With All Due Respect

By starting with the phrase "With all due respect," it doesn't give me the right to say whatever I want! There is nothing about this in the Geneva Convention, you can look it up! Yes, this is just silly, but I hear similar phrases just before someone "word-pukes" all over me.

Word-puke. We've all experienced it and we've all done it. It's when we speak the truth without running it through the filter of love. Or, it's when we speak about someone else in some way that casts them in bad light. Or, it could be a bold face lie about someone. No matter what kind of puke it is, we still want to clean up afterwards.

In order to feel better about our puke we use softer words to describe it: it wasn't puke, it was just spitup. It wasn't gossip, I was just venting. I didn't mean for you to be hurt, I was just sayin'. Whatever you choose to call it, it's still word-puke.

I understand and embrace the importance of processing with someone, but most of the time that processing is not filtered through the Love Filter. Healthy processing should be done with one person who is wise, mature, and godly. If we choose this person carefully, there is really no reason to process with someone else - unless we're fishing for a particular response!

Pastor Danny Garrido once said, "If we treated gossip like we do adultery, gossip wouldn't be a problem in the church." I would add that adultery is a problem, but gossip and word-puke are bigger problems.

I had the opportunity to sit down with some friends who were wondering where we stood. As we spoke I thought, this is healthy. We're clearing the air about an issue between us without including anyone else. We were able to understand each other and see the misunderstanding clearly. If we had spoken to others prior to the conversation, it could have resulted in a false or negative perception by someone outside the conversation.

Have you ever seen someone cast in bad light? They look pale, sickly, old, or even sinister. Lighting can change our perception of a person. What if we cast everyone in the Light - the Sun of Righteousness? If we viewed people through a lens or filter of grace and love, how much better would situations and people look?

Proverbs 6:16

God, Comfort and Self

I went on a hike yesterday - or a walk, depending upon who you talk to. During the hike with a good friend, we began to discuss how many people don't like themselves. Many people are unwilling to spend a few hours by themselves, or alone with their thoughts. Some are just uncomfortable being alone.

I am an extrovert - I gain energy from being around people. It drains me to be by myself for extended periods of time. But, over the past few years, I have learned the value of solitude. I have learned how to hear God in the silence. In so doing, I have figured out that I am not an appalling person to hang out with.

Is there any spiritual significance to this?

Is one's willingness and comfort with themselves directly proportional to one's comfort with God? If so, should we be comfortable with God?

If we are so comfortable with God, do we really understand His holiness, grandeur, awesomeness (awefulness), and majesty? If we are uncomfortable being alone, do we grasp the love, grace, wonder, and beauty of God as a loving God who calls us His friend?

This is not intended to be a well-thought post - but rather a dialogue with myself that I thought might stimulate some thought in others as well.

Why Write?

I was telling a friend of mine that I had a book in me that wanted to come out. He asked me some very pointed questions that caused me to think.
"Have you started writing?"
"If you have something to say, why are you waiting for a publisher?"
"Why not start with a blog?"
I used to blog, but it didn't seem like anyone was listening...but is that why I write? Do we write to have someone listen, or do we write because we have something to say?
I had another friend comment that the people in a congregation of a church want to hear from their pastor during the week. But, is that a reason to write? Is that why the authors of the Bible wrote? Why did they write? What was the compelling force that coerced them into writing? Did they know that it would be the most read document of all time? Is that why they wrote?
I would suggest that when one feels they have something to say, whether anyone will listen or not, they should write. Especially, if the message they feel their message is from God. I am not suggesting that God is giving any new revelation to mankind, but I am suggesting that God continues to reveal Himself through mankind. We need to be willing to be His voice in a world crying for wisdom, insight, understanding and compassion.
So why do I write?
I write to say that which God has laid upon my heart and mind. I believe I have the Mind of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God. I believe God still speaks through His people. I believe that the people of God must boldly proclaim the Message of Hope - the very person of Jesus Christ. I write, not because I expect anyone to read, listen or pay attention. I write because I have something to say.

Change the Kaleidoscope

Is change always good? Why do we resist change? Is God a God of change? Doesn't He stay the same?

