Our Mission

Offering the Life we
experience in Jesus
to the people
all around us

These happy people are a pastor and a rabbi. Why are they so happy? The rabbi, on the right is happy because he is getting a kidney transplant. The pastor, to the left, is happy because she is able to share her kidney with the rabbi. Her beautiful smile may just be for the camera... but I doubt it. I think her smile is a reflection of the joy that people often experience when they are engaged in the mission of Jesus. The joy of Jesus is just one of the things that happens when people engage in the mission of Jesus. I believe the mission of Jesus is simply this: offering the life we experience in Jesus to the people all around us.

The folks from our house church experienced the joy of engaging in Jesus' mission today. We didn't give anyone a kidney, but we did pass out kidney beans. The kidney beans were in the steaming hot chili we passed out to the grateful people who happened by our chili outreach. I know, I know, giving away one of your kidneys takes a lot more commitment than passing out free chili. But the chili outreach was a good beginning. When our house church got together last week one of our number said something like, "I've been sitting around in churches for most of my life. I'm tired of sitting around! We need to give legs to our faith." So that's what we were trying to do today, practicing the kind of faith that isn't content to just sit in a church service. We were trying to give legs to our faith as we engaged in the mission of Jesus. The chili we passed out contained a little of the life we experience in Jesus. We really enjoyed offering it to those who gratefully received steaming hot chili on a blustery winter day. -- Bob

Try this test: Stare at the three blacks dots at the center of the image for one minute.Then look at a white background, or close your eyes. What do you see? Do you see an image of Jesus? Congratulations! You are normal. Now try this: Ask your neighbors to take an honest look at your life. What do they see? Do they clearly see Jesus? Congratulations! You are normal; that's what a Christian is supposed to look like. Those who follow Jesus should reflect his attitudes, values and actions. This is how John puts it: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is," (1 John 3:2). -- Bob
A more important question

Bob's Beat

"The Sunday Show"

File this blog under the category of personal grips! After working for 30 years as the artistic director, producer and paid performer of the "Sunday Worship Show," I just can't take it any more. Forgive me if this sounds sacrilegious, but in far too many places the worship service focuses more on pleasing the worshippers than on pleasing the one we claim to be worshipping. As a pastor,

I used to spend the biggest chuck of my time each week preparing the Sunday production. And I felt pretty good about the crowd of people who would gather. After all, that's what we're supposed to do isn't it? Isn't Sunday about creating a worship environment that will bless the members and attract newcomers? In the past I was committed to doing whatever I could to draw a crowd and introduce them to Jesus.

That just doesn't work for me any more. It feels dishonest and manipulative; not the kind of stuff that we want to be wrapped up in when we approach the living God. Jesus said that true worshippers worship in spirit and in truth. We will never be able to get very close to God if we aren't willing to take off our shoes: that is, humble ourselves and become vulnerable. Jesus talked about the danger of doing things in order to be seen by others; things like prayer and giving and fasting. He said that if we do those things in order to be seen by others we may impress them with our piety, but that's all that will happen. I'm tired of trying to do things that will impress people. I want to give myself to doing the things that will impress and honor the Lord.

That is one of the things I like about being part of a house church. The worship that takes place when a small group of believers gather in someones living room is more likely to authentic than gathering with a crowd of strangers in an large auditorium. It is far harder to fake authentic worship when you're in a living room than when you're in an auditorium. Auditoriums are for performing. Living rooms are for living. I think God is bored by our maticulously rehearsed worship productions and our beautifully performed songs. God longs to meet with us right where we live. Why do you think we call it the lliving room. -- Bob

The Blog is Back!!!

My 2 faithful readers will be delighted to know that my blog is back after a longer than expected holiday hiatus. I knew that travel plans and family gatherings would keep me from posting a lot over the holidays, but I thought I would be up and running again long before now. So I apologize if the two of you have felt neglected or ignored. You will be happy to know that big plans are in the works for 2007. Here's a little preview:

• Bob's Beat - a cutting edge, insightful, sometimes inspirational, usually informational and always entertaining look at the places were church and culture collide (at least where they should collide when the faithful follow the radical concepts of Jesus).
• Truth is Stranger than Fiction - a look at the bazaar, zany, sinful and some times just plan stupid things that some folks do in the name of God.
• What's Happening! (my favorite expression back in the good old hippie days) - What's Hot... What's Not... I'll try to offer a look at the cool things God's people are doing all over the world; including books, music, videos, projects and happenings from near by and far away.
• Love Shack (this name is still under prayerful review, though I personally would prefer House of Hope or the Village People) - our first house church has emerged, with several more on their way. At our last house church gathering one of our number, let's call him Michael for the sake of anonymity, suggested that we call our house church "The Love Shack." The idea (I think) being that we want to create a community that exudes God's love. We had a good laugh, and then imaged what it would be like to actually be part of such a community. I got to thinking, it would be cool to regularly post what's going on as our house churches grow and evolve. That might be helpful to others who are just starting out on this journey of faith.
• Homeless Anonymous - even though my boat is docked in an area where most of the people are pretty well off, there are nevertheless a lot of homeless people in the area. I'm trying to get to know these neighbors and hear their stories. As I get to know them and hear their stories, I want to create a side-bar with their pictures and stories so they will no longer be nameless and anonymous. I will do this only with their permission, of course.

That's a glimpse of what I want do this year. My goal is to double the number of hits on this blog. Who knows, maybe the 5 of us could share a quart of eggnog next Christmas. -- Bob

God is doing a New Thing

The beauty this morning was overwhelming. I snaped this as I stepped from the boat onto the dock in the dawn's early light. Here are a couple of great promises to go with this portrait of God's handiwork:

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

shining ever brighter till the full light of day," (Pr 4:18).

"Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness

shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause

like the noonday sun," (Ps 37:6).

As we begin a brand new year, may God help us to commit our ways to his cause, so that our righteousness will shine like the dawn and the justice of God's cause will be as bright as the noonday sun. -- Bob