This is “part 2” of a series called “Robust Christianity.”

I recently defined “Robust Worship” as, “worship that is soulfully engaging and involving, substantive and affective, leading worshipers into authentic encounters with God, others and themselves.”  

“Worship” is defined as to “ascribe worth.”  Thus, Christian worship is a corporate expression of our belief that God is first, God is great, God is above all things, God is all-in-all.  Worship reorients the worshipers, removing ourselves from center-stage and re-orienting ourselves around the eternal throne of God.  Through songs, actions, objects, images, and ideas corporately engaged, God is present in the midst of the worshipers.  Thus worship is also an encounter with a God who is holy and transcendent, and intimately present.

Though I have fairly specific opinions and feelings about my preferred ways of worship, I don’t mean for the term “robust” to imply a particular style of worship.  As I am using the term, I believe it is possible for “robust” worship to be “high” or “low,” traditional or contemporary, formal or informal, liturgical or “Spirit-led.”  I am not advocating for any one style.  Rather, whatever your particular ministry’s style might be, I am asking, “Is it robust?”

In my opinion, “robust worship” must include the following characteristics…

1.     Robust worship must be liturgical – not passive.  “Liturgy” is defined as “the work of the people.”  Thus, worship is work.  Liturgical worship need not be a particular style, but it must fully engage the worshipers.  Worship is not entertainment, or a spectator sport.  Worship is not passive.  Worship engages the whole worshiper – body, mind soul and strength – via singing, responding, actually praying, thinking, utilizing all of the senses, and any number of bodily movements.

2.     Robust worship is both ancient and new.  We are blessed to be the recipients of two millennia of prayers, creeds, hymns, rituals, and traditions.  Countless theologians, priests and pastors, martyrs, missionaries, monks and nuns, mystics, and laity have put the Christian faith into rich, meaningful words and practices.  Sometimes their language or the meanings of their rites are foreign to us today.  That doesn’t mean we should abandon them.  Sometimes they require explanation and reinterpretation.  Likewise, the Spirit continues to move and to inspire us to sing new songs and worship God in new and innovative ways.  After all, every sacred tradition began as a controversial innovation.

3.     Robust worship is deeply grounded biblically and theologically.  Too much worship lacks depth.  Too much worship is either poorly planned, overly sentimental, or based too much in emotion.  Emotion in worship is not a negative thing.  But, it must be grounded in a deep exploration of the biblical text, the creeds, and substantive theological application.

4.     Robust worship is enthusiastic.  “Enthusiasm” means to be “full of God.”  Enthusiasm implies heart-felt engagement and freedom of expression.  Too many worshipers sit on their hands, half-heartedly sing the songs, daydreaming during the sermon, while wholeheartedly expressing their enthusiasm at concerts or sporting events.  If your favorite band or team deserves attention and applause, God deserves more!

5.     Robust worship is beautiful. God is beautiful, a creator of beauty, and a lover of beauty.  God the creator created us in his image as co-creators, endued with artistic abilities and an appreciation for beauty.  Engaging the artistic gifts of the your community honors the gifts God has given and enhances the worship experience through music, visual arts, video, dance, creative liturgy and drama.

6.     Robust worship is multi-sensory.  Catholics, Anglicans, and Orthodox have a rich tradition of engaging all of the senses in worship.  Yet, much of Protestant worship and contemporary seeker worship is focused primarily on the transmission of theological information.  God made us whole beings, capable of worshiping God with our whole selves – touch, taste, sight, smell, sound.

7.     Robust worship is culturally relevant.  Every historical expression of worship was created in particular time, place and culture.  We are shaped by the culture we live in.  We understand ourselves and the world through the cultural forms of words, images, and traditions.  While we may learn from and value the cultures of others, it is our own culture that is truest to who we are.   Thus, cultural forms like language, the arts, architecture, and technology are vital in every age of worshipers, as well as the particular needs, questions and concerns of a particular culture.  Robust worship is global and timeless – and current and local.

8.     Robust worship is communal.  Though one can read their Bible at home, and sing along with recorded worship music in their car, worship is intended to be a communal experience.  Unlike a lecture, or a movie, or a theatrical presentation, where the majority in the audience are strangers, worship is meant to be a gathering of the Christian community, the body, the family of God.  Rather than corporate worship simply being the accumulation of individual voices and offerings, “robust” worship is a harmony of diverse voices, prayers, talents, gifts, expressions, joys and concerns, praises and laments.  The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper reminds us that we are individual recipients of bits and sips of the Lord’s body and blood, which in turn makes us unified members of the Lord’s body on Earth.

