Knowing God vs. Knowing About God

I ran across a great insight from the Christian author, George MacDonald. My paraphrase of what he wrote goes like this:

Most of the teachers in the church spend more time explaining God…than obeying God. The gospel (the good news about Jesus, forgiveness, and the coming Kingdom of God) is given not to redeem our understandings, but our hearts. When that is accomplished, then – and only then – will our understandings be set free.

This point is so true…and so often overlooked. And it strikes right at the heart of who I am and what I do. 

I am not a scholar, but I am a thinker. I love to study and learn, and I love to teach. I feel as if my life is, to a great extent, an ongoing pursuit of the truth. My ministry and my calling are (among other things) to teach people the truth contained in the Bible.

And yet – if I am not careful – I can turn the pursuit of knowledge into an idol. If I am not careful, I can immerse myself in study for it’s own sake and neglect the condition of my heart and soul. If I am not careful, I can mislead our church into thinking that more knowledge is the solution to all of life’s issues.

The Bible itself reminds us to keep knowledge in its proper place:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  [Romans 12:1-3, New Living Translation]

I’ve always appreciated this passage, because it does not ignore the importance of the mind. However, the Apostle Paul – writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – tells us that we must offer ourselves first. If I fail to follow this timeless advice, I may increase my knowledge without truly being transformed by God.

  

-       Bruce

Calling vs. Comfort

I want to take a rare opportunity to whine.

I live in the allergy capital of the world.  And here’s the data to prove it:  grass pollens of more than 20 grains per meter are considered “high”.  Counts of 200 grains per meter are considered “very high”.   Guess what:  here in the southern end of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, grass pollen counts above 600 are not unusual.  And counts have been recorded over 1500.

That is a lot of pollen.    

The numbers are different for tree pollens, weed pollens, and other sources of sinus misery… but at some point every spring, Eugene/Springfield typically exceeds the “very high” level for all of these various noxious, nostril-inflaming substances. 

This is where I live…and I suffer from horrible allergies. 

Many years ago when I underwent allergy testing, my allergist said that I had the worst reaction to spring pollens he ever had seen in more than 50 years of medical practice.  I’d always wanted to be first in something, but this is not really the category where I prefer to be leading the pack.

I’ve been treated by allergists, ENT’s, and a variety of other medical professionals over the years.  I’ve found some relief here and there, but nothing ever has fully solved the problem.  So I sniffle and sneeze and snort my way through life.  I told my wife that I should have become a major stockholder in the Kimberly-Clarke corporation (makers of Kleenex) since I consume so much of their product.  I’m convinced that I must be a large part of their profit base.

Here’s something else I want to whine about:  because of my allergy problems, I am much more susceptible to colds.  And guess what:  the Native Americans called this place “the valley of sickness.”   They were right.  People do get sick a lot here from the bad air.  Colds tend to linger…and linger…and linger.   

So I finish off my winter colds just in time for the spring allergy season.  I am constantly battling congestion, a runny nose, a sore throat.  On most days, I feel mildly “sick”, rather than “well”.  All of this is a real distraction as I try to preach. 

Yet I moved to this area, by choice, a little over three years ago.  Why?  Because this is where God has called me to serve. 

I can see so many reasons for me to be here.  I love our church, the climate, the ministry opportunities.  There seems to be a healthy meshing of my interests and skills with the needs of the church and the needs of our community. 

And yet…physically…it’s been a struggle.

So I’ve spent a lot of time musing about the relationship between my calling and my comfort (or discomfort).  I wrestle with the fact that my personal discomfort is a direct result of life in the place where God has asked me to live. 

I find that it’s easy to be self-centered about these things; to feel that because I am “doing God’s work” and “honoring my call” that the Lord should not ask me to endure this level of discomfort, inconvenience, and annoyance.

And then, of course, I think of all that Jesus endured. 

And the original 12 disciples. 

And the Apostle Paul.  

…as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger…

2 Corinthians 6:4-5

I have…been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.  I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 

2 Corinthians 11:23-27

This certainly puts my problems into perspective.  After all, what’s the cost of wiping my nose compared to these kinds of experiences? 

It’s clear that my personal comfort…our personal comfort…is not that high on God’s list.  Not when there are so much more important issues at stake.  Like getting the world back on track with His program.

And yet…on a larger level…I wonder why God has arranged it this way.  There obviously is a great amount of pain in this world, and doing good does not allow us to avoid it.  At times doing good comes at a high price.  Doing godly work sometimes comes at a great price.  And Jesus – the one I claim to follow – paid the greatest price of all. 

