Grassroots Kingdom | Dan Hinz

Hey Grassroots Kingdom Readers,

I will be taking a break from blogging here for a few months.  However, I do plan to be blogging 2-3 times per week at:

http://www.grassrootsrockford.com/blog/

Hope to be back in the Fall!

The Maker of the universe

As Man for man was made a curse

The claims of Laws that He had made

Unto the uttermost He paid.

His holy fingers made the bough

Where grew the thorns that crowned His brow

The nails that pierced His Hands were mined

Insecret places He designed.

Hemade the forest whence there sprung

The tree on which His Body hung

Hedied upon that cross of wood

Yet made the hill on which it stood.

The sky that darkened o’er His head

By Him above the earth was spread

The sun that hid from Him its face

By His decree was poised in space.

The spear that spilled His precious blood

Was tempered in the fires of God

The grave in which His Form was laid

Was hewn in rocks His Hands had made.

The throne on which He now appears

Was His for everlasting years

But a new glory crowns His brow

For every knee to Him shall bow.

Recently, I was told about four friends called “Al”.  These four friends are used to describe the Church/Christian Life.  I have found these four friends incredibly helpful.

1)      BiblicAL.  The church is the community who asks the ancient question, “Where is it written?”  And “How does the whole of scripture support that?”  This Al reminds us of the centrality of scripture; that we are all characters in God’ Grand Story.

2)      DevotionAL.  This Al reminds us being biblical ought to lead to devotion- love for God.  It is possible, of course, to know scripture but not to grow in our love for God.  This is a good description of the devil.

3)      RelationAL.  This Al reminds us that we cannot say “I love God” and not love our brother/sister.  Or, as a friend put it, some Christians are just jerks.  Unfortunately, there are many Christians who are deeply biblical and devoted to faith, but are mean.  RelationAL reminds us that our reading and our worship ought to lead to love for each other.  We should not be jerks

4)      MissionAL.  This Al reminds us that it is not enough just to love each other.  We called to be salt and light.  We are called to be ambassadors, priests, and missionaries.  We are called to carry the gospel and love of Christ to the ends of the earth.

None of these ALs are more important than another.  They all dance in harmony and tension.  There are some who will want to emphasize some as more important than the others, but we must resist.

Here is a great story I read today.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Would you have taken the time to listen?  Or, as Jesus put it, do you have ears to hear?

Last week I had a conversation with a friend regarding his reservations about heaven/hell.  It reminded me of this article I posted a while back.

This is an edited re-post I wrote a few weeks before the release of Rob Bell’s book Love Wins.  It is less about the book, and more about my musings on the issues people wrestle with regarding heaven and hell.

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Is orthodox Christianity in danger? Is Rob Bell, and other church leaders, starting to teach false doctrines? Is the church succumbing to the post –modern culture it now finds itself in?

Or, are we now asking tough questions we once avoided? Are we not settling for cookie –cutter answers? Are we beginning to see things about God and scripture that we once were blinded to?

I reckon probably a little of both.

Here are some of my thoughts off the top of my head on the issue of heaven/hell:

1. The Conversation Changes When It is Someone You Love – and that is a good thing. Last year I lost my cousin to a tragic death. She was 25. That experience changes everything – and it should. Heaven and hell are not primarily matters of belief and doctrine. They are primarily matters of an intimate relationship with the living God.

I am not saying that we can change the Christian faith to suit our own feelings. I am saying that we can turn a living, breathing faith into a lifeless belief system. I worry that this issue has been thoroughly depersonalized by some church leaders. If that is true, we are in danger of being modern –day Pharisees. And Pharisees, in scripture, were orthodox in belief – but rebuked by Jesus.

2. Our Salvation is Based on the Grace of God. A young evangelist was sharing the gospel with people in an airport terminal. He noticed a man sleeping. Undeterred by his slumber, the young evangelist tapped him on the shoulder and asked, “Are you saved?” The man, half asleep, responded “Ummm, yeah, I’m saved. I suppose I’m saved. Yeah, I’m saved.” And then he went back to sleep.

The young evangelist did not think that was good enough, so persisted, “When, sir? When were you saved?” To which the man responded, “Well, I dunno. It was about 2,000 years ago I guess.” That is good theology. Our salvation is based on the grace of God.

When we discover that grace, and how we respond to it, will vary.

3. Judgment Resonates with our Souls. I don’t buy the argument that a God who punishes us is amoral or mean. Judgment resonates with our soul. Our hearts long for it. Our hearts ache for justice, including judgment.

For example, if a priest molests children. And continues to do so for years. And when caught, denies any wrong doing. And hides behind the power of his position and the church. And in the end, continues to serve as a priest and work with children. That disturbs our souls… especially those people who are not “religious”. Regardless of faith, judgment resonates with our soul. We want God to set things right.

