Faithful Alternative

Advent Story - December 13th

2011-12-13T01:43:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 12th

2011-12-12T01:41:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 11th

2011-12-11T01:38:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 10th

2011-12-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 9th

2011-12-09T01:32:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 8th

2011-12-08T01:30:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 7th

2011-12-07T01:26:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 6th

2011-12-06T01:23:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 5th

2011-12-05T01:12:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 4th

2011-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 3rd

2011-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Advent Story-December 2nd

2011-12-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

Advent Story - December 1st

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Advent Storybook-Introduction

2011-11-30T09:15:00.000-08:00

Childlike Expectation

2011-11-30T09:13:00.000-08:00

I remember as a child I could hardly contain my pure excitement as I waited for Christmas to finally arrive. There was magic in the air and, at times, I could hardly contain my anticipation. Now that I’m older, a lot of the anticipation and magic are gone. There are still wonderful family traditions and joys of the season, but many times it seems like the anticipation is replaced with anxious scurrying and to-do lists.

Advent is the season for preparation and anticipation in the church. If we were to truly follow what the seasons of the church year dictate, we wouldn’t decorate our church or sing a Christmas Carol before December 24^th. And then the idea is, on Christmas Eve we would be blown away by the transformation and the joy of Christmas which we would celebrate for 12 days. Following that practice year after year would lead to true anticipation and preparation—that is if we weren’t so bombarded by Christmas in the rest of the world starting in early November. By the time the day after Christmas comes, we’re kind of sick of it all and ready to move on, not truly wanting to celebrate Christmas for another 12 days (which is the true season of Christmas in the church).

This year I hope that we can rekindle that childlike anticipation and joy as we wait, not for the coming of a man in a red coat and hat, but for the birth of our Savior, the Prince of Peace. To help with this, I’ve found a book called, “Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas” by Antonie Schneider. It is a children’s book that tells simple stories about a bear named Benjamin as he waits for Christmas. Each day beginning November 30^th, you can go to my blog through our website (kenoshawesley.org) and you will find a video as I read a story from the book (each story is about 60 seconds or so). On Sunday mornings, I will also read the appropriate story to our children at children’s time.

If there is a hell, baptism isn't going to do squat for you.

2011-07-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

I received another phone call today asking for me to do a baptism for a few children who's parents have no interest in being a part of the church and aren't interested in the Christian faith what-so-ever. While I thought this type of thinking died long ago, it seems to me that baptism is still seen as fire insurance (i.e., if our child dies, if they're not baptized they're going to hell) or as a rite of passage, like a child's first birthday or high school graduation.

I have to tell you, I just don't get it. Seeing baptism as a rite of passage when there is no faith commitment is just like a couple looking to get married in the church because they've always dreamed of a white wedding in a church, but don't want God or Jesus mentioned in the ceremony at all because they don't believe in God (yes, I've had that conversation). This makes the church and the Christian faith little more than window dressing or a scenic backdrop and belittles what our faith is actually about.

Seeing baptism as "fire insurance" is more troubling. To think that God would send anyone to hell (especially children) because we haven't performed the qualifying ritual makes God out to be rather random, arbitrary, and cruel. Baptism then becomes like the early Christians who wanted to continue to practice Jewish circumcision (who Paul addressed in Galatians), rather than a symbol of God's grace and love.

We believe that God's love is continually reaching out to all of us--that Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to be in a loving relationship with God and our neighbor--and that nothing can defeat the power of that love . . . not even death. The Christian faith is about ongoing, loving relationship and the power of God's love to make that relationship possible and flourish.

To boil eternity and the power of this relationship down to the ritual of baptism is like saying as long as you take a multivitamin, you can eat McDonalds for every meal and your physical health will be just fine.

I put so much hope and trust in God's love for us that I pray that no one is ever left out, no matter how long God must strive to reach them--even to the ends of eternity (that's why the title says, "If there is a hell." There's more in Scripture against me than for me on that point because God will never force himself on us if we want to turn away eternally, but I also see the relentlessness of God's love as an overall theme throughout the Scriptures.

Either way, let's give up the hocus pocus , the superstitious, cultic tendencies that we cling to and pretend are Christian. They cheapen the power of the Gospel and God's grace. Let's instead cling to the love and grace of Jesus Christ that will never stop pursuing us or those we love.

Amazing Grace

2011-04-27T21:52:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen it, go out and rent the movie "Amazing Grace," and watch the special features.

Easter, Human Trafficking, and Modern Day Slavery

2011-04-07T12:02:00.001-07:00

Many people decide to give up something for Lent. One of the most popular things to give up is sweets, especially chocolate. At the end of this 40 day season, there is a quick reprieve as Easter Baskets are filled with chocolate bunnies, eggs, and even crosses. But, did you know that if you celebrate Easter with chocolate you may be unknowingly supporting human trafficking, child labor, and child slavery.