All of this makes me realize, yet again, the consequences of living in a fallen world.  This is the cost of sin.  For me.  For everyone. 

And rather than whine about some of my personal hardships, I know the Lord wants me to live with a sense of gratitude.  Gratitude for knowing Him.  Gratitude for what Jesus has done, and is continuing to do in me and through me.  And – just as importantly – gratitude for living here.  

Here in the pollen-laden Willamette Valley. 

This is the place where I have the opportunity…where I have the incredible privilege…to live out my calling.  Doing so by the grace of a loving God who knows what is best for me. 

Even if, much of the time, life is physically uncomfortable. 

When I look at life from this perspective, I find there is great comfort in knowing I am doing what the Lord wants. Where He wants.  And this comfort – this spiritual, relational comfort from the Heavenly Father – far outweighs any personal discomfort I may experience.

-       Bruce

The Joys of the Small(er) Church

A number of years ago I had an experience which made me realize that our evaluation of “big” and “small” truly are shaped by our personal experience.

Julie and I both are natives of a region of California known as the “Greater Los Angeles Area.”  When we moved to the far western suburbs of Chicago in 1980, we relocated from a place of urban sprawl to a place where there actually was empty land between the towns.  We initially settled into a suburb of some 40,000 people…a town surrounded by woods and agricultural land…and it felt very small to us. 

When we found a church, we became friends with another couple who had relocated from rural North Carolina.  The biggest town they ever had seen was about 5000 people.  Needless to say, they thought our town of 40,000 was huge.  And Chicago – some 45 minutes away – was terrifying to them.

We’ve experienced the same sort of thing when it comes to the size of a church.  We spent nearly 25 years in a church of some 3000 people.  The pastors that I networked with all were from other megachurches.  In fact, the church where we served was not even the largest church in town.  There was another church, a few miles away, that had about 6000 people. 

When we came to Oregon so that I could serve as the preaching minister at Garden Way Church (www.gardenway.net), it was a dramatic change, because this is a congregation of about 400 people.  To many people in Oregon, our church is on the larger side.  There are no megachurches in our immediate area, and there are many small, rural churches in the region with congregations of 100 or less.  So Garden Way is not small, but it definitely is smaller than what we have been used to. 

And this is turning out to be a huge joy for us, because our church experience is richer in so many ways. 

One of the assumptions about megachurches is that they have plenty of everything; that resources abound.  It is true that they have larger budgets, and more staff…but all of this is really proportional.  They have many of the same struggles and challenges as smaller churches, just on a different scale.

For example, I know of a megachurch that has 2 full-time staff members who oversee the Early Childhood Ministry.  Imagine: two staff members just for the kids from birth through age 5!  These staff members oversee a team of some 90 people each Sunday morning who staff the nurseries and classrooms for this age group.  But there is a problem:  to properly staff this ministry, they actually need 120+ people each week.  So – just like smaller churches – they face the continual challenge of finding enough volunteers to make the ministry function at the most desirable level. 

I’m reminded of this whenever we have “holes” in the ministry here at our church.  It’s the same kind of thing we used to face, just on a different scale.

But here is what we like most about this wonderful, smaller church where God has led us.  Itis a vibrant community where people truly interact across the generations.   Julie has attended baby showers, and other events, where women of all ages from the church were present.  I’ve attended Men’s Retreats with men of all ages. 

At least in our experience, large churches tend to be much more age segmented.  For example, when there are – literally – hundreds of young couples in your church, then it is easy for the young couples to spend virtually all their time with people like them.  The annual Men’s Retreat at our last church was almost exclusively attended by the young guys. 

I don’t say this critically, because I think it is natural for all of us to behave this way.  But in a church where each age group is much smaller, than it becomes simpler…and easier…and more natural…for people to mingle and interact across the generations. 

And we love this. 

At our last church, I had zero contact with the youth group.  But here, I actually know some of the teens.  Not well, but enough to have a conversation.  We’ve made friends with seniors and young singles and those in-between.  And we see others doing the same.

This strikes me as incredibly healthy and it creates opportunities for natural, relational mentoring.  It creates a greater sense (at least to me) of “the church”.  It solidifies a sense of identity and continuity and legacy that is being passed on from generation to generation.  The rhythm of church life is based more on relationships, and less on programs. 

Yes, there are times when I wish we did have more staff or a bigger budget.  I wish we had a bigger team of volunteers ready, willing, and able to serve.  But – as I said before – these things really are just a matter of scale.  When I think about what really matters…when I think about the importance of living and serving together as a community of faith…I am finding more vitality and meaning in this smaller church. 

I am learning – in a new, different, and exciting way – what it means to “be” the church of Jesus Christ. 

