Only Lazy Pastors Work Hard

(Linda, in Trinidad - we we there a few years ago)

In The Contemplative Pastor Eugene Peterson subversively quotes C.S. Lewis as saying "only lazy people work hard." Peterson is especially referring to pastors: only lazy pastors work hard. Why?

Lazy pastors become busy and work hard for two ignoble reasons:

1.                  I am busy because I am vain. I want to appear important. Significant. What better way than to be busy? (Kindle Location 156)

2.                   I am busy because I am lazy. I indolently let others decide what I will do instead of resolutely deciding myself. I let people who do not understand the work of the pastor write the agenda for my day's work because I am too slipshod to write it myself. (Kindle Locations 161-163)

When God calls you to do something, your doing is relevant because it emerges from your being-with God. Then, be relevantly busy and hard-working. But...

... re. #2 Peterson writes:

"By lazily abdicating the essential work of deciding and directing, establishing values and setting goals, other people do it for us; then we find ourselves frantically, at the last minute, trying to satisfy a half dozen different demands on our time, none of which is essential to our vocation, to stave off the disaster of disappointing someone…

… How can I lead people into the quiet place beside the still waters if I am in perpetual motion? How can I persuade a person to live by faith and not by works if I have to juggle my schedule constantly to make everything fit into place?" (Kindle Locations 166-171)

5 Key Aspects of a Pentecostal Worldview

Times Square

If you are in the world of Pentecostal Jesus-following (like I am),  and looking for scholarship on the things we deeply believe, read James K.A. Smith's Thinking in Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy  It's solid, brilliant. Smith affirms the now-experience of the Holy Spirit and draws on deep hermeneutical thinkers like Paul Ricoeur. (Ricoeur was important in my doctoral work, esp. his The Rule of Metaphor: Multi-disciplinary Studies of the Creation of Meaning in Language.)

Smith's book puts forth a Pentecostal "worldview" "or, following Charles Taylor, a Pentecostal "social imaginary."" He gives "five key aspects of a Pentecostal worldview." They are:

1. A position of radical openness to God, and in particular, God doing something differently or new." So, for example, in our pentecostal-Baptist context we don't have an "order of service." We have, as Smith would say, "a fundamental openness to alterity or otherness." We have "an openness to the continuing (and sometimes surprising) operations of the Spirit in church and world, particularly the continued ministry of the Spirit, including continuing revelation, prophecy, and the centrality of charismatic giftings in the ecclesial community."
2. "An "enchanted" theology of creation and culture that perceives the material creation as "charged" with the presence of gthe Spirit, but also with other spirits (including demons and "principalities and powers"), with entailed expectations regarding both miracles and spiritual warfare."
3. "A nondualistic affirmation of embodiment and materiality expressed in an emphasis on physical healing."
4. A rootedness "in an affective, narrative epistemology" because of, in contrast to rationalistic evangelical theology, "an emphasis on the role of experience."
5. "An eschatological orientation to mission and justice, both expressed in terms of empowerment, with a certain "preferential option for the marginalized." (If this last point surprises you see Donald Miller, Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement.)

God's Commands are Events (They Have Illocutionary Force)

(Monroe County Community College)

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
- Genesis 1:3

When God said "Let there be light" it was not in the sense of "Permit there to be light." Rather, as John Goldingay writes, it was in the sense of "There is to be light" or "There must be light" or "There shall be light." God simply demands, like a theater director, "Light!"" (Goldingay, Old Testament Theology: Israel's Gospel, 32) Like: "Lights! Camera! Action!"

When God says "Light!" that is enough to make it happen. So we read "and there was light." 

Goldingay writes:

"The process involves supreme illogic. There is nowhere the suggestion that somewhere there is a dynamic source of light that can put forth light. In the same way, when God says "The waters are to gather together" or "The earth is to put forth vegetation," there is no implication that waters or earth already have the potential to obey these commands. It is the command that mysteriously generates them, as words can." (Ib., emphasis mine)

Philosopher J.L. Austin, in his philosophically famous book How to Do Things With Words, explained how certain words can do things; that is, certain words, said by people who have authority, have "illocutionary force." In such cases, saying makes it so. 

For example, because I am a pastor recognized by the state of Michigan, when I say the words to a couple "I now pronounce you husband and wife," they are, upon my pronouncement, husband and wife. But should you, assuming you are not a pastor, walk up to a couple on the street and utter the words "I now pronounce you husband and wife," nothing will happen. Your speech act will "do" nothing, except perhaps get you a trip to the hospital. In Austin's language, your speech act "misfires," because you lack the authority to do such things with your words.

