tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-119283172024-03-13T16:38:01.557-04:00Wes EllisPastor, Youth Worker, Practical Theologianwellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comBlogger1703125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-73399244745163957112024-03-13T16:31:00.003-04:002024-03-13T16:37:13.540-04:00Youth Beyond<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ADr_lEXatVoKfCnA1VHIuFIUh0jw3hHaSnY2Eb7z6ypd30v76viSI-Zq1KwpGjvCi92gKt1YcXZZlsIPNioYJrRAr9omLZkIbaHEIsz-cnU0zB9sOyIUehClXT4Ku0AqWiM5MD-gWXuFeJSkpy0jJkdyHA9SHqRiNvomrkr7IOQTq_uwN48/s6912/Ministry%20&%20Theology%20Reading%20Group%20(3).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ADr_lEXatVoKfCnA1VHIuFIUh0jw3hHaSnY2Eb7z6ypd30v76viSI-Zq1KwpGjvCi92gKt1YcXZZlsIPNioYJrRAr9omLZkIbaHEIsz-cnU0zB9sOyIUehClXT4Ku0AqWiM5MD-gWXuFeJSkpy0jJkdyHA9SHqRiNvomrkr7IOQTq_uwN48/w749-h375/Ministry%20&%20Theology%20Reading%20Group%20(3).png" width="749" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youth-Beyond-Developmental-Lens-Becoming/dp/1506494943/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oSi10vmMPeAkKCYzxpzYRNSPxKfNqIZ_jP82HL5b8E5xM3jBf1Q88wcykDxKJmMcQyFLf_FFfIQWsN2b_H9mr2ufeWSt2f-hzYvc-XiCJybnK-9KkadrfN-hDrLB3EJCB_90CzaWh2rZ98EyxPYO2OJb0EjxgqREbwzR-JdV-AT3r-pLvUjntlErFnEuTitGgBlTw3Vg-1EdbhpepB44jhB97FEhTJyicK5HbmWc55w.uQj_A1Blyqm06E3craJlQG-c5afJFa49GWzuKwkyPqw&dib_tag=se&qid=1710362114&refinements=p_27%3AWesley+Ellis&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Wesley+Ellis" target="_blank">Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens: Being Over Becoming</a> </i>has been out since January 23rd, and I am really excited about the buzz I am hearing around the book. It's being used in seminary classes and even in church leadership teams. I couldn't be happier, or more humbled, that people are actually reading this thing. If you're one of those who has read the book and enjoyed it, feel free to drop a 5-star review on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youth-Beyond-Developmental-Lens-Becoming/dp/1506494943/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oSi10vmMPeAkKCYzxpzYRNSPxKfNqIZ_jP82HL5b8E5xM3jBf1Q88wcykDxKJmMcQyFLf_FFfIQWsN2b_H9mr2ufeWSt2f-hzYvc-XiCJybnK-9KkadrfN-hDrLB3EJCB_90CzaWh2rZ98EyxPYO2OJb0EjxgqREbwzR-JdV-AT3r-pLvUjntlErFnEuTitGgBlTw3Vg-1EdbhpepB44jhB97FEhTJyicK5HbmWc55w.uQj_A1Blyqm06E3craJlQG-c5afJFa49GWzuKwkyPqw&dib_tag=se&qid=1710362114&refinements=p_27%3AWesley+Ellis&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Wesley+Ellis" target="_blank">amazon</a>. And if you haven't gotten a copy yet, it is available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youth-Beyond-Developmental-Lens-Becoming/dp/1506494943/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oSi10vmMPeAkKCYzxpzYRNSPxKfNqIZ_jP82HL5b8E5xM3jBf1Q88wcykDxKJmMcQyFLf_FFfIQWsN2b_H9mr2ufeWSt2f-hzYvc-XiCJybnK-9KkadrfN-hDrLB3EJCB_90CzaWh2rZ98EyxPYO2OJb0EjxgqREbwzR-JdV-AT3r-pLvUjntlErFnEuTitGgBlTw3Vg-1EdbhpepB44jhB97FEhTJyicK5HbmWc55w.uQj_A1Blyqm06E3craJlQG-c5afJFa49GWzuKwkyPqw&dib_tag=se&qid=1710362114&refinements=p_27%3AWesley+Ellis&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Wesley+Ellis" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or at the <a href="https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506494944/Youth-Beyond-the-Developmental-Lens" target="_blank">Fortress Press website</a>. </div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-12791629755829090422024-01-25T18:35:00.007-05:002024-01-25T18:43:31.259-05:00Hospitality is the Hallmark<blockquote>“Hospitality to the needy is to be the hallmark of the disciple of Christ." -Patrick T. McCormick </blockquote><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaHfmIHeOHmBJys-PCBdX7hcx6bH0CN8huRAs6FjjKDy03hVuOBbOQjsG1JHqCl9ymrO0qRpxFUzTfqx90cxhwpLWNbLW6Z3cq3v5FLGDx1liZBf_7K4QhFGRWS38zRSXWujOXVHf5aMKIyj6oDy-Xxk2LOTjFx14PsxwZNqYhfni4W2Q6_j9/s1280/hands-1201826_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1280" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaHfmIHeOHmBJys-PCBdX7hcx6bH0CN8huRAs6FjjKDy03hVuOBbOQjsG1JHqCl9ymrO0qRpxFUzTfqx90cxhwpLWNbLW6Z3cq3v5FLGDx1liZBf_7K4QhFGRWS38zRSXWujOXVHf5aMKIyj6oDy-Xxk2LOTjFx14PsxwZNqYhfni4W2Q6_j9/s320/hands-1201826_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In our culture, much is made of our personal beliefs. What a person believes—and by this, we mean the position one takes on one issue or another—can make or break them with certain people. What someone believes can mean either their acceptance into a community or their banishment. It can mean being welcomed or shunned. It can mean being praised or being cancelled. Belief means a lot. <div><br /></div><div>In Christianity, throughout its history, belief has also meant a lot... but in a very different way from that of the culture wars of our time. In the way of Jesus Christ, every belief that Christianity claims is designed to lead to <i>more</i> openness, not less. Christian belief was never intended to be exclusive, but <i>in</i>clusive. The Creeds for example (i.e. the Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed), are not meant to keep people out but to bring people in. If one takes seriously the belief in “the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting,” then they should become more accepting of people who disagree with their beliefs, not less. </div><div><br /></div><div> This is possible precisely because, in Christianity, belief is not the most important thing. The Church is not a fraternity of the like-minded, it is not a club for people who all think the same way. Belief serves a higher purpose than that of figuring out who is “in” and who is “out.” The point of Christianity and the point of belief is to celebrate, proclaim, and be transformed by the radical hospitality of God, and to extend that hospitality to everyone, even to those we may otherwise perceive as enemies. This hospitality—especially to those in the most need of it—is, as Patrick McCormick put it, “the hallmark of the disciple of Christ” (From his book, <i>A Banqueter's Guide to the All-Night Soup Kitchen of the Kingdom of God</i>, page 46).
</div></div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-75157890318556280532024-01-11T18:04:00.007-05:002024-01-11T18:25:51.250-05:00'When Church Stops Working' Discussion Guide
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-resources/files/353892_RootBertrandWhenChurchStopsWorking_DiscussionGuide_FINAL.pdf?1704226883" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="1082" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHWCcdVh7gkZP2x0oxb8XiLRqWAFdTmJIIuPsUuGOYTWTifJ4VGYoMM2nW8Jessiafq9Eya5LnbRv-T5HJlIz9vAClJOCdOOYj7quaE2EFGT9RX9BTBkbYcu__EIojL2E8jlvkiD8tNRFa4KNR_NguJa_X28h91B5jCQkARWrPisDC4542zVI/w231-h298/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-11%20at%203.14.55%20PM.png" width="231" /></a></div><br />This year, I plan to use <i>When Church Stops Working </i>by Andrew Root and Blair Bertrand to help the leaders in my congregation discern our future and think about our ministry. I imagine that I'm not alone. Many pastors and church leaders will be reading this book and thinking through its implications there. To give a little extra help, especially to those who may wish to read this book with groups or church staff, my friend Andrew Stephens-Rennie and I wrote up a discussion guide which is now available on the <a href="http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/when-church-stops-working/412660" target="_blank">Brazos website</a>. I hope you find this discussion guide helpful and, most of all, I hope you find <i>When Church Stoops Working</i> helpful. <html>
</html><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-resources/files/353892_RootBertrandWhenChurchStopsWorking_DiscussionGuide_FINAL.pdf?1704226883" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the discussion guide</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-resources/files/353892_RootBertrandWhenChurchStopsWorking_DiscussionGuide_FINAL.pdf?1704226883" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="2680" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTungHkNvsfj7H6VVB7qpunNUB-N54m2Z1bC4GMGvr4Vz77ykOtJFdbSwMaCDxOdViOyeCnwZGGPLA4ZGDRgA1xVe_o9mReRtVeFZCQy-PwTlUay-7lLGJSswX0PM1vhy8djPDDzyypGPMRUZwaXs8ZwU-kxaXolWWbhYN_hWdF-BaMu4-e9D/w606-h350/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-11%20at%203.24.22%20PM.png" width="606" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>
wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-57026959548738366882024-01-06T15:47:00.007-05:002024-01-06T15:51:16.663-05:00The best books I read in 2023, in no particular order<p>I read a lot of good books in 2023... I also read a few bad ones, but I just wanna highlight 5 good ones. This is not a ranking, and there are of course other books that deserve to be highlighted, but of all the books I read this year, these are the 5 I'd most highly recommend to you as must-read material:</p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXfotf92ZFdmj3dz1I59abxEyTLwX0pYS25807TKhdU3OtyBInGh0AX9z5w_mDBMmcwNwIbtCTB22W_PQzwKaKKtWbkJnH307zHQwrQnqWLWA8pkvu6kkkEDLxgpk8J_yx13qlZedRQk6DkmD38bucKvIZiIqzVPD50XGjJO_s76sTppUaQL-C" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXfotf92ZFdmj3dz1I59abxEyTLwX0pYS25807TKhdU3OtyBInGh0AX9z5w_mDBMmcwNwIbtCTB22W_PQzwKaKKtWbkJnH307zHQwrQnqWLWA8pkvu6kkkEDLxgpk8J_yx13qlZedRQk6DkmD38bucKvIZiIqzVPD50XGjJO_s76sTppUaQL-C" width="157" /></a></b></div><b><i>The Scent of Time: A Philosophical Essay on the Art of Lingering </i>by Byung-Chul Han </b><p></p><p>This one's really short but, like all of Han's works, it packs a serious punch. It is a thought-provoking book that invites a relationship to time and space that allows for the kind of experience where lingering is possible and "scent" is a form of knowledge. It is a diagnosis of and departure from the frenetic culture of achievement and a re-centralization of the <i>vita contemplativa</i>. Written from a sociological/philosophical perspective, this little book has some profound theological import. </p><p><b><i>Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone</i> by James Martin</b></p><p>This is a must-read for anyone interested in thinking about prayer and understanding how prayer works, especially from an Ignatian perspective. Martin writes in a way that is extremely accessible but still theologically insightful. </p><p><b><i>Innovating for Love: Joining God's Expedition Through Christian Social Innovation</i> by Kenda Creasy Dean</b></p><p>I've written before about my skepticism regarding "innovation," but I trust it in Kenda Dean's hands. This book is really important for anyone who is committed to innovation in ministry and the church. Kenda will challenge assumptions and offer a solid theological starting point for a good vision for ministry. </p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjge3hwv_K_5sW46m5xHVLdHYButL2Rifs1RT_Ol1oRMLcbAsmblwsfpsPBIJBrzJL67z5WSZZJOh0-4ApTNb-f82Gbw6iFFsT5e5pLvsayXNNrHTo0r0Eshuy7gHRJxWB80-Kl5B2esps5GYyccq9v1R6nq1dC8bc4sX3-EcOSGFqj3ulYjGd4" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjge3hwv_K_5sW46m5xHVLdHYButL2Rifs1RT_Ol1oRMLcbAsmblwsfpsPBIJBrzJL67z5WSZZJOh0-4ApTNb-f82Gbw6iFFsT5e5pLvsayXNNrHTo0r0Eshuy7gHRJxWB80-Kl5B2esps5GYyccq9v1R6nq1dC8bc4sX3-EcOSGFqj3ulYjGd4" width="158" /></a></b></div><b><i>How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy</i> by Jenny Odell</b><p></p><p>Odell is not a theologian and her writing style isn't typical for an academic contribution, but she's really fun to read. She has a kind of polemical and artistic approach that I found to be really delightful. She offers a critique of our "attention economy" and the social drive to optimize everything about our experience and identity. As a form of protest against the attention economy, she invites us to do nothing. Nothing is almost impossible in our secular age, but she shows us that nothing is really <br />something, and it is possible. </p><p><b><i>When Church Stops Working</i> by Andrew Root and Blair Bertrand </b></p><p>This is one of the more important books I've read in the last 10 years or so. It builds (slightly) on Andy Root's work in his "Faith in a Secular Age" series, but mostly it serves as a sort of distillation of the most profound theological and interpretive elements of those books into something useful and potentially transformative for churches and church leaders. This is one that can be used (in fact, I'll be using it this way in 2024) as a teaching tool for church councils, sessions, and staffs. It has a real chance of shaping a church's ministry and motivation toward divine action and away from anxiety. </p><p><b><i>God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay 'On the Trinity'</i> by Sarah Coakley </b></p><p>The title doesn't give it away, but this book may be the best theology of prayer I have ever read. Written with theological rigor and passion, this book has been formative for me. It's not an easy read, <i>per se</i>, but it's worth the intellectual investment. </p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-39694440996347399462023-08-30T13:23:00.004-04:002023-08-30T13:23:54.797-04:00My Review of 'Innovating For Love' by Kenda Creasy Dean<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Innovating-Love-Expedition-Christian-Innovation/dp/1950899551" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCFWIH8SIw_VBorGtUIyMw8bsicKAZfo3XO2TIGzng0tQlukUp2u1TplxwikLKQ5tTUMAqZoKfgKsGM438QO2caPUFIuZCleGMq3oYc-j84h3wIpP9mXa5lY9nFGPqIQuq_xN8v5LNpO0OKm5QzXHOGQikNZo3W03vIZDlTUxoNKMEoz0ZaEzZ=w225-h360" width="225" /></a></div><br />This may not qualify as an actual review. It's more of a recommendation. <p></p><p><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Innovating-Love-Expedition-Christian-Innovation/dp/1950899551" target="_blank"></a></i></p><blockquote><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Innovating-Love-Expedition-Christian-Innovation/dp/1950899551" target="_blank"><i>Innovating for Love: Joining God's Expedition Through Christian Social Innovation </i>by Kenda Creasy Dean</a></blockquote><p></p><p>"Innovation" is a word that has yet to be wrested from the baggage of modernity, neoliberalism, and developmentalism. It is a product of an epistemic landscape of dynamic stabilization that cannot sit still. It is a pining for the "new" at the expense of the present moment. Its logic is distracted and it misdiagnoses the problem of human experience as a problem of scarcity, "not enough," so it advances the modern project of "more" and "better" as its solution. It's message is "you are not enough," and thus, is paradigmatically in opposition with what I understand to be a theological vision of human vocation and Christian discipleship which begins and ends with the bold gospel assertion that, by the grace of God, we ARE enough already. </p><p></p><p>But.... that being said.... I trust this stuff in the hands of Kenda Dean. If there is someone in the world that is going to inspire the creativity of the church without allowing it to get swallowed by its own ambitions, it's Kenda. If you're a critic, like me, of the whole "innovation" trend in America, or if you are going to make the mistake of innovation no matter what I say about it, you need to read this book. It will help you. </p><p>In this book, Kenda applies her unique and impressive skills as a theologian (a giant in the field of practical theology) to the questions and problems of the church's apparent need to find new ways to be a witness in the world. She is a prophet within what has become a growing movement in Christianity and if innovators will heed her warnings and theological insight, there <i>may</i> be some hope that this might actually be a good thing. </p><p>I truly loved this book!</p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-71091076854265615492023-08-29T13:45:00.002-04:002023-08-31T21:43:43.455-04:00Be Still<p></p><blockquote> “A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us.” -Henri Nouwen </blockquote><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH07GTKKyceL2CpmPNKN2YWG9qDraXp2eDeC1fO7oMJvKs7-M6s7o9TO0bLzyCLF-pexvc2FEVlbSwNelf3yAaMLlgqSbhCKo-Bh8t-bh8dkZR1MfmYvFzm3ENAXJmZb06mw6US47bBY1IA85bI44Y8NMJvXYFVdzZi54xbHBzkRZJ84yzKA0/s1280/still-2607624_1280.