Small Groups Build It Together

Classes or Small Groups?

I’m up against a philosophical and pragmatic dilemma regarding the structure of spiritual formation in churches.  I’ve been sold on the solidarity of small group settings for spiritual formation, and thought that the old “Sunday School” classes had its day gone by in the church world.  I think I was wrong. 

Although I value “classes” for focused skills training, I’ve shied away from them as staple regimen for growth.  Ongoing relationships matter more than information intake.  Those that I’ve seen make the biggest strides in faith sight the people in their life as primary contributors, not studies or epiphanies of understanding.  I believe that formation comes down to who you’re with more than what you know. 

Consequently, I don’t like classes.

Classes lack relationships.  Classes lack interactive kinesthetic learning.  Classes lack sustained longevity.  Classes repeat what Sunday mornings already delivered.  Classes detract from a “priesthood of all believers.”

I’ve thrown the baby out with the bath water, but thanks to a small handful of class advocates at my church, I’m slowly retracting my objections.  Some are using the Love and Respect marriage material, another has been wowed by the Truth Project, a third still is dedicated to delivering the Financial Peace University curriculum until the whole church hears it. 

My guard was up, but the results are undeniable.  For some, importing class-like curriculum has sparked fresh intrigue and passion into flat-lining small groups.  For others, it gave a rallying point of shared interest for drawing people into small group settings who wouldn’t have been there otherwise.  At the very least, curriculum is a refreshing break for leaders (and listeners) from the small group routine.  At best, a curriculum can turn into a church-wide campaign for spiritual formation in a particular area – which is what Financial Peace University has become for us. 

“Reflections” Art Contest

I am actively organizing the second annual “Reflections” Art Contest at Christ’s Church of the Capital District.

The gallery dates coincide with the season of Lent/Easter 2010 to help stimulate reflection.  Although hosted at a church, this event is not specifically religious in nature.   

Registration & Art Drop Off – February 7-14

Opening Reception – February 17, 7-8 pm  

Gallery Hours Open to the Public February 17-April 4 Monday-Friday 10 am – 4 pm Sunday 8 am-12:30 pm

This is a Free Event

Click Here for more Details and Registration

Love to have you take part as an exhibiting artist, or viewer!

No Need to Know

Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

- Ecclesiastes 8.17

“Why?” is probably the most common utterance directed toward God.  As intrigued, even troubled, as we may be, we may do best to leave omniscience to God, and accept our place of limited knowing.

Good Fun

If find it interest that in the context of Ecclesiastes 8, urging righteousness despite evil not meeting justice, that the one of the author’s concluding statements is, “So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun (Ecclesiastes 8.15).”

You’d think that “eat and drink and be glad” would lead to all sorts of trouble.  Typically from a religious perspective, having “fun” and being “good” aren’t thought of synonymously.  If the overall Ecclesiastes perspective of balance is upheld however, I believe you can enjoy everything you have to the fullest without taking it to excess. 

Sacrifice has its place in living God, but so does gladness.

Enjoy

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.  Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.  Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.  – Ecclesiastes 9.7-10

If you can cut through the author’s emotional state of frustration, this really is a nice outlook on life. 

Enjoy your meals.  Enjoy your character.  Enjoy your wife.  Enjoy your work.  Enjoy life.

For some reason, it feels like we often need permission to enjoy.

What Good is Good?

The author of Ecclesiastes is troubled with evil in the world, especially by the fact that God doesn’t carry out justice consistently in the here and now.  Even so, he says, “Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God (Ecclesiastes 8.12).”

To round this out with New Testament theology, “in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished -he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3.25b-26).” 

I’d like to live by integrity irrespective of the rest of the world.  Many people get away with wrongs on a daily basis, but I don’t see why this should be license to join the free-for-all.  I still expect that in the end “it will go better with God-fearing men.”

Wicked

My wife and I attended Wicked at Proctor’s Theater last month.  It was a fantastic experience – the talent, the production, but especially the plot.  It kind of rattled my perspective on wickedness.  I know with God there are absolute determinations, but from the limited perspective of humanity we often mislabeled one as good and another as wicked.

“There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve.”  Ecclesiastes 8.14

Or as it says in Luke 6.37, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” 

Although I think we can correct and redirect regarding specific behaviors, I think we’d do well to withhold I final verdict on where anyone stands regarding wickedness.  We ruin our world by condemning one and praising another.

60% Rule

Do not be overrighteous,
       neither be overwise—
       why destroy yourself?

 Do not be overwicked,
       and do not be a fool—
       why die before your time?

 It is good to grasp the one
       and not let go of the other.
       The man who fears God will avoid all extremes

Ecclesiastes 7.16-18

These verses may capture my most essential application on the book of Ecclesiastes.  I mess things up when I carry them to extremes.  Even when I have something good, it can be turned bad by pushing it to its fullest.  Food, sex, sacrifice, sobriety, pleasure, work, fun  - all things inherently good have a bad extreme; even wisdom and righteousness according to Solomon.

My best ideas, efforts, and sources of success in the past five years have topped off at about 60% of what I had in mind.  When I push the plan past 60%, it starts to crack and crumble.  In my personal tendencies toward dreaming big, planning hard, and going to extremes, I often kill good things.  People get hurt or push back, resources run dry, and the most important things in life get shelved.  It hasn’t been for lack of effort, or quick resignation, so I’m pretty sure that God only intends for me to pursue and achieve 60% of what I have in mind for any good thing I’ve got going. 

I think I’m settling into a 60% rule for life – only dreaming 60%, only planning 60%, even only trying 60%.  This is rather counter intuitive for me, so I sure would like some good feedback before making it official.

Stay or Leave

I’ve been painting late into the night with Dave Matthews music in the background.  More than just a pop artist, he has a way of making you think about a variety of issues.  His song “Stay or Leave” has me pondering the longevity of relationships – marriages in particular. 

As a pastor, you get to see all sorts of marriages in all sorts of situations.  Every marriage has its highlights; every marriage has its wounds.  The problem comes when the best highlights date several years back.  We look longingly on the early days, and wonder “What went wrong?  How can we get it back?  Can we get it back?”

 

“Stay Or Leave

“Maybe different but remember
Winters warm where you and i
Kissing whiskey by the fire
With the snow outside
And when the summer comes
In the river
Swims at midnight
Shiver cold
Touch the bottom
You and I
With muddy toes