It was Jesus' claim to perform illocutionary acts with his words that had the religious leaders marveling about his authority. In Mark 9:10, for example, Jesus states that he, the Son of Man, has the authority to forgive sins. Then Jesus tells a paralyzed man, "Get up, take up your mat, and go home." Here Jesus' words do two things: 

1) at his word one's sins are forgiven; and 

2) at his word the paralyzed man is healed.

God said "Let there be light." And light came into existence.

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
- Matthew 10:1

Because of this God-given authority our words have illocutionary force. Our words, like God's, can become events.

Parents: Your Goal Is Not to Make Your Kids Happy

(Detroit)

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

    

Life contains glad times and sad times, easy times and hard times. When our boys were little, and our cat died, this was a sad time. A hard time. It was a time to grieve. 

During this loss Linda and I allowed our boys to be sad. We did not try to make them happy by giving emotional candy, or promising to take them to Disney World. To do that would be to create little narcissists, who could eventually become big narcissists. (On Big Narcissism and the American culture of "safetyism," see Lukionoff and Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind; also Soares, Panic Attack.)

A good parent wants their child to flourish in life. Part of the maturing process is helping them go through things that do not go their way. The child wants X, but X is denied them. The mentoring parent is to help the child understand that part of life is flourishing even in the midst of unfulfilled desires. The child may be sad, and that's not all bad. 

The goal here is not to keep the child happy. Lori Gotlieb, in "How to Land Your Kid in Therapy,"  writes of the American obsession with and quest for "happiness," and the American parental goal of raising one's children to be very, very "happy." 

She writes: 

"Nowadays, it’s not enough to be happy—if you can be even happier. The American Dream and the pursuit of happiness have morphed from a quest for general contentment to the idea that you must be happy at all times and in every way."

Ironically, this way of thinking will end up making people very unhappy and in need of therapy to set them straight.

Gretchen Rubin, author of the best-selling The Happiness Project, says: "Happiness doesn't always make you happy." To make happiness one's life pursuit will not end up with you being happy. If "happiness" means the removal of anything that would unsettle or disappoint or trouble you, then the achievement of that will leave you miserable and in need of help. 

Rubin writes:

“Happiness as a byproduct of living your life is a great thing,” Barry Schwartz, a professor of social theory at Swarthmore College, told me. “But happiness as a goal is a recipe for disaster. It’s precisely this goal, though, that many modern parents focus on obsessively—only to see it backfire. Observing this phenomenon, my colleagues and I began to wonder: Could it be that by protecting our kids from unhappiness as children, we’re depriving them of happiness as adults?"

The answer is: yes. 

Happiness sought for its own sake will leave you wanting. The only happiness worth happening is happiness as a byproduct. 

Parents, therefore, must allow unhappiness and misery in the lives of their children. To shelter them from this is to destine them to an adulthood of psycho- and drug therapy. "Parental overinvestment is contributing to a burgeoning generational narcissism that’s hurting our kids."

Harvard child psychologist Dan Kindlon says, “You have to be exposed to pathogens, or your body won’t know how to respond to an attack. Kids also need exposure to discomfort, failure, and struggle." 

Why might parents try to protect their children from all unhappy events and work hard so as to make them eternally happy? One answer is: because it's really about the parents' own happiness, and not their children's. Read the entire Gotlieb article to see the reasoning behind this. 

Infants and small child narcissists are happy, because they are the center of the universe. But, as they grow older, this changes; indeed, it becomes a "big problem." So, parents, do not "protect" your child from negative feedback. Think future. We want our kids to do well. This includes helping them walk through the dark valleys of life. 

Freed From the Myth of Personal Brilliance

(Seminary Co-op Bookstore in Chicago)

This past Monday Linda and I spent a day in Chicago. We ate delicious food, people-watched, and marveled at the architecture.

We drove to the south side and the University of Chicago. My favorite bookstore in the world is there - the Seminary Co-op Bookstore. This bookstore is used by the U-Chicago Divinity School as their own. It is a feast of philosophical and theological literature!

I read books. My habit is to have ten going at a time. But on Monday, as I walked through the rows and rows... and rows...  of academic books...  I realized I had not read, and therefore was unfamiliar with, 99.9999...% of the thousands of books and millions of pages of knowledge surrounding me. I am, following philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset, a "learned ignoramus." Had I any pride in my accomplished readings, it was now seen for what it truly is: tiny. Miniscule. 

One character in Sartre's novel Nausea (which I have read) is "the self-taught man." He lives in the library in Paris. His quest is to read every book in the library, from A to Z. He doesn't get far. After decades of reading he is still not out of the As. He gets to Ac..., and then another book is published that begins with Ab. His quest to know all that can be known is vain.