9.     Robust worship is life changing.  A pastoral mentor once told me, “Never preach a sermon without the expectation that a life will be changed.”  Too many sermons specifically, and worship services in general, seem to have no purpose beyond filling an hour with religious activity.    Robust worship is a meeting with God, who knows our deepest needs, fears, hopes, and longings, and is fully capable of meeting them. God is present any time two or more meet in his name.  Worship, itself, and the individual components of worship are means of grace, and capable of healing, forgiveness, and restoration.

10.   Robust worship is grounded in prayer.  Has the pastor prayed about the message?  Have the musicians prayed about the music?  Have the artists asked for inspiration?  Have the worship leaders – musicians, pastors, liturgists, greeters, priests – asked for God’s leading and blessing?  Has the worship time been surrendered to the Spirit’s control?  Or, is worship merely a religious production?

Surely more can be said about worship in general, and varied opinions about what makes for “robust worship.  Authentic worship occurs in a myriad of styles in ancient cathedrals and modern mega-churches, in the living rooms of house churches and under trees in the developing world.  An argument for “robust” worship is not an argument for a particular way of worshiping.  Rather, it is the question, “is the way you worship robust?”

Let me know what you think!

Recently I’ve come across several calls for a more “robust” Christianity. 

Robust. 

Just a simple process of word association led me to the following…

• Strong
• Bold
• Vital
• Healthy
• Flavorful
• Alive
• Lively
• Energized
• Full
• Substantive
• Soulful

Some of those words may be more true to the meaning intended by a “robust” Christianity than others.  Regardless, I have been thinking about what qualities a “robust” church or ministry might have.  To be “robust” a think a ministry would have to offer the following…

1. Worship that is soulfully engaging and involving, substantive and affective, leading worshipers into authentic encounters with God, others and themselves.
2. Community that is intentionally relational, radically hospitable, diverse, open and inclusive.
3. Thoughtful, prayerful, and transformative engagement in the deepest needs of the world, locally and beyond.
4. Substantive ministries of discipleship that equip Christians be effective disciples in every aspect of their lives.
5. Opportunities to engage deeply in spiritual disciplines, corporately and privately.
6. Opportunities for total life transformation, healing, and growth.

These are all things that most churches and ministries are already involved in on a weekly basis - but are they robust?  In the coming weeks I will be exploring what each of these might have to be to be truly “robust,” at least in my opinion.

If you have thoughts about other characteristics of “robust” Christianity, please let me know!

I’m scared.

I used to be frustrated, worried, concerned – sometimes even a bit depressed.  Now, I’m scared.  Please don’t assume I am prone to hyperbole.  I am honestly, truly scared for the future of the United Methodist Church – and, with it, for the future of my ministry, as well.

For more than four decades my denomination has been in numerical decline – membership, attendance, professions of faith, etc.  Though we have many large churches and successful ministries, and tremendous assets at our disposal, we are a declining denomination.

Not too long ago, Dr. Lovett Weems of Wesley Theological Seminary predicted a coming “death tsunami” for the United Methodist Church.  Based on the average age of United Methodists, the number of churches with entirely older memberships, life expectancy rates in the USA, and the fact that the vast majority of our financial support comes from our oldest members, Weems predicts that in the year 2018 we will experience a tsunami of deaths and an immediate decline in church funding.  A rapid increase in death rates will lead to rapid church closures, declining memberships, and ministry cut-backs – and the likely demise of the United Methodist Church in the United States.

In previous research, Weems also predicted the retirement of over half of our clergy and leadership during that same period of time.  The only reason we are not currently experiencing the loss of our senior leadership is that the recent recession took a toll on clergy retirement plans, requiring some “senior” pastors to delay their retirement plans.

So, I am a nearly 45-year-old United Methodist pastor, facing the seemingly imminent death and dismantling of my denomination.  And, that scares me – a lot.

