Facing the Fear of Death

I gave my final message in the series on Facing Your Fear yesterday and addressed the fear of death. I've often thought at funerals, "I should share this stuff on Sunday!  This is too good just to keep for funerals!"

I took the message a little deeper than the typical nice thoughts about heaven. In fact, I challenged the thoughts a bit and then showed the theology behind why Jesus raising the dead was central to his message.

Two of the biggest questions I get about heaven are:  where do we go when we die? and, when do we get our resurrected body?  

Paul said that we get our resurrected body when Jesus returns and the dead are raised. He describes how we will be given "spiritual bodies" (read 1 Corinthians 15). What that is, I'm not sure. But Jesus' resurrected body looked the same as normal and he could still eat food but had the ability to go through walls. So there was definitely a difference.

What happens to those who die before Jesus returns? That was a big question in the early church too. Paul said that when we leave our body we are in the presence of the Lord. So, even without a new spiritual body, our spirit must have some form of existence in God's presence. This is the confusing part. But the Bible says nothing about a Purgatory where we wait around waiting for our number to be called!

You can download the sermon text (attached) or download it from the website.

Let's Pray for Trouble

Yesterday's message was out of the ordinary. It was a one shot message straight from my heart after about six weeks of God messing with me about the purpose of Cedarbrook. I hope you'll listen or read it.  

Here are some bonus thoughts that I didn't have time to share yesterday:

We’re in the middle of a 40 Day Prayer Challenge right now. Someone pointed out to me the prayers of the early church are much different from what we typically pray today. What we typically pray about is for God to meet our practical needs. But the early church was very poor. They were often persecuted. But they didn’t pray for money and they didn’t pray for protection. Do you know what they prayed for? Boldness to share their faith.

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." Acts 4:29,30

It made me think that we should pray less for God to help us get out of trouble. Maybe we should ask God to get us into trouble. What I mean is…we should ask God to send us people that are in trouble so we can help them.

• God send us broken marriages. God send us teenagers on the edge of destruction.
• God, send us people who have ruined their lives with addiction or a reckless lifestyle.
• Send us some trouble because you love people in trouble and we can help them. 

Working with troubled people is messy. But to whom much is given, much is required. 

....

After speaking my message on Sunday, people have already talked to me with excitement about their ideas to start a third service, plant a new church and a house church. It's interesting what happens when you start to ask the question: What if?

We'll be giving people the opportunity to dream a little in focus groups soon, but you can always email me and get the conversation started!

Youth/ Worship Staff Position Update

If you are wondering whatever happened to our search for a worship/youth staff person...it's still in process!  We are looking for a very specific fit for our staff. It's not as easy as you might expect.

Finding a person that is gifted both with youth AND music is not easy to come by.  Add to that someone who is a good fit culturally to our style of church (casual, upbeat, outreach oriented) AND the Midwest/rural comfort level...it gets complicated!

But God has the right person and will bring him/her to us at the right time. Like any good decision, we  have to be patient and not hire someone just to "fill a slot".  We hope to have this person with us a long time so we want the fit to be right.

I'm heading to a job fair at North Park University in Chicago this Saturday where I hope to meet potential candidates. (North Park is the school for the Evangelical Covenant Church, our denomination).

Please continue to pray that we'll find this person. Pray also for the band. Aren't they doing a great job without a staff person in place?  Let them know how much you appreciate them. Thanks.

Top Ten Problems With Living Together Outside of Marriage

I started a new sermon series yesterday yesterday looking at exposing Marriage Myths.  The first myth I tackled is the myth that living together will help reduce the odds of divorce.

But I didn't approach the topic with a Bible teaching. I figured that some people wouldn't believe the Bible but they might believe science. So my points were all gathered from recent research and testimony from people who had a bad experience living with someone.

Following are the notes. If you'd like to listen to the message or read it (along with the articles that I used in my preparation) just click the link here.

Statistics

• ·      Living together has increased by 1500% since 1960.
• ·      The majority of young adults in their 20s will live with a romantic partner at least once, and more than half of all marriages will be preceded by cohabitation.
• ·      Nearly half of people will insist on living together before risking marriage.
• ·      Two thirds believe that living together before marriage will help reduce the chance of divorce.

Why do people live together?  