You see, over 40% of the world's Cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast in Africa. The market prices are controlled, in large part by the large chocolate companies. For every $1.00 spent on chocolate these companies get 70 cents and the farmers get a nickel. The farmers then use child labor and children who've been stolen from their homes as slave laborers in order to sustain their operations. This has not been a secret from these corporations making their profits on the backs of these children.

From what I've read, while most large chocolate companies are complicit in this practice, Hershey and M&M/Mars are two of the biggest benefactors of this system. And so when we buy candy, especially chocolate from these companies, we're supporting these business practices with our patronage.

What is especially disturbing to me is that we proclaim Christ rose from the grave to set us free from bondage to sin and death--and filling Easter baskets with these products brings people into and keeps them in literal bondage. We end up working against the very Gospel we proclaim and celebrate.

And so I urge everyone to fill their Easter baskets with Fair Trade Chocolate. Yes, it will be more expensive than what you will find in Walmart, Target, and the grocery store. And that's something we will feel in our pocket, even if it's a small pinch, during tough times for some. However, if we do not change our buying practices, there are children who will live lives of bondage, fear, hopelessness and degradation. We may never meet them, but I personally don't want to be any part of this system.

If you want to go further, write to the VP of Marketing for Hershey and Mars/M&M. They concerned about your dollar and your dollar walking out the door. These companies have handshake agreements to work on changing these practices, but continue to delay putting them into action (the first handshake agreement/protocol in 2001 and continues to be kicked down the road).

As the largest chocolate consuming country in the world, let's celebrate this Easter by proclaiming and living out the freedom Christ offers not only in our churches, but throughout the world by standing up for those who cannot do so for themselves.

For more information see:

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/mmfaq.html

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/06/the-dark-side-of-chocolate/?hpt=Sbin

http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=2952659&ct=7491087&notoc=1

A God of Abundance

2011-01-19T13:42:00.000-08:00

A young child wrote this note to his pastor.

"Dear minister, I'm sorry I can't leave more money in the plate Sunday, but my father didn't give me a raise in my allowance. Could you give a sermon about a raise in my allowance? It would help the church get more money."

As funny as this is, many of us approach giving in this way, whether it's to the church or to any other organization that helps those in need. We'd give more if only we had a little more to give. We just need that raise and everything will be so much easier. There's only so much to go around and there's just not enough right now.

Unfortunately, this paints a false picture of God. Our world tells us over and over that resources are scarce. There's only so much to go around. And so we can only give so much because otherwise there won't be enough left for us. We spend so much time and energy acquiring and worrying about what we don't have and often are so measured and cautious with what give because we believe there isn't going to be enough. This is the myth of scarcity. That God hasn't given his children enough to go around. This is not the God we worship.

The truth is, we believe that the God we worship has given to us abundantly! Not only is there enough to go around, there's more than enough. And therefore, we give in response to the abundance God continually provides us with.

I have heard people say that the more they have given the more God has given them. From my experience, I don't think God gives more to the generous and less to misers. I have found that the more I give the more I recognize how much God has already blessed me with. It's not that God has given me more in a "quid pro quo" arrangement. In giving I am transformed. I can see the gifts I have more clearly. I am able to give thanks more fully. I am able to give more joyously. Thank God for the many abundances he has given to us.

A Letter From Jesus About Christmas

2010-12-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

This has been around on the internet for a few years, but is always good to read again this time of year.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking my name out of this season. Maybe you've forgotten that history isn’t really sure of the date of my birth. It was some of your ancestors who decided to celebrate my birthday on what was actually a time of a pagan festival. Of course, I do appreciate being remembered anytime!

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of their own. I don't care what you call the day: if you want to celebrate my birth, just get along and love one another!

Now, having said that, let me go on. If it bothers you that the town where you live doesn't allow a scene depicting my birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santa’s and snowmen on your own front lawns and put up a small Nativity scene in their place. If all my followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a “holiday tree” instead of a Christmas tree. Don't forget: it was I who made all the trees. You can remember me any time you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish! (You might remember I used that image once myself when I was explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8.)

If you want to give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are lonely and afraid at this time of year. I know: they tell me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. It might be someone you know - or perhaps someone you don't know. Those folks just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President to complain about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family and the decisions he makes in the new year. Then follow up with other concerns you have as they come along.

4. Instead of (at least in addition to) giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need - spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth, and why I came to live with you down there. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them. Tell them how much you depend on me and how you want them to learn to trust me, too.

5. Think of some persons who have hurt you in the past and really work at forgiving them – and, if possible and helpful, let them know you’ve forgiven them.

6. Did you know that some in your town are so lonely in this season that they feel hopeless? Since you may not know who they are, try givingeveryone you meet a warm smile, a kind word: it could make the difference...

