Godsplaining

You’ve heard of mansplaining, right?

Mansplaining is the phenomenon where a man overhears someone, usually a woman, explaining something and, upon detecting something that doesn’t seem quite right, feels compelled to say, “Actually…” followed by an impromptu lecture intended to straighten said woman out.

It’s like the passive aggressive version of explaining, but with an undertone of misogyny, and usually accompanied by an eye roll or a pat on the head. And it always comes unbidden and unfettered by anything as pedestrian as context or empathy. Heaven forbid it be preceded by inquiry. 

No, the mansplain must fly directly and immediately to its target, because it’s an arrow of “truth” in a world full of half-truths and willful ignorance. 

That’s mansplaining. And, while it may seem arrogant or narcissistic, it is our right - nay, our moral obligation - as men, to impart our wisdom, willy-nilly, like Johnny Appleseed, whether or not said wisdom is wanted or needed. Huzzah!

Or not.

Mansplaining is a curse, but unlike most curses, it’s real. If you’re a man, you’ve done it. If you’re a woman, you’ve suffered through it. And right now, I want to officially apologize to everyone I’ve ever mansplained to, and everyone that I will, undoubtedly, mansplain to in the future. I’m sorry. No, really. I am.

But there is another thing that is similar, but not exactly the same, and does not, therefore, fall under the same curse. And that is something I call Godsplaining.

Godsplaining might sound like mansplaining, but it’s not the same. Because Peter told us we have to Godsplain. Remember he said…

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone…(1 Peter 3:15)

So, we have a biblical mandate to Godsplain. If we hear God-talk that sounds a little off, it’s our right - nay, our moral obligation - to impart our wisdom - especially on the internet.

Right?

No need for context or empathy. We MUST give an answer. Peter said so.

Or did he?

Actually…(Oh, no, there I go, Godsplaining. Bear with me.)
Actually, the verse says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

You’re supposed to give an answer IF they ask. You don't give an answer when there's been no question. And then it says…

“But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Keep your eye rolls to yourself. Seriously. And perhaps consider that you might not be as smart as you think. At least that's what Solomon would have suggested. He said, "The way of fools seems right to the fools, but the wise listen to advice." (Proverbs 12:15)

If your first inclination is to start Godsplaining, maybe take a cue from the wisest guy who ever lived, and try listening more than you talk?

"But it's for their own good," you say. "It would be worse to leave them in their error."

Writing that just made me a little ill. Sure, I like to think I've got a handle on some stuff. But, as soon as I start thinking I've got it all figured out, and that my mission is to straighten out those who don't, I start becoming useless to the purposes of God. Because, speaking for God is not about imparting knowledge; it's about expressing His extravagant love through my own love for others.

And if you ever lose sight of this, just remember the words of Paul, who said, "knowledge puffs up, while love builds up." (1 Corintians 8:1b)

He doesn't say that it's bad to collect knowledge. Learning and growing in our knowledge of God and the world should be our lifelong pursuit. But letting that knowledge define us - holding it over others - allowing it to make us feel superior - is the polar opposite of love.

Quit Godsplaining, and start Godlistening. Start hearing others and, when they ask you why you seem so loving, so open, so humble, then you can tell them the reason for the hope that you have.

Because if you've actually managed to shut up long enough to become the person who can listen to others before imparting your fool's wisdom, if you can be humble enough to admit that you might be wrong, if you can make room for differences of opinion, then maybe, just maybe, someone might want to hear your explanation.

That's what Peter was talking about. Go ahead. Do it. Peter said so.

Motivation

At last week's Sunday Quest Gathering, we talked about motivation. What are we motivated by? What fuels us? Is it love or is it fear?

This morning, my friend and fellow Quester, Doug, shared a blog he'd read by Seth Godin that confirmed some of what we discussed (read the whole blog HERE - and subscribe; Godin is terrific and interesting).

Godin suggested that, without motivation, we tend toward apathy, and he listed the following narratives as effective motivators:

• Avoidance of shame (do this work or you'll be seen as a fraud/loser/outcast)
• Becoming a better version of yourself
• Big dreams (because you can see it/feel it/taste it)
• Catastrophe (or the world as we know it will end)
• Competition (someone is gaining on you)
• Compliance (the boss/contract says I have to, and even better, there's a deadline)
• Connection (because others will join in)
• Creative itch (the voice inside of you wants to be expressed)
• Dissatisfaction (because it's not good enough as it is)
• Engineer (because there's a problem to be solved)
• Fame (imagining life is better on the other side)
• Generosity (because it's a chance to contribute)
• It's a living (pay the writer)
• Peer pressure (the reunion is coming up)
• Possibility (because we can, and it'll be neat to see how it works in the world)
• Professionalism (because it's what we do)
• Revenge (you'll show the naysayers)
• Selection (to get in, win the prize, be chosen)
• Unhappiness (because the only glimmer of happiness comes from the next win, after all, we're not good enough as is)

Some of these are positive, some negative. But Doug thought it was interesting that, while Godin never mentions "fear" specifically, fear is part of what fuels nearly all of these narratives.

