Picture Perfect!

Picture Perfect! "A picture is worth a thousand words!" Reflecting on both political conventions what stands out are still pictures capturing the crowds in attendance. There were stark contrasts one audience lacked chromatic variation while the other could claim a cascade of hues. Neither were picture perfect.

As I thought about these differences, political affinity aside my focal point became Sunday mornings and my heart ached. Filled with sadness, I had to admit if taken, photographs of the majority of 21st century churches are confined to black or white. Why does some 40+ years later MLK's words:  "11am on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in the country" remain representative of the majority of our worship experiences? True, we are drawn to those and what is most familiar and comfortable to us. 

But familiarity and comfort are not descriptors befitting the Jesus movement. Jesus constantly challenged dogmatic religious constructs that were exclusionary and elitist. Jesus intentionally embraced and invited "the Other" (women, children, the poor, physically and psychologically challenged, the foreigner, etc.) to participate in community and "in power". Jesus had little patience with the gate keepers, the political and religious leaders that pursued a narrow vision. The "powers" were more determined to minimize the diversity within its landscapes then to extended opportunities; therefore, "the Other" continually found themselves on the margins and cropped out of the picture.

What kind a crowd would the camera capture at Jesus' convention? Would the pictures reveal a continuously stretching canvass bent on inclusivity? Would we gaze in wonderment at the host's intentionality of: (1) Extending invitations to folks with vibrant tones, diverse tongues? (2) Taking positions ensuring gender equality, rights for traditional and same sex couples? (3) Providing opportunity for both "legal  and illegal", poor, working, middle, and upper socioeconomic classes, the uneducated and educated? (4) Creating tax reform committed to win-win for all? (5) Uniting the nations? to name a few.  Jesus' decision are never centered on the number of votes he might garner; how many people would join his movement; or if he would gain favor. Could this lead to picture perfect?

If so, this picture continues to allude us in our political practices and unfortunately too often escapes our ecclesial and faith pursuits. We, Christians, like others before us have given greater premium to our politics and culture over and above our honest and devout engagement in Jesus-like intentionality of inviting "the Other".

Although, Jesus has told us: "Then the King will say, I'm telling the solemn truth: 

Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, 

that was me--you did it to me." Matthew 25:40 (Message Bible)

Some of us have such ardent political positions believing Jesus espouses only democrat or republican virtues; even when Scripture clearly states Jesus despised imperialism and had only one position, "to do the will of Him who sent me"! For Jesus doing the will of Him (God) meant opening wide the doors of the Church, the Kingdom of Heaven to everyone, not only in name but in practice. Jesus went to uncomfortable places for religious people and invited unlikely people to an ever-expanding dinner table (the Kingdom) with Him.

Does the church lack the theological courage to follow the Christ and Cross of its purported convictions? Both our past and present history says yes. Our challenge is to cross sociological and traditional isles that have become chasms of distortions hindering the church from fulfilling and living into the truest picture of the Gospel. 

The Church's canvass has an untapped expanse awaiting splashes of inclusion of every group of people from: racial, ethnic, diverse sexual orientation, socioeconomic, gender, unchurched, etc.; thus, providing the world with hope and the truest expression of doing "the will of Him who sent us".                 

Until we do, the church will continue to offer 

a distorted picture of her intended self. 

Today, the current picture of the church exposes a lens of indifference and a shuttering rejection of the Gospel. We, the church, are just like our political affinities and conventions -- less than picture perfect. 

Will we commit like Jesus to being a beacon of hope through               

relationship with and invitation to "the Other"?

When we do so, we take steps toward "Picture Perfect!"

Hitting Rock Bottom

Hitting Rock Bottom a term associated with alcohol and drug addicts refers to the moment the addict becomes conscious. Hitting Rock Bottom implies an addict at their lowest low of addictive behavior experiences an awakening prompting a journey from harmful practices toward a quest for wholeness. Yet, Hitting Rock Bottom should not remain limited to addicts but expanded to include all people because in truth we all need an emergent consciousness signaling our search for and understanding of a Higher Being.

Limiting Rock Bottom to addicts overlooks the fact many of us are users: we use things, we use careers, we use people, we use relationships, we use substances, we use. . .consequently we all must Hit Rock Bottom.  Hitting Rock Bottom provides us a ground-zero, presenting the opportunity for renewal, repentance and recovery of what is lost.

Usually negatively connoted Hitting Rock Bottom serves as a signpost of hope.

Hitting Rock Bottom removes the blinders covering our hedonism, idolatry and sinfulness. Until we hit rock bottom we continue in our arrogance; suffering from self-deception as we deny our fulfillment through dependence on God alone. The more we deny God, the less we experience or become like God.

