Common Grounds Online

Katie Ashby, The Common Meal

I would like to introduce you to my wife, Katie. We recently had a conversation on our couch, after which I encouraged her to put her thoughts down on paper. I had a hidden agenda, of course. Ask her, I usually do. I wanted to share them with you. It didn’t hurt that I couldn’t think of anything worthwhile to say this time. So what follows are the words I asked her to share. Treat her kindly or you’ll have to deal with me!

Women have an experiential understanding of the way that a common meal nourishes. As I reflect on every birthday party, family gathering, church potluck and neighborhood social that I have ever attended, the women have always been in charge of preparing and bringing the food. Most of the time, we bring our best to the common meal, though sometimes we’re running late and have to make a quick stop at KFC for a bucket of chicken. But, nevertheless, we women make it a priority to gather for common meals. The food nourishes our bodies and the gathering creates space for relationship to nourish our soul.

Amy Lauger, While the Poor Clamor for Justice

I had the privilege yesterday to visit International Justice Mission’s headquarters in the Washington DC area. I attended the daily staff prayer meeting, and for the first couple of minutes I sat in appreciation of an organization that believes enough in the power of prayer that the whole staff is called together each day to pray for the work of the ministry. The president of IJM opened the meeting by reading a Psalm that spoke of justice, and then the staff prayed for just that – justice. Only it wasn’t some sort of distant, nebulous prayer. They prayed for specific people, men and women they knew. One by one they interceded before the throne for those suffering from cruel injustices including forced prostitution and other types of slavery and those endangering their own lives to work toward justice for both victim and oppressor. As I listened to their prayers, I thought of Blaise Pascal, who once said, “Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.”  IJM is but one example of an organization striving to do precisely that.

Rusty Kelley, Uncertain Times

As an investment banker, I commonly get asked my thoughts on the stocks, the market, and the economy as a whole. It's no surprise to hear these questions now, given that we are currently seeing very difficult economic times for many people in America. You don’t have to read far in a newspaper today to hear about how many people have lost their jobs, had their houses foreclosed on, or are having difficulty affording the rising costs of food and gasoline. 

For some, this is more an annoyance on their wallets, for others though, it is a critical hurdle to taking care of their family. As a former Enron employee, I lived through a similar situation during the last economic slump which stretched many to their very limits. I know what it's like to not sleep for days due to uncertainty about the future. I understand not knowing where you’ll able to work, or how you will support yourself or others in the future. I can also tell you that I likely learned more during that year from the Lord about what it means to trust Him, to seek His will, to be content and yet to face the very facts they lay before us in our situation. 

The common advice given to many Christians in response to difficult times is to “be content in all circumstances.” Yet to some, contentment models the eastern concept of nirvana which crushes one’s desires until apathy ensues. For others, difficult times are the very fuel that may drive them to work harder and find a way to overcome. Many times though, this ambition is without any recognition on their dependence on the Lord, and creates an independent mindset apart from God. Rather than take a common view that “balance” is required, take a look at the way Paul describes his utter dependence, yet unyielding ambition regardless of his circumstances: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

To Paul, it’s fair to make a distinction between contentment in circumstances, and a greater goal after which we strive. Paul’s contentment can be translated as “in the situation in which I find myself.” This releases him from dependence upon human resources, or to put it another way, it releases him from dependence on the cards that he was dealt at any given time. For Paul, he is content with whatever situation he finds himself on the journey to fulfill the ultimate call which he has been given, to which end he is fiercely driven. 

One of Paul’s chief concerns in Philippians again is “what is driving us.” For those of us who are truly seeking to glorify God, and to seek first His kingdom, we must realize through scripture that this is not a call to do so only in times in which we find ourselves blessed with the material resources we believe necessary to accomplish this goal. Most of our worry, our depression, our anxiety and our stress when hard times come are not as much a result of our fear that God will not be glorified, but fear that our own goals that we’ve set out are in danger. Please don’t misunderstand that I am belittling the needs of feeding one’s family, providing shelter, education, protection and general necessities to those you love as selfish. What I’ve found, though, through time is that most of our effort tends to be spent chasing after the things of ourselves rather than the things of God, and if that was our chief priority, our anxiety and biblical contentment would likely look very different. 

Sometimes the only way we can see this though, is when uncertain times come. Whether you are having a hard time financially through this period, or just finding it irritating when you fill up your tank, I pray that we would all take this time to re-evaluate what our chief goal is that we are chasing after, and how all the rest of our goals fall into place in view of that calling. 

Lastly, there is also a time when God does place those who seek Him in utter need as we see illustrated in the letters of Paul. It is here that I pray that the body of Christ as a whole comes together to care for those in true need. May those who currently are blessed with material needs be generous to the body to care for those whom God has ordained to receive the blessing of generosity. May we each recognize that this too is a part of glorifying God by giving and that it is a blessing to be part of how God is caring for His people.

Meghan Gouldin, Lunch conversation

Lunch was drawing to a close, and the group somehow got on the topic of religion. I don’t quite remember how we got there; it seemed like a rather abrupt transition. The conversation unfolded at what felt like rapid speed, as those present shared their opinions and experiences.

