Practicing Stability

Every once in a while I learn something new that changes how I think. That happened this morning. I'm reading Ruth Haley Barton's book, Pursuing God's Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups. I highly recommend this book for those in leadership in a local church, but what I learned today has relevance to anyone who is a part of a local church family. It is called the Practice of Stability. I am going to quote her section directly and offer some comments.

"Stability is an interesting practice for us Protestants who are most accustomed to leaving our communities when the going gets tough, starting another denomination when we disagree over doctrine or practice, and shopping for a church like we shop for a house--only it seems we leave our churches are frequently than we leave our houses these days!

In the monastic tradition the vow of stability is central to a rule of life. The person promises to remain in that particular monastic community for life and to be shaped by the rhythms of that particular community. This commitment is understood as laying down one's life in its entirety, placing it in the hands of God.

The vow of stability is the first of the vows because nothing is possible until we give our entire life to the primacy of God's kingdom. If we leave ourselves an escape hatch, we have one foot out the door and we are not fully committed. If we say to ourselves that we will stay committed as long as commitment stays exciting and devoid of suffering, we are not fully committed. The grass is not greener 'over there:' one must work out one's problems with this person because if one doesn't, one will have to work it out with that person. This is precisely what is so freeing about the vow of stability, to have to work it out is to demand growth, as painful as it is, and that is freeing. Faithfulness is a limit that forces us to stop running and encounter God, self, and other right now, right here.

Lord have mercy! This is just not the kind of commitment most Protestants are accustomed to. In fact, many church polities don't even allow for this much stability at the leadership level. Leaders rotate off boards at predetermined intervals. Thus groups are never together long enough to get traction on their commitment to each other in community, to really settle in to all that stability means and then to reap the benefits of having been shaped together by shared practices. Sometimes it seems that when everyone has reached a place of trust and is functioning optimally out of shared commitment, it's time for some to leave and others to come on.

[This type of uncertainty] doesn't provide the opportunity for stable, long-term community... and love doesn't grow well in a garden of uncertainty.

Our commitment to stability is that we commit to stay together until tighter we discern a need for change. This is our way of creating stability. in our relationships while at the same time leaving room for the will of God to be revealed among us.

We cannot demand this kind of stability of others; we can only offer it as a true invitation of the spiritual life. Stability is a powerful invitation--to transformation, to creativity, to long-term impact. As Brian Taylor points out, 'It is the failure to commit oneself entirely that blocks creativity in the spiritual life, in the artistic life, in the relational life. Meeting one's obligations with a minimum of commitment may be seen like freedom, but it enslaves us to what is fleeting. In the instability of our age we are constantly reassessing the self--our direction and purpose, our commitment and values. Without the constancy of stability, this assessment can create chaos. Ultimately, the vow of stability is a vow of stability to God. god is the only true eternal rock upon which we stand. But God calls us into a particular life, to be spent int eh company of particular people, to accept one's life as it is given is to begin to find freedom."

Now, I don't know what you think when you read about practicing stability, but I am burdened by the lack of stability, or the complete absence of stability, that is found in so many Christians and churches, and even Hub City Church. And this lack of stability is handicapping our becoming Christlike disciples. 

I wonder what might happen if we would commit to being in community and relationship with each other, even when it is hard and we don't get what we want and our feelings get hurt and we get challenged, until the Holy Spirit leads us and others to the place where we know it is time to move on?

The more I think about practicing stability the more I realize that this could be one of the most counter-cultural things we could do, rating up there with loving others, forgiving others, and extending grace. It also reflects the character of our God who promises to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Barton ends this section with some questions for personal reflection, which I encourage you to use:

What appeals to you about stability? What resistance do you have?