Recently, after four years of study and strategizing, various plans were offered at the General Conference gathering in Tampa, FL to restructure the United Methodist Church for greater effectiveness.   A detailed analysis of our current situation was presented.  Ultimately, all versions of the plans were defeated and the General Conference was adjourned with neither plans for change or even a plan for further studying our options.  The General Conference is the most powerful decision making authority of the United Methodist Church and in the face of the devastating reality of our imminent demise, we froze…we did nothing.  The General Conference will not reconvene until 2016 – just two short years before Weems’ death tsunami hits.

And, so, I’m scared.

I’m not scared for the Church of Jesus Christ in the world.  I’m not scared for the kingdom’s continuing advance on the earth.  I’m confident that God will continue to reach out to this world with love through the Church.  I’m not even scared for the work of the United Methodist Church in other part of the world.  I’m just not sure about the future of the UMC in the USA – that we even have a future.

I’m scared that the future of my ministry will be defined by managing decline and demise.

I’m scared that managing decline will consume valuable time and energy that should be devoted to much-needed ministry - the reason I was called to ministry in the UMC in the first place.

I’m scared that I am ill-equipped for the problems we will be facing.

I’m scared for the campus ministry I serve, and others like it, that will not have adequate funding to operate, and exist.

Frankly, I’m scared that staying in the United Methodist Church might mean that a day might come when I am too young to retire, and yet have no church to serve.  What will I do then?  Find a new career?  Find a new denomination?  Will I be too old?  Will I have options?

I will gladly be part of whatever change that needs to happen for the United Methodist Church to re-discover her mission and purpose.  I will sacrifice.  I will work hard.  I will offer my gifts, abilities, faith, blood, sweat, and tears.  I will gladly do whatever it takes. 

I will even lead.  But who will do it with me? 

How do we begin to bring about the changes we must before it is too late?  What’s my part, what’s yours?

One might ask, “why not jump ship now?”  If “the writing” for the United Methodist Church is already “one the wall,” why stick around?  Trust me – I’m asking those questions myself.  The ONLY answer I have, so far, is that the United Methodist Church is my family, and I haven’t heard God call me to leave it, yet.  Just as I would fight for my own family – no matter how sick or dysfunctional it might be - I remain called to fight for my United Methodist family.  I haven’t entirely given up hope that God might still have a use for us.  But, my hope is fading - unless we do something, soon!

Who will fight with me?  We can’t wait.

K’a ch’a bejkib’means “see you later” in the Mayan language Quiche.  It’s almost impossible to say - almost.  I’ve just about got it.

It’s an appropriate word for me for today, as I am about to leave in a couple of hours for Miami, to fly to Guatemala in the morning, to bus to the Central Highlands by tomorrow evening, ready to work in the villages of Chontala and Chipaca on Monday morning.  This will be my 10th trip to Guatemala.

This week, along with a group of 27 students and recent grads from the Florida State University Wesley Foundation, we will be completing two houses, building three chicken coops, and leading six days of Bible School.

Chontala is my second home and an extension of my family.  I love that place and those people with all my heart.  I cherish every moment I am there, and ache every day that I am not.  I’ve wrestled with the possibility of moving there, but know that isn’t my calling (besides, my wife refuses!).  Honestly, I would be useless as soon I settled in - I have no skills, I have no resources, and I don’t speak the language.  But, visiting regularly, with groups in tow, I am able to bring valuable resources and relationships to these people I love so much.  I just have to be content with visiting as often as possible.

Why does it mean so much to me?  I wish I knew.  As much as I love them, I can’t even carry on an in-depth conversation with any of them.  Chontala isn’t much to see.  Most of my friends there will never be more than subsistence farmers.  We don’t have much in common to bond us together.  And, yet, there is something about that place and those people that brings out the me I most want to be - free from anxiety, open-hearted, generous, joyful.  I smile and laugh more - and have been accused of being silly.  I sleep well.  I wake up with a peace-filled heart.  I feel God’s presence there, and I’m attuned to the Spirit moving.  I’m more prayerful, and daily aware of God’s faithful answers.

I suppose I should yearn, and work, and pray to have more of that here - and I do - but never in the same way, to the same degree.  So, I guess I will just have to keep going back.

And, so, for now… K’a ch’a bejkib’!

