Open Mike

Fun Facts About St. Patrick and Guinness Beer on March 17

Here on St. Patrick's Day, a few fun facts in honor of my great historical mentor (and subject of my doctoral thesis titled "The Transformational Missiological Leadership of St. Patrick").

St. Patrick:  YES there was BEER involved in his mission in the 400's, to tell the Celts the good news of God's love through Jesus Christ.  He does not mention beer in the two short works he left to history, "The Confession" and "Letter to Coroticus," which can be read in one sitting here  https://www.confessio.ie/#

BUT beer is mentioned as part of the mission when it is first described in writing by someone else, a number of years later.  Patrick took with him to Ireland many priests, deacons, bakers, etc as part of a large team. Included in the list is a personal beer brewer for Patrick.  It would have been not just for merriment, but also for something clean to drink in swampy areas with no potable water they might encounter.

[picture of the oldest church in Ireland, traceable to the time of St Patrick: Saul Church]

Guinness Beer: Was not in existence in Patrick's day. But it is an outstanding example of Christian Irish business people, inheriting the faith of St. Patrick, living 'on mission for Christ' through good, profitable work and blessing others purposefully, starting in the 1700's.   I learned this from the book "The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer That Changed the World."

I recommend this as a quick, enjoyable, spiritually encouraging read.  From the book jacket:

"It began in Ireland in the mid 1700s. The water in Ireland, indeed throughout Europe, was famously undrinkable, and the gin and whiskey that took its place devastated civil society. It was a disease ridden, starvation-plagued, alcoholic age, and Christians like Arthur Guinness—as well as monks and even evangelical churches—brewed beer that provided a healthier alternative to the poisonous waters and liquors of the times. This is where the Guinness tale began. Now, 250 years and over 150 countries later, Guinness is a global brand, one of the most consumed beverages in the world. The tale that unfolds during those two and a half centuries has power to thrill audiences today: the generational drama, business adventure, industrial and social reforms, deep-felt faith, and the noble beer itself.

For readers who love history, cultural studies, religious debate, and stories of business success. 

What readers will learn with this book...

• The earthy, human, and holy importance of honing a craft over time
• Example of a family seeking to do good in the world as an offering to God
• How unexpected and small things impact the history of humanity
• Inspirational fuel for entrepreneurial dreams"

So tonight, Angie and I will toast St. Patrick with a Guinness. And I will recount again how the study of his spiritual and entrepreneurial leadership has so influenced me and my work.  So, in the words of the common Irish toast - Slainte!  It literally means 'health,' with the feeling of when we say 'cheers!'

 

The Gospel Vs Religion: Discerning Our Own Heart

The heart of our sermon yesterday was this question:  What is the difference between living by The Gospel of Grace of Jesus Christ, and living by mere Religious Obedience or Moralism?  It can be very subtle for new Christians and those who’ve been in the faith for years to discern when we’ve slipped from one motivation to the other. 

Tim Keller shows the difference between Religion and Gospel in his new publication, Gospel in Life Study Guide (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), p. 16.  I am thankful for his teaching ministry and love to pass along the best of others thinking, which was most of my sermon. And the folks of Lake Forest -Huntersville received this teaching “like a cold cup of water on a hot day – refreshing” (thanks for the email last night, Jeff, and for being hungry for the gospel).  Here is Keller's list as promised.  I may have changed some wording or added a bit of commentary (portions not in bold), the thoughts are his.

“If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:9

1. RELIGION: “I obey, therefore I’m accepted.”

   GOSPEL: “I’m accepted because of what Jesus has done for me through his atoning death on the cross and freedom giving resurrection from the dead, therefore I obey.”

2. RELIGION: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity. God will punish me or get me if I don’t do right, so I should do more good than bad.  

     GOSPEL: Motivation is based on grateful joy.  I love God, I serve God because I want to resemble him and know him.

3. RELIGION: I obey in order to get things from God.

    GOSPEL:  I obey God to get God – to delight in and resemble Him.  I’m not after God’s handout, I want his heart. 

4. RELIGION: When things go wrong, I am angry at God or myself since I believe that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.  In America, this is the air we breathe.  Its denial that we live in a fallen world and Jesus said the rain falls on the righteous and the wicked alike. That message can facilely compute in America.  Go to our ministry partners in Cochabamba Bolivia, Long Island Bahamas with that message, it’s not reality.