God is a God of change though He never changes. Malachi (The great Italian prophet) quotes God, "I the LORD do not change." But yet isn't He the God of change?

So much of the Bible is about change. God changed Abram's name, worldview, family, land, and even faith. God changed the descendants of Jacob from servants to owners. God changed a prince of Egypt into a wilderness shepherd into a leader of a nation. He changed another shepherd into a warrior and then into a king. It seems that God is always changing people's lives - and mine is no different.

But, then why do we resist change?

Shouldn't we eagerly anticipate change in our lives? Or is it that we are so smug in our current situation that we think we don't need change?

Life changes happen together. (There is actually a scale that measures the changes in some one's life and sets a quotient for when changes in worldview and faith occur)

Whether it is a tragedy or a positive event like the birth of a child or a marriage; change brings about a reordering of our lives. Like a kaleidoscope. Sometimes we need these changes and sometimes we need to rethink our perspective on life.

What is God shaking up in your life? How is your worldview being reordered? What new colors and shapes are coming into view? The question is not, "Why me?" The question is, "What do You want?" (This is not to say that we can't ask God to spare us from the trial or tribulation that seems to engulf us as a massive wave.)

May God turn the dial on my kaleidoscope, may He reorder my worldview.

The Trouble with the Self-Righteous

The conversation of our discourse this week had to do with the calling of Levi - the tax collector. We looked at the trouble with the self-righteous vs. those who recognize their need for a savior. The question I received after the service was "How can we resolve conflict with a self-righteous believer?"

The trouble with the self-righteous is that they don't believe they have done anything wrong. Their morality is based upon popular opinion and comparisons with others. Self-righteous people are not necessarily righteous - in fact I would argue that they are the least righteous. They do not realize that they are in the wrong and they believe they are better than most.

Lest we begin to point the finger at "those" people, let me first say that all of us are self-righteous. This is why more than 80% of all drivers believe that they are an "above-average" driver. We love to call people hypocrites - or posers - or actors (they all mean the same thing). However, to do so is to be one yourself.

Might I suggest that the best way to resolve conflict with a self-righteous person is to first recognize that the conflict is probably your fault - not theirs. If you are convinced that the problem is not you but the other person is convinced it is you, then that is when a third party is involved. This is why Jesus tells us to confront someone individually first, then with someone else.

I once was asked to go with someone to confront them - suprisingly it ended up being that the person who asked me to come was the problem in the relationship. Hmmm...

Someone said to me after church, "My self-righteousness is found in my belief that I am not self-righteous and I tend to judge those who are self-righteous and that is my self-righteousness." That is the reality - humility is the opposite of self-righteousness. But humility is not to be self-abasing, but the recognition of who we really are. Jesus was never self-abasing but was the most humble person to walk the earth.

May we be people who serve Christ in humility - knowing who we are and how we got here. This will go a long way toward the resolution of conflict.

Women and Silence

I am currently preaching on the importance of being a Spiritual Church - not just a community or a building. In this context the current discourse is on how the church should be a supernatural organism that exists in the spiritual and the physical. On Palm Sunday we discussed, actually I lectured, on the importance and role of the Gifts of the Spirit in a Spiritual Church.

Two people raised questions about women in the church. The context of the questions came from 1 Corinthians 14. Should women be silent in the church? How do we know this is a cultural statement?

There are some clues in this passage that indicate Paul's intent. First, he is giving other orderly ways that the church should conduct herself. He is most concerned about how the church is perceived by those who come in from the outside and whether the church is doing things in an orderly and fitting manner. He gives some instructions: some of which are more relevant to the church in America today and others less so.

Peace comes from God, but order is defined by culture and context.

Everything from verse 26 through 38 is the cultural application of the doctrine of the gifts outlined in the previous discourse. Note vs. 26, "What shall we say..." and then vs. 39, "Therefore, my brothers..." One is the beginning of the discourse on cultural application of the universal principle and the other is the conclusion of the application and the conclusion of the "sermon on the Gifts" that began in 12:1. Therefore, I also would concur that the "2, or at the most 3 prophets" reference of verse 29 is also cultural - but it is relevant to our culture today. "Orderly & fitting" is impossible without exegeting the culture as well as the scripture.

