Dear friend,
Well, this is a letter that is incredibly difficult for me to write, as the contents might be a bit shocking to you. As of October 1st, I will no longer be employed by Scum of the Earth Church.
Over the 5+ years of working at Scum, I have found myself continuously stretched and challenged in both good and difficult ways. It has been the most rewarding experience of my life, and God has blessed me with the opportunity to see people’s lives changed. But it has also been a struggle, as I have found myself constantly in a state of flux and frustration.
Recently, I have been sensing that God is calling me to a season of rest in my life. As difficult as it has been to be obedient to this call, I trust that He is leading me to a good place, and I look forward to the greener pastures that He is inviting me to lay down in.
Last week, I was offered a job doing sales at an internet company called Service Magic. While I do not feel most at home in a cubicle, I am honestly looking forward to a regular schedule and a regular paycheck. I am very excited about having some time to reflect on what God has taught me over these past 5 years of my life, and to, like the Prophets invited the Israelites, remember what God has done.
My hope in this season is that God will refuel me, and that this might be a time for reigniting a passion in me for vocational ministry, as well as give me direction for what might lie ahead. I look with great anticipation to where He might lead me.
Now, you may be asking yourself if there is some big piece of drama surrounding this decision…some moral failure or conflict. I want to assure you that this is not the case, but rather that it is an invitation to fall more in love with Jesus, without the sense of obligation of ministry.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you have done by partnering with me in ministry over the past 5+ years. It has been a blessing to me to have such wonderful people in my life, and to know that you have supported me in ministry through finances and prayers is an honor that I cannot say thank you enough for.
Logistically, if you choose to still give to Scum financially, please contact me and I will talk through some of the options for giving, whether it be to an individual staff member or to the general fund.
Also, if you would like to help me in this time of transition, I can collect up to 2 months ‘severance’ from the church based upon money that is in my account by the end of September. It is important that all money be sent before October 1 to make it into my account. You can do this by sending in a check to Scum at PO Box 101808 Denver, CO 80223, or by giving online at www.scumoftheearth.net
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me at jrcook1@gmail.com or call me at 720-244-4020. I will be unavailable for about 2 weeks starting Monday the 21st, as I will be on a road trip, but I look forward to talking to you when I get back.
Thank you for all that you are!
Blessings,
Josh Cook
P.S. If you are writing a check, be sure to make it out to Scum of the Earth Church and put 10450-09 in the memo line
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
August Newsletter
Dear friend,
Pastoring is the most difficult job I’ve ever had. I don’t say that to elicit some form for sympathy or anything silly like that! I mention it more to ask you to pray with me for Scum. Every day it feels like we’re in a crazy transition period, and that God isn’t ready for us to get too comfortable in ourselves, and our own strength.
This month I have had to counsel someone who is looking at an impending prison sentence. I have had to pastor victims of heinous injustice, while also pastoring their oppressors. I have seen people come to the church for the first time, and leave after years at Scum with nowhere to go. It feels like my heart is constantly in flux with a barrage of emotions and challenges. It feels like one of those times when I feel most incapable, and it is in those times that I meet Jesus most wholeheartedly.
In the challenge of ministry, while trying to hold everything together, there is always a sense that you cannot do enough, you cannot fix everything. It can be a devastating feeling, unless, as I have learned over the past 5 years of ministry, you realize that you are not Jesus. I cannot heal people, cannot solve their problems, and I cannot deliver them from their addictions. It is purely by the grace of God!
But that doesn’t stop people from expecting it from me. And it doesn’t completely assuage a sense of guilt and obligation on my part. And this is what makes pastoring difficult: watching people, wishing for their healing, feeling incapacitated, and having to lean fully onto Jesus, trusting that He is at work. What an amazing exercise in the Christian walk.
And as I write this, I know that there are glimmers of hope on the horizon. I know that there are pictures of His grace shining in the eyes of the ever-increasing number of children at the church. I know that there are flickers of light in the songs of worship emanating from Scum that pierce the darkness of the surrounding neighborhood. And I know that there are the shouts of angels in heaven as people turn toward Jesus for the first time, or return to Him after years of being gone. God is using Scum as a vessel for His Kingdom.
In all that, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. As my friend Kate said once, it has to get darker before you can see the stars. I say that, because, I feel that Scum is on the cusp of something big, something grander than ever before, and God is providing a way for us to learn to lean more heavily into him, so that His will might be done.
But, it’s not easy. To watch, wait, pray, and trust is not easy. As a church, and as an individual, it can be the most daunting experience ever.
So, as selfish as it may be, I ask you to keep me in your prayers this month.
• Pray that I would learn to trust in Jesus more and more every day, knowing that it is He who provides and cares for me.
• Pray for hope. There are definitely times where it feels overwhelming. I know that this is true in everyone’s lives, and so I do not feel like I am alone. I want to see Jesus more: more visible, more active, more lived-out, more present. I want our church to know the riches that are the fullness of His glory.
• Pray for my finances. I have taken a $12,000 pay cut from last year’s salary at Scum. God has continued to provide, and I have a part-time job interview at the Apple store tomorrow. I am not sure what’s in store for me in the future, but it is still my hope to be working at Scum. I trust that He can make this happen, but sometimes it’s not the easiest thing to see.
• Pray for rest. I am hoping to take a vacation to Wyoming this month. I am only up preaching on August 9th, so that should give me some time to get away.
Pastoring is the most difficult job I’ve ever had. I don’t say that to elicit some form for sympathy or anything silly like that! I mention it more to ask you to pray with me for Scum. Every day it feels like we’re in a crazy transition period, and that God isn’t ready for us to get too comfortable in ourselves, and our own strength.
This month I have had to counsel someone who is looking at an impending prison sentence. I have had to pastor victims of heinous injustice, while also pastoring their oppressors. I have seen people come to the church for the first time, and leave after years at Scum with nowhere to go. It feels like my heart is constantly in flux with a barrage of emotions and challenges. It feels like one of those times when I feel most incapable, and it is in those times that I meet Jesus most wholeheartedly.
In the challenge of ministry, while trying to hold everything together, there is always a sense that you cannot do enough, you cannot fix everything. It can be a devastating feeling, unless, as I have learned over the past 5 years of ministry, you realize that you are not Jesus. I cannot heal people, cannot solve their problems, and I cannot deliver them from their addictions. It is purely by the grace of God!
But that doesn’t stop people from expecting it from me. And it doesn’t completely assuage a sense of guilt and obligation on my part. And this is what makes pastoring difficult: watching people, wishing for their healing, feeling incapacitated, and having to lean fully onto Jesus, trusting that He is at work. What an amazing exercise in the Christian walk.
And as I write this, I know that there are glimmers of hope on the horizon. I know that there are pictures of His grace shining in the eyes of the ever-increasing number of children at the church. I know that there are flickers of light in the songs of worship emanating from Scum that pierce the darkness of the surrounding neighborhood. And I know that there are the shouts of angels in heaven as people turn toward Jesus for the first time, or return to Him after years of being gone. God is using Scum as a vessel for His Kingdom.
In all that, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. As my friend Kate said once, it has to get darker before you can see the stars. I say that, because, I feel that Scum is on the cusp of something big, something grander than ever before, and God is providing a way for us to learn to lean more heavily into him, so that His will might be done.
But, it’s not easy. To watch, wait, pray, and trust is not easy. As a church, and as an individual, it can be the most daunting experience ever.
