Independence

184 years ago Charles Carroll’s life changed by remarkable circumstances. Charles Carroll was a retired senator from his home state Maryland, a former member of the Continental Congress and one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4th, 1826 both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of one another leaving Carroll the sole surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. How remarkable that the only two signers of the Declaration that became president of the United States would die on the 50th year celebration of our nation’s birth and independence from British rule! Adams and Jefferson had recently renewed their friendship after years of bitter political dispute. Their correspondence reveals much about the advent of this new nation spurred by their pens. Both Adams and Jefferson were deist and thus would not acknowledge God’s hand in such remarkable history but one is hard put to not think that God orchestrated such remarkable circumstances.

The paradox is that this new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal regales independence including the amended right to speak freely against a God who calls us to submit to His will. The Bible speaks counter-culturally by soliciting servitude, submission and dependence on the divine lead. The Christian declaration is not for independence nor autonomy but to follow Jesus lead to empty ourselves and take on the nature of a servant (Phippians 2:5-8). Paul pleads with Ephesus to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)." Such malleable and humble spirits champion better familial relationships and cohesiveness of the body of Christ. Here is my fourth of July declaration of dependence for those who just want to be Christians:

1) We declare the we shall take seriously Paul’s challenge to "pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17)" so that we may never forget to put God first in all things!
2) We declare that "the first will be last and the last will be first" is not just a saying but call to have a servant’s heart in all we do or say!
3) We declare that in the body of Christ all "its parts should have equal concern for each other (1 Corinthians 12:25)."
4) We declare that the pursuit of happiness is not a inalienable right but a path to pleasing self by pleasing God!
5) And finally, we declare that we are solely, wholly and completely dependent on the God who created us in His image and redeemed us by the blood of His Son!

Happy Fourth of July Dependence! -DAN

Felix The Cat

“Hey, there _________ you’re a real cool cat; you’ve got a lot of this and a lot of that; We all think that you’re real sweet so come on down and do the chickee, chickee beat!” If these words are foreign to you and you have been chickee chickee deprived in your life –let me explain. This Bible Camp campfire standard is a way to recognize kids and staff at camp by getting them on stage to do a silly dance that rejoices in the common identity of this week long community of self-imposed castaways escaping the grind of everydayness. O, this community has plenty of drama, pranks, flare ups and nonsense but it inevitably takes on the Spirit of God. Both campers and staff are immersed in a sense of Christian joy that transforms them. When parents arrive to reclaim their real cool cats they find a mixture of joy to see them but tears to leave their week long family.

Let me tell you about one of those real cool cats… William Felix the cat. William is a member at the May Street Church of Christ. William is a handsome African American young man who happens to be mentally challenged (but then aren’t we all). William by a landslide vote was our Mr. Camper for 2010. This honor is given to those who distinguish themselves through the week with acts of kindness, service and spiritual leadership. William was such and unlike Felix the cat who resolves things by pulling something out of his magic bag of tricks… our Felix just operated out of a heart for the Lord. William sat next to me one afternoon and preached to me the gospel of Christ. Now, I have to admit ashamedly that preachers don’t like to be preached to… because that’s kind of our territory. I fought through my natural aversion of, “Hey, who’s the expert here?” –to be still and listen. This cat knows the book but even more important he knows the Lord! So, I listened and said a few amen’s and felt the presence of the Savior.

At the banquet, the last night of camp, when William was recognized as Mr. Camper 2010, as is our custom last year’s winner puts a crown (a shiny cardboard Burger King type of affair) on the newly crowned winner. Usually, this crown doesn’t make it past the banquet and finds itself in the trash by the end of the night. William kept his on all night… and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t wear it to church on Sunday! Yes, William you’re a real cool cat… you’ve got a lot of this and a lot of that… but most of all William you’re what camp is all about! -DAN

Who Is The Preacher?