Until one hits rock bottom their habit consumes them; wanting more of it, unwittingly acquiring less peace, less power, less purpose they become fragmented, a distortion of the person God created. It’s not just the addict who is guilty of wanting more; remember the destination for all of us is Hitting Rock Bottom!

What or who have you chosen over Jesus; leaving you with feelings of

 powerlessness, insecurity, loneliness, unworthiness, shame, etc.?

The Good News is in Hitting Rock Bottom, in that void is discovery, discovering the absence of our reliance on a God that precisely promises:

“Look, I am making everything new!”

Revelation 21:5

Rock bottom becomes the door of possibility, an entrance into hope. Rock bottom becomes the foundation, a building block toward wholeness.  Rock bottom becomes the compass, pointing us to the Ultimate North Star – “Thou who has bought us thus far on the way”.

Hitting Rock Bottom we can find healing, wholeness, hope and new life. Through Jesus we can overcome every disappointment, rejection, shame, failure, sense of abandonment, etc. Just as God promises to make everything new, He also promises “His will to be done on earth as it is heaven”. As we Hit Rock Bottom trusting in Jesus, we experience earthly and eternal recovery:

“He will wipe every tear from our eyes,

and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.

All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:4

My prayer is that we Hit Rock Bottom and live a life fully depending on Jesus alone!

Much Love,

Pastor Singleton

Butt, For Grace!

Do you have childhood (discipline) experiences peppered with these type of statements from your parents/guardians?: “If you don’t do what I say, you’re gonna get a whoopin’!”, “If you’re gonna live in my house, there are some rules you WILL follow”, “Didn’t I tell you to_______, since you didn’t I’m gonna beat your butt!”, etc. I did. . .my parents created an environment where the expectations were clear and the consequences for failure to comply were clearer and consistent. Mom and Dad often said, “This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you” (I would think, then why am I the only one hollering, crying and feeling pain).  Perhaps, like me, you wondered, why the consequences targeted a specific portion of anatomy, “our butts?”

Many years have passed, now I am the one bellowing these parental orders, compelling my troops to obey their chain of command.  I, too, communicate clear expectations and the consequences for failure to comply are clearer and consistent.  One lazy, rainy afternoon while playing in the house, my restless kindergartner and his rambunctious little brother indiscriminately persisted on whining and skirmishing. Hearing enough I demanded to know, “what is going on?” After hearing their bestest (that’s my word) toddler explanations, on cue I responded; “Didn’t I tell you to play quietly and respectfully?”, they replied, “Yes sir”. “So, what should happen?” (Trained with clear expectations and understanding the consequences for failure to comply), they responded, “Consequences”.  In my drill daddy tone, I enlisted my boys to turn around because “you didn’t listen so I’m gonna beat your butt!”

But, an epiphany invaded the moment. The law of karma which says ‘for every cause there is an effect’ or ‘for every action, there is a reaction’ was active BUT it dawned on me to disrupt it.  Upon reflection, with stern discipline my parents guided me into adulthood and there were countless instances warranting consequences BUT many times my parents did not impose any.  Revisiting, my own parenting the occasions are numerous where I refrain from beating their butts.  BUT, I had not shared the reasons with my boys, nor had my parents with me – this aha moment – led me to once again refrain and instead; I taught them about grace.

I continued with “what should happen now?” In unison, they said, “consequences”. I said “yes BUT there is something called grace, do you know what that is?” “No sir”.  “Grace is when we deserve consequences BUT don’t receive them.  So, Daddy is going to extend grace to you.  Do you understand?” “Yes sir”! “What does grace mean?” “We’re not going to get consequences”. “That’s correct (hugs) now go play quietly and respectfully”.

As children of God, the occasions we receive grace are numerous.  Just as I was and my children were unaware; more often then we will ever recognize God refrains from imposing consequences for our sins. The Bible is replete with examples of God teaching us about and inviting our awareness of grace. In Psalm 130:3-4, the psalmist captures the essence of grace:

Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to worship you.

Grace simply put is God’s exception to the law of consequences for failure to comply.  Through grace, our butts aren’t the target, Jesus is seeking our hearts. Think about all of your own indiscriminate persistence of sinning (whining and skirmishing) and take a moment to recognize:

Butt, for Grace!

Everyday every one of us needs Grace! Everyday All of us receive Grace.

BUT

Hopefully, everyday we seek awareness of Grace and learn to worship Jesus.

Much Love,

Pastor Singleton