Bruises

Yesterday at church was one of the those Sundays when a 3 minute sermon was packed into 30 minutes. The message was on point; it just didn't require as much time as it was given. It could really have been reduced to three sentences:

1. Having friends is a good thing.
2. Having true friends who stick with you when times get tough is a GREAT thing.
3. Jesus wants to be our friend and for us to be surrounded by friends who help us draw nearer to him.

Like I said- all good stuff! But I confess that in the remaining 28 minutes or so my mind wandered and my thoughts turned to the friendships in my own life. There are so many people who have stuck by me through thick and thin and my life is so much the better for it. A list of names began to scroll across the window of my mind and the blessings each has brought or still brings to my soul was very clear to me. And as these thoughts processed and whirled in my head, I cam to realization. Everyone has hard times. We all have "stuff" in our lives. And the people who have been most significant in my life are not the ones who get the most right. I feel closest to the ones most willing to share their bruises.

Life gets real when we talk about the people that hurt us, the things that have damaged us and the failures we are haunted by on a daily basis. We can be better friends when we quit saying things are "just fine" and start sharing our needs and our pain. Over the years many people have come to me with their hurts and bruises, and it is clear to me now that those same people are the ones who have loved me through all of mine. Bruises appear in all shapes and sizes- but they all hurt. Friendships grow deeper when we allow each other into those painful places and allow one another to love as God wants us to love- unconditionally no matter the circumstances. The band Train had a song a couple of years ago called Bruises in which two old friends reunite and speak of how "bruises make for better conversation...you're not alone in how you've been, everybody loses, we've all got bruises." They also talk about the inclination of people to want to fix each other, to blot out the bruises, when in fact it is our blemishes that often make us unique. It's a great song. Watch and listen below.

So the truth is yesterday's sermon spoke to me. Maybe not until after I tuned it out, but still...it spoke to me. God moves in mysterious ways. And I am so thankful that I have so many people in my life who love me, bruises and all. Have a great Monday!

Because of Jesus,

We're Mutts!

In honor of National Dog Day yesterday...

We're Americans, with a capital 'A', huh? You know what that means? Do ya? That means that our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world. We are the wretched refuse. We're the underdog. We're mutts! Here's proof: his nose is cold! But there's no animal that's more faithful, that's more loyal, more lovable than the mutt.   - John Winger  (Bill Murray in Stripes) 

The above quote is part of a hilarious scene from the great 1981 comedy, Stripes. But there is also a great deal of truth in the speech. And, I'm afraid, it is a truth we have forgotten. It seems to me that far too many of us here in the good ol' US of A have become elitists. Instead of mutts, we see ourselves as the pure breeds. Not only do we no longer embrace the role of underdogs, we are dismissive and often afraid of those who do. We worry about who we let live in our country. We worry about who we might have to sit next to on the bus or in a restaurant. And worst of all, we worry about keeping the riff-raff out of our churches.  

I read a story recently of a man who was thrown out of a church service on a Sunday morning when someone in the congregation recognized him as one of the local panhandlers. The pastor told the ushers to ask this homeless man to leave. He didn't belong there because his presence was upsetting the "good people" who were members of that church. I hate to break it to that pastor and his flock, but when that man left that building, Jesus went with him. Read the gospels and you will be overwhelmed with the number of people Jesus hung out with who would be banned from our churches today. We often claim it's a safety issue. More often than not it's a love issue. We love the people who are like us, forgetting that Jesus came for the sick, the lost, the lame, the sinners and the homeless. He came for the felons, the illegal immigrants, the unwashed and the ugly. Jesus came for the mutts. And the sooner we in the church remember that Jesus loves the "least of these" every bit as much as he loves the saints, the sooner we can actually show the world what a Jesus Revolution looks like.  Everyone matters.

I see commercials all the time inviting us to adopt stray dogs and give them the love and attention they need. That's a great idea- for the church. Let's start adopting mutts. You can start with me. My name is Carl, and I am part of "the least of these." I have been a "notorious sinner." My nose is cold, and my heart is faithful.  Jesus loves me.  How about you?

