Do we truly love each other in the church?

In one of my religion courses, I asked participants to say something in a personal way about the church -- either in the form of an essay or in poetry or song or by an artistic creation. They had much freedom of what form their words or images would take.  I received many thoughtful and beautiful pieces.  One of the most striking testimonies came from a dear friend of mine from the Caribbean island nation of  St. Lucia, writing in urgent, stream-of-consciousness fashion.  Evodia evokes our heartfelt response.  She speaks of  struggles within what is supposed to be the loving community of the church.  How often within the body of Christ, the church, do we leave individual members feeling similar aches and distress?  How often do we forget what Christ's apostle urged of us? 

• By the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ... Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.  (Romans 12:3-5, 10-16).

I pray you will appreciate Evodia's honest expressions of hurt and hope ... and that we all find greater hope and love in community with one another.  This is a longer-than-usual item here on The Electric Gospel blog, but well worth your time.  

Running on Empty

by Evodia Cassius

I wish I were able to truly express how I feel. This my sixth attempt to write this essay and the words still do not pour out of me naturally. I am hesitant and unsettled. I guess my title “Running on Empty” is proving itself to be true on many accounts. Apart from the five failed attempts at this paper, I also have two failed poetry attempts and two failed paintings. Honestly the paintings were not failures, they just do not accurately express my story.  Neither did the poetry or the other writing attempts. Hence this blog entry … this series of blog entries. This real-life talking style about my failed successes and empty full life. The irony is painful. As I write, the butterflies in my stomach seem not to enjoy the frenzy in my head because they are trying their best to escape. This is my story, my blog, my irony.

Insanity

Shy? Afraid? Unsure? Quitter, deserter, pitiful coward, downer … these are not me. So why do I feel like it is becoming second nature to be all these things? Why do such attributes seem to be the very essence that makes up this temporary dwelling in which my soul lives? Why has living become so hard? Why do I feel defeated before I even attempt something? And more, why do I keep trying if I know that the outcome will be the same?  I am beginning think that I MISSED SOME IMPORTANT LESSON that God attempted to teach me, so as a result I go through and do the same things over and over again expecting a change. The very definition of insanity.

Broken

Helpless, needy, clingy, desperate, attention-seeking … these are not me. But someone said even though you glue the pieces back together, you can still see the cracks. Someone else said once it is broken—though you may make the unit whole again—the element is now weaker than it originally was. If these theories are true, what can be said for something that is repeatedly broken and smashed? Does it not stand to reason that one day like Humpty Dumpty the pieces will not be able to be put back together again?  I wear a mask. A façade, a camouflage, if you would like to call it that. Something that hides the cracks and the holes where the pieces that once were are now lost.  Yes I admit it, I am broken.  … And just when I think that by some miracle I am healed and whole, something bumps me over again, reminding of how weak my structure is, of how fragile I have grown over the years. Of how unstable I really am.

Empty

Depressed, sad, lonely, losing faith? These are not me.  A priest once told me that questions do not equal lack of faith. I agreed; it was more my curious nature that drove the questions. But when the questions have been answered and yet still they linger or they resurface, a door is opened. A door that allows more things to come in, but not go out. This door brings past hurts and darkness creeping back in. Slowly but surely, the once brightly-painted room is overcome with a darkness, and the fear is that all the light will be gone.

“What brought all this about?” you may ask. God, the devil, myself? That is an excellent question. You see, I had thought not too long ago that life was splendid. Grand with images of butterflies and rainbows behind every corner. Allow me to explain what I believe happened.

Seeing the light

You know that feeling when some startling revelation occurs, when a conspiracy is uncovered, when some big holes are poked into something you thought was all good? That feeling you get of deep despair and confusion and a stomach ache that you cannot explain? That is the feeling that I felt. That is what I experienced. I came to this unknown place with the best of intentions. I was told, “You will be among God-fearing people, people who believe in the same thing you believe. People who love God just as much as you do.”  And that brought me face to face with a painful irony … I love God … but I don’t love you?  The Bible itself asks how can you love someone you cannot see but hate the people you see.  “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).

So which love is it? Which love will mine be?  Which love will be in the hearts of those around me?  It’s hard to come to terms with love within the church when the church has lost the love it had at first (Revelation 2:3).  Where is love when your loyalty to God is measured on your attendance statistics at each and every religious service, and not on how you treat and relate to the people in your very presence?  Where is love when you can have a conversation with someone now, and five minutes later not acknowledge their presence? Where is love when you are treated differently because you are different, or just because?  When judgment is cast without knowledge of the person?   It is sad. It is hurtful. It is infuriating.