I recently heard a lesson on the subject of what the Bible has to say about preachers. After defining preaching as proclaiming a message and suggesting such would include Hitler the speaker went on to say that in Scripture there is no example of a paid located minister/preacher. He couldn’t remember the location of the passage but alluded to Ephesians 4:11 as a listing of those who speak for the church. That is, “It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers.” This sermon was given to a small church that was looking for a minister. To the speaker’s credit he wanted to communicate that preachers are not hired guns to do all the dirty work for the church. All proclaim Christ, all minister to the body, all reach out to the hurting, deprived or bereaved… the church is a body that works in unison. However, the lesson was arduous fare for a preacher sitting in the audience… and I wanted ever so much to say but… but… but… what about? So dear reader brace yourself because you get to hear “the what about.”

Of first importance the one we call the preacher, the minister, the evangelist, the pastor and an occasional “Hey, you” is a human. That means he is like you, ever in prayer asking God to forgive, to transform, to enlighten and to Spirit fill his life. He assumes this humble station not as excuse or to ward off accountability but because he longs to hear the still small whisper of God, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).” It is in this cross shaped weakness that the one who desires to be nothing less than God’s man attempts to be the following: 1)A student of the Word so he may share the feast he has discovered; 2)A servant of all; 3)A reflective light of the warmth of Christ that desires to spark the love and joy of Christ in the hearts of all; 4)A counselor who is accessible who listens more than they speak; 5)A bringer of glad tidings and thus, joyously infectious; and last of all obedient to the perfect law of love that compels heart and hand to work tirelessly for the Lord.

Now I said all of that to say this, “The preacher is just one of the guys.” He’s not on a pedestal nor is he to be a footstool. He’s devoted to Christ and His body and feels a calling from God to share the good news. He laughs, he cries, he’s Tom Joad from the Grapes of Wrath on the run from sin but called to be the voice of justice in a world heavy with the fruit of the grapes of wrath. He’s James Bond fighting against sin but perceived as Barney Fife with one bullet in his pocket. He stumbles but he gets back up only to finish the day on his knees in thanksgiving and humble petition. -DAN

You Can't Attend Our Church

This past holiday weekend Pam and I enjoyed the beauty of the Oregon Coast and for a little while the joy of our Missouri grandkids (O, yeah… and their parents too). Caelleb is always full of energy and Trystyn at four months has a win your heart smile and Tia is well… Tia. She’s a juggernaut karaoke tornado gale force wind of non-stop imagination and incessant verbiage but I love her to bits. But she DOES go on. On our way to lunch she asked me if I could clap. Ever so helpful I responded, “I miss that day at school and I didn’t learn how to clap.” “Yes, you did Pappy… show me how you clap.” I start snapping my fingers… she lets out a sigh and says, “That’s snapping.” I flap my hands in the air. She sighs and narrowing her eyes says, “If you can’t clap then you can’t attend our church!” Membership into the kingdom is getting tougher and tougher these days!

Tia as she often does unwittingly gets me thinking about the way we see the world and experience our place in it. I think our Lord’s prompting to be more child-like in how we view the kingdom is an exhortation to simplify things… well, at least in part. Children reduce the complex or inflated precepts to their most basic application. They want to know why but don’t question the reality of what is to be done. That is, they may want you to give them motive but never demand more choices or alternatives. If we clap in children’s church then clapping must be important. No discussion about is sacred music melody driven or does Psalm 47 give our youth license to jazz up the service with their syncopated hand popping camp nonsense? It’s eyes that trust, hearts that are open and imaginations still fertile and receptive.

You see… Tia wants Pappy to know that if you want to serve the Lord and be filled with praise then you need to get with the program and learn how to clap. You need to follow the leader… hold hands while you cross the road and sit in your square quietly until you hear directions. In short, take God at His word and stop fussing and fighting over what He didn’t say or what you thought He said and just praise the Lord! And O yeah, learn to clap! -DAN