So, as selfish as it may be, I ask you to keep me in your prayers this month.
• Pray that I would learn to trust in Jesus more and more every day, knowing that it is He who provides and cares for me.
• Pray for hope. There are definitely times where it feels overwhelming. I know that this is true in everyone’s lives, and so I do not feel like I am alone. I want to see Jesus more: more visible, more active, more lived-out, more present. I want our church to know the riches that are the fullness of His glory.
• Pray for my finances. I have taken a $12,000 pay cut from last year’s salary at Scum. God has continued to provide, and I have a part-time job interview at the Apple store tomorrow. I am not sure what’s in store for me in the future, but it is still my hope to be working at Scum. I trust that He can make this happen, but sometimes it’s not the easiest thing to see.
• Pray for rest. I am hoping to take a vacation to Wyoming this month. I am only up preaching on August 9th, so that should give me some time to get away.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
June's Newsletter
On the theme of keeping you guessing regarding my newsletters, I thought I would change it up again a bit. This month, I asked Nick Brown to write my newsletter, so you might have a different perspective of what is going on in my ministry. Also, there is a bit of an ego boost when I get to hear in someone else’s words what they think of me! HA!
You can hear Nick’s testimony on our website at http://www.scumoftheearth.net/v2/sermons/SOTEC_06.15.08_Story_4_Nick.mp3
From Nick:
When Josh Cook asked me if I would write his newsletter for him, I wanted to steal his phone—not just cuz it’s rad either. I thought the best way to take a snap shot of the ministry in and around Josh would require his calendar, scroll-like call log, and the incessant reminder of how many people this man influences on a daily basis.
(Have you ever had coffee with Josh? His phone has to be recharged between refills.)
I decided not to take up theft just to write about Josh’s work this month. Instead of telling all ya’ll about the people Josh influences every day, I hope to convey how Christ’s work through Josh in May of 2009 has impacted just one person—me.
For the past year Josh has been a friend, mentor and pastor. During one of our meetings, Josh asked me “who is Christ in the flesh to you?” At the time I didn’t have an answer because I have trust issues, which basically means that receiving things from people feels like riding a fixed gear bike down a mountain—I’ve never done it mind you (my fixie application was denied due to my lack of coolness), but regardless it seems like a stupid thing to do. Just like trust. It seems really stupid.
Our men’s Bible study—which Josh leads—has been in the Gospel of John all year. I left our first meeting this month with a bad taste in my mouth. Josh had basically pulled the worst pastoral sucker punch in the history of pastors and sucker punches. He connected our struggle with sin to our lack of trust in Jesus. Jerk.
Yet the last year-and-a-half of knowing Josh Cook (or anyone else at Scum for that matter) has taught me that he is not the pastor who heaps spiritual blame and condemnation on the heads of struggling people. As much as I wanted to be angry and point my angry finger at the angry-faced pastor who hit my angry button, another look at Josh’s face informed me that he was not angry, nor did he exclude himself from his challenge; I had to look at myself.
Before I was angry, I felt hurt. Before I was hurt, I felt exposed. Before I was exposed, I was shown that my mistrust in Christ made my life worse. Instead of trusting God’s provision, healing and love, my nature is stealing, drinking and sleeping around. These things have hurt me. My friend and pastor was trying to help me.
I was able to receive the challenge because I have a relationship with Josh. I kinda know him, and I’ve kinda let him know me. Whatever discomfort I experienced that night at Bible study was framed within our relationship. As a result, I was able to receive his sharp words as discipline—the stuff the writer of Hebrews 12 references as evidence for God’s love and motivation to persevere.
In the greater context of my time hanging out with Josh whether at Scum, Bible study, out for coffee or just catching a movie, I have gotten to know him and enjoy him. This month in particular I realized that Josh is among a handful of people in my life God had used to strengthen my faith in Jesus by first teaching me to trust people. Maybe that makes Josh a fleshy Jesus to me.
Sometimes I get pissed off, hurt and exposed, but I’m beginning to see through people that God is with me, not against me. God is trying to teach and grow me, not torment me. From where I’m sitting, that makes God good, and I want to keep following a God like that.
I must admit, it’s truly humbling to read these words. I’m not too sure how to receive them, as they paint me in a much better light than I think to be true, but I am honestly honored to be friends with someone like Nick. He truly has been a blessing to me!
So, with that, I just ask that you pray that this ministry continues, and that God continues to let me do ministry alongside, with, and to my friends.
Thank you for all that you are!
Blessings,
j
www.scumoftheearth.net
You can hear Nick’s testimony on our website at http://www.scumoftheearth.net/v2/sermons/SOTEC_06.15.08_Story_4_Nick.mp3
From Nick:
When Josh Cook asked me if I would write his newsletter for him, I wanted to steal his phone—not just cuz it’s rad either. I thought the best way to take a snap shot of the ministry in and around Josh would require his calendar, scroll-like call log, and the incessant reminder of how many people this man influences on a daily basis.
(Have you ever had coffee with Josh? His phone has to be recharged between refills.)
I decided not to take up theft just to write about Josh’s work this month. Instead of telling all ya’ll about the people Josh influences every day, I hope to convey how Christ’s work through Josh in May of 2009 has impacted just one person—me.
For the past year Josh has been a friend, mentor and pastor. During one of our meetings, Josh asked me “who is Christ in the flesh to you?” At the time I didn’t have an answer because I have trust issues, which basically means that receiving things from people feels like riding a fixed gear bike down a mountain—I’ve never done it mind you (my fixie application was denied due to my lack of coolness), but regardless it seems like a stupid thing to do. Just like trust. It seems really stupid.
Our men’s Bible study—which Josh leads—has been in the Gospel of John all year. I left our first meeting this month with a bad taste in my mouth. Josh had basically pulled the worst pastoral sucker punch in the history of pastors and sucker punches. He connected our struggle with sin to our lack of trust in Jesus. Jerk.
Yet the last year-and-a-half of knowing Josh Cook (or anyone else at Scum for that matter) has taught me that he is not the pastor who heaps spiritual blame and condemnation on the heads of struggling people. As much as I wanted to be angry and point my angry finger at the angry-faced pastor who hit my angry button, another look at Josh’s face informed me that he was not angry, nor did he exclude himself from his challenge; I had to look at myself.
Before I was angry, I felt hurt. Before I was hurt, I felt exposed. Before I was exposed, I was shown that my mistrust in Christ made my life worse. Instead of trusting God’s provision, healing and love, my nature is stealing, drinking and sleeping around. These things have hurt me. My friend and pastor was trying to help me.
I was able to receive the challenge because I have a relationship with Josh. I kinda know him, and I’ve kinda let him know me. Whatever discomfort I experienced that night at Bible study was framed within our relationship. As a result, I was able to receive his sharp words as discipline—the stuff the writer of Hebrews 12 references as evidence for God’s love and motivation to persevere.
In the greater context of my time hanging out with Josh whether at Scum, Bible study, out for coffee or just catching a movie, I have gotten to know him and enjoy him. This month in particular I realized that Josh is among a handful of people in my life God had used to strengthen my faith in Jesus by first teaching me to trust people. Maybe that makes Josh a fleshy Jesus to me.
Sometimes I get pissed off, hurt and exposed, but I’m beginning to see through people that God is with me, not against me. God is trying to teach and grow me, not torment me. From where I’m sitting, that makes God good, and I want to keep following a God like that.