-      Bruce

A Surprising "Donation"

How exciting to see God’s hand at work, especially when you least expect it. 

In the last month of 2012, God provided unexpected financial donations from four individuals wanting to invest in our vision for The Lavender Pavilion.  [See my post from September 30].  We have not even established a non-profit organization yet, we only have shared our vision.  Yet God prompted people to contribute.  We were amazed and excited and even humbled.  These generous gifts were yet another sign from the Lord which confirmed that this vision truly is from Him.

In my earlier post, I showed a couple of pictures of our first purchases for the prayer garden we plan to create.  However, because of other demands on our time, we've not finished clearing and preparing the ground...so the Japanese Maples are still in their pots.   

 

But yesterday, Bruce excitedly called me and Rachel outside.  There - in the middle of the pasture (which will become the prayer garden) - was one growing plant.  A purple plant.  Isolated and alone...but beautifully flowering. 

And we did not put it into the ground. 

This is our third spring in the house, and this plant never has grown here before.   This part of the pasture previously was filled with weeds, wild grass, and wild blackberries...all of which we slowly have been clearing.  How did this plant get here?  Did an animal carry a seed to this spot and drop it?  Did God Himself put this particular flower into this particular place? 

We do not know.  We only know that this previously was pastureland, not a garden.  There are no other flowers planted here. 

So whatever the explanation - whether the Lord used natural means or supernatural means - we have no doubt that this was His doing.  He chose to provide us with an amazing and exciting gift.  

We see this as yet another sign - a very powerful sign - that the vision we have is from God.  And to give us hope and confidence, our gracious Father planted the very first flower Himself...and He chose one with lavender colors.  (It's a purplish-blue flower, and my camera makes it look a bit more blue than it actually is.) 

As we stood in the middle of the pasture, Bruce called it "holy ground".  I believe it is.  And I believe it will be, as we slowly...faithfully... patiently...fulfill the vision that God has given us for the ministry of The Lavender Pavilion. 

- Julie  

The Absence of a "Post-Vacation Letdown"

As we pass our 2^nd anniversary here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, I’ve been reflecting on the incredible change that has taken place in our lives.  We are in a new place, making new friends, participating in a new church, living in a house unlike anything we ever have experienced, and we are learning a new rhythm of life. 

How can anyone summarize all of this?

For me, the most succinct way to distill all of this down is captured in the title of this post:  “The Absence of a Post-Vacation Letdown’”.

Here is what I mean. 

By God’s grace, we live in a place of beauty.  It is green here all year round.  It is a place where we can work hard and be frenetic if we want…but it is a place where we easily can step back from perpetual busyness and experience peace.  And tranquility.  And silence.  We live in a country setting in the heart of town.  We can be outside of town in mere minutes.    

And it is green.  Oh, so green.

We have learned that for us, the green of God’s creation is life-giving.

Our life in Southern California was comfortable and familiar.  It was home; the place of our birth; the place where we raised our family.  It was a place of rich, long-standing friendships; people that we now miss intensely.  We lived in the center of an entertainment mecca, where there always was something to do.  But it was expensive and crowded…and it was green for only a few months of the year.

Getting established here has kept us busy, so our times away have been few.  Other than an overnight trip here or there, we had not taken a real vacation until we spent a few days camping in the mountains this past summer.  We were about 75 miles from home, and it felt as if we were in a different world.  And after a few days of kayaking, driving through parts of the Cascades, and taking long walks with our dog, we felt completely relaxed and at ease. 

In the past, on the last morning of a trip, I would find myself getting anxious about the return home.  I would be regretting the end of vacation and the return to our frenetic (though fruitful) life.  I would be planning our departure times to try to miss the worst of the LA-area traffic.  I knew that we would be coming home to summer weather that was hot and dry; that we would be driving past hills that were brown; that inevitably – despite my best planning – at some point we would be sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-5 or I-10 or I-15. 

In other words, coming home after a vacation was a real let-down. 

And all that changed this past summer.  As we packed up the RV and drove back into town, we passed from the green of the Cascades to the green of the Valley.  We traveled from one kind of beauty to another kind of beauty.  We left a place of vacation rest and returned to a home that also is a place of rest.

There simply was no post-vacation letdown. 

This was a transforming experience; another unexpected blessing of our move to this place.  Another reminder that the Heavenly Father knows what is best for each of His children…and He knew this place would be the best for us. 

In this place of beauty, where creation is green and lush, God is allowing us to find some space and to experience life in a whole new way. 

We are busy and productive, and we are at peace…whether away or at home. 

-      Bruce