Charlie Wear’s Notes

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:..18-19 NIV)

Change is difficult. In an era when our politicians have promised change, it is unlikely that any “real” change will occur. We have politicans expecting an entire industry to become “viable” in 4 months, by March 31, and by the way, fire all of your CEOs. We will help you by asking you to make frequent reports and by appointing a czar to oversee your operations. At the end of that time we want cheap electric cars that can be plugged into the wall socket overnight.

We want free health care with no rationing of services and high quality of care. We want financing for our homes and cars and we want our homes to hold their value. We want honest politicians who will not sell the powers of their office to the highest bidder.

Oprah wants to be able to lose weight and keep it off. She’s ashamed that she hasn’t been able to do that. She recently wanted to cancel an appearance because she looked like a “fat cow.”

On a personal level, I want to change. At times I lose hope and believe that I cannot carry out my desire to do good. A mentor used to talk about the orange groves of Anaheim, CA. He would recall that on a spring night when he was growing up he could hear the trees groaning with the effort of producing fruit. Of course, this was not true, trees do not strain to produce fruit. They produce fruit as a result of what they are.

Awakening to who we are is probably the most difficult task faced by each of us. This awakening is produced in a context of redemption and salvation. And it is easy to fall back asleep and to dream the messages of our upbringing rather than the message of our ingrafting.

So I will say it again. Change is difficult. But there is hope…

Sometimes it is hard to know who your friends are. Just ask Sara Palin! I was talking to a friend who leads a ministry yesterday. Apparently someone he works with has been quite vocal about his political choices this year. His best retort to those who disagree? "You are too ignorant to know who to vote for." He has had to watch as this person has attacked others and loaded on the invectives and insults to his face.

It would probably feel pretty good to cut off the offender and slash his ministry support. My sarcastic comment to my friend, "Welcome to the ministry!" He was asking for my counsel. You understand, the offender is a Christian minister! I told my friend, you have a choice, you can decide who will be the first person to turn the other cheek, and be loving toward someone who is behaving like an enemy.

Many who claim to be Christ-followers have trouble with these commandments of Jesus. We love to proclaim who we are against and label them as anti-Christian. This is no more apparent than when we are in the middle of a political season. I mean, how can we possibly pray for a pro-choice candidate? How can we turn the other cheek toward those who are attacking our leadership role in ministry? And yet, we have to acknowledge that these propositions are not merely nice ideas, they are standards for behavior that Christ commands.

I’ll admit it, I have a thirst for the exotic, at least when it comes to spiritual things. I’ve always had an inquisitive mind. Now, I have a very thirsty spirit. I was greatly intrigued when friends and acquaintances began to talk about the "Lakeland Outpouring." I’ve lived through a couple of these outpourings in the past, although I avoided being chewed up and spit out by them.

One of my friends experienced an almost complete remission of MS symptoms as a result of "Lakeland-inspired" prayer. While I found Todd Bentley’s shouts of "Bam" to be excessively theatric, her remission of symptoms is a good thing.

As a student of all things church for nearly twenty years now, I am most interested in how Christianity transfers from generation to generation. It seems there is a grasping, and a releasing that occurs with each generation.

Baby boomers are getting to the place where they should at least be thinking about releasing. However, it seems that they are hanging on to the leadership reins with as much vigor as their predecessors. In fact, a recent example is the Hour of Power ministry and Robert Schuller I and II (although this is more like a builder v. boomer struggle). Apparently, in this instance the 82 yr. old elder Schuller was not happy with the direction Robert II was taking the Hour of Power. He had a different idea. When they couldn’t reconcile their visions, the younger got displaced.

These inter-generational and transitional leadship situations sure can get messy. Here is one of the primary rules that should be followed in every instance: If you are the founding pastor and you are "turning over the ministry" to another leader, graciously and kindly MOVE AWAY. Don’t entertain the complaints of those who don’t like your successor. Don’t be tempted to come back in and save the ministry. Let the next generation of leadership make it on their own two feet, at least their failure will be their own.

Uh, what does this have to do with the exotic? Well I have been talking with a friend who is starting a church for some months now. We were both involved in a recent church plant that imploded after three months, or so, of public church services. When most people think about starting a church all of the conversation centers around starting a "church service." The second area of discussion is usually about target audience. Somewhere fifth or sixth on the list we might start talking about "discipleship."

My friend has been very careful to focus on the first step for any leader, calling. Then he has listened carefully to the Holy Spirit about how and when and where to get started. We have both wished in our heart of hearts to be part of something where egos were set aside, people were fully-devoted followers of Jesus, and a community is formed to impact a city with an emphasis of calling Christians to what I have heard called "deep discipleship."