I must admit, it’s truly humbling to read these words. I’m not too sure how to receive them, as they paint me in a much better light than I think to be true, but I am honestly honored to be friends with someone like Nick. He truly has been a blessing to me!
So, with that, I just ask that you pray that this ministry continues, and that God continues to let me do ministry alongside, with, and to my friends.
Thank you for all that you are!
Blessings,
j
www.scumoftheearth.net
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
May Newsletter
So, this last month we had a pretty big snowstorm. That’s not terribly unusual for Denver, whose snowy months are March and April, but this storm brought in about 10 inches of snow. We were all preparing for the worst and cancelling meetings, because Denver doesn’t really know what to do with that much snow in the city. In the mountains we love it, but down here, we’re a bit crippled by it.
Well, after my morning meeting, and before the snow hit real us hard, I came home and approached my house only to realize that our snow shovel had been stolen. In the 7 years I have been in Denver, this was a first. And, with the ensuing snow, this was a fairly severe aggravation.
A couple of hours after I got home, I heard a knock on the door. I answered the door only to meet James, a homeless guy who had ‘borrowed our snow shovel’ to make some money. He then informed me that he was going to shovel our walks for free. I watched as he turned to begin to shovel the walks, and my heart sank a bit; he was dressed in a garbage bag and had a bare head and bare hands.
I grabbed one of my heavy winter coats, a pair of gloves, and a wool cap to give to him. Only on our second encounter did I realize that he was VERY intoxicated. I was worried for his safety, as most of the people who die on the streets due to exposure have large quantities of alcohol in their system.
I invited James into the house and offered him some tea. He told me he would rather have whiskey, and I told him that I wouldn’t serve him any. He then asked me if I would go to the liquor store for him since he had been cut off. I told him that alcohol is actually a depressant and that he should think of things to try to keep him warm. He didn’t like this idea.
I then offered to take him to the Rescue Mission, where he could get a warm meal and a warm bed. He REALLY didn’t like this idea. To James, it was more important to be able to drink all night in the snow than to sober up in the warmth of the shelter.
Since that day, we’ve seen James several times, and had several opportunities to share Christ’s love with him, but every time he seems fairly reticent to talk about anything spiritual, or to accept any help that would mean that he would have to give up alcohol. It’s been a sad endeavor, but one that doesn’t leave me hopeless.
Dietrich Bonheoffer, a Lutheran pastor in Germany during the Nazi Regime, wrote in a book entitled Life Together these words, “True Spiritual Love is when we stop talking to a person about God and start talking to God about that person.” In the almost 5 years that I’ve been on staff at Scum, I have had to take these words to heart when my ministry feels futile and ineffective; these words remind me that God is at work even when I don’t see an immediate response.
And these words have taught me to have patience. It’s been this patient prayer that has bore the fruit of so many that I, and countless others, have considered impossible. It’s been the prayer for my friends like Jesse, Neil, Sissy, Don, and so many others who, although they have seemed like lost causes, have grown immensely closer to Jesus. I had to learn, in this patient prayer process, that the effective work of the Spirit is a marathon, not a sprint. And in this process, I have learned to lean more heavily into the only One who is capable of bringing about change in a person’s life: Jesus Christ.
Well, after my morning meeting, and before the snow hit real us hard, I came home and approached my house only to realize that our snow shovel had been stolen. In the 7 years I have been in Denver, this was a first. And, with the ensuing snow, this was a fairly severe aggravation.
A couple of hours after I got home, I heard a knock on the door. I answered the door only to meet James, a homeless guy who had ‘borrowed our snow shovel’ to make some money. He then informed me that he was going to shovel our walks for free. I watched as he turned to begin to shovel the walks, and my heart sank a bit; he was dressed in a garbage bag and had a bare head and bare hands.
I grabbed one of my heavy winter coats, a pair of gloves, and a wool cap to give to him. Only on our second encounter did I realize that he was VERY intoxicated. I was worried for his safety, as most of the people who die on the streets due to exposure have large quantities of alcohol in their system.
I invited James into the house and offered him some tea. He told me he would rather have whiskey, and I told him that I wouldn’t serve him any. He then asked me if I would go to the liquor store for him since he had been cut off. I told him that alcohol is actually a depressant and that he should think of things to try to keep him warm. He didn’t like this idea.
I then offered to take him to the Rescue Mission, where he could get a warm meal and a warm bed. He REALLY didn’t like this idea. To James, it was more important to be able to drink all night in the snow than to sober up in the warmth of the shelter.
Since that day, we’ve seen James several times, and had several opportunities to share Christ’s love with him, but every time he seems fairly reticent to talk about anything spiritual, or to accept any help that would mean that he would have to give up alcohol. It’s been a sad endeavor, but one that doesn’t leave me hopeless.
Dietrich Bonheoffer, a Lutheran pastor in Germany during the Nazi Regime, wrote in a book entitled Life Together these words, “True Spiritual Love is when we stop talking to a person about God and start talking to God about that person.” In the almost 5 years that I’ve been on staff at Scum, I have had to take these words to heart when my ministry feels futile and ineffective; these words remind me that God is at work even when I don’t see an immediate response.
And these words have taught me to have patience. It’s been this patient prayer that has bore the fruit of so many that I, and countless others, have considered impossible. It’s been the prayer for my friends like Jesse, Neil, Sissy, Don, and so many others who, although they have seemed like lost causes, have grown immensely closer to Jesus. I had to learn, in this patient prayer process, that the effective work of the Spirit is a marathon, not a sprint. And in this process, I have learned to lean more heavily into the only One who is capable of bringing about change in a person’s life: Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
New Sermon
Based on Isaiah 40, it's called Jesus, Where Did Your Footprints Go. You can hear it here
Monday, November 24, 2008
November newsletter (VERY LATE)
Dear friend,
I know this letter is pretty late, so sorry for that. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, but good ones. With things at the building settling down, and my sermon done, things will begin to fall back into place. And the job of getting to be a pastor again is getting more real all the time. While I can do the administrative side of my job, my true passion lies in getting to sit with someone who wants to know more about Jesus, and that is a blessing!
This month I thought I would change things up a bit in my newsletter and do a bit of sermonizing here. I thought that maybe we could share some thoughts on Jesus. I am going to give you a bit of a synopsis of my sermon last preached at Scum. If you want to hear more, you can visit our website at www.scumoftheearth.net and follow the link for podcasts. My sermon is entitled Suffering in Isaiah. You can also link it off of my blog at beardedjosh.blogspot.com.
So, in 30th chapter of Isaiah, the prophet is writing to the nation of Judah, who is looking at the immanent attack from Assyria. In the face of adversity, they do as so many of us do, and they turn to their own devices: they seek help from their southern neighbor, Egypt.
The chapter starts with this challenge: “Woe to the obstinate children… to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.” The Lord is warning them of the destruction that awaits them as they turn from God to their own devices. It is a warning that we all face daily in the ways that we run from the God who offers us deliverance from the obstacles that we face in our lives: the suffering, the pain, the frustrations, the anger, etc. We are the obstinate children, who, like the Israelites, have such a longing for safety and security that we know that we need, but who do not find rest and peace in God, and so we run to our devices to ease the pain.
