OK, OK, so EVERYONE and their mom has blogged on how awesome Elie Wiesel was last Thursday night. And I am just now getting around to my turn at it. So, here goes. . .

First, I AGREE- the evening WAS awesome. The church building (

it was at my church- how cool is that?) was packed with over 800 people. Channel 7 news even made an appearance! There was an excitement I haven't felt when waiting to hear a speaker- EVER. And when Elie stepped out, everyone erupted in applause and leapt to their feet. Just seeing a group of people honor a man like that was inspiring!

I can still remember having to read his book "Night" in high school. It was one of the few books that has stuck with me all these years. I even pulled it out 3-4 years ago and re-read it. So, to now sit at the feet of this man, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and actually hear him speak . . . . it's beyond words. For just one night, he was our teacher, our Rabbi- sharing with us the message of reconciliation.

If you want to know more about his content, I will defer to Josh and Patrick. They have done a great job summarizing it, so check their blogs out!

Anyway, I started grad classes last week at Rochester College. I'm excited to get back into school and learn again. I know it sounds weird, but its true. I miss digging into the Word and learning from my Bible profs. So, I'll get my fill on Thursday nights!

Contemplative Worship

Last Sunday, we finished the last of three nights called the "Summer Worship Series." One Sunday night a month, the church came together to worship. What makes this unique is each night was a different style of worship: one traditional, one contemporary, and one contemplative. Each one also included a time of fellowship with a potluck.(I know, we're kickin' it old school!)

This last Sunday was the contemplative service. It was done in the style and manner of Taize (www.taize.fr for more info). Of all three styles, this was the one I was looking forward to most. It also was the one I was dreading most. You see, the Taize service places a HUGE emphasis on silence and prayer. The praise team, singing all reflective songs, sang from the back. The liturgy was read by Vicki and one of our elders, John Barton. The structure is very liturgical with candles and crosses. The room was darkened. In other words, very Catholic. And I was nervous as to how our church would receive it.

I personally get a lot out of this style of worship. In my hectic life, I sometimes need to be FORCED to slow down and listen to God.

Listen.

It's that word that I like. In so many of our other services, it's not so much about listening as TALKING and DOING. And as much as I love the activity and the outpouring of other languages of worship, there is something to being still and listening for the still, small voice of God.

To my surprise, the contemplative service was a hit! People responded very well to the almost 5 minutes of silence, the selection of taize songs, as well as the candles and the crosses. And they asked to do it again!

I am thankful I am in a church that is open to try varying styles of worship in this way. That they aren't afraid to experience God in different and sometimes uncomfortable forms. From songleaders and hymns to praise teams and choruses to silence and liturgy, we can all find something meaningful in each one. We can appreciate each one for their depth and authenticity. Each style is a language that has communicated adoration through the years to one God. And that is something we can all come together for!

Another great blog from Phil Cooke . . . . further reasons to be a Apple computer guy!

When people ask me why I use a Mac, my usual response is that it’s more “intuitive.” A PC is logical, but a Mac’s interface and software is more like the way I think. I’ve also noticed it in how quickly young kids adapt to a Mac in contrast to a PC. They just seem to “get it.” It’s similar to the GPS systems on my car. A few years ago I had a Lexus and I loved the GPS. It just made sense. It thought the way I did. But now I have a Land Rover and I hate it. The Land Rover GPS is good, and it’s very logical – but I find it’s very difficult to use.

Logic is good. Logic is, well, “logical.” But human beings aren’t necessarily logical. Human beings are intuitive. We gain insight from a number of areas – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and process information in ways that aren’t always logical.

That’s the reason “numbers” or “detail” people often have difficulty dealing with other people. In other words, they often have a bit of trouble with people skills. CPA’s, accountants, mathematicians, scientists, strategists, and others aren’t always the most exciting people in the room. They love all things logical. But they miss the connection to people, because try as they might, most people just aren’t logical.

That’s also why so many companies and non-profits are frustrated with their messaging. Sure it makes sense. Sure it is logical. Sure it’s the truth. But it just doesn’t connect with the audience. Audiences aren’t logical, they’re intuitive. They make leaps and connections that don’t always make sense.

I sometimes get into this argument during creative meetings with clients. They will do a direct mail campaign, advertising promotion, or TV program that has solid information, makes sense, is certainly true, and is logical. But it just doesn’t connect. They don’t understand that without understanding how people think, they’ll never get the audience’s attention.

Remember – Mr. Spock was logical, but then again, he came from another planet.

Jim and Casper Go to Church

I just recently finished ANOTHER great book called "Jim and Casper Go To Church". The book is a frank conversation between a pastor and an atheist about churches and what they see at church services. Jim Henderson hired an atheist Matt Casper to travel with him to churches all over the U.S. and then write about the experience. Casper's unique perspective really gives some great and critical insight to us Christians when we say that we are open and friendly to those who don't believe in what Jesus.

It is a an easy read, but challenging little book. You have to put this on your "MUST READ THIS SUMMER" list! You won't be sorry!

-chris

Made To Worship

This was a note that my wife Vicki wrote about our Summer Worship Series that we did just last Sunday night. Her thoughts were so good- I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy the guest blog!!