In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul writes:

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

"Vain conceit" means that "conceit" is "vain." "Vanity" is an attribute of "conceit." 

"Vain" means: futile, or empty. Containing nothing. Therefore, useless. Conceit is empty and useless.

Pascal once wrote: "What amazes me most is to see that everyone is not amazed at his weakness.” At his or her ignorance.

When overwhelming, matter-of-fact ignorance is revealed and accepted, it is bracingly humbling. This true ignorance is not merely factual, but cognitive. There are things I will never be able to comprehend, not because I lack the information, but because of my inability to do so. 

It is good to come to this realization. It is an arrogance-killer. It is just plan true.

It's not so much what we know, but who we know. If the latter is Nothing, then welcome to the bleak world of Sartre's French atheistic existentialism. (Not the atheistic "brights.") If the latter is an All-Knowing God, then we have found the place where our ignorant minds can find hope and rest.

Steve & Wendy Backlund @ Redeemer!

Dear Igniting Hope Family,  Steve & Wendy are coming to Monroe, Michigan on September 20-22 It's going to be a powerful time! For more information, scroll below or check out our itinerary at www.ignitinghope.com. We hope to see you there! Unreasonably Optimistic, The Igniting Hope Team

S H A R E   T H E   H O P E B A C K L U N D   S P E A K I N G   S C H E D U L E Weekend with the Backlunds  |  Redeemer Fellowship Church 5305 Evergreen Dr. Monroe, MI 48161 Friday, September 20 @ 6:30pm Saturday, September 21 @ 10am and 6:30pm Sunday September 22 @ 10am and 6:30pm Redeemer Fellowship Website Know someone who lives near this event? Feel free to forward this along.

Identity #14 - Do Not Let This World Interpret You

(Maumee Bay State Park, Ohio)

The prescient, prophetic, praying follower of Jesus, Thomas Merton, wrote: 

"We have a vocation not to be disturbed by the turmoil and wreckage 

of the great fabric of illusions." 

(A Book of Hours, 56)

We have a vocation... 

A calling. 

We have a calling.

From God. 

God calls us.

... not to be disturbed...

To not be agitated.

This is about the heart.

Washing machines have "agitators." They move back and forth, back and forth, with force. They are going nowhere. They make no forward progress.

Disturbances halt forward progress. Disturbances interrupt the calling.

Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be agitated."

ταράσσω,v  \{tar-as'-so}
1) to agitate, trouble (a thing, by the movement of its parts to and fro)  1a) to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of  mind, disturb his equanimity  1b) to disquiet, make restless  1c) to stir up  1d) to trouble  1d1) to strike one's spirit with fear and dread  1e) to render anxious or distressed  1f) to perplex the mind of one by suggesting scruples or doubts.

...by the turmoil...

Let not your hearts be agitated by the agitation. By the upheaval. By the irruptions. By the roiling waters.

Let not your hearts be arrested by the peace-thieves.

...by the wreckage...

Do not be captivated by the incessant effluence of cultural carnage.

Put a compress on the bleeding media.

...the great fabric of illusions.

The systematic sham that is "the world."

With all its pretension and arrogance.

Do not let this world interpret you.

We have a calling from God to remain in Christ where agitation and turmoil are not to be found and the great fabric of systemic spell-casting is broken.

**
My three books are:

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God

Leading the Presence-Driven Church

Encounters with the Holy Spirit (co-edited with Janice Trigg)

I'm currently writing:

Transformation: How God Changes the Human Heart

Then, the Lord willing, 

Technology and Spiritual Formation

Linda and I then intend to write our book on Relationships.

Letter to My Church Family - August 22, 2019

August 22, 2019

Dear Redeemer Family:

Linda and I greet you in the name of Jesus! We are so thankful to be part of the Redeemer family, with you. Here are some things I want to share with you.

What God is saying to me: Redeemer is a Discipling Church. Jesus instructed us to make disciples. The apostle Paul write that pastors are to equip the followers of Jesus for works of ministry. Therefore: Disciple and Equip. Here are some of our discipling and equipping opportunities.

SUNDAY MORNINGS: We gather together to worship, and hear the preached Word. We continue to pray for revival and awakening in our church, and churches cross America. 

PRAYING MEN: Led by Tim Curry, this is an open group meeting Sunday mornings at 9:30. Redeemer is a praying church!