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailers in your town calls “the holiday,” be patient with the people who work in their stores. (They deal with all kinds of customers all day long!) Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary - especially one who brings my love and the good news of the Gospel to those who have never heard my name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to your church or the Salvation Army or some other charity who will know how to get those gifts and food to those who need them the most. (Actually you could do this in any month of the year - even in every month of the year!)

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in me, your loyalty to me, then live like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in my presence. Let people know by your words and deeds that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of myself. Just love me and love one another and do what I’ve told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work - time is short! I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love…

And remember:

I LOVE YOU!

Jesus

Love is . . .

2010-10-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Love is a verb, not a noun. Live it today!

Finding Joy

2010-10-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

Consider what you might do if one Saturday afternoon, your doorbell suddenly rang. Lurching out of your armchair, you shuffle to the door and pull it open. To your shock and amazement, you are confronted with glaring lights, video cameras and a guy holding an over-sized check for ten million dollars. Against all odds, you have won the sweepstakes, the lottery, the big cash giveaway. What do you think might be your first reaction?

The film shot of most of these big winners usually shows them with their mouths and their eyes wide open, dancing around while screaming "I don't believe it! I don't believe it!" Two conflicting emotions race through their systems at the same time: first, their disbelief that stems from the cultivated rationale that "Nobody ever wins these things" and "The odds against winning are astronomical," coupled with, second, unbridled joy - "Yes, yes, yes, it's really happened to me," "Our lives are changed forever," "It's what we've always hoped for!"

Sweepstakes winners are probably our best current example of how people look and react when they "disbelieve for joy."

Now, let's tell the truth. When we consider all the possible places we might find ourselves surprised by joy and disbelieving for joy, is church the first place we think of? Perhaps we hope to encounter joy at some special family function? Or when seeing old friends? Or by catching sight of a beautiful sunset? Slogging to church services early Sunday morning probably isn't our first pick of potentially joyful moments in life.

And that is our own fault. Church should be the place where we expect to be shaken by the Spirit and tickled to our toes by the power of the Good News of the gospel. But the church has allowed itself to become stodgy instead of scintillating, cerebral instead of celebratory, respectable instead of rambunctious. We have trudged along the well-worn path of predictability for so long now that the church is operating with a dangerously high delight deficit.

Look around, and we will see that life is overflowing with what Howard Hanger of the Jubilee Community calls "LPPs . . . Little Pleasure Possibilities." Why don't we renew our commitment to creating some of these LPPs in the midst of our church. LPPs are one way we can begin to slowly dig our way out of the delight deficit that haunts our church and hollows out each one of our souls. Unfortunately, the delight deficit throughout our culture is so great that it really takes pathetically little effort to inject unexpected joy into the lives of others. God created us to live life abundantly, partaking in joys big and small. Let’s take some time to spread some of that joy today.

How to Be Generous

2010-10-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

"If you can't feed 100 people, then just feed one."

--Mother Theresa

Enough said.

A Smile for the Weekend

2010-09-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

There's an old story about a little boy who brought a drawing he made home from Sunday School to show his parents. It was a reasonable facsimile of a large commercial airplane. There were several faces looking out the round windows.

"Who are these people in the plane," his mother asked.

"That's Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus on their flight into Egypt," he replied seriously.

Suppressing her giggles, his mother asked, "And who is this up in the front window of the plane?"

"Aw, Mom," he answered. "You ought to know that. That's Pontius Pilot."

Sometimes Things Are Black and White: Health Care Coverage for Children

2010-09-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

"Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying." (Luke 8:41-42)

"Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." (Matthew 19:14)

I don't care where you come down on the new health care reform law, but it seems fairly obvious to me that it is nearly impossible to defend the practice of denying health care coverage to children--especially from a faith perspective. So the fact that the new reform law seemed to deal with that issue is a good thing. But, there is a problem.

Apparently, there is a loophole in the new law that allows insurance companies to decline coverage to children with preexisting conditions in some states. Wisconsin happens to be one of those states. According to 620 WTMJ out of Milwaukee, one Wauwatosa family has found this out the hard way. http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/103975539.html

I don't usually believe issues are black and white, however, in the case of denying health care coverage to children because of preexisting conditions it's not hard to make an exception. I recognize that covering sick children may cut into an insurers profits, but tough (Humana, the insurer in this story made $1 billion last year--up $393 million from the year before). Some things are just wrong no matter what--and denying coverage to children is just wrong.

We need to be more than just frustrated or upset, however. We need to do more than shake our heads. As Christians, we are called to take action when we see an opportunity to love our neighbors. To me that means, first of all, if you work for Humana (or another insurance company with similar practices) you have to take a stand at work (there are four Humana insurance offices in Wisconsin). That can mean registering official complaints with the company about its policy and working internally to make a change to looking for a new job because staying means supporting business practices that are contrary to the Gospel's claim on our lives.

