Communication Has Really Changed

In my job as a Minister of Music, I communicate with a lot of people. Right now, for instance, I'm completing a music schedule for the next two months. With almost 100 people involved in our Choir, Orchestra, ensembles, soloists and instrumentalists, I have a lot of communicating to do before the final schedule comes out. In this particular schedule I am trying to schedule some of our students who will be participating in a national Fine Arts Festival in August. 

Here are all the communication methods I have used: for some Choir members, I need to send a postcard. For everyone else in the Choir and Orchestra, I can send an email. If I need a quick answer, I can make a voice call, or send a text message. For students, most of them do not check their emails anymore, so I use their Facebook account. I just set up a Twitter account, because many of the people I need to communicate with use Twitter. I'm still trying to figure out how to send Xbox 360 messages. It has been an interesting process to observe the difference that people from each age group adapt to new technology. While it is rare, anymore, to hear derogatory comments about computers, we still have a few seniors who will never adapt to this technology. On the young end of the spectrum, computers are too clunky, too large, too slow, etc. Once phone technology embraces everything a computer can do, that will be the end of the computer for most students who use a computer as a communication device. While I have just started my sixth decade, I notice that I am sending far more texts than using my cell phone for voice calls. I have even mastered the technique of using both hands on my Smart phone keyboard. I can "flat fly" for an old geezer.

I love new technology, even though sometimes it is hard to keep up. Students have such an advantage because they start working with computers, as normal tools, from the beginning of their school careers. I was already established in my career, and burning up my IBM Selectric typewriter, when personal computers were first introduced. I've been catching up ever since. Well, I have a few more people to connect with, I'm off to send a Tweet.

First Time To Mow This Season

Last week I mowed our lawn for the first time. A few weeks ago a did a lot of cleanup in our yard, and prepared it for the new growing season. Last week I finally broke down and started my mower and started the process that won't end until sometime in late October. My routine is the same every time I do our yard. I rake all the twigs and leaves, and unfortunately my neighbor's sweet gum balls; then I mow; followed by edging; sweeping the sidewalk; and then I sweep the street. I learned how to take care of a yard from my father. I helped him do it many times, and then he supervised me while I did it by myself, and finally I started taking care of our yard without the need for supervision. Now, I've settled into my own routine, and I don't remember if I still do the steps in the same order, except for sweeping the street. That was always the final touch. One thing I learned from my father was that if a job was worth doing, do it well and finish it. I watched him do this with everything that he did. So, while some of our neighbors blew their lawn clippings into the street and hoped that the street sweeper would come along, I dutifully swept the street to complete the job.

I've taught both my oldest sons how to care for their yards. And yes, when they tell me they were working in their yards, I ask, "did you sweep the street?" I have two younger sons at home who are helping me with our yard. They'll learn how to sweep the street, and in the process they'll learn how to finish the job well.

Hearing From People Who Were Unchurched

I am reading a very eye-opening book titled Surprising Insights From the Unchurched and Proven Ways To Reach Them, by Thom Rainer. The author and his research group conducted in depth surveys with 350 people who had come to know Christ and began attending a church. The surveys took place within the first two years of these people coming to faith and beginning to attend a church, and actually most had been a Christian less than one year. 90% of the respondents said that the pastor and his preaching were the primary reason they returned to church. 49% said they came back a second time because of he friendliness of the people, 41% came because someone from the church invited them or told them about Christ, 37% came back because they sensed the presence of God in the church services. Surprisingly, only 11% came back because of the worship/music style. 25% came back because of children's or youth programs, and only 7% cared about the location of the church.

This research project is eye-opening for church leaders who are trying to figure out how to reach out to the vast unchurched population of our country. In most cases, we think like people who already attend our churches. We think that if our worship style is the most contemporary, if our kids and youth programs are top notch and that our publicity is sharp and eye catching, these things will bring people in. And yet, apparently this is not the case, and the failure of most American churches to grow is evidence of that. Wow... more later after I read further in the book.