But, there’s an interesting twist in verse 23, when God speaks and says that he gives us the bread of affliction and the water of suffering. Now, I must admit, I was terribly troubled when I read this. Does this mean that a lot of the suffering that we endure is actually given to us by the hand of God? Well, knowing that this thought is borderline heretical, let me explain as such: while God does not create suffering, he allows it for our own good.
The fact is that we live in a world that is not as it was intended to be. There is evil in our world that causes things like cancer, genocide, and war. This is not in God’s original design, but rather is the result of sin that entered the world when Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden, and thus became the first ones to run from God’s intention and care. We’ve been following in their footsteps ever since. And God allows us to run just far enough that we will find ourselves in a position where we will want to turn back to Him. It is for our own good.
And so, when we face the trials that are sure to come as part of living in a fallen world, it is imperative that we turn toward Jesus and trust in Him. Our natural reaction is to take matters into our own hands, but just as Jesus stood waiting for us the first time we turned to Him, he still waits for us with open arms to rescue and deliver us from the pains that we are facing…if we would just turn to Him instead of running from Him.
This is the message that our church needed to hear, and it is probably the message that we could all stand to hear on a daily basis.
And so, please take this as an invitation to remember what it was like when you first encountered the Gospel, that sweet feeling of relief to know that the Savior was waiting for you to turn to Him and welcome you home. And turn back to Him again and again as you encounter the temptation to run to the many vices that offer us a sense of security, when the only true hope for peace is in the redeeming arms of our Lord.
May He bless you as you turn,
Josh Cook
I know this letter is pretty late, so sorry for that. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, but good ones. With things at the building settling down, and my sermon done, things will begin to fall back into place. And the job of getting to be a pastor again is getting more real all the time. While I can do the administrative side of my job, my true passion lies in getting to sit with someone who wants to know more about Jesus, and that is a blessing!
This month I thought I would change things up a bit in my newsletter and do a bit of sermonizing here. I thought that maybe we could share some thoughts on Jesus. I am going to give you a bit of a synopsis of my sermon last preached at Scum. If you want to hear more, you can visit our website at www.scumoftheearth.net and follow the link for podcasts. My sermon is entitled Suffering in Isaiah. You can also link it off of my blog at beardedjosh.blogspot.com.
So, in 30th chapter of Isaiah, the prophet is writing to the nation of Judah, who is looking at the immanent attack from Assyria. In the face of adversity, they do as so many of us do, and they turn to their own devices: they seek help from their southern neighbor, Egypt.
The chapter starts with this challenge: “Woe to the obstinate children… to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.” The Lord is warning them of the destruction that awaits them as they turn from God to their own devices. It is a warning that we all face daily in the ways that we run from the God who offers us deliverance from the obstacles that we face in our lives: the suffering, the pain, the frustrations, the anger, etc. We are the obstinate children, who, like the Israelites, have such a longing for safety and security that we know that we need, but who do not find rest and peace in God, and so we run to our devices to ease the pain.
But, there’s an interesting twist in verse 23, when God speaks and says that he gives us the bread of affliction and the water of suffering. Now, I must admit, I was terribly troubled when I read this. Does this mean that a lot of the suffering that we endure is actually given to us by the hand of God? Well, knowing that this thought is borderline heretical, let me explain as such: while God does not create suffering, he allows it for our own good.
The fact is that we live in a world that is not as it was intended to be. There is evil in our world that causes things like cancer, genocide, and war. This is not in God’s original design, but rather is the result of sin that entered the world when Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden, and thus became the first ones to run from God’s intention and care. We’ve been following in their footsteps ever since. And God allows us to run just far enough that we will find ourselves in a position where we will want to turn back to Him. It is for our own good.
And so, when we face the trials that are sure to come as part of living in a fallen world, it is imperative that we turn toward Jesus and trust in Him. Our natural reaction is to take matters into our own hands, but just as Jesus stood waiting for us the first time we turned to Him, he still waits for us with open arms to rescue and deliver us from the pains that we are facing…if we would just turn to Him instead of running from Him.
This is the message that our church needed to hear, and it is probably the message that we could all stand to hear on a daily basis.
And so, please take this as an invitation to remember what it was like when you first encountered the Gospel, that sweet feeling of relief to know that the Savior was waiting for you to turn to Him and welcome you home. And turn back to Him again and again as you encounter the temptation to run to the many vices that offer us a sense of security, when the only true hope for peace is in the redeeming arms of our Lord.
May He bless you as you turn,
Josh Cook
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Me Preaching!
So, here's a couple pics of me being fairly animated while preaching at Scum...enjoy!
It was my first time in the new building!
You can hear the sermon here
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
October newsletter
Dear friend,
As I write this letter, we are just a couple of days away from our first service in our new building, so there is a mad rush to try to get everything together, or at least operational, for our first meeting. Inside the sanctuary is a sign left by the previous owner that reads, ‘Chaos is necessary, but cannot be scheduled.’ That is pretty reflective of this week for all of us.
Also, as I write this letter, we owe less than $30,000 on the building. From a church with an annual budget of just over $100,000/year, this is a miracle! Your gifts have been such a measure of grace to us, and we believe that we are going to be debt free by the end of the year. Now there are several projects that we need to do in the building to make it more functional, including a sprinkler system, more bathrooms, finishing out the basement with an egress stairway and window, and a commercial kitchen so that we might be able to prepare meals here for 200 people. And I believe that as God has provided the money for the building, he will continue to provide for our needs!
But, raising money for the church has put a strain on the staff accounts. Currently, several members of staff are underfunded, and as I noted in my last newsletter, I have been underfunded for the past two months. Additionally, I have not been able to expense my pastoral allowance, insurance, or cell phone since March, so things have been a little tight. I am hoping to go to Texas in October to do some fundraising, so please remember me in your prayers in this endeavor.
All that said, though, life in ministry is going well. I was able to take a few days off last week to get away to the mountains and enjoy the turning of the aspens. The hills are all shades of red, orange, and yellow. It is quite spectacular. And it was a much-needed respite after everything that has happened with the zoning and the building.
And as things with the building begin to smooth out, I am able to spend more time in pastoral ministry, which is where my heart lies. We will begin a new small group this week on a book entitled UnChristian: What a New Generation thinks about Christianity…And Why It Matters. It is a study on 6 principles discovered by researchers about what people outside the church in my generation think about the church. It gives practical steps toward bringing about dialogue with them. It is my hope that this will spur our church on toward a missional perspective, especially as we move into our new building and encounter a new population.
I am also working on guidelines for ‘Groups of 3’ which would be small groups for guys. There would be no leader, but each member would be responsible for preparing for the study. It has been my conviction recently that the guys at the church need something to spur them on toward growth and maturity, and by sitting under the teaching of someone, they are losing this opportunity to provide for themselves and each other spiritually. I must admit, I am nervous about this, as it might fail miserably, or even in part, but I feel that it is necessary for the maturation of the guys here at Scum. And as they grow in their maturity, the Kingdom of God will advance in our city.
And lastly, I am hoping to start another small group that brews beer and studies the miracles of Jesus (like turning water into wine, or malt, hops, yeast, and water into beer). I have been brewing for a couple of years ago, and have recently been brewing quite a bit of beer. I have found that it is an incredible opportunity to bring people together, and people are extremely excited about it! And so, as we brew beer (about 4 weeks), we would have an opportunity to discuss the miracles of Jesus, and how that relates to our present lives. Also, once it is finished, we can have a tasting, which would be an incredible opportunity for outreach!
