Tag Archives: God

Midday Prayer: Forgiveness and Celebration

Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes) Scripture Reading – Luke 6:12-18 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles…(Then) he went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there…who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Devotional After being in solitude all evening, Jesus chooses the Twelve and forms a community. Henri Nouwen notes that two disciplines make community possible: forgiveness and celebration. He writes: “Forgiveness is to allow the other person not to be God. Forgiveness says, ” I know you love me,. Read more.

Midday Prayer: Christ in the Storm

Silence, Stillness and Centering (2 min) Scripture Reading -Mark 4:35-39 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Devotional When life becomes chaotic, we often begin to doubt God’s presence with us. Look carefully at Rembrandt’s painting below. (You may want to enlarge it or search find the painting on the internet to print off). Jesus is on. Read more.

Succession and New Beginnings

The center of Christianity is endings and new beginnings, death and resurrection, leaving and launching into new unknowns. I have written and preached it. Now I am living it in a new way. Tonight is the Celebration of our 26 years at New Life Fellowship Church. This Sunday I preach my final message as Senior Pastor on “Lessons Learned in 26 Years at NLF.” I then officially transition to a new role within New Life under the new leadership (i.e. Rich Villodas and the Elder Board) on October 6th. I am continually asked by leaders around the country: “Really, Pete, how are you?” My answer: “I am thrilled and excited beyond words. I could never have imagined such a gift. Yes. I have some normal apprehensions, but this has been one of the highlights of my life. I would recommend it to every senior pastor!” This is the culmination of a 4½ year succession process.. Read more.

Is Evangelicalism Exhausted?

This question was uttered by Gordon MacDonald during a recent leadership meeting at New Life. It has caused me to wonder also: “Might it be true?” He noted three things: Society is unraveling and evangelicalism has few answers. Research studies, like Reveal, seem to confirm that mega-churches do no grow deep Christians. Those who do go “deeper” with Christ often leave. 80% of the quotes in evangelical books are from outside our tradition, i.e. from Roman Catholics and the Orthodox believers. Consider also the following data coming out of recent research studies: Studies by several different organizations suggest that about half of men attending church are involved in pornography (Genung, 2005). A significant minority of self-identified born-again Christians, particularly those under 35, has cohabited, and divorce rates are just as high among born-again Christians as among other groups (Barna Research Group, 2001). An estimated 8 out of 10 youth from evangelical Christian homes walk. Read more.

Heaven — a Great Lake of Beer

While few people in Western culture, including Christian leaders, think much of heaven, Scripture calls us to set our hearts and minds on things above (Col.3:1-3). Heaven as “a great lake of beer” is Bridgid of Irelands’ (451-524) attempt to describe the bliss and fulfillment that awaits us when we see Him face to face. One of my great learning curves the last few years is how foundational this is for the leadership we offer our churches. The following is my summary of Thomas Aquinas’ excellent description of heaven and how it is meant to inform our daily lives. Take a few minutes to prayerfully ponder his insights. When you taste God, there is nothing else to wish for. God’s love for us is both eros and agape – i.e., passionate, ecstatic, and joyful, as well as loyal and faithful. Your human soul was built for a joy the world can’t offer you. You. Read more.

Earthquakes and Transformation (Pilgrimage Reflection 5)

Last week, Geri and I found spent 2 nights in Christchurch, NZ in the midst of a neighborhood devastated by the earthquake of Feb. 11, 2011. People talked about their losses at our conference much like we did in NYC after 9/11. 9/11 didn’t transform us as the church in NYC – long term. Why? I don’t believe we allowed God’s gift of losses to do its deep work in our soul. The following is an adaptation from The Emotionally Healthy Church: Updated and Revised, 2010. I lay it out here for my new friends in New Zealand as well as a pause for all pastors and leaders who are reading this today. Biblical grieving has three phases: 1. Phase 1: Pay Attention Deeply. The ancient Hebrews physically expressed their laments by tearing their clothes and utilizing sackcloth and ashes. During Noah’s generation, Scripture indicates God was grieved about the state of humanity (Gen. 6).. Read more.

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