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Christianity

Podcast: Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds

Podcast: “Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds” – John 17:20-26

“Seeking Unity, Healing Wounds” Rev. Alan R. Rudnick

In the midst of the conflict of politics, economics, and culture, the idea of unity in American life might seem impossible to many. We watch television as pundits argue and clash over ideology and policy. We think our country and community is divided. Unity is impossible. However, in Jesus’ high priestly prayer he prayers for his disciples and for us – the believers who are not yet born! Jesus prayed that we all may be one. The misconception is that unity is when we all agree. Jesus shows us that unity is truly a community – a people called by God to be faithful to God and to one another despite conflict, disappointment, and fear.  True unity is community lived out. The Christian community is one when we join in the work of loving, caring, and serving one another in Christ and not agreeing on every point of ideology. Differences will abound but it is the love of God and neighbor that makes us one. 


T“The church is constituted as a new people who have been gathered from the nations to remind the world that we are in fact one people. Gathering, therefore, is an eschatological act as it is the foretaste of the unity of the communion of the saints.” 
― Stanley Hauerwas, In Good Company: The Church as Polis 

blog, Christianity

What Christians get wrong about Kingdom theology

We live in a world that is obsessed with duality and dualism. Our culture is narrated by opposing forces such as Democrat and Republican, poor and rich, the winners and losers, and saved and unsaved. Dramatic attention of such opposing viewpoints creates tension and unnecessary anxiety in cultural and family systems. When religious people create a hyper-focus on dualism, it bifurcates the love of Christ and basic Bible comprehension.

When Liberty University president and Evangelical leader, Jerry Falwell Jr. spoke to The Washington Post about politics, Christianity, poverty, and culture he made several critical theological, hermeneutical, and exegetical mistakes. Among his comments… (read the rest of my article at The Christian Citizen)

Lent

What Twitter is giving up for Lent

In case you were still working on what you are giving up or for Lent, the 2015 results of the top 100 Lenten sacrifices are in (according to Twitter).

With about 646,000  tweets analyzed, the hot topic “school” is currently out in front, with chocolate, swearing and alcohol in the top 5. Christianity Today gave an in-depth analysis, here.

lent2015

Stephen Smith of OpenBible.info’s running list of the top 100 most-mentioned Lenten sacrifices (both serious and cynical) in 2015:  Continue Reading…

mission

A garden center, a sign, and the missional church

My parents used to tell me that first impressions matter.  So my mom always kept a very clean house in the chance someone came to visit or if I or my sister brought a friend home unexpectedly from school.  My dad always keep the cars clean and the yard mowed.  We always had clean clothes and reasonable times between haircuts.  Probably not much different from your family.

Organizations also present “first impressions” with their buildings, employees who welcome, or the cleanliness of the facility.  The front door might be one of the most important features of these organizations.  Here are a few front doors I have come across in Midwest stores recently.

This is posted on a sliding door into a business. This store is a large chain and is located in the upper middle class section of town with low crime.  Nothing about this sign says to me I am welcome to shop there.  I have never seen a sign like this on any other business, that does not mean do not exist but I have never noticed one.  I just found it to be a weird notice and felt it to be unnecessarily hostile.

This is a welcoming place. It has the clearly marked sign open, the door is open, and the hours are posted.  There is plants that greet you from the parking lot to the door letting you know that this place holds a variety of , trees, flowers, porch/deck furniture, and other yard DYI things.  But what you see outside is only a small taste of what is on the inside.  The staff  don’t just grow plants in a bucket.  They are gardeners as well. They are capable of listening to garden ideas and advising how to proceed because they live in both places.

Churches have signs as well.  Our churches often put up intentional or unintentional signs up with our actions.  Perhaps they act like the fist sign.  Your life will be scrutinized here.  We will judge you and use a filter process to decide if you are like us.  We will examine every aspect of your life until we are satisfied you look, sound, and act like we think you should.  If you do not agree to these terms you are free to leave the facility.

