Words from WW Blog

This week’s Newsweek cover story is written by Andrew Sullivan who questions the validity of the church, while still following Jesus. The article’s title is splashed across the front cover of the magazine: “Forget Church; Follow Jesus”.

Sullivan makes several good points in the article about the politicizing of Christianity by the religious right and liberal left; the fleecing of the TV flocks by tele-evangelists; the institutional nature…and he’s right…to a point! It’s like saying that the molesting of children by Catholic priests is bad, therefore we should do away with all Catholic priests. The sad truthfulness of the first part does not mean the conclusion of the second part should be made.

Creating a “battle” during Holy Week does a lot to sell magazines, and inflame the passions of advocates and opponents. Good marketing strategy, but not necessarily the right course of action. It’s kind of like when I came home from the store last week with a new bottle of salad dressing. If I had been asked, before I could safely stow the bottle in the cupboard, why I bought a new bottle of salad dressing I would have had to reply “Because I went to buy bread!” The bottle of ranch dressing was not connected to buying bread, but it was connected to the reason for the visit to the store in the first place.

It seems to me that the church has lost part of its way, and is in the process of rediscovering it. That rediscovery is intimately connected to the original reason- to be a community of followers of Jesus. Faith is not about forgetting the church. It’s about following Jesus as a church. It’s the interconnected lives sharing stories and experience about their journeys.

That journey as following communities is filled with stumbles, mutterings, and banging into one another; but it’s also filled with deep soul-satisfying discoveries, new life and renewal, and dances out of restored lives.

It takes me back to the order of Benedictine Sisters who live at the spiritual retreat center north of our city. There is such rhythm in the midst of their community that my soul still resonates with the peace I experienced there a year ago.

The church as an institution has Titanic written all over it; but the church as a vessel, a follower-ship,  is steered by the hope of Christ, and the wind of the Spirit.

WORDS FROM W.W.                                                                    February 29, 2012

It’s February 29, that unusual day that hits us once every four years to set the universe time table back in order. You see, our year is actually 364 and ¼ days, so February 29 comes around to enable us to leap back to order.

Babies who are born on February 29 are called “leapers.” It’s a name of limited distinction. They can celebrate their birthday backwards (February 28) or forwards (March 1).

What about the exercising of our faith? What about a leap of faith? What might happen if the people of God took on a new nickname?

“Leapers!”

One extra letter away from “lepers”, but perhaps just as uncomfortable for our culture to understand and deal with.

A leaper would jump with a belief in a faith landing. A leaper would step into the unknown, because of the calling of God, and in obedience to that call.

Abraham was a leaper! I love that verse in Hebrews 11. “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

Abraham leaped with faith.

A leaper today is one who doesn’t wait for the statistical analysis to begin a new venture. A leaper, as with Abraham, receives “a call.”

What is the church’s calling? The leap of faith that is put before any church is unachievable without the calling, leading, blessing, and empowering of God. It is not up to us to make it happen. It is up to us to trust and obey.

When I was in college I had some hops. Five foot eight when I stretched, I touched the rim with my hand. I high-jumped my height in track. I could get up! Now I’m a “used to!” My leaping abaility has long since left me. The only time I touch the rim is when I’m on a ladder, or I’m playing with my grandson’s basketball and four-foot high hoop. I used to be able to leap!

The church is filled with people who used to be able to leap! Our faith hops have mostly left us.

What could a people who become known as leapers do in obedience to the calling of God?

Faith leapers have been called, and are called, to prevent thousands of people each day from starving to death.

Faith leapers have been called, and are called, to mentor and be advocates for hundreds of thousands of kids and youth at risk.

Faith leapers have been called, and are called, to pray for and over their communities and schools.

Faith leapers have been called, and are called, to work towards creating a community that is safe- safe from abusive behavior, demeaning images, degrading conduct, and parasitical elements of crime.

Faith leapers have been called, and are called to dream big, dream of what could happen if there is a leap…of faith!

Can you envision a conversation between two people who have met someone who believes that God does…really does make a difference? As they are reflecting back on the person of faith, one of the people says to the other, “Yes, he’s a leaper!”