Second, Paul was certainly not against women serving in ministry. One of Paul's disciples was Priscilla, the wife of Aquila, who together were gifted missionaries. Some have argued that Priscilla was the teacher and prophet while Aquila was the administrator. This is not a hugely strong argument other than the issue that Priscilla is always listed first in the book of Acts - something Luke did. He always listed the primary speaker first, (Paul & Silas, Paul & Timothy, Barnabas & Paul and then Paul & Barnabas, Peter & John, etc.).

This has direct bearing on our passage because it gives us understanding that what Paul is trying to communicate to the church in Corinth is that having women speaking in their context was not fitting and orderly. Paul knew Corinth -- he understood the context.

A Vibrant Church is one that knows the culture and context in which She ministers and speaks into the culture in such a manner that the culture itself is transformed.

Order vs. Freedom

When I am driving I like to know that the person next to me is going to stay in their lane. There is nothing more frustrating than when I am obeying the rules and my freedoms are encroached upon by someone not obeying the rules of the road.

Freedom is not the same as anarchy. Anarchy, in fact, is one of the greatest infractions of freedom. The freedom to travel across America is guaranteed by the order given by the rules of the road. Try and drive across a developing country the size of Colorado - the rules are really just suggestions. You can get there, just not very easily! In fact, I know it can take a day or two because cows, goats, chickens, and sheep make passage on the state highways difficult. This does not take into account the risk to life and limb, nor the buses that stop at any moment the driver jolly well pleases!

However, freedom can be equally stifled by rules. I have heard of places that determine how far you can go in a day, how many people can ride in the car, what roads you can take, and how unsafe you can or cannot be in the car while it is moving.

The same is true when the church gathers for worship as a community.

If a church wants to know the freedom of expression in worship as well as seeing the glory of God, there have to be some guidelines in order for the freedom to exist. There are also rules established in Scripture that assure the freedom of the church - these are principles that should always be followed. The guidelines are culturally relevant for the context and the individual church. The rules are always true anyplace and everywhere.

Most of the rules established in Scripture have to do with interpersonal relationships, but there are also some rules regarding the gifts of the Spirit (1 Co. 12-14). But even these rules are connected with how the parts of the Body relate to one another. Some of the "rules" are obviously guidelines in that they are directly related to the context in which an individual church is located. Hence, the rule one could take from the guidelines in Scripture would be, "Honor God in a way that is consistent with the manner in which the culture honors people."

The goal of every church is to provide enough order so that people feel free to worship and enough freedom that people do not feel stifled in worship. A vibrant church is one that has found the balance that works for the context in which they are located and is also sensitive to the community of the church itself.

It is like finding the sweet spot on a bat. Sometimes you hit it, and sometimes you don't. When you hit the spot there is no pain and the ball is sent into the bleachers in left field. When you miss horribly, you experience a rattle in your hands that somehow makes it way to your teeth. Most of us have experienced both - sometimes in the same service!! But, honestly, most of the time we just come close to the sweet spot.

Maybe this is why the Vibrant Church is not centered on the Weekly Community Worship Event...

Covenant or Contract

It seems that everyone is living under some sort of covenant anymore. In the words of Inigo Montoya, "I do not think that word means what you think it means."

There are covenants for neighborhoods and schools. It seems these are more like parlay (Pirates of the Caribbean) - "They are really more like guidelines." However, is this the meaning of covenant? Is it really more like a guideline?

I made the statement on Sunday that we should have covenantal marriages instead of contractual marriages. This raised the question, "What's the difference between Covenant and Contract as it relates to marriage."

We are such a capitalistic society that it seems we describe everything in financial terms. Lest you think I'm out to lunch on this, let's think about the bottom line on this. I mean, shouldn't we take an account of our situation? Is this really an asset or a liability? Maybe we should compile a balance sheet of pros and cons?

So, it is no wonder that we have taken the most intimate of relationships turned it into a contractual agreement!

So this brings me to why I think this is a big deal.