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH07GTKKyceL2CpmPNKN2YWG9qDraXp2eDeC1fO7oMJvKs7-M6s7o9TO0bLzyCLF-pexvc2FEVlbSwNelf3yAaMLlgqSbhCKo-Bh8t-bh8dkZR1MfmYvFzm3ENAXJmZb06mw6US47bBY1IA85bI44Y8NMJvXYFVdzZi54xbHBzkRZJ84yzKA0/s320/still-2607624_1280.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Recently, I was visiting one of our church members. She has been through a lot over the past several months, one medical issue after another. She is in her mid 80’s and has only been a member of the church for a few years, but she still feels to us like a matriarchal figure in our church. I was going to visit her because she has been through it.... "this is hell, pastor," she said to me. <p></p><p>As I was sitting with her, talking about the joys and sorrows of life—the “wheat and the weeds,” so to speak—she shared with me that while prayer has been challenging during this difficult time, she’s still hearing from God... or, at least she <i>hopes</i> it’s God. </p><p>“I was kinda scared at first,” she told me, and she went on to explain that she’d actually been hearing a voice speaking to her, saying, “Be still and know that I am God.” </p><p>“What’s that about, pastor?” she asked. </p><p>“Well,” I said, “that’s Psalm 46.” I picked up the bible on the coffee table and opened it to the passage, grateful that I was able to recall the passage, since my memory for bible addresses is shameful, especially for a pastor. </p><p></p><blockquote>“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:10-11) </blockquote><p></p><p>She had, of course, read the passage before (it was even highlighted in her bible), but she had forgotten where it was from. “Wow! I didn’t think to look in the bible for that! What is that!? Why is God saying that to me?” </p><p>“I’m not sure,” I told her, “but I think it might be the Holy Spirit inviting you to trust.... it takes a whole lot of trust to ‘be still’ amid everything you’re going through.” </p><p>In our rushed and burnt-out world, it’s so hard to sit still and trust. But, even when we’re struggling to pray, even when we’re frustrated, full of doubt, exhausted, mired in chaos, God still comes to us. God graciously and lovingly invites us to just be still, to trust, and to know that God is the one who makes all things new. </p><p>I thought about the 6th verse in that Psalm, “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall...” (Psalm 46:6)—this is the context in which the Psalmist has the audacity to report that God is telling the people to “be still.” Being still is hard for us. Even when we pray, we might find ourselves praying frenetically, hurriedly rushing to find some kind of answer or outcome. “Be still and know that I am God,” is an invitation to abandon anxiety and to embrace joy as the starting point of our lives. “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God” (Psalm 46:4). It is also an invitation to encounter God, not as a resource dealer or outcome machine, but as a person. But in a society that’s hellbent on control, productivity, and development, being still is threatening. We cannot sit still long enough to pray, to receive prayer. We are too busy creating and solving problems and achieving things. As Byung Chul Han put it, “Today, the soul does not pray. It is permanently <i>producing itself</i>” (Han, <i>The Disappearance of Rituals</i>, p.8). Maybe this is why the woman I was visiting was not only comforted but also a little frightened by this invitation to be still.... that, along with the strangeness of hearing voices. </p><p>“Well, maybe it’s God telling me to shut my mouth,” she said. “That’s putting it more bluntly, but yeah, that’s kinda what I was getting at.” We both laughed and then we prayed. </p><p>As I was driving home, touching a little of my steering wheel as I could because the heat of the day had turned it into a miniature broiler, I thought about God’s coming to the woman I had just visited. Even though I was (and am) ambivalent about the idea of people literally hearing God’s voice, it was clear to me that she had heard something, received something. And I too had gotten the message. </p><p>Sometimes, it is when we <i>try</i> so hard and yet fail to “succeed” in prayer—when we don’t feel like it’s "working"—that God shows up and reminds us that prayer was never “ours” in the first place. It’s when we stop “trying” to pray and start receiving prayer that we begin to encounter the frightening and comforting presence of the God who delights in us before we have a chance to succeed or fail in anything.</p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-7456038986882821402023-08-22T17:39:00.005-04:002023-08-22T17:40:28.341-04:00Confession as Honesty<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjO7dNjJq8_qv48vXCkDbJyHYBw_M4pa0EvFZxCe74yKcxh6FHXPhQTDivtca9w0_BJMBLIYAyQ1Ew4YRpWgsyC51t-5JvDsdxJ_2scsLHPyWQ5PbmZnXRA3YYU-ceeoUHyV7cHm9apJT-0cjeXyslAc61aV91RtTJFdIHYXz_YNCbAUSMeC21/s1280/hands-5634107_1280.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjO7dNjJq8_qv48vXCkDbJyHYBw_M4pa0EvFZxCe74yKcxh6FHXPhQTDivtca9w0_BJMBLIYAyQ1Ew4YRpWgsyC51t-5JvDsdxJ_2scsLHPyWQ5PbmZnXRA3YYU-ceeoUHyV7cHm9apJT-0cjeXyslAc61aV91RtTJFdIHYXz_YNCbAUSMeC21/s320/hands-5634107_1280.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As with most mainline churches in America, in our worship gatherings at my little UCC church in Ramona, we almost always share in a prayer of confession. And it’s usually pretty early, if not right at the beginning of the worship liturgy. It’s most often a unison prayer that we read out loud together, a practice I have always found meaningful. Sometimes you just need the words and voices of others to carry you through a prayer, especially a prayer of confession. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The prayer may go something like this: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen." (<i>The Book of Common Prayer</i>, 79) </span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Or it could sound more like this: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;">“We do not presume to come to this your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own goodness, but in your unfailing mercies. We are not worthy that you should receive us, but give your word and we shall be healed, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (<i>The United Methodist Book of Worship</i>, 51)</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And the confession, thankfully, is followed up by an “assurance of pardon,” read or said by whoever is leading the liturgy. In my experience, if the prayer is introduced appropriately and is prayed in earnest, the assurance comes as a breath of fresh air or a deep exhale: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;">“We can rest assured in this: Our God—the God revealed in Jesus Christ—is a God of mercy and love, who greets our confession not with condemnation, but with grace and forgiveness. Praise God! In Jesus name, we are forgiven!” (this is one I use a lot). </span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I still sometimes get goosebumps as we say the prayer and as we anticipate the assurance of pardon. It’s a collective experience. God is forgiving the sin of the world, not just my own individual sins. It is the confession of God justifying, by grace alone, the whole human family and all creation. Confession is not something we do because God may punish us if we don’t. Confession is not a mechanism for the compulsion of guilt. It’s about God healing relationships that have been broken. It’s about God restoring us from the brokenness caused by others. It’s about God accepting us as we are and, perhaps most importantly, confession is about removing whatever masks we may be wearing to hide our truest selves. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For me, it’s one of the most meaningful elements of the worship liturgy.... but I realize that not everybody is a fan.... For some people, the idea of confession conjures up the feeling of compulsory guilt. Perhaps they are recovering from religious trauma, from theological traditions that emphasize the threat of eternal damnation or purport an image of an angry God—perhaps rooted in a flat-footed “sinners in the hands of an angry God” theology. For them, perhaps confession is a source of restriction and pain. Or maybe they are victims of the sins of others, bearing the trauma of abuse or discrimination, and the confession of <i>their own</i> sin, in light of the sins they’ve suffered, seems hardly a healthy thing to do in a worship gathering, perhaps it’s even traumatic. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If confession were only about the admission of guilt and the securing of a pardon, then one might conclude that confession may be more harmful than helpful. But that’s not all confession is about. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Confession is not only God forgiving us for our sins, the sins of which we ourselves are guilty as individuals. It’s also about God accepting us when we’re struggling to accept ourselves. As it should be in our worship liturgies, confession is about <i>honesty</i> with self, with others, and with God. Confession as honesty should not be a novel concept, but we've made it one by turning confession into something else. In being honest with God, we are free to be fully ourselves, with the volume up, free from all the expectations that burden our souls. And we find joy in the revelation of God’s delight in us just as we are. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Confession invites us to loosen our grip on the world and to admit that we don’t have everything under control. In our confession—as the father of the so-called “prodigal son” ran to greet his youngest with a ring, a robe, and a party (Luke 15:20-24)—God greets us, whether we are perpetrators or victims, with gentleness and humility (Matthew 11:28-30). This is why our worship liturgy includes and often begins with confession. When we have embraced the vulnerability and joy of confession, we can embrace the gospel itself, the good news that all are loved, and all are welcome in the presence and dominion of God.</span></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-67227638787811490642023-08-10T16:27:00.004-04:002023-09-27T11:37:56.106-04:00Youth Beyond The Developmental Lens NOW AVAILABLE<div><i>Youth Beyond The Developmental Lens: Being over Becoming</i> (Fortress Press, 2024) is now available for preorder on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youth-Beyond-Developmental-Lens-Becoming/dp/1506494943/ref=sr_1_1?field-isbn=9781506494944&qid=1691698988&refinements=p_66%3A9781506494944&sr=8-1">Amazon.com</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506494944/Youth-Beyond-the-Developmental-Lens" target="_blank">Fortress Press</a> website. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506494944/Youth-Beyond-the-Developmental-Lens" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnytbtDljVglBf6SY_EKyo0i3I0AFhh2U-poE1e-ldf9ms3Q0LR_9T6JSQEQRKCZKkTTcUuRoH6XAyzJJo3dWfoFySAYpl5D8Uu1SpcroWOH-xx2v2cSBypMJ2W2CUgo6P1b-M9LfxI3qYsTXLv9Dr0ZGdCa4ukoyfHdBdYFeGN2ro_8Wk4ga2/w266-h400/61xrSBk3fVL.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Here's what the book is about</b>: </h3><div>"What happens when we stop thinking of young people as projects and recognize them for who they are, here and now? Wesley Ellis exposes the insidious impact of developmental psychology upon youth ministry and practice, arguing instead for a theological anthropology of youth that can help us see all people--including adolescents--as uniquely created in the image of God. Propelled by the conviction that ministry requires us to see youth as beings rather than becomings, Ellis demonstrates how we can reorient our vision toward ministry that prioritizes relationship and inclusion over rigid developmental frameworks. <div>A veteran youth minister across multiple denominations, Ellis knows his subject deeply as both practitioner and theologian. Youth beyond the Developmental Lens mines personal accounts, the biblical narrative, and a vast array of theological expertise to release readers from restrictive assumptions that have long bound youth ministry. Ellis's finely tuned pastoral sensibilities bring all these elements into focus, helping us understand ministry as relational and all humans as part of God's story. Rostered ministers, lay leaders, and others engaged with youth will find an antidote to anxiety about the future of the church. Ellis reminds us that God is here already. Our call is simply to be."</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Here's what some nice people have said about it</b>: </div><div><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Wes Ellis is a pastor and theologian who calls youth leaders to look beyond developmental theories to support young people's faith. His view adds to the youth ministry conversation, inviting us to re-see all young people, not merely as human potentials, but as persons made for divine encounter--right now. Take him seriously, and expect your ministry approaches, youth leader role, and view of "successful" youth ministry to change. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Dr. Steven Argue, associate professor of youth, family, and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary; applied research strategist at the Fuller Youth Institute; author of </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Young Adult Ministry Now</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">;</span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"> Sticky Faith Innovation</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">;</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">and</span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"> Growing With: Every Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future</span></div></div><div><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i>Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens</i> is ambitious, winsome, sprawling, and convicting—easily establishing Wesley Ellis as a bracing new voice in practical theology. But it is also a love letter to every pastor who has loved a teenager who didn’t fit the mold. Challenging youth ministry’s exhausting reliance on the “developmental” paradigm of theorists like Erik Erikson, Ellis shows the harm that this paradigm inflicts, theologically and practically, on young people who don’t follow Erikson’s developmental script. Ellis writes with refreshing clarity and concreteness, with bursts of disarmingly personal storytelling. Reading this book made me rethink my own ministry: I wish I’d spent less time investing in youth’s potential and more time embracing their messy humanity, confident that God is already at work in their lives (even without me). Can we refocus youth ministry in this way? It’s a tall order—but Ellis makes me want to try. —<b>Kenda Creasy Dean, Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church and Culture, Princeton Theological Seminary; author of <i>Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church</i> and <i>The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry</i></b></span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Wes has opened the door for all of us to reconsider the water we swim in as youth workers: mainly, the assumptions of developmental psychology and the ways in which it has shaped our ministerial imagination. Through thoughtful theological reflection and empathetic storytelling, Wes envisions a new way forward for the church's ministry with young people. Calling for a new vision of friendship instead of benchmarks of development, Wes brings a breath of fresh air into often stagnant and overplayed conversations about ministry. Wes wants us all to start with God's activity rather than seeing the work of youth ministry as pushing young people along from one achievement to the next. Take the time and give this book a read. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Dr. Justin Forbes, assistant professor of religion, Flagler College</span> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Pastors, lay leaders, and congregants alike are no strangers to the anxiety that accompanies the aging and declining church in the United States. In </span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, Wes Ellis offers a generous and freeing alternative to the fevered and frantic practices of ministry that have become commonplace in our spiritual landscape, particularly in the lives of young people. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Rev. Jessica Vaughan Lower, pastor and head of staff, San Marino Community Church, San Marino, California</span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Wes Ellis shakes up the youth ministry world of growth-oriented programs, innovative technologies, and even Christian formation with this dogged critique of how developmentalism, with its penchant for positivism, progress, and maturity, lurks even within good theology to dehumanize young people. What's great, though, is that this is a call forward, or even a call back, versus a calling out--a call back to God's action in ministry, our faithful participation in it, and a deep, reorienting reverence toward the youth we seek to serve. Ellis imagines a youth ministry for developmental refugees, lost sheep, and prodigals that offers gospel hope for the church today. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Rev. Dr. Erin Raffety, lecturer, Princeton Writing Program, Princeton University</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">American Protestant youth ministry is in a strange place: something is dying, and something new is coming. What that new thing might be, none of us is sure. But I </span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">am</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> sure that if what's coming is to be faithful, it will need the kind of thinking that Wes Ellis offers in </span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens: Being over Becoming</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">. Ellis is a budding star in practical theological reflection on youth ministry, and this book loudly signals his arrival. With great theological depth, sensitivity to the personhood of young people, and a driving appreciation of ministry, Ellis gives us all a gift in this book. Take it, sink your mind and heart into it, and see things differently. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Dr. Andrew Root, Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary</span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Few thinkers challenge my thinking and practice as deeply and consistently as Wes Ellis. This book is a case in point: he makes a compelling argument, infused with personal passion, that youth ministry might have some of its priorities out of order. Ellis offers an illuminating critique of the subconscious attitudes that pervade and guide churches and youth ministries the world over. He argues convincingly that if we focus only on developing young people along some kind of discipleship production line, we risk overlooking the wonder of God's mysterious work among young people even when they don't behave as we're hoping or realize some kind of preestablished potential. After all, if we're called to follow the biblical example that goes after the </span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">one</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, why do we so often only make room for the conforming ninety-nine? This challenging book will invite you to reflect deeply on everything you thought you knew youth ministry was for. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Martin Saunders, director, Youthscape, Luton, United Kingdom</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">A theologically nuanced approach to youth ministry that moves beyond gimmicks and quick fixes. Ellis's beautifully written book dares the church to act with joy, courage, and conviction that God is already faithfully present in the everyday lives of young people. --</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Rev. Dr. Jared Wortman, senior pastor, Plymouth Congregational Church, Des Moines, Iowa</span> </p><div><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youth-Beyond-Developmental-Lens-Becoming/dp/1506494943/ref=sr_1_1?field-isbn=9781506494944&qid=1691698988&refinements=p_66%3A9781506494944&sr=8-1" target="_blank">GO PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY</a></span></div></div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-14178030277310069712023-06-29T11:46:00.008-04:002023-06-29T11:52:40.099-04:00Enough Already! <p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“How can we grow the church?” </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This question is emblematic of the church’s greatest anxiety. Not just my own little church in Ramona, but just about every church in America. And when we ask, “how can we grow,” we’re usually talking about numerical growth. We think that our biggest problem is that there aren’t enough people, so we think the answer is to get more people. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">While growth may be important for lots of good reasons, especially the simple reason that we encounter God together here and we want other people to experience that with us (seriously, you should invite your friends to church), I don’t actually think our biggest problem is “not enough,” nor do I think the answer to all our problems is “more.” </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The frenetic obsession with “more, more, more” is actually part of the problem, not the solution. What I think we need, and what I consider to be the most important part of my job, is to pray. No, I don’t mean to pray for more people! I mean to truly pray and to receive prayer as a gift. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Prayer is not a means to an end, it’s an end in itself. Prayer is the simple act of being present before God. Prayer is actually an antidote to constantly wanting “more,” because true prayer isn’t about getting things, it’s not about having. Prayer is about <i>being</i>—being in relationship with God, being with God, being enough in the presence of God. Our biggest problem isn’t “not enough,” it’s that we <i>think</i> we are not enough. And the solution isn’t “more,” it’s knowing that we are “enough” already. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Prayer allows us to be in the presence of God without having to become anything more than who we are. The irony is, when we pray—when we are enough—God does transform us... we do “grow.” So perhaps that’s the trick to church growth—to stop <i>trying</i> to grow, to stop insisting that we need “more,” and to be present and open to God. When we realize that we’re enough already, that’s when God can do incredible things among us.</span></span></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-815468241850864172023-01-19T14:46:00.001-05:002023-01-19T14:46:17.176-05:00Stop Trying to Pray<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is an excerpt from an article I recently wrote for Faith+Lead: </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">....</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #414141; font-size: 16px;">I don’t know when or why things changed for me, but prayer isn’t easy anymore. It’s become a “discipline.” It’s something I must remind myself to do and, when I do it, I rarely feel like I’m doing it well. I feel distracted and the time I give to prayer is often divided by thoughts about my fantasy baseball team, the latest Wordle (“APTLY”!? Really?!), or what I’m going to write in my next article about prayer (for example, this one). It’s no easier for me than it seems to be for the folks in my church family. But why is prayer so hard? Why do I have to try so hard to do something that used to come so easy?....</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #414141; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://faithlead.org/blog/stop-trying-to-pray-prayer-as-resonance-in-a-secular-age/?fbclid=IwAR2ev_dr2fgw5AamjcJCTUvRS8NMg9NFZS4TTdPsPaqhTue7fZU80bb2ePM" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;">Read the whole article.</span></a></span></p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here's a thing I wrote about prayer as a point of resonance. <a href="https://t.co/bkH3WzSDSC">https://t.co/bkH3WzSDSC</a></p>— Dr. Wes Ellis 😇 (@wellis68) <a href="https://twitter.com/wellis68/status/1615923224919027713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-16180700937753697262023-01-05T13:29:00.005-05:002023-01-05T13:29:40.982-05:00Book Review: Wrestling With Rest<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">My review of </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><i>Wrestling with Rest: Inviting Youth to Discover the Gift of Sabbath</i> by Nathan T. Stucky was recently published in <i><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00405736221145257d" target="_blank">Theology Today</a></i>. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoTeK78UeLridTgcczwG4s9NJaxqgF6JYtNsEMHJqbdD6NoxB8_oUDOS6fsleCGb0QjLfz4RCI5VUg7VrMX7N7YQGbgSDW3SV2SAs1U_x6xIyJuhOooxIKGsB5l6veVJv814Eda48Zj2yF9tH06lnSLhsB8Pz-1PHdGgk-2tMvp8SbP6YPg/s1178/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-05%20at%2010.28.32%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1178" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoTeK78UeLridTgcczwG4s9NJaxqgF6JYtNsEMHJqbdD6NoxB8_oUDOS6fsleCGb0QjLfz4RCI5VUg7VrMX7N7YQGbgSDW3SV2SAs1U_x6xIyJuhOooxIKGsB5l6veVJv814Eda48Zj2yF9tH06lnSLhsB8Pz-1PHdGgk-2tMvp8SbP6YPg/w400-h198/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-05%20at%2010.28.32%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a practice of the church and especially as a field of theological inquiry, youth ministry is largely characterized by a paroxysm of anxiety over the apparent decline of the church and the rise of the “nones” in our secular age. Therefore, it is both exciting and refreshing to discover a book that tends not to institutional trepidation in the youth ministry industrial complex but to the concrete and lived experience of actual young people. In </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Wrestling with Rest</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, Nathan T. Stucky fixes attention, as only a skilled practical theologian can, on how our age of anxiety has affected the lives of young people. Utilizing the tools of qualitative research, Stucky investigates young people's experience of rest (or lack thereof) in the midst of a society that frenetically pursues productivity. He then offers a theological anthropology that invites young people (and the reader as well) to discover their humanity and value not in development, productivity, or anxiety but in the grace of God disclosed in the gift of sabbath rest.</span></p><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00405736221145257d" target="_blank">READ MORE</a></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-61259543921534077712022-09-20T17:35:00.001-04:002022-09-20T17:35:13.405-04:00Holy Breath<p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">“There is no Islamic, Christian, or Jewish way of breathing. There is no American, African, or Asian way of breathing. There is no rich or poor way of breathing. The playing field is utterly leveled.” - Richard Rohr </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></h4><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{45}" paraid="2009278777" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">An interesting quirk about the ancient Hebrew and Greek languages in which the earliest manuscripts of the scriptures were written is that, in both of them, the word for “spirit” and “breath” are synonyms. In Hebrew, it’s רוּחַ (</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">ruach</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">) and in Greek, it’s πνεῦμα (</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">pneuma</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">)—both are translated either “spirit” or “breath”. You simply have to choose, from the context, which word is appropriate. </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{45}" paraid="2009278777" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{52}" paraid="1459820185" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">For example, let’s say you come across Genesis 1:2, where it says, </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{59}" paraid="1463706785" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">“And the earth was a formless chaos; and darkness was on the face of the abyss. And the </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">ruach </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">of God hovered over the surface of the waters.” </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></blockquote><p></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{66}" paraid="1802172825" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">When you see that word </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">ruach</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">, you just have to decide.... is it spirit or is it breath? Now, of course you can see why most translators would choose “spirit.” And that makes the most sense. It is the Spirit of God, present in creation, hovering over the chaotic void of pimeval existence, about to bring life and harmony forth from nothingness. But in the Hebrew mindset, maybe it’s a false dichotomy to assume that “breath” is necessarily the </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">wrong </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">choice. Perhaps this Spirit is a kind of breath after all—the breath of God about to fill the lungs of creation. (Indeed, in the very next chapter, God actually </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">breathes </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">into a pile of dust to create a human being). </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{73}" paraid="1411677616" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{73}" paraid="1411677616" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Fast forward to the New Testament, in John 20, when Jesus is standing before the disciples after the resurrection: </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{80}" paraid="467789872" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">breathed </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">on them and said to them, ‘receive Holy πνεῦμα (</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">pneuma</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">).’” </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></blockquote><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span><p></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{87}" paraid="1723230498" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Well, of course that’s going to be translated “The Holy Spirit” (even if you have to insert the definite article on your own). After all, we know from the rest of the book of John that the Spirit of God has been promised to the disciples and now they’re receiving her.... but what’s with the breathing? </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{87}" paraid="1723230498" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{94}" paraid="281982724" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Jesus breathes on them. </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{94}" paraid="281982724" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{101}" paraid="1459351300" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">So, quite literally speaking, it’s a </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">breath </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">the disciples are receiving. Jesus breathes Holy Breath on his disciples—that same breath that filled the lungs of creation is going to fill the lungs of the disciples of Jesus who, until now, are without life. As the Apostle Paul would later put it, “When you were dead in your sins... God made you alive with Christ” (Colossians 2:13). The Holy Spirit is the breath of creation, the breath of salvation, and it is </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Spirit </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">that fills our lungs whenever we breathe. </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{101}" paraid="1459351300" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{108}" paraid="1042006210" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">No wonder so many mystics and contemplative practices are so preoccupied with breathing. No wonder a deep breath can calm our souls. No wonder it has been said, “God is closer than your next breath.” </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{108}" paraid="1042006210" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{115}" paraid="1628126441" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">God’s presence isn’t dissimilar to breathing. We can so easily forget about it, not even realizing it’s happening, but if it were to be taken from us, we would cease to be. Focusing on your breathing isn’t just new age, hippy dippy yoga stuff (no offense to all my yogis out there!). It’s a spiritual practice that, when oriented to God, can center us and give us new life to be sent out as the Father sent Jesus (John:21). Focusing on our breathing can become a way of focusing on God, not because breath is God but because God is Spirit, God is breath. </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{115}" paraid="1628126441" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{122}" paraid="1132896782" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">In his book, </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">The Naked Now</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">, Richard Rohr points out that the name of God in the Old Testament, the Tetragrammaton, the word most often translated as LORD (all caps) in your bibles, is actually unspeakable. The four Hebrew consonants יהוה (“yod hey vav hey” or </span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Yahweh</span><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">), according to Rohr, “was not spoken at all, but breathed.” </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{122}" paraid="1132896782" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{129}" paraid="311240763" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Rohr writes, </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{136}" paraid="776828055" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">“Many are convinced that its correct pronunciation is an attempt to replicate and imitate the sound of inhalation and exhalation. The one thing we do every moment of our lives is therefore to speak the name of God.... When considered in this way, God is suddenly as available and accessible as the very thing we all do constantly—breathe.” </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></blockquote><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span><p></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{143}" paraid="1414516196" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">God is everywhere and God is in everyone. That means God is in you, whether you know it or not; whether you are awake to it or not; whether you like it or not! My prayer for you is that you may find peace in knowing this, and that your lungs will be filled anew with the Holy Spirit, the breath of God that creates harmony from chaos and life from death. </span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Poppins, Poppins_EmbeddedFont, Poppins_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW254262670 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{fa50eb27-581a-441a-b999-79ec61f00a2e}{32}" paraid="925601840" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #001320; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 22.6625px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW254262670 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW254262670 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #001320; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 22.6625px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-21856323075183133802022-07-11T17:54:00.003-04:002022-07-11T17:54:19.210-04:00Let's Not Be Neutral<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this age of ideology and political enmity and division, I think we have a craving for “neutrality.” If you’re like me, you’re sick of one “side” constantly being against another “side” in every conversation. I wish we could all just agree on SOMETHING! ANYTHING!! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can we </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">at least</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> agree to root for Padres over the dodgers!? Come on! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you google the word, “neutral,” the first definition you’ll probably see is, “not engaged on either side specifically.” Sounds good, doesn’t it? Sounds refreshing, even. In this ideologically divided culture, “not engaged” might even feel virtuous. And in some ways, it is! It certainly doesn’t help to just throw gasoline on the fire by constantly pushing an agenda. It’s certainly not virtuous to hate our neighbors for their views and decisions. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But in another way, neutrality is anything </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">but</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> virtuous, especially for Christians. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA-6s0PmJ7mLsVuG6fe1o70lqpk-XyjcndTaTdQunfKcTPTo3xe1OEJjivBaJxhpZEgRMyC2GK0m3bFema12hQwmw4avCROy_P_Mp-yzBRtCOczg1LGXp2sv4xV48u7RsOneidzgX1QwZ7rE58ywCAlXv5yCpsgfZL0CdoWujjxBNOFxk3g/s1024/Desmond-Tutu.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1024" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA-6s0PmJ7mLsVuG6fe1o70lqpk-XyjcndTaTdQunfKcTPTo3xe1OEJjivBaJxhpZEgRMyC2GK0m3bFema12hQwmw4avCROy_P_Mp-yzBRtCOczg1LGXp2sv4xV48u7RsOneidzgX1QwZ7rE58ywCAlXv5yCpsgfZL0CdoWujjxBNOFxk3g/s320/Desmond-Tutu.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br />According to the late Bishop Desmond Tutu, <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><blockquote>“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”</blockquote><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we choose to follow Jesus, we are choosing a side! We are choosing to be </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">for </em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus in the way that Jesus is </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">for </em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">us and </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">for </em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “the least of these” (Matthew 25). Jesus chooses sides! and calls us to follow him in choosing </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">his </em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">side! There’s nothing neutral about being a Christian! We chose our side when we chose to follow Jesus. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The problem isn’t picking sides, the problem is which battles we choose to fight. We’re not called to the war of ideology that our culture keeps trying to fight. We’re not called to be “right” so that others can be “wrong.” </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephesians 6:12 says, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As much as we may like to keep to ourselves clean, to disengage, and refuse to take sides…. we are called to take the sides that Jesus takes. We are called to take the side of the vulnerable, the poor, the oppressed, and the forgotten. We are called to take the side of the people who need our help, our kindness, our resources, our compassion, our love. We are called to stand with people against the ideologies of sin that struggle to destroy relationships. We are called to stand even for our enemies, not against them. We are called to stand with the least of these, for that is where Jesus stands. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus has chosen the side of love and he calls us to follow him there. So let’s not be neutral. Instead, let’s be faithful. </span></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-63987118486641847882022-07-07T13:45:00.003-04:002022-07-07T13:45:59.397-04:00A Prayer of Confession<p> God of mercy, forgive us for believing so many lies. We have bought into lies that tell us
that your justice is at odd with your love. We have bought into lies that tell us that you
are angry and disappointed in us. Because of these lies, we have rejected you. We have
worshipped false gods—gods of greed and violence—and we have believed that we are
worthless. Forgive us, Lord. Have mercy on us. Remind us who you really are. Remind us
who we really are. Amen.</p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-19029637586268999792022-05-26T12:19:00.003-04:002022-05-26T12:27:40.215-04:00We Can't Keep Doing Nothing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-kXjRe4njytZbDLI7W0K5QgwHg-BdqphlnKIqNRw_lnjGzY_JwaKgu7tJeY_-yGd2GS-oDw7GtJDfXkSKSgVOa4TuggerspBWsN9TqtPuadgnSyKE3qGfc2pegoI6v1aYdk8jNc65aXHM7SSa31xgtxa_HH0urr4KKA9fSPQqGNE-2NuQ5g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-kXjRe4njytZbDLI7W0K5QgwHg-BdqphlnKIqNRw_lnjGzY_JwaKgu7tJeY_-yGd2GS-oDw7GtJDfXkSKSgVOa4TuggerspBWsN9TqtPuadgnSyKE3qGfc2pegoI6v1aYdk8jNc65aXHM7SSa31xgtxa_HH0urr4KKA9fSPQqGNE-2NuQ5g" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a Pastor, I have to be careful (more careful than I used to be) when I address social issues. It's a source of a lot of inner-conflict for me actually, and I presume it's a major reason many pastors eventually burn-out. The inner turmoil of knowing that I need to respond to an issue but also knowing that my response might be received as "political" or alienating actually keeps me up at night. There are times where I have to risk being "political" in order to be moral... and it would be morally and vocationally wrong for me not to be clear on this: </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">We cannot, as a society (and especially as a church),continue to tolerate children being murdered at school. We CANNOT! There is one issue—the greatest common denominator in all the mass murders in American history—that our leaders have REFUSED to address in regards to gun violence, and it's guns. We keep blaming other things.... it's NOT about mental health. In fact, people with mental health challenges are far more at risk of being victims of violence than of being perpetrators of it. It's not unlocked doors at schools. It's not that there aren't </span><i style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">enough</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> guns in the world. It's that there are too many guns and they are too easy to acquire. It's currently easier to get a gun than it is to get health insurance. It's easier to get a gun than it is to get a driver's license. It's easier to get a gun than it is to find affordable housing. It's easier to get a gun than it is to apply for a credit card. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">What kind of world is God creating among us? It's a world where swords are beat to plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). It's certainly a world where children don't have to have active shooter training and where they do not have to see the sight of a gun on a daily basis. It's got to be a world where human life is valued, where children's lives are defended over against the desire to own lethal weapons. God is calling the church to fight like hell for that world! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">The church's mission should include ending gun violence. God is calling the church to put down its sword (Matthew 26:52) and to address the gun crisis in America. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is with the parents with newly vacant bedrooms in their homes. God is with the children who witnessed their friends murdered before their eyes. God is with those whose lives have been cut short. I am truly sorry if you feel like I have alienated you or marginalized your perspective. </span></span><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a Pastor, it is my desire not to merely pontificate or emote. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to communicate, and I want to communicate in such a way that you feel heard and seen. But if you are supportive of the NRA; if you don't believe we should be regulating gun ownership, banning assault weapons, and legislating gun control, what I am begging you to do—not only as a Pastor but as a parent—is to change your mind. I am asking you to join the fight for the world God has promised us. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">Action is the only moral and acceptable response. We can't keep doing nothing. We need to pray. We need to act.</span></div><p></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-66671006125719662902022-05-12T17:47:00.003-04:002022-05-12T17:47:52.622-04:00The Best You Can Do Might Be Nothing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjXAu2oRRJqc_ZYJK5Y7Wc_Pw_qindBxsfYv4R24RRs6XxngjWEMize0Ty84xZ3te2tkGAEFkc2nIYXHgrqH4RPbD3DK7dArVC_O29BAYRt-waQ4-18OC-m42Yx4PBjcmsUGNR-iHnPJqyoUAwyeorFhTTLmHvAnKonb0lQJW_FOmBGB3OA/s964/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="964" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjXAu2oRRJqc_ZYJK5Y7Wc_Pw_qindBxsfYv4R24RRs6XxngjWEMize0Ty84xZ3te2tkGAEFkc2nIYXHgrqH4RPbD3DK7dArVC_O29BAYRt-waQ4-18OC-m42Yx4PBjcmsUGNR-iHnPJqyoUAwyeorFhTTLmHvAnKonb0lQJW_FOmBGB3OA/s320/download.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was recently having coffee with a friend at the universal gathering space called Starbucks, and during our conversation they told about how busy their schedule is. </span><p></p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I am off work, there’s still work to be done. There’s never enough time in the day to get everything done.” </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">We compared calendars and joked about what we’d do if we didn’t have jobs. “We’d find another way to spend our time, I guess,” my friend said. “I mean, I wouldn’t even know how to do <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">nothing</em> with myself.” </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">I resonated with my friend’s remark. Indeed, it’s hard for me to imagine having nothing on my schedule. In fact, it seems then whenever I free up some time, I find another way to fill the slot. I don’t really know how to do nothing. And, to be honest, I’d probably feel ashamed of myself if I did nothing. I wonder if you can relate. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">In his book <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Friends-Time-Timefullness-Discipleship/dp/1481304089" target="_blank">Becoming Friends of Time</a></em>, John Swinton talks about how we as a society have commodified time itself. We’ve turned time into a kind of currency we can spend or save or waste or invest. In fact, we use these economic terms to describe how we “use” our time… I mean, think for a second about the term, “our time”…. is it ours? Can we own it? We sure seem to live as if we should. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Swinton also talks about how we have come to see the use of time as a badge of honor. Busyness has become a virtue and to do “nothing” would be a “waste” of time. If my calendar isn’t full, I must not be using my time. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when everything becomes “useful,” when our energy and our time is just an instrument, a utility, I think we can find ourselves feeling tired and “used.” We begin to see our own self worth in terms of expediency and usefulness, and so we spend our very selves. </p><blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if the best thing you could actually do for the world is actually nothing at all? </p></blockquote><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Genesis chapter 1, God created the world. This work of creation is poetically described as a seven day process, wherein each day God creates something from nothing (or at least from a kind of chaotic void, we can debate later). God creates light, and the sky, and plants, and animals…. and it’s not until the 6th day that God creates human beings. It seems that on the sixth day, God is finished. But it would be a mistake to think that this is the end of the story. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">The true end (goal?) of creation is not the <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">work</em> of creation, but the <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">rest</em> that God takes in it. God actually stops and rests and delights in God’s creation.</p><blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">“God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creating that God had done.” Genesis 2:3 </p></blockquote><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">When time is a commodity, work gets the last word. Every empty space is just a pause in the process that is otherwise all about getting stuff done and staying busy. We even start to think that the purpose of rest is to do more and better work. But Genesis teaches us that rest isn’t for work, <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">work is for rest</em>. The purpose of doing something is so that we can find peace in doing nothing. The best kind of time is <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">useless </em>time… time “wasted” with our friends and family… time “wasted” in prayer… time “wasted” by resting in God…. The best you can do might be nothing at all. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">You are not a machine. Time is not money. “Work” does not have the last word. Consider wasting a little more of you time so that you can enjoy being human. </p><blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” -Jesus</strong> </p></blockquote>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-81315673977168659892022-03-16T13:50:00.002-04:002022-03-16T13:50:19.206-04:00The Church May Be Bigger Than You Think.<p class="" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["blockQuote",null]" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><blockquote>It is not permissible to designate as “unchurched” those who have become alienated from organized denominations and traditional creeds. In living among these groups for half a generation I learned how much of the latent Church there is within them. –Paul Tillich </blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus doesn’t just live in the church.</span></span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> ...I hope we know that. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope we know that when we call the church the “house of God” we really don’t mean that God is confined to the four walls of the church. For that matter, neither is God confined to the <em>theology</em> of the church–our rules, interpretations, and doctrines. God is bigger than us and no amount of knowledge about God can ever presume to possess God. So the church—the community that, by grace alone, can be called the “body of Christ”—cannot be possessed either. No church (small “c”) can make claim on <em>the</em> Church (big “C”). So none of us are an authority on who is “in” and who is “out.” </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope we know that.... but I am afraid we don’t. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Too often I hear laments from “church people” about the institutional decline of the church as though the problem is with the people leaving it. It’s as though we think that God is with <em>us</em> and that when they leave our churches, they must be leaving God. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Too often I hear of churches actually alienating people over theological disagreements as though they own the truth.... as though if someone doesn’t buy in to the trinity, or the virgin birth, or the authority of Scripture, or the existence of angels then they are not to be associated with... as though “heresy” is contagious.</span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, as a religious person, I think it’s important to be part of a church—to have partners in ministry and learning. We need community and there’s no authentic expression of church without community. But as a religious person, it would be flat wrong for me to assume that God is closer to those who are inside the church than those who have been alienated from it. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, as a person of faith, I think theology and doctrine are extremely important. It matters that we continue to learn and be challenged. It matters that we hold ourselves up to the mirror of the bible and take an audit of our belief. Doctrines like the trinity and the divinity of Christ are of utmost importance and it matters that we continue to reflect on them, understand them, and encounter God in them. We might even be right to defend them. But as a person of faith, it would be flat wrong for me to assume that God is closer to those who think like me and share the holy texts I read than those who are not compelled or convinced by the traditional doctrines of Christianity. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When we assume that God is with <em>us</em> and that <em>they</em> are far from God, we fool ourselves. And when we approach people as though <em>we </em>have what <em>they </em>need, we have succumbed to arrogance. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">God is alive and well outside the church and outside the borders of defined Christian dogma. So as Christians, we need to learn to expect to find God outside the church. We need to expect that when we come upon someone who has rejected our faith and is alienated from our religion, we will have something to learn from them.... indeed, even something to learn about <em>God</em>. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some people have left the church for the right reasons. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As Christians, we need to engage the world not with judgmental arrogance but with humble curiosity. Whenever we encounter another person—whether they’re an atheist, a fundamentalist, a witch, or a heretic—we are encountering someone whom God loves, for whom God died on the cross, and with whom God is surely dwelling even now. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What if we saw people that way? What if we respected people enough to ask questions? What if we expected God to be outside the church? What if we rejected the idea that we’re <em>in </em>and they’re <em>out</em>. </span></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We might find that the church is actually much bigger than we think. </span></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-23997361188930765672022-02-23T12:14:00.003-05:002022-02-23T12:14:28.226-05:00Name The Mystery<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><blockquote>“In Jesus Christ God has given us a Revelation which is identical with himself. Jesus Christ is the Revelation of God.” -Thomas F. Torrance</blockquote><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a professor in Seminary who used to say that the work of theology (that is, the work of thinking about God) is “</span><strong style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">naming the mystery</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">” of the divine and human encounter. </span></p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the years I have sorta latched on to that definition. Sometimes I will begin my morning just by sitting and meditating on that little phrase—“naming the mystery.” </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">As human beings, I think we shy away from mystery….. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I do need to clarify that by mystery, I don’t mean something like a Sherlock Holmes story or an episode of <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">CSI</em>. In fact, we like that sort of “mystery,” don’t we? We like to be the detective, discover the evidence, and solve the riddle. But theology is really nothing like that. Theology isn’t a riddle or a puzzle that can be solved. We don’t discover God through detection or discovery, we can only encounter God through disclosure and relationship.</p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a genuine relationship, it doesn’t really help to try to play detective…. ask my wife how well it goes over when my primary objective is just to “figure her out”… <strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">A relationship is not a Rubik's cube</strong> that you can solve and set aside. You can’t solve a relationship, you can only participate in it! </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when I say that I think we shy away from mystery, I am saying that we prefer to deal with things that can be measured, verified, replicated, and deciphered. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">But a person cannot be contained in a riddle and neither can the God of the universe. A person is a mystery…. they can never be solved but they can be seen, heard, and named. To know a person is different from knowing a math problem. <strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">You can only know a person by being in relationship with them</strong>. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">So because it is about knowing the God revealed in Jesus Christ, theology isn’t about “figuring it out.” It’s not about discovery. It’s about participating in the mystery of the person who loves, saves, and sustains us. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the question is, how should we go about this relationship? How should we name the mystery? Well, if the biblical confession is true—that Jesus Christ is Lord, that “Jesus Christ is the Revelation of God”—then the way to name the mystery of God is through relationship with Jesus and participation in his ministry. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when Jesus calls us to follow him and when God invites us to pray, it is not just some intellectual exercise or religious obligation. It is the way we draw closer to God. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try this: spend a few minutes in prayer… like right now, if you can. And just speak to God as a person, as a friend you’re getting to know. Ask God, “what do you want to do today?” ….And be ready to join in. </p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-3978131314105534252022-02-10T11:26:00.002-05:002022-02-10T11:26:24.040-05:00Prayer and Unbelief<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAnTaXClWyHOGqwUEu_NsLYzgl9WZZyEjdwnmwIigvKLd2Cz-scPF2v1zxyB4rYy1HZVSeA8HZNGKfaPNv9O3mxMzk0BgzdsR5nymf7GY07IuREQu5EIGMe2XqptE6OyhIAkWl8d4ulFtkeZlSzTMjzOMNsDzstDn_HdmyOup6iJUAwsBhQg=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1281" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAnTaXClWyHOGqwUEu_NsLYzgl9WZZyEjdwnmwIigvKLd2Cz-scPF2v1zxyB4rYy1HZVSeA8HZNGKfaPNv9O3mxMzk0BgzdsR5nymf7GY07IuREQu5EIGMe2XqptE6OyhIAkWl8d4ulFtkeZlSzTMjzOMNsDzstDn_HdmyOup6iJUAwsBhQg=s320" width="214" /></a></div><br />Prayer isn’t easy. <p></p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I think some of us would be embarrassed to admit how seldom we actually stop and pray. Some of us are probably embarrassed to confess that we’re not sure we even know <em>how</em> to pray. The fact is, you’re not alone if you’re one of those people. Prayer is difficult. </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We have so many forces working against us. There’s not enough time, not enough energy. We don’t know the right words to say. We’re plagued by doubt, which, in a secular society, is just the water we swim in. And we’re plagued by the nagging suspicion that this prayer stuff might just be <em>hocus pocus</em> anyway. In our modern way of thinking, it’s just not second nature to believe that reality is anything but what we can see and touch and measure and manipulate. The idea that we are subject to divine power is alien to our secular mindset and Christians are not immune to that. </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But we wouldn’t want to admit that, right? What would our church friends think of us? </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s important to remember that faith and doubt are not opposites. In fact, sometimes the best place to start with faith is in doubt. There’s truly no better place to start than exactly where you are. Prayer is nothing if it’s not honesty. So maybe the best prayer is the one that begins with, “God, this is hard.” Or perhaps, “God, I want to pray, but I need your help. Help me pray.” Sometimes when we admit that belief is in contention, we can actually become more open and more receptive of God. If we leave our faith unchallenged, untested, and untethered, is it genuine faith at all? </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In the gospel of Mark (chapter 9), there’s a story about a young boy who was having seizures of some kind. The boy’s father went to Jesus’ disciples for help, but they couldn’t fix the problem. So the father went straight to Jesus and explained. The seizures were becoming life threatening for the child and the father was scared. He came to Jesus and asked for help, “if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus said, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” And then the father responded with one of the most profound prayers in history.... </p><blockquote><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” </p></blockquote><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This somewhat paradoxical prayer is where a lot of us are right now. We believe, but we need help overcoming unbelief. We want to trust that God is here, that all the promises of scripture are true and that God loves us and hears us and wants to be in relationship with us. But we need God’s help. Like the father in the story, we <em>want</em> to believe, we’re <em>trying</em> to believe but we need God to fill in where we’ve left off. </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">So start where you are. Start <em>right</em> where you are and just talk to God. If it’s hard to believe, then ask for help. If it’s hard to pray, then ask God to pray with you. Just be honest, because God already accepts you and loves you, even in your doubt.... even in your unbelief. Faith is not something you muster through your own strength, it’s something God gives us as a gift if we are honest enough to accept it just as we are. </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Try simply praying this prayer.... </p><blockquote><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“God, I want pray, but I need your help. Show me how to be honest with you and with myself. Help me to love you and help me to believe that you are there and that you love me.” </p></blockquote><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">...Maybe try praying it again.... And remember that prayer was God’s idea in the first place. We didn’t come up with this! God invited us to pray before it ever a thought occurred to us. God wants to hear your prayers because God loves you. This is true, believe it or not. </p><p class="" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px;">[This post was originally written for publication at </span><a href="http://www.fccramona.org/news" style="color: #2187bb; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;">www.fccramona.org/news</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px;">]</span></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-44881862325004849002022-02-07T12:54:00.002-05:002022-02-07T16:08:03.914-05:00Fishin' With Jesus<p><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGi6bukxtmehqrZS_xjZQA8Tb4-Mo5uKtVtGpiWgxqoQcceRWdB57yZSpklRr0aYrI4K2VKck7jt4Z_oAYwii7KCPQgDXKVpNnz-NdAqH_ueVSLj6p-bcxXhb5jTBqjZ_B7BoqW-ULg_pVWvqizBYNnVmkOn_6bcDsKPIFxmZW2qGNHCCijw=s1920" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGi6bukxtmehqrZS_xjZQA8Tb4-Mo5uKtVtGpiWgxqoQcceRWdB57yZSpklRr0aYrI4K2VKck7jt4Z_oAYwii7KCPQgDXKVpNnz-NdAqH_ueVSLj6p-bcxXhb5jTBqjZ_B7BoqW-ULg_pVWvqizBYNnVmkOn_6bcDsKPIFxmZW2qGNHCCijw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret (The Sea of Galilee), the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">When they had done so, they caught such </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a large number of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> fish that their nets began to break. </span></span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” </span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”</span><span class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun Superscript SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-fontsize="12" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US">So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.