     GOSPEL:  When things go wrong I struggle, but I know that all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while he may allow this (and for my training) , he will exercise his Fatherly love within my trial.  When we suffer, when we struggle, or go through trials - God is not punishing you.  If you ever have that thought, that is a lie.  All your punishment for sin was taken on the cross by Jesus (Isaiah 53). 

5. RELIGION: When I am critized I am furious or devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a ‘good person.’ Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.  

    GOSPEL:  When I am criticized I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a ‘good person.’ My identity is not built on my record or my performance but on God’s love for me in Christ.  I can take criticism. 

6. RELIGION: My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in a time of need.  My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment. 

   GOSPEL:  My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration.  My main purpose is fellowship with God.  I don’t pray to get things, I pray to get God. 

7. RELIGION: My self-view swings between two poles.  If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people.  If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel like a failure.  As another writer puts it: Religious people are on this constant roller coaster – they’re either BLOWN UP, wow I am so faithful to God, or they’re BEAT UP, man I’m unfaithful to to God.  It’s a roller coaster, up and down, up and down up and down, blown up or beat up.  What the gospel does is give us equilibrium based on God's faithfulness to us in Christ. 

  GOSPEL:  My self-view is not based on a view of myself as a moral achiever.  In Christ I am a forgiven sinner who is fully accepted and loved by God.  This leads me to deep humility and confidence at the same time.  Without either sniveling or swaggering. 

8. RELIGION: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I PERCEIVE as lazy or immoral. I disdain and feel superior to ‘the other.’  This (according to one evangelical white pastor) by the way, is one reason  middle to upper class white Christians have been terrible at racial reconciliation.  Because we have a religious view, not a gospel view...

   GOSPEL: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me. I am saved by sheer grace, so I can’t look down on those who believe or practice something different than me. Only by grace am I what I am.

9. RELIGION: Since I look to my own pedigree or performance for my spiritual acceptability, my heart manufactures idols.  It may be my talents, my moral record, my personal discipline, my social status, etc. I absolutely HAVE to have them, so they are my main hope, meaning, happiness security and significance, no matter what I SAY I believe about God.  How do I know If I’m building my life on them?  When they’re taken away or threatened, I flip out.

   GOSPEL:  I have many good things in my life—family, work, spiritual disciplines, house, boat investments etc. But none of these good things are ultimate things to me.  I don’t absolutely HAVE to have them, so there is a limit to how much anger, bitterness, anxiety and despair they can inflict on me when they are threatened or lost.  In the words of the hymn, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

Spiritual Disciplines: An Olympic Life of Training Instead of Trying

Our current sermon series is a look at the New Testament's frequent use of Olympic metaphors for the life of following Jesus.  Its been fun to have a video interview each week with a Lake Forest member who trains current Olympic medal winners. The athletic training imagery has been fun to communicate colorfully, including 'butt prints on the couch,' using 'coach Paul's whistle' from our weekly training locker, and finishing last week's sermon while eating a bag of Cheetos.

Our weekly passage from God's Word is I Corinthians 9:23-27, the core of which is "...Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training..."

Yesterday, I introduced my friends to spiritual growth through training instead of trying, which is exactly what Paul calls the Corinthians and all of us to practice.  Christians for 2,000 years have understood and articulated this path to the grace of spiritual growth, to become more like Jesus, as a life practicing what are known as 'spiritual disciplines.' 

I promised to put some of the definitions and categories from the sermon here in my blog.  I pray you will select one 'Discipline of Abstinence' and one 'Discipline of Engagement' that the Holy Spirit nudges is for you this fall, and build it into your daily/weekly routine as a form of 'running in such as way as to get the prize' 'of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ' (Philippians 3:14). So here you go, I hope it's helpful (Thanks to Aron Gibson for resourcing me with some of this material):

 

There is an immense difference between TRAINING to do something and TRYING to do something.  Thus, spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely. – John Ortberg

Following Jesus simply means learning from him how to arrange my life around activities that enable me to grow and live in the fruit of the Spirit.  The traditional term for such activities is ‘spiritual disciplines.’ 

Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy this same counsel:  “train yourself in godliness”  I Timothy 4:7.  The true indicator of godliness, or spiritual well-being, is growth in the ability to love God and love other people well, as clearly taught by Jesus. 

So what makes something a discipline?

Discipline: Any activity I can do by direct effort that will help me do later what I cannot now do by direct effort.  I cannot run a marathon today by direct effort or willpower.  But if I train for three months with specific athletic disciplines, I will then be able to run a marathon by direct effort. Get it?