And this is the stuff that gets me out of bed in the morning: seeing how our lives are changed and shaped by God, and how we might be agents of that change in others’ lives around us.
As I write this letter, we are just a couple of days away from our first service in our new building, so there is a mad rush to try to get everything together, or at least operational, for our first meeting. Inside the sanctuary is a sign left by the previous owner that reads, ‘Chaos is necessary, but cannot be scheduled.’ That is pretty reflective of this week for all of us.
Also, as I write this letter, we owe less than $30,000 on the building. From a church with an annual budget of just over $100,000/year, this is a miracle! Your gifts have been such a measure of grace to us, and we believe that we are going to be debt free by the end of the year. Now there are several projects that we need to do in the building to make it more functional, including a sprinkler system, more bathrooms, finishing out the basement with an egress stairway and window, and a commercial kitchen so that we might be able to prepare meals here for 200 people. And I believe that as God has provided the money for the building, he will continue to provide for our needs!
But, raising money for the church has put a strain on the staff accounts. Currently, several members of staff are underfunded, and as I noted in my last newsletter, I have been underfunded for the past two months. Additionally, I have not been able to expense my pastoral allowance, insurance, or cell phone since March, so things have been a little tight. I am hoping to go to Texas in October to do some fundraising, so please remember me in your prayers in this endeavor.
All that said, though, life in ministry is going well. I was able to take a few days off last week to get away to the mountains and enjoy the turning of the aspens. The hills are all shades of red, orange, and yellow. It is quite spectacular. And it was a much-needed respite after everything that has happened with the zoning and the building.
And as things with the building begin to smooth out, I am able to spend more time in pastoral ministry, which is where my heart lies. We will begin a new small group this week on a book entitled UnChristian: What a New Generation thinks about Christianity…And Why It Matters. It is a study on 6 principles discovered by researchers about what people outside the church in my generation think about the church. It gives practical steps toward bringing about dialogue with them. It is my hope that this will spur our church on toward a missional perspective, especially as we move into our new building and encounter a new population.
I am also working on guidelines for ‘Groups of 3’ which would be small groups for guys. There would be no leader, but each member would be responsible for preparing for the study. It has been my conviction recently that the guys at the church need something to spur them on toward growth and maturity, and by sitting under the teaching of someone, they are losing this opportunity to provide for themselves and each other spiritually. I must admit, I am nervous about this, as it might fail miserably, or even in part, but I feel that it is necessary for the maturation of the guys here at Scum. And as they grow in their maturity, the Kingdom of God will advance in our city.
And lastly, I am hoping to start another small group that brews beer and studies the miracles of Jesus (like turning water into wine, or malt, hops, yeast, and water into beer). I have been brewing for a couple of years ago, and have recently been brewing quite a bit of beer. I have found that it is an incredible opportunity to bring people together, and people are extremely excited about it! And so, as we brew beer (about 4 weeks), we would have an opportunity to discuss the miracles of Jesus, and how that relates to our present lives. Also, once it is finished, we can have a tasting, which would be an incredible opportunity for outreach!
And this is the stuff that gets me out of bed in the morning: seeing how our lives are changed and shaped by God, and how we might be agents of that change in others’ lives around us.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Exhausted
So, this week is a community meeting for the neighborhood the new building is in...basically take a normal 50 hour work week and add some more...
And couple that with the feeling that everyone's lives around me are falling apart, and it's been an exhausting month. That God for fly fishing!
And couple that with the feeling that everyone's lives around me are falling apart, and it's been an exhausting month. That God for fly fishing!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Building Update
Hi, Everybody!
A few of you have asked for an update on the Scum of the Earth Church building situation, so here it is (succinctly):
1. We have raised close to $400K in four weeks by the grace of almighty God.
2. A group of Christian businessmen has given us a bridge loan of $250K for 90 days. This provides us the gift of more time to raise the remaining funds. If we don't raise it, we may have to sell the building, however.
3. We close the sale on Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM!
4. We have zoning issues. Although the building has been a church/community center for 120 years and had been "grandfathered" into zoning requirements, the last ten years have been as a single-unit dwelling. We now have to go through all the rigamarole to get a variance for modern parking requirements, etc., in order bring it back to use as a church. The first Zoning Board meeting that we could get into is September 9th.
5. As a result, we cannot use the building for large worship gatherings until the zoning comes through. For more details, please listen to the last two Sunday messages and the "Building Campaign Announcement" here
Thanks to all of you who have been a part of this with us!
By amazing grace,
Mike
A few of you have asked for an update on the Scum of the Earth Church building situation, so here it is (succinctly):
1. We have raised close to $400K in four weeks by the grace of almighty God.
2. A group of Christian businessmen has given us a bridge loan of $250K for 90 days. This provides us the gift of more time to raise the remaining funds. If we don't raise it, we may have to sell the building, however.
3. We close the sale on Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM!
4. We have zoning issues. Although the building has been a church/community center for 120 years and had been "grandfathered" into zoning requirements, the last ten years have been as a single-unit dwelling. We now have to go through all the rigamarole to get a variance for modern parking requirements, etc., in order bring it back to use as a church. The first Zoning Board meeting that we could get into is September 9th.
5. As a result, we cannot use the building for large worship gatherings until the zoning comes through. For more details, please listen to the last two Sunday messages and the "Building Campaign Announcement" here
Thanks to all of you who have been a part of this with us!
By amazing grace,
Mike
The Gospel
So, Monday night I went to go see Shane Claiborne, the author of Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President, speak at a local church. He is a passionate speaker, who is wildly in love with Jesus.
In the process, I heard several things caught my ear, and was both encouraged and discouraged all at once. I was encouraged, because they spoke of change and the vividness of the Gospel. They talked about how God is still in the business of changing people's lives through the work of Jesus on the Cross. And how that work brings about holistic change.
But I was equally discouraged that I have lost some of this excitement in my own life. Over the past four years at Scum, a couple of rough summers in Glasgow, working with people with various addictions, and a seminary education that can act to sap anybody's faith, I have found that while my belief in the power of the Gospel hasn't waned, it has been tempered by experiences.
And so I've spent significant amount of times trying to understand the miraculous effect of the Good News on the lives of those around me, as well as its impact on my own life. I've tried to understand what healing is and isn't, only to come to understand that a healing God is One who loves us enough to allow us to wrestle with Him as part of the process of healing. Wrestling with God heals our pride, our self-centeredness, our selfishness, and our self-idolizing. It's the painful part of the process, but it's a good One. One that is transformative and healing. God's Gospel is changing lives all around me (and mine as well) in a way that is keeping with His patience and grace, so that the transformation will be lasting and effective.
So, may the power of the Gospel be ever with you!
Our Father, we have listened to thy word, and loved it; we have found comfort and inspiration in song and psalter; we have enjoyed the companionship of those who, with kindred minds and hearts, have praised and worshiped thee. Now help us to understand that, as we leave this sacred House of God, we shall become thy Church in the street.
In the process, I heard several things caught my ear, and was both encouraged and discouraged all at once. I was encouraged, because they spoke of change and the vividness of the Gospel. They talked about how God is still in the business of changing people's lives through the work of Jesus on the Cross. And how that work brings about holistic change.
But I was equally discouraged that I have lost some of this excitement in my own life. Over the past four years at Scum, a couple of rough summers in Glasgow, working with people with various addictions, and a seminary education that can act to sap anybody's faith, I have found that while my belief in the power of the Gospel hasn't waned, it has been tempered by experiences.