1. ·      They want to spend time together.
2. ·      They want to save money.
3. ·      They hope to see if they are ready for marriage. 
4. ·      Women think it will speed up the road to marriage.
5. ·      Men think it will slow down the road to marriage.

The Top Ten problems you wish people would have told you about living together.

10.  There is less celebration if you end up getting engaged/married.

9.  Breaking up is hard to do. It can take years.

8.  Your investment may cause you to marry someone out of convenience.

7.  Men and women see it differently resulting in tension.

6.  If it doesn’t work, it will feel like a divorce with all the baggage that comes with it.

5.  Those who are “testing the waters” have a higher failure rate. 

4.  You might find a good roommate but not a soul mate.

3.  You develop poor  habits that don't serve a marriage well.

2.  It’s not really like marriage and therefore not a true test.

1.  It puts you at odds with the model God set for his people.

Join me on Sunday as I offer part two in this series. I'll be looking at the wisdom of God's plan for marriage being a life long convenant between two people.

Review: Love is an Orientation

Andrew Marin is a bold young man. Raised in a conservative evangelical church, he was shocked to have three of his best friends come out to him in college as gay, all in a matter of months. He was stunned.

His first reaction was to run. He was offended. He was confused. So he prayed and the answer he heard was to move toward his friends, not away.  He moved, literally, into Boystown in Chicago, a neighborhood predominantly made of people in the GLBT (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender) community to listen and learn. He spent countless hours sitting in bars, restaurants, and churches talking to GLBT members about their view of God, church, sex, and more.

He now runs the Marin foundation that seeks to serve both churches and the GLBT community by explaining each to the other. Not an easy job.

Andrew's book, Love is an Orientation, is his effort to help evangelical Christians better understand the GLBT community and, overall, I think he does a good job of it. His goal isn't to make a statement: for or against homosexuality. His goal, as he states it, is to "elevate the conversation." I think a lot of the conversation in the life of the church needs to be "elevated", so I appreciate his heart and intention.

My only hesitancy in fully endorsing his book is that I didn't like his chapters explaining the five biblical texts that mention homosexuality. He tries to represent how some people read these scriptures in a way that allows for homosexuality. But I think he misses the mark. He seems to sidestep and underplay each text. Throughout most of the book he  does a good job of walking the center line, representing both conservative and liberal views. But in this chapter I feel that he doesn't fairly represent the conservative side. Maybe he doesn't think it's necessary, that the reader is familiar with the conservative view.  But for people new to the Bible I don't think he offers a full discussion. It can be misleading.

A fair treatment of scripture will not only look at the five texts that address homosexuality but the many texts that focus on how the Bible frames heterosexuality.   If you read the book, walk gently through this section. It might help know how others think but it's not a full discussion of the issue.

But other than this concern, the book has much to offer.  The church...on MANY issues, not just homosexuality, needs to listen more. Learn more. Love more. Love Is An Orientation will help you to do that.

I know some Christians think the gay issue is black and white. In one sense I agree. From my perspective (as well as the Covenant denomination that Cedarbrook is a part of)  sex is designed as a covenant celebration between a man and a woman. I'm settled on that. But the problem comes in what people FEEL. What do you do if you are only attracted to people of the same sex, no matter how much you try to not feel that way? People answer that question in many ways. And I think, out of respect and love for people, we need to listen to what everyone says. We don't have to agree. We can respectfully agree to disagree without reacting in fear, defensiveness, or judgment. Dialogue is a good thing. It keeps the lines of communication open.

My purpose here isn't to discuss the whole gay controversy but to review Love is an Orientation. I think it will push some Christians out of their comfort zone, but I've always found that to be a great place to learn. I recommend you read it. Just don't jump to conclusions based on what you read. Let it help you think more, pray more, and love more. - Remy

The weakness of God in Newtown, CT

I'm sure some pastors threw out their planned sermon on Sunday so they could talk about the tragedy in Connecticut. I didn't have to. My sermon happened to be about the question that many are asking right now: Where was God? If God is all-loving and all-powerful, then why doesn't he prevent tragedy from happening?

People asked the apostle Paul the same thing. My message takes an indepth look at the mystery of weakness and why God chooses to work with the weak and often reveal himself in weakness. DOWNLOAD Sunday's sermon here.