The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is currently meeting in Tampa, Florida.  For those of you who aren’t United Methodist, General Conference is our denomination-wide gathering that occurs every four years. Delegates gather from around the world and significant issues are discussed, voted on, and policies and positions are established.  This year, some historic changes could be set in motion…or not.  We are prone to maintain the status quo!

I’ve never attended General Conference - and frankly, I have never wanted to.  When delegates were being elected for this year’s General Conference, I decided not to nominate myself for consideration because this is my son and daughter’s last month of high school.  Though I will actually be out of the country for the next two weeks, I was mostly concerned about the time required for all of the preparatory meetings leading up to General Conference.  But, frankly, I don’t really believe I would have been elected even if I had.  That’s not false modesty.  I am non-political, middle-aged, white, male campus minister - not the kind who likely gets elected in the Florida Conference.

I could have easily attended the first several days of this General Conference.  I’m only a few hours away.  I was asked to help in numerous ways.  But, I didn’t go.  I’ve followed the events from afar via Twitter - but that’s hardly the same.  This is finals week at the university where I serve, and I wanted to be around as students were ending their school year and, for some, their college career.  So, I skipped General Conference.

Perhaps, in four years, I will consider allowing my name to be considered for the next General Conference.  I truly don’t think I would make a very good delegate - but I may be able to speak with some authority for students and campus ministry.  Or not.  I just don’t know.  Part of me feels a responsibility to at least be open to the possibility.  The other part of me, the part that it is repulsed by church politics and bureaucracy, thinks that going might cause me to surrender my credentials!

Here’s the bottom line for me.  While I respect those who will be struggling, debating, hopefully praying, and ultimately deciding about important issues pertinent to the future of the United Methodist Church, I don’t know that I am ultimately convinced that any changes - great or small - will really change anything that ultimately matters.  Though any number of decisions could impact what I do, none will ultimately change what I do from day to day.

Instead of General Conference, I chose to be with my students during finals and to take a team to Guatemala to build houses.  And, I have absolutely no regrets.

When I return from Guatemala, the United Methodist Church might not be the same church I left this week.  Changes - for better or worse - could be in place…or not.  I sincerely hope and pray for the best outcomes - for a new day and a new beginning for the United Methodist Church.  For us to be the church the world needs us to be.  For us to reclaim the same passion and spiritual vitality of early days.  For us to receive a fresh vision for our best, most effective ministry.  For us to be full of faith.

But, whatever happens, I will be ministering to students tomorrow, next week, and the week after that.  General Conference could make that easier, or harder - whatever.  That’s all.  Regardless, I’ll just keep doing what I do. 

There’s a southern colloquialism – “You look like a cow staring at a new gate” –, which, according to Urban Dictionary means, “a look of lost bewilderment.”  I feel like I am seeing that look more and more around United Methodist leaders.

I am repeatedly hearing woeful concerns about the future of the United Methodist Church.  The phrase I am hearing the most, and like the least is, “given the reality of diminishing resources.”  The “reality” of diminishing resources?  Where is the faith in that?

The reason for projections about “diminishing” resources is that we are rapidly loosing members and attendees.  Lovett Weems, professor at Wesley Theological Seminary, predicts that we will experience a “death tsunami” in 2018, when the death-rates of our members escalate dramatically and financial giving similarly diminishes.  Inevitably, a “death tsunami” will lead to shrinking congregations, church closures, and fewer resources to support varied ministries – including campus ministry.

Many places throughout the country are already feeling the effects of church decline and are already taking drastic measures by cutting ministries that can no longer be afforded.  The opportunities for ministry have not diminished.  For whatever reason, we have failed to minister in those settings.

So, if diminishing resources are “reality,” what do we do about it?  It seems like we would be proactive.  It seems like we would be strategic.  It seems like we would creatively imagine an alternative reality and act before it is too late.  It seems like we would be bold!

Instead, we “look like cows staring at a new gate.”  Are we in denial?  Are we complacent?  Are we just clueless?

The only actions I see are attempts to streamline, cut back, and reduce expenses.  But, that is hardly visionary.  I’m not aware of anything that advanced from cutting back.  Advancement requires investment.  At this point, investment would require some risk – which we fear, and priorities – which we lack.

I have no interest in saving the United Methodist Church merely for the sake of institutional survival.  I love the United Methodist Church, and I will mourn her if she dies.  In fact, I mourn her decline already.  My concern is that we have obviously failed to be the church we are called to be – otherwise we would not be in such a state of decline - and that we seem to be resigned to our demise.

