Frustrated by Some Ugly Truths
Topic: Life In The Kingdom

I was just reading (like others), a quote, of a quote, of a quote, in a recent book, while enduring some terrible realizations about Christians and how they/we selectively "believe" God; inventing our own "brand" of religion that caters to our narcissism. 

We love to convince ourselves that God would never have the audacity to discomfort, or disquiet our selfishness.  We breed this here in the states.  I've heard all too often (more recently now) how God is just "leading" Christians to do everything that I've never seen Jesus do; from witch hunting within my own fellowship, to others autonomously deciding that "God is leading" them to leave friends and family when closer examination is warranted.

This past 3 weeks have been nauseating as I encounter our smiley, well dressed, "you-can-have-whatever-you-want-at-no-cost" Christianity, putting on a professional hypocritical facade of personal rightness, and the exercise of solo Christianity where no one has the right to challenge or "I'll take my toys and go home."

Then I read this...

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church's prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.¹

Søren Kierkegaard

Many have, of course, read these words, and many more will read them - even agree with them.  But the modern, western, Christian cultural, rational mind will coddle itself into a numb, selfish, convenient, forgetfulness that will later insulate itself with the low road of "well I'm only human-nobody is perfect-everyone has issues" excuse.  "After all I believe that God would never want me to feel uncomfortable."

Kierkegaard's quote helps my understanding of how we got here.  It frustrates me because, knowing this, will not change a thing.

Sad.

1. Moore, Charles, ed. Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard. Plough: Farmington 2002.

Sadly, Sacramentis is closing-but for a better Christ worship.
Topic: Life In The Kingdom

It is appropriate for us to note what they are saying, for it is the stuff that we have been trying to embody. It is the Christ-likeness that we try to be. Please take their statement seriously--it is important to God.

Here is their closing statement.

An End... And a Beginning.

Sacramentis has been a pioneer site on worship and culture for seven years. From the beginning, it has been a gathering spot for the best worship resources available. Sacramentis has also been a place where church leaders could go deeper into what classic Christian worship is and does, and where they could re-imagine worship for communities where church-going is no longer the norm. From your letters of support and encouragement, it seems we were able to accomplish these two goals. For that, we are grateful.

We regret that our site has been down for so long and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. We had hoped to put Sacramentis back on the web this month, and had been working toward that end. However, we have simply come to realize that it is time to move on. Sacramentis still believes strongly that corporate worship is central to the life and vitality of the Church. But we have become convinced that the primary meeting place with our unchurched friends is now outside the church building. Worship must finally become, as Paul reminds us, more life than event. (Romans 12:1,2)

To this end, Sally Morgenthaler and the rest of the Sacramentis team will be focusing on the radically different kind of leadership it will take to transform our congregations from destinations to conversations, from services to service, and from organization to organism.

We have valued our community with you these past seven years. Your support has been integral to keeping Sacramentis vital and responsive to the shifting needs of congregations in the midst of worship change. We can?t thank you enough for your friendship, and for your own pioneering work in thousands of congregations across the U.S. and around the globe.

Sacramentis may be ending, but the crucial work of connecting people with God continues. We invite you to continue the conversation as we explore what new-world leadership looks like at its best.

Please visit us at our new home: trueconversations.com. (Launching in 2006).

Sincerely,

Sally Morgenthaler

and the Sacramentis Team

What A Desert Can Do
Topic: Life In The Kingdom
As promised, I am not quite over Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. I hope never to be "over" the remembrance of our Lord's great victory, and the price paid to set the world aright!

While we walked through the desert experience of lent, looking to lay ourselves low; losing ourselves into God's purpose and will, many of our hearts have become far more compassionate, rejecting a programs-process-driven mindset to our identity in Christ and His work.

We are taking the plight of our neighbors and the forgotten in our world personally. As we look to sustain this renewed appreciation of Christ's love for the world, He has certainly been placing many changes, and opportunities before us, for us to embody His will. It seems that there is a daily stream of new connections, needs, and partnerships emerging as we continue to look for where He wants to use us.

It seems a new day is dawning? "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor 5:17

Only last night, I was interviewed by a reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer, who was following a story about urban renewal, and how money for revitalization projects is flowing into our area, when he was suddenly redirected to the plight of the poor. At our Washington & Chestnut site, we are about to endure the displacement of people, forced to relocate from the area, to who knows where, when the borough demolishes an entire neighborhood to build a school. People forced to rent, and on fixed incomes will lose all that they know as "Home" to seemingly solve an urban blight problem.

The churches answer has been to pray really hard, and hope that God will magically intervene.

Whether people have to move (or not), is not really the spiritual issue, and praying without personal involvement might make me feel better, but it will not swaddle the brokenhearted. These troubles require action from the church as a response to prayer.

We have seen shelters for the homeless close, and staffing in others cut. This might save tax dollars, but homelessness is increasing. Where is the church?

As I said earlier, the Lenten Desert changes everything. God has spoken to those who are becoming less self-absorbed. He does move upon those who will lose their will, to His. Right now we are following God down a road that is terrifying, should we journey alone--without Him.

There are real possibilities of establishing a Pottstown Homeless Shelter. Bill Kraft is in contact with folks called to this area, and are gifted for this work. One of those contacts has led us to an older woman of faith named Beatrice in Pompano Beach, FL. The front of her house was blown off, and there is a huge hole in her roof from Katrina. FEMA gave her $700 to fix things. This almost paid for windows and she is out of money. Local contractors are gouging prices to the tune of $11,000 to fix her roof.

God has placed her in our path through our pursuit of beginning a shelter, and we have the people to fix her dilemma. He has given her to us. How can we not help? Someone has promised to fund our gas; the permits are in the works right now; we have a place to stay in Florida close by, with a friend who helped plant Still Waters (and who, incidentally, attends, and works at a church run homeless shelter, looking to help us startup while down there); and now we need your help.

The materials will cost around $800. Our labor is free, and our transportation is taken care of. I am asking that you will help us buy the materials to fix Beatrice's roof, and repair the water damage she has sustained over the year.

This will speak very loudly to many in her circles, both in Florida, and those connected to her here in PA.

Please consider her as one of the least, and see if God would have you help her. Please click HERE to DONATE. It is a secure PayPal Service.

Still Waters is a 501(c)(3) organization and your gift is tax deductible.

We are asking for your help and will let you know how this turns out for her, a dear sister in the Lord.

Thank you.

Blessings,
Kork & Bill