I added that they all seem to be self-centric. Even the ones that SEEM others-centric, like "generosity," still feel self-centric (i.e., it's a chance to contribute, but why?). And this isn't good or bad; it just is. Godin is merely relaying the truth of things - most people are motivated by self-interest and fear.

Be we need to push against that. Hopefully, that's part of what makes us different - Questers specifically and Christians generally. Following Jesus rearranges our priorities and our motivations.

Jesus says that people will know we follow him because of the extravagant way we love (John 13:35). And the kind of love he was talking about - agape or unconditional love - has very little to do with self-interest or fear, and everything to do with subjugating our own needs in favor of the needs of others (Phil 2:3).

This narrative has the power to change you and change the people around you, because, like we said Sunday, it's not natural - it's not pragmatic or intuitive -  but it is infectious and powerful because it springs from the knowledge that we no longer need to live in fear - this kind of love that Jesus talks about dispels fear by rendering it powerless (1 John 4:18). 

It's a better narrative, and it goes something like this: 

• Jesus follower (love because he first loved us)

Unlike the narratives listed above, this narrative can do much more than keep you motivated. This narrative can change the world.

How's that for good news?

Pressure

So, I'm driving my bride to her dental appointment because she can't really drive herself. She's still recovering from her dreadful fall at the skating rink last Wednesday - still hurting pretty much everywhere - still pretty medicated. And there's no way you could sit next to someone who's so battered - in so much pain - and still feel sorry for yourself. And yet, I did.

I'm feeling a lot of pressure to make the most of the next few months at Quest. We really need to make a go of it if we hope to keep this thing​ going. And now that I'm working 25 hours a week outside the church, I'm spread pretty thin.

So I shared my angst with my poor, suffering Kim. And she immediately proved the thesis of this week's message. 

This week, we're talking about who we are to our people - that is, if we're walking the Way of Jesus, God will use us as lifelines to our people - our friends and family - our neighbors and co-workers. 

So I confessed my stress to my gal, and she immediately responded, "Stop worrying. This will either work or it won't. This church is in God's hands."

She spoke life to me. 

Because she is walking on the Way, God used her to give me exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Right then, that was like oxygen to me.

So I'm gonna quit whining and just do what I need to do. God, it's in your hands. Take my efforts and multiply them. Amen.

R.I.P. - Dearest Liz

Friday morning, right before I left for work, I received notice that my dear friend, Liz, had died. 

When I first entered full-time ministry, back in 2004, Bob and Liz were one of the first older couples who really extended a hand to me. 

They were saucy and un-PC, but not in a racist or mean way, like SOME older people get - they were deliciously un-PC and hilarious. 

I'll never forget when Liz, who was 40 years my senior, saw me in a jacket and tie for the first time. 

She snuck up next to me, gave my arm a squeeze, and said, under her breath, "Hey, you clean up pretty good." And then she smiled and winked at me. 

I responded with something like, "You're looking pretty good yourself, young lady," but, even though I was trying to play it cool, I don't think my face had ever been so red. She got me good. That was a quintessential "Liz moment." 

In retrospect, I think Bob and Liz were a perfect example of people who'd been authentically transformed by the love of Jesus, because they were fully on-board with the mission of Jesus and his church, but yet were still wholly, authentically themselves. 

With Bob and Liz, what you saw was what you got. They never put on a mask or pretended to be perfect, they just served and lived and loved, in their very Bob-and-Liz sort of way. 

When Bob’s health started to decline, I wanted to do what I could to be a friend to Bob and to help out Liz. I would swing by once a week to help with some household chores and play Rummikub with Bob (who almost always won - I’m pretty sure he cheated). And during that time, I got to know both of them much better. So when Bob passed, I was crushed. 

I stopped by several times after that, to see how Liz was doing, and sometimes I spent the whole time trying to help her with her new iPad, but other times, we had long talks about her hubby, and her kids, and her time in the military, and her love and concern for the church, and her ideas about the afterlife, and all sorts of other interesting things. 