Invitation to a Journey

So I hurt my knee. I'm not sure how I hurt my knee or what the problem is with my knee, but I hurt it, and there are ramifications to my exercise routine. I usually walk the dog every morning and then run for about 30 minutes. However, my knee pain is preventing me from running. If you know me then you know that daily exercise is essential to my mental and physical wellbeing (I mean, how do you get a body like mine without daily exercise), so I knew I had to do something.

I tried the elliptical, but that didn't work. So much for it's low-impact-on-joints promise. Next I decided to try the stair-master... it has changed my life. I don't think I have ever had better workouts in my entire life. And while you would assume that the stair-master would hurt my knee, it doesn't hurt it at all.

Now why am I sharing this? Well, my change in my exercise routine has enabled me to read more, and over the past three weeks I've read two books on the stair-master, and I thought it would be a good idea to record my thoughts on those books on this blog that nobody reads.

The first book I read is Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland. I cannot recommend this book enough. I think it is life-changing. I love his definition for spiritual formation:

Spiritual formation is the process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.

There are four parts to his definition. First, spiritual formation is a process. Second, it is the process of being formed. We don't form ourselves. We position ourselves to be formed by God. Third, we are formed by God in the image of Christ. The goal is to be like Jesus, or as I like to say, to live the life that Jesus would live if Jesus were living our life. Fourth, we are formed in the image of Christ, not for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We have an others-focused faith.

The rest of the book unpacks his incredible definition, and you need to read it.

What defines us and what defiles us... and praying for indifference.

 It's been almost two years since I've written anything for this blog. Maybe it will be the same length between today's post and my next, but I had two things on my mind today that I wanted to write down and typing is easier, and more legible, than writing.

The first comes from today's Lectio 365 app where they are discussing Mark 7:14-19. 

What defines us and what defiles us?

For the Jews in Jesus' day, it was food. But Jesus declares all food clean in this passage (praise God!). 

So what should define us as Jesus followers and what is it that defiles us?

I'm pondering that today.

Second, I read a chapter in Ruth Barton's book, Strengthening the soul of your leadership, that talked about developing discernment to hear God's voice and know his will. One thing she tells us to do is to pray for indifference. That is, pray that we will be indifferent to anything and everything other than God's will.

That is a tough prayer to pray, but I will make it mine today.

Stuff that breaks my heart

I have so much going through my mind, that I don't even know where to begin. In an effort to help me process and communicate what I'm thinking, I'm re-engaging with the blog.

My first thing to share is this: I am heartbroken this morning about the state of the church, and in particular, those who claim to be followers of Jesus. In all honesty, I'm not sure there is any hope for the church in America. Here are a few of the reasons why.

• We're more concerned about politics than about living as citizens of God's kingdom. 
• We care more about political agendas than our friends and families coming to know Jesus.
• We're just like our culture with our lack of civility and us vs. them mindset.
• We can't seem to get along.
• We label and condemn those who believe differently than us, even if the disagreements are about secondary matters.
• We are not known for our love.
• We fallen into the traps of social media.
• We no longer need a church family.
• We no longer really need Jesus, or at least we don't live like it.
• We have so many idols.
• We are prideful and condescending.
• We are closed to correction.

I know we will never be perfect, but that is not an excuse for what we've become. 

It's time to humble ourselves and repent. It's time to get back to our first love.

It's time to pray: Lord, bring revival, and let it begin with me.

Frederick Buechner Books

There are a few authors who breathe a breath of fresh air into my soul every time I read them. Frederick Buechner is one of them. I just finished two of his books, A Crazy, Holy Grace and The Remarkable Ordinary. 

These books are actually collections of some of his speaking engagements, which doesn't lessen their potency. They were just as refreshing and raw as his other books. 

Actually, if there were one word I would use to describe both of these books it would be the word real. 

We need some real in our world of fake.

While I recommend everyone read these books (and all his books for that matter), I believe those who are in the middle of grief, hurt and sickness, might find the most hope in their pages. Over and over again, a face of someone I know, who is in the middle of something difficult, popped into my head as I read. This was especially true in A Crazy, Holy Grace.

