Are You Dancing?

God’s story intersecting our story is good news and yet it is just the gate, the beginning of a trail of the journey that lies before us. God rains down three blessings on humans; to feed them like the birds, to dress them like the flowers, and to come along side them as a confidant. Sadly, too many of us take the first two blessings and ignore the last.

Yet at some point on our journey God intersects our lives in big ways giving us insight and helping us to see that life, the one and only life that we live, is constructed to squeeze us into associating with the Creator of the universe. It is almost like the birth process complete with labor pains, sweat, tears, bloody hands, thorny landscape, moments of painful loneliness and questioning, moments filled with heartache and desire. All this leads us to God! Life is the ultimate dance we do. Not so much the living as it is the realizing that it isn’t about us but about God intersecting our lives. So life becomes a dance towards God.

How are your dance steps?

Happy Holidays?

Whatever Happened?

What ever happened to days gone by,
when Christmas wasn’t a crime?
You could say Merry Christmas
and not offend any passer by.

Things have changed and times are moving forward
way too fast.
Now we have to think and look
and ask permission to talk as we pass.

The holidays as I remember
in days not that far gone
Were times of joy and peace and hope
and most everyone got along.

I’m not suggesting that we somehow
turn the clock hands of time back;
Rather let’s ask the questions
of how we can reach out and love people back.

Let’s attack the institution of here and now
and everything must be fair,
Let’s attack the thoughts and ideas of people
that God is an angry bear.

Let’s help people to see
in everything that we say and do
That they matter to us because they matter to God
and we honestly love them through and through.

So my friends let’s stand up
for God’s outrageous and radical love,
Let’s reach out a hand and help someone
and please do not judge.

Let’s through our actions near and far
show love in all we do,
And yes our actions will speak much louder than words,
Merry Christmas to YOU!

Jeff Coon 2005

Why Easter?

The thought just occurred to me, Why Easter? Why do we celebrate Easter? Should we? Is it a waste of time? Is it necessary to celebrate Easter as a Christian?

Since this is my blog, I’ll weigh in on Easter. Easter is the time that most Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Eastern orthodox celebrate it 35 days later. But none the less celebrate it.

The Bible states no reason for or against celebrating Easter or the resurrection of Jesus. Now as a Christian Easter is a big deal. Without the resurrection of Jesus we have NO hope. Now having said that, is it possible to be a Christian and not celebrate Easter?

I think it is not only possible but preferred. Now what I mean by that is; our westernized American celebrations seem to take on so many unintended and less than desirable traditions. That those traditions become the focus of the celebration. Easter is one of those, we celebrate spring and new beginnings and bunnies and colored eggs.

What does that have to do with the resurrection of Christ?

In my opinion, nothing. Just like what does Santa Claus have to do with Christmas. Not St. Nicolas, but Santa Claus. Again, I’d say nothing. Then add to all this what many Christian parents do by having their children believe in the Easter bunny, who brings you a Easter basket filled with candy and goodies. That is terrible, because the parents are telling or encouraging their children to believe in something that isn’t real and can’t be seen. They are lying to their children. Then when the children find out that it was in fact a lie, what could they conclude about Jesus? They believe in him, they can’t see him so maybe he isn’t real either. All this surrounds the resurrection of Jesus. I believe that this is a terrible work of the enemy. Seeking to distract believers from focusing on the real meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

I believe we would be better served if we stopped celebrating Easter and started celebrating Jesus.

I mean celebrate what He has done, is doing and will do. Celebrate that we have a friendship with him and he wants a friendship with you. He loves you and isn’t mad at you. He has a plan for your life and you don’t have to wait to get to heaven to have victory and experience that plan. Maybe we should go back to that simple truth taught in an old Sunday School song; “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

The Church?

THE CHURCH

Matthew 16:18-19 MESS
You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven.

What do you think of when you hear that; The Church?
But more importantly what does it mean to you?
What did God intend for it to be?