God judges us. And while that is incredibly terrifying – it is a good thing.

Now, does telling a white lie equal burning in hell for eternity?

4. God’s Love and Grace is Always an Extravagant Surprise. In terms of hell -bound people, Jesus was notorious for keeping their company. It seems that in the gospels, religious leaders were quick to pick up rocks. But Jesus miraculously found a way to get them to fall to the ground harmlessly.

Tax –collectors, crooks, lepers, prostitutes, Samaritans, the demon possessed, and the other hell –bound characters in the gospels are exactly the type of people we read about in order to learn about God’s love and grace. According to the religious culture of their day, these were the people smitten and rejected by God. And that is exactly why Jesus was such a surprise.

5. Our Choices Matter. I cannot emphasize this enough – OUR CHOICES MATTER. One of the reasons hell leaves such a distasteful flavor in our mouth is because it asserts that there are actually consequences for our actions. And in our culture, we work very hard at being able to make POOR choices and then avoid living with the consequences.

Disagree?

- Kids can make poor choices in school – should flunk or get punished – and are often passed on to the next grade.
- We eat poor food and get sick because of it – but we avoid changing our eating habits by taking pills or having surgery.
- We spend our money poorly. We buy things we cannot afford with money we do not have. And then we avoid the consequences by paying the minimum on our credit card or not answering our phone when the debt collector calls.

However, eventually all of these things catch up with us. Consequences are inevitable. Kids will grow up and have to deal with their lack of education. People get sick and have to deal with their illness. And eventually the debt collectors find you.

Our choices matter. And that goes for God too. If we choose to reject God and his will, that matters. That is a significant decision. And I believe it has consequences.

My question is: if we spend our entire lives avoiding and rejecting God, what makes us think that will change on the other side of death?

6. Heaven and Hell are present realities. One of the biggest problems with this conversation is that we limit the idea of heaven and hell to “places we go after we die.” While I believe that this is true, the greater truth is that heaven and hell are present realities.

Hell is when/where God’s will is rejected. Heaven is when/where God’s will is done. One day, I believe, God will completely set the world right. All the evil, pain, and death (hell) will be eternally condemned. And the will of God will reign, and the glory of God will cover the earth like the waters cover the sea.

But in the meantime, heaven and hell are present realities held in tension. At times, God’s will is accomplished. At times, God’s will is rejected. At times, it is almost as if we are experiencing heaven on earth. At times, it is almost as if we are in the middle of a living hell.

7. The Human Soul is Eternal. So the bigger question is – are we becoming heavenly creatures (people who are living in God’s will), or hellish creatures (people who are rejecting God’s will)???

Both now, and forever, are we going to be people who live in harmony with the will of God? Or are we going to be people who reject the will of God (in favor of our own will)?

C.S. Lewis says, “Hell is when God finally says, ‘Your will be done.’

Which makes heaven, I guess, when we say with Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.”

With the divorce rate at about 50% (for both Christians and non-Christians), it is not surprise that I know more and more people ending their marriages.  Truth is, it is hard not to get numb to the news of couples getting divorced.

What always brings me back to reality is hearing how divorce affects kids.

It is devastating.  And that is an understatement.

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A lot of parents spend tons of time, energy, and money on their kids.  They buy magazines, invest in their education, drive them to endless activities, send them to camps, save for college, buy them all sorts of clothes and gadgets, and so on.  Parents do all sorts of things to love their children and give them a good life.  However, what if I told you the best thing you can do for your children has nothing to do with your children?  What if it has nothing do with gifts, or money, or giving them experiences, or parenting techniques?  Would you believe me?

The best thing you can do for your children is to invest in your marriage.

Healthy marriages do more for you children than anything.  You can pour endless amounts of time, energy, and money into your kids.  And that can be good.  But if children experience their parents getting a divorce, it may not matter at all.  What matters most to your children actually has nothing to do with them.

In many ways it is counterintuitive.  And in many ways it makes complete sense.

Invest in your marriage first.

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This is a great metaphor for the church.

The best thing you can do for your local church has nothing to do with the church.  It is not serving more, giving more, or inviting more people to come.

Rather, the most important thing you can do to create a healthy church is to invest in your relationship with God.  Your time, energy, and service are important.  But they do not mean very much if you are not walking with God.

Invest in your marriage first, and your kids will be blessed by it.

Invest in walking with Jesus, and your church will be blessed by it.

Last week I lent a friend $500.

It was hard to part with that sort of money, especially in this season of life.  But my friend was in a much more difficult situation.  And it was within my power to help.  So I did… hesitantly.