As a church we lost the battle over marriage when we allowed the government to perform the role of the church. For instance, would we let the government perform a funeral? Why not? And would we let government tell us how to worship or tell us what to preach? Why not? Because those are religious "institutions." In the same way, marriage is inherently a religious institution. It only has meaning in the context of the church because marriage has its roots in religion - not government.

But what about those who are not religious, can't they get married? No, they can have a civil union, but that is not marriage - marriage is a religious term. When a couple gets their marriage license, anyone can sign it (in Colorado). I would argue that it is not a marriage license as much as a certificate of civil union. If they want a marriage, they should receive their marriage certificate from the church.

But, that is not what we have in our society... This is actually the result of having a government founded with only one major religion in mind and wanting to support the primary religion of the culture. Therefore, it was the church's fault for allowing the government to "support" her.

Now, back to the real question. What is the difference between covenant and contract?

Covenants cannot be broken except by death - the shedding of blood. A contract can be nullified by either party breaching the terms of the contract.

Biblically a covenant could only be ratified through the shedding of blood - including marriage. And, though one could get a certificate of divorce - it did not nullify the covenant. Divorce still meant that the couple was still under the responsibilities of marriage without the benefits of marriage. Needless to say, there was really no benefit to divorce and therefore very few actually happened.

So, what does this mean for us today? Lest you think I lack compassion, I know that there is grace and forgiveness for every situation and this is from the covenant that Christ has made with us - through the shedding of blood. I have no problem with government unions and each person should have the freedom to choose the religion of their choice. If you want a contract that can be nullified, then get a civil union certificate. If you want a covenant that cannot be nullified, then get married.

Tired?

Dinners, guests, family, Christmas programs (oops, I mean "holiday programs") and all the people trying to get the perfect gift for that less than perfect someone! It can be pretty exhausting this time of year.

I too am tired - and I like people!!

As a pastor I am always trying to get our church motivated to reach others for Jesus. "Reach your circles of influence." "Build Bridges of Love into the community." "Invite your neighbors to your Compass Group." "Volunteer for the Interactive Nativity." "Invite your kids' friends to Kid's Own Worship." And you may have heard even more impassioned pleas!

I too am tired - and I just got back from a sabbatical!!

But, I am not tired of talking about Jesus. You see, our success is not determined by the response of the individual to our message. Our success is determined by our obedience to the process. I have to remind myself daily - especially when I feel tired - that I am a success if I am obedient to do that to which I was called through scripture. We are called to make disciples.

It is easy to get discouraged, disappointed, bummed, depressed, and tired when we don't see the results. Every pastor knows that what determines success is buildings, butts(or bums for my parents), and budgets. And if those don't grow in number then . . .

Imagine going to the effort of planting a lawn. You till the soil several times to make sure you have 4-6 inches of soft soil. You then till in the peat and manure to get just the right balance. You rake it multiple times to make sure you have a smooth surface. Then comes the seeding and covering with straw. Sprinklers are a must for Colorado and you are prepared. Maybe you did it all in late fall and now you have to wait. And wait. And wait. On warm days it is important to water the seeds - so you do. And you wait. And wait.

Imagine spring came and then summer. The sprinklers worked properly but all you have to show for all your labor and efforts is 7 small patches of grass. Then you read in the landscaper's manual that if you followed the process - you are a success. Would you believe it?

In the area of outreach let me say - Harvest is a success. We have followed the process. We have been obedient. And the Holy Manual says that we are a success. Regardless of the size of our church, how nice our building is, or the size of our budget - we are demonstrating the love of Christ to our city. We are serving as a catalyst for spiritual change within our city.

Do not grow tired in doing good, for in the right season you will see the fruit of your labors, (Galatians 6:9).

How Can I Say Thanks?

Why is it that the bigger the gift is, the harder it is to say thanks?

It is like we have a self-reliance value and independent spirit that cries foul every time we have to acknowledge a gift. And when that gift is given we say thanks but the sincerity is rarely demonstrated.

Why is it that we have to train this into our children? Shouldn't they know from the time they are born that their existence is completely dependent upon us as their parents. Every once in a while we hear of parents either shaking their children into delirium, abandoning them in a dumpster, or even killing them. These should serve to remind us that we owe our parents a thank you for keeping us alive in the early years. But what about the sacrifices made so that we could go to school, play sports, live in a house, clothes, transportation, pets, and the list goes on.

