I am very excited about our new slogan and vision. If you want a six words to live by, you can't do much better than these -- becoming like Jesus, serving in love. They remind us that our central purpose in life is to model our life around Christ. Think about it. We read His words... pray to Him... obey Him... imitate Him... teach Him... . In all these ways we are striving to think, act, be like Jesus.
We do not become like Jesus solely or even predominately by our own effort, but by cooperation with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works to bring us to faith. Once we choose to receive the gift of grace, then the Holy Spirit is activated within us in a new and wonderful way. Day by day He urges and encourages us to live our lives in the way of Jesus. Growing in faithfulness, we mature into the likeness of Christ. Paul says, "We are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit," (II Corinthians 3:18 NIV). The NRSV translates this "we are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." It is the journey of a Christian to become like Jesus.
As we gain knowledge of Christ, we understand that our mission is to take his love out to everybody in this needy world. And God sends us out to serve the world in love. These are not sequential events. They occur at the same time in our life. As we are called to reshape our lives in Jesus image, we are also called to take this experience of grace out into the world. In other words, as Jesus loves us we are likewise to love the world. That is what we mean by "serving in love".
As a congregation, we strive to manifest this slogan. We provide many opportunities for people to bring God's love to hurting people. We do this through our adult deputations to far off disasters like the Gulf Coast hurricanes and to nearby ones in our own state like in the Lewis County flood. We do this through our Presbyterian Women's ceaseless efforts to help vulnerable women and children throughout the globe. Those are just two of the dozens of ways we serve others.
God has invited us to deepen and broaden both our service and our love of Him. This call is expressed in our Vision and in our goals and objectives. I'll write about those later.
Let our prayer be to daily become more like Jesus in character and service!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Republicans, Democrats, Uninvolved --- Proverbs, Prophets, and Paul
What do Republicans, Democrats, and those who disdain politics have to do with Proverbs, the Prophets, and Paul?
In the United States Christians believe that their political views are congruent with their faith. It is not uncommon for a Democrat be puzzled as to how a Christian could be a Republican. And likewise many passionate Republicans just don't see how a true believer could vote Democrat. And then there are those who don't see how a Christian with integrity could associate themselves with either party. How can this be if we are all Christians? Shouldn't our common faith determine that we have common politics?
Republicans believe that the government's role is to provide a structure so that each individual has the ability to create a productive, happy life. It is not the role of the government to save people from their own mistakes or foolishness. Individual responsibility and accountability are cherished. Poverty is a part of life and impossible for government to remove. When Republicans see generational poverty, they believe that individual irresponsibility is being taught father to son. The answer is for the individual to take responsibility for her or his own life.
Democrats believe that society needs to take care of the weak and vulnerable. It is a high priority of the government to provide solutions to long-term poverty. When Democrats see generational poverty, they believe that injustice is keeping the people poor. The rich and powerful are oppressing the weak. The answer is for the government to step in and restore the society to one of fairness. Then the poor will be able to improve their lives.
Others who we can call "separatists" don't get involved in politics because they don't see either party bringing God's rule to this country. They believe that current society is so amoral and unjust that Christians need to separate themselves from it. In this view government is always corrupt. Christians need to depend on each other and stay away from the evil influences of our American society.
I am interested in how you think each position is backed by the Bible. Why don't you reply with how you understand your faith informs your politics? It would be fun for us to listen to each other. We'd all learn something! Let's do it in our comments to this post of mine. Then I'll write how I believe each position comes out of Biblical themes.
In the United States Christians believe that their political views are congruent with their faith. It is not uncommon for a Democrat be puzzled as to how a Christian could be a Republican. And likewise many passionate Republicans just don't see how a true believer could vote Democrat. And then there are those who don't see how a Christian with integrity could associate themselves with either party. How can this be if we are all Christians? Shouldn't our common faith determine that we have common politics?
Republicans believe that the government's role is to provide a structure so that each individual has the ability to create a productive, happy life. It is not the role of the government to save people from their own mistakes or foolishness. Individual responsibility and accountability are cherished. Poverty is a part of life and impossible for government to remove. When Republicans see generational poverty, they believe that individual irresponsibility is being taught father to son. The answer is for the individual to take responsibility for her or his own life.
Democrats believe that society needs to take care of the weak and vulnerable. It is a high priority of the government to provide solutions to long-term poverty. When Democrats see generational poverty, they believe that injustice is keeping the people poor. The rich and powerful are oppressing the weak. The answer is for the government to step in and restore the society to one of fairness. Then the poor will be able to improve their lives.
Others who we can call "separatists" don't get involved in politics because they don't see either party bringing God's rule to this country. They believe that current society is so amoral and unjust that Christians need to separate themselves from it. In this view government is always corrupt. Christians need to depend on each other and stay away from the evil influences of our American society.
I am interested in how you think each position is backed by the Bible. Why don't you reply with how you understand your faith informs your politics? It would be fun for us to listen to each other. We'd all learn something! Let's do it in our comments to this post of mine. Then I'll write how I believe each position comes out of Biblical themes.
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