Nooma VIDEO- Prayer

For about a year, I've been wanting to show one of Rob Bell's Nooma videos in our Sunday School class. I've read two of his books, both of which had profound effects on me. The first was "Velvet Elvis" and I think I've read that three times, cover-to-cover. The second book is called "Sex God", which is a really odd name for a christian book. It's about God's desire for profound intimacy with us.

And I've heard great things about his video series and had a couple of opportunities to view them. I finally ordered the latest one from Christian Book Distributors several weeks ago, not really reading what the subject was. You can click on the following link to see the Nooma list at CBD:

http://www.christianbook.com/nooma/785613343


Several days later, it arrived and I settled in to watch it. I found it very intense. I watched it again right away, as I felt like I missed quite a bit the first time through. I was very intent on seeing the connection between the younger woman and the man, both in the hospital, so I couldn't concentrate on Rob's words as well as I could have. Since then, I've watched it several times.

I'm tempted to use this blog as a review of the video, commenting on its good points and bad points. But I really would rather not do that, although it will be tough for me to stay away from that! I'll attempt to just focus on two things- first, my reactions when I saw the video today (although it was not my first time), and second, the reactions I saw and heard from you today.

I wrote down several words as we watched together...

1. OPEN- prayer involves being open to the God who works in the here and now.
2. HONEST- true prayer is being brutally honest with God.
3. POSTURE- our whole posture, our entire being should be a prayer to God, such that even other people can see that.
4. CONNECTION- prayer draws us closer to people and provides a connection that we can feel.
5. ENLARGES- prayer opens our hearts and changes our attitudes such that it makes us reach out in a physical way.
6. CHANGE- prayer can't help but change us.

And finally, the one sentence that really caught my attention "Don't ask God to feed the hungry when you have plenty of food."

It seems that the main message from the video, is that prayer can have a profound effect upon the person praying. While this is only one aspect of prayer, I find that it is absolutely true. If you pray for someone, your feeling about them changes and intensifies. You feel closer and more connected with them. If you pray for a need, you're compelled to do something; you're stirred to action.

One person shared this thought with me: "prayer is life and death".

We are in a battle, right here and now. A battle between good and evil. A spiritual battle that is being waged around us and half the time we don't even know it. Remember the book that took the Christian world by storm a few years ago called "This Present Darkness" by Frank Peretti? (Time passes- it was actually published in 1986, more than 20 years ago. I'm getting old!!) One of the most compelling ideas that Peretti put forth was that our prayers have tremendous power in the spiritual warfare around us. In a review of the book by Dean Halverson at the Creation Research Institute, the following Peretti quote appears:

In an interview with Charisma magazine, he said that "whether people like it or not, there is a spiritual war going on. The main thrust of my book is encouraging believers to engage in intercessory prayer and to open their eyes to spiritual realities." (Dan O'Neill, "The Supernatural World of Frank Peretti," Charisma and Christian Life, May 1989, 48, 50.) (1)

Prayer is life and death.

It certainly has the physical connotation as well. And that's what the person's comment was referring to. Think about the hospital scene. Or the accident scene. Thing about when our prayers are the most intense.

Someone else mentioned to me the long line of cars stopped along the road. It's night. Something terrible has happened. All the people in all those cars are stopped along the road. What are they thinking? What are they wondering? What if all of them were praying, connected together in a long line, with their lights on in the darkness, all focusing their energy, their light, on the tragedy ahead?

Another person told me that prayer is the glue that holds us together. That prayer is mystical and that it must be the Holy Spirit. Prayer is intensely personal. But corporate prayer, or being joined together in prayer like we were on the Day of Prayer is incredibly powerful. She said that's when she most feels prayer- when its more than one person- that's the power of the Spirit that connects us together to make up the body of Christ.

Finally, several people mentioned Rob's use of the term "creation narrative". While this is a bit off topic, I'll explain what he means by this. One of the movements going on in Christendom in the last few years is called the Emerging Church or Emergent Church. There are several characteristics of the EC movement. In fact, EC leaders shun the word "movement" and instead call it a "conversation" or a "dialogue". So one of the characteristics of the EC is a focus on the "dialogue of scripture" and passages are termed as "narratives". In this postmodern Christian world, there is a push away from the scientific method that analyzes and characterises verses in a cold, analytical way. We miss the beauty of the original languages, with all its tension and drama. One of the EC claims is that scripture was meant to be read in a group, to be narrated as a drama, and to be discussed at length in community. This is particularly true of the Old Testament. When Rob talks about the "creation narrative", I don't believe he is calling in question the literal text of Genesis, but he is drawing our attention to how it was communicated for centuries.