This goes beyond just the employees of an insurance company. Insurance companies have to hear from those who are invested in them. Often times, when a company slides into the morally grey, they defend themselves by saying something like, "Well, we're accountable to our stockholders. If we don't do (such and such-like deny coverage to children), our profits will go down, our stock will fall, our stockholders will be upset, and we'll lose our jobs." That leads to a lack of accountability because so many of us are invested in companies through our retirement funds without any idea of what they're doing or what they're about. It's true that we are most concerned with profits so we can have a comfortable retirement.

I don't believe we can say we're being faithful and continue to operate in this manner. In this case in particular, I would encourage anyone who has investments with Humana (and any other health insurer who denies health care coverage to children with preexisting conditions) to sell their stock and invest elsewhere. Then, send a letter to the company's investor relations department explaining your actions and the reason behind them. If faithful Christian investors refuse to put up with morally ambiguous business practices, putting our money where our mouths are, then I believe we will begin to see change. At the very least, we can sleep soundly knowing that we're not securing our future by offering up someone else's future.

Personally, I'm currently trying to find out if the General Board of Pension and Health invests in Humana or if they're part of the failed/ineligible companies with whom they will not invest. If they aren't, I will strive to get them removed from the list of companies the UMC invests with so my pension doesn't support denying health coverage to children.

"The Truly Profane" or "Swearing in Church"

2010-09-25T19:13:00.001-07:00

What do I do on a Saturday night when I should be heading to sleep before the 5 a.m. alarm clock goes off far too early? I decide to write a blog post.

There was (and is) a professor where I went to seminary who loved to swear in class. He even threw in plenty of GD's and JC's. A lot of what he did I believe was to get people out of their comfort zone so they could see things from a different perspective. We get so comfortable with our little Americanized version of the Bible that we need to be shocked out of it from time to time. I do, however, think he secretly enjoyed having someone get offended and walk out the door (they didn't have much choice but to come back for the next class though--they needed to pass his to graduate).

As I think about profanity, swearing, or whatever you want to call it, I believe we get way too worked up about it. Our offense to it is very cultural (as is most "vulgar" language, as I learned while on a mission trip to Mexico. I used the wrong Spanish word for hot and was told by my interpreter that I was really giving the wrong impression to the woman I was speaking to. Funny, the teacher never pointed out that distinction in my High School Spanish Class). As a matter of fact, I think we should swear more often in the church. It might do us some good.

You see, we get offended when someone swears in church (rarely do we take such offense in our every day lives, except when children are around or involved) and we think we're being reverent. The truth is, I don't think God cares too much about swearing; not even the JC's or GD's.

Let's start there. We believe that people are using "the Lord's name in vain" when they say Jesus Christ or GD it. Likewise, we often say, "in Christ's name we pray" at the end of our prayers because Jesus said, "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." (John 14) The truth is, the words Lord or God or YHWH or Jesus Christ have very little to do with asking for something in God's name. Are they literally names of God? Yes. But, to ask for something in Jesus' name is to ask for our wants and needs to be in line with Jesus' will for us. It's not a part of a magical formula. Say these magic words and Jesus will have to do what I want. It's more about asking for our will, our wants, and our needs to be put in line with Jesus' will.

In the same way, to truly use the Lord's name in vain is to falsely say that God is blessing an event, an action, a group of people, etc. So if a dictator says that God wants him to wipe out a group of people and that God will bless all of those who help in doing so--that is using God's name in vain.

Honestly, our political leaders use God's name in vain in this way all the time. To simply say "God Bless America" can be fine, but to say it and to also mean--"God blesses us, our particular set of political beliefs, our country over almost all others" is blasphemous. To ask God to bless our troops is fine, as long as we're not implying that we're asking God to help them kill others (I prefer to pray for all combatants on both sides). Asking God to bless something in the Scriptures is serious business. We no longer look at it that way. We just want God to bless what we like and what we're for (and we'll use God to further our own agenda as well). And so we get upset about someone saying GD it instead.

Now some may quote to me, "So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire . . . it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself on fire by hell . . . no one can tame the tongue." (James 3) It is true that James talks a lot about taming the tongue. But, I don't believe he is concerned about swearing or social etiquette. In that same passage he says, "With it (the tongue) we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God."

James is really concerned about the plague of most churches. Gossip. Backstabbing. Misrepresentation. People being judgmental. (Please note that those aren't four letter words he's concerned about). James isn't concerned about our cultural sensibilities. He's more concerned about our relationships with one another, how we treat one another, and how we love one another.

If gossip and rumor mongering ended in the church and it was replaced with bad language, I honestly think the church would be better off and would be closer to God's intention for it. It is gossip and rumors that destroy Christians, lives, and relationships. Often they rise up out of anger, frustration, jealousy, fear, and hate.