I’m not. I want to do something!

Why not act before it is too late?

If the primary issue is that we are aging, shrinking, and facing institutional death why wouldn’t we invest everything we have in reaching young people NOW – while we still can? 

Why not graciously – but quickly – cut the ministries that are no longer bearing fruit?

Why not start as many new churches as fast as we can?

Why not strategically place our most effective clergy where they can bear the most fruit - TODAY?

Why not invest in campus ministry – the most likely place to reach young adults?

Why not identify the places where the needs and opportunities for the kingdom are greatest, and invest resources there?

There is no reason for the United Methodist Church to die.  In fact, there is absolutely no reason for the United Methodist Church not to thrive!  We have many talented, effective leaders.  We have assets.  We have strategic locations.  We worship a God without limits!

Do we have faith?  Do we have vision?  Will we act?

Though no one asked for it, it only seems fair that I write to the men too…

Dear Men of Wesley – my brothers, my sons,

As I wrote a letter to the women for their recent retreat, it only seems right and fair that I write one for all of you as well.  I apologize that it is coming a little late.  Though you didn’t ask for it, it is my incredible pleasure to express all that I feel and desire for you.

The campus, the Church, and the world need you to be men – great men – the men that God created each of you to be.  I don’t necessarily mean some “male” stereotype.  I don’t really care how athletic you are, or how many sports stats you know, or how many chicken wings you can eat.  I mean men of character, men of courage, men of integrity, men of strength.  Too many men are nothing more than irresponsible, over-grown boys – not the men they need to be for their families, not the men their world needs them to be. 

You can be more than that.  God made you for more than that.  I see it in you!

So, these are my challenges to you. 

·      Be courageous!  You recently shared your fears with each other.  I’m proud of you for that – it isn’t easy for man to be honest about his fears.  Courage isn’t the opposite of fear – everyone has fears.  Courage is what you need to face your fears, and to overcome them – to act anyway.  Don’t allow your fear to cripple you.  Don’t try to mask your fears with some false machismo either.  Fear requires honesty, and bravery, and action.

·      Don’t fear commitment!  Real men have never been afraid of oaths of allegiance, vows, and pledges of loyalty.  Yet, somehow “commitment” has become a dirty word for too many men.  Too many men fear being “trapped.”   In truth, their fear of commitment will keep them trapped in a childish immaturity.  A man is only as good as the commitments he makes and keeps.

·      Lead!  You know that I fully support the gifts and abilities of women, and believe in their leadership capabilities.  Somehow that seems to have become a justification for women to be the responsible ones, and for men – particularly young men – to get away with immature irresponsibility.  Be leaders!  Lead by example!  Seek opportunities to take on responsibility!  Take a stand!

·      Dream!  Don’t ever settle for small dreams.  Don’t ever be content for a small life.  Expect the most that God and this life have to offer you.  Imagine the man you have the potential to become and become him!  Imagine the life that God made you for and live it!  Take all of your biggest hopes and dreams, your talents and abilities, your education and experiences and do something the world has never seen before.

·      Be full of God!  The Church – Wesley included – is dominated by women.  Though they are wonderful, women are no more capable of seeking God than a man.  God desires for men to know him and be known by him.  You need the Word to live inside of you.  You need God’s voice to guide you, and you need to learn how to listen for it.  You need God’s character to shape and mold your own.  And, we must find a way to reach our brothers that do not yet know the love of God.  It is up to us!

·      You are capable of expressing more emotions and feelings than lust and anger!  Though women may be more comfortable expressing the full range of their emotions, you are no less capable.  Men are capable of joy and sadness, hope and disappointment, determination and dismay.  You not only can feel them, you are also capable of expressing them – but this will stretch you.  Do it anyway!

·      Pick your cause!  Every man needs a cause to fight for – not simply a sports team to cheer for.  To what will you commit your time, your resources, your talent, and your heart?  The answer is obviously the Kingdom of God - advancing in us and through us.  But, what specifically?  What will you devote your life to?  What will you suffer for?  What will you sacrifice for?  What would you die for?