But what makes something a spiritual discipline?

Spiritual discipline: Any activity that can help me gain power to live life as Jesus taught and modeled it. – John Ortberg

How many spiritual disciplines are there?  As many as we can think of. Certain practices are foundational for all Christians, but you can also turn almost any activity in to a ‘training exercise’ for spiritual life. (sermon example: when a parent prays nightly, repeatedly, with a small child, the child's spirit is being trained or bent toward a God-centered life of thankfulness, concern for others, and petition for oneself - that's a powerful, common spiritual discipline).

Myths of spiritual disciplines:

1) They are only for the super spiritual followers of Jesus.

            - for everyday followers of Jesus (like praying with a child every night)

2) Spiritual disciplines are all drudgery and hardship.

            - pathway to peace and joy (did you see the joy on Kathleen Baker's face after winning silver and gold this week, after years of athletic disciplines in training?)

3) It’s all about your willpower; it’s not at all about your willpower.

            - find the center of the road on this; its both/and; Philippians “work out your salvation…what God has worked in you”

4) All the spiritual disciplines are the same - - so just do your favorite one.

 -no decent athlete decides 'I'm only going to train with the bench press, my pecs will be amazing,' we each need a collection or regiment of disciplines

-each discipline has something that it combats or builds in our character and spirit; some of them are essential every year, others are for a season to protect or grow a specific part of our spirit:

            + Prayer & meditation frees us from self-sufficiency

            + Fasting frees us from consumerism.

            + Study frees us from emotional captivity.

            + Solitude frees us from being controlled by others.

            + Silence frees us from having to know it all.

            + Submission frees us from pride.

            + Service frees us from self-interest.

            + Confession frees us from isolation.

            + Worship frees us from self-promotion.

            + Giving frees us from worshiping and worrying about money.

            + Simplicity frees us from anxiety.

            + Celebration frees us from boredom/pessimism.

Two categories of spiritual disciplines are important to understand.

Disciplines of Abstinence
 to help us remove destructive and unhelpful things from our lives through acts that force us to stop, wait, remove, or eliminate.

Solitude: The practice of spending time without any others or any distractions.


Silence: No noise or conversation. Just you and God.


Fasting: Abstain from food, media, entertainment, or anything else that occupies your time.


Frugality: Use your money for purposes outside your own needs for a time.


Chastity: Specific life practices, under mentorship by others, to honor God with my body through sexual purity, as befits my circumstance of being single, married, or single-again.  


Secrecy: Do not allow anyone to know of the deeds you do or the money you give in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations. Only God needs to know.


Sacrifice: Stretch your sense of what you can do without for the sake of those who have less.


 

Disciplines of Engagement
 to build the right kinds of attitudes and habits into our daily lives.

Study: Memorize Scripture and expand your universe of biblical study helps.


Worship: Engage in corporate worship and include worship in your own prayer time.


Celebration: Practice being grateful and thankful both in your own relationship with Christ and with other believers. Express encouragement and thankfulness to others.


Service: Give your time to the church and/or to others. Ponder tithing your time.


Prayer: Take deliberate steps to pray regularly and with purpose. Praying through the Psalms is a good way to increase your “prayer vocabulary.”


Fellowship: Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”


Confession: Practice confessing your sins to trusted people who will pray with you and be spiritual allies.


Submission: Submit to the proper people in the proper ways—fight against the sin of pride.

    Ask the Holy Spirit, quietly, what new, routinized practice of Abstinence and/or Engagement would make you more 'race ready' for the upcoming Fall season of life? Talk it over with a 'coach' (mentor) or 'teammate' (peer) this week.  (Three books I recommend on this subject, in this order: "The Life You've Always Wanted" by Ortberg; "The Spirit of the Disciplines by Willard; "The Celebration of Discipline" by Foster).

Hebrews 12:1b-2a "(L)et us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..."

 

Closer Than Close

I know a lot of Christians who grow weary trying to get 'closer' to Jesus.  Trying to 'feel closer' to him.  Many of us have come to believe that our relationship with God is based on proximity - a sliding scale of 'near' or 'far' based on the faithfulness of our spiritual devotion.  Leading to our relationship with Him being marked by a constant inconstancy.

But what if such thinking completely misses the point? What if you can check 'get close to Jesus' off your spiritual to-do list, and move onward and upward without ever looking back?