It was during these visits that I learned what a tough old broad Liz was, and I kept thinking to myself, "Man, I wish I'd met this couple 20 years sooner. I bet they were a hoot. How much could I have learned from them?" 

But then I moved to Chicagoland to plant a church, and Liz and I kind of lost touch. We played Words With Friends for awhile, but then she got sick, and we didn't even do that anymore. I feel bad that I only got to see her one more time after I moved up here, especially now that it's too late. 

And I'm sure they had an impact on many people over the years, but they definitely had an impact on me. If they'd done nothing but change the way I think about what devoted, lifelong Jesus followers are supposed to look like, that would've been enough, because there's a little bit of Bob and Liz in every sermon I give. 

Their lives, lived on the Way of Jesus, are a significant part of my evidence that what I teach is actually true. 

But what would've happened had Bob and Liz considered their faith a “personal thing - just between them and God?” And what if I'd never visited Bob as his health began to decline? And what if I'd never thought to check on Liz after Bob passed? I would've lost so much. 

But that's NOT what happened. And there's only one reason for it. 

The church. That rickety, broken-down, antiquated institution that Bob and Liz loved so much. That's the common thread that made it all happen. 

They never would've met me if not for the church. 

I never would've gotten to know them if not for the church. 

Our lives collided because God, in his infinite wisdom, designed the church to crash people like Bob and Liz and me together. 

That’s the whole point. 

I will miss them.

Ed

What in the world...?

HAS EVERYONE GONE CRAZY?

It might seem like that. People seem more tense than ever. It seems like everything's a battle, and there's blood everywhere. The world seems pretty broken, and the future looks mighty dim, and we're all shaking our heads, wondering how we got to this crazy place. But here's the thing...

This is nothing new. The world's crazy. Always has been.

There is, however, a path that helps us make sense of it and navigate it and maybe even make a dent in it. And that path is called The Way of Jesus.

But The Way of Jesus is all about steps. 

So this is your formal invitation to Step One.

The Way of Jesus, like any path to a place where you've never been, is better walked with someone who knows the way, or at least someone who's a few steps ahead of you. So, Step One on The Way of Jesus is to find some running partners, some navigators, some guides.

We're inviting you to join us. We Questers are asking the very same questions you're asking, but we think we've found a path through the crazy. We're feeling our own way down this path, and we're inviting you to get on it with us.

It may be bumpy and dangerous, but what way isn't? And at least on this Way, you don't have to go it alone, and it's headed toward someplace we think you'll like.

Take the first step by joining us at our Sunday Gathering.

Courage is...

When we think of courage, we tend to think about people throwing themselves on top of an exploding hand grenade or battling a terrible illness or taking great risks to aid disaster victims. But courage comes in all shapes and sizes.

Sometimes it takes a surprising degree of courage just to get out of bed in the morning.

And while we may not be called to fight off wild dingos in order to save a newborn or jump onto a moving train in order to rescue the President, many of the things we ARE called to may require almost as much courage.

In fact, sometimes it requires enormous amounts of courage just to continue doing what you've been doing. 

We've been talking on Sundays about the value of waiting. We've been discussing how waiting on God is all about trust, but how sometimes it's really hard, because we don't see results. 

But here's the thing:

Sometimes the value is not in the receiving but in the trusting. Sometimes it's not about input/output or give/receive or cost/benefit. Sometimes it's all about persevering. 

This is why Paul tells us that "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:4-5) These things are listed in succession on purpose. Sometimes we must suffer to build strength and integrity, and only then can we experience hope. 

But notice that nowhere in that list do we find "quitting" as an option. It doesn't say, "suffering produces misery; misery, complaining; complaining, quitting." Whatever mission we're called to, there is intrinsic value in seeing it through to completion.

And this progression is absolutely critical if we expect to stay on mission. Perseverance is pleasing to God. He loves it when we respond to his call and hang on for dear life. This is why Jesus tells us that the one who takes risks and stays on mission will be considered faithful and will ultimately reap the rewards of their perseverance, which includes high praise and increased responsibility. 

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" (Matthew 25:21&23).

If we play it safe, if we avoid risk, or worse yet, if we quit, the rest of that parable doesn't favor us. 

We know the passage that says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" but shouldn't that lead to the logical conclusion that, if we know we're on mission, if we know God has called us to something, what could be better than that? Even if we aren't seeing the outcomes that we'd like or expect, why would we want to be anywhere else?

Most of the time, being bold and courageous is just about hanging on. It's about waiting well. It's about trusting God. 

Be bold and courageous. 

How long?