I asked my mother, “How can they say they love God, my God, and behave the way they do? Is it just me? Am I the wrong one?”  I pray almost constantly, “God, if I am at fault, help me see and help me change.”  But it had gotten increasingly difficult to deal with life within the lukewarmness of my surroundings.  Increasingly difficult to smile, to be, to live.  A minister friend tells me, “You are exactly where God wants you to be.” And I need to believe this because it is the only thing that keeps me going at times. But is it true … or is it a means of pacification so I stop questioning things? I am not saying that I am the only person who struggles, and the Lord knows that my issues may be rather insignificant compared to others. So who am I to complain? But I do feel empty and low. I feel like a failure because I am not happy where I am. God has richly blessed me and all my endeavors; he always has. I cannot say that he has ever left my side. But where I am at the moment feels wrong … in my gut, in my soul. Sometimes if feels like everything around me is rejecting me, telling me constantly, “You do not belong. Something here is different, you are the odd one out, a foreigner that has infiltrated and is not wanted. A cancer. A poison.” I walk into a room and people go quiet. Conversations cease and people walk away. People’s attitudes towards me change overnight. I am not so self-centered to think that I am always the topic of conversation, but I am old enough to know when life is like high school all over again.

Should I stay in my room and brood or cry?  That’s not me.  I feel like I need to stifle myself and change to be accepted as one of the masses. That’s not me. I do not want to fit in, be one with all others, if being one of the masses means that I am no longer an individual but a drone. I want the respect I deserve.  I deserve it not because of the color of my skin or the country of my origin, not because I am better than anyone else. I deserve respect as a child of God – not because I have not done anything to deserve that title.  But the Lord has lavished his love on me and called me his own in Christ (1 John 3:1).  And, I will remember, the Lord has called many others as his children too – people different from me, people not like me.  And we owe each other love and respect as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer

Lord, help what Paul prayed be true for me.  Help what Paul prayed be true for those around me.  Help us, within your body, your church, to be more and more filled with the love of Christ and with love for one another. …

• I pray that out of his glorious riches, the Father may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19).

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Note of upcoming course:

·         THE8113 Connecting Young Adults to the Church   
(1 credit)
A study and discussion of issues regarding young adults' involvement in churches and member ministry. Participants engage in Bible study and discussion of practical issues related to ministry with youth/young adults.
Instructor: David Sellnow

·         July 15 - July 26 Online

·         Register via MLC Continuing Education

Constructing and Conducting Bible Studies

What:  College course (1 credit) as a workshop for Bible study planners / leaders

• Course description ... Constructing and Conducting Bible Studies (Theology 8511) - The art and practice of writing and leading Bible studies.
• Note:  This course is a good review for pastors and staff ministers, and provides foundational training to lay leaders involved in Bible study leadership.

When:  Begins June 29 ...  ends July 17

Where:  Online

Offered through the Continuing Education program of Martin Luther College

Cost (tuition and fees):  $315

Go to registration page.  In registration process, choose course #THE8511 - Constructing and Conducting Bible Studies

Some comments from past participants in the course:

• This course surpassed my expectations of what I thought I could learn in 3 weeks time.
• I appreciated the coaching I received with my Bible study preparation to help me understand the big picture.
• My understanding and application of the proper use of law and gospel have grown immensely.
• I'm excited about all I have learned about better questioning and writing, and am eager to start fall Bible classes.  I highly recommend this course for every Bible study leader.
• I feel invigorated after this class and am eager to return to Bible class and share what I have learned.

Come to church with me!

by Elizabeth Jeske

The following was written as a "letter to a friend" assignment in one of my classes.

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Hey, Jack!

            It was so good hanging out with you last week! It seems like it’s been so long since we have spent some quality time together. It totally felt like the moment we left off though, as if no time had passed since we last hung out. I’m glad that we are that close!

            You know that I care about you very much and only want the best things for you. Because of this, I can tell when you are not doing so well. I have noticed that you have not been going to church lately. I am not making any accusations and judgments, merely stating what I have observed. I know that there are dozens of reasons that people miss church, like sickness or traveling. But since this has been happening frequently, I have become a bit worried as to why you are regularly missing church.

            The Bible has quite a bit to say as to why we attend church. First and foremost, it is a way to preserve and strengthen our faith.  We are encouraged to “draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:22-25).

This section of Scripture speaks about several reasons we should go to church. First, we go to church because we are sinful beings. We consistently sin. I mean, we can’t NOT sin. We always are falling short of what we are supposed to be doing, falling short of what is expected of us. What better way is there to be reminded of our forgiveness, to have our consciences cleansed, than immersing ourselves in the Word in worship?  

