.
And your scenery should never stay the same.
And they're trading in their dreams for explanations.
All in an attempt to entertain.

I love the miles between me and the city,
Where I quietly imagine ever street.
And I'm glad I'm only picturing the moment.
I'm glad she never fell in love with me

The trick of love is to never let it find you.
It's easy to get over missing out.
I know the how's and whens, but now and then,
She's all I think about.

I wonder how it feels to be famous,
but wonder is as far as I will go.
Because I'd probably lose myself in all the pictures,
And end up being someone I don't know.

So it's probably best I stay in Indiana,
Just dreaming of the world as it should be.
Where every day is a battle to convince myself
I'm glad she never fell in love with me.

A huge part of me wishes to rewrite this song to fit my situation, but the song is already good as it is!

A NOTE RECEIVED, A THOUGHT CONCEIVED.

A surprising note was handed to me by an anonymous kid last Sunday. He ran quickly as soon as he got the note in my hand and did not get the chance to ask who it was from. In a church with several thousand people, I may never identify who this letter is from.

Hi! I join a number of other people who have been asking why we never see you lead worship in church anymore. Most of the worship leadership on Sundays is done by other worship leaders- who by the way, do a wonderful job leading us in heartfelt worship. Although we see you worship in your usual spot close to the band section- always joyful, expressive and uninhibited before God, yet it still feels a bit different for our loved worship pastor whose 2nd and 3rd Sunday leading we always look forward to not on stage but as a part of the congregation. Some months ago, Pastor Luis mentioned that you're leaving for Indiana, perhaps that is why we hardly see you lead. But we do hope you'll lead us again before you fly States-side, at least 10 Sundays in a row! God bless your heart, PJon. 

When the January to June 2008 schedule of Worship Leaders was made late in 2007, it was prepared with the assumption that I will be in Indiana by now. Obviously, I am not, although I wish I were!

On Sunday, I stand again to lead worship for the first time since Palm Sunday and Easter! I have led only three times in six months! I seriously missed worship leading. And although opportunities to lead worship arose a number of times I chose/needed/wanted to step aside for a while to set my heart straightened up, my mind refocused. My heart was set on leaving in April, my mind had drawn up plans for the worship ministry at Covenant. It has taken sometime for me to recover from a visa denial heartbreak. I still am in the process of a system reboot! God knew that I would need a couple of months to fully recover! I love how God providentially set man's plans in place according to His will!

The ball has started rolling for me. Life is beginning to get back to normal- even better!

Do I still think about Covenant? Yes I do. I'd be lying if I say I don't. Do I still wish to go? Yes, I'd still love to pay my new Hoosier friends that worship on Knox Drive a visit!

Do I still want a sabbatical? Yes, more than anyone would know! I'd still love to ride a bike on these plains.

But I am completely satisfied with what God has for me at the moment.

A NOTCH HIGHER, A DIG DEEPER

On the way to the movies to watch Hancock tonight, I bumped into a lady. I've not seen her in church in a while. The last time she was absent from church for a season was when she went to the States to take care of some stuff. We smiled and shook hands. I asked why I have not seen her in church for some time now.

"Well, Pastor, I now go to another church- where the Spirit is present in worship!"

I said, "I'm glad you still worship eventhough it's in another church."

I continued, "What do you mean by the 'Spirit is present?'"

She answered, "A church where there's more life and freedom in worship, where people can shout, dance, run, lie on the floor and be more exhuberantly expressive to God!"

I told her, "I'm sorry, but I don't think you got the definition of the Spirit's presence right." But even before I finished my sentence, she remarked,

"I mean Spirit-filled. Pastor, you're our favorite worship leader...When my family noticed some months ago that you're not leading anymore and learned of the possibility of your leaving for the States, we decided to move to a more Spirit-filled church."

I seriously prayed in my mind and took every word from her last statement captive and placed it at the feet of Christ. I went on to explain what the term/phrase meant Biblically, theologically and practically as concise as I can.

1. Being Spirit-filled is not a subjective reality but an observable and measurable reality as it was in the life of Barnabas and the deacons named in Acts 6.

2. When the Spirit fills an individual or a community of believers, expect to find permeating qualities of joy, gratitude and humility.

3. When the Spirit fills an individual or community, do not expect to find a life or atmosphere permeated by complaining, discontent, lack of gratutude and arrogance.

4. When the Spirit fills an individual or a community, expect to find permeating qualities like love, joy, peace, kindness, goodnessm faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

After explaining, she said she's coming back to our church. I told her that whether she returns or not really depends on what she wants, and that she should be sensitive to the Lord's will. But I respectfully asked her to stay where she's currently attending and be a blessing to that community. She still said she might come on Sunday.

As we walked away from each other, I wondered about what she said, what I said, and what God might be saying by allowing me to encounter that lady in the mall on my day off!

Quickly, I remembered what WA Criswell once said, "God sends people into our lives just when we need them, to say the right word, His word, just when we need it."

You see, just this week I convened our church's new Worship Creative Planning Team composed of people who have been active in the Worship ministry with discernible hearts for worshipping and serving our first Love, Jesus Christ. The team agreed that we do need to ask the Spirit to take our worship life as a church and as individuals a notch higher! The Spirit has taken our 5000-member church into transitions and growing levels of worship expression. But we believe, with the rest of the Pastoral Leadership, that we must never be too comfortable in the notch the Lord has taken us to. We must ask Him to take us higher in our worship, we do that by knowing Him deeper!

Each August, the Worship Studies class of FEBIAS College of Bible, among other groups from as far as Korea that visit GCF throughout the year, attends our service to learn about the innovations GCF worship has become known for! But beyond innovations and excellence, I pray that we will be known for our heart for and expressiveness in Spirit-directed worship, and a genuine yearning to be led deeper in it.

Does our worshipping community possess a discernible permeating qualities of joy, gratitude and humility? Or is there an atmosphere permeated by complaining, discontent, lack of gratutude and arrogance. Can a visitor find permeating qualities like love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Can a visitor observe and conclude that "God is really among [us]!"?