The Comparison Factor

One point I don't think I'll be getting to about weakness is the comparison factor. We often obsess about our weaknesses and God's "weakness" (the fact that he doesn't do WHAT we want WHEN we want it). But do you realize that weakness is something that results from comparison?

What I mean is...if you were the only person on earth would you still feel bad about your weaknesses?  Would you even call them a weakness? Or do you label something weak in comparison to someone else?

For example, I used to think that bench pressing 100 pounds was good until I went to the gym and saw other people pressing much more. I guess I must be weak.

We do the same with God. We might be happy to know that God is with us in the death of a loved one until we see our friends loved one healed. Then we say, Wait a minute God, what's up with that? Why are you weak to me and strong to my friend?

It's something to consider. How about this: what if you stop judging things as "weak" or "strong" for the next week and see if that helps. Don't make a judgment statement. Just accept things as they are and see how that changes things for you.

I hope it's a good week for you!  

Remy

Announcing Winter CBYOU Classes

Updated on 12/31/12.

Seventy people completed our survey for Cedarbrook YOUniversity, which REALLY helped know which classes to offer.  Here are the top eight categories of classes that people want offered:

1. New Testament
2. Marriage Enrichment
3. Prayer and Devotional Practices
4. How to Share Your Faith
5. Discovering Your Gifts and Strengths
6. God and Science
7. Financial Advice
8. Leadership Development

Based on this feedback, we will be offering classes on these eight areas in Winter and Spring terms.  Here is what we have slated for Winter term (Starts Tuesday, January 29nd).

1. Leading From the Inside Out … Developing Self-Leadership. (Dave Johnson) Everyone is  leader ... whether in your home, at work, in church on a team, or in a friendship ... at some time or another, we all lead something.   But, at the core of our leadership is "A Leader of One" ... ourselves!  In this course we will explore what it means to lead ourselves effectively using some tried and tested Biblical principles.  Included will be a look at a variety of very easy-to-learn models which will help us build a strong leadership foundation in our lives.  Building on this foundation, our goal is to come away from this course with a practical "Personal Leadership Development Plan" that will serve to guide our leadership opportunities in every avenue of life.

2. Parables: The Stories Jesus Told.  (Beverley Deyo-Svendsen and Bob Horan) Jesus didn’t lecture.  He taught by how he lived.  When he needed to teach using words, he told stories.  His stories were often funny, shocking, comforting and sometimes offensive.  This six-week small group will get together and reread some of Jesus’ parables.  We’ll discuss the historical, political contexts.  We may even argue over their ancient meaning and contemporary applications.  We will wrestle with parables of Judgment and grapple with tales of Grace.BYOB (Bring your own Bible) – no textbooks will be required.

3. Discover Your Gifts and Strengths. (Remy Diederich). The Bible teaches that God gifts every believer with certain natural talents as well as spiritual gifts. Do you know what yours are? When you discover these gifts and talents you will find your "sweetspot", that area of life where you get maximum return (joy and satisfaction) on your investment. You'll leave this class with greater self awareness and ability to make an impact in every aspect of your life.

4. Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey. (Facilitated by Jon Kroening and Mary Blanchard). Dave Ramsey is a leading expert on personal finances. This class will help you whether you are just starting out in life, upside down in your finances, or planning for retirement. Nine week class. Additional $89 fee for Ramsey's special curriculum. Read success stories from participants here.

5. Love & Respect Building Blocks. With video excerpts and study guide this course helps couples to go deeper into the life changing principles of Love and Respect. Anchored in scientific and biblical research, Dr. Eggerichs and his wife Sarah bring the Love and Respect strategies to audiences around the country. This course will explore how to resolve conflict, deal with the negative reactions, motivate each other by meeting each other's need, and gain an understanding on how to handle an indifferent or unresponsive partner.(Facilitated by Byron and Sarah Anderson). Registration $10 + study guide $10 = $20.  Read more about it here.

We hope to offer classes on prayer, God & Science, and How to Share Your Faith in the Spring term in addition to other classes.

Classes Start January 29 and go from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. All classes have a $10 registration fee. Some books are required depending on the class. Register early. Class size must be at least 8 people but not more than 15.  Online registration is now open.