Because of Jesus,

GET FOUND!

Ted & Lee, in their great two-man show Fisheyes, portray the disciples Peter and Andrew as two guys who seldom understood what Jesus was talking about. They had particular difficulty making any sense out of the parables the Master told. We have much in common with them. I am constantly amazed at pastors and others who claim to know exactly what Jesus meant with these sometimes random tales. I am frustrated by those who twist them to illustrate points they are trying to make. Today I will most likely do both- but as usual, I'm charging ahead! 

In Luke 15:8-10, Jesus tells the parable of the Lost Coin.  Here it is from The Message:
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."  

Now I don't know about you, but when I first began hearing this one in Sunday School all those years ago, I thought it made no sense at all. I mean really...who in their right mind would spend time looking for a quarter when you still had nine in your pocket? And even if I did find it, I 'm not calling my buddies and inviting them to a party. It sounded like Jesus was hanging out with some crazy old lady to me. I didn't connect at all.

In fact, I'm not sure I really understood the deepest meaning of this parable until about 7 years ago, when the circumstances of my life revealed to me that I was the lost coin. I had once felt shiny and important, part of a coin collection that was worth something. But at some point along the way, I slipped out of pocket and rolled under the couch. I was there for quite a while. I know now that this parable is a reminder that Jesus NEVER stops looking for us. He came so that the lost and sinners would know God's love, and He never gives up on us. The "lost" are not always people who have never bowed a knee to Jesus; sometimes they are people just like me who are playing hide and seek with our Savior. In that game, when people hide too well it is frustrating and we just yell for them to come out and start over.  Our heavenly Father is screaming at us as well- GET FOUND! And when we do come out from our hiding place and confess our lostness, a strange thing happens. Jesus declares us winners, and the angels throw a killer party for us. You may believe in the doctrine of "once saved, always saved," and that may well be true. But I can promise you this from my own experience- you can be saved and lost at the same time. And Jesus just keeps on looking...

You may feel about yourself the way I did about the lost coin when I was younger- that you are insignificant and unworthy of being found. That's just stinkin' thinkin'! The Jesus Revolution is all about grace, and grace is available to everyone- even us lost coins. We become part of that revolution when we jump in the game on the side of Jesus and help people GET FOUND! No matter who they are- thief, gossip, heretic or sex offender- God is looking for them- or in my case, us. "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost but now I'm found..." The party is meant to be for everyone. The question is, are you helping deliver the invitations?

Because of Jesus,

Thank You, World Vision

So Christianity has found itself another controversy this week that once again threatens to poke a hole in the fabric of the Church. There has been great gnashing of teeth and tearing of sackcloth over the venerable parachurch organization, World Vision, and its hiring policies. My response? I'd just like to say thanks...

• Thank you, World Vision, for being Jesus with skin to thousands upon thousands of children over the years and around the world.
• Thank you, World Vision, for believing that when Jesus told us to "feed his sheep" (John 21: 15-19) he meant it to be both spiritual and literal.
• Thank you, World Vision, for leading the charge in taking care of widows and orphans around the world- because scripture (James 1:27) commands us to do just that! 
• Thank you, World Vision, for believing that everyone deserves a chance at a better life because the love of God whose name is Jesus came for EVERYONE!
• Thank you, World Vision, for taking both the Great Commandment (love God, love one another) and the Great Commission (go to all nations and tell the Good news) literally.
• Thank you, World Vision, for pushing us all to believe that Matthew 25: 31-46 is an important passage of scripture, one that is to be lived out in our daily lives. We are to feed the hungry. visit the sick and clothe the naked because that IS what Jesus would do. Your efforts have helped make "the least of these" around the world real people to those of us with abundance, and have reminded us that sometimes those in need live next door.

