Let’s Talk

Have you been invited to church lately? It’s getting more rare all the time. And why? Because people don’t want to push their views on people. Not pushing your views on people is laudable I think, and people who want to have civil discourse are to be commended. However, civil discourse is what we want most. Everyone wants to talk together, to see if there is someone who is like them, who has the same thoughts, fears and feelings. If we get really lucky and we find one other person who seems to put up with us as we really are, we tend to try to marry them at the first opportunity.

But what if there were such a place that there may be more than one person who wants to talk, not to browbeat or to hurt, but really just talk about what is going on in each others lives. That place, for me, is my church. We have wonderful people here, and we have varied discussions and let me be the first to tell you, we do not all think alike! But there is great unity there, which is the key.

In this small place, near the train tracks, with no great fanfare or advertising, I think my little church has done something rare: it has made a safe place for those who have questions, for those who think differently and those who may not be accepted elsewhere. But to say this is hollow – to determine if such a place is real requires a visit.

I had a conversation with my mother last week in which I had discussed helping another ministry here in town. She asked, naturally, if deep down I wanted those who benefitted from what we did to attend church with me. I said yes, but not as my primary motivation. I explained that my primary motivation is to help the people that I can, and to love them. I hope they come to church, not so that I can convince them my ideas are best or that I am right, but because that is the place that they can be loved best.

There are many misperceptions these days about churches, mostly because what is misperception in one church is still the truth in another! Unfortunately you just have to see for yourself what kind of place it is. I do my job for one reason alone: to share the love of Jesus Christ. Note that I did not say to convince everyone that Jesus is right, or that I am right. We certainly believe what we say, and mean it, but I am not first and foremost a “convincer”. When my mother had me as a baby, she hugged me, loved me and provided for me. She loved me, and took care of me when I could not do so for myself. At the end of my experiences as a baby, there was no doubt she was my mother. No one had to convince me of that, I had to experience it. Our relationship with God is much the same way.

I am not going to convince you God loves you, or that my church means what it says. To learn the truth about something out in the world, you have to experience it. That means going where it is and finding out, and many times in our past that has been painful. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I view my role as to introduce you to who God is, to let you experience Him and the way He does things. Convincing is no part of it at all on my part.

I invite you to church to enter into dialogue, to talk together and to ask the really hard questions. We have some opportunities coming up for you to have fun and ask questions (two separate events!)

The first is that on January 21st, a Friday, from 7:00 to midnight we are having a Scrapbook-athon. Bring your pictures and tools, you’ll have a great time. If you’ve ever wanted to scope the place out, its your chance. No presentations, no convincing, just a great evening with friends and family talking about those we love.

The second opportunity is our “Family Class” which begins 9:30 am on Sunday, January 30th. We invite all married couples, single parents, step-parents and would be parents to come and learn with us together. I hope we can provide many more opportunities for us to talk together. God bless you.

- J. Cole Weston is Lead Pastor at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene at 711 N. Okmulgee. You can contact him via email at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com or 918-213-0359. Services are held Sunday at 10:30, with Sunday School at 9:30, with a bible study on Romans at 6 pm.

 

Right Relationships

For some time, I have contemplated the column I am writing now. I’m not sure that I have the full knowledge to write it, but when has that ever stopped most people from talking about what they are not experts in. We seem to have some problems in this country of ours between Christians and homosexuals, gays, lesbians, what have you. Looking in upon the matter from scripture, our main guidance seems to come from Leviticus (18:22) which tells us a man should not lie down with another man, and then some expounding upon that a little later (Leviticus 20:13). There are numerous other passages going well into the New Testament, including Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, etc.

When I was a non-Christian, I loathed the listing of bible passages as I really wasn’t going to look them up and read them. Then, as now, I preferred to be in dialogue with someone who could tell me about what they meant and said, rather than throwing citations at me (witness Acts 8:26-40. If you look up any of these, this citation is worth the read).

