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An Advent Meditation: Lights

Leave a Comment / PCUSA, Sermon on the Mount / By /

The one job I do not look forward to in December is stringing the lights on the fresh Christmas tree. I complained once too often a few years ago about wires showing, and the task became mine in perpetuity as a result. There are several aspects of the process that bring discomfort: the tree stays outside until the lights are on, for ease of access all the way around the tree, so it’s a cold job (if you can call 45° cold, which we do here in sunny California). One must hold one’s arms high for what seems an interminable […]

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Light in a Dark World

1 Comment / PCUSA, The Missional Church / By /

The sixth reason why individual Presbyterians must be equipped for stand-alone discipleship is perhaps the most obvious one: we have an incredible challenge to evangelize our own PCUSA tribe, the “world” of which we are a part. A word of explanation about terms: We are hearing more Presbyterians talk about the missional challenge before us, but they may not be referring to the same dynamic I am. Many groups are co-opting the term “missional,” but its original meaning (according to authors like Michael Frost and Darryl Guder) has to do with incarnational ministry outside the church-circle. A missional advance is

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Spiritual Growth Through Tribulation

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The fifth reason why individual Presbyterians must be equipped for stand-alone discipleship is to capitalize on the opportunity to grow spiritually through times of trial. Spiritual progress can certainly be made when things are going well, but the testimony of saints through the ages is that growth is accelerated when things are going badly, if one is open to it. Another observation must be made sadly. If one is not open to the work of God through suffering, suffering can become an obstacle to growing faith. The novel The Shack exposes this reality vividly, but any pastor will tell you

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Ready for the Opportune Moment

2 Comments / Parnell v. San Francisco, PCUSA, Spiritual Disciplines / By /

The fourth reason why individual Presbyterians must be equipped for stand-alone discipleship is that we never know when we will be called upon to make a defense of the gospel or a biblical point of view. The impact of a well-placed word literally at any moment cannot be underestimated. But if we are ill-equipped to give that word, ignorant of the things of God, slow to pick up on where a conversation is going, or otherwise tongue-tied, we may miss an important opportunity. Over many years time, I have been awed by those occasions in a committee meeting or one-on-one

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Economic Realities and the Evangelical Cause

2 Comments / PCUSA, Teaching / By /

The third reason why individual Presbyterians must be equipped for stand-alone discipleship has to do with the strained resources of our renewal groups. For decades, organizations like the Presbyterian Coalition, Presbyterians For Renewal, and the Presbyterian Lay Committee have been publishing discipleship resources, sponsoring retreats and conferences, and providing staff to help guide and coordinate evangelical efforts throughout the country. Together with many other specific-interest groups, they have created a Presbyterian Renewal Network to resource commissioners to General Assembly, cultivate leadership for nomination to PCUSA offices, and keep tabs on trends and changes in Presbyterian life. As churches have felt

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A Skewed Bell Curve

4 Comments / PCUSA, Teaching / By /

This week I am articulating six reasons for my sense of urgency about equipping individual presbyters for stand-alone discipleship. Yesterday I suggested—as I have been demonstrating for weeks—that there are increasing challenges to orthodox faith and practice in PCUSA circles. The second reason has to do with the political impact of congregational departures. A few weeks back I used an asymptote graph to illustrate my point. (A reader has since corrected my equation for that post. It would have been more elegant to define the function as f(x) = 1/x2). Today I will draw a bell curve to show what

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Equipped to Stand Alone

4 Comments / PCUSA / By /

This week, I would like to describe a ministry vision that reflects my passion for ministry and a sense of urgency because of emerging realities. The basic idea behind “Bringing the Word to Life” is to enlighten, encourage, and equip presbyters for engagement in faith issues locally. It is apparent to me that the need for stand-alone Christians is more acute than ever. By “standing alone” I do not mean obstinately refusing to work with others for a common purpose, nor living in isolation from other presbyters. Stand-alone in my usage refers to the type of Christian who does not

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Another Model of Theological Reflection

Leave a Comment / PCUSA, Teaching, Theological Reflection / By /

Ministry in general is fraught with interesting situations that beg for theological reflection. Add to that the intricacies and confusions accompanying Presbyterian ministry these days, and an elder must give priority to thoughtful engagement with the issues in order to decide what to do. Yesterday I shared an educational tool for interpreting and applying content one has come across. Today I share a model specifically for theological reflection on case studies (or events as they unfold). The hope is that with these tools, presbyters can define the issues, categorize them, expand their awareness of options, and then narrow the choices

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One Method of Theological Reflection

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This post is my 100th for “Bringing the Word to Life.” I was not sure when I started this project in late July that it would be a discipline I could sustain. It has turned out to be a discipline that has sustained me, and I am grateful to have had the time and venue for writing. Today I would like to reflect on how such a discipline can make a person a better Presbyterian and more thoughtful Christian. Whether the mode is blogging or journaling or jotting notes in one’s calendar, the act of reflecting on a daily basis

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Bad Acoustics and Singing Off the Same Page

2 Comments / PCUSA / By /

Yesterday afternoon was the first opportunity for our 20-voice chorus to perform this season, and the occasion was the lighting of the Christmas tree in the big new lobby of John Muir Medical Center. We sang several pieces for an appreciative crowd, wearing our black outfits and Christmas red scarves for the occasion. But for us singers, it was a less than satisfactory experience because we could not hear each other. The acoustics of the room were dead. I for one felt like I was singing alone and could barely hear the piano, much less the altos. There were a

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