</span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></blockquote><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><p></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW39278466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{1}" paraid="1572066899" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW39278466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{5}" paraid="1395207117" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">If you make the mistake of attending seminary, like I did (JK, I </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">actually LOVED</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> seminary), then you will inevitably learn about the so-called “crisis” of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">decline. In fact, I think you’ll probably get tired of hearing about it. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{5}" paraid="1395207117" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW39278466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{17}" paraid="443483122" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">The church is shrinking, it seems. There is a measurable and perceptible </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">decline</span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> in church attendance and religious affiliation.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> According to Gallup, “47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999” (</span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">). </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">From 1999-2020, our own denomination’s membership declined by almost 600,000 people (599,326 members</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, see the 2020 UCC statistical report: </span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="https://uccfiles.com/pdf/2020statisticalreport.vfw.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">https://uccfiles.com/pdf/2020statisticalreport.vfw.pdf</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">). And we can see it in our own </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">communities. We can all think back to when there were “50 kids in the Sunday School” and 1,000 members in the church.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{17}" paraid="443483122" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{45}" paraid="1453004741" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">….are</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> you starting to feel some anxiety? </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Well, yeah. So is everyone else! </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{45}" paraid="1453004741" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{57}" paraid="257111238" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Seminary classes and denominational gatherings and pastors’ conferences are being consumed by this topic.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> T</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">hey have been for at </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">least </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the last decade! </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Books </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">and articles </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">are being published with titles like </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Losing </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Church,</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">, </span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Churches-and-the-Crisis-of-Decline-Andrew-Root/9781540964816?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base5&utm_source=US&utm_content=Churches-and-the-Crisis-of-Decline&selectCurrency=USD&w=AFCCAU96PK2R05A8V3TJ" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Churches and The Crisis of Decline</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">(</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">that</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">one’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">actually a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">really good</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> and </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">really important</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">work on this topic)</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">“</span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="https://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.strange.decline.of.us.evangelicalism/137169.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The strange decline of US evangelicalism</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> and </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">The Rise of The Nones</span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> (That’s not nuns, as in cloister</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ed Catholic </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">women</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, but “</span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">nones</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">” as in the religiously unaffiliated).</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{57}" paraid="257111238" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{141}" paraid="1350432056" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiPz4KPHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iNXB4IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjNweCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUgMyIgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4xIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHhtbG5zOnhsaW5rPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8xOTk5L3hsaW5rIj4KICAgIDwhLS0gR2VuZXJhdG9yOiBTa2V0Y2ggNTUuMiAoNzgxODEpIC0gaHR0cHM6Ly9za2V0Y2hhcHAuY29tIC0tPgogICAgPHRpdGxlPmdyYW1tYXJfZG91YmxlX2xpbmU8L3RpdGxlPgogICAgPGRlc2M+Q3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIFNrZXRjaC48L2Rlc2M+CiAgICA8ZyBpZD0iZ3JhbW1hcl9kb3VibGVfbGluZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSJub25lIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjEiIGZpbGw9Im5vbmUiIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCIgc3Ryb2tlLWxpbmVjYXA9InJvdW5kIj4KICAgICAgICA8ZyBpZD0iR3JhbW1hci1UaWxlLUNvcHkiIHN0cm9rZT0iIzMzNTVGRiI+CiAgICAgICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0wLDAuNSBMNSwwLjUiIGlkPSJMaW5lLTItQ29weS0xMCI+PC9wYXRoPgogICAgICAgICAgICA8cGF0aCBkPSJNMCwyLjUgTDUsMi41IiBpZD0iTGluZS0yLUNvcHktMTEiPjwvcGF0aD4KICAgICAgICA8L2c+CiAgICA8L2c+Cjwvc3ZnPg==")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The anxiety</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> seems to be everywhere....</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{141}" paraid="1350432056" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{147}" paraid="643186456" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">And </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">so</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> what are we doing about it? </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{147}" paraid="643186456" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{153}" paraid="1997198634" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Well, it may give you some hope to know that some </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">people, and </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">some </span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">very smart people</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> are trying different things</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. Some are just digging their heels into all the “old” ways of doing things and complaining about how the world is turning against them.... I </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">don</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> find that approach to be all that compelling. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{153}" paraid="1997198634" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{177}" paraid="1087315131" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Some people seem to be pushing the church to be more engaged with the big problems of society. This seems to be </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the UCC’s approach: “We need to show the world that faith is relevant to the concerns people actually have.” And </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">that’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> not </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a bad thing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">! I fully agree </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">with it!</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{195}" paraid="533331401" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Some are pushing the church to become “</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">innovative</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">...</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to do new things to take new forms to meet people where they are. The Lily Endowment has offered millions of dollars in grant funding to help churches and organizations move i</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">n this direction. I was personally involved in one such project at my former church (</span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="http://www.fumctr.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">First United Methodist Church of Toms River</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">) </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">through</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Princeton Seminary—a project called “</span></span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW39278466 BCX0" href="https://zoeproject.ptsem.edu/" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; user-select: text;" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The Zoe </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Project</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.” </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">We were granted $20,000 to listen to the longings of young adults in our community and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">come up with</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> an initiative that would </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">reach</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> those needs. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{195}" paraid="533331401" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{239}" paraid="1266890705" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Again, not </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a bad thing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. The church certainly does need to think creatively about how we can serve the community and have a stronger, more positive presence in the world</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{251}" paraid="841699241" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">But my worry, sometimes, is that by trying to be relevant and by trying to do “new” things, we might be succumbing to a temptation (not unlike Jesus’ temptat</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ion to take power over all the nations in the wilderness</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> in </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">John 6</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">)</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> I worry that we will forget who we really are and what </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">we’re</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiPz4KPHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTBweCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIycHgiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMCAyIiB2ZXJzaW9uPSIxLjEiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyIgeG1sbnM6eGxpbms9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzE5OTkveGxpbmsiPgogICAgPCEtLSBHZW5lcmF0b3I6IFNrZXRjaCA1Ny4xICg4MzA4OCkgLSBodHRwczovL3NrZXRjaC5jb20gLS0+CiAgICA8dGl0bGU+aW5zaWdodF90ZXh0dXJlPC90aXRsZT4KICAgIDxkZXNjPkNyZWF0ZWQgd2l0aCBTa2V0Y2guPC9kZXNjPgogICAgPGcgaWQ9Imluc2lnaHRfdGV4dHVyZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSJub25lIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjEiIGZpbGw9Im5vbmUiIGZpbGwtcnVsZT0iZXZlbm9kZCI+CiAgICAgICAgPGcgaWQ9Ikdyb3VwLTItQ29weSI+CiAgICAgICAgICAgIDxyZWN0IGlkPSJSZWN0YW5nbGUiIHg9IjAiIHk9IjAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyIj48L3JlY3Q+CiAgICAgICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xLDEgTDUsMSIgaWQ9IkxpbmUtNCIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjNzE2MEU4IiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjIiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lY2FwPSJyb3VuZCI+PC9wYXRoPgogICAgICAgIDwvZz4KICAgIDwvZz4KPC9zdmc+")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">actually called</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to do. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{0e88e78e-76dc-411d-8e81-8f56827933d1}{251}" paraid="841699241" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{22}" paraid="2038297397" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Consider the wisdom of Jürgen </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Moltmann</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">... “When religion, church, and faith are considered only from the standpoint of their expediency and usefulness for society, they are bound to vanish as soon as the purposes of society can be served by other means."</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{22}" paraid="2038297397" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{32}" paraid="1966688357" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The fact is, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">it’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> great to be relevant. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">It’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> great to try new things and be creative. But the church, indeed faith in Christ, is not defined by how useful it is in society</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. Being a Christian, being the church, is not about being important. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{48}" paraid="2072455064" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span></p><blockquote><b>"There are some men for whom a tree has no reality until they think of cutting it down..." -Thomas Merton</b></blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The church’s reality is deeper than usefulness. The fact is, we </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">don’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> need to look to something “new” to save the church from decline. What we need is here </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">and</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> has always been here. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><p></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{68}" paraid="895036740" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">We need to be in relationship with Christ. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">That’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> it.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">In essence, what</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> we need as the church is to pray! </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{68}" paraid="895036740" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{84}" paraid="2115426745" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">There’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> nothing especially relevant about prayer. And it certainly </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">isn’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> innovative. If I went to a seminary class and said, “have you tried praying,” </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I’d</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> certainly come off as a pretentious </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">jerk, and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">perhaps a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> little ignorant. But prayer is fundamentally what we do in </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the church</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">It’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> who we are. </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">So</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> whatever we do to respond to decline, we </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">can’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> lose that. W</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">e can’t lose prayer.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{124}" paraid="1440392805" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">So</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> I like to look at this passage from Luke, this simple story of Jesus fishing with his friends. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{132}" paraid="1343052910" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The disciples have been fishing all </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">night apparently, and</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">they’re</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> just coming up short. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">They’ve</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> got nothing. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Then Jesus comes along and borrows their boats. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">He’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> teaching</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> some folks about the Kingdom of God, as he tends to do, but then he stops and tells Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{132}" paraid="1343052910" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{158}" paraid="104042545" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Simon </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">probably wasn’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> too keen on this request. I mean, Jesus knows about the Bible and stuff, but Simon </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">knows</span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"> fishing! What if I walked into your office and started telling you how to do your job? </span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{158}" paraid="104042545" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{172}" paraid="529088894" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">So</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Simon answers, I imagine </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">somewhat reluctantly</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">In other words, “Jesus, we tried that already!”</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{172}" paraid="529088894" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{190}" paraid="1486298996" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Imagine going to some </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">fishermen</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> who are complaining about </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">not being able to catch fish and saying, “have you tried casting your nets?” </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{190}" paraid="1486298996" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b049258d-4fea-42a6-8490-9d5d2d33fadd}{179}" paraid="1955721446" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">But that’s exactly what "worked".... </span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b049258d-4fea-42a6-8490-9d5d2d33fadd}{179}" paraid="1955721446" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Simon says, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”</span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">When they go out and do what they’d been doing all night—but this time because Jesus told them to—they catch more fish than they can handle. </span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><b></b></span></span></span></p><blockquote><b><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">"They caught such </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a large number of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> fish that their nets began to break. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink."</span></b></blockquote><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span><p></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c1d67867-3c83-4edb-af53-1122bc32685b}{234}" paraid="1117311444" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW39278466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b78bf8d1-7f92-4c86-b83b-8f6fd8eb69e3}{252}" paraid="1558664002" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I wonder if in our anxiety to be relevant and to do “new” things, we are missing the simple call to keep doing what we’ve always done</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, even the stuff that doesn’t seem to be “working</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> I’m not saying that if we just pray ab</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">out it, people will start filling the church. I don’t even think that’s the right motivation. But what I am saying, what I think this story is saying, is that if we are faithful to Christ, even the things that seem like they’re sure to fail, might turn out to be l</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ife-giving and fulfilling. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b78bf8d1-7f92-4c86-b83b-8f6fd8eb69e3}{252}" paraid="1558664002" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba08dae6-6e4f-4c7a-9d69-ecba4138a62f}{134}" paraid="357381090" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Are you worried about the future of the church? Are you anxious about the world? </span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba08dae6-6e4f-4c7a-9d69-ecba4138a62f}{134}" paraid="357381090" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{e60f899a-418b-49f4-8766-1ef4fd182aa0}{72}" paraid="1444208986" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Maybe you should </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">consider prayer</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Maybe you should just enjoy the basic simplicity of just fishin' with Jesus. </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW39278466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW39278466 BCX0" paraeid="{4edafea9-96e7-4fd6-b574-6a7ea2661eae}{206}" paraid="643385307" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="EOP SCXW39278466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face=""system-ui", system-ui_EmbeddedFont, system-ui_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-84213725289142094962022-02-03T10:51:00.002-05:002022-02-03T10:51:16.966-05:00Being Right Is Overrated<blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” -Luke 18:34</p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZkq7XQpAoIzCE3CFbWRxuFCiuARF9r-gq4-nr8n8X_OZDMeonTCmMMFrBTVjtQwKNcK0LF8Kq31VFQvPtr9Yft20chiRiFtgV2nY1aqS5R0cW9GArM9F5TEXq6UlwtZkJdWYRnzkCahYOn7twg5bgtHlHj3VXzAOh6Z2hoMq-SsNlXuLx0w=s1316" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1316" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZkq7XQpAoIzCE3CFbWRxuFCiuARF9r-gq4-nr8n8X_OZDMeonTCmMMFrBTVjtQwKNcK0LF8Kq31VFQvPtr9Yft20chiRiFtgV2nY1aqS5R0cW9GArM9F5TEXq6UlwtZkJdWYRnzkCahYOn7twg5bgtHlHj3VXzAOh6Z2hoMq-SsNlXuLx0w=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">This scripture passage from the gospel of Luke happens to occur after Jesus “predicted” his own death, something pretty important, I’d say; but it could have been said just about anywhere in the New Testament. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout history Christians have looked to the original disciples as exemplars of our faith, as giants of the tradition. ….So it’s kinda funny how ignorant they actually were. Constantly throughout the gospels, the disciples miss the point of what Jesus is doing or teaching. Jesus says, “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), a disciple pulls out a sword and tries to kill somebody (Matthew 26:50). Jesus says, “I have food to eat of which you do not know,” and the disciples start searching for his stash (John 4:31-34). Jesus says, “you have to be born from above” and a would-be disciple says, “how do I get back in my mother’s womb?” (John 3)…. pretty gross question, actually. They were comically ignorant about some pretty important things. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s all over the place. The disciples are constantly confused about what Jesus is doing, what Jesus is teaching, what Jesus wants them to do…. they don’t even seem to have a clue who Jesus really is! </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are these our exemplars? Are these the folks after whom we should model our own discipleship? </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the gospel were about us believing the right things and knowing the right information, then the New Testament would be pretty hopeless. Even the Apostle Paul admitted that he didn’t know everything (“Now I know in part…” 1 Corinthians 13:12), which was big for Paul to admit, since he tends to be quite confident in his perspective. And we’re no different. We’re just as ignorant today as Paul was in the first century. In fact, I would say quite confidently that there are some things about which I am <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">very</em> sure and also dead wrong. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thankfully, the gospel is NOT about believing the right stuff and having the correct information. The truth of Christ does not require our belief in it. It’s true with or without us. The gospel isn’t about knowledge, it’s about love…. God’s love! </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">The gospel is about knowing God, not knowing <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">about </em>God</strong>. You can have all the right information and have no relationship with Jesus. And, like the disciples, you can have all sorts of <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">wrong</em> information and yet actually be very good friends with Jesus. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">All this is to say…. it’s ok to be wrong. And guess what… that means it’s also ok to disagree sometimes. Being right is overrated. What is more important is being loved and living in a way that reflects God’s love. If Jesus came so that we’d be right all the time, he actually didn’t do a very good job. But if Jesus came to love us and to be in relationship with us, then I think he nailed it. What’s more loving than dying for your friends even when they’re super confused about who you are? (see John 15:13). </p><blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="margin: 1rem 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We love because God <strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">first</strong> <strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">loved</strong> <strong style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">us</strong>.” -1 John 4:19</p></blockquote><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">So consider taking yourself a little less seriously. Consider holding a little more loosely to your desire to be right. And consider what it might look like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, free—even in ignorance—to live a life of love. </p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 16px; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">[This post was originally written for publication at <a href="http://www.fccramona.org/news">www.fccramona.org/news</a>]</p></blockquote><p></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-76642949366356693292021-07-21T10:43:00.006-04:002021-07-22T08:38:44.464-04:00What is Spiritual Formation? <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GbNPokJpTLrbq6Ml6KLLw7ot95Fz8ACI9ZOl9q16DntMty8a9n-Bdkg42y-PjKJmlWSSgmSDlFjaIe6UxctDPc0DgTZQaiw61TLKF71DxYUO4Bi48e_eII5AE4Gt_tE3RzpE/s988/Screen+Shot+2021-07-21+at+10.24.18+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="988" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GbNPokJpTLrbq6Ml6KLLw7ot95Fz8ACI9ZOl9q16DntMty8a9n-Bdkg42y-PjKJmlWSSgmSDlFjaIe6UxctDPc0DgTZQaiw61TLKF71DxYUO4Bi48e_eII5AE4Gt_tE3RzpE/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-07-21+at+10.24.18+AM.