"Dad, tell us again about how God made the world."

"Okay. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. "

And the narrative begins. Questions arise and are voiced. Answers are given. The creation narrative unfolds... but I digress.

Please share your thoughts about the video. And about prayer.

Eric

References

(1) http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2739275/k.BBDC/DN082.htm

I Corinthians 4- Like Father, Like Son

Today in Sunday School, we finished up the 4th chapter of I Corinthians- we are now 25% of the way through the letter. This section, from vs 14 to 21, is the conclusion of Paul's dealing with the first problem in Corinth- the factions where one says "I'm of Paul", another "I'm of Apollos", etc.

The subject of the class is a bit odd, given that today is Mother's Day. Another odd thing, is how the class itself ended up. I had planned to discuss the six points of Paul's fatherhood from this section. However, very early in the class, I felt a different call- a call to turn the scriptures around and talk about our opportunities to be spiritual fathers and mothers to those around us. Was it a message that we needed to hear?

I feel very strongly about this. Paul says to the Corinthian believers "I urge you to imitate me" in vs 16 of the chapter. What better way to imitate Paul than to take on the role of a loving, caring parent to those younger in the faith than we are, just like he does!

There are two topics related to our spiritual parenthood, that I'd like to go into in a bit more detail, based on comments I had after the class. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

The first topic has to do with one of the most difficult and trying parts of parenthood- correction and discipline. Notice that Paul talks about it in three ways, and there appears to be a progression- first is the admonition or warning. Next comes the urging or pleading. Finally, the discipline, if necessary. In our relationship with other Christians, seldom do we warn or plead, and almost never discipline.

Why is this?

Let me count the ways!

"It's none of my business."
"I shouldn't judge."
"They won't like me."
"It's too hard."
"That's the pastor's job."

And the favorite "Who am I to correct? I'm a failure myself."

If we use Paul's metaphor of the parent/child relationship, I think we can gain insight and confidence to remove some of these reasons and provide a real service to another Christian.

So put on your parent hat and think about your role and responsibilities as a father or mother to your child. Are you perfect? Nope. Do you make mistakes? Yep. Do you sometimes say one thing and do another? Uh huh. Do you sometimes correct your child for behaviors that they've copied from you??? Oh boy...like father, like son...

Get the picture?

But do these failings and inconsistencies mean that we somehow lose our responsibility as parents? Are we no longer longer able to warn them, urge them, or discipline them?

Picture this. Your child runs towards a busy street as you look on silently. A neighbor sees your child and rushes over to pull her from harms way. The neighbor turns to you with an angry look and says "Didn't you see your daughter run towards that street! Why didn't you do anything to save her???"

Your response "Well, see, yesterday, I got in an argument with my wife and I sorta lost my temper and raised my voice and things got out of control. And, well, I said some things that I shouldn't. And my daughter was right there to see the whole thing. Since I've made such a terrible mistake, I just don't feel its my place to correct her in these situations."

A silly, unrealistic example.

Or is it?

We use it all the time with our spiritual family.

So let's stop doing that and take on the role that God wants for us. If there's sin in our life, let's deal with it and stop using it as an excuse to not help someone rushing toward a busy street.


The second topic is the polar opposite. Forcing a role without a relationship. Think about that for a minute-

Forcing a role without a relationship.

Have you ever had someone you barely know give you correction? I find it irritating. I've had experience with a couple of people who've insisted from the moment I met them that their role in life is to fix all my problems. You've met people like this. They love to point out all the things people around them are doing wrong.

Most of us don't take this type of "help" very graciously. That's when we respond, either silently or verbally "who do YOU think you are, telling me what to do."

When I was in high school, back in the Stone Age when basketball players wore real shorts and most of Lynyrd Skynyrd was still alive, there was a character that everyone called "Cappy". Cappy was always in trouble and many tried to correct his wayward path. Cappy had a standard response to any type of correction or discipline, whether from a teacher or another student. He'd turn, glare the person right in the eye, screw up has face and yell out at the top of his lungs:

"You ain't my mother!!"