And so I've spent significant amount of times trying to understand the miraculous effect of the Good News on the lives of those around me, as well as its impact on my own life. I've tried to understand what healing is and isn't, only to come to understand that a healing God is One who loves us enough to allow us to wrestle with Him as part of the process of healing. Wrestling with God heals our pride, our self-centeredness, our selfishness, and our self-idolizing. It's the painful part of the process, but it's a good One. One that is transformative and healing. God's Gospel is changing lives all around me (and mine as well) in a way that is keeping with His patience and grace, so that the transformation will be lasting and effective.
So, may the power of the Gospel be ever with you!
Our Father, we have listened to thy word, and loved it; we have found comfort and inspiration in song and psalter; we have enjoyed the companionship of those who, with kindred minds and hearts, have praised and worshiped thee. Now help us to understand that, as we leave this sacred House of God, we shall become thy Church in the street.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Camping
So,
I decided that this weekend, after a LONG month, would be a great time to go camping. We ended up going down to Lost Creek Wilderness, about one hour south of Denver. It'd been quite a long time since I had gotten out of the city, so I was pretty stoked.
My buddies Keith, Jeremy, and Nick all traveled along. We did the basic car camping thing, where you pull up to a primitive space (i.e. no electricity or toilets), set up a couple of tents, built a fire (that withstood two rain storms), pulled the cooler out and had a great time. There's little in life better than cold beer, hot dogs, and good conversation.
We decided later in the night that Keith, Jeremy, and myself would share my two man tent (yes, three grown men in a two man tent). We inflated Jeremy's twin size air mattress, which took up well over half of the tent. In the end, Keith and I shared a the air mattress (yes, two grown men on a twin mattress), and Jeremy slept curled up in the corner. It was a tight fit, but we got along okay.
This morning we got up and made egg and bacon sandwiches. Then I got to take a little bit of time and go for a walk and pray.
Here was the key to the whole experience for me: presence. You see, I realized a couple of weeks ago that I sincerely struggle with being present in any one place at any one time. I am constantly thinking about where else I need to be. I feel pretty drained most of the time because my life is lived 30 minutes in advance, if that makes sense. Last night was a great opportunity to take periodic moments to realize that I was only in that place. There were no meeting to run to, no one demanding anything of me, no deadline that needed to be met. It was only that moment.
I have found that this is a struggle even in my time with Jesus. I have started a practice of keeping a journal with me while praying to make a to do list...a list of things that come to mind. As I write them down, I am able to let go of them. It is an incredibly liberating experience to just be where I am...and to enjoy Jesus' presence with me.
And this weekend was a great opportunity to rediscover that. Go forth and enjoy the presence of Jesus...
I decided that this weekend, after a LONG month, would be a great time to go camping. We ended up going down to Lost Creek Wilderness, about one hour south of Denver. It'd been quite a long time since I had gotten out of the city, so I was pretty stoked.
My buddies Keith, Jeremy, and Nick all traveled along. We did the basic car camping thing, where you pull up to a primitive space (i.e. no electricity or toilets), set up a couple of tents, built a fire (that withstood two rain storms), pulled the cooler out and had a great time. There's little in life better than cold beer, hot dogs, and good conversation.
We decided later in the night that Keith, Jeremy, and myself would share my two man tent (yes, three grown men in a two man tent). We inflated Jeremy's twin size air mattress, which took up well over half of the tent. In the end, Keith and I shared a the air mattress (yes, two grown men on a twin mattress), and Jeremy slept curled up in the corner. It was a tight fit, but we got along okay.
This morning we got up and made egg and bacon sandwiches. Then I got to take a little bit of time and go for a walk and pray.
Here was the key to the whole experience for me: presence. You see, I realized a couple of weeks ago that I sincerely struggle with being present in any one place at any one time. I am constantly thinking about where else I need to be. I feel pretty drained most of the time because my life is lived 30 minutes in advance, if that makes sense. Last night was a great opportunity to take periodic moments to realize that I was only in that place. There were no meeting to run to, no one demanding anything of me, no deadline that needed to be met. It was only that moment.
I have found that this is a struggle even in my time with Jesus. I have started a practice of keeping a journal with me while praying to make a to do list...a list of things that come to mind. As I write them down, I am able to let go of them. It is an incredibly liberating experience to just be where I am...and to enjoy Jesus' presence with me.
And this weekend was a great opportunity to rediscover that. Go forth and enjoy the presence of Jesus...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Hey
So, I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but things have been BUSY here. Just wanted to take a minute and let you know that we are going to close on the building on Friday...Praise be to God
Monday, June 2, 2008
They accepted!
Yes, it's true, the real estate company accepted Scum's offer for $625K on the building at 935 W. 11th. Now, we just have to come up with the money.
But, thanks be to God, we are already 1/3 of the way there! We had already raised $100K from 2 years prior, and then we had a church give us $50K and then a private investor who partnered with the LLC for another $50K. So that totals 200K, which means in a week's time we raised 1/3 of the money.
We still have a long way to go, so please continue to pray with us. Thank you for all that you do!
But, thanks be to God, we are already 1/3 of the way there! We had already raised $100K from 2 years prior, and then we had a church give us $50K and then a private investor who partnered with the LLC for another $50K. So that totals 200K, which means in a week's time we raised 1/3 of the money.
We still have a long way to go, so please continue to pray with us. Thank you for all that you do!
Monday, May 26, 2008
New Home
Here's a flyer for our new church home we're trying to get
you can see more pictures here
We're trying to raise $600,000 for the building. I know it's quite the task, but I trust that God is still in the business of doing miracles!
WE FOUND A BUILDING!!!
That’s right! Scum has found a place to call home! Where? 935 W. 11th Ave, on the southwest edge of downtown Denver in the heart of the arts district and a mere four blocks from thousands of college students on the Auraria campus. It is an old brick church with a long and storied history, originally built in 1881, and most recently renovated (interior, plumbing, electric, roof) and used as a studio/residence by a local artist. Never before had we seen anything that fit our personality so well – a classic brick façade paired with a quirky, artistic interior, an historic place of worship with a creative flair. Finally, a place where we can see our hopes and dreams come true! 935 W. 11th Ave is the first place we’ve seen that has given all our staff and board members that “this is the one” feeling when viewed in person; it is the same feeling many of us had when we met the one we wanted to marry or walked into the house for sale that would soon become our future home. Do you know that feeling? Isn’t it great?! Needless to say, we are extremely excited and feel that our prayers have been answered. What’s more, we feel that God is excited to see this former house of worship reclaimed for His kingdom.
Here’s the catch – the building is selling for $650,000, has been on the market for two years, is in foreclosure, and has already entered a 60 day notice of public auction which ends on July 3rd. Scum is going to put in an offer of $625,000 contingent upon our ability to secure financing by June 27th. Time is of the essence, to say the least. Through diligent fundraising efforts, the church has raised $100,000 toward purchasing its own facility. However, Scum does not have sufficient resources to obtain a real estate loan through conventional lending institutions. We are seeking to raise enough money to purchase the building outright as well as establish a small reserve fund for renovations and ongoing maintenance. Therefore, in addition to the $100,000 we already have, we need to raise $600,000 by June 27th.