So--I don't have a problem if we were to start using more "vulgar" language in church, if in turn we were more careful about what we said about God and what God approves of and what we said about our brothers and sisters sitting next to us (especially when they aren't within ear shot). Let's get offended by hate, slander, lies, and propaganda--and let's start by changing the ways we engage in that behavior. If we have time to deal with four letter words after that, then we'll be in a great place!

Which One of These Things is Not Like the Other

2010-09-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

A little Bible quiz: Which one of these four sayings isn’t from the Bible?

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
“God helps those who help themselves.”
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
“When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

Not so easy, is it? The correct answer—the adage that’s found nowhere in the Bible—is “God helps those who help themselves.” It’s usually attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who published it in Poor Richard’s Almanac, although the 16^th century poet and Anglican priest George Herbert said something similar: “Help thyself, and God will help thee.”

Surprised? A great many Americans are, when they learn “God helps those who help themselves” isn’t in the Bible. Somehow they just assumed it had to be in there someplace. “God helps those who help themselves” is a beloved tenet of American secular religion, but not of Christianity. It reflects the breezy optimism that, with hard work, anyone can make it in our society.

It’s a nice thought, but the real world is just a little different. And, the greatest part of Christianity is totally different. God reaches out to help us exactly because we can’t help ourselves and doesn’t expect us to. Rather, he calls us to rely totally on Him. Now that’s good news!

From the Mouths of Children

2010-09-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

On the way home from church, a little boy asked his mother, “Is it true that we are made of dust?”

“Yes, darling.”

“And do we go back to dust again when we die?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Well, mom, when I said my prayers last night, and looked under the bed, I found someone who is either coming or going.”

Signs

2009-07-22T09:57:00.001-07:00

Our new church sign came a few weeks ago. The week the sign was going up, I was really excited. I knew that the sign would help our church be more visible in our neighborhood and community. Once it was all set, however, I was left trying to figure out what message should be on it first.

There were so many possibilities. There are the messages that are so over done I hope I never see them again, like: “What’s Missing in CH__CH? UR.” Then there are the messages that totally lack grace and are more likely to make people run than encourage them to visit, like: “Life—Your Only Chance. Eternity—Pay Back Time.”

If you haven’t seen it, I finally settled on: “Looking For A Sign From God? This Might Be It.” Not only did that make me chuckle—the truth is the greatest sign we have from God here on earth is the church. Not only does the fact that the church still exists through all of the centuries lend credence to God’s existence, our calling as the church is to be a sign for the world of God’s love, grace, and mercy. It’s through our ministries and our lives that the world has an opportunity to experience God’s love and grace in a very real way. And it’s through our invitation and welcome that others are invited into the community of faith.

So, while we have a new sign out in our front yard, remember what one of the most powerful signs of God’s presence in the world is. UR.

Jason

An Example for All of Us to Follow

2008-11-21T12:11:00.001-08:00

So often, when we hear about pro-athletes in an area of the news other than the sports, it has to do with an arrest, drugs, or some other misbehavior. It is heart warming, therefore, to find the complete opposite. The following is from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's website and is written by Michael Hunt. It made me think about the blessings I have been given and how I am using them. You can read the article below or follow this link: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bucks/34862104.html

By:Michael Hunt
"Redd dishes out assist"

Michael Redd's teammates keep asking when he's coming back.

Soon, Redd assures them, very soon.

And, yes, the need is urgent for the NBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist to return to the floor with the Milwaukee Bucks.

But sometimes, and Thursday was one of those sometimes, the words "urgent" and "need" take on a little more perspective than a basketball game.

"An ankle compared to the economic situation? There's nothing to compare," Redd said.
Redd had just finished giving 250 turkey dinners to disadvantaged families at the House of Peace, a Catholic charity that has long served the city's poor. Inspired by Ray Allen's work with the mission, Redd has been donating Thanksgiving cheer there for four years. But never has he seen times quite like these down on Walnut St., along a needy section in a needy town.

"Some had tears in their eyes," Redd said. "These people have nothing. This is their meal for Thanksgiving. These are tough times. It's the least I can do. It gives you a reality check with what we're going through in this country."

Sharita Williamson was transferring the food she had received from a cardboard box to a roller bag for the walk home amidst snow flurries.

"I'm on a fixed income and it's hard to get food, especially in this economy," she said. "Gas prices are down but everything else is sky-high. That's why this is such a blessing this year."

She knew Redd played for the Bucks but was surprised to see him personally handing out the food.

"That made it a little something extra," she said. "He's doing so much good, and God bless him."
As much as the people who filled the House of Peace needed the food, social worker Linda Barnes said they needed something else from Redd.