·      Treat women well!  You know how I love the women of Wesley.  I don’t have words to describe the anger I feel when I know they have been hurt.  Some have been hurt by their fathers.  Some have been hurt by men they have dated.  Some of them have been hurt by some of you.  Honor the women in your lives as daughters of God, as sisters in Christ.  When you hurt them – apologize and make it right.  But, do all you can to avoid hurting them.  Never use a woman.  Never abuse a woman.  Guard their hearts and their bodies.  Be good friends, boyfriends, husbands and fathers!

There’s so much more I can say, and will on other occasions. 

As I read back over these words, I fear that they may sound harsh or scolding, implying that you have already failed at being men.  That is definitely not my intent.  I am so proud of you for the men you already are.  But, you and I both know that God is not done with you, or me, yet.  I hope he never will be!  These are words of love and respect for men I love and respect, challenging them to never settle for a lesser version of themselves than God demands.  Demand it of yourself!

I fear that I have too often failed to be the pastor and father you have needed me to be.  I fear that I have not pursued my relationships with you enough.  I fear that I have not always been the example of a “man” that you need me to be.  I’m sorry for that. I want to be more for you than I have been in the past.  I want us to become great men together.

So know, even as I challenge you, that I am full of a father’s love for you.  You bring me incredible joy – and a lot of laughter.  I am humbled by the respect and authority you give me, and wish I was more worthy of it.  You inspire me, and make me want to be a better man.  I wish I had been half the man many of you are when I was you’re your age.  With all my heart, I want to be your pastor, your father, your brother, and your friend – and I am so thankful that I am!

With all sincerity, pride, and love,

Vance

The women of my ministry had a retreat last weekend, and I was asked if I could write a letter for them - sort of like if I was there, but not.  For those who weren’t there, or might have fallen asleep while it was being read, or whatever, here it is…

Be forewarned…it gets a little mushy!

My daughters,

As I write this, I am trying to picture you in my mind.  Though I don’t actually know who is reading this to you right now, or who is there listening, I am picturing a room full of Wesley women, whom I love. 

Some of you are like daughters to me, literally.  Some of you have cried with me, and I with you.  Some of you I have known for a long time.  And, some of you I don’t know at all – yet.  I have officiated some of your weddings – or, I will someday.  Some of you are scared of me – I don’t like that.  Some of your stories have broken my heart.  Some of you have traveled to exotic places with me – Guatemala, to be specific.  Some of you feel comfortable to come in my office whenever you want.  And, some of you don’t even know where my office is or why anyone would ever want to go in there.  I may have hurt some of you – by not giving you enough attention, or giving others more attention, or not knowing your name, or not being the pastor/dad/mentor you need me to be – for that I am sorry.

All of you are the reason I do what I do. 

I was thinking of writing some kind of advice of some sort, but I changed my mind.  I think I just want to you know what I see when I look at you.

·      I see such beauty.  I mean actual, physical, external beauty.  I’ve never, in all of my life, been surrounded by such beauty.  But, I don’t think you know that, or individually believe that about yourselves.  Physical beauty is not so narrowly defined as how thin you are, or what size you wear, or how much attention boys give you.  God is beauty and created each of you uniquely beautiful in his image.  By all means, exercise and diet and wear cute clothes and get your hair-styled – whatever makes you FEEL most beautiful.  But, don’t doubt your true beauty.  I think you are breath-taking.

·      Of course, physical beauty is only one dimension of your beauty.  Some of you have let me see your hearts, and they are truly exquisite.  Your hearts possess all that is unique and good and pure about you.  Some of your hearts have been wounded.  Some have been broken.  But, none have been spoiled or ruined or destroyed.  Some need healing, for sure.  But, each of you surely possesses the core of who God made you to be.  Never doubt that.  Trust it.  Know that deep within in you is the YOU God uniquely intended you to be.  You don’t need to be anyone else.  You don’t need to fake it for the sake of someone else’s approval.  Just be the beautiful YOU God made YOU to be.

·      I know you are scared, especially about relationships.  I know you are scared of being alone – for a long time, or forever.  I know you yearn to be wanted, to be desired, and ache when it feels like your not.   I wish I could take that from you.  I can’t promise you when you will find the person you dream of, or that everything will work out perfectly, or that your heart will never be broken – I, swear, I wish I could protect you from that.  Sometimes it just takes time – especially time for boys to mature enough to be ready for real relationships.   Sometimes it just takes time to meet the right person.  Sometimes it takes time for YOU to be ready.  So, use that time to grow and mature and be really ready.  And, don’t see it as a curse.  God can use it for good.