Waiting is hard.

We don't like waiting. That's why we like microwave ovens. It's hard to make a case for microwaves, as far as food quality and taste are concerned. But they win, hands-down, in the not-waiting department. So everyone has one. Because we hate waiting.

But last Sunday, we talked about the value of waiting (listen HERE) - about trusting God's timing.

Unfortunately, as Peter reminds us, to God "a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day." So, even if God is right on top of things, it might not seem like it to us.

But, think about this...

When we read that passage, we tend to focus on the "a thousand years is like a day" part. And that makes us think that God doesn't really care about the fact that our waiting seems very long. "If a thousand years is just like a day to God, then our lives are just a blip. Our life is like nothing at all to him."

But that's only half of that verse. The other half says, "a day is like a thousand years." Think about that. Perhaps millennia are like minutes to God, but apparently, a minute is like a millennium as well. 

In every moment, God sees infinite possibility - he experiences a thousand years' worth of experiences in every moment. So he sees big as small, but he also sees small as big. 

Consequently, our lives are not a meaningless blip to him, but rather an infinite array of beautiful possibilities - a thousand lives crammed into one. 

And because he IS God - because he knows each possible permutation - because he knows what happens if we do this or that - and he knows how it all turns out when we do - he is the ultimate authority on when to do what, amen?

So waiting on the Lord is just trusting that. Do you believe he knows? Or perhaps more importantly, do you believe he cares? If you do, learn to wait. Because it is in the waiting that we see him working. Maybe not in real time, but definitely in retrospect.

Waiting is hard. But it's worth it.

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Change can be scary.

Sometimes it springs from necessity, sometimes just a desire for novelty. But change is neither categorically good or bad. It just is.

Admittedly, when considering the coming year, there's much to be nervous about. But there's also much to be excited about - at least from a Quest Church standpoint.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to reach a brand new segment of our community. Our move back to mornings (9 a.m.) and to Orbit Skate Center carries with it the possibility to connect with young families and their children in ways that have never been possible before.

So, what shall we do with this opportunity?

I vote we run with it.

We've been talking about how life - how walking The Way of Jesus - is either an adventure or nothing. Now's the time to embrace this. 

Not sure what it will look like, just yet, but, over the next month, things are gonna change big and fast. Let's grab that change and run with it.

There will be lots of ways you can do that. Stay tuned. 

An interesting year

You might think calling 2016 "an interesting year" is an understatement. And you'd probably be right.

But it HAS been an interesting year. 

Never mind all of the political shenanigans and the Black Lives Matter movement and the ascension of ISIS. Irrespective of all those things, it has still been interesting.

And as the holidays wind up and the year winds down, many of us find ourselves wool-gathering. That is, we're trying to take a good look at where we've been and where we're going.

I would guess Mary and Joseph would've had ample time to do likewise, as they spent about a week traveling to Bethlehem.

If our year was interesting, theirs was downright insane.

And we'll be hearing some about that this coming Sunday at our Quest gathering.

But last Sunday, we talked about how advent literally means "eagerly, anxiously awaiting the arrival of something or someone."

So, Mary and Joseph are expecting a baby; and what better way to describe the nine months between conception and delivery? Aren't all expectant parents are eagerly, anxiously awaiting the arrival of someone? So all expectant parents are, in a sense, experiencing advent.

If you're a parent, and you're having trouble connecting with this season, think about that.

Think about what it was like during that nine-month period when you were expecting your first kid. If you're normal, you were a jumble of mixed emotions - fear, excitement, anxiety, hope, worry, wonder - did I already say fear? - but all of that was underscored by an overwhelming sense of responsibility and purpose. And how you responded to all of that characterized those nine months.

Now take that mish-mash of emotions, and add the fact that your baby is the incarnate creator of the universe. How does one deal with that? Never mind how you're going to decorate the nursery or whether you're going to use cloth or disposable diapers; try wrapping your head around the whole "baby king" thing.

Many people tend to revere Joseph and Mary, and others want to sweep them under the rug. But I would argue that, how they responded to this crazy situation is a vital part of what makes the birth story so compelling. It doesn't make them divine, but it certainly suggests that they were worthy of consideration and respect.

Come join us Sunday, as we dig a little deeper, trying to understand who Mary and Joseph were and how they responded to the fact that they were expected to raise the Messiah.

Why adventure?

You might ask why we're calling our Christmas message series Adventure, or more accurately, ADVENT|URE. But, you might do well to back up a bit and ask the more basic question, why do we call our church "Quest?"

What's so adventure-y about Christmas? And what's so Quest-y about church?