"They asked, 'Is Michael going to pray with us?'"

He did.

A spiritual man who lives his convictions, Redd bought his father a church back home in Columbus, Ohio, a few years ago.

"Part of it is that both of my parents are preachers," he said. "They were the perfect example. They were giving away cars when we could hardly afford a car. For me, this is only natural."

There is a Bible passage that goes something like, "To whom much is given, much is required." So sometimes, people get cynical about stuff like this. They know Redd makes $16 million a year, so what's the big deal about giving away turkey dinners?

To know, all you had to do was look in those wanting faces. Sure, a lot of wealthy pro athletes give back, but not many show up at a mission on a bad ankle on a day off just hours after getting in from Salt Lake City.

"No, not everybody," said Brother Mark Carrico, the House of Peace's executive director. "He likes us, and we sure like him."

Jim Van Hoven, regional director for the Capuchin ministry, said the House of Peace's distribution area now includes three Milwaukee ZIP codes, so great is the need. With help from many, it will continue to donate Thanksgiving dinners throughout next week.

Maybe by then, Redd will be back on the court. The Bucks really need him, but on a cold Thursday in the inner city, there were those who needed him more.

"This is what it's all about, right here," Redd said. "I look at it like this: I've been absolutely blessed, so I should give back. It's a genuine pleasure to give, especially in times like these."

A Christmas Alternative

2008-11-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

One Black Friday in Orlando, Florida, several years ago, customers in a national discount chain store got into a brawl over laptop computers. The story made it to the national TV news: two men tackling another man and pulling him to the ground, because he had cut ahead of them in line. “It was absolute pandemonium in there,” said one observer. “They were throwing these laptops 20 feet into the air, and people were collapsing on each other to grab them.”What would Jesus make of that scene? Imagine him standing off to one side, in his robe and sandals. What sort of expression would he have on his face, knowing that all that brawling was set off by his birthday? That why those shoppers were doing it, wasn’t it — because they wanted to be first in line to honor Jesus’ birth?Of course it wasn’t! Sadly, the sort of holiday that issues in department-store riots has long since lost any resemblance to the celebration of the Messiah’s birth. Not only has the commercialized Christmas lost touch with its roots; from what we can see on CNN of the laptop wars, it’s even become demonic. How easy it is to get caught up in the rush, and end up, as Paul says, “doing the very thing we hate”!

This year my church will have an alternative to the commercialism that has come to dominate the secular celebration of Christmas. The alternative is our Alternative Gift List. Instead of buying gifts for family members and friends who already have everything they need, our alternative gift list will give people an opportunity to give money to a charity in the name of a friend or family member. For each donation in someone else’s name, you will receive a certificate stating that a donation was made by you in their name, and the name of the charity.

Giving a gift from the Alternative Gift List is a great way for us to remember and participate in the true meaning of Christmas. When we give to the poor and needy at Christmas, those gifts remind us that Jesus came to save the least, the lost, and the neediest in our world. We may not win the war with our culture over the true meaning of Christmas, but we can certainly choose a faithful alternative.

God's Abundance

2008-09-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Parker Palmer, a Quaker theologian, once told a story about abundance. Palmer was a passenger on a plane that pulled away from the gate, taxied to a remote corner of the field and stopped. You know the feeling: The plane stops and you look out the window and see that you’re not on the runway and the engines wind down and your heart sinks. The pilot came on the intercom and said, “I have some bad news and some really bad news. The bad news is there’s a storm front in the West, Denver is socked in and shut down. We’ve looked at the alternatives and there are none. So we’ll be staying here for a few hours. That’s the bad news. The really bad news is that we have no food and it’s lunch time.” Everybody groaned. Some passengers started to complain, some became angry. But then, Palmer said, one of the flight attendants did something amazing.She stood up and took the intercom mike and said, “We’re really sorry, folks. We didn’t plan it this way and we really can’t do much about it. And I know for some of you this is a big deal. Some of you are really hungry and were looking forward to a nice lunch. Some of you may have a medical condition and really need lunch. Some of you may not care one way or the other and some of you need to skip lunch. So I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. I have a couple of breadbaskets up here and we’re going to pass them around and I’m asking everybody to put something in the basket. Some of you brought a little snack along — something to tide you over — just in case something like this happened, some peanut butter crackers, candy bars. And some of you have a few LifeSavers or chewing gum or Rolaids. And if you don’t have anything edible, you have a picture of your children or spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend or a bookmark or a business card. Everybody put something in and then we’ll reverse the process. We’ll pass the baskets around again and everybody can take out what he/she needs.“Well,” Palmer said, “what happened next was amazing. The griping stopped. People started to root around in pockets and handbags, some got up and opened their suitcases stored in the overhead luggage racks and got out boxes of candy, a salami, a bottle of wine. People were laughing and talking. She had transformed a group of people who were focused on need and deprivation into a community of sharing and celebration. She had transformed scarcity into a kind of abundance.”After the flight, which eventually did proceed, Parker Palmer stopped on his way off the plane — deplaning, that is — and said to her, “Do you know there’s a story in the Bible about what you did back there? It’s about Jesus feeding a lot of people with very little food.”“Yes,” she said. “I know that story. That’s why I did what I did.”