The Torn Curtain

Another one of those "sub-stories" surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ that I enjoy thinking about is the main temple curtain that is torn from top to bottom at the moment that Christ dies on the cross. As you might recall, from the time that the mobile tabernacle was used in the desert trek of the Israelites to the magnificent temple in Jerusalem, the Holy Place was separated by the Holy of Holies. No one, except the high priest, entered the Holy of Holies, and he only did that once a year after extensive preparations. My imagination takes over here, but I think that since the crucifixion of Christ was such a big event in Jerusalem, everyone in the religious community probably wanted to be there. I imagine that the priest who was lowest on the "totem pole" probably drew temple duty and all the other priests went to the crucifixion. This priest may have even been a rookie, anxious because he was the only one there, and frustrated because he can't be at the big event. I imagine him standing on the porch of the temple watching the clouds roll in and the light beginning to dim. He probably wondered, like everyone else, what was happening. Then suddenly the earth begins to move, it might have thundered, and lightning may have shot across the sky. While fear from these events begins to invade his mind, he hears a horrible tearing noise coming from inside the temple. Fearfully, he runs into the Holy Place and horror of horrors, the huge 4" thick veil has been torn from top to bottom, the two pieces have been pushed back toward the side walls and the Holy of Holies is exposed. Never in his wildest imagination did he ever believe he would see the Ark of the Covenant. But there it is...terror grips his heart as he gazes on the Ark, because he knows that instant death is the penalty for being in the wrong place in the temple. He expects at any moment to fall to the floor, dead. But nothing happens. He takes a few steps toward the Holy of Holies, then a few more. He gets to the place where the veil is now separated. I can imagine that he quickly pokes his hand across the "line" and then pulls it back, nothing... He does it again, this time his whole arm, nothing... then he jumps in, and quickly jumps out, nothing... Finally he walks into the room and into God's presence. I can imagine this rookie priest experiencing the presence of God like never before. He laughs, he cries, he dances...

I can imagine that at some point, the spirit of God draws this priest to Himself and he is born again. Oh God, on this Easter day, help us to rekindle am infectious love for You that helps us tell the people around us about your wonderful Presence.

Getting Your Ear Cut Off Must Really Hurt

One of the "sub-plots" of the Easter story that has always intrigued me is the High Priest's servant and his encounter with Christ. Since it wasn't politically expedient for the High Priest to go with the arresting party to bring Jesus in, he sent his administrative assistant. I'm sure the High Priest expected a full and detailed report just as soon as the dirty deed was done. Can you imagine the scene when the servant got back? Instead of reporting on the arrest of Jesus, I can't help but think that he would be consumed with the miracle that had taken place. As you recall, Peter took out a sword to defend Jesus when the arresting party walked up. He swung the sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the High Priest's servant. In John 18:11 it says, "So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” Then Jesus proceeds to restore the man's ear. However, the Bible doesn't say anything about Jesus cleaning Malchus up. If you've ever had a head wound, you know that it bleeds terribly. I can imagine a lot of blood on Malchus' clothes, plus, if he fell to the ground, he may have rolled around in the dirt and leaves and some of it stuck to his clothes, and he probably wiped his hands off on his tunic. By the time he gets back to the High Priest, he is a mess.

After he finishes telling the HP what had happened, I can see the HP examining Malchus' head. He runs his finger around his ear and says, "I can't see anything here, it's as if it never happened". Sadly, even though these two had witnessed an unbelievable miracle, it didn't seem to change their minds. Or did it... I wonder if Malchus was a distant observer at the crucifixion. And as he stood and watched Christ die, I wonder if he ran his finger around the severed and restored ear every few minutes. In his heart he knew, this was the Son of God. Tomorrow we celebrate our new life in this same Son of God. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Reading Through the Bible In A Year

I am thoroughly enjoying reading through the Bible in a year using Eugene Peterson's The Daily Message. There are readings from the Old Testament, then it switches to the New Testament, from Psalms to Proverbs. I must admit, however, that some of the more difficult portions to read are some of the early books. There are a lot of instructions, laws, sacrifice directions and details about the Israelites journey through the desert. Yesterday, in the midst of a long litany of instructions there were some very interesting instructions regarding generosity. In Deuteronomy 24 it says, "When you harvest your grain and forget a sheaf back in the field, don't go back and get it; leave it for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow so that God, your God, will bless you in all your work. When you shake the olives off your trees, don't go back over the branches and strip them bare-what's left is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. And when you cut the grapes in your vineyard, don't take every last grape-leave a few for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Don't ever forget that you were a slave in Egypt. I command you: Do what I'm telling you." Earlier, in chapter 23, the Israelites are admonished not to charge interest to each for any loan.

Wow, how different would our society be if we lived by these directives? All of this got me thinking, how would this play out today? Instead of leaving olives on a tree for a widow, maybe I should "borrow" a widow's car, or a single mother's car, fill it full of gas, make sure the oil is changed and do a quick inspection to make sure everything is working properly. Instead of leaving grapes on a vine, perhaps I should be helping my senior aged neighbors power wash their house, or helping to clean up their yard for the beginning of the growing season. I wonder if today's foster care network is our opportunity to care for orphans? It almost seems like God's instructions to the Israelites were His directives for them to do random acts of kindness. If they could do this, shouldn't I be able to do this as well? Now, where can I find a banker that won't charge me interest...