ONE NIGHT – Thank you Daniel Reaume for your leadership. Daniel writes: Join us August 23rd at 7pm at the MBT Expo Center for this years ONENIGHT event! This event Is a gathering of Christians from all across Monroe from various backgrounds, congregations, and denominations with unity in Christ and lifting up Jesus at the center! We hope to see you! See our website if you would like to volunteer of donate to event! https://www.onenightmonroe.com

INSIDE/OUT – This is our Thursday evening focus on discipleship, community-building, and outreach. I am now writing my fourth book, which I am calling How God Changes the Human Heart. On the first two Thursdays of Sept-Dec I will teach this book. This is foundational material for me. I’m going to share with you the depths of inner change into greater  Christlikeness that God has given me. More will be announced about the third and fourth Thursdays.

FULL LIFE IN CHRIST: This is our foundational discipleship class. If you have not taken this yet, or desire to go through it again, it will be on Mondays, 7-9 PM, beginning Sept. 16. The third semester class will be on Sundays, 6-8 PM, beginning on Sept. 15.

JEFF DIESELBERG from Bangkok, Thailand, and NightLight International, will preach on Sunday morning, September 15.

(Annie and Jeff Dieselberg)

WENDY AND STEVE BACKLUND FROM BETHEL REDDING will be with us September 20-21-22. Those of us who came when Steve was with us know this is going to be an incredible, equipping, releasing weekend!

(Steve and Wendy Backlund)

CHRIS BAJKIEWICZ, who with his wife Lori, are medical  missionaries to Mexico, Latin America, and beyond. Christ will preach at Redeemer on Sunday morning, October 13.

(Lori and Chris Bajkiewicz)

INVEST IN YOUR MARRIAGE! Linda and I invite marital couples to purchase Les and Leslie Parrott’s book The Good Fight: How Conflict Can Bring You Closer. Read the book together as a couple. Then, sometime in September, we’ll get together for a picnic, discussion of the book, and praying together.

YOUTH MINISTRY meets Thursday nights, 7-8:30. The Fall Kick-off is Thursday, Sept. 12, 6-8:30 PM.

MORAL REVOLUTION: THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT SEXUAL PURITY. I have challenged Redeemer youth and young adults to purchase this book by Kris Valotton, read it, and join Linda and me for a discussion about it (probably in September).

SMALL GROUPS/HOME GROUPS: Two weeks ago another Home Group formed and is meeting! For Linda and me, being in a Home Group has always been part of our Christian life. If you are ready for this please contact Linda.

MIKE HUTCHINGS AT REDEEMER – FEB. 21-22-23. Mike is part of Randy Clark’s Global Awakening. Mike will come to us with “Healing of trauma and PTSD.” Some of us were with Mike in June at our summer conference. I have never heard a teaching like this before. It’s going to be an incredible, freeing weekend!

(Mike Hutchings)

GREEN LAKE 2020 – THE IDENTITY CONFERENCE. Robby Dawkins will be our featured speaker. I feel this is going to be a significant conference that will influence our culture. June 21-25. Hsrm.org.

(Robby Dawkins)

Blessings and Love to you all,

PJ

Churches: Destroy the Audience Mentality

(Jax, Josh's cat)

Jesus made pastoral leadership simple when he said, "When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself."

Jesus believed he had so much drawing power that not only do we not have to entertain the people, our entertainers could not draw people to him (otherwise Jesus would have been an entertainer, adding some song and dance, right?). Plus, entertainment actually draws us away from Jesus. It numbs people into an audience. Audiences are passive. And audiences critique. (The Entertainment Church hosts the Critical Church.)

This is a great relief for me! It eliminates endless, thankless striving to keep people happy and in the seats. And, it saves lots of money, allowing us to give more to the truly needy

The apostle Paul knew about Jesus. It's all he desired to know. He confessed to wanting to know nothing except Christ crucified. Paul, like Jesus, was a minimalist.

Michael Brown writes: 

"Jesus did not save us and call us to be an audience! Audiences do not change the world. Audiences do not start revolutions. Audiences do not advance the kingdom. Audiences do not fulfill the Great Commission. And audiences do not threaten the devil one bit. We must destroy this audience mentality, although our entertainment-oriented culture, replete with slick mega-churches and superstar preachers, make this an uphill battle for sure. But change we must, since the devil's troops understand well how the battle must be won - and it is not with the audience mentality."
- Brown, Revolution in the Church: Challenging the Religious System with a Call for Radical Change, Kindle Locations 922-927. 

**
My three books are:

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God

Leading the Presence-Driven Church

Encounters with the Holy Spirit (co-edited with Janice Trigg)

I'm currently writing:

Transformation: How God Changes the Human Heart

Then, the Lord willing, 

Technology and Spiritual Formation

Linda and I then intend to write our book on Relationships.