It's easy to say thank you for dinner, but how can you express your gratitude for the last 5 years of sacrifice - or more? Why do husbands and wives not make it a regular practice to express and demonstrate gratitude to one another?

I wonder, would marriages be healthier if we said "thank you" more often than "I love you?" Or is it that we believe that we are the one who should be thanked? I simple "Thank you" can go a long way toward restoring a marriage, a friendship, a working relationship, and even builds unity on an athletic field.

So, why do we have such a hard time saying it and expressing it? We make our kids say it to the server at the ice cream shop, so why are we not grateful? Is it a spiritual issue. Let's take note of whether we are grateful and determine that we will be known as grateful people.

To the entire church community of HarvestDowntown, "Thank you for the sacrifices you made as a church and as individuals to allow me to opportunity to go on a 3-month sabbatical. It was a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I am truly grateful to God for the privilege of pastoring a community like you. Thank you!"

The Inner Burbs

So Sydney has a completely different feel than Canberra. If I were to say that to an Aussie, they would just look at me like I'm some dumb American - everybody knows that! The streets of Sydney are bustling with people from every continent - I think it has a similar "feel" to San Francisco. Within one block I distinctly heard at least 4 different languages other than English.

The downtown is reserved for the very wealthy and businesses. We stayed downtown for a couple of nights - and the city does sleep, just not until 2 in the morning. That is when they clean the streets and wash the sidewalks. I think I saw 2 homeless people during my three weeks in Australia - this aspect was nothing like San Francisco; or Colorado Springs for that matter. I think the street cleaning must have something to do with this.

The suburbs are other CBD's (Central Business Districts) placed around the main hub of Sydney. These each have their own "suburbs" and each has a certain socio-economic status associated with it. All of that to say - as you move away from downtown Sydney, the property gets cheaper and the socio-economic status drops. However, there are some suburbs away from the city center that are quite wealthy - this is where the local megachurch is located.

The first church I attended was a small Alliance church in a suburb of Blacktown known as Doonside. The church reflected much of what I saw on the streets of Sydney - people of every race speaking multiple languages. My first contact was the birthday party for the pastor of the church at another church's facility. The next morning I went to church with the pastor - but this time it was in a community center. I found out later that Doonside would be classified as "innercity" in an American city - but it is a suburb in Australia.

The formal greeters didn't greet us, but more people came up to us and said hello than at any other church. The music was dated and the sermon was long and very personal. But, don't let that fool you, this church is about the mission of Christ! I found out very quickly that Sunday morning is really just a family meeting for those who are working in the mission. And most of them are between 16 and 25 years old. For this reason there was not a need for childcare or a seniors ministry. If you talk about seniors they think you are referring to the older group of students in the youth ministry! I was invited to come see what they do during the week in the schools, and I will write about that in my next blog.

In the middle of the service they did the Grin & Greet and it was equally awkard for us as everyplace else that did it. Everything else was fairly standard, but at the end people were invited to stick around for coffee and tea - and a snack. This lasted for 2 hours, and it only ended then because the space was rented and they had to get out!

That night we made our way to the local megachurch. This was quite an experience. We came in through a glass front under a neon sign that said something about Jesus - in huge letters. Staight ahead was a bookstore with a line at the register that stretched into the lobby. The previous service had let out and there were people everywhere. Ushers were pointing us to the stairs since the main level was full. We made our way into the sanctuary and I picked up some super-cool brochures about the different ministries.

We walked through the upstairs door to find that the entire sanctuary has theater seats that are more comfortable than any theater I can afford! But there were no cupholders! But then I noticed that a little desktop folded out of the armrest so I could write down all my notes. Then the music started.

It started with the lights going out and video that bounced around among the three screens, the spots started dancing around the sanctuary and then focused upon the stage where the musicians began to rock. The floor in front of the stage began to heave in unison and soon it was a bouncing throng of young people all jumping up and down to the rythm of the music. I didn't know one song, but it was fun to bounce with everyone else - though they were all about half my age.