What if our church and the way it functions looked more like this garden center?  What if we were more inviting and welcoming? What would it look like if we could find the balance between being welcoming to all and strong in our Christian identity?  What if we found a way to interpret and discern what God is doing in the world? A missional church needs to examine their church “signs”. What signal are they sending?

Much like the garden center, there is a a need for churches to have a welcoming presence with their building, signage, and people. The church must missionally welcome people and empower others to action. The missional church needs to have a welcoming presence of hospitality and be able to discern how God is calling us to act.  God is at work cultivating our missional gardens and we need to realize what it takes to welcome and send others into his vineyard.

Christianity, Culture

Mumford: Don’t call me Christian

AlanRudnick.org welcomes Greg Mamula as a contributing blogger. 

I have become a big Mumford and Sons fan.  Before you cast me into some “band-wagon” “fair-weather” pop culture music participant, I must say I first listened to Mumford about two and half years ago and wore out their first album “Sigh No More” long before they were ever on American radio.  Their lyrics are powerful, their music is catchy, and their live performances are some of the best around.

I actually first saw them on a  live TV performance before I ever knew much about them.  I was inspired by the passion of performance and the fact the lead singer Marcus played a kick drum, while playing guitar, and singing at the same time. Their lyrics are full of religious overtones.  Huff Religion references a Rolling Stone Magazine article on the band’s spiritual lyrics:

During an interview last month, the Rolling Stone reporter, Brian Hiatt, asked Mumford whether he “still consider(s) himself a Christian. “Mumford gave the following answer: “I don’t really like that word. It comes with so much baggage. So, no, I wouldn’t call myself a Christian. I think the word just conjures up all these religious images that I don’t really like. I have my personal views about the person of Jesus and who he was. … I’ve kind of separated myself from the culture of Christianity.” His spiritual journey is a “work in progress,” Mumford said, adding that he’s never doubted the existence of God and that his parents are unbothered by his ambivalence toward the Christian label. 

I am a Christian and clergy to boot. For me it has strained relationships with family members, friends, and strangers I meet.  It is always a little awkward at first when I am sitting on an airplane or getting a hair cut and having someone ask, “So what do you do?”  Because “what I do” is in fact “who I am.” So when I say, I’m a minister, or I work with all the denominational churches in a region, I mostly just get blank stares.  They don’t know what to say or do to that response.

When I travel and people learn that I am a Christian, they respond in two ways. First if they are Christian they want to tell me all the things we have in common and assume we interpret the faith in identical ways.  This is often true but sometimes it is not.  It makes me grateful the Christian tent is a large one that can hold all sorts of people and perspectives.  Or people respond a second way, they want to tell me all the things wrong with the church, why they have never been or won’t go back, that we need to stop trying to be involved in politics, and how judgmental Christians are.  And usually they are right.

Mumford’s lyrics clearly demonstrate someone who wrestles with his faith more than most self identified Christians.  He uses biblical imagery that rivals that of Johns Gospel. He might not self identify as a Christian but he certainly believes in resurrection (see Roll Away Your Stone), redemption (see Lover of the Light), forgiveness (see Awake my Soul, Broken Crown, I Will Wait),  a new heaven and new earth (see After the Storm), and genuine love (see Blank White Page, Lion Man, Lovers Eyes).  Sure he uses the F word sometimes but I think it speaks to his honest passion and frustration with his humanity and need of healing.

Perhaps he is more Christian than he gives himself credit for.  Perhaps he just doesn’t want to have awkward conversations with reporters.  Perhaps like the Huff Religion article states, he “falls between Dorothy Day’s famous “Don’t call me a saint — I don’t want to be dismissed so easily,” and Soren Kierkegaard’s, “Once you label me you negate me.”

So take them or leave them for their music.  But don’t deny their journey or yours.  We are all works in progress.  My prayer is that you are willing to simply get on the path.

Greg Mamula is the Associate Executive Minister for American Baptist Churches of Nebraska.