And finally, as someone who spent 28 years in youth ministry, I say thank you World Vision for your wonderful programs like the 30 Hour Famine and One Life Revolution (with Youth Specialties) that have exposed thousands of teenagers to a little taste of what it is like to be hungry, impoverished and alone. Because of you, entire generations of youth group kids have known what it means to "Let It Growl!" You helped teach us that the world can be changed by loving one person at a time. You will continue to have my support, my prayers and my contributions. You have made a difference in our churches and in our world. And it is my hope that you will continue to do what you do- loving people in the name of Jesus. Nothing matters more than that.

Because of Jesus,

Stuff Jesus Said

"He will be the truth that will offend them one and all..." ~ Michael Card  

There has been a lot of chatter among USAmerican Christians as of late about money - and some of it has been quite contentious. Are believers blessed with wealth as a result of their faithfulness as those who preach the Prosperity Gospel believe? If we are blessed, are we called by Christ to share with the under-resourced around us as Pope Francis insists? Do REAL Christians hoard their money for a rainy day or share it with those on whom it rains every day? Shouldn't the poor among us be pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, joining gyms, sleeping more and eating healthier food so they can have better lives? I fail to understand how most of these issues are even debatable, because I find scripture to be pretty clear. We may not want to hear it, and certain financial gurus may not want us to know it, but all we have belongs to God, and we need to share it with those in need. It starts in the Old Testament (all scriptures in this post are NIV):

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Our churches still take Old Testament tithing very seriously, but I seldom hear sermons reminding us of the OT directives to save money to make a special offering to neighbors in need every 3 years (Deuteronomy 26) or to have a Year of Sabbath and a Year of  Jubilee (Leviticus 25). It's kind of like how many are quick to quote OT scripture that backs up a particular point of view, but conveniently ignore the laws against eating lobster and barbeque. Jesus came to bring a new covenant which would fulfill the law. He was very clear on the issue of wealth accumulation. We cannot serve two masters, and material wealth often becomes an idol. I have written before that everything Jesus said & did is more important than anything ANYONE has ever had to say about what he said and did- and I believe that with all my heart. It's all about Jesus. So what did he have to say on the subjects of money and taking care of our neighbors?  Here's some stuff Jesus said...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’  “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:17-23

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:42

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 

 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  Matthew 25:41-46

In Genesis, Cain asked God the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Read the words of Jesus again. Read Acts 2: 44-45, where we are told that in the 1st century church, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." Revisit the Old Testament laws. God has an answer for Cain, and for the rest of us as well. Scripture is both implicit and explicit that we are indeed to love and care for our sisters, brothers, neighbors and friends. Uncle Ben from the original Spiderman movie said it best- "With great power comes great responsibility." Oh wait..that was stuff Jesus said too! "To whom much is given, much is asked." We are blessed to be blessings. God has given us His love and everything else we have so that we might change the world for others. It's just not that complicated.

So I will let the theologians and the preachers debate the issue all they like. But for me, the One who calls me to follow him has already said all that I need to hear. And that's all I've got to say about that...

Because of Jesus,

Sally Needs Our Help

My very first Wednesday night in Kissimmee. Sally is in red, sticking
her tongue out at me.  Business as usual!  :)

July 11, 2012: I just learned that Sally's suffering has ended and she has lost her battle with cancer. Our prayers go out to her family and friends.  Sally is now in the hands of the great healer.


One of the first things I remember from my arrival at FUMC-Kissimmee in 1994 was meeting the Soccer Girls.  The Soccer Girls were a group of 7th grade students (among the crew were Jill Souther, Cindy Franklin, Erin Bay and Carla O'Dell; I am sure I am missing someone!) who had quite a reputation in the youth group.  They were considered a bit unruly and perhaps a bit spoiled.  They had been the favorites of a previous youth pastor and were used to getting away with doing whatever they pleased.  They weren't sure they were going to like me.  But I loved them.  They were full of fire and passion and energy- which often drove me crazy. Over the following years some of them would drop out, some would become infrequent visitors to youth group, and some would become leaders in the ministry.  That is just how it works.  But today I want to talk about one of the Soccer Girls in particular.  Her name is Sally Hollingsed. 