The main sermon was excellent and even the sermonette for the offering was good. But, when it came to the other speaking that happened - well let's just say that plugging the purchase of the sermon DVD or music CD or buying the pastor's latest book was just a little over the top for me and about made me puke. But, I guess they are proud of what they have produced! After the plugs the kids were released just before the sermon to giant kids, (costumes worn by volunteers to point the way).

At the end of the sermon we listened to a plug for all the volunteers they needed for the upcoming conference - of the 4500 they only needed a 1000 more! Then the music started up again with a different music leader, and soon the floor was heaving again. One of my favorite parts of the service was when the pastor had those who had a need raise their hand and those around them began to pray for them as he prayed. Yes, they did the Grin & Greet too, and yes it was awkward. However, it was so short that it really didn't matter.

On the way home, I noticed the C&MA logo on a building just a few blocks from the church - I wonder if they have three screens, giant kids, and a need for a 1000 volunteers to help park cars? I think I will go there this Sunday to find out!

Two Aussie Churches

The first church visit was a suburban church that is connected to the Bible College of the Alliance in Australia - that is the subject of another blog. We had met the pastor earlier in the week, and found that the church is in the midst of some major change. The pastor and the elders want to move the church to be more focused upon the lost, while there are some in the church who want "their needs met." This was evident in the music - they are "fighting" the music "wars" that the American church fought in the "90's." There are some in the church who would rather make the church into a refuge from the world rather than viewing the church as a mission outpost that should serve as a refuge for the world.

It seems that when the world presses in on the church her members get consumed by one of two options - run from the world or run to the world. Interestingly, the ones in the minority seem to hold those in the majority captive to a false sense of mission. How is that possible? It generally hinges on two things: The perception that to "be fed" is to be taught/educated/instructed/preached at; the other is the idea that unless everyone is on board then it cannot be from God (this sometimes come from a false teaching about unity).

Anyway, the church seems to be trying to move forward in the mission of Christ and theological discussions and philosophical debate is hamstringing the church in her mission. However, when the time came for the children and young people to leave the service, half of the seats were left vacant. I concluded that if the young people are being reached with the gospel and they are engaged in the mission of Christ - the church in Australia will do quite well in the years to come.

Our second visit was to the downtown campus of a church in the suburbs. This campus has its own leadership team but the pastor is the same for both campuses. The church is located in the center of the main bus interchange of the city in an upstairs loft. They meet on a Sunday night and the sermon is the same sermon preached at the suburban campus in the morning. As we walked up to the church the sign had a video playing with "church highlights." This was intriguing, but it was still difficult to find the right door.

At the top of the stairs we were greeted warmly, but as soon as they heard our accent they knowingly greeted us as the "pastor and his wife from America coming to check out the Australian church." This was fine in that we were honored by the community, but I am not sure how much it affected my "observation." I had met with the pastor of this community prior to going to this church as well. Seems that they are further down the path of being missional, but he painted a pretty bleak picture of the Australian culture and its acceptance of the church. Maybe this is why the church is moving in this direction.

The service was a different service (for them) in that there were no lyrics to the music. Prior to each song, the leader would read a few verses and then the music (drums & lead guitar) would play for about 8 minutes. The sanctuary was dark other than the stage and they took communion (crackers and cups). However, after the service they all had a meal together and played games - everyone was invited as a group and individually by multiple people. The one weakness that I picked up from the site coordinator and the pastor is that a great deal of effort has been placed upon the service and they are now realizing that just because they have a cool service, unchurched people are not going to come. They are now strategizing how to go into the city and engage the culture and the unchurched where they are rather than waiting for the unchurched to come in.

I liked the family atmosphere of the first church that concluded with coffee and kids running around under our feet as we drank coffee/tea and talked. There were no children in the second church, I understand those families go to the suburban campus. Why is that?

An Aussie Perspective

So my wife and I went to two Aussie (Ozzy, NOT Ossy!) churches last weekend. It seems there is a variety of churches here just as in America. Different styles and methods are used by different churches to reach different people.


