Author: Fred Shope

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Praying

Here’s another blast from the past:

In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning quotes M. Basil Pennington on prayer. I’m posting that quote here. There is no need for me to comment.

“A father is delighted when his little one, leaving off her toys and friends, runs to him and climbs into his arms. As he holds his little one close to him, he cares little whether the child is looking around, her attention flitting from one thing to another, or just settling down to sleep. Essentially the child is choosing to be with her father, confident of the love, the care, the security that is hers in those arms. Our prayer is much like that. We settle down in our Father’s arms, in his loving hands. Our mind, our thoughts, our imagination may flit about here and there; we might even fall asleep; but essentially we are choosing for this time to remain intimately with our Father, giving ourselves to him, receiving his love and care, letting him enjoy us as he will. It is very simple prayer. It is very childlike prayer. It is prayer that opens us out to all the delights of the kingdom

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TGIF

It has been a good week here in the sunny South. It actually rained yesterday, for about five minutes. Jennie has come in from the left coast for a few days. It’s good to see her, and we’ll have a good weekend together.

Here are the links for this week:

John Armstrong has a good series on postmodernism and the Christian. Part 1 is here.

Ronnie McBrayer has some good thoughts about the future.

Jeff McQuilken on passion.Michael D. Bobo writes about humor.

Todd Hiestand gives a benediction.

Bill has another funny.

Dan Allen on worship.

Alan Knox asks who is qualified.

Jonathan Brink is wrestling with beauty.

TSK asks for transparency in clean water fund raising.

Dr. Terry Dorsett on challenges of bivocational ministry.

Mark Scandrette writes a fable.

Donald Miller on projecting an identity.

Chaplain Mike writes about the life God is in.

Jake Belder on wine at the Lord’s table.
Scot McKnight has a series titled “Creation Untamed.” Part 1 is here.
Allan Bevere has a series on the faith of America’s founders. Part 1 (HT: Scot McKnight).

Have a great fall weekend.

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A Beautiful Thing

This past Saturday, I saw a beautiful example of the Body of Christ in action. Jan and I went to a fundraiser for a young woman who had been terribly injured in an automobile accident a few months ago. There were numerous things that brought home the fact that those who follow Jesus are one body.

The fundraiser was sponsored and put on by two of the larger churches in our town, one Presbyterian and one Baptist. There was at least one other congregation that donated an item for a silent auction. People came to the festival from different faith backgrounds because they knew the young woman and her family through social contacts, or because they worked on something together. We met people there who knew people who knew people, and we saw folks we hadn’t seen in awhile who were connected with us and with the family. Jan and I knew the woman’s husband because we both had taught him in Maryland some thirty years ago, and he had recently moved to the town where we live. There are folks all over praying for this family because of the network of connections that has grown up. It shows a bit of the unity of those who belong to Christ.

Imagine what would happen if we realized our unity in Christ all the time.

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Change is Coming

Change is coming
You can hide from it
You can try to ignore it
You can fight it
You can preach against it
You can try to control it
Or
You can welcome it
You can embrace it
You can learn from it
You can ride it
You can grow from it
But,
You can’t stop it
Change is coming
Change is here.

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TGIF

Is anyone else getting tired of all the political ads? I listen to one candidate running down the other, and vice versa, and of course neither side is telling the whole story. It seems everyone wants you to vote against something, rather than for something. When we lived in Cincinnati, there was a radio host who would “blow up” all the political radio ads the day after the election. I always enjoyed that.

Anyway, here is a taste of the good stuff from the week:

In this case, silence is not golden.
Donald Miller on meaning.
Why is faith so hard?
Some good quotes.
Is spiritual covering scriptural?
Definitely a karaoke fail.
Worldly lifestyles or Christian freedom?

Don’t define your neighbor.
Sinner!
Poverty is a perception.
Discipleship on Christ’s terms.
The radical center.
This is funny.
Leading by manipulating?

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World Vision Wednesday

More than 13,000 children will die today because of hunger, while Americans will spend almost 1 billion dollars today on eating out. Check this out for a way to help those in need.

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Learning

This is something I wrote a few years ago.

I was there
I knew the truth

Then you decided I had more to learn

At first it was easy
The new things were “positive” and encouraging

Then you decided I had still more to learn

Then it was hard

The new things were “negative” and discouraging

Hours of solitude and inactivity
Silence from heaven

I was in the desert
Waiting and waiting. Waiting and wondering

When will it end?
How long will I be out here?

Faith had been mine
But faith was misplaced

My faith was in what you would do
And you didn’t do

What is going on here?
Why isn’t this working?

You finally spoke
You told me to be patient

You sent me teachers
Those who had traveled the same path

I finally learned
To trust in you

Not in what you might do
But in you as you are

I departed the desert
But I left some things there

Just in case

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When Is Worship?

This morning, I passed a church with a sign that read, “Worship is Sunday, 11:00 AM.” I guess that what they meant was that their Sunday service was at 11:00, so potential visitors would know when to show up. As usual, my thoughts went in a different direction.

I think there are many churches that would make the same statement, with the emphasis on the word is. They might not say it with words, but their actions speak loudly. For many Christians, worship is Sunday at 11. That is the event, what church is all about. How many times have you heard people say, “I go to church on Sunday to get refreshed and prepared for the week ahead.” Now, it is true that the times we get together with our brothers and sisters in Christ should be refreshing. It is also true that times of teaching and encouragement are needed to enable us to live in this world. We in the body do need each other.

What I take issue with, is the idea that worship is only singing and praying, and that corporate worship only happens when the church gets together in a certain place at a certain time. I believe that worship (declaring the worthiness of God) can happen any place, at any time, and in anything we do. When our community gathers on Sunday morning, that is worship. When we meet at someone’s house, and eat together, listening to, and encouraging each other, that is worship. When some of us help one of our number with yard work, or serve meals at a homeless shelter, that…you guessed it. Worship. For the follower of Jesus, all of life is to be worship to the One who gave his life for us. As the Apostle Paul says, eating, drinking, and everything else is to be done for the glory of God.

So, gather with other followers of Jesus tomorrow. Sing praises to God, and be taught. Just remember that there are six more days in the week to gather together and build each other up, six more days to love God by loving others.

Worship is 24/7.

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TGIF

We finally got rain here in the sunny South, after about a month and a half of dry weather. The liquid sunshine came down Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. The grass is turning back to its regular green color and is growing again. Of course, that means mowing. I hope I still remember how.

There’s a lot of good people writing a lot of good stuff out there. Here is a sampling:

Dan Edelen says we should bury the Proverbs 31 woman.
Al says that diversity is the key to adversity.
Chaplain Mike admits that he doesn’t get it.
Jake Belder doesn’t like the Gospel vs. religion distinction.
Richard Dahlstrom on the political problem of two kingdoms.
Tim Hill on shelf life.
Jared Wilson gives his 10 reasons for the institutional church.
Jordan Cooper gives his thoughts on church.
Scot McKnight has a good series on hell. Part 1 is here.

Saved in the nick of time.
Kill the spirit of fear.
Learning or winning?
Imitation as flattery.
Don’t be religious.
I want one of these.

I’m looking forward to a restful weekend. Monday is Jan’s birthday, so if you know her, please
wish her a happy one.

Have a great weekend.