It may have something to do with the new book I’m reading about storytelling, but I have been noticing that stories are an intricate part of our lives. We live stories, and our stories connect us to each other. When we get together, our conversations are stories. We talk about our kids, our work, our families – basically our lives, in stories.
I have been going to the Panera Bread down the street in the mornings to finish preparing for my classes, and without wanting to, I listen to the conversations around me. People are telling stories. Stories are the fabric of our lives. One of our main methods of communication is sharing stories.
I think stories connect us and interest us while entertaining us. I think that we pastors and youth workers need to learn to communicate in stories. Jesus did it by speaking in parables. The Bible is a mostly collection of stories that we turn into boring (many times) sermons. I want to connect with people by telling stories, and I want to learn how to be a good storyteller.
During this time of the year, a key word I think about often is “hope.” I can see it in my little boy’s eyes as he talks about what he wants for Christmas. I see it as he looks at Santa. I was taught that the definition of hope is, “confident expectation in the future,” and I can see it in both the secular and sacred aspects of my family’s Christmas celebration.
The Christmas story is about hope. Christianity should be about hope. Not just hope for an eternal future with God in heaven, but hope for this life that is often miserable. We should be about bringing hope to those around us. Jesus brought hope with Him to a world in darkness. Much like today’s world, it was a world wrecked with war, oppression, and injustice.
Christianity should fill the world with hope. We should be the bearers of hope to a world that is, often times, hopeless. I’m thinking about what it looks like for the church to give people hope. I want to be a part of something that is hope-giving to those around me. Not in a “trust Jesus and everything will be swell” kind of way. I’ve come to realize that it’s not always like that. There’s a lot of junk in the world. I believe that people are looking for hope in the middle of all that.
What are our expectations for the church? What do we hope for from those who call themselves the church? I would expect people to offer a confident expectation in the future. I would expect that the church offer hope to the hopeless in a tangible way. I believe that is what Jesus did while He walked the earth. He was the epitome of hope for many who otherwise were living in dire circumstances. When Jesus showed up, hope arrived. I want to offer hope in the same way Jesus did.
Merry Christmas.
What can we do to offer hope in 2008?
Here’s a case study I had when I was studying a class on Principles of the Christian Life at Columbia Biblical Seminary in South Carolina. I am publishing it here because of some recent discussion I have had with some people about the separation of church and state and the role of religion in politics. I think it’s worth thinking about, and I welcome your comments.
(more…)
Happy Thanksgiving. We invited all of my youth ministry students over for a traditional turkey dinner. There were more than 20 of us here eating, and we had a great time. For many of them, it was the first time they had a traditional Thanksgiving, and they learned quickly the effects of gorging yourself on turkey and stuffing.
My friend Glenn tagged me to share five things I’m thankful for. So here it goes.
- My family: Janell and Nathan are very important to me. I am so thankful for them. They make me smile and help me get through the many trials that come and go.
- Ministry: I believe that the ministry I have is a gift from God. I am thankful for it and for the students I have the opportunity to influence. I see the ministry as something special that I don’t deserve, and I know that what is happening through this ministry is by grace alone.
- People who have influenced my life: There are too many to name, but many people have influenced me throughout my lifetime. They have made me what I am today. I appreciate them and am very thankful for them.
- Supporters: Many people sacrifice time and money to help support my family. Without them, it would be very difficult to live. I am thankful for those people.
- NFL Sunday Ticket: It sounds funny, but it helps keep me sane. I get a slice of “home” every week, and it’s cheap here. I can watch football and listen to English commentators and commercials. Come on, you didn’t think I’d be serious the whole time, did you?
I suppose I’m supposed to tag people. I tag: Tim, Tony, Jim, anyone else who feels like posting.
I was thinking this morning about all the ministry that God has given me here in Mexico, and I was overwhelmed by the fact that the work is too big for such a little person. God reminded me this morning that if He wants to do great things and receive the credit for them, He will choose people who cannot do them, and He will use the small things of the world to confound the wise. (1 Cornthians 1:26-31).
My heart is happy because God is the one who MUST get the credit for the ministry that is taking place here in Mexico. He is the one who deserves the credit, and in Him I boast.
I never really noticed this part of Psalm 139 before. It says, “You have laid your hand upon me.” In the New Living Translation, it says that He has placed His hand of blessing on our head.
I began to think about the hand of God on my head, and I realized that I am constantly placing my hand on Nathan’s head. When we are walking somewhere, sometimes I find myself with my hand on his head. Usually, I do it to guide him where I want him to go. I’m not pulling his ear, I’m just directing him softly so that he will be safe.
I’m not sure if this is the original intention of the author in Psalm 139, but for me, it was a strong visual of what God does with me. He guides me, assures me, comforts me with His presence, and allows me to be close to Him, all by placing His hand on my head.