Another purpose of church is to get us into the habit of fellowship. The ability to profess your faith with other Christians is a wonderful experience. Being able to worship with other Christians helps strengthen our faith. It is also encouraging to see others in the faith worshipping alongside you. And Christ says that when two or more are gathered together, he is also there.

Faith needs to be nourished and stay active.  An idle faith is sure to lead to no good. When we do not use our faith, it is not growing. It is not doing anything. An idle faith is not prepared for the temptations and devastations of the world. Regular worship is beneficial to keeping faith refreshed and prepared for the sin that constantly surrounds us. Continually going to church is a good way to stay active in our faith.

You might say that it is not worth going to church when your heart is not in it. While it might seem that way, it is quite the opposite. Going to church, even when our hearts are not in the right place, allows the Holy Spirit a chance to enter into our hearts. Closing our minds to going to church eliminates any chance of that happening. Going to church might be exactly what our faith needs.

Look, I know that hearing this from a friend is not the easiest thing to deal with. I know it might change our friendship a little bit, but I care about your faith-life enough to express my concerns. This is by no means a way to claim I know everything about you or to make you feel belittled. I just care enough to try to be helpful when I can.

If you would like, I would love to take you to church sometime. We can even explore a new congregation that we have not been to before, if you’d like. I would not mind if we went out to brunch afterwards. Just let me know!

Hope to hear from you soon,

Elizabeth 

Under Pressure

Note:  Devotional Writing online course (THE8508) begins Monday, June 8.  Time is running out to sign up!  Course is offered through the Continuing Education program of Martin Luther College.

This week's devotional post here on the blog comes from Aaron Schwartz, who wrote this article as an assignment in one of my undergrad theology courses.

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Under Pressure

by Aaron Schwartz

We will never escape the force of pressure while on this earth. As a science major, I often think of pressure in the form of pounds per square inch or kilopascals, but pressure actually is all around us in many forms. Not just pressure from the weight of the air around us. Also pressure from our peers.  Pressure to perform well in music or drama or sports.  Pressures from work. Pressure from parents or siblings. The list goes on and on. 

            As a college student, I think that these pressures are just the beginning of my stress. For me, further pressures include student loans, licensure tests, clinical experiences, student teaching, working 20-25 hours at a local gas station, homework load, and more. There comes a point when it is not possible to pinpoint all the individual pressures, but I know the overall feeling of pressure is real.

We feel these pressures from an early age and they greatly affect us. They pull us down into the dumps. They seem to hit us when we least expect it. We cannot seem to shake them off on our own, but that does not keep us from trying. We look for different ways to cope with pressure and stress. Some coping mechanisms may be healthy ones like playing intramurals with friends or going out to late-night appetizers and drinks with a significant other. However, quite often we cope in unhealthy ways -- drinking too much to get away from life’s troubles or depriving our bodies of sleep in order to get just a little more work accomplished.

Whether in Madison, Wisconsin, Tucson, Arizona, or New Ulm, Minnesota, the pressures of life are constant and stressful. College students are college students regardless of where they go to school. The type and strength of temptations may vary, but every college that I know of is still found in the world – and this world is full of evil and temptation. It’s a world that has everything we as sinners want and think we need.

 In a world filled with greed, lust, desire, jealousy and laziness, the pressure to conform and be of the world is significant.  And the pressure continues to build.  Forgetting to attend worship for a week seems fine.  But then it becomes a month … and then we start forgetting about the purpose of our worship altogether.  We forget about God’s promise to provide for all of our needs, physically and spiritually.  And we make decisions and choices that deny our Lord.

We need to be reminded that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, and we are aliens on this earth. The pressures we put on ourselves, or those caused by parents or friends to complete school, start our careers, get that dream job, start a family – all now, now, now -- all are really pressures of life that is of this world. When this sort of pressure grows too great and we are struggling to cope with the pressure, we look to Christ, who assures us, “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Christ has overcome and conquered this world. He didn’t just win a little prize or a game. He crushed Satan and defeated death for all people. The sins of everyone -- every person in college, every person in your town, every person everywhere on earth – all sins have been taken away by Christ.  He lived a perfect life in our place. Through faith in Christ, salvation has been given to us freely by grace alone. We are able to look past the pressures of this life, past the pressures of this world, to the peace of eternal life. We do not look past the pressure because we are able to do enough to cope, but because the pressure to be perfect has been taken off our shoulders. Christ’s robe of righteousness and his crown of glory have replaced that pressure for us.