Our first stop was in Canberra - the capital of Australia. This city is smaller than Colorado Springs and is not close to any other major metropolitan center. The city struck us as a huge suburb in that there is virtually no industry beyond the government in Canberra. In fact 48% of the population is in some sort of public service and another large percentage are private contractors who have been contracted by the government. Because it is the capital, there are many internationals living in Canberra and the diversity for a city of about 300,000 is striking.



We met with the president of the Alliance Church of Australia. His goal and objective for the Alliance churches in Australia is to move every church to be missional in its philosophy and practice. The desire to reach lost people is understood by the Australian Church because they have seen their nation's church attendance and adherence to the faith dwindle with each passing year to the lowest point in the nation's history. At this point only 5% of Australians attend church regularly, while only 20% indicated "Christian" in the latest census conducted by the government. (If you are wondering, all of these are but a fraction of the United States figures.) Therein is why the Australian Church recognizes that if they do not focus on lost people - then the church will cease to exist within the next 50 years. Still, there is a conflict stemming from resistance to the mission of Christ within the church of Australia.

Stand Up, Sit Down, Fight, Fight, Fight!

So a friend of mine and I went to visit the Presbyterians a couple of weeks ago. Then my wife and I went to the First Church of the Soccermom the following week. Interesting contrast between the two, but at the same time there were some striking similarities.

Upon arrival at the Presbyterian church my friend and I found ourselves running a bit late. Interestingly, no matter what time I leave I have not been on time to church yet. There is always something that comes up. As we arrived we followed some people into the building, it seems there are a lot of people that are late! So, the door we entered was on the side of the building thus prompting my friend to ask, "Is this the right entrance?"

We found our way to the sanctuary, passing the choir getting ready for the processional. I thought about jumping in line, but it seemed a bit inappropriate! Besides, my friend had brought his daughter and we had to find out what was available for her during the service - there was nothing. However, they were kind enough to provide pens in the pews for the children to draw.

Once we found our seat, we realized that all the information needed for the service could be found in the bulletin - 11x14 with small print. There was a short list of weekly activities and events - most of which were on Sunday (except for 2 Bible studies and the 2 choir practices). The rest of the bulletin/program was dedicated to the hour and fifteen minute worship service. All the scripture, the readings and hymn numbers were found here. We were able to follow along quite easily once my friend was able to finally figure out how to juggle his daughter with the bulletin - I could sense his frustration as we had to stand up for a reading that was in the bulletin. All the contents fell out onto the concrete floor and gently floated up to the next row. After getting on his knees to gather the materials he stood up to join in the last sentence of the scripture reading.

We were never told to stand or to sit (all the information was in the bulletin) and nor were we told which hymn to turn to (printed in the bulletin). There was one exception to this, at the end of the service we were told which verses to sing since the sermon had gone a bit long and we had to finish on time. We had one of those grin & greet times where we met one of the elders - nice guy. But for the most part we just stood there as all the regulars greeted one another. Interestingly, this time followed a hymn and the song leader's statement, "Tell the person next to you, 'Isn't this the best news you have heard all morning?'" I wondered what the unchurched person would do with that?

The sermon was good, my friend's daughter had to go to the bathroom, so he didn't have much of an opinion on that. The infant baptism was very similar to our child dedication but only those who were members were allowed to participate in the covenant. As we left we walked by everyone and nobody said "hello" or "goodbye." Come to think of it, nobody greeted us as we came in - but they did hand us each a bulletin.

The following week we went to the church of the soccermom. The people were friendly, but we were not visitors, though it was our first Sunday in attendance. As the referees went through their various rituals questions were freely asked about why certain rituals were practiced in this strange "religion." Each member was given the opportunity to offer their opinion and their was corporate celebration and some time for lament. At the end, all the members were invited to a shared meal where we all got to know one another fairly well. My wife and I were able to get to know a single mom who is a doctor and therefore unable to attend the "services" regularly. The upcoming weekly events are communicated either via email or by word of mouth, but all the members know what is going on because they take personal responsibility to know.

We are going to see how the Aussies do it next. I wonder, do they "Grin & Greet?" Do they have "Cups & Crackers?" Or do they share a full meal?