One young woman shared that she and her boyfriend had recently visited the church that she used to attend regularly. At the end of the service, an older woman approached the couple and, it sounded like as without so much as a greeting, proceeded to speak words of judgment about the young woman and her boyfriend’s decision to live together. If I were in this young woman’s shoes, it would be enough to make me not want to go back to church, ever.

There’s a piercing line in the song “Come, Lord Jesus” by Andrew Peterson that says:

And it feels like the church isn't anything more
Then the second coming of the Pharisees
Scrubbing each other 'til their tombs are white
They chisel epitaphs of piety

It’s funny to me that we (and I ashamedly include myself in this category more often than I’d like to admit) still act like ushering in the kingdom is about us. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His Spirit lives on as the convictor and as the one who breaks open hearts and transforms individuals from the inside out, not from the outside in.

The conversation continued, and I listened as several people shared their reactions to the young woman’s story and proceeded to offer their own perspectives on church and religion.  The perspective that received the most number of fervent nods was, “what’s right for me is right for me, and what’s right for you is right for you. I just don’t want anyone else to impose their views on me.”

I prayed silently for wisdom on whether or not to speak up and if so, what to say. Several continued to share and I had sporadic responses in my head to each– usually incisive one-liners that I’d heard in the seminary apologetics class I took a few years ago. The conversation wove its way around, and just as quickly as it had started, the conversation and the lunch gathering ended.  My heart sunk in my chest. “I’m sorry, Lord, should I have interjected? I’m sorry.”

After the room cleared out, a friend said, “Meghan, I really appreciate how you just listen.” My heart rose up a little from its sunken position. “I was interested to hear what you thought because I know you're religious, but I didn’t want to put you on the spot.” Somewhat comforted but still unsure of whether my listening posture had been the right response, we filed out of the room. As we did, the words of Saint Francis of Assisi came to mind and brought additional comfort: “Preach the Gospel at all times--if necessary, use words.” 

I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to be present for a conversation that helped me to see a little more about where my peers are, how they’ve experienced Christianity, and how they've been wounded. As I wandered away from the lunch table, I wondered at what points I’ve been the judgmental churchgoer in someone else’s story. When have my words or actions pushed someone farther from the church rather than nudging them closer to coming to know Christ and his redeeming love?

Tim Frickenschmidt, Bammit! That's What She Said.

“Bammit!”  That’s what I heard my four-year old son cry out in frustration at one of his toys the other day.  I didn’t think too much of it, figuring he had recently seen one of the old Batman television episodes.  But then a few minutes later my six-year-old yelled out “Dammit!” when he broke the Lego ship he had been building.  Ah, the cussing years begin.  My oldest son, in his defense, had no more an idea of this word’s meaning than he did last Monday when one of his baseball teammates told him his last name had the “f-word” in it.  I guess “Frick” is the elementary school f-word of choice nowadays.  Anyway, the point is that the question of appropriate language for Christians has been raised in our household in explicit fashion.
 
I categorize this issue as a question because in my ten-year journey from para-church-involved, broadly-evangelical college student to PCA-pastoring, reformed, Bible-over-Christian subculture father of three boys I have observed a growing comfort in my Christian circles with language for which my grandmother would have cuffed me across the head.  Now don’t hear what I’m not saying.  I’m not throwing hyper-spiritual, Victorian-era language stones here.  Michael Scott has also invaded my vernacular with his “that’s what she said” quip.  So whether it’s American-classified profanity or sexually implicit (though very funny) Michael-Scott innuendos, I’m asking these questions of myself.  Remember, it’s my kid who sounds like he works at dock with the other foul-mouthed sailors.  (And yes, I know that Paul uses the word skubalon in Philippians 3:8, but does anyone really know exactly what sense of that word he meant to employ?  There’s a pretty big translation difference between rubbish and !@#$%.)

Aaron Menikoff, The Church and Social Reform

What ought church involvement in social reform or social ministry look like? Prescriptions for evangelical social engagement are always very interesting. As believers we certainly have a responsibility to investigate Scripture that we might understand our role in the community. This of course is the impetus behind such great works as Niebuhr’s classic Christ and Culture and even Don Carson’s more recent reflections on the same topic, Christ and Culture Revisited in which he called us to a robust biblical theology that will produce

a biblical vision that focuses on Christ and his cross, on the links between this world and the next, on bold Christian living and faithful witness, and on a large-scale vision that makes the world our parish while loving the neighbor next door, raises our eyes above ourselves, and delights in the glory of God (228).

What a wonderful goal: biblical theology leading to a biblical vision of self-sacrifice that ultimately glorifies God. This is a prescription for the Christian concerned with more than himself, a Christian concerned for society—a worthy implication of Christ and his cross. 

We need prescriptions, we need to understand as accurately as possible what we ought to do when it comes to engaging with those outside the church. The Bible is clear about the ministries of evangelism and discipleship, but it is less clear about the role of the Christian or the church and society-at-large. Verses like Galatians 6:10 are profound yet few. In short, prescriptions are helpful. However we need descriptions as well.