Even in the midst of what we think is scarcity, many time God has already given us what we need.

Something to Play With

2008-08-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well, Johanna had her 20 week ultrasound about a week and a half ago and we found out that we're having a little girl. I don't know whether I was surprised or not. I do remember thinking a little bit later, "Man, a girl. I may be in trouble." Growing up in a family of all boys the prospects of having a daughter are a little daunting. Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to be having a baby daughter . . . but I just question my capacity to raise a little one with two x chromosomes.

Grady was a little disappointed that he wasn't having a little brother (although, I think that disappointment lasted a whole 10 seconds). He was with us for the ultrasound, but his grandma took him out for a walk shortly after we found out that he was having a sister because ultrasounds aren't really that exciting for a 7 year old. After I caught back up with him, Johanna went to talk to her mom and I took that opportunity to chat with Grady about his feelings.

I asked him, "So, are you still excited about having a little sister?" To which he simply replied, "No."

A little concerned, I asked, "Your not?" And he said, "I'm just happy to have something to play with." That just cracked me up!

There is a larger truth to his sentiment, as well. When I worked as a hospital chaplain, I quickly learned that one of people's biggest fears is dying alone. We all have a deep seeded desire for relationship . . . relationship with one another and relationship with God. That is truly the Good News of the Gospel. Through Jesus Christ we are able to have a genuine relationship with God and with one another.

In Genesis, God created human beings, look and saw that it was good. Maybe God was just happy to have something to play with.

Brett Favre, the Packers, and Relationships Gone Wrong

2008-08-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Brett Favre-Green Bay Packers ugly divorce is almost over . . . thank goodness. I don't think I could listen to one more day in the "he said, he said" drama that has taken place over the past couple of months. As separations go, this has to be one of the most ugly, painful separations that has taken place while I've been alive. For some reason, the national and local sports media has covered this to the point that has made me want to scream, "Please, talk about something else!" But, like watching a car crash, nobody has been able to take their eyes (and ears) off of it.

Unfortunately, this current situation reflects the pain and struggle we all feel at different times in our lives when relationships fall apart. Maybe it starts with something small. An action that leads one person to believe that they're not cared about like they thought. A harsh word during a disagreement that's allowed to fester. Unresolved disagreements, though small, tend to build over time. Then, we talk to friends who support us and take our side, as all good friends do. Tensions build. Small hurts get picked at until we have open wounds. And before we know it, a relationship winds up being wounded beyond repair and we get a divorce, don't speak to a friend, a parent, a child, or another family member for years, we drop out of the church, or end up being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The truth is, no one ends up winning or being better off in such situations. In the end, many such break-ups sound petty, despite the fact that their is true pain and hurt at their core.

Jesus knew that broken relationships with people we love is a painful reality in our world. In fact, he experienced this reality in his life. One of his 12 disciples, those who were closest to him, betrayed him to his enemies (many Biblical scholars would argue that Judas did this because he misunderstood what Jesus was about. He might have expected that this would force Jesus to start a rebellion against Rome with God's angels on their side, so that God's Kingdom would come immediately. So, in other words, the broken relationship between Judas and Jesus may have come about because of a misunderstanding--something we know a lot about). Peter, one Jesus' closest three disciples, lied about knowing him publicly out of fear. His mother and brothers tried to silence Jesus in his ministry because they were embarrassed.

And yet, Jesus preached about a world free of such broken relationships. The will of God is to live in a world, not free of conflict or disagreements, but in right relationship with God and neighbor. That means we are called to engage each other in ways that cares for both ourselves and those we are at odds with. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "If your borther sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the brother listens to you, you have regained that one." To me, this is meant to urge us to take our grievances to one another in person so they may be resolved. If we take a hurt to someone who truly loves us in a loving manner, they will listen, and we are likely to find that they have been hurt as well.

Just imagine how this Brett Farve fiasco would have turned out if Brett would have said to Ted Thompson (the Packer's General Manager), "Look Ted, I really want to play again. I just don't feel like you want me around or appreciate what I do for the team." Ted would have had the opportunity to say, "I understand that Brett. I have a hard time doing my job and preparing for the future of this team when I don't know if you're going to retire or not each and every year." And the conversation, beginning from their, may have had a different outcome.

