Living Above Reproach ...

It seems that rarely a year goes by when I don't see one of my ministry friends, or an acquaintance that I've had in leadership within the church, disqualify themselves from their leadership role in the church by doing something that they ought not to have done.

Each and every time that I hear about these tragic stories three things happen in me:

1. I am broken for the people involved (sin never just affects one person) and my heart aches for the pain and disillusionment it will cause in the communities they ministered in and the the lives of the youth that looked to them to be an example of one who follows Jesus. 

2. I am reminded that moral failure virtually never "just happens".  It is the result of an often extended series of choices that have led the individual to where they now find themselves.  This make me take the mirror to myself and ask the Lord to search my heart, reveal and convict me of sin that is finding a foot-hold in my life, so that I can repent and return to freedom found in living in the forgiveness and in the grace of Christ. 

3. I am once again renewed in my conviction to make the marriage and friendship I have with my wife Charlene the single most important focus in my life aside from my relationship with Jesus Christ who is my Lord and my God

I experienced all three of these responses again tonight when I heard of a youth pastor of a very large ministry who chose to walk down a path that led to disqualifying himself from the role he had been entrusted with.

At the time of this event the church released a video communicating what had occurred to the church (it's since been removed due to its irrelevance now, months later).  It included two sections.  The first was the lead pastor speaking to the middle and high school students under this leader along with their parents.  The second section included the lead pastor teaching on four important issues pertaining to the disqualification:

1. The importance of leaders living above reproach,
2. The difference between forgiveness and trust,
3. Avoiding gossip in your life, and
4. What to do with potentially damaging information about a staff member or member of the church

Important items to remember and ponder ... unfortunately there is always something happening that they speak into.

When the Church was Young ... part one

"The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members." 

- William Temple (Archbishop of Canterbury, 1942-44)

Right now in the Sunday evening gatherings at the church my family is a part of, my friend Paul is teaching / preaching through the Bible book called, Acts.  It's been a great journey so far.  It's a book about the very first church communities working out their identity, their mission, and the role of the Holy Spirit in it all.

We're just three weeks into what is sure to take a good part of the year, but even now as the journey begins, my mind and soul have been spinning as I am reminded of some fantastic truth.  Stuff like:

"On one occasion, while [Jesus] was eating with them ..."

* I was reminded that Jesus, after being resurrected from the dead, was not some ghost.  He was resurrected as a human being again.  Granted, he could move through walls and appear and disappear, but he also ate. I don't understand this at all, but am so intrigued by it.  At the core, Jesus was a deep friend and leader to his disciples and followers.  He could have been so many other places declaring the good news of God's salvation, but the guy is hanging out with his friends, encouraging and teaching and speaking into their lives. So good!

"For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

* God's Kingdom is a supernatural one.  Everything is seeded, born, and sustain by God.  If the Church tries to function our of physical strength and an understanding of the world based on mere human paradigms, the Church will miss the point ...

" ...  and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 
* I love that I get to be a witness to the things that the Lord has done and is doing here in Parksville, at the end of the earth.  I live at the end of the Western World.  No less than two hours to the west and there is no more west!  After Tofino there is only Asia and "The East".  So cool!!

With all of this spinning in my mind, I was caught by this video and the way that it aligns with what I'm learning ... check it out and tell me what you think ...

"on the land" at the skatepark

Spent an hour or so hanging out at the local skate park here in Parksville last Friday afternoon (see photo).

No one was really around, but I did have one guy stop to ask if I had any weed to sell ... I didn't. I spent time journaling some prayers for the kids that call the skate park their home away from home. Also walked around the parameter asking God to raise up someone to invest time into these kids. I know I'm not the guy to do it (hey, I'll be available, but anything more than basic skateboard activity would end me up in the hospital) but someone is ...

What is the significance of "praying on the land"? By this I mean physically being on the piece of real estate that you are praying about.

Last fall I was researching the beginnings of what is now the City of Kelowna. I had this huge desire to pray for the churches of that city, the political leadership (the mayor, etc.) of the city, and the future of the city. Everything within me wanted to jump on a plane and fly there and walk the city streets and go to the site (which is still standing) of the very first home built there, beside the very first church building (the third building was a 'mess hall' of sorts I believe).

I didn't ...

I prayed from a distance. I didn't feel like I was disobeying God by not going, but I didn't feel like I was obeying Him by staying home either.

Is there something about "being present on the land"? Abraham walked on the land that was promised to him life-times before his people received it. How significant was that? Charlene and I took two days to "walk the land" here on Vancouver Island back in 2001 because we both felt strongly that God was calling us to live here and invest in the lives of the people here. It took 7 years to actually walk into that, but we walked it out in prayer first.

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"
[Isaiah 52:7]

prayers and pilgrims ...

Last week my friend Kirk posted this comment on his blog:

Pilgrimage is one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids. Besides our absolute devotion to they're becoming truly human and fully alive in Christ, we want our kids to grow up amidst the nations... here, there and everywhere in Jesus' name. And what Dar and I are noticing is that we don't have to be in the nations for the nations to find us. It's like breathing. Our home is a place of peace... a place connected with the contemplation of heaven on earth... a portal of sorts... and they find us, those who are with him end up with us - the one's that he directs our way...

It reminded me that the comings and the goings of God and his people are so fluid. Like Luke, the writer of the book of Acts says, "For in him we live and move and have our being".

When Charlene and I were dreaming about the kind of home we would like to have, the standard stuff was all in there, but there were some "bonus features" too. One was that the home we would eventually land in would have a spare room that could be used as both a permanent prayer room in the house, and serve as a guest room for visitors and pilgrims from around the world that would stop in and rest with us for a while.

The home that we are now hoping to see as our own (if all works out it will close on April 30th) has just that space in it. In fact, the window of this future prayer / pilgrim room actually looks out over a park across the street where literally dozens of high school students gather in the morning, at lunch time, and after classes to hangout, visit, smoke, laugh, and relax.

This home is positioned looking over the one of the key gathering places of the youth culture of our new city. So sweet!

In the three days since we've announced that our offer for the home has been accepted, we've had a half-dozen people already confirm with us that they will be coming to stay in our home before the end of the summer! So cool! Charlene and I love what is unfolding!

"Lord, would you teach us about hospitality in this next season of life? Would you cause us to grow in our desire to pray for friends from near and far who come into the home you are giving us? Would a gravity be established in this home that attracts those wide-eyed pilgrims on the hunt for the deeper things of God. Most of all, Lord Jesus, would this home be a place where your Spirit dwells not only in the lives of the occupants, but on the very ground itself."

Amen!

(the new diggs)