So we’ve got a pretty good read on “homosexuality=bad” from a surface reading, and that’s really what most people go on. But as I am often to say, God does not hate sin because he needs something to hate, it’s because it harms his children. So what of the sin of homosexuality as described to us in the scriptures? First and foremost, a little searching through the dialogues on the subject reveal two schools of thought: one, very conservative, which says all the above passages condemn homosexuality universally, and the more liberal branch which claim each passage is citing a particular incidence of homosexuality like pagan worship ceremonies or orgies, etc. and does not condemn a loving, devoted single sex couple.

Rather than tell you which side I am allied with, let me speak to you before pre-suppositions. Many of the passages must be read carefully and in their original languages, if possible, to understand the full meaning. However, regardless of the nuances of the individual sections listed here (and there are many), all of the bible, particularly these passages, speak to relationships. In all of the cases of the cited references, God’s word is telling us that we must have right relationships with one another, not ones based on lust or ambition or sex itself. When we base any relationship upon these things, we exploit one another, which God would not and does not want. We are to see one another’s humanity first. With the movement for gay marriage, those who have become married are discovering something that heterosexuals have known for many, many years: relationships are hard work.

Many boast of claims that, if given the opportunity, same-sex couples can be as “successful” as heterosexual couples. I place that in quotes, because marriage is God’s idea, and it’s incredibly easy for a heterosexual couple to fail at marriage too. If what homosexuals fight for is the equal right to sign a document as heterosexuals do, that goal would seem to be attainable. But it is impossible to legislate a successful, productive marriage, as I have seen from many couples.

Successful marriage is marked by a right relationship: two people who love another more than themselves individually. However that person that they love more than themselves, in the best marriages, is Jesus. Once we know that there is another person our mates can love more than us, we recognize their devotion is worthy, and that they will be able to set aside enough of their personal ambition to love us as well.

What does all this so far bring us back to? Relationships of all stripes are difficult because they deal with a broken humanity. It would seem homosexuals get the worst treatment of it as their particular problem is worn on their sleeves – not as easily hidden as other afflictions such as abuse or alcoholism. God tells us that all sin is deplorable – it does tell us something about us as Christians when we fervently go after one class of sinner while leaving others alone. What the world needs are those seeking the right relationship, and that first and foremost is the relationship between Creator and Creation, God himself. Prior to this knowledge, any type of relationship may seem impossibly hard. But unless we are to embark on understanding who we are and who we were made to be, relationships will be one of many problems. I do not claim to have all the answers, but I know that there are, as anywhere, a population of homosexuals in Okmulgee as most other places. To you who read this, please hear that God loves you, and cares for you, as you are his own creation. If all that you hear from the church is how bad you are, realize that each of us suffers with the maladies of the temptations in the world, and we all deal with problems in our lives that God helps us to change. I am not saying that you will come to church to be healed of homosexuality, but that by seeking God through his church, you may begin the healing process of the wounds that this world has placed upon you.

If you have sought relationship after relationship that has not worked, that has let you down and left you emotionally scarred or empty, know that God is keenly interested in you. God is not out for punishments sake, but to restore and redeem you, as he did with all of us who claim the title Christian. I am no psychologist, and I claim no special insight or knowledge of human relationships other than what is revealed in the Bible, but I know this: if God loves you, I love you too. If you are uncomfortable coming to church, do not let it bar the way to coming to know God. I am often in the office 9:30 to 5 Monday through Thursday and can be reached by phone or e-mail.

- J. Cole Weston is Lead Pastor at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene at 711 N. Okmulgee. You can contact him via email at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com or 918-213-0359. Services are held Sunday at 10:30, with Sunday School at 9:30, with a bible study on Romans at 6 pm.

 

Tough Questions 2: Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

“Did Jesus really rise from the dead?”

This week continues my series answering some tough questions of Christianity. We believe that if a person is going to devote their entire lives, their money, time and children to something, it had better hold up under scrutiny. With an eye towards explaining why Christians believe as we do, here is the second in a series of “Tough Questions”.