Forcing a role without a relationship.

In our zealousness to become spiritual fathers and mothers, let's make sure we develop the relationship first. Paul goes right back to that very thing in vs 14 and 15. He calls them "dear children" and he CAN, because he was the one that led them to Christ. He spent time with them. He talked, he reasoned, he shared his life with them. He discipled them, he taught them, he loved them. Now he has the relationship that gives him the credibility assume the role of warning, urging, and possibly disciplining.

I urge you then- ask God to give you a burden for someone that you know, that God would give you someone to mentor, to be an example for, to love and to guide in their Christian walk. Spend time with that person. Develop a relationship with them. Want the absolute best for them. And as time goes on, be prepared to warn, to urge, to discipline, to stop them from dashing into a busy street.

Let me know your thoughts or comments on this topic. Has someone been a spiritual father or mother to you?

Eric

PS-

And that 1967 anti-smoking commercial I described today? Click on the picture below and have a look:

I Cor 4: Who do you identify with?

This morning at the beginning of the Sunday School class, I read I Cor 4, starting in v. 6 to get the context, and then read down through v. 14.

The response was not what I had expected. The more I read the passage, the more quiet the class became. As Paul compared himself to how the Corinthians were living, how they were viewing themselves, the gravity of the description pressed upon us. I finished up the description with

"Up to this moment, we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you."

I had nothing to say at that point. Normally, after I read the scripture passage at the beginning of class, my mind is bubbling over with a hundred thoughts about how to begin, where will the lesson go, how will I fit it all in. Not this time. I was dumb with conviction.

I want to share two additional scripture passages, and then talk about the connection to our worship service today.

In Revelation ch 3, Jesus writes to the church at Laodicea and says

"You say 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." v 17.

Here, it seems, is a situation with similar attitudes to those in Corinth. When I've read this passage in the past, I always think "that's us. That's the church today in the United States." We live like kings compared to the rest of the world.

• Half the world survives on $2 a day.
• Worldwide, 6 people die of hunger...every second.
• It is estimated that to provide basic health and nutrition for every person on earth, it would cost $13 billion a year.
• Yet, the US spends $14 billion per year on cosmetics and personal grooming products.

Ironic, isn't it? People are starving to death and we spend fortunes to make ourselves look pretty. Or trying to grow hair where it doesn't grow anymore. Or paying someone to remove it where we don't want it. We wash our hair with shampoo to get the oil out. Then use conditioner to add oil back in.

We live like kings. And we want more. And more. I'm no different, trust me. I completely identify with the Corinthians and the Laodiceans.

Paul writes this to the Philippian church:

"I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death." Phil 3:10

Do you see who Paul identifies with? And do you see what aspect of Jesus Paul identifies with? It doesn't quite fit in with the Corinthians or the Laodiceans or with me, does it? The fellowship of sharing in His suffering.

What about Peter in the passage read during today's worship service? Reread Matt 26:69-75.

Things are at a crisis. Jesus has been betrayed and stands now before the high priest. They spit in His face and strike Him with their fists.

Peter sees all this begin to unfold and follows at a distance. He now has a choice to make.

Out in the courtyard, there's a group of people. The night is chilly so they kindle a fire and warm themselves. Peter draws near the fire and is immediately identified as one of Jesus' disciples. Peter denies any connection with Jesus three times.

The last time, it is noticed that his very speech, his accent gives him away. Peter denies with cursing.

You know, we often talk like a Christian. We speak the language. But we don't want to identify with the complete package.

Our accent betrays us, but our actions condemn us.

We identify with the victorious Jesus; the warrior Jesus; the King Jesus. We don't want to identify ourselves with the suffering Jesus. The Man of Sorrows.

We live like kings.

And who do we identify with in this world? Interesting question, yes? We spend a large amount of time watching sports. Or TV. Or movies. We identify with who is cool, who is popular, who is famous. We watch American Idol and Dance With the Stars and the NBA playoffs. And we wish it was us on that screen with the world paying us homage. Who do we identify with in our community? In our church?

