The Season of Lent is one of my favorite times of the year. To be sure, the Season of Lent is about sacrifice and repentance and the movement toward the death of Christ, so it may strike you as odd that this would be my favorite time of the year. The truth of the matter is that it has been during the Season of Lent that I have most consistently seen growth in my own spiritual life. This year was a little different.
On the night of Good Friday, during our Tenebrae service, I sat in our church, listening and watching the candles flicker and dance before I snuffed them out. I began to long for the service to be a great emotionally charged spiritual experience. The longer the service went on, as we journeyed through John’s account of Jesus’ betrayal, his trial, and execution, it became evident to me that I was not going to have the kind of experience for which I was hoping.
I have a love-hate relationship with emotionally charged spiritual experiences. For the most part, I usually poopoo these types of experiences because they can be too easily manufactured. I have sat through more services than I care to recount where a preacher, song evangelist, or worship leader has used music, or carefully placed words, stories, and phrases to manipulate his or her audience into making a commitment or to raising one’s hands or to donating money to the building fund.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Hope is the Last Word: An Easter Sermon on John 20:1-18
On Wednesday of last week, my wife gave birth to a new life. Joshua Paul Buckwalter was born on March 20th at 12:16 p.m. weighing 8lbs 2oz. He is a healthy, happy little boy. We're calling him Josh. The birth of a child can bring some amazing perspective to things. This is his first Sunday at church, and I'm already going to use him as an illustration. Poor kid has no hope for not being embarrassed by his father in front of people. Such is the life of a preacher’s kid.
I figure at this point he doesn't mind. He's not aware of much, and all he does is eat, sleep, and poo. But I guess that's all he is supposed to do.
I'm not sure if it's the birth of a baby itself that lends all kind of perspective to things or if it’s the journey that the parents take together that leads to that point. There's a lot of expectation, a lot of waiting, a lot of hoping that goes into the process. A lot of hope.
For new couples, the question is if they can actually have kids. Are they sterile? The hope is that they aren't. The hope is that all of the things that are supposed to work, biologically speaking, will work. The anticipation and expectation are great when a couple first sets about to have a baby. That first month, they wait, and they hope, and they wait until the results come in. Will we have a baby or not?
I figure at this point he doesn't mind. He's not aware of much, and all he does is eat, sleep, and poo. But I guess that's all he is supposed to do.
I'm not sure if it's the birth of a baby itself that lends all kind of perspective to things or if it’s the journey that the parents take together that leads to that point. There's a lot of expectation, a lot of waiting, a lot of hoping that goes into the process. A lot of hope.
For new couples, the question is if they can actually have kids. Are they sterile? The hope is that they aren't. The hope is that all of the things that are supposed to work, biologically speaking, will work. The anticipation and expectation are great when a couple first sets about to have a baby. That first month, they wait, and they hope, and they wait until the results come in. Will we have a baby or not?
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
2012 Reading List
Last year it seemed good to present a list of books that I’ve read. So, this year I have done the same. I’m a little late, seeing as it’s almost April…better late than never, I guess! I’ve commented on some, but not all. Here they are…
1. A Generous Orthodoxy By Brian D. McLaren
I picked this book up at a discount book store in Branson, MO (I think I paid $4). A Generous Orthodoxy was an interesting read, and I can understand why some would like to pick on McLaren.
2. The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry By Sara Arthur
I usually remember who recommends a book to me or where I purchased it. For this book, I can remember neither where I purchased it nor who might have suggested it to me. I am, however, very glad that The God-Hungry Imagination showed up on my shelf! As the title suggests, Arthur talks a lot about the importance of story for the passing on of faith, especially as it concerns liturgy. She says:
"If we as a church are truly concerned about 'pervasive teen inarticulacy' when it comes to the biblical and theological content of faith, then we need to look no further than what happens in worship on Sunday morning… Reclaiming the story means reclaiming the form as our basic structure, whether this follows the classic liturgy of the ancient church or a very intentional yet faithful recrafting flavored by the context we find ourselves in." (p. 121)
3. The Art of Fielding: A Novel By Chad Harbach
At the end of last year’s post about which books I’ve read, I asked what you all were reading and for suggestions. The only person who responded posted that they were reading The Art of Fielding. I summarily dismissed the recommendation. A few months later, another friend walked up to me, handed me The Art of Fielding and said, “Here, read this.” So I did. It’s a book about baseball, life and love (of all different kinds). I enjoyed it and am thankful for the recommendation!
4. The Doctrine of the Word of God: Church Dogmatics, Vol. 1.2 By Karl Barth
I am 2/13 of the way through Church Dogmatics. At the rate of 1 volume per year, I’ll be done in the year 2023 at the age of 41. And I’m ok with that. Barth stretches me in ways that few authors do.
1. A Generous Orthodoxy By Brian D. McLaren
I picked this book up at a discount book store in Branson, MO (I think I paid $4). A Generous Orthodoxy was an interesting read, and I can understand why some would like to pick on McLaren.
2. The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry By Sara Arthur
I usually remember who recommends a book to me or where I purchased it. For this book, I can remember neither where I purchased it nor who might have suggested it to me. I am, however, very glad that The God-Hungry Imagination showed up on my shelf! As the title suggests, Arthur talks a lot about the importance of story for the passing on of faith, especially as it concerns liturgy. She says:
"If we as a church are truly concerned about 'pervasive teen inarticulacy' when it comes to the biblical and theological content of faith, then we need to look no further than what happens in worship on Sunday morning… Reclaiming the story means reclaiming the form as our basic structure, whether this follows the classic liturgy of the ancient church or a very intentional yet faithful recrafting flavored by the context we find ourselves in." (p. 121)
3. The Art of Fielding: A Novel By Chad Harbach
At the end of last year’s post about which books I’ve read, I asked what you all were reading and for suggestions. The only person who responded posted that they were reading The Art of Fielding. I summarily dismissed the recommendation. A few months later, another friend walked up to me, handed me The Art of Fielding and said, “Here, read this.” So I did. It’s a book about baseball, life and love (of all different kinds). I enjoyed it and am thankful for the recommendation!
4. The Doctrine of the Word of God: Church Dogmatics, Vol. 1.2 By Karl Barth
I am 2/13 of the way through Church Dogmatics. At the rate of 1 volume per year, I’ll be done in the year 2023 at the age of 41. And I’m ok with that. Barth stretches me in ways that few authors do.
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