Israel Trip

Israel Day Four: Bethlehem

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An earlier incomplete post was accidentally published. This is an updated post.

Today was a great day of visits and meetings. It was full of though provoking conversations with leaders.

Our first meeting was with Jack Sara the President of Bethlehem Baptist College. Jack is a Palestinian Christian and is an alum of the school. His perspective of education was through the lens of peace and transformation of the area. He talked about being imprisoned and beaten because of his work with churches and education.

As we sat in the newly built building, he told us how the school was created. With a vision of a Christian college in the area in 1971, a pastor responded joyously that he wanted to help it start with a donation. The pastor quickly gave $20. So with $20, the school was created. Jack is leading a community of Christians who are very hopeful that local people can be transformed through the hope of the Christian message. He also believes that mercy plays an important role in reconciliation conflict in Israel. Christians are a shrinking group in Israel but they are still leading the way for peace and transformation.

It is very reassuring that Baptists are leading the charge in transformational change and education in a place where Christians only make up 2% of the population. The school offers a BA, MA, a program for mass media, and a course of study in tourism guiding. A number of Muslims attend these programs and give people education for a career. Unemployment in Bethlehem is high. Jobs are tough to get.

Continue Reading…

American Baptist Churches, Israel Trip

Peace mission to Israel

Just six days from today, I’ll embark on a peace mission on behalf of American Baptists to travel to Israel. This trip will serve as a good-will delegation to Israelis and Palestinians. In light of the recent conflict and violence, it is more important than ever to find a peaceful solution for this area of the Middle East.

This is no Holy Land Tour.

The delegation consists of the American Baptist Churches General Secretary, Roy Medley, the President of ABC-USA, Ruth Clark, and a handful of lay and clergy leaders within the denomination. We will meet with local leaders in business, media, health care, education, human rights, faith, culture, and politics. The delegation will be guided by a panel of experts who will also help balance and interpret these meetings so that, by the end of the trip, the delegation will grasp the basic issues of the conflict and a variety of perspectives and emotions. We will meet with both Israelis and Palestinians.

So, what is the purpose of this trip?

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Evangelicals

How Evangelicals can lead the way now

After the 2012 elections, Franklin Graham stated on CNN that our nation is on a “path of destruction” due to the 2012 election results. In addition Graham said, “If we are allowed to go down this road in the path that this president wants us to go down, I think it will be to our peril end to the destruction of this nation.”

This is troubling talk from one of the most powerful Evangelicals. Millions of Christians regularly take Graham’s lead on matters of politics and moral issues.

This is not the way to lead Christians to reach out and bring about the Kingdom of God. Let me explain.

Graham’s comments on CNN were noble, but there is a better way to change the future of America. His ministry organizations actively block movements in states that try to legalize same sex marriage, fight for prayer to return to schools, and encourage legislation that forbids abortions. Graham’s ministry and organizations regularly court politicians to enact his biblical interpretation on certain issues as civil law. By doing this, Graham only alienates the very people we Christians are trying to reach.

Franklin Graham and I are fellow ministers, evangelicals, and preachers of the Gospel. I thank Graham for his service to our nation and to other nations around the world. His relief organizations continuing give aid to developing nations. I support a number of these organizations. Graham’s heart is for God’s and I commend him for that. He wants to see the world and our nation to come to know Jesus Christ. I agree. Graham wants for Christians to carry out the message of the Bible. I agree. He wants the world to know God. I agree.

However, Graham and I disagree about how to go about making these common Kingdom goals realities. The only way to turn others to Christ is not through our political process, but through a Kingdom Process.

Jesus did not come to lobby Rome, Paul didn’t appeal to political leaders in Athens, and Peter didn’t hold political fundraisers for kings. Christian leaders in the New Testament did not use a political system as a means to achieve moral and societal change. Instead, they ate, sat, discussed, lived, and created space for their detractors. They didn’t alienate those who they were preaching to with hateful speech or disdain.  People loved Jesus because he was the only rabbi that would give them to time of day and listen to them.