Sally was one of those middle school kids who just simply couldn't sit still.  She was never really into the whole of idea of programs and music- she loved the games and the fellowship.  She (for lack of a better description) "dropped out" of youth group a year or so after I first met her, and I didn't really have much contact with her after that.  I do remember having a group at a local water park one day a couple of years later and running into Sally, and spending a long time visiting in the wave pool.  I saw her play high school soccer a few times.   I spoke at her classes' Baccalaureate service in 1999 and attended her graduation.  But we never really ever connected, and I have not had any contact with her since.

Then late last week I received word from Ben Thompson and Lisa Harrison that Sally was having serious medical problems.  She has been fighting a very aggressive form of head and neck cancer that has already claimed most of her tongue.  She has undergone many treatments, and has reached the end of the options that insurance will pay for.  Sally needs our help.  She certainly needs our prayers, but at this point she also needs our money.  The website YouCaring.com is providing us with the opportunity to give.  They are trying to raise $50,000 by July 12 to help Sally receive the treatments she needs. I know that most of my readers do not know Sally.  But you do know me.  I have never once on this blog asked for you to give money to a specific cause, but I am asking now.  Put hands and feet on your prayers- and give.  To read more of Sally's story and to contribute to her fund by credit card or PayPal, click on the link below.

http://bit.ly/yqxDCN

I believe that God is an Almighty God, and that he wants us to pray for miracles.  I believe that God still works miracles.  I believe that our prayers matter.  So I am praying for a miraculous healing for Sally.  I also believe that God uses people like us to change the lives of hurting people.  Let's make a difference.  Thanks in advance for your prayers and your gifts.

Because of Jesus,

Yolanda & Richard

Click here to help fight hunger- for free!

I have mentioned several times that during the Springfield years we became involved in a ministry called Our Fathers Table (OFT).  OFT was the feeding program of High Point Urban Ministries, a coalition of faith-based organizations and churches that provided outreach to the homeless and under-resourced of our community.  Beginning in 1988, we would take a group of five or six students and myself across town to work in the soup kitchen and serve lunch.  A couple of summers we went every Friday; after that, we went every other Friday.  Eventually Springfield Friends Meeting as a whole took up the ministry and started taking groups of adults on a regular basis. We would arrive a few hours before opening, make soup and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, set up the tables, wrap the plastic utensils, and then serve the meal when the patrons would arrive.  We would also clean-up afterwards. I may not seem like much, but it was always very important to me that the students in our ministry learn to serve.

The director of OFT at the time was a fireball of a woman named Yolanda Jackson.  A short, attractive Hispanic woman, Yolanda loved that ministry.  She poured her life into the hundreds of people who passed through each week, often taking care of much more than just their hunger.  She was a deeply spiritual woman who did what she did because she felt Jesus had called her to that work.  She also ruled the place with an iron fist.  People seldom got rowdy at OFT, because if they did, they knew they had to deal with Yolanda- and that was never pretty! 

We often had interaction with the clients who would share lunch with us, learning their stories and sharing with them our faith and our lives.  There was one particular individual who we all fell in love with, and for whom OFT had become both a home and a ministry.  Richard would be there every Friday when we arrived, usually inside sweeping and cleaning the kitchen and taking out the trash.  He was the only patron allowed in before the doors officially opened, because he would come in and work until it was time to eat.  Richard was homeless, although he sometimes got to sleep at the house of a relative; he had some mild mental issues and a major speech impediment.  You had to listen very closely to understand anything Richard was saying, and if he got excited you had no chance.  Yet we spent hours talking and listening to Richard.  We often gave him a ride after lunch to wherever he needed to go.  We would bring him clothing and other things when we could.  For us, Richard became the official "mascot" of OFT.  Through him we could relate to many of the issues that faced everyone who stopped in for lunch.  For those few years, Richard made a major difference in our lives and in the ministry of Springfield Friends Meeting.