We fully realize that pulling this off will take a miracle. In fact, that is what we expect to happen. We’re praying for it. As friends of Scum who have already helped us out so much, please know that we deeply appreciate you and realize that we would not be in the position we are today without your generosity. We hope that you will continue to partner prayerfully and financially with Scum of the Earth Church in this exciting moment as well as the days to come.
How can you help? We need two things – prayer and money. We may be looking for donations of labor or materials in the future, but at this point we just want to get in the door. At a bare minimum we can begin holding services there and can then develop a long-term plan for fully utilizing the space.
Join us in praying for a miracle. This is something our board members, staff, lay leadership, and congregation are committed to doing over the next month. We want to be incredibly sensitive to what the Holy Spirit has to say, especially since emotions and stress may be running high.
Sponsor square feet. With 5,541 finished and 2,325 unfinished square feet, the cost of the building comes out to about $80 per square foot. Would you be willing to sponsor one or more square feet? You can:
· Mail a check to Scum of the Earth Church. PO Box 101808. Denver, CO 80205. Please make all checks out to Scum of the Earth Church and write “Building” in the memo line.
· Donate online at www.scumoftheearth.net. Follow the donation link on the main page.
· Donate stock. This can be a great strategy for avoiding that nasty capital gains tax.
Get creative! Contact friends and family and hold an impromptu fundraising dinner – we can provide you with materials. Sell some old cds or dvds. Auction off that old record player on Ebay or Craig’s List (I know of one donor who actually sold an old guitar and gave the cash to the Scum building fund). Collect loose change around the home or the office. Whatever.
Pass this email on to anyone you can think of!
What happens if we don’t reach our goal in time? We desire to honor your intentions in helping us obtain this specific property. Scum of the Earth Church will hold all donations in an special account until June 27th. If we fall short, we will contact you to ask if you would your donation to fund our ongoing efforts to find a home or if you would like it returned.
Thank you for your time and consideration. As always, feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas.
Feel free to check out more pictures of the place here.
Peace be with you,
Timothy Dunbar
Administrative Pastor
Scum of the Earth Church
720.810.0575
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Grieving Heart
When I was five years old, the oldest daughter of the family next door committed suicide. Her death was traumatizing to the whole neighborhood, and her family was devastated.
The mother later published a story of how our relationship developed over the following months. In the story, she recounted how I would go by and sit with her, comfort her, and speak tenderly toward her. At one point, I put on a coon skin cap and a stethoscope and told her I was a country doctor who had come to care for her.
I write this not as a self-aggrandizing statement, but more to show that God has created me to care for people as a pastor and a friend. He has enabled me to, for the time being, do that at Scum of the Earth Church, a gift that I am (mostly) grateful for.
But it is part of who I am, a very large and definitive part.
The problem, though, is that in caring well for others, I oftentimes find myself overwhelmed. It is a necessary part of empathy that enables a pastor to enter into the pain of another person. But it can be crushing at the same time. Not in a co-dependent way wherein an unhealthy attachment is made, but more in a 'Jesus please come back and bring your healing power' sort of way.
As I seek to detach myself from the situation, I understand that there is a necessary part that requires an attachment to be able to pastor a person through the waves of life.
The place of resolution has been the constant reminder that I give myself: It is God who brings about healing, not me. I am not the Savior!
And to see the redemption that God has brought (and is bringing) in my own life gives me hope that this will all come to resolution as we submit ourselves to Him and look toward the Cross. It is this hope that brings about hope and rest in the midst of turmoil.
And it is this hope that sustains us. May we all find the peace of Christ in our lives as we walk through suffering with those whom we love.
The mother later published a story of how our relationship developed over the following months. In the story, she recounted how I would go by and sit with her, comfort her, and speak tenderly toward her. At one point, I put on a coon skin cap and a stethoscope and told her I was a country doctor who had come to care for her.
I write this not as a self-aggrandizing statement, but more to show that God has created me to care for people as a pastor and a friend. He has enabled me to, for the time being, do that at Scum of the Earth Church, a gift that I am (mostly) grateful for.
But it is part of who I am, a very large and definitive part.
The problem, though, is that in caring well for others, I oftentimes find myself overwhelmed. It is a necessary part of empathy that enables a pastor to enter into the pain of another person. But it can be crushing at the same time. Not in a co-dependent way wherein an unhealthy attachment is made, but more in a 'Jesus please come back and bring your healing power' sort of way.
As I seek to detach myself from the situation, I understand that there is a necessary part that requires an attachment to be able to pastor a person through the waves of life.
The place of resolution has been the constant reminder that I give myself: It is God who brings about healing, not me. I am not the Savior!
And to see the redemption that God has brought (and is bringing) in my own life gives me hope that this will all come to resolution as we submit ourselves to Him and look toward the Cross. It is this hope that brings about hope and rest in the midst of turmoil.
And it is this hope that sustains us. May we all find the peace of Christ in our lives as we walk through suffering with those whom we love.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Dirty, Homeless, and Ugly
So, I saw a homeless man with a cardboard sign that read, "I'm Dirty, Homeless, and Ugly. Anything helps." It's one of those signs that makes me wince a bit, because it is so untrue to how God sees this man, and because it is the true picture of how the man sees himself. And it is probably how many of the people who drive by him see him as well.
Another reason this sign is so problematic for me is that it seems somewhat reflective of how I have seen myself recently. Not that I am dirty, or homeless (but maybe ugly...your call). But I am in the process of understanding the phrase, "Anything helps."
Recently my support balance dropped significantly, and I have had to ask supporters to increase their giving. It's not the easiest thing in the world, and is quite humbling if the truth be told. But I know that God is working through that process in me to bring me to a place of greater reliance in Him. And by raising support, I know that I am offering my supporters (through prayer and financial giving) to partner with God in the ministry of Scum of the Earth Church.
Additionally, I've had to learn to ask for more help in other areas of my life. As I have been working through some of my own relational stuff, I have begun to realize how hard it is for me in most areas of life to ask for help. I am quick to offer help to someone else, to listen to another person's problems, and to walk in empathy with a friend, but I am somewhat incapable of asking for assistance myself. Because in many ways, I think that by asking for help, receiving a relational hand-out, means that I am Dirty, Homeless, and Ugly.
But in reality, that is not how God sees it. God has placed us all in the community of the Church to allow us to bear one another's burdens. And being in a place of need puts us firmly at the foot of the Cross. And it is there that we, oftentimes through the care of others, encounter the Gospel that is Good News to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and release for the oppressed.
May I trust enough in those who God has provided to care for me that my own independence is lost in the cause of interdepence. Anything helps!
Another reason this sign is so problematic for me is that it seems somewhat reflective of how I have seen myself recently. Not that I am dirty, or homeless (but maybe ugly...your call). But I am in the process of understanding the phrase, "Anything helps."
Recently my support balance dropped significantly, and I have had to ask supporters to increase their giving. It's not the easiest thing in the world, and is quite humbling if the truth be told. But I know that God is working through that process in me to bring me to a place of greater reliance in Him. And by raising support, I know that I am offering my supporters (through prayer and financial giving) to partner with God in the ministry of Scum of the Earth Church.
Additionally, I've had to learn to ask for more help in other areas of my life. As I have been working through some of my own relational stuff, I have begun to realize how hard it is for me in most areas of life to ask for help. I am quick to offer help to someone else, to listen to another person's problems, and to walk in empathy with a friend, but I am somewhat incapable of asking for assistance myself. Because in many ways, I think that by asking for help, receiving a relational hand-out, means that I am Dirty, Homeless, and Ugly.