I don’t believe that we are even close to being what the church is suppose to be, and I feel crappy because of it. I am a pastor and why aren’t I doing something to turn the church around? I don’t really know what to do. I know what the church is, (the sum total of all people who have a friendship with God), but I just don’t know what to do about it.

I see that the church has become selfish and “us” focused, unless it is talking about the sinners and all their problems. What a farce. We are the sin stained people with the problems. We too are the ones that wrestle with life and junk as well. But not too many church leaders have the balls to talk about it or even admit it. What a sad fact.

And I am not talking about pointing out the worlds sin. I am talking about not pointing the fingers at the secular world and condemning the snot out of them, but rather looking at the log jam of sin in each and every one of our lives, and allowing God to transform us.

The issue isn’t sin, because Christians and pagans sin. The issue isn’t gay marriage or even separation of church and state. The issue is; Are You Willing To Admit Who You Really Are? A guy, a girl, a mom, a dad, a wife, a husband, a son, a daughter, that has the issue of sin running deep in you. And whether you know Jesus or not, that sin will go to the grave in your body.

So who are you really? Me? I’m a 46 year old husband of 26 years, father of two awesome daughters, pastor of a blended church, and yet a human being that struggles with me. I am a happy go lucky guy, but I have terrible sin that runs deep in me.

If you knew what was in my head, or what I’ve done, or how I act sometimes, you not only wouldn’t think I was qualified or spiritual enough to be a pastor, but you wouldn’t want to hang around with me. Having said all that, I know that because of what Jesus did on the cross for me, I am forgiven. But I still remember where I have come from, not so I beat myself up, but so I never ever forget. So I never forget to reach a hand out to someone who is struggling. So I never forget not to judge someone who is in the middle of rebellion and could care less, but that I would love them with the love of Jesus, that is freely given to me, time and time again.

The church needs to become other people focused once again. We need to look at people as the very thing that moves God’s heart. We need to see people as valuable instead of in the way. We need to stop protecting our turf and start loving people. The church that God desires is not a place at all. It is people caring for and loving hurting and lost people. It is a people learning from the older, bringing up the younger, and growing together, knowing that God is in control.
That is the church. A hospital for the sick, a mess hall for the hungry, a resort for the weary, a mountain stream for the thirsty, and a social center for the lonely. The Church! The only place on earth that offers a glimpse of and taste of heaven.

Setting the Record Straight

Well, this is it! I have finally joined the messed up online bloggers. Thanks to my baby brother Craig. Now in doing so I want to set the record straight;

1. My nick name is Offensive Pastor

2. I do fit that nickname, not because I want to purposely offend people, but because I speak the truth and say things that people are thinking and experiencing.

3. I am a Christ follower. I have a friendship with Jesus, but I don't like being called a Christian. Because the label "Christian" has so many negative things associated with it because of the things that the so called christians are doing. Being a christian means you are a reflection of Christ. And most of what I see in christianity is more an example of the pharisees, not Jesus. I am not ashamed of Jesus, but I am ashamed of Christians including myself.

I believe that God calls us to a higher place than where we are.
I believe that when we impose on others the things that God is doing in us, we are wrong.
I believe that God is not concerned with what we eat, drink, wear, say, or do, what He wants is our hearts.
I believe that it isn't my job or anyones else's to change someone's life, let the Holy Spirit do that.
I believe that God is radically in love with all people regardless of whether they are following Him or not. He wants them to come to know Him and experience His love.
I believe that hell is a real place that people who live their lives ignoring God will go to.
I believe that heaven is a place reserved for those trusting in what Jesus did for them on the cross.
I believe that the church is the ONLY hope of the world.
I believe that the church in North America is messed up and off track
I believe that God is still doing things in the North American church
I believe that God has different thoughts on what the church should be doing (Acts 2)
I believe that God's grace rules
I believe you matter to God

So inspite of all this junk, the sin in our lives. In spite of our failure to do what God wants us to do, God still loves us. He is moving us and trying to get each of us to see that life is valuable, that HE is flat out in love with us, no matter what.

So grab onto all that God has for you. Don't settle for second best. Know that you matter to God and HE is STILL and ALWAYS in control.