Good questions.

We call this time leading up to Christmas "Advent" because advent literally means "to arrive" or "to come." But it also carries with it the idea of anticipation. So advent means anxiously awaiting the arrival of something or someone.

Which is certainly what we do as we consider the arrival of the Christ child.

But "adventure" takes advent a step further. Advent means to arrive, but the suffix -ure means "to go." So, adventure literally means, "go, so that you can arrive." But it also carries with it the idea of anticipation from the root "advent," as well as a new idea of undertaking unknown risks in order to get there.

So "going on an adventure" means undertaking a journey, eagerly anticipated in spite of risk, because arriving at your destination will be worth whatever danger you encounter on the way.

And this journey is at the center of all that we do. It's the central concept of the gospel. We're like Bilbo Baggins with his backpack, running out of the Shire, hollering to anyone who will listen, "I'm going on an adventure!"

Is this how you see your walk with Jesus and his people?

Is your spiritual life more like Frodo's long walk to Mordor, with his Fellowship of the Ring, or is it more like playing basketball once a week at the YMCA with a couple acquaintances?

I would argue that the gospel is either an adventure or nothing. It's either a journey to someplace that's so great it's worth the risk, or it's a waste of time.

And what's another word for that journey? A quest, perhaps?

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Join us at Quest in December to learn how the birth of this baby in Bethlehem fits into this Advent adventure.

www.quest-church.com

Who's safe?

Wow.

I changed my profile pic, and I pinned a safety pin on my shirt, and I made it clear that I was doing it so that people who feel marginalized by the current political climate know they have an ally in me. It says, "I'm safe."

This is about me and the people who feel marginalized. It's not about Trump or the people who voted for him (or the people who voted for Hillary, for that matter). I don't think this pin will magically help anybody or supernaturally defuse conflict. I'm just saying, "I get why you're worried, and I stand with you." 

It's about extending peace - shalom - to those who feel their nation has declared war on them - Hispanics, LGBT, Muslims, women, other racial minorities, immigrants in general - and saying it is my intent to be an agent of peace in this season of tension. I don't know what that looks like exactly, but I'm willing to try and figure it out.

And for some weird reason, that really ticks some people off. It's caused a number of people to say really ugly things about me, to dismiss me as an intellectual lightweight, and to accuse me of being a pawn of the media. 

I even had to unfriend a Facebook friend. I NEVER do that! But his reaction was so ugly it was making me lose my own peace. I don't understand why he cares that I care.

So, I'm trying to figure out what we can learn from this.

Apparently it's true that being a peacemaker is counter-cultural. 

When Jesus listed the eight qualities that would characterize the citizens of his upside-down kingdom, he included "peacemaker," because he knew it doesn't come naturally. Peace is a hallmark of the Way of Jesus, and it's the whole point of the gospel. Whatever you think it's about - staying holy, staying out of hell, staying on God's good side - whatever you think it's about, it's really about peace. It's about restoring shalom to God's good creation.

And until it's all restored - until Jesus returns - as long as we're here to represent him - it's all about hospitality - about extending grace and peace to the neighbor, the refugee, the immigrant, the outsider, the Samaritan.

And in Matthew 5:9, we learn that, in Jesus' kingdom, the peacemaker is already blessed because she is a "child of God." She reflects her maker.

So, when we look around today, we see shalom is fractured. Peace is overturned. People are heartsick and afraid. And, as Jesus followers, we shouldn't be worried about whether we have the best arguments, or whether we voted for the best set of policies. That season is OVER. 

As Jesus followers, we need to be the ones with the glue and the bandages, picking up the pieces and putting things back together and bandaging peoples' wounds and reassuring the broken - even if it makes us look like intellectual lightweights or pawns of the media.

We need to make peace. But making peace is counter-cultural. So we shouldn't be surprised when trying to make peace actually causes strife. Really, it just proves my point.

Not sure what I'm going to do about the arguably harmless safety pin on my lapel, but I know that, every day, I'll be praying for our broken, confused, angry, conflict-obsessed nation. And safety pin or not, I will do whatever I can to make peace in this uncertain season. 

And, yes, maybe I'll just start with a safety pin. At least it's a start.

Election Hangover

Wow. That was a bit of a shock.

The election is over and the nation is reeling. Some are tipping a glass; others are surfing the Canadian immigration website. In many cases, the former see God's hand of blessing, and the latter, his hand of judgment.

I'd like to offer a third option:

What if God didn't have a hand in this election at all?