Today on my Lenten devotional blog, The 40 Day Adventure, I challenge us all to live out Matthew 25:31-46; to reach out to those who are hungry, naked and sick, and to do so in the name of Jesus.  Every time I donate a can of tuna or some used clothing, I remember Yolanda and Richard and the impact they had on my life.  As so often happens in ministry, I am sure they influenced us much more that we did them...

Because of Jesus,

Prayers for Haiti

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I wanted to take a moment away from my normal nonsense to lift up the people of Haiti as they deal with the aftermath of the horrible earthquake that rocked the small island country a few days ago.  I have never been to Haiti, but there are people and organizations for which I have great respect who were heavily invested in ministry with the people there.  My youth groups sponsored children through Compassion International for many years, and Compassion has a huge presence in Haiti.  Even as I write this blog Compassion is seeking to learn which children, teachers, doctors and ministers survived this tragedy.  My former youth and current youth pastor Ashely Goad Broadhurst has strong connections in Haiti and has been praying hard since the news first broke.  Tony Campolo and students from Eastern College built many schools and did much work there.  Tony often spoke of the people of Haiti being "the poorest of the poor."  I once heard someone ask him if they were evangelizing the population, and Tony responded "Not yet.  They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."  It is once again time to show how much we care.  If you can give money, please do.  If you have other gifts you can share, please do.  But all of us can, and must, pray for these earthquake victims and their families in the name of Jesus.  The Christ called on us in Matthew 25 to take care of "the least of these brothers of mine."  Today- right now- we have an address for those very people. It's Haiti.  Take time to care.

Because of Jesus,

Sheep Good...Goats Bad!

The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

Jesus is speaking:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'  "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'  "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'  "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'  "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'  "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."


This has always been one of my favorite scriptures, but for many in the church, it is a hard one to wrap our minds around.  Tony Campolo was once accused of heresy for saying that this scripture is indicating that we should treat everyone we come in contact with as if they are Jesus.  Not that everyone IS Jesus- that we should treat them as if they are Jesus.  What else are we to take from these words of the Christ?  The bigger question becomes "what would happen if we actually lived out these words?"  The world would be a very different place.  "The least of these" are the very people our world chooses to hate and ignore.  Not only do we not take care of the people Jesus is speaking of, we turn from them on the streets.  We accuse them of not trying or being lazy.  We tell them to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps"- even if they no longer have them!  We think, and sometimes even say, that they are just getting what they deserve. (I thank God everyday that I don't get what I deserve, and you should too!) The roots of all racism and prejudices are found in the way we treat "the least of these."  This would not be true- this COULD NOT be true- if we were following these instructions from Jesus.


Jesus told us in various places to love our neighbor, to turn the other cheek and to love everone.  And yet Matthew 25 is often treated as if it was added to scripture by someone else.  Tony C. has often pointed out that this is the ONLY place in scripture where Jesus himself tells us what it will take to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The sheep- those who take care of their fellow man and treat others like they would treat Jesus- will join Jesus for eternity.  The goats- well let's just say they are in trouble!  We talk about faith and belief and understanding the Bible and so many things; where is our compassion?  Where is our realization that there is "that of God in everyone" as the earliest Quakers believed?  Wearing a christian t-shirt, being against the right things, listening to christian radio and attending church on occasion will never replace loving and caring for the other humans with whom we share this space.  You'll still be a goat!  And goats are bad...


In Genesis, after Cain murders Abel and God asks where Abel is, Cain responds by saying "Am I my brothers keeper?"  In Matthew 25, Jesus emphatically says YES!  So join the revolution- be a sheep!  Offer love and help and care to the very people who scare you, the people who make you nervous.  Lend a helping hand to the people society tells you to hate.  God's love can and will change the world- but only if we share it with EVERYONE!  So join in everyone- BAAAAAAA!  I wanna' be a sheep- 'cause sheep are good!


Because of Jesus,