Who do you trust ?

For February I would like us all to think about Who do you trust?
Whether it is our local physician or government official, whom do you have confidence in?
Jeremiah 17 5:0 sets it right. People and systems will eventually disappoint you but not God!
In our culture that is enamored with technology and materialism this is a great message for all of us. Dare to dream of new vison even if the budget is tight. Why? In God to we trust.

Will some of our vision and or ministries fail. There is a strong probability since humans are in control. But that does not mean the Church has failed to be the witness of Christ's presence in the world. The church only fails to do that when it puts its faith and hope and trust in the policies of people instead of the power of God.

Applying Bible Principles

We've all heard the expression, "Money talks." That's true. Money does talk. Oh, not in words or phrases that constitute a language, but money talks. Because it is valuable to us, how we use it communicates volumes to those about us. People tend to spend their money on things that are important to them. With the exception perhaps of taxes, all of us vote with the contents of our purses, wallets and checkbooks concerning what means the most to us.

In fact, we could even go so far as to say that a person who does not spend money on something which is supposedly very important in his or her life really does not place much value on that item or activity. Suppose for a moment that you think "little league" baseball for kids is very important. You talk about it wherever you go. You attend the games. You enroll your own children in the program. But when someone calls you to ask you to be a sponsor of a team, or when someone "passes the hat" at a game to pay for equipment, you refuse to participate.

Would you not agree that an impartial observer of such behavior would conclude correctly that little league baseball really does not mean much to you? Your lack of financial support would outweigh the other positive aspects of your attendance, enthusiasm and participation.

The same thing is true in the spiritual realm. It is one thing to talk about Christianity. It is yet another to demonstrate our faith by how we use the money which God has entrusted to us. And that is especially true in our support of the ministry of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. As someone said recently in one church just before the offering was received, "Lord, in spite of all we say and do, this is what we think of you."

Or as the Lord Jesus put it, "... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to our Father in heaven". (Matthew 5;16)

Re-Gifting

As I sit here during the first days of January, I proudly wear my new sweater and reflect on how happy I was that I did not have to take any gift back for a larger size. Then I remember an article I read this week a from Martin Marty about "re-gifting."

"Re-gifting" is to give a gift, something one previously received as a gift." In a Christian context, we read 2 Corinthians 8:9. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Jesus was willing to come to earth and be one of us so that we could be forgiven. He gave up the glories of heaven and endured the worst of earth so that we could be with Him in heaven.

The people Paul wrote about were very much like us; they were well off and had much to share. But why share? Paul gives us the reason: re-gifting! All of us know about church envelopes and also about giving to lots of charities. But why give? Paul makes it clear: if we are generous, loving and moved by the Christ mass spirit, we do not have to be this way, but we get to be. It is re-gifting to the max.

A real test to our gratefulness is to continue the Christ mass spirit into these months by continuing to look for ways to give our ourselves and our wealth in the name of the gift that keeps giving, Jesus the light of the world.

Moving off the map

When we take a trip I love to get maps of the area and scope out where we are headed. Over the years it has given me a sense of security that I am not lost. Once in a while we go into an area that I do not have a map for and that worries me. I am afraid that I will get lost. We never have but it is a worry. Peggy on the other hand sees these times as an adventure where we will learn new things. Which type are you?

At times my role as spirtual leader for Zion invites me to "move off the map." There are events and needs that I am not prepared for. No matter how many books or classes I take, I am placed in unfamiliar territory. It is not enough to have a well maintained building or a neatly organized worship or well trained staff. For an example, many of our young people are concerned that if the school administration does cut sports and the fine arts, what will they do. In conversation with others we would like to offer more youth porgramming to fill those needs but we have never done that before. Several times we have been asked to host "English as second language" classes, but as soon as they grow beyond ten people they have outgrown our classrooms.

Again and again I am reminded that change is happening quicker than before and the church is challenged to present the gospel in new ways. So I am inviting you to join me and our "dream team to a visioning process. We call it "moving off the map." In the next few months we will invite you to be a part of different small group experiences where you can share some dreams you have fo this community of faith. I know you are very busy, so am I. But we need to sit down and pray over and talk about the future of our congregation.

So beginning in January, watch the newsletter and web site for dates and times. For now, ask yourself what is God calling me to do? What is God calling Zion to provide?