"Something incredible happened last night at my church. (Rochester church of Christ) People came to gather for the purpose of worshiping God. Okay, some people came for the potluck beforehand, but I believe the majority of the 250+ people that walked through the doors came to church to worship. I don't say this to be coy or playful, but to give thanks to God for allowing people to be open to what we were made for!

I can't even begin to explain the buzz of energy in that "sanctuary" before even a word was spoken from the stage. We knew it was coming...we knew we would be singing our hearts out to God and we were actually EXPECTING Him to show up! Why don't we always come to the church building expecting this?!? When we come expecting to meet our Lord, He never fails us!

I watched people I have never seen comfortable enough to raise their hands in worship before, surrendering their lack of comfort to Him. I saw God in the faces of my fellow brothers and sisters as they cried to God and allowed Him to meet whatever needs they were laying at His feet during our outpourings of love to Him. As you may or may not know, I am a very expressive worshiper. I LOVE to sing to my God...it is the way I best experience my relationship with Him. I often shed tears as I sing the beautifully written words describing our God and his love for us. However, last night... last night I couldn't stop the tears from running for 2 songs straight. I was ready for Him, I was waiting for Him, I was experiencing Him...but it was when I saw Him coming down and reaching into peoples lives right before me that I was blessed by Him and could not express my joy in any other way than to cry my way through 2 songs from the stage.

I am so blessed to be at a church where people actually come to worship. My sister-in-law, in from out of town, told me on Sunday as she cried watching our "family communion" take place that she was catching a glimpse of what Heaven would be like. I knew exactly what she meant. I too have cried watching people from all walks of life genuinely embracing each other as they follow Christ's command to love one another during our unconventional 3rd service communion time (which so many people unknowingly have frowned upon). Now I realize, unfortunately, it is not always this way. In fact, I count two other times at my particular church where I've experienced worship to this degree in the last couple of years. But God, in His timing, reveals to us just one more glimpse of what we were made to do - to worship Him. And it is at times like these that I cannot wait to be experiencing the worship in Heaven. I cannot begin to fathom the emotions that will tear through and overtake me.

It is at times like these that I surrender the most to my precious Savior and thank Him for allowing us to have the honor of being in His presence even if it is just for the hour. It is at times like these that I am overwhelmingly blessed to have a husband that leads me into the throne room of the Most High where I am indulged into a better relationship with not only my Lord, but my love as well. It is at times like these that I can do little else than to sit back, shed some tears, thank God, and just be...

be myself, completely vulnerable, completely devastated, completely given over to HIM.

May God give you experiences where you realize your potential for worship to Him. May He give you the desire, the need and the knowledge that we are most complete when we are practicing our worship of Him. And, then, with this knowledge you will not hold back, but you will, in every circumstance, become more and more - made to worship."

-Vicki Lindsey

Derek Webb's Savior on Capitol Hill

If you know me, you know I'm a HUGE Derek Webb fan. He's one of those Christian artists that sing songs that no one else dares to sing. He calls people to a higher standard and challenges Christ followers with the status quo. This video below is off of his newest CD, "The Ringing Bell". For those who are feeling jaded with politics and the whole political party system. Enjoy.

Surprised By Hope

There are a few books that I can say have shaped my faith in dynamic ways. The Bible takes top rung easily (it had better, right?), but there are those other authors who have really helped put flesh on Jesus for me. N. T. Wright's latest book, "Surprised By Hope" is one of these books.

Wright aims to rethink Heaven, the resurrection, and what that means for the mission of the church. He simply unpacks te question, "What is going to happen when you die?"

"Now why would you want to do that?" you may ask, "Something so basic and foundational as heaven doesn't need to be rethought or revisited, right? Chrsitians is on the same page when it come to the resurrection and what will happen after death, right?" Wright answers no. He argues that Christians are all over the map in these matters.

This hit me hard. What do I truly believe about all this? Shouldn't a minister really have a firm grasp on all this? Well, yes and no. It's just solid enough and elusive enough for many interpretations. I don't buy into premilleniallism and I believe that we'll all be called to sit on clouds and play the harp "'neath the shade of the evergreen tree" for eternity. So, if I were to sit with a blank piece of paper and write out, based on scripture, what happens when someone dies, it would be a fairly clean sheet of paper!

I'll try to break these thoughts up over a few blogs, since there is so much information to unpack. But one thing that has stuck with me from "Surprised By hope" is the nature of Jesus' resurrection.

Jesus bodily resurrection is a foreshadowing of our own bodily resurrection. He is the first man to show us what our resurrection will look like. After Jesus was raised, they didn't recognize him at first. But after spending time with him, they saw him for who he was. He bore a resemblance to himself before his death, but was somehow transformed. He didn't need to eat, but it is recorded that he did when he was with his disciples at least once. The key word here is TRANSFORMED.

When we die, our fleshly bodies will NOT waste away and our soul (our spiritual body), will get this new form. As if we were a glowing, golden, shapeless form awaiting the resurrection to get this new form again. That's nowhere in scripture! He will use our earthly bodies and transform them! So, at the resurrection, God will take our fleshly bodies, whether you were cremated, had your legs amputated from a wreck, had hernia surgery, etc. and transform THAT into a new creation.

It brings a whole redemptive message into it, doesn't it? God will take ALL things and redeem them! We will find "Life AFTER life after death" in the resurrection.

So, I ask you this question. What do you believe happens when you die?