Over the months as we have talked and listened to the Spirit and theorized, I fear my thirst for the exotic may have taken our conversations  in a direction that leads more directly to some kind of missionary-monastery than a church. Most people are not going to join or be part of a monastery. They mostly want their mission field to be their own family. It is too big a step to call people to "run a mission, a yard from the gates of hell."

Lately my friend has been thinking he should start a church service. When he mentioned it to me the other day, I only paused a little bit (the exotic ministry thoughts whirling through my brain), and then agreed, this is probably a Holy Spirit inspiration. I look forward to seeing how God will work these thoughts out in the weeks and months to come.

Jesus said: "Do not make any vows…" Let your yes, be a simple yes, and your no a simple no. I don’t know about you, but with an election just a couple of weeks a way I am up to my neck in political promises. Having lived through a few of these seasons I have learned that while political promises are not technically lies, they certainly should carry a big disclaimer. I will cut taxes! [if all of the economic conditions at the time that I begin to call for tax cuts are good and the Congress goes along with me...] I will keep America safe from terrorist attack! [unless some terrorists attack us...] "Read my lips, no new taxes…" You get the idea.

Followers of Jesus should do what they say, and say what they do. If you don’t know for sure, then don’t commit. I think Jesus calls for us to be the ultimate "straight talkers." Whether we are Charlie, the lawyer, or Lance, the pastor, or Joe, the plumber. No need to add some extra juice to our speech. No, I pinky swear, I will pay you back on Friday. You can count on me to be there to help you move on Saturday, I’ll be there in the morning.

Wouldn’t it be great if Christians were known for the integrity of their word? We have two Christian candidates running for President, each of whom have called the other a liar! Can that possibly be the truth?

Jesus taught a radical view of adultery. It sparked then presidential candidate, Jimmy Carter, to confess in his famous Playboy interview: "I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times…" I am assuming that Carter himself was not a "reader" of Playboy, or he might have been tempted to follow Jesus’ admonition and pluck out his eye, or cut off his hand!

One wonders what Jesus’ teaching would say about the fact that the internet opens a pornography shop in the home of every family who owns a computer with an internet connection? Clearly we need to go beyond paying lip service to a desire for purity and take concrete physical steps to maintain sexual purity, perhaps falling short from plucking out eyes and severing extremities.

Conventional wisdom says that "adultery in the heart" is more of a man-male problem than a woman-female problem. However, I think it is fair to say that while its expression may differ by gender, that there is plenty of lust to go around, especially in a society where adultery is the norm in popular culture. Just tune your television to any of the CBS situation comedy offerings and you will be able to confirm what I am saying. A CBS’s offering on Friday nights has a young single woman pursuing her soulmate at the urging of a psychic by engaging in serial sexual encounters with her ex-boyfriends. If she doesn’t find her one and marry within a year, says the psychic, she will be alone her entire life.
As I write this I kind of feel guilty about watching the first two episodes of this series all the while wondering if people really live this way, talk this way and think this way in real life.

It seems clear that Jesus’ followers will pursue the ideal of sexual purity. As one who, along with former President Carter and every man I know, has miserably failed the adultery-free lifestyle test, I find it a radical standard to aim for, but one worth striving for just the same.

Following Jesus means letting go of anger. Jesus agreed that murderers are subject to judgment, but he went beyond the letter of the law to explain its spirit. Road rage is not an option for the follower of Jesus!

Cursing others or calling them idiots is motivated from the same darkness that kills. Religious sacrifices in the absence of reconciliation are worthless. Court disputes should be settled quickly.

There have been a number of convicted murderers who have had jailhouse conversions. These seem pretty understandable, yet I think there is healthy skepticism about the depth of a murderer’s commitment to following Jesus. I wonder what the latest Gallup survey would say about the reputation of Christian’s concerning anger.

Jesus does not merely recommend that we attend an anger management course, even the courts urge this in cases of domestic violence. What Jesus’ urges is a change of heart that gets at the roots of anger. For myself, I always have a good reason for my anger.

"Did you see how that fool cut me off?"
"She doesn’t appreciate how hard I work."
"My teenager can’t seem to say anything without a lot of disrespect."
"That clerk wouldn’t refund my money."

What kind of a world would it be if the followers of Jesus were known for their peaceful demeanor? It’s kind of nice to think about isn’t it?