Who did Jesus identify Himself with, when He was here? The poor. The outcasts. The unpopular. Tax gatherers and prostitutes. All the losers. That's who He sought out.

Amazing how backwards we get it, isn't it?

Eric

Day of Prayer at PCBC

I hesitated when the sign-up sheet came to me.

See, I'm not the giant of prayer that I should be. I'm more of a Zacchaeus of prayer, height-challenged. A midget of prayer at most. And I know it.

So I hesitated. But only for a moment. I signed up for the 6:30 AM time slot and quickly passed the sign-up sheet along.

The night before the Day, I didn't sleep well. It was odd. I normally have my alarm set for 6:00AM and the backup alarm for 6:30, just in case. In preparation for the Day, I set it for 5:45 and the backup for 6:00- plenty of time for getting up, getting ready, doing my hair, and making the long drive to PCBC.

I used to travel for work quite frequently, which often means getting up early and driving to the Burlington International Airport (one of the great mysteries of life- just WHERE, "Internationally", can you fly from Burlington?? To what other nation????). The night before a trip, I wake up frequently, in a panic, to check the clock. I'm fearful that I'll oversleep and miss the flight. It was the same feeling the night before the Day.

Finally, 5:45AM came- the Day had arrived and I was up and in the shower. I made some coffee and wondered what God would think of me if I drank coffee during my allotted time. Would He understand? Was it somehow unspiritual? Did Spurgeon drink coffee during his morning prayers? Coffee cup in hand, I fired up the Saab (Old Blue) and made the journey to PCBC. I thought about stopping at the store to buy a Free Press from Andy- sort of a joking thought- in case I couldn't make it through my 30 minutes.

I worried a little bit about that. I know what you're thinking- 30 minutes is NOT very much time to pray, and if I can't do that, then what kind of a Christian am I? I wondered how it would go, as I parked Old Blue and walked up the steps. I had a vision of being in prayer for what seemed like hours, sweat running down my face at the strain, and then sneaking a glance at my watch only to find out it was 6:35- I'd only been at it for 5 minutes!

I opened the door and walked in the sanctuary. There, at the front, on his knees, was Larry. I was struck. "Oh Lord" I thought, "You are so good." Larry got up, we embraced. Then I was alone.

I got down on my knees and looked at the platform. Prayer requests, hymnbook, selected scriptures, and a list of the church family were laid out on the platform. I added a pew bible, and got down to business.

I started by confessing my sins and asking God for help. Then I moved to praying for my immediate family. Then on to giving Glory to God for how good He is. A quick glance at my watch and it was 6:45- wow! I then asked God to continue to bless and build up the Panton fellowship. Then I prayed through the church family list, which was an incredible experience.

Suddenly, it was 7:00AM. Where did the time go?

As I drove down Panton Road on my way to work, I was amazingly refreshed and encouraged. I was so thankful to God. During the rest of the day, I visualized the church and another person on their knees at the front platform. It felt so good to think of that.

Later, I talked to Rich about it at work. He told me of a church he went to that had continual prayer. They blocked off a hallway which had a separate entrance to make a sort of "prayer closet". People would sign up for their time, but it wasn't just for a Day, it was a commitment for a certain time that they would be there every week. Rich said there was even a telephone in the prayer closet and people with urgent needs could call in and ask for prayer. He said that it was very comforting and encouraging to know that someone was there all the time, praying. And Rich, thank you for organizing the Day.

That night, I talked to my wife about the experience. She told of coming in at her allotted time, and there was a family praying together. Actually, as she entered, they were singing a hymn together to close out their allotted time. She was equally struck with the beauty of the scene, and how pleasing it is to God. She also told me that during the Day, she liked to visualize someone at the church, praying. It was very encouraging to her. A common theme perhaps.

Often, in Sunday School, we talk about building up the church, about edifying the congregation. Sometimes we wonder how to do that personally. We think of the teaching, or the sermon, or the worship leader and wonder "how can I do something like that to build people up?" Let me tell you, the Day was a very practical way that each of us can provide encouragement to others. Certainly the prayers that are offered are powerful. But I'm thinking of just us being there, each taking our turn on our knees. It unifies the body of believers in a very special way.

Thoughts? Please leave a comment describing your experience on the Day...

Eric