The Remarkable Ordinary was almost like a pause button. We don't pause and listen and think very much, or at least it seems that way to me at times. I needed to read this to be reminded to pause and listen.

How about buying something for your soul this Christmas. One or both of these books might just be what your soul has on its Christmas list.

I need to thank Handlebar for providing me these books free of charge to review. 

Toilet for Viello

For many of us, the first thing we do every morning when we get up, and the last thing we do right before we fall asleep is go to the bathroom. Have you ever paused to thank God for your toilet. Toilets really are a gift from God.

Can you imagine life without a toilet? Honestly, I can’t.

What if you had the opportunity to provide a toilet for someone who doesn’t have a toilet?

What if you could provide a toilet for an entire village?

We have the opportunity to do just that for our village in Haiti. Viello is in need of toilet facilities. We’re going to provide them with toilet facilities.

This is an important step in reaching one of the "8 Benchmarks" that Disciple's Village is working towards and that we are partnering with them to work towards in transforming the village of Viello.

Our goal is is to raise $475 in the next 2 weeks. If we raise more than $475 it will go to the next Viello project.

This will purchase the materials to build the toilet. Residents of Viello will be digging the hole for the toilet as well as carrying all the materials up the mountain (by "carry" I mean "hand-carry" cinder blocks, rebar, all building materials up the mountain...).

There are two ways you can contribute to this project. You can give on Sunday or you can give online. Just make sure to mark your gift with "toilet." 

To quote Karen Nichols, this is a "no brainer" for us. Let's be generous.

Watering Thorns

Watering thorns.
Who would do such a thing?
Me.
         - Alicia Britt Chole in The Sacred Slow

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Watering thorns.

Who would do such a thing?

Us.

          - Alicia Britt Chole in The Sacred Slow

S.O.A.P

Yesterday I was reminded of a way to interact with the Bible that can lead to life transformation. It's called the S.O.A.P. study method. I first came across it in Wayne Cordiero's book The Divine Mentor. For some reason, I just sort of let it go in one ear and out the other.

What is S.O.A.P.?
S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. It is a way of getting more out of your time in God's word. 

How does it work?
It's quite simple. When you sit down for your daily quiet time, read the bible as you normally would, with one simple difference. Underline or make note of any verses that jump out at you with special significance. This is the basis for diving deeper and using S.O.A.P.

 ScriptureWrite out or type out the verse or verses that stuck out to you in your reading.  

 ObservationWhat did you observe about the scripture that struck you. This can be one sentence or a whole book. 

 ApplicationHow can you apply the observation so that it affects your life today. 

 PrayerWrite out a prayer to God based on what you just learned and ask him to help you apply this truth in your life. 

It's that simple, but I believe interacting with Scripture on this level, over time, will lead to God doing a transformative work in your life.

Try it out for a little while and then get back with me to let me know how it's going.

Sabbatical Resources

This past Sunday I shared about Hub City's Sabbatical Summer. I will be taking a sabbatical May 16 - August 19. But this isn't just a sabbatical for me. It's a sabbatical for our church family. I believe God is going to do some great things in and through Hub City this summer.

There have been a number of resources that have been helpful to me in planning for this sabbatical.

Books

Leading on Empty
Replenish
Clergy Renewal
Journeying toward Renewal

Websites

Five Reasons your pastor should take a sabbatical
The Darkside of Sabbaticals
Five reasons a pastor's sabbatical blesses everyone
Five Guidelines 
Focus on the Family Sabbatical guide
Soul Shepherding - A Sabbatical guide for pastors
Why your pastor needs a sabbatical (and follow up blog posts)
Yes, your pastor needs a sabbatical

There are a ton of resources out there. I encourage you to google around and learn something new.

And let me reiterate, if you have questions please ask!