·      You seem to be under so much pressure to be perfect – perfect bodies, perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect grades, perfect friends, perfect spirituality, perfect relationships.  Perfection is a terrible burden to bear.  It isn’t what God asks of you.   Don’t discount or dismiss the good others see in you, and don’t put too much weight other’s criticisms or judgments.  Most importantly, don’t be so hard on yourselves – many of you are your own worst critics.  Ask God to show you the good he sees in you, and what he expects from you.  If you aren’t sure what God says, come ask me – I love to encourage you!

·      I’ve never really understood this, but I have heard many of you talk about not wanting relationships – dating or friendships – to get in the way of your relationship with God.  Guys don’t talk about that – or, really, understand it.  I think it is because you are generally more relational than we are.  Though relationships are truly beautiful things, they can never truly be a substitute for your relationship with God.  So, invest deeply in your relationship with God.  Love him with all your heart.  Pursue him.  As much and as intensely as I love you, God loves you infinitely more.  He has profound wisdom for you.  He will never abandon you.  He will never fail you.

·      You inspire me more than I can possibly express in words.  You make me want to be the best pastor and father I can be for you.  Your questions challenge me.  Your dreams inspire me.  Your hopes lift my own.  Your love increases my capacity to love.  Your accomplishments and talents and abilities amaze me.  I truly believe that you can be and do anything that you set your mind to.  I speak often of changing the world, and I have no doubt that you will.

·      In some strange way, I see myself in you, and I don’t take that for granted.  Who am I to influence YOU?  Yet, when I hear you repeat something I have said, or pass on a quote I have used, or are reading I book I have recommended I realize that I have an influence on you.  When I know I have made you cry, I know I have touched your heart.  When I have held you while you cried and whispered comfort and encouragement in your ear, I know I have planted seeds of truth.  That you let me be this for you, that you let me have a voice into your life, that you consider my words, wisdom and advice valuable is an honor I cannot describe and do not deserve.  Though you are not literally my daughters, I feel like you each possess a part of who I am – if nothing else, pieces of my heart.

·      Finally, when I look at you I see a better future.  As you know, I worry for this world we live in.  There is so much hurt, pain, brokenness and injustice.  And, as you know, I believe we are called to make the world a better place.  I don’t know who, if any, of you may become famous for the good deeds you will do.  But, I know for sure that you will each make your contribution.  Follow God’s call.  Trust his gifts in you.  Trust his provision.  Stay focused.  Believe a better world is possible.  Never give up.

Though Wesley is not my first ministry, and I doubt it will be my last, it has been by far the greatest privilege God has ever given me.  Few pastors get this opportunity.  It is more than a ministry to me.  It is 100% about the relationships I have with each of you.   To those I know and love personally – you will never know how dear you are to me.  To those I don’t yet know – I love you already, and I long to know your stories, and to share my heart with you.  Though I am unreasonably busy, and hard to make appointments with, and some of you will be leaving soon, and more will be arriving soon – I want more time with each of you, more conversations with each of you, and I sincerely want to be a place you know you can always turn for wisdom, advice, compassionate, support, affection, encouragement, and love.

You have my heart, and always will.

Vance

P.S. Boys suck.

I need to be honest.  I dislike the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.  Though I have come to understand how the system worked, I find it foreign, distasteful, and incomprehensible.  I don’t understand how the slaughter of an animal could have ever made up for my sin, or satisfied God’s justice.  I’m not questioning sin and the need for atonement - just, why the slaughter and burning of an animal?

Nevertheless - that was the means of atonement for ancient Israel.  It was a different time and a different culture.  Commit a sin -  knowingly or unknowingly, individually or corporately - and a payment was required.  Forgiveness required it.

When my children were younger, I attempted to teach them three things when they broke the rules…

1. Be honest about it.  Don’t lie.  Don’t blame it on someone else.  Tell the truth.
2. Be sorry for what you did.  It is not enough to be sorry you go caught (which was typically the case).  Be sorry for what you did.
3. If at all possible, make it right.