I know Paul says that no government is in power except that which is "instituted by God," but the purpose of that passage (Romans 13:1-5) is to say that, once leadership is established, we should submit to it rather than be in constant conflict with it, because the purpose of government is to maintain order, and God is a god of order, not disorder.

It's not about God putting his favorite people in power. Besides, in Paul's day, leaders weren't elected by the governed, so this was Paul's way of calming the zealots and pointing them away from conflict and toward peace.

So what does God have to do with elections? Is God a god of the ballot box? 

Remember when Jesus said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"? (John 14:9) If we want to see how God works, we should look at Jesus.

The religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus' teaching, so they captured him and delivered him to the authorities, accusing him of trying to lead a rebellion and calling himself "The King of the Jews." 

The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was a smart guy, and he knew something was fishy, so he gave Jesus an opportunity to defend himself. Jesus could have easily deflected blame and gotten back to work building his grass-roots movement. But he chose another route. 

He said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest...my kingdom is from another place."

Can God put people in office? Sure.

Does God put people in office? That's another thing, altogether.

Remember, our king is not housed in the Oval Office, the Capitol, the Pentagon, or any other building, but rather he resides in the hearts of us - his followers. And in order to take up residence there, he submitted. He didn't fight. He didn't rage. He didn't run. He offered himself up.

That's how we won. We thought it was about battles and nations and earthly kings, but actually, it was about surrender.

So, stand on Paul's advice, "Do not lose heart...our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:16 & 18)

Deep breaths. This guy is not our king and the battle is already won. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work bandaging wounds and cleaning up the mess.

Amen?

Psalm Challenge

Sunday, near the end of my message, I challenged everyone to pick a Psalm at random and read it. 

Then, keeping in mind our conversation about how the Psalms are poems, and about how poems are a collision of order and chaos, I asked you to share any observations along those lines - just a sentence or two - nothing elaborate.

So, I will be posting my observations to the Quest Facebook page shortly, so you can respond either there or here or both.

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I picked Psalm 27 totally at random, and here's what I found:

It starts with a boast of confidence in God - "Whom shall I fear? I will be confident even in the face of my enemies." But then, immediately he changes course and basically says, "One thing I seek - to have the safety and security of a relationship with God." 

This is a really good example of what we've been talking about. David's essentially saying, "God's got my back - so, I hope he's got my back." Lol.

He says, "My enemies don't have a chance," but then he says, "IF you take me in, God, my enemies will fall."

See, David's no different than us. If David can experience doubt, why do we think we won't?

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Okay, what did YOU find? Can't wait to hear...

A New Song

Recently, I've been talking more than usual about discipline. Not like disciplining your kids or church discipline or something of that nature, but rather, personal discipline.

Maybe that's because I'm feeling a little personally undisciplined, of late. Or maybe not. But regardless, it has seemed to be on my heart more than normal.

Maybe that's why I felt compelled to spend some time talking about the Psalms.

I think the Psalms tend to get swept under the rug more than they should.

As contemporary Christians, we tend to focus on the New Testament - that is, the parts of the Bible written after the birth of Jesus - and I think we tend to think we're maybe a bit too, uhm, cosmopolitan for the Psalms.

But, that is SO not true.

I think it's no coincidence that the Psalms are nestled right in the middle of our modern Bible, because they are the very heart of God's people, poured out onto the floor of the temple. They're the cry of our heart, as we reach out to God.

They're beautiful and tragic and challenging and cathartic.

So, we're going to spend a little time there.

In fact, I think we're going to land there now, and maybe return there for a bit next Spring, as well.

Join us as we drink in these beautiful, ancient heartsongs.

Introducing ONRAMP

So, last Sunday, we let everyone know that we were changing the way we do midweek grouplife at Quest.

Instead of various types of meetings and whatnot, we're going to try an intentional disciplemaking approach called ONRAMP.

You can find details about upcoming ONRAMP gatherings and RSVP HERE.

But here's a brief description of how it will work…

Our lives are busy and chaotic, and it's hard to find time to slow down, take a deep breath, and consider big ideas. Our lives are so complex that we barely have time to think big - especially when it comes to God stuff. But the big ideas matter; God stuff matters. 

If you're like us, you've tried and tried to find a way to think more deeply about God stuff - blogs, Bible studies, small groups, Sunday school, online discussions - but it's a little like trying to parachute into the middle of a speeding interstate highway…

Enter ONRAMP.

ONRAMP is a safe way to exit your daily chaos and merge into the deeper streams of God.