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Spiritual formation is not a developmental or linear process. It is a movement of the Holy Spirit and is, therefore, free and mysterious. In the famous chapter of John's gospel, in which Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night (which is why I like to call it the "Nic and night" chapter), Jesus relates the human experience of God–the entering into the kingdom of God–to the experience of birth. Now, this is a strange metaphor to describe the spiritual journey if we are to think of it primarily as an act of human agency. Being born is a peculiar kind of verb, because while it is certainly something we "do," it can hardly be thought of something that we can will or cause. It is more accurate to say that it happens <i>to</i> us. How much say did you have in your birth? No one asked me if I even wanted to be born. The human act of being born is an act that is completely subject to the agency of someone else, a mother. Birth is not something we can conjure or cause, it is something we can only receive and in which we can only participate. In this way, birth is a mystery. So when Jesus says, "no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again," he is teaching us that seeing the kingdom of God is mysterious. It isn't something we control. It is, in fact, a gift. Spiritual formation is something God does and it is something we can only receive. Jesus says, "You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">So what does it mean for churches or individuals to engage in spiritual formation? Well, this too is a mystery, but it is one to which we can make ourselves either open or closed. We cannot "cause" spiritual formation to happen, but we can cultivate space wherein we can anticipate (and wait on) the coming of God. We can receive and participate in the mystery of God's encounter with us. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A person or a community can anticipate spiritual formation through a variety of onramps and entryways. It cannot be defined, but it can be characterized. One way to characterize the human experience of spiritual formation is through Encounter, Confession, and Affirmation. </span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba2232d1-7fff-49e5-34bc-19f6daa99413" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ENCOUNTER WITH GOD</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - All spiritual formation is catalyzed by God’s coming to us and our encounter with God in Jesus Christ. Formation is not something we do, it is something </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> does, to which we can become open or closed. Spiritual practices are a human response to God’s action and a way of being open to God’s work of spiritual formation. </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Worship</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Service</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friendship</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ecumenism</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CONFESSION</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Our response to God must be an honest response. Confession is about removing our masks and being honest about who we are and how we experience God. Through confession, we cultivate non-judgmental space for spiritual reflection. </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Testimony and storytelling</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deconstruction </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Doubt</span></p></li></ul><div><span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AFFIRMATION </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- We affirm our faith by seeking understanding. We are part of a larger story of God’s relationship with the world and we respond to God by learning the faith and the beliefs to which we aspire. The theology of the church and the doctrines of Christianity are not a litmus test for entry into the community of faith, but they are a way of naming the mystery of God. In studying Scripture and learning the creeds of our tradition, we deepen our understanding and open ourselves to encountering God. </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bible Study</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creeds</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Construction and reconstruction </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theology </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fellowship </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Celebration </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interfaith dialogue</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">evangelism</span></p></li></ul></span></div></div>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-42040319322896444042021-06-17T14:25:00.000-04:002021-06-17T14:25:07.844-04:00Dissertation ✅<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bn0lW4i0Qs7RbTECHzk4STxQo5eLhyphenhyphen-6BHJbMD3BTw_0ves_pjEEMft1Iq-bZrO0vEkD0Gl3qMhhbeY-d_T3F7_XKNsx6bCv5l3vMMaiby-nPfVvpC8Q7rPhrIvMdigbG6Ou/s1080/198701997_10101643841710400_1626927898590169401_n.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bn0lW4i0Qs7RbTECHzk4STxQo5eLhyphenhyphen-6BHJbMD3BTw_0ves_pjEEMft1Iq-bZrO0vEkD0Gl3qMhhbeY-d_T3F7_XKNsx6bCv5l3vMMaiby-nPfVvpC8Q7rPhrIvMdigbG6Ou/s320/198701997_10101643841710400_1626927898590169401_n.jpeg" /></a></div><p>Two days ago, I finally submitted my dissertation to the University of Aberdeen for my Ph.D.. My "Viva Voce" (that's UK for "defense") is scheduled for September 20th, so I still have some work before me, but, obviously, this is a big milestone! I do hope to eventually have it published somewhere, but since it's quite possible that only about 6 people will ever read it, I thought I would just share what I wrote for the acknowledgments section...</p><p></p><blockquote><p>After more than five years pouring so much energy and anguish into the pages you are about to read, perhaps these few words preceding the first chapter will have been the most difficult for me to write. How does one go about acknowledging all those who supported, mentored, counseled, and tolerated them through a project like this? Like any good work of theology (and you will be the judge as to whether or not this qualifies as such), there is an autobiographical element to this thesis. These pages are chalked full of my own wrestling with not only the perplexing academic questions that drive the argument, but my own personal doubt and confusion in regards to my own experience. This project is mine and therefore it is shaped by the relationships that make me who I am. It is my sincere hope that this will be more than a mere academic achievement, but that it will somehow be a blessing to the church—so that those who work with young people will be liberated to truly encounter the living God in the lives of young people.</p><p>I want to thank a number of the people who have helped shape me and have thus helped shape this project. First, I want to thank my friend and colleague, Justin Forbes, for tolerating countless hours of rambling phone calls. Perhaps it will be some time, now, before I need to call him to hash out my swirling confusions regarding developmental psychology or interdisciplinary methodology. Justin journeyed (sometimes literally) with me throughout this entire project, and for that I am truly grateful. I also want to thank Marcus Hong for his friendship and mentoring, especially during the germinating stages of the argument you are about to read. I am also indebted to Rev. Dr. Ed Davis and the First United Methodist Church of Toms River family for their unwavering support and friendship.</p><p>Several friends and mentors have read and offered feedback on various portions of this thesis, including Erin Raffety, Abigail Visco Rusert, Andrew Esqueda, and Nate Stucky. And this project would surely be cursed with even more spelling errors and punctuation issues if it were not for the impressive (and intimidating) attention to detail of Katie Wall. I also want to thank Kenda Dean for empowering me, encouraging me, and helping me to keep curiosity and joy at the center of my ministry and theological reflection.</p><p>If you had told me ten years ago that I would one day have the privilege of working with John Swinton and Andrew Root (either one of them, let alone both of them) on my Ph.D. thesis, I would not have believed you. I am so humbled to have had the opportunity to work on this project under the supervision of two giants in the field of practical theology. I am beyond grateful for their profound insight, their patience, and their persistent encouragement.</p><p>Finally, I want to thank my wife, Amanda, and my kids, Bonnie and Henry. The completion of this thesis would have been truly impossible without the love and support of my family. Amanda loved me and encouraged me through the most difficult seasons in the life of this project, not least the little speed-bump we like to call the Covid-19 pandemic. There were times when her love carried me through my own self doubt, and that you are reading this now is in no small part because of her.</p><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-90010126639857660712020-12-08T10:00:00.003-05:002020-12-08T10:03:33.117-05:00God with the 1.54 million<div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free<br />
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;<br /> From
depths of hell Thy people save,<br /> And give them victory o'er the grave.<br /> Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;">As of the writing of this post, at least 284,000 Americans have died from the Covid pandemic. Globally, that number is over 1.54 million. It is projected that by Christmas day, about 330,000 Americans (and 1,805,400 people globally) will have died from this pandemic (see <a href="https://covid19.healthdata.org/">https://covid19.healthdata.org/</a>). That's not to mention the hundreds of thousands of others who've recovered but have procured long term health issues that may very well render them vulnerable for the rest of their lives. This is also not to mention all those who are facing severe financial threat––including eviction, loss of employment, and loss of healthcare––due to the economic effects the virus has had on society, largely a result of mismanagement from the federal government and some local governments. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">People are suffering. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And it's far too easy for us to grow numb to it, to even try to ignore it. Indeed, ignoring suffering is one way that we try to protect ourselves from it. There are those who are STILL trying to downplay the virus and its economic effects. There are STILL those who are pushing <i>against</i> simple measures like wearing masks and social distancing. There are still churches who are gathering together indoors without masks, without taking appropriate safety measures. It's as though 284,000 deaths just isn't serious enough for me to bother. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmb4F7MO1BSen3Vv1EN5fDLG7ze09aCD2ZeAehWY2axOTdJDyewmutYPi7z-Jw51TtofqYmGNEHPdf_y4Num73JXEZZ1ZR5PdL6c_1mVVWjU6svKyTX_rjUwQMsDHylII057i/s2048/PXL_20201208_145446360.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmb4F7MO1BSen3Vv1EN5fDLG7ze09aCD2ZeAehWY2axOTdJDyewmutYPi7z-Jw51TtofqYmGNEHPdf_y4Num73JXEZZ1ZR5PdL6c_1mVVWjU6svKyTX_rjUwQMsDHylII057i/w320-h180/PXL_20201208_145446360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Every year as Christmas approaches, we have to remind ourselves what it is that we are celebrating. We put up signs and bumper stickers that remind us that "Jesus is the reason for the season" and that we should "keep Christ in Christmas." And there is always some irony to these reminders because they often overlook the realities of poverty and racism that still plague our world. If we were to truly remember the reason for the season our gaze would certainly need to move <i>away</i> from keepsake manger scenes with porcelain donkeys and white baby Jesuses and <i>toward</i> those who are on the under-side of society––people lining up at food pantries, paying for medical bills instead of groceries, being evicted from their homes, fleeing their homes for fear of oppression, separated from their families, incarcerated unjustly, ...the list goes on. And yet, even while we slap "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" stickers on our cars, the very people to whom Jesus is coming continue to go unnoticed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Christmas day we celebrate the coming of God ....God's coming not just anywhere, but specifically to Israel, "that mourns in lowly exile." We celebrate the coming of God <i>specifically </i>to poor shepherds, to refugees, to those living under "Satan's tyranny" and in the "depths of Hell." Jesus came to the "least of these," so that is where our gaze should turn. It is to the suffering that we must go if we are to seek Jesus. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In 2020, the privileged are more at risk than ever of missing the point of Christmas day. If we want to receive the coming of God, if we are to seek Jesus, we must look for him among the suffering. Christ is among those who are afraid that this will be the last Christmas they spend in their homes. Jesus is with the families who have empty chairs at their dinner tables. Jesus is among the 1.54 million and if our Christmas celebrations do not look to them, if they gloss over the suffering in the world, if they do not look with compassion on the hopelessness of our situation, if our churches gather indiscriminately without regard for the safety of our communities, if we continue to put our own personal liberties above the lives of the vulnerable, then our Christmas has little to do with Christ and our hope is only a shell of the hope of God's promise. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Emmanuel is coming to the 284,000. Emmanuel is coming to the 1.54 million, to "give them victory o'er the grave." Emmanuel is with the very people we are most tempted to ignore in order to protect ourselves from their suffering. May we remember the "reason for the season" and fix our gaze and our actions on those who are suffering the most. May we be wide awake to the suffering around us so that we can embrace the hope of Christ's coming. And may our celebrations of Christmas actually welcome Christ, not at the <i>expense</i> of those to whom Christ is coming, but in solidarity with them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come even now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>
<p></p><p></p><p></p>wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928317.post-56226878631178999032020-07-11T15:39:00.005-04:002021-07-22T11:01:24.755-04:00'Delighted' in Lectures and InterviewsBefore <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Delighted-Teenagers-Teaching-Church-about/dp/080287780X" target="_blank">Delighted: What Teenagers Are Teaching the Church about Joy</a></i> was actually written, its authors gave a series of lectures at Yale Divinity School for the <a href="https://yaleyouthministryinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Yale Youth Ministry Institute</a>'s Joy and Adolescent Faith and Flourishing project (part Yale University's <a href="https://faith.yale.edu/joy/about" target="_blank">Theology of Joy and the Good Life</a> project). I've decided to pull links to these lectures and interviews together here for anyone who's interested in going deeper with the content of the book and seeing some of its ideas (some of them still in their embryonic stages) being worked out in front of a camera.<br />
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These lectures and interviews correspond to the core chapters of the book (the chapter links below will take you to playlists that include the videos that correspond to the content of that chapter from the book):<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd8AZSL0LG2Pwm6BWYNaw1_fw-Ph_CeUw" target="_blank">Chapter 2: "'Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me': Rethinking Friendship in Youth Ministry"</a> by Wes Ellis and Kenda Creasy Dean </h4>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd8AZSL0LG2OmEJRSX2_I36xs6ZI7I-tM" target="_blank">Chapter 3: "Wonder and Onions: Reframing Celebration in Youth Ministry"</a> by Abigail Visco Rusert and Kenda Creasy Dean</h4>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd8AZSL0LG2MXllJXwNViYY_ek5N-hK-v" target="_blank">Chapter 4: "Trace My Hand: The Promise of Confession in Youth Ministry"</a> by Justin Forbes and Kenda Creasy Dean</h4>
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<br />wellis68http://www.blogger.com/profile/06087588494600746854noreply@blogger.com0