Of course, the truth is, no matter how hard we try or how we engage in disagreements, sometimes relationships are broken beyond repair. At such times, we need to lean on those who care for us, and to remember that God loves us through such situations. The pain will eventually fade, we can learn from past mistakes, we are forgiven for our wrong doing (and we need to forgive ourselves), and God always provides second chances for us in life so that we can experience loving relationships with others (even if it is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

The Beginning and the End

2008-07-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

I really don't understand why debates about how the universe/world was created and about the "end times" garner so much media attention, debate, and conflict in our culture and in the church. From my perspective, there really isn't much substance to the debate.

Take the creation, for instance. One side argues that God created the world in seven days, that the earth is only a few thousand years old, and that the theory of evolution is anti-Christian. The other extreme says that things have come to being over millions of years through the process of natural selection and evolution and God had nothing to do with it. It is mere chance. In the middle we find all types of blends between the two poles--allowing for the fact that God may have guided the creation through any number of processes, including evolution.

Likewise, in the church there are two extremes to understanding the end times. One popular view is that the world will come to a violent end, there will be a rapture, a period of hell on earth, a thousand years of peace, and so on and so forth. This point of view is captured in the Left Behind series of books. On this one, there usually is no other side to the debate because Christians who disagree with the Left Behind paradigm really don't know what to do with the end of time and Christ's return.

My take on the whole discussion is that, it can be interesting to speculate on the creation and the end times, but in the end it is a rather pointless and meaningless debate. It doesn't affect our lives as Christians today and is often used to distract us from considering issues of faithfulness that strike closer to home . . . such as the use of our money and faithful stewardship, engaging in an active prayer life to grow closer in our relationship with God, and what it really means to love our neighbor in a violent and divided world.

In the end (no pun intended), the church teaches that God was there in the beginning and will be there in the end. Just as he created all there is out of love, he will be there in the end calling creation back to himself in that same love. As long as we don't remove God from the process in either scenario, how it happened is of little consequence. If we begin to focus on what hits closer to home in our own lives, however, there is opportunity for true growth for us as Christians.

One quick final note: If you would like to study an alternative to the Left Behind model of the book of Revelation, check out Dr. Efird's Bible study on the subject. It can be ordered at: http://efirdbiblestudies.com/. Dr. Efird is a retired professor from the Divinity School at Duke University. His study takes a close look at the Biblical text and he shows where the before mentioned model comes from (a lawyer named John Nelson Darby who lived in the 19th century) and shows that the book of Revelation is really not about Jesus Christ's second coming and the end times, but rather a book of hope to all Christians facing persecution.

Why Write a Blog?

2008-07-30T15:08:00.001-07:00

To tell you the truth, I don't know. My wife, Johanna, has been on me for about a year to start blogging for the sake of someone. I just don't know who that someone is. There are tons of blogs out there (it took me 45 minutes to pick a name because so many are taken) and who really cares about my thoughts and opinions? I don't know, but I figured I'd give this a try.

A quick bit about me: I'm 32 years old and am a pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church in Kenosha, WI. I've been serving churches for the past 12 years, dating back to when I was a supply pastor while going to school at UW-Whitewater. I have a wonderful and talented wife named Johanna, a step-son named Grady (who's a really cute and smart little guy), and a son or daughter due to arrive on December 24th. I went to seminary at the Divinity School at Duke University and am a huge Duke Basketball fan, although they've been breaking my heart in the tournament over the past couple of years.

I've picked the name faithful alternative for my blog because there seems to be a lot of polarization and bickering in the church as a whole in the Church's recent history (although the Church doesn't have a history of being of one mind on much for very long) and I think there is a different way to come at things that resemble less of what is known as the right and the left in the Church and the United States. I believe that if this Faithful Alternative is considered, we may find more on which to agree than disagree. In fact, I believe that Jesus came to offer up a type of radical discipleship that was quite different than what Judaism and his contemporary culture had become. This is true today as well. It is very likely that Jesus would not be found in either the liberal or conservative camps in today's culture. I grow more and more convinced that we (including myself) wouldn't recognize Jesus if we ran into him out on the street or in our churches.

And so, I'd like to use this blog as a forum to discuss (not debate) the faithful alternatives that we may often miss in the church and in our culture. I hope to update my blog each and every day Monday through Friday--although if I'm successful at updating a blog daily, the church secretary at Wesley will start to expect me to turn in my newsletter articles on time (which I'm usually at least two or three days late in turning in).

Finally, a quick note--all posts to my blog are my personal opinions and in no way represent the ideas and/or theology of my congregation. I will probably be writing things that I wouldn't preach because I plan to be a bit more provocative here than in my sermons (we'll see how smart that is soon). Likewise, I want to say that I hold no monopoly on the "right" answers. In fact, my opinions and thoughts are likely to change as well as anybodies are through the days, weeks, and years.

That being said--I guess I've finally written my first blog post. See Jo, it only took me a year. :)