The promised date to repay the money has come and gone.  For a few days, I did not call and let things slide.  Yesterday I decided to call and check in on my friend.  One of his numbers was disconnected.  The other went to voicemail.  I left a message, but still have not heard back from him.

It is amazing to me how hard this situation has been.  Here is what I have been learning:

1)      Jesus’ command to lend without expecting a return is difficult to live out. 

2)      I am not sure if I truly love my friend.  If one of my daughters were in this situation, I think I would have easily lent her the money without expecting anything in return.  And I would have done so because of my love.  It makes me wonder how much love I truly have in my heart.

3)      I am mad.  I am very mad.  However, what angers me the most is not the money (though that is hard).  It is the violation of the relationship.  I feel used.  I feel like everything my friend said about our friendship was false.  My anger has very little to do with money.  It has everything to do with our relationship.

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This has caused me to reflect on the Jewish practice of tithing, and the church’s practice of giving.  I think there are tons of important reasons to give.  More than can be discussed here.  But what I am learning again is how giving is a deeply relational act.

Relationship to God.  The tithe was an act of worship and thanksgiving.  When the tithe is reduced to a number (10%) or a religious tax, we miss the point. The tithe has absolutely everything to do with God’s relationship with us, and our relationship with God.  The tithe reminds us that God’s relationship to us is the Giver of Life and everything in it.  All of life is grace and gift.  And the tithe is a tangible way we worship God as the Giver of Life, and thank him for his abundant provision in our life.  (Or not).

The point:  The tithe, given or not given, is a relational act (not a legal-istic act).   We are not dealing with a rule; we are dealing with the living God.  I think that makes all the difference.

Relationship with Each Other.  My mentor said it was his practice not to know what members of his congregation gave or did not give.  He said he did this to be sure he did not treat them differently.  I have taken that advice to heart, and follow it today.  However, that is a tricky thing.

Giving doesn’t just deepen our relationship with God, it deepens our relationships with one another.  First, it is a corporate act of worship.   Worshipping with one another is a communal act- singing, praying, listening, taking communion, giving.  It is communal, not individualistic.  Therefore it is relational… and that is a beautiful thing.   Second, giving deepens our commitment to the mission of the church.  Not giving is (partially) removing oneself from this worshipping, missional community.

Point:  Giving deepens our relationship with one another.  Not giving is not a violation of a religious rule.  It is a violation against the worshipping, missional community.

We human are pretty good at de-personalizing everything.  But God-created life is “inherently personal.”  As it should be.

“So if something is going to be done about sin, it is not going to be along the line of laws and rules, codes and regulations.  God and every God-created man and woman on earth are inherently personal and can only be engaged in relationships that are personal.  Person, image-of-God person, is who we are.  Sin is a violation of the essential personal nature of human life with one another and with God.  We do not sin against a commandment; we sin against a person. … Sin is not a violation of the law of the land or the rules of the house; sin is a violation of a personal relationship.” – Eugene Peterson, Tell It Slant

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time this year.

It was packed.

For most of my life, hitting the gym has been a regular part of my rhythm of life.  However, in the last year or two, that discipline has been slowly slipping away.  As a new father of twins and bi-vocational pastor, time is a limited resource.  And like the millions of other Americans, I have made excuses to skip hitting the gym at the expense of my health.

So yesterday I returned to the gym.  And it was packed.  And I was reminded of how I hated the first two weeks of January when I used to work out regularly.  For two weeks, the gym would be over crowded with people living into their New Year’s Resolutions.  Slowly, the crowds would thin.  And by the end of the month everything would be back to normal.

This always filled me with mixed emotion.  First, I loved having the gym back.  But also, I was saddened to see people give up on their resolutions.

Why were people unable to fulfill their commitments?

Why the disconnect between what we believe (health is important) and what we do (work out and eat well)?

Why are habits so hard to break and re-form?

Yesterday, I found myself pondering what I need to do in order not to be like the crowds of people that used to frustrate and sadden me.

How was I going to re-form my habit of hitting the gym (for longer than 2 weeks)?

For six years of my life I went to the gym 5-6 days a week.  And I am almost certain I would have skipped half of those days if I did not have a workout partner.  For the next five years of my life I hit the gym on my own.  On average, I probably went to the gym 2-3 days a week.  Last year, this trend eventually dissipated to making to the gym a handful of times a month.

This reminded me that working out with a partner(s) makes all the difference in the world.

Think about most physically fit people and their habits.

People tend to exercise best in (small) community:

Running clubs, swimming clubs, yoga groups, lifting partners, team sports, etc.

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How does this relate to following Jesus?

Do you pray, read scripture, minister to others when left to these by yourself?

What would it look like if you committed to doing these things with others?

What wisdom did Jesus have in sending his disciples out in pairs to do ministry?

Do you have a “workout partner” or “exercise group” to grow in faith?