imagining how the church can reorient around mission

John 12:1-8 –  Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

I will be speaking at The Porch, here in Spokane on March 17^th.  They have asked me to teach from John 12.  The story is fairly familiar to most Bible readers. A few usual suspects: Jesus, of course, Lazarus, Judas Iscariot and the polar opposite sisters of Martha and Mary.  The center of the story captures Mary pouring out a seemingly inordinate amount of expensive perfume (pure nard) on the feet of Jesus. Crazy, right? read more

When our senses are heightened we usually experience things in a way we have never experienced before. If you fast for an extended period of time, say for over 24 hours, the first bite of food you take after the fast sends your taste buds into a frenzy. The banana you peel in your hand suddenly becomes a BANANA!!!!!! in your mouth. Well over the past 12 months God has heightened my sense of pain. For over a year now I have dealt with chronic low back pain. And while the pain is miserable, I find myself praising God for the way He has literally opened my eyes to the things unseen by heightening my sense of pain. And I had one of those insights in church on Sunday that I would like to share with you. 

In years passed when Psalm 84 has been read, or the worship song "Better is One Day" is sung, I always wrested with it. Sure, it's a honoring thing to say to God, "Lord, I'd rather have the lowest job for one day in your court than spend thousands of days here on earth." But let's be honest, we could all create our own paradise here on earth that would be pretty freaking sweet. And so I always found myself doubting that song and that Scripture verse. Or if I wasn't doubting, I was at least creating an earthly paradise in my head and comparing it to God's Kingdom.  A year of pain changes things, though. For the first time in my life on Sunday, I sang the song without a shadow of doubt the ONE day is far better than any time spent here on this earth. Before the pain, I cared little about Christ's return. Before the pain I was comfortable with this life. With the pain I realize that I'm not living for this life…I'm living for the next. But I spent 20 years of my life with no true desire for Christ's return.  read more

"Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy. The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact?" says Lesslie Newbigin in his book, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.

As we near the end of our Missional Church class, these words are ones that seem to sum up what I’ve learned; or, rather, what’s been rekindled in me. Missionality is something I have always longed for, without knowing the words for it. As I think and hope most Christians do, I find the story of Jesus intoxicating. That being said, I have always felt this frustration, not knowing where to begin communicating that. read more