But in reality, that is not how God sees it. God has placed us all in the community of the Church to allow us to bear one another's burdens. And being in a place of need puts us firmly at the foot of the Cross. And it is there that we, oftentimes through the care of others, encounter the Gospel that is Good News to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and release for the oppressed.
May I trust enough in those who God has provided to care for me that my own independence is lost in the cause of interdepence. Anything helps!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Never say good things can't happen
So, I have recently developed a friendship with a Lutheran Vicar, Nadia, who pastors a church called House for all Sinners and Saints. We come from VERY different theological (and therefore) practical perspectives, but through our friendship God has shown Himself bigger than our meager understanding of him.
Nadia is writing a book that everyone should own, entitled Salvation on the Small Screen. In it, she chronicles 24 consecutive hours of Trinity Broadcasting Network, and keeps a running total of how much you would need to spend if you bought all the stuff they pawned off on you each hour.
Over our friendship, we have learned much from each other, and have been mutually encouraged by one another. I was honored that she has chosen to write about me in her last chapter. Here is the excerpt:
Something has happened over the last few months of writing this book that is so beautiful, and nothing I would ever have anticipated: I have a wonderful new friendship with an evangelical pastor. I'm certain this would not have happened even a year ago, but rather than my recent exposure to the "other Christians" serving to further entrench me in my progressive Christian ghetto, it has made me more open to my Christian neighbors so to speak. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps this is due to the fact that I've been forced in the process of criticizing TBN to also look closely at the holes in my own tradition. Anyway, I now have an evangelical friend. He's even the pastor of a church I wrote a heavily mixed review about on my blog, and he still wants to be my friend, which makes me feel even worse in only the way true grace can. He began to show up to the monthly Theology Pub I hostess. Having just graduated from a very conservative seminary, I like to think he comes because he's never actually heard good theology before and he secretly loves it. I'm certain he has an entirely different explanation. The point is that we have become friends. Recently we met to discuss a sermon he was working on the concerned suffering and the cross. I came with a few pages of notes on Luther's Theology of the Cross which he genuinely found intriguing if not helpful. As the discussion continued he mentioned that he was wanting to use a particular passage in Colossians "where Paul was trying to say…" I stopped him. "You know" I offered "that we don't really think Paul wrote Colossians". "Neither do we" he countered "We think God did". We laughed. Hard. And after high-fiveing each other we went on with our conversation. It was so beautiful.
Another time when I was struggling with a particularly unattractive personality defect (let's just call it sin), I didn't think of my Lutheran friends, I thought, I want a good solid evangelical to pray with me, and voila! Josh to the spiritual rescue.
I think in the end Josh and I are able to acknowledge that both of our traditions are inadequate and have found that our friendship helps us both make up for a little part of that inadequacy.
My full immersion into the world of TBN and a Christianity that can seem like it's from another planet entirely, has, rather than strengthening my confidence in the sufficiency of my own Lutheran tradition has actually weakened it. I see the holes.
God is good, isn't He? My friend, Nadia, I am incredibly grateful for you. Keep up His Good Work.
Nadia is writing a book that everyone should own, entitled Salvation on the Small Screen. In it, she chronicles 24 consecutive hours of Trinity Broadcasting Network, and keeps a running total of how much you would need to spend if you bought all the stuff they pawned off on you each hour.
Over our friendship, we have learned much from each other, and have been mutually encouraged by one another. I was honored that she has chosen to write about me in her last chapter. Here is the excerpt:
Something has happened over the last few months of writing this book that is so beautiful, and nothing I would ever have anticipated: I have a wonderful new friendship with an evangelical pastor. I'm certain this would not have happened even a year ago, but rather than my recent exposure to the "other Christians" serving to further entrench me in my progressive Christian ghetto, it has made me more open to my Christian neighbors so to speak. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps this is due to the fact that I've been forced in the process of criticizing TBN to also look closely at the holes in my own tradition. Anyway, I now have an evangelical friend. He's even the pastor of a church I wrote a heavily mixed review about on my blog, and he still wants to be my friend, which makes me feel even worse in only the way true grace can. He began to show up to the monthly Theology Pub I hostess. Having just graduated from a very conservative seminary, I like to think he comes because he's never actually heard good theology before and he secretly loves it. I'm certain he has an entirely different explanation. The point is that we have become friends. Recently we met to discuss a sermon he was working on the concerned suffering and the cross. I came with a few pages of notes on Luther's Theology of the Cross which he genuinely found intriguing if not helpful. As the discussion continued he mentioned that he was wanting to use a particular passage in Colossians "where Paul was trying to say…" I stopped him. "You know" I offered "that we don't really think Paul wrote Colossians". "Neither do we" he countered "We think God did". We laughed. Hard. And after high-fiveing each other we went on with our conversation. It was so beautiful.
Another time when I was struggling with a particularly unattractive personality defect (let's just call it sin), I didn't think of my Lutheran friends, I thought, I want a good solid evangelical to pray with me, and voila! Josh to the spiritual rescue.
I think in the end Josh and I are able to acknowledge that both of our traditions are inadequate and have found that our friendship helps us both make up for a little part of that inadequacy.
My full immersion into the world of TBN and a Christianity that can seem like it's from another planet entirely, has, rather than strengthening my confidence in the sufficiency of my own Lutheran tradition has actually weakened it. I see the holes.
God is good, isn't He? My friend, Nadia, I am incredibly grateful for you. Keep up His Good Work.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Presence
So, one of the things that I long for in my work is the ministry of presence: the ability to be fully where I am at all times.
I know this is a difficult task for me, as I find that the more busy I am, and the more things I have on my mind, the less likely I am to be able to be where I am at that moment. It is a reality that my mind tends to wander to any number of other things that I know must get done, and this is not alright.
In his book, The Rest of God, Mark Buchannan notes that taking a sabbath is ultimately choosing to realize for one day that we are not God. The entire world around us does not depend on our ability to hold it in place. Rather, we are merely a player in a cosmic masterpiece. We are not the authors or composers or directors.
Christ, when he walked the earth, had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was in the process of reconciling the creation to the Creator. In His work rests the entirety of redemption and salvation. He is God.
Yet we see Him rest. And we see Him recline at tables with sinners and tax collectors. And we see Him present with others, as those who were directly in front of Him were the most pressing need He needed to address. His presence was redemption.
May this be a day of presence for us as we realize that Christ invites us to rest in His redemption as we partner in His work.
I know this is a difficult task for me, as I find that the more busy I am, and the more things I have on my mind, the less likely I am to be able to be where I am at that moment. It is a reality that my mind tends to wander to any number of other things that I know must get done, and this is not alright.
In his book, The Rest of God, Mark Buchannan notes that taking a sabbath is ultimately choosing to realize for one day that we are not God. The entire world around us does not depend on our ability to hold it in place. Rather, we are merely a player in a cosmic masterpiece. We are not the authors or composers or directors.
Christ, when he walked the earth, had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was in the process of reconciling the creation to the Creator. In His work rests the entirety of redemption and salvation. He is God.
Yet we see Him rest. And we see Him recline at tables with sinners and tax collectors. And we see Him present with others, as those who were directly in front of Him were the most pressing need He needed to address. His presence was redemption.
May this be a day of presence for us as we realize that Christ invites us to rest in His redemption as we partner in His work.
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