You don't need to be a Bible scholar or a career theologian to understand this stuff. You just need to slow down and enter into conversation with others who are looking for the same things. It's not rocket science. That's why Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Join us at ONRAMP. Slow down. Have a drink. Think deep. Explore.

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Without being a slave to structure, our ONRAMP gatherings will reflect the following values and hold to the following format:

VALUES

Dialog | Dependence | Discovery | Discipline

We'll value dialog.

No one person, not even the ONRAMP facilitator, will be allowed to dominate the conversation. This will be a discussion, not a lecture. And it'll be a safe place to share and self-discover.

We'll value dependence.

While this is a Christian-led exploration of Bible texts, we'll depend on the Spirit to "lead us into all truth." So we'll be less worried about correcting people than about encouraging the free exchange of ideas.

We'll value discovery.
We believe the writer of Hebrews, when he says, "The Word of God is alive and active." When we open the Bible and wrestle with its contents, truth will continually rise to the surface. And that's what we're looking for.

We'll value discipline.
We think following the Way of Jesus is an intrinsic good. And in order to do that in our busy lives, we need to develop habits and practices that help us follow him. We hope ONRAMP will be one of those practices.

- - - - -

FORMAT
At each gathering, we'll spend a few minutes breaking the ice and getting to know each other.

Then we'll use a predictable method to explore a particular passage from the Bible.

We'll read the passage aloud and then ask the following five questions:

• What does this tell us about God? 
• What does this tell us about people? 
• What else did we learn? 
• If we believe this is true, what might we do differently? 
• If we put this into practice, what would be the challenges/benefits? 

You’ll be amazed at how these five questions open up the text and draw insight from it.

Join us at ONRAMP!

Come as you are

Come as you are. This is Jesus' invitation.

The invitation was given by Jesus in the words recorded by his disciple Matthew:

“Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

The invitation is also repeated in a song Quest frequently sings:

Come out of sadness from wherever you've been
Come broken-hearted, let rescue begin
Come find your mercy, O sinner, come kneel
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal

Hear the invitation of Jesus in the words of the song:

There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table; come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't cure

Of course Jesus' invitation is not to come as we are with all our problems, issues, and burdens, and just remain that way -- weary and heavy laden. No, the invitation is to lay down our burdens:

Lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken, lift up your face
O wanderer, come home; You're not too far
So lay down your hurt; lay down your heart
Come as you are

In the words of this passage (Jesus' words), you will find rest for your souls.

This is the way of Jesus: Come as you are but don't stay that way.

- Brian McMillan

The Biggest Threat

When I first joined Theology Pub, I did it to be edgy. 

I was launching a new church that I hoped would attract all the skeptical, hipster, twenty-somethings. And I hoped Theology Pub might be a doorway into that world.

It wasn’t. But, it turned out to be much more interesting than that.

Theology Pub meets in a pub, and is made up of folks who have both an interest in God-stuff and a membership in a web service called meetup.com. 

At first, I was just an attender. I showed up for the fireworks. It was thrilling to observe the conversational ebb and flow, and watch how some people moved the conversation forward, and others - either intentionally or accidentally - derailed it. 

But when I took the group over, I discovered how challenging it was to facilitate.

Theology Pub has been an awesome training ground for extending grace to those who believe differently. Over the past three years, we’ve had pagans, atheists, orthodox Jews, not-so-orthodox Jews, progressives, conservatives, gay, straight, agnostics, astrologers, wiccans, tea partiers, theologians, pastors, skeptics, seekers, and a few regular, old Christians.

This level of diversity makes it absolutely essential to state, up front, that, in this context, all views and opinions carry equal value. We’re not making any claims about the veracity of those opinions, only their relative value within this discussion space. If you don’t make this clear, fundamentalists will ruin everything. 

Since I took over, we’ve had three major threats - a preacher, a new-ager, and an atheist. All were fundamentalists. All attended under the pretense of open-mindedness. But they just couldn’t help themselves; they had to be right, and everyone else wrong.

With certainty, it seems, comes an appearance of arrogance; it seems to be a package deal. I tried to convince them to leave their certitude at the door, to no avail. So, I had to block them. They drove people away, and nearly killed the group.

When facilitating a group like this, it is paramount that you make room for differences of opinion, affirm even ideas that you find peculiar, and shut down certainty. 

In fact, I consider it a badge of honor that a first-time attender once asked me, “Do you believe anything?” I do; but I was tickled that she wasn’t sure. 

You’ll be tempted to answer every question - to be “the certain one” - but consider that your Q Place might be the very first time a person has stopped to think through what they believe. And when that happens, it’s beautiful.