I think the same applied to sin and God.  In the Old Testament, if I sinned, the following was required of me,

1. Repentance - approaching the Tabernacle/Temple with my animal offering was my admission that I had done something wrong.
2. Contrition - as King David wrote is Psalm 51:17, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”
3. Sacrifice - in the form of an animal.

As I see it, the failure of the sacrificial system is that it potentially only met two of the three requirements.  Animal sacrifice only required admission of guilt and the offering of an animal - not necessarily a change of heart. 

Throughout Scripture - Old and New Testaments - there are assurances of God’s forgiveness, even when there is no evidence that God’s people’s hearts were right.  In order for our hearts to be made right, for forgiveness to be more than just a pardon and a free pass, something radically new and different was needed, that fulfilled the requirements of the sacrificial system and accomplished it’s objective.

Jesus.  “Behold, the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.”

Now…

1. Jesus calls us to repent, believe, and follow.
2. In Christ death and resurrection, we are a new creation.
3. Christ’s death was the perfect sacrifice, covering the totality of my sin.  Now my sacrifice is myself, my life, my worship and service offered in gratitude and love.

In Christ, truly our sins have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Here’s the problem.  Without a sacrifice to pay ourselves, we often continue to feel guilt for our sin.  Because becoming a “new creation” takes time and grace, we still fall into sin, compounding our guilt.  WE ARE FORGIVEN - ALL OF US - FOR EVERYTHING.  “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1).

We must learn the difference between guilt, which is not from God, and conviction, which is the work the Spirit does in our consciences to make us aware of the sin in our lives, its power to harm, and the damage it does to our relationship with God.  Conviction leads us to repentance, which reminds us of our state of forgiveness.  Guilt condemns, and blinds us to the grace that is already ours. 

Forgiveness is a gift from God, given through Christ’s death on the cross.  Conviction is a gift of the Spirit for our sanctification. 

Condemnation is not from God at all.

Why is that so hard to grasp?

“If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will.”  Oswald Chambers (March 22 - My Utmost for His Highest)

I’ve had the good fortune this week to have a few days of vacation.  For my daughter’s “Senior Spring Break,” my wife and I agreed to host a group of 11 girls (plus visitors) at Seagrove Beach, FL.  The beach house has been full and loud - and wonderful!  Mind you - that’s coming from an introvert who prefers his vacations to be quiet, calm and peaceful!

Three of my daughter’s friends plan to be involved in my campus ministry in the fall - and, in fact, have already started attending worship services.  Though I have known them for years, I’m now starting to think of them - and relate to them - more as my students and less as my daughter’s friends.  They have recently shifted from calling me “Mr Rains” to “Vance” - and, even, Dad.  They have become more comfortable with joking with me, and even laughing at men.  I am increasingly excited about being their campus minister.

I’ve also been reading Oswald Chamber’s daily devotional “My Utmost For His Highest.”  On Thursday, Chambers talked about the tendency for emotional people to either chase after a “feeling” which may not be from God, or to loose focus on something God has stirred within you.  Either can be disastrous.  And, I am guilty.

I am a feeler.  I, too often, do or don’t do based on my feelings alone, rather than what I know is good for me or what God may have spoken into my life. 

If I am honest, anxiety places a big part. 

And, my anxiety is often related to my work. 

And, when I feel anxious, there is a tendency in me to want to avoid…to quit…to run.

Why would campus ministry cause me anxiety?  It is a tough, taxing job - and I’m not getting any younger!  The campus minister wears multiple hats and juggles multiple demands simultaneously.  Just the students’ need for time and attention, counsel and direction, love and support, care and correction can be overwhelming - particularity in a large ministry.  I find that I battle anxious questions constantly…

• Am I too old for this?
• When will I stop being relevant?
• Am I loosing my grip?
• How will I ever raise that much money?
• Would moving be a good “career move”?
• How much longer can I keep up?
• Wouldn’t a church job be easier?
• When is it all going to fall apart?

But, I have also undeniably heard God’s call to campus ministry, his affirmation and encouragement to do what I do, and his exhortation not to give up.  I know I could do other things in ministry - but this is what I am called to do - at least, as long as I can or am called elsewhere. The Spirit has stirred this within me.

Chambers writes, “If it has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction at a lower level than God intended.” 

This week, these 11 girls have reminded me again that I am called to campus ministry, that I truly love college students, and that I am so blessed to be a campus minister.