Summer sabbatical F.A.Q.s

Yesterday I posted the transcript of my sermon from Sunday sharing about Hub City's Sabbatical Summer. You can read it here. Below is the handout we gave to folks to answer questions.

Summer 2017 F.A.Q.s

What is a sabbatical?

The word sabbatical has its roots in the biblical concept of Sabbath (to rest or to cease). Sabbath keeping is setting aside time that God consecrates and makes holy.

Sabbatical leave is a time for our pastor to shift gears in order to rest, disengage, study, reflect, and travel in order to return to minister among us refreshed and renewed in body, mind and spirit. It is not a time for routine work, mid-career assessment, job search, and not a vacation.

Sabbatical is more than a vacation from meetings, budgets, sermons and people in need. It is a time for Jonathan to receive spiritual nourishment and a change in perspective in order to deepen his relationship with God, himself, and his family—a season of spiritual growth.

This special time will also be a season of growth for the entire congregation. A secondary definition of sabbatical is “a break or change from normal routine.” This is what this summer is going to be for Hub City. We have some strategic things that are going to happen that will help us become healthier and stronger as a church.

How long with Jonathan be on sabbatical?

Jonathan’s last Sunday before the beginning of his sabbatical will be May 14. His first Sunday back will be on August 20.

What will Jonathan be doing on Sabbatical?

Jonathan’s time will be divided into three parts. First, there will be times of silence and solitude for connecting to and hearing from God. Second, there will be times of travel with family, revisiting places that were essential to his spiritual development. Third, there will be times of learning and study.

Who will pay for the Sabbatical?

Jonathan has applied for and received the Clergy Renewal Grant from the Lily Foundation. This money will not only fund his sabbatical activities but also provides funds for the intentional interim and church-health activities.

Will Hub City just be in a “holding pattern” while Jonathan is away?

Absolutely not! We have some strategic activities planned to help the Hub City Church family grow in relationships with each other, make more of a difference in this community and grow as disciples of Jesus. It is important to remember that the sabbatical is a two-way process: While Jonathan is on his journey of renewal, refreshment and reflection, we will embark on a journey as well.

Will Jonathan be in contact with Hub City during his sabbatical?

An important part of a sabbatical is to make a complete break from things. The only people who will be in direct contact with Jonathan while he is away will be his family.

Is there anything I can do for Jonathan?

The best thing you can do is pray for him and his family. You can also lean into the Hub City Church family. Give. Serve. Participate. Invite. Be the Church!

What if a question/concern arises while Jonathan is gone? Who do I call if there’s a crisis? Who should I contact for prayer? Who will cover Jonathan’s responsibilities during his absence?

Below is a list of “who’s doing what” during Jonathan’s sabbatical.

Who’s doing what?

Interim pastor – James Nugent

Pastoral care – James Nugent and Hub Group leaders

Prayer needs – Prayer team - Leslie Hendon

Scheduling and administration – Lisa Tillitson

Building maintenance and emergencies – Maintenance team - Dewayne Pitts

Landscape maintenance – Landscape team - Vaughn Pitts

Bulletin and Announcements – Host and Leslie/Lewis

Finances – Finance team

Special events – Lizz Pitts

-       May 28: Memorial Day Cookout

-       July 2: Lake day after worship

-       August 20: Welcome back party

Hub City University – Mike Adler

Movies in the Park - Team Leader – Lewis Beard

What we’re doing

-       Tentative Dates

o   May 15 – Leadership Community

o   May 16 – Sabbatical begins

o   May 20 – Movies in the Park

o   May 28 – Memorial day cookout/picnic

o   June – Hub City University class

o   June 17 – Movies in the Park

o   June 19 – Leadership Community

o   July 2 – Lake day

o   July – Hub City University class

o   July 15 – Movies in the Park

o   July 17 – Leadership Community

o   August 19 – Movies in the Park

o   August 20 – Welcome back party

o   August 21 – Leadership community

-       This schedule will cement further as we get closer to the summer.