Tom McCrossan, another fellow minister, and life long Republican to add, provided a helpful perspective of what is occurring with Christians who want change through politics:

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politics, Presidential debate

Will faith make an appearance at tonight’s presidential debate?

With a record number of “nones” or religiously unaffiliated Americans (20%) possibly voting in the 2012 election, I wonder: will we hear about faith tonight at the Presidential debate? Mitt Romney, a Mormon and Barack Obama, a Protestant are vying for millions of religious voters.

The town hall-style debate voters will ask questions of the candidates and each candidate will be able to respond.

You might remember that at the end of the Vice-Presidential debate, we heard from the candidates about how they saw their faith:

“I don’t see how a person can separate their public life from their private life or from their faith,” said Ryan. “Our faith informs us in everything we do.”

“My religion defines who I am,” said Biden. “I’ve been a practicing Catholic my whole life.”

, at the Washington Post posted an interesting argument: Continue Reading…

clergy

Jon Stewart, You Need Me

Jon Stewart and his Daily Show crew are on to something.  Just as Glenn Beck had his “Restoring Honor” rally in Washington D.C., Steward is holding a “Rally To Restore Sanity.” http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com/ on October 30, 2010.  Just days before the mid-term elections.  Stephen Colbert is holding a counter rally, “March to Keep The Fear Alive” http://www.keepfearalive.com/ on the same day.  This is all very funny and will no doubt draw cheer and jeers from conservatives and liberals.

Clearly a farce on Glenn Beck, Stewart and Colbert are masterminds at political and social comedy, however they are missing one essential element in this rally.  The clergy.  Glenn Beck had his “Black Robe Regiment” with his rally and Jon Stewart needs clergy.  Actually, he needs me.  I propose that Steward build a Black Robe Brigade.  I wrote about Beck’s Christian aspirations and open theism in my Times Union blog post and Stewart needs some clergy support.

So, what can I do for you Jon Stewart?

Continue Reading…

blog, NFL

Tebow Hype a Bust

In a reverse this year, the big game was actually more interesting than the commercials.  New Orleans pulled off a win!  As I watched the Super Bowl commercials, I caught Focus on the Family’s paid ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mother.  There was no mention of “abortion”, “the doctors told me”, or even “God.”  If you missed the commercial here it is:

What is so discouraging is the inflated hype around this commercial.  Nobody previewed it, nobody knew what was going to be said, and no one saw a script of the commercial. Yet, anti-religious and anti-abortion pundits were quick to condemn Tebow, Focus on the Family, and CBS.

Though I do not always agree with Focus on the Family’s approach or James Dobson’s sentiments, I do believe this Super Bowl ad was the right approach for their message.  If you want to pay 2.5 million dollars you have the right to proclaim a message, sell a product, or make a statement.  It was a personal story of joy about a mother and son and their life together.

Rowland Martin, CNN political analyst, made some good points when he wrote:

politics

Politics, Christians, and Scandals

I try to be non-political on this blog, but I could not help but notice the recent scandals that are occurring for several Republicans.  Now, do not get me wrong here.  The Democrats have had theirs too (Bill Clinton).  Maureen Down from the New York Times wrote a scathing piece about Christian/conservative Republicans.   In her article entitled, “Pharisees on the Potomac” she points out that the party of morality has hardly been moral.  The hypocrisy of some in the Republication party, she feels, has been obvious, but no one is making waves about it.    She points out:

Who can forget the glory years, when the Gipper invoked God but never went to church?…When Newt Gingrich and other conservatives indulged in affairs with young Washington peaches as they pushed to impeach Bill Clinton?

There has always been a push by some Christians to articulate their undying support of the Republican party, but if those Christians dug deeper they will find some embarrassing facts.  Down continues the article by mentioning the Christian “C Street house“, where Christian law makers go for support during tough spiritual times:

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