Author: Fred Shope

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Has It Really Been That Long?

Yesterday, I wrote my 400th post on this blog. Wow. 400 seems like such a big number, and I guess it is if your talking about things like weight, or the price of a car repair. Now, if you’re talking government spending, 400 is minuscule. When I started this blog almost three years ago, I had no idea where it was going to go. I also had no idea where God was going to take me.

The title of this blog is “On the Journey”, because that’s how I see life. I am on a journey following Jesus. Occasionally my journey has been on the highways, but most of the time I travel on the back roads. Sometimes the path gets narrow and hard to see, and sometime it goes through dark or deserted places.

In the past three years, Jesus has taken me into places that made me wonder what in the world was going on. Sometimes, when I thought we were going to be out in the sunshine on a nice straight road, our path veered into the woods on a trail so winding that I couldn’t begin to see around the next bend. God has taken away dreams, and then given them back in a different form. My duties at my job have changed three or four times, and there have been times that I didn’t think I could continue. God has always given me strength.

I have gone from a position of leadership in a church where I tried to influence the congregation toward a “relevant,” attractional type of worship service, to a small fellowship that meets in a bagel shop on Sundays and homes, coffee shops, or pubs through the week. Like Anne Rice, I have left “Christianity,” or at least what it has become. That doesn’t mean I have left the Church, the Body of Christ. I’m not a big fan of amputation. I now believe that the church can gather in a pub and those gathered can grow spiritually more than many who gather in buildings called churches week after week.

I am being more and more, as Michael Spencer put it, reduced to Jesus. I see much of what has grown up around the Gospel, and have a hard time seeing the One we claim to follow. I believe that the church in the United States is coming to a fork in the road, where we must choose to follow King Jesus, or to continue in the civil religion that passes for Christianity.

A lot has changed since this blog began. I expect changes will continue to come, so I’ll keep on writing. I have no idea how many actually read this, but I’m thankful for those who have stopped by, even if only for an instant. You have encouraged me with your comments, and I have been introduced to some great bloggers.

Enough ramblings for now. Thanks for reading.

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Different Socks

I wrote this a few years ago when I was driving a shuttle bus.

While down at Fort Jackson waiting on my group, I saw a bunch of new soldiers in formation getting ready to go to lunch. All of a sudden, one of the drill instructors began to get all over a young man for his socks. His socks! He had pushed them down into his running shoes so they didn’t come up as high as the socks everyone else was wearing. It shows that one of the values of the armed forces is conformity. This is a necessary thing for an organization like the military. Non-conformity can be dangerous.

Many Christians like the picture of “Christian soldiers”, etc. It’s interesting that those who see Christians as part of an army seem to also highly value conformity, as if non-conformity can be dangerous spiritually. This doesn’t fit with the Biblical idea of following Jesus. If you look through the Gospels and the Epistles, you can see the emphasis on unity in diversity. The only thing we are called to conform to is the likeness of Christ.

It is time for the church to allow and celebrate the different expressions of faith and godliness that are found in the body.

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TGIF

It’s time once again, for TGIF. Yeah, I know it’s Saturday, but we can pretend that it’s Friday.

Let’s get straight to the links:

A good guest post from iMonk.
A challenge.
A good essay on Christians and social justice.
A good perspective on Glenn Beck.

Simple answers to difficult questions.
Really open theology (HT: Scot McKnight).
Pharichristianity.
Trust as an assumption on participation from Dan Allen.
Does anyone really know what time it is?

Enjoy your weekend.

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World Vision Wednesday

Five years ago, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, World Vision stepped in to help with the relief effort. Here is the story of one of the communities hit by Katrina, and the help given by World Vision.

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There’s a Fourth Question?

Last week, we looked at three questions that Jesus asked people. Those questions are here, here, and here. On Sunday we asked a fourth question: What does Jesus say about us? Here is my answer.

You are forgiven. You are restored. Your sins are gone, as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). You are clean. You have been given a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

When the Father looks at you he sees a new creation. He sees a son, a co-heir with Christ to everything he has. The Father sees an individual who he loves, and he is pleased with you. Even though you are a human being who blows it from time to time, the Father knows that the work he has begun in you will be completed. He sees someone who is good, and who is being filled more and more with the Spirit.