First, space is going to limit how thoroughly we can discuss each issue, but I’ll do my best. One of the ultimate questions of Christianity is whether Jesus rose from the dead. Even Paul says in the Bible that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, all of Christianity is in vain and our sins are not forgiven.

1. How do you know? No one alive saw it happen. No one alive has met Isaac Newton, but based on the evidence of his life, we believe in the work he did. We know about gravity because of what he did. Christianity exists because of what Jesus did. Our main witness is the Bible. While this may seem counter-intuitive to you (after all, it’s a book about God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus), we don’t have an enormous amount of contemporary materials to Jesus’ time, but Roman records of the historian Suetonius record Jewish riots against “Chrestus”, a Roman corruption of “Christ.”

2. If Jesus remained dead, how do we account for the testimony of the disciples forty days later? Now anyone could say that they saw Jesus, but these were the same men that hid to avoid persecution when Jesus died. Forty days is not nearly long enough to “ride out the heat”. Something changed these men from cowards to bold proclaimers about Jesus – even in the face of Roman persecution! Lies aren’t worth dying for.

3. What happened to the disciples who told us of Jesus’ resurrection? All but John died under persecution (they had good reason to be afraid, yet were not!) Modern day doctors and scientists tell us that under torture, a person will tell any lie to escape said torture, which is why it is unreliable. Yet even tortured to death, these men told the same story and all died without recanting!

4. Witnesses persisted into the first century. In Paul’s letters, he encourages people who doubt to go talk to the living witnesses who saw what happened. While we can’t take advantage of this, that’s a bold claim if you’re trying to put together a conspiracy.

5. The easiest way to stop Christianity in it’s tracks was to produce the body of Jesus.
Rome was highly intelligent to place a guard at the tomb. Christ’s body was what they needed to put down the new religion, and Jesus predicted he would rise on the third day. Clearly they expected the disciples to steal his body. Yet the stone rolls away and Jesus is resurrected, and the only explanation of Rome is “the guard was asleep?” Asleep even though sleep on guard duty was punishable by death, and a stone that took many men to move was rolled away? Which is easier to believe?

6. If Jesus really was dead, how do you account for the massive growth of Christianity in the first three centuries, growth unparalleled in the history of the world? A religion based on lies does not grow to cover the western world in 400 years.

7. If the disciples lied about the resurrection of Jesus, why the change in character? They dedicate themselves to the ethical education of Jesus for years, travel with him everywhere, and then take to lying? Many scholars and experts who are not Christian recognize the high level of morality in the disciples, so it’s unlikely they would begin lying now.

There are good, reasonable explanations of why Jesus rose from the dead, and reason exists to help and guide mankind. But reason is not everything – although these stories make sense and these points hold up, whether or not you believe is a matter of faith. No amount of evidence pursued can thoroughly convince you one way or the other, as the decision is your own, just as God intended. Atheists and Christians both agree: Humanity has free will, and can make its own conclusions. Although these can help a reasonable person, the decision to believe is your own. If you have any questions, please send them on to me at the church or via email.

- J. Cole Weston is Lead Pastor at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene at 711 N. Okmulgee. You can contact him via email at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com or 918-756-0354. Services are held Sunday at 10:30, with Sunday School at 9:30, with a bible study on Romans at 6 pm.

 

Newspaper Article Catch up: Tough Questions Series

Starting a new series, and in time the old missed articles will appear here. Here’s the first in the series “Tough Questions”.

“Are there errors in the Bible?”

This week, I embark upon a new series which asks some tough questions of Christianity. If a person is going to devote their entire lives, their money, time and children to something, it had better hold up under scrutiny. With an eye towards explaining why Christians believe as we do, here is the first in a series of “Tough Questions”.
First, space is going to limit how thoroughly we can discuss each issue, but I’ll do my best. There are a number of what people generally think of as errors:

1.Typographical – the simplest of errors, these are either mistranslations or inaccuracies due to limits of knowledge at a given time. The earliest editions of the King James Version as translated by Erasmus contained numerous small errors of Greek and a few slips of the typewriter if you will. These were corrected with the aid of revisions over time and additional copies of gospels and letters. We can safely say the original materials of the Bible contained no errors in this area, merely translations which were rushed contained a few foibles which were changed.

2. Inconsistencies in facts – How many animals did Noah have on the Ark? Easy question isn’t it? In Genesis 6:19, God says to bring two of every animal. Genesis 7:2, God says to take 7 of every clean animal (you need a few to eat or sacrifice after all). This is a clarification of an earlier instruction, and one logic dictates – you can’t have reproducible animals and edible ones without more than two. It’s here I recall a terrible old joke about Noah being fond of unicorn meat.

3. Seeming inconsistencies in interpretation – Here I had to rely upon an “unbiased” source – so I thank AmericanAtheists.org for providing me a great help in trying to find these “inconsistencies.” (As an interesting aside, their logo is a depiction of an atom with the electrons orbiting in uniform ovals about the nucleus, the depiction of which was scientifically proven as inaccurate some years ago. One would think if science were to be of prime importance to them, they’d update something as important as their inconsistent logo.) There are so many that space limits me, but even the most inexperienced Bible scholar could shoot these as fish in a barrel. Here’s just one example: A. Exodus 21:23-25 says “an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” while Matthew 5:39 says to “turn the other cheek”. One is a legal code – eye for an eye doesn’t mean “literally gouge out someone else’s eye”, it means “don’t use the law for vengeance – take only that which is fair for you in compensation.” Jesus words about turning the other cheek still stand – especially considering God’s legal system never called for revenge, which both parts of scripture are in essence saying.

4. Inconsistencies in numbers or order of events: Two things occur here: in the very rare case that the original Jewish scribes of the Old Testament had differing accounts (one account said this number and another account said another number), an observant Jew would never take it upon himself to “edit” the word of God. As respect for God, they would simply append the other information into the story as well. In their mind, the concern was this: if I pick one of these as the right one, and I am wrong, I have altered the Scriptures. This was not something to be done lightly, or at all. Thus the few cases we have like this show the respect of the editors.

The other concern is order of events. Particularly in the New Testament, numerous apostles tell stories differently and in different orders. The first concern is that “just the facts style reporting” and putting everything in chronological order is a recent and modern invention. In fact, chronological order might be helped by having a chronometer (a watch), something the apostles didn’t have for centuries. To the apostles and the ancient world, it was perfectly acceptable to reorder the events of stories to show what you wanted to bring out of those stories (so long as they were true!) Thus Matthew and Luke, writing to two different audiences are putting things in different orders, because what matters to a Jewish audience and what matters to a Gentile audience are going to differ greatly. One is going to be obsessed with all the relations to David, while the other just wants to get into the action right away.

There are many more areas I would love to address (particularly in Genesis), but limitations prevent it. However, if there are other questions you have or that are not presented here, I urge you to email me or send them in to the church and I will address them here. I think I’ve made it quite clear that in my opinion and belief, there are no “errors” in the Bible. What we have is the Word of God made evident and clear to us, without any real contradictions or falsehoods. You can trust the Bible – but you don’t have to take my word for it. Explore it, ask questions of it, but don’t make the mistake the atheists do: don’t look for what already confirms what you believed before you read. God intends for the Bible to form US, not the other way around. Lastly, and I am no expert, but if you are going to have questions, ask someone who knows. I don’t understand how my car operates, but if it breaks down, I’m going to have the good sense to take it to Summers’ Auto Repair, and not to make a website entitled “Why Cars Never Work”.

If there is any advice I can give you from the Atheists that I wish they would take themselves, it’s this: Ask questions, seek knowledge from the informed, and have an open mind toward what you read. It just might save your life.

- J. Cole Weston is Lead Pastor at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene at 711 N. Okmulgee. You can contact him via email at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com or 918-756-0354. Services are held Sunday at 10:30, with Sunday School at 9:30, with a bible study on Romans at 6 pm.

 

What are these people up to?

As a child, I luxuriated in the fact that Sunday mornings were my own. I’d often stay up late, which continued into my teens. Sunday morning was for sleeping in, as God intended I thought. Who were these unlucky few consigned to have to wake up early and go some place? I attended church exactly twice growing up, and they had snacks and kids with cool toys, so it wasn’t exactly painful.

Later in my college years I began to wonder why people would give up a perfectly good sleeping in day to zombie off to church. Aren’t they tired I thought? Don’t they realize they’ll stand there singing, then listen to someone talk, all of which will lure you back to sleep, and then you could have done that at home? All of this “church attendance” raised in me a deep suspicion: they were up to something.

You can’t seriously look at your own selfish behavior (awake before 11 am? No thanks!) and contrast it with someone else and not learn something about both parties. I knew I enjoyed sloth, and that they enjoyed something I knew nothing about. So, intensely curious, I got dressed up one day and decided to attend the church on campus at TU (no point wearing myself out) where my cousins went. I went, and it was very pleasant. Air conditioning was nice, singing was OK, minister was boring. A good way to get sleepy for a big nap after lunch I thought. But it didn’t really “connect” with me. Later, I attended a small Nazarene church with my then girlfriend (now wife). It was different – small, sort of cramped, one Sunday school room and everything seemed to need repair. But the pastor was warm and friendly, and welcomed my questions about God and Jesus and all that. You see, if you didn’t grow up in church and you’ve made it to adulthood (I was then 20), you and the church have two delusions:

1. The church thinks that you know something about the Bible and how all that stuff works

2. You think you know something about the Bible and how all that stuff works.

Now this isn’t to say people who don’t go to church don’t know anything about it, but boy let me tell you, it sure is different from how it looks on TV. Here’s the craziest thing: I quickly figured out that you hear churches talk about spreading the “message of the Gospel” all over – but what they mean isn’t just information. You can’t just xerox “the message” – it turns out it’s in the way church people live, the way they love others and care for them, the way they relate to each other. It turns out that church isn’t about having a certain amount of information fed into you – it’s really coming to know what life is like among people who live differently.

Sometimes, scary thought this one, even church people don’t realize this! They think that you being in church is all about hearing some words. That’s an important, but small part. What are the big important parts? Seeing the smiles of the people who know one another, and seeing the handshakes among the men that stand for “I love you.” Seeing the women who’ve raised children together, who are closer than sisters. Hearing the grand old music that’s played for decades about what God has done for the people who love Him. Getting to pray to God in your own space – telling Him just how it is, and Him hearing you. When the sermon comes, hopefully you’ve heard God speak already, loud and clear. What’s the message? God whispering “I love you.”

These people really are up to something!

 

16 July 2010 Article: Is All Truth Subjective?

by J. Cole Weston

If you follow the news or modern society today, you find that many people say “all truth is subjective” – that is to say, something being true depends on who believes it to be true. You might think everyone in Texas is a cowboy, but this is not true because you are not a native Texan, and thus don’t know the truth about who makes up the population there. More insidious, however, is the idea that you can’t know whats true because what is true is only true to you alone. This is a rather dangerous thought, and contrary to most all proof, scientific and otherwise that we have today.

First, “All truths are subjective” usually implies a statement afterward – “except this one”. How can everything true be subjective when this one rule is exempt? From the beginning, it just doesn’t make sense. Many people today want to tell you that what you believe is entirely dependent on your personal view, and what is true for you may not be true for someone else. They have made a dangerous leap from toleration of others views to an endorsement of all truth claims. Facts are facts, some things are true, some are false, period.

While, being a minister, I obviously believe in God, let us not even wander into that neighborhood of thought for a moment. In physics, the real world, if we go outside and I throw you a baseball, you will see it and catch it, or you won’t. The arc and force with which it is thrown are predetermined. You will judge what is true of trajectory, or you will not and miss. Good luck making the Cardinals if you miss a catch and tell your coach “But all truth is subjective.”

If there is a contest, someone will win and someone will lose – period. We have even gone to great lengths at the Olympics to secure winners, even to the tenths of seconds. Rolex and then Swatch have been selected to do just this – because to the most important competition in the world, there is but one truth!

Lastly, and not to belabor the point, you believe something and it is true or it is false. Several times I have been certain I turned off the power at the breakers to change a light fixture. I had an impression that I knew that was true – but electricity assured me I was indeed mistaken! Although I survived these small encounters, the point is, what you believe to be true is a matter of life and death. Is there enough time to cross the tracks? How far away are those bullets? Is the power still on? Is there only one God, and if so, which one is it?

If so many things in this created world (which is no accident, believe you me) have truth so simple but so deadly you must heed it, it only follows that there is but one truth for who created the world and who judges that world. Is the God you serve a permissive God, who doesn’t mind what you believe or do? Or, like the world, is your God very specific, and very concerned about the truth you know in your heart? Many times Christians are accused of not being logical people, and of “checking their brains at the door”. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you worship a God that is not of the Holy Bible – Allah, Siva, Money, Fame, Success – take time to ask yourself, logically, without prejudice: is this the one, true God I am following? What will happen if I am wrong? What will happen if I am right?

- J. Cole Weston is a licensed minister at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene, 711 N. Okmulgee. Sunday school is at 9:30, services are at 10:30 Sunday morning. You may contact him at 756-0354 or via e-mail at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com. You are encouraged to visit the church’s website at http://okmulgeenazarene.wordpress.com.

 

VBS This Week!

 

Father’s Day

by J. Cole Weston

CORRECTION: In last week’s article, the wrong dates were listed for Vacation Bible School. They are, in fact, July 9, 10 & 11.

I wish I had something profound for you on Father’s Day, but I’m afraid I don’t. You see, I’ve only been at the job for two years. I do think, however, that I have learned something, and I’ll attempt to share a little bit of that with you now.

When my little girl came into this world May 25th, 2008 I knew that I would love her. What I did not expect was that you could love someone beyond what you expect – a love so deep and unknown to those who do not yet have children that it even now boggles my mind. This is no slight upon those who do not have, or have chosen not to have children; I simply could not see its depths when I was childless.

Being a father is being there – someone once said “90% of success is just showing up.” Being a father is a lot like that. You see, for you non-fathers, something is always competing for our attention. Whether its something our wives need, the baby wants to play, or repairs must be made to the homestead, there is ALWAYS something to be done. I think that people give their fathers a bum rap sometimes ­ if he is spending time with you, he has chosen you over a litany of things he could be doing, all of which are probably important, too.

Dad is also the buffer, the shield between the world and the family unit. Although this was more universally true when Mom stayed home to raise the children, it is so even with both parents working. Dad is the decider, in the words of Donald Rumsfeld – the one who makes the call on what news, television shows and entertainment enters his home. What the children are made aware of is up to Dad, and the choice of how to explain terrifying events that can still a man’s soul is left, without professional counsel, up to that man who lives with you who leaves his socks on the bedroom floor. There is a fine balance for Dad between amateur and professional – he must be well versed in almost everything, even though prior to this experience the thing he was best at was getting Mom to marry him. When the crisis arrives, it is Dad who must stand in the gap and make things right – which is to set things on an even keel again, whether he bluffs his way through or expertise wins him the day.

To be Dad is to constantly be occupied with the business of one’s family, to tend to Mom, love babies and try to sneak off to fish, read, or (the primary desire in all these) be alone for awhile. All of these things are new, exciting and nerve-wracking for me, because while I am a new father, my own father left our home when I was only 2. I did not have the example of a man’s leadership, although my mother made superhuman efforts, which made me the person I am today.

Some of you out there wonder what in the world all this has to do with something religious, or what God’s perspective is. It’s simple: God knows what it’s like to be a father too. He was the first one, and he’s got it down. He knows, however, that you aren’t quite there yet. It’s OK – it will come with time, and with godly counsel from experienced men who have trod this road before. God knows you and loves you, and cares for you this day. I know that if you are a father today, you have it tough. Maybe your own father wasn’t there, like mine. To you I say, hang in there.

If you can, get away for a little while before going back to face the storm, but don’t abandon ship. The choice you make is not whether or not to be a father, but whether or not to be a good one. For those of you out there who have, perhaps for the first time, heard a little man-to-man talk, I suggest this: reading what you have, you know if your Dad was one of the good ones. Call him and tell him how much he means to you, and that you appreciate him. At the end of the day, phone calls like that can make every second worth it.

- J. Cole Weston is a licensed minister at Okmulgee First Church of the Nazarene, 711 N. Okmulgee. Sunday school is at 9:30, services are at 10:30 Sunday morning. You may contact him at 756-0354 or via e-mail at okmulgeenazarene@gmail.com. You are encouraged to visit the church’s website at http://okmulgeenazarene.wordpress.com.

 

If I threw a party, would you come?

by J. Cole Weston

Welcome back! I’m glad we get to meet like this each week. But I’m starting to feel the conversation is a little one-sided. Go ahead, tell me what is on your mind. Anything at all. Go ahead.

As you can tell, print is a great way to tell you things, but it’s not really a conversation until we get face to face. To that end, my church has decided to throw a party. That’s right, a party! Oh, I know sometimes we Christians don’t get the reputation as the most fun-loving people, but that’s mostly because you’ve never seen me throw a party! On Saturday, June 5th, at 11 am or so (time still to be determined – see this space next week for confirmation!) we’re having our first annual BLOCK PARTY! Yes, I’m a little excited. We’re having bluegrass music, lots of food, fun for the kids, and some prizes. We want to get to know YOU, yes YOU!

Here’s how you can help me out. If you can come and eat our food, enjoy the company and just hang out in the sunshine, we’d love it. Because here’s what we’re trying to do: we need to know what the community needs, values and loves. There’s no better way than to get together at a party. Is this a way to get more people to come to our church? Not really. We’re more interested in what matters to you, and what concerns you. We’re going to be putting flyers around the neighborhoods near the church, but I want anyone who wants to come to be here.
Here’s the deal: I’m a pastor, and I talk to a lot of people, but it’s mostly one-on-one. I can greatly accelerate the process of helping our town if I can talk to as many people as possible, and there’s no better way to get to know you than breaking bread together (or hot dogs, I guess that still counts).
Thus far, we’ve had a little experiment over here. We refurbished an entire building to become our Youth Center. Filled with a coffee bar, theatre and numerous games, it’s designed for fun. Why? Because we as a church figured out there’s not much for kids to do here, so we wanted to give them a fun refuge, a place they can play and relax. If we worked an entire month and poured man-hours into a building for youth that we hadn’t met just to improve their lives, imagine what we could do if we could meet in person with you. We need to know your needs. Single parent and you need child care? Tell us. Is there a big need for after school mentoring? Do the kids need a place to come to after high school? We’re open to anything.

Remember the opening scenes of “The Godfather”? Don Corleone’s daughter is getting married. Tradition states no Sicilian can deny a request on his daughter’s wedding. So everyone shows up to ask Don Corleone to take care of their (nefarious) business. He is annoyed, but tradition is tradition, and he honors those requests. Don’t worry – God is nothing like Don Corleone! He can’t be coerced, bribed or entrapped. But like the movie, if you want powerful help and resources to help you in life, you’ve got to knock on the door and ask! We want to help you do that. We’re not here to brainwash, to bore, or to annoy you. We want to get to know you, and to help. Come by on Saturday, June 5th to the church down the street from the high school, on the right side of the tracks, as we jokingly say. Free food? Stuff for the kids? Prizes, music and fun? Let’s hope it’s an offer “you can’t refuse.” God bless you this week.

 

The Theology of Cursing

by J. Cole Weston

As an advance warning, this column will contain strong language. Strong language with an empty head, but strong language nonetheless. I’ve always wanted to give this as a sermon, but I just don’t have the guts, so here you get it in print. Have you noticed many people’s theology, or knowledge of God, seems entirely expressed when they are angry, stub their toe, or want to make a point? Yes, cursing, swearing, colorful metaphors, whatever you wish to call it, it seems to be the only time some people speak of God! Well, let’s take a look at what people mean when they say things.

“What the hell?” – Were one crass, this expression would yield the use of the same expression. First off, this isn’t even a sentence. Find the verb, I dare you. First off, Hell as a place is acknowledged, so some small progress is made I suppose, but the general query of “What in the hell” is also confusing, as far as I can tell, there is only the one place. Perhaps Satan has undergone some land purchases I am unaware of, but that is beside the point. Why should we wish to invoke Hell? It is likely far worse than we can possibly imagine, so why do we attempt to “tone it down” by using it as an invective? Using this word accomplishes the devil’s own purposes: it makes us take the place less seriously. Were you to allude to some of the places and battles on this earth that most resemble Hell as we imagine it, you’d receive a quick dressing down from someone who was there. One doesn’t invoke the name of Viet Nam, or Tarawa, any of the places where our soldiers went through intense suffering, because we respect what happened there. We know those were places where many sacrifices were made. Hell should be as serious – and we need to stop cavalierly referring to it if we are to reckon this world’s consequences rightly.

“Jesus Christ.” – As one of my fellow officers in the Air Force said to one of the men in my flight, “if those words pop out of your mouth, you’d better be praying!” How did we ever get to a point where invoking the name of the Son of God became a curse? Jesus is our ultimate blessing and help, not anything to be said in derision. You wouldn’t take a friend’s name in vain – “Bob Smith!” Well, Bob is probably wondering what he did to make you so mad. Really, one shouldn’t combine a sin that breaks a commandment AND doesn’t make any rational sense. To defame Jesus in this manner also accomplishes Satan’s goals: to make you blaspheme Christ AND to separate you from God. Don’t do it!

“God damn it.” Really? Is the Almighty consulting with you now? This one raises my ire more than many others. It is the ultimate act of misusing the name of God. The main problem I see, is that while God judges humanity, that day is yet to come. We are also imperfect judges, and told not to judge lest we be judged ourselves. We don’t even get a vote, so it’s silly at best to think we do. When we get down to it, do we mean it? Do we really want that person (or taken to the ridiculous, object) to burn in Hell forever? No, it is too severe.
Here’s the ultimate point: Not only do we not have a vote, not only are we not judges, but we are the ones who decide our fate. We either seek God and His redemption, or we reject it and walk into Hell of our own accord. God is willing that all be saved – why would we, even in foolish jest, suggest otherwise? This is the act of a petulant child who doesn’t know what he asks. Lastly, this is Hell’s ultimate bid for us: to have ourselves put in God’s place. When Satan can get you where you think you can call the shots, he’s got you where he wants you, and that’s not where you want to be. Before you let this phrase fly, think of who is being judged when it is said.

Why do we Christians object so strongly to this language? It is not merely because polite society (or what remains of it!) detests coarse and vulgar language, but because language reveres or demeans, builds up or breaks down. If we do not master our own tongue, we will build in ourselves false ideas about the most important things in life and beyond, and put ourselves directly in Satan’s snares with our own words. Don’t curse because someone tells you not to, don’t curse because the one you pronounce may just end up being your own judgment. God loves you, and wants to be taken seriously. Only then can He help us to be the people He has made us to be, and that starts with what comes out of the heart, and through our mouths.