Because, the whole point of a group like this is that, when you make room for self-discovery, you create space for the Holy Spirit to do His work. He will use you to show how He loves. He will use you to protect those who are far from him. And only in that protected space, can people open their hearts to hear from Him.

Blessings,

Pastor Ed

Cycle of Prayer

(from the transcript of Ed’s 9/4/16 message) 

The Cycle of Prayer consists of four elements that are essential for an effective prayer life. And those four things are...

- PRAY

- TRUST

- RELEASE

- PEACE

What that means is that, first, we must actually act. We must pray. Prayer is an actual thing that we do. And this act of prayer begins the cycle.

But prayer isn't just words. It's not an incantation, like in a Harry Potter movie. 

Prayer is more like a spiritual trust fall. We bring our petitions to God, not in an effort to get him to do something, but as a recognition that we understand that he's in control.

The more we do this, the less God seems like a genie, or a vending machine, and the more he seems like a father. 

So, first we pray, then we trust.

And this trust can't just be an intellectual trust. We must respond appropriately. That's part of trust. If we pray, and we feel called to do something, we need to do it. That's the trust fall.

And when we do that, just like in a real trust fall, we release the outcomes to others. We close our eyes and take a leap of faith, trusting that God's got our back. 

But in order to do that, we have to stop thinking that the end results are on us. God uses us, but HE produces the outcomes.

That's why Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)

We must trust and respond, but God makes it happen. We leave the saving to God - we just show up.

So, we pray, trust, and release, and as a consequence, God gives us peace.

We've come to him in trust, we've responded, we've released the outcomes to him, and now God gives us peace, because we've done all he asked, and we can know that he's got it from here.

And then we start all over again.

Pray, trust, release, peace.

(And here’s some additional insight for today)

The more we pray, trust, and release, the more we begin to align with the will of God, and the more likely we are to pray for the things that were already on his mind.

God will begin to make your heart break for what breaks his heart, and he will remake you into the person who can love them into a relationship with Jesus.

What’s really awesome about this is that it makes interceding for another soul the greatest possible act of love. It means you are willing to be remade to love them better.

God does the remaking; he does the softening. But he still brings people to himself through us. And if we aren't preparing ourselves for them, where will they go? He doesn't soften their hearts because we ask him to, he softens them because we came to him in the first place.

Then he gives us what we need to walk them in.

Prayer Challenge

Something happens when we pray. 

If you’ve been praying awhile, you know that your prayers often fall infuriatingly flat. 

In fact, I have a relative who prays diligently, day-and-night, and she recently told me that she must be cursed because whatever she prays for, the opposite always seems to happen.

But just because we don’t get what we pray for, doesn’t mean that nothing happens.

If we pray with purpose and on purpose - especially when we pray for others, like our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and classmates - we will experience something. Stuff happens.

- Our interest piques (people become more interesting)

- Our investment grows (people get more of our time)

- Our influence increases (people begin to listen to us)

- Our attitude improves (we enjoy people more)

- Our assumptions change (we judge people less)

- Our apathy disintegrates (we lean into people’s lives)

We become the kind of people that are on mission with God; the kind of folks that God enlists to lead people onto the Way of Jesus. We develop empathy and compassion and intentionality in our relationships with others.

And this is why we’re called to pray for others.

So here’s your challenge for this week:

Pray behind three people’s backs.

Take your noticing skills to the next level. Notice three people (can be the same ones from last week, or totally different folks) and secretly pray for them. Don’t ask. Don’t pray out loud. Instead, before or after you encounter them, silently pray for them, perhaps in reference to something you’ve noticed. 

For example, let’s say you notice a mother at the store, and her kids are acting up. Pray that her kids will behave, that she will have patience and peace, and that people will not call her out for just trying to do her best as a mother.

Or perhaps you notice someone who is working hard, maybe on a road crew, and they look exhausted. Pray that they will be safe and have the strength to make it through the day. Then pray that they get good treatment on the job, and good rest and support from home.

See how this works?

Notice three and bless them. Go!

you are the choir

Some churches have identified choirs. But when Quest gathers to worship, the Quest congregation is the choir.

Choirs tend to perform for audiences. The Quest choir/congregation is no different.

The only difference is that some choirs understand their audience to be the gathered congregation; the Quest choir's audience is God.

When we gather to worship on Sundays, we are all performing for an audience of One. It's as though we - congregation/choir and worship team - are all on a stage and God is in the audience. In fact, God is not in the audience, rather God is the audience.

So sing out! God is our audience! Make a joyful noise!

- Brian McMillan

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