Just because we have the gift of eternal life does not mean our earthly lives will be free from all pressure. Jesus told us this also.  Before assuing us, “Take heart! I have overcome the world,” Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).   Our earthly pilgrimage is not about living a stress-free, pressure-less life.  "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).  However, it is the reaction to these hardships and pressures that makes all the difference. Keeping Christ as our focus, we live our lives out of thankfulness for all he has done for us. Faithfully doing our tasks as students, working hard on the job, and any other challenging aspects of this world become easier because of all God has done for us.  And while we live out our lives here on earth, we eagerly share the word of God with others who are under the pressure of this world and need the assurance of Christ – that he has overcome the world for us.

You Are Precious in His Sight

by Emily Hunt

Have you ever seen the PBS television show, Antiques Roadshow?  The program features local antique owners who bring in all kinds of obscure items to be appraised by experts. Most often, the owners walk away disappointed after being told that their item is worth about as much as it looks like it would be worth. However, every time I watch this show, I am shocked at the number of seemingly worthless items that receive appraisals of thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars. How can something so ugly be worth so much?

            Do you ever feel like the people on this show? Do you feel the need to seek not only the approval of this world, but an appraisal as well? Do you present yourself before the “experts” of this world to ask your worth? I know I do. “Here I am world! Here are all my talents, abilities, personality traits, my looks, and my possessions! What am I worth? Do you want me?”

            If you are anything like I am, you may sometimes walk away from the expert appraisers of this world with your head hung low. You thought you had a lot to offer, but why doesn’t anyone else see that? You fought so hard for that position or promotion, but somebody else beat you out. You work yourself ragged day in and day out, yet you never hear those words of thankfulness from the people you love. You gave everything you had to that man who said he loved you, but he left you anyway. You struggle to understand your purpose in this life. You find yourself consumed with questions like, “Why am I not good enough? What is wrong with me? Why doesn’t anybody appreciate me? Why doesn’t anybody want me? Why doesn’t anybody love me?”

            Maybe you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum and the appraisal you receive from the world pleases you and in it you find your worth. You are generally well-liked. You got that job you worked so hard for. You live in a highly respected neighborhood in a beautiful house that is the envy of all your friends. You keep up with all the latest fashion trends and can even afford to fill your closet with such things. Life is treating you well and you feel that you have found your place. If this describes you, you must ask yourself: “What if I lost all of this? What if I had nothing? Would I still be content? Would I still feel worthy?”

            No matter which end of the spectrum you identified yourself with, we all share the same problem. So often, we run to the appraisers of this world to find our worth. We throw everything we have at them and beg them to tell us that we are worth something. We compare ourselves to everyone else around us and wonder why we can’t have what they have. When did we get the idea that we have to be found worthy in the eyes of the world? Who told us that we need to fit in with this world? The answer is simple: The world itself tells us that. Our sinful, worldly flesh seeks the desires of this world. We look to the world to give us our value. 

To understand what is wrong with this picture, I want you to think about a dollar bill. Who determined that a dollar bill is worth 100 cents? The government set that value. What gives the government the right to give a dollar bill its value?  The government created the dollar bill. What if the dollar bill gets crumpled up, stomped on, or even spit on. Does it still have the same value? Absolutely.

I hope you are starting to see where I am going with this. What right does the world have to determine your value? Does the world have any ownership over you? No. Then why, WHY do we look to the world for our worth? Just like that dollar bill, our value is determined by our Creator. God tells us in the Psalms that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We know who our Maker is, and it is in him and from him that we find our worth.

And our God loves us so incredibly much that he seeks after us when we stray from him and his Word. Our God loves us so incredibly much that he does not count our sins against us; rather, he has already prepared a place for us in his perfect and glorious heavenly kingdom. If you are still struggling with feelings of worthlessness, please let this last truth sink in to your heart. Our God loves us so incredibly much that he gave up his one and only Son. Our perfect Creator sent his perfect Son to live a perfect life and die an innocent death in our place. You probably know these words by heart, but let the words resonate in your heart:  “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  How is it even possible that we could ever feel worthless after hearing such a beautiful message as this?

Do you remember my question at the beginning of this article about Antiques Roadshow? I asked, how can something so ugly be worth so much? Here we are, the ugliest of sinners, standing before our Maker. Our appraisal should tell us that we are completely worthless; so worthless in fact, that we deserve to die eternally in hell. However, God in his amazing mercy and love looks at us through the grace of Jesus and sees his beautiful children whom he loves unconditionally.  God looks at us and sees people who are more precious than gold or silver, so precious because of the blood of his own Son.

When you are feeling worthless, remember that God loves you with an unconditional, all-consuming, and redemptive love. Remember that your appraisal comes from Christ alone. Remember that you are so deeply loved, highly treasured, and mercifully redeemed. Look to the world no longer. Look to Christ. You are precious in his sight. 

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Note:  Continuing Education courses offered online by Martin Luther College begin on June 8.  Register now  if you wish to participate.