My friend David Hickman not only wore himself out for years with a proximity-based approach to his faith, it almost drove this gifted and brutally honest man of God out of ministry.

One of the great joys of my life these days is in addition to doing ministry, I get to build into and cheer on many younger men and women as they discover and live out their calling for ministry.  David has been one of those guys.  After being in youth and young adult ministry while attending Gordon-Conwell Seminary, David founded 'Charlotte ONE,' a vibrant ministry that helps churches reach 20-30 something together for Christ.

Along the way he was a member of Lake Forest for a few years until moving to South End. My favorite thing about David at Lake Forest was that this remarkable speaker and preacher of God's Word chose to share his gifts and time at our church by being on the parking team. Put on the orange vest, sweat it out on weeks like this, hang with that fellowship of men who are core servants, and serve the body of Christ with sweat and good humor.

As we met over burgers from time to time, David let me in on the fact that he was struggling. Mightily. In spite of the success of his ministry, the beauty of a young family, and his obvious gifts and calling.  If you want to know his story, more importantly if you want to know how to get off the 'gotta get closer to Jesus' train and move to unshakeable peace and freedom in Christ, David's new book is for you:

 Part of David's story is a testament to how much we all need to invite mentors and soul-friends to walk with us at critical points of our life.  In the book, you'll meet and get to know the wise spiritual direction and heart of two men who've been key mentors in my own life - Fil Anderson and my dad, Mike Moses Sr.  David was wise enough to seek out and meet with these gentle giants of the spiritual life in the midst of his crisis. 

Slowly, he discovered the truth that he was already in perfect union with Christ, along with how to move from anxiety to rest, living out of the glorious freedom of the children of God.  The book is laugh-out loud funny and wincingly honest at times.  David also gets deeply theological while managing to keep it practical for daily living out our freedom in Christ.

I read this book with increasing joy during my study leave this summer. I hope you will too, it was just released last Monday.  Thank you David for serving us all and pointing us to our union with God through Jesus Christ.  You can buy it here.

Closer Than Close

Kicking Down Counterfeit gods: Ash Wednesday (5:30 & 6:30) & Lent

The aftermath of the Superbowl has strangely caused me to crave our Ash Wednesday worship with anticipation.  Extra pounds from overindulgence and extra despondence over 'our' loss cause me to reflect, half in jest and half seriously - how am I doing enjoying the good gifts of God in this life, without overattaching to them and giving them god-like power over me?  Our Ash Wednesday worship services kick off our Lenten sermon series: Counterfeit gods.

Sometimes I say that Lake Forest aspires to be an ancient-future church. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and I'm preparing to lead two meditative and hauntingly musical (new this year!) services of communion and the imposition of ashes on our Huntersville campus (5:30 & 6:30, lasting about 35 minutes, childcare available at 5:30; LFC-Davidson will hold worship at 7pm).  One way I define ancient-future church is:

1. We are future oriented in mission - changing forms and methods of worship in order to speak the gospel effectively in today's language of ever-changing culture (technology, idiom, arts, servanthood through a toy store, musical styles at our campuses that reflect today's musical language of the soul). 

2.We practice humility by being ancient in doctrine faithful to the most ancient Christian creeds, as well as through time-proven spiritual practices like Lent and Advent, taking our grateful place in acknowledged succession from 2,000 years of faithful followers of Jesus.

Join the Lake Forest tribe in practicing Lent this year - allow fasting, almsgiving and prayer to be a way the LORD re-tills the soil of your heart with humility, repentance, and room for Christ alone to dwell and rule in his infinite love.

For Lent this year, we are encouraging people to:

*Worship on Ash Wednesday (thirty minutes services at 5:30 & 6:30 @ LFC-Huntersville, shared with our Anglican friends, Church of the Good Shepherd; 7pm LFC Davidson, shared with Davidson Presbyterian Church)

*choose a Lenten fast for 40 days, giving whatever money is saved to assist the poor Pope Francis' advice on Lenten fasting

*fast absolutely from Good Friday evening until Easter morning

*celebrate in Easter worship by 1)inviting an unchurched friend, 2)naming and celebrating Easter lunch as a resurrection feast

*BONUS: our sermon series for Lent is based upon Tim Keller's book, "Counterfeit gods." Feel free to purchase one and join me in using it for your daily devotions this season.

Here's a succinct, kinetic guide to the purpose and practice of Lent: