There's a Welcome Here

As children in Sunday School we would sing the little ditty, “There’s a welcome here, there’s a welcome here, there’s a Christian welcome here.” I was reminded of this song when I read from the blog of friend, Father Eric Kouns the following statement.

Our churches should be hospitals where the pain of disillusionment and disappointment—with ourselves, with our friends and family, and yes, with God—can be acknowledged and healed. Instead, they are too often little more than social clubs where superficial smiles and cursory exchanges cover over the doubts, the questions, the longing for something more and the fear of admitting that in front of all those who, outwardly, seem to have it all together.

Both the words “hospital” and “hospitality” come from the same root, expressing the idea of offering healing as a welcome to hurting people. How many times do we enter our churches with a heavy heart and leave the same way, or worse? It is my prayer that God will sensitize me to my brothers and sisters in Christ and see them as needy as I know myself to be.

I have attended services in churches where certain people with strong personalities, or those with differing opinions from the majority, or those who don’t fit in, have actually been shunned. I have heard unwelcoming rhetoric and observed church families that operate more like social cliques. In fact, some churches act as though they would rather people with needs wouldn’t bother to come. Things just get a little too uncomfortable with them there.

At the very least, we as Christians need to be aware of others as Christ would be. It may take some insightful awareness, some patience, and some genuine concern to minister to others in our churches. But, if we expect our congregation members to go out into the worlds in which they live on Monday through Saturday and be Christ’s people there, we must offer each other a place of healing and authentic Christian love when we meet together on Sundays.

The Bouncer

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:15

He looked huge, and burly. He pushed his way into a crowd of characters he had corralled in the main lobby at my school. Earlier he had gone into every nook and cranny of the building to find them. I knew the dark characters’ names: Violence, Disrespect, Disruption, Rebellion, Anger, Low Self-Image, Depression, Bitterness, Grumbling, and Contention. In my mind’s eye I saw this nine-foot angel of light grab two of the screaming characters by the nap of the neck and usher them down the hallway to the main entrance. Without so much as a pause, he threw them out the door. Then he turned and came back in for two more. This angel responded to my prayers because I came to God in despair over the terrible behaviors I saw coming from students and staff members, and I felt exhausted in the battle. Even by the next day, I saw some marked improvements in my classes. The characters would be back, but for this time, our school remained off limits.

Sometimes we can clearly see the sinful world around us, but other times it seems that we have blind eyes. By naming the spiritual forces that we see at work in our workplaces, our homes and even in our churches, God enables us to pray His power over them. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we join with Him in defeating the powers and authorities of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil. He already disarmed them on the cross, but we appropriate His power when we pray. What spiritual forces operate in the places where you live? Ask God to clearly show you their ugly faces and deeds. Then, in Jesus’ name and in His power, pray for their dismissal.

Rejected

Don’t be cruel to a heart that’s true, crooned Elvis in the 1950s. Most of us have been in situations where people have rejected us. Especially when we have given our hearts to someone or to a special task or a long-time job, rejection by others can feel really cruel.

We learn in scripture that rejection is as old as mankind. Leah felt rejected by her husband Jacob because he loved Rachel more than he loved her. Rachel felt rejected by God because she didn’t have children when Leah did. Joseph felt rejected in Egypt after his brothers had sold him into slavery. He ended up dejected in a prison because men who promised to help him get out had forgotten him.

In the New Testament, a young John Mark went with Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey, but decided to go home at some point in the work. This caused Paul to reject him from a future journey with him. AND, our Lord was called The Stone which the builders rejected in Matthew 21:42.

How did these “rejected” Biblical figures fare after their rejection? Surprisingly, we see that while they may have felt the cruelty of rejection at one point in their lives, God had good plans for their futures. Leah’s six sons became fathers of the Hebrew nation. Rachel gave birth to Joseph, through whom God spared His people Israel. Joseph became a leader in Egypt, second-in-command only to Pharaoh. Through Joseph, God’s people were saved from a devastating famine.

John Mark, rejected by the Apostle Paul, was chosen by Barnabas for future missionary travels, and later was even commended by Paul as a “fellow worker” in Philemon 24. This same John Mark is credited with writing the second gospel. And what about Jesus? The verse in Matthew 21:42 goes on to say that He became the “Chief Cornerstone.”

When we feel the cruel teeth of rejection, we can take encouragement from these Bible characters. Though they went through trials that felt like the end of their dreams, God had different plans, and instead of rejecting them, elevated them for His work through them. We can look forward to God’s purposes for us regardless of the decisions made about us by others. He has the last word!

Forward

I can’t move forward looking at the past. Enough time has been wasted already. As Joel Osteen pointed out in a recent sermon, there is a reason why the windshield on your car is bigger than the rear-view mirror. I just wish my headlights were brighter than my tail-lights!

I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Staff Infection?

In belonging to the staff of a church—where I am also a member of that church—I have a greater stake in the work I do there because of my desire that the church, and not just my work, succeed.

As a staff member, I have more ownership than a regular member of the church because of the tremendous investment of my own philosophy, gifts, time, energy, and pure hard work in building a program God has led me to develop. As the director of musical groups, I also have a far different connection with people than other members because of my work in fostering people’s musical abilities and theological understanding over a period of many years. The longer the time as a staff member, the more influence and ownership I have.

But, now that I am no longer a staff member, I have nearly no ownership in the church or its musical program. An ordinary member has more influence, more responsibility, and more to possess than I do. The loss of my position equates to the loss of my place in that church.

Ordinary church members cannot possibly understand the pain and loss that a staff member feels when he or she may no longer serve as a staff member. Some say that a solution is to insist that staff members never become actual members of the church they serve. I think that’s a mistake. In order to enter into wholehearted service, I must also become a member and partner in every aspect of church life.

So now, I sit in a dilemma. I wait on God to show me the next step. I’m glad I can count on the fact that He is always faithful.

Out of the Mouth...

An unholy alliance, a nation of thousands traveling the wilderness, and a donkey that talks: quite a story! Numbers 22-24 tells us the story of the evil king of Moab, Balak, and the evil pagan prophet Balaam, AND the donkey.

Balak became concerned for his nation when he heard about the neighboring tribes that the Israelite armies had destroyed in their journey to the Promised Land. This nation was now nearing his own land. Balak didn’t know that God had commanded Moses not to allow any harm to the Moabites. But, because he didn’t know the God of the Israel, or have the humility to ask for mercy, he cooked up a plan to curse this wandering nation.

Balak had heard about the false prophet, Balaam, and sent servants to implore him to come and put a curse on Israel. (This prophet did evil, as Israel later would experience, but in this instance, God had another plan for this unlikely servant.) Balaam refused to go and curse Israel the first time, so Balak sent a second team with a more enticing invitation which included a monetary reward. This time, Balaam agreed to go because God told him he could go if he spoke HIS word to Israel. BUT, as he traveled along, God knew Balaam’s heart wasn’t submissive as it should be to Him.

Then God used the donkey! As they walked along, the Angel of the Lord appeared in the road. Balaam didn’t see him but the donkey did. The stubborn donkey stopped, and refused to go ahead. When Balaam beat him, “the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,” and finally the Angel of the Lord was able to get Balaam’s attention. The scripture says, “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes.” This encounter apparently caused Balaam to fear God and cautiously allow Himself to speak only what God was to put in his mouth over Israel.

God spoke through this unlikely prophet four blessings on Israel. The first, “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?” The second, “The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them…It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’” The third, “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!” and the fourth, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” (meaning the Messiah will come from this nation!)

Charles Spurgeon writes these words concerning this obscure story:

Ungodly men, like [Balak and] Balaam, may cunningly plot the overthrow of the Lord’s Israel; but with all the secrecy and policy they are doomed to fail. Their powder is damp, the edge of their sword is blunted. They gather together; but as the Lord is not with them, they gather together in vain. We may sit still, and let them weave their nets, for we shall not be taken in by them. Though they call in the aid of Beelzebub, and employ all his serpentine craft, it will avail them nothing: the spells will not work, the divination will deceive them…We need not fear the fiend himself, nor any of those secret enemies whose words are full of deceit and whose plans are deep and unfathomable. They cannot hurt those who trust in the living God.

We can have the assurance that because God has blessed us in Christ, we are blessed, and no one can curse us or separate us from His love. Hallelujah!

Favorite Fall Song

Something told the wild geese it was time to go.
Though the fields lay golden,
something whispered, "Snow."

Leaves were green and stirring, Berries luster glossed.
But beneath warm feathers
something cautioned, "Frost."

All the sagging orchards steamed with amber spice.
But each wild breast stiffened
at remembered ice.

Something told the wild geese it was time to fly.
Summer sun was on their wings.
Winter in their cry.

Rachel Field