"Let your good deeds shine out for all to see…"

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, I sang in the "Cradle Roll" room. Dressed in my Sunday best along with the other toddlers I was singing about one of Jesus’ most important "commandments." I even remember some of the hand motions. Hide it under a bush, oh now, I’m going to let is shine…

Disciples of the Church have done a pretty bad job of being salt and light. Evangelicals are better known for narrowmindedness than they are known for compassion. While President Bush talked about compassionate conservatives his presidency has not shone with many examples.

In the aftermath of terrible calamities, well-known Christian leaders attribute them to God’s wrath and judgment against nations. Researchers publish books that seem to underscore that the culture thinks that Christians are, well, Un-Christian. Authors write that people like Jesus, but they hate the church. If we were General Motors, or Coca-Cola and had messed up our brand this much, we would change our name and logo and start all over.

Good deeds? Do we even have any idea what that means? Mother Teresa and World Vision come to mind when I think about good deeds. Feed the Children and the Red Cross ring a bell. Strangely, I don’t think about Joel Osteen, Rick Warren or, for that matter, Robert Schuller or Billy Graham. Am I missing something here?

Too many of us live our lives as "undercover" Christians. I think there is a good reason for this. Churches have emphasized church participation over "good deeds." So much time, energy and resources are spent in religious services and other church-centric activities that there is little time left for "good deeds." I may be on the rotation as a nursery volunteer, but not in the feed-the-homeless rotation, and that is perfectly normal.

Followers of Jesus give witness by their "good deeds." Not to earn their way to heaven, boy, is that an easy trap to fall into. Not to win the gold ribbon for outstanding community service. No, these good deeds flow naturally from the life of a follower of Jesus. You may be a committed church member. But check your good deed quotient. Are you a committed follower of Jesus? Followers of Jesus, let their good deeds shine.

The first commandment of Jesus was not written on tablets of stone and handed down on a mountaintop. It was a simple invitation to fishermen engaged in their occupation. It is the same invitation he makes to each of us today. "Come, follow me…"

if we want to know what it means to "follow Jesus" we will have to read on, through the gospels, as layer upon layer, and example upon example is given. We will also have to unlearn and peel back the layers that have been added to our thinking by those who have invited us to a different kind of followership.

Jesus did not invite the first disciples:
1. To accept him as their personal savior.
2. To pray a prayer.
3. To confess their sins and repent of them.
4. To come to his church service.
5. To volunteer in the nursery.
6. To tithe.
7. To discover their spiritual gifts.
8. To attend his "101" class.
9. To sign a membership covenant.
10. To adhere to a set of doctrines.
11. To be baptized.
12. To fast.
13. To give up smoking, drinking, playing cards, dancing or watching TV or movies.
14. To quit their jobs.
15. To attend classes, Bible School or seminary.
16. To become ordained as pastors.

I was "discipled" as a member of a denomination as a child. There wasn’t a lot of talk about "following Jesus." There was a lot of talk about the kinds of things included in the "Not" list. I realized a couple of months ago that I have renounced my discipleship to church, or for that matter, church services.

This is not because I haven’t been a part of some really great church services. I’ve been a congregant, a worship leader and a preacher at some pretty well executed "services." It’s not because I don’t like to sing praise and worship songs, or hymns and anthems. It’s not because I don’t enjoy a good sermon, well-preached with passion. It’s because I’ve come to believe that my participation in church services may not be a crucial component in "following Jesus." It’s because I’ve come to believe that the time, energy, and resources that are expended in perpetuating and starting church services keeps people who might really enjoy following Jesus from doing so.

I want to make it clear that I don’t believe that house churches, simple churches, monastic communities, or even mega churches, are better or worse when compared to each other. I have simply come to the place where I believe that membership in a church is not what Jesus had in mind when he made that original invitation.

"One’s baptism is one’s ordination into ministry and one’s commissioning as a missionary." — Leonard Sweet

Via Alan Hirsch:

Our central lie is in the discrepancy between the language of worship and the actions of worship. We confess “Jesus is Lord” but only submit to the part of Christ’s authority that fits our grand personal designs, doesn’t cause pain, doesn’t disrupt the American dream, doesn’t draw us across ethnic and racial divisions, doesn’t add the pressure of too much guilt, doesn’t mean forgiving as we have been forgiven, doesn’t ask for more than a check to show compassion. We “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” expressing our desire to know Jesus, but the Jesus we want to know is the sanitized Jesus that looks a lot like us when we think we are at our best. Despite God’s Word to the contrary, we think we can say that we love God and yet hate our neighbor, neglect the widow, forget the orphan, fail to visit the prisoner, ignore the oppressed. Its the sign of disordered love. When we do this, our worship becomes a lie to God.
–Mark Labberton, The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice (Downers Grove: IVP, 2007), 71