Don’t let anyone, whether they are a relative, friend, enemy, or preacher, tell you that you are bad, that God is disappointed with you, that you have to try harder to get back in his good graces. You are more than just a “sinner saved by grace.” You are a beloved son of the Creator. God’s grace is far bigger than your sin. There is nothing you can do to to make him love you any more, and it is impossible for you to cause him to love you any less. As Paul says in Romans 8:30, you are called, you are justified, you are glorified.

Rest in God’s grace. Soak in his love. Trust that Jesus is enough. You are a beloved child of the Almighty God. Walk in that reality.

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And Now For Something Completely Different

I’m going to do something a bit different, and post some things I’ve written in the past. I’ll do this on Mondays for a while. Enjoy.

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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Questions From Jesus 3

We’ve been looking at three questions that Jesus asked during the course of his time here on earth. The first question was, “Who do you say that I am?” The second was, “What do you want me to do for you?” The third question that we want to consider is, “Do you want to get well?”

This is the question that Jesus asked the man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. At first glance it seems silly, asking an invalid who is waiting to get into the healing waters of the Pool of Bethesda. Of course he wants to get well! Who wouldn’t? I think it’s interesting that the man didn’t answer in the affirmative. He told Jesus that there was no one to help him into the water so he could get healed. There are a couple of ways to look at his answer. I have heard preachers say that he was making an excuse, and blaming his lack of healing on others. These were usually during sermons that were in the “things you can do” genre. When Jan and I were talking about this, she said that maybe he didn’t realize there was a way to healing other than going into the water. Jesus, the Healer, was standing next to the man, but he didn’t recognize him. I think Jan is on to something there.

It is true that sometimes we say we want to be healed, but we don’t want to go through the process of healing. In The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis tells of a Ghost who refuses to let an Angel kill the reptile on his shoulder because it would hurt too much. Sometimes being made well is a painful process, and sometimes we think it’s easier to live with the brokenness than to go through something that may bring pain, but that will ultimately bring healing and wholeness.

Sometimes, we don’t recognize the source of our healing. We look at all the things we think can make us whole. Things like relationships, alcohol or drugs, church activities, work, vacations, or any number of things. We don’t recognize that the only one who can heal us is right there. Jesus is the Healer, he is the only one that can redeem our brokenness and make us whole.

If we truly want to get well, Jesus is the only one who is able to heal and make us whole. There may be pain involved, but sometimes healing takes a bit of pain. It’s like a doctor cleaning a wound with something that stings. It may hurt for a while, but the end result is worth it.

Do you want to get well?

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TGIF

Another week has come and gone. It’s been cool here in the sunny South, but the temperatures are supposed to climb the middle of next week. The school year is in full swing. But, what you’re really interested in are the links. It’s all about the links.

So, here they are:

This is an amazing story.
Power and love.
Good question.
This is good.
Donald Miller on the Bible and Americans.
The small god of modern evangelicalism.

Tim Hill on outsourcing.
Jared Wilson on spiritual greed.
David vs. the rich young ruler.
Atheist’s hymnal.
Dan Allen on giving to God.
Art or advertisements?

More schools need this.
It’s unbelievable, and sad, that this was needed.
Alan Knox asks, “Will you ‘stop’?“
We need more than a map.
Hope in the midst of decline.
Fast food facts (HT: Scot McKnight).

Have a great weekend.

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World Vision Wednesday

The recent flooding in Pakistan has been described as “a slow motion tsunami,” and so far has affected 20 million people. Aid does not seem to be coming in very fast. A texting campaign to raise money has fallen far short of a similar campaign for Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. There is a tremendous need in Pakistan. To find out more, go to the World Vision home page.

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Questions From Jesus 2

The second question we’re asking ourselves at St. Thomas is the one Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” The answer that day was, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

There are many answers that are given today. Some want Jesus to make them wealthy, or healthy. Some want Jesus to save them and take them to heaven when they die, without getting too involved in their lives. Some want him to end poverty and bring justice to earth. Others want him to punish their enemies. Some of us say that we are above the pettiness of the others, and that we “just want to be like Jesus.” Of course, what that means may differ from person to person.

When I think about the question, I wonder. What do I really want Jesus to do for me? I could give the stock answer with plenty of proof texts, but I don’t want to do that. I want to, as much as it is possible, answer as one who, like Bartimaeus knows how needy I am. I want to answer honestly, so that means I’m going to have to think a bit.

Who knows? Maybe the answer to the first question will inform the answer to the second, or vice versa.

What do you want Jesus to do for you?