Timothy McConnell, The Mission

In preparation for two weeks of short term mission work in Kenya that my wife and I have planned for our Church, I am reading Faster Beats the Drum by Gladys Stauffacher.  Its a granddaughter's account of her grandparents--two ground-breaking missionaries to Kenya, Uganda and Congo, during the first years of the Africa Inland Mission. 

John and Florence Stauffacher married knowing that God had called them to offer the Gospel to the souls living in East Africa at the turn of the 20th century.  Their whole lives were spent in the wilds of Africa, facing leopards, tribal uprisings, the turns of imperial tumult, war, famine...all of it.  Their first son, Raymond, spent three out of the first four years of his life in tent structures for home.  Only one year was in a solid structure house, and that was a rock and mud home his father built.

John and Florence would pray for people they only knew by the name of their tribes...Maasai, Rendille, Samburu and Kikuyu.

Cody Chambers, "The Mind-Body Problem"

For many years, I took my anthropology from Plato and Descartes more than from Jesus.  This is a fancy way of saying that I thought the mind was more important than the body. In a Gnostic sort of way, I thought the body was inferior and the mind, the spirit, and the psyche were where it was at.  It seemed noble, almost courageous, to champion the mind.  The indomitable spirit.  It sounds so American.  Sticks and stones may break my bones, but, Ah-ha! words will never hurt me.  My body may wither away, but the real me, the one hidden inside this shell of flesh, presses on.

When I was younger, I was always fascinated with the stories of people who endured great bodily harm and yet kept their wits about them so as to survive.  John McCain is famous for his years of enduring torture in the "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War.  He and his buddies weathered horrific conditions and managed to survive even when pushed to the breaking point.  Senator McCain wrote in an article after his release that the key to their survival was remaining in contact with one another even though they were in solitary confinement.  Oftentimes this involved tapping on the walls of their cells in Morse code.  Their captors new that if they could isolate their prisoners completely then they would succumb to the torture.  Maintaining contact with each other--essentially holding together as a community--served as a lifeline that kept the men going.

Justin S. Holcomb, "The Accessible God"

           The Gospel reading this past Sunday, in the Book of Common Prayer, was John 14:1-14, which is the passage when Jesus states, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” At the end of chapter 13, Jesus says he is going away to prepare a place for his disciples. And he makes an amazing promise in John 14:3—“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you will be also.”  Jesus promises that he will take his people there personally.  His going away caused dismay, but now they are assured that his going away is for their advantage. Verse 3 is a word of comfort, not to burden or provoke anxiety. That’s why Jesus introduced it by saying, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled” (verse 1). He intended all of this to be comforting.

          But right after Jesus promises a heavenly home, he says “And you know the way to the place I am going.”  This triggers an interruption from Thomas, “Actually, Lord, we don’t. How can we know the way?” This sets Jesus up for one of his most famous statements: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Linc Ashby, Jesus

A few weeks ago I was serving as a chaperone on an eighth grade field trip to Washington D.C. when my wife called me late one night to tell me the news, news that I imagine got a whole lot of Christians (especially evangelicals) really excited. However, my wife wasn’t all that excited, just intrigued, because she’s really smart. To her, it was just further and public proof of something we had been discussing recently – the power of the name that reflects the title of this little post.

Melissa Kurtz, Removing the Purple Hat

My childhood conjures many memories, one being my favorite past-time of playing dress-up.  I can still recall the fun of slipping away to my room and withdrawing items from a chest which had long been forsaken by their previous owners.   One can only imagine the excitement that I felt in making these abandoned treasures my own.  Hours would pass as I tried on clopping high-heeled shoes, flowing dresses and chunky necklaces that hung nearly to my toes.  The best-loved outfits were not necessarily the ones which matched or fit perfectly.  Sometimes the blouse which was four times too large or the polka-dot belt with the plaid pants won the day.  But the most admired garments did have some inherent quality about them that called me to pick them up, put them on and wear them proudly.  These pieces enjoyed the privilege of longer wear and an occasional appearance to girlhood friends or family members.  I even tried wearing some of the top ensembles in more public places, but was quickly told that purple hats, no matter how spectacular, don’t fit in just anywhere.  I learned that an eventual end to the fun must come so that I could reenter the world in which I lived.  So the favorite costume would be disassembled and all of the pieces set aside for another day.

                                                             

Leigh McLeroy, A field report from sister-land

I joined 150 women in Orlando last weekend for Synergy 08: an energizing and enlightening two days of dialogue, teaching, encouragement, challenge and worship. Synergy is a growing network of women preparing for and serving in vocational ministry. Its gifted board of directors – Carolyn James, Judy Douglass, Rebecca Gilmer and Cristi Mansfield – represent Whitby Forum, Campus Crusade for Christ, The Impact Movement and Reformed Theological Seminary, respectively. Synergy also enjoys a new affiliation with Christianity Today International’s Gifted for Leadership, an online community where women leaders can connect with one another for learning and support.

So, a few random reflections on a weekend in sister-land…