Perspective Shifts...

In 2001 (I think it was), I began a journey; a scary and adventurous spiritual journey. Questioned everything I had ever been taught and everything I thought I had figured out. I was 23 years old and completely confused, felt pressured and manipulated (at times) to go in certain directions in ministry, at every turn afraid that I was going to make the wrong decision and my life and ministry would be ruined. So one day, at work and at my wits end, I opened up the Word and saw this scripture...

John 6 (NIV)
²⁸Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

At that moment, things cleared up... the weight was lifted from my shoulders... I didn't have to please people any longer. I finally realized that trying to please imperfect people over a perfect God would only lead to hurt and failure. So, that's where it started, I was ready for a perspective shift. Ready indeed!!

Not to long after that I had the opportunity to leave the church (and denomination) I was serving in and move into service at a church in the Birmingham area. I had zero doubt that it was time to move on, but you would have thought I committed some grievous sin. A few folks looked at me with such a look of pity, as if the wondrous work of salvation that had taken place in my life was somehow diminished now... it was like I had been knocked out of some sort of spiritual hierarchy. Even 6 or 7 years later I still get this look of pity... I won't even start on the look when they see the tattoos, hehe!!

So now let me get to the "perspectives" part .....

When I stepped out of the mind-set and thought processes that I had always held onto so tightly that my knuckles were white, ready to fight anyone who brought something a little different to the table. Stepping outside of that I began to see Almighty God in such a more life giving way. It was truly astounding how spending time with other believers from different perspectives began to shape me and strengthen me. Now I look for opportunities to have conversations and build relationships with people from completely different viewpoints on God and spirituality; even those I might completely disagree with on certain subjects.... who knows I might actually learn something in the process.

People are scared, me thinks, of different perspectives. If not, just watch a pentecostal boy (whatever that means)as myself tell people that he helped plant a non-pentecostal church that held services in a bar in downtown Birmingham, and see how the begin to squirm in their shoes and trip all over themselves trying to say something encouraging. People are indeed fearful of different perspectives, I was the c.e.o. of this group for many years of my life. They, just as I was, are afraid because when we look at things from different perspectives, there is a very clear and present danger that we might see fault in our own lives... in our own perspectve. We might see flaws in the very core of our belief system, cracks in the foundation. Cracks that must be mended and fixed, and nobody has to fix anything if they never find a the crack .... much easier that way.... right?

Just my thoughts....

Scattered reflections of Fire and Rain

This is something i found .... wrote this a little over a year ago ... brought back a great memory

"Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone
Susanne the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can't remember who to send it to"

Most of you already know that those are the lyrics to the first verse of one of the best songs ever written, James Taylor's, Fire and Rain. Last weekend I sat on the front deck of Steve's house; Steve, Jessica, Nick and I sat there looking at the stars, playing guitar and singing old songs that we love. Everything from Hank Williams Jr., to Poison, Nick even busted out some old hymns ... it was one of the most enjoyable moments I've had in months, maybe years. As I sat there, I began to reflect on the events in all of our lives that brought us to the very point. That single instance with all of us simply hanging out, enjoying the relationships we've built and continue to build.

There are those of us who have experienced terrible things in life ... Some of us have been lucky and most of our experiences are filled with happiness and joy. The point is we all experience .... regardless ... it forms and tells our story. So my story up until has been defined by the choices and events that have shaped my life.

Which brings me back to the James Taylor song... It's somewhat of a song that morns a friend, refers to his battle with drug addiction, and the fear of fame and fortune. Real events and struggles that had shaped him as a songwriter and ultimately formed one of those songs that singer/songwriters hold in the highest regard.

Sunday, a young man i knew was killed in a plane crash with his family and girlfriend. We had a few classes together in college, we would talk accounting and video games, he is still on my Xbox Live friends list, which seems somehow ironic. We truly do not know what tomorrow holds for us, whether beautiful or tragic. The one thing we can do today is love deeply, respect intensely, and admire the diverse beauty that forms us all.

I'll never forget sitting on that deck with my friends .... trying to remember the chords to Fire and Rain .... watching steve ban all cell phones from the festivities. I think I understand what James wanted us to see in his work .... embrace experience when it takes a friend, embrace experience when we are in personal battles, embrace the fear of an uncertain future.

Experience .... would I change the events that have led me here to this day .... I don't think so.

I'm curious as to where I'll end up ....

My life in ruins...

Luke 15 (New Living Translation)

Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹ Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. ² This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

³ So Jesus told them this story: ⁴ “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. ⁶ When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

This passage of scripture has ruined my life.... seriously, all of a sudden I can't approach life in the same way I always have, American culture can't fix it, Christian rhetoric can't sooth my conscious. For the first 30 years of my life I have read this passage, had it taught to me in Sunday school, and had it preached at me from the pulpit. The problem is, I never saw what Jesus was actually saying .... until a few months ago (that's when i did a little studying).

I've always seen this parable as merely a symbol of love... so much love that we lose one sheep, leave the 99 to go find the one. In actuality, a shepherd, as well as the people hearing Jesus, would have a much different view of the story. Shepherding was a business, if one sheep was lost the shepherd had to find it; if the sheep was not found then the shepherd was financially responsible for it. He had to answer for his stock, pay for it out of his own pocket. Not only was his finances on the line, his reputation as a shepherd was on the line. Losing a sheep was a HUGE deal. That's why when the sheep was found there was incredible rejoicing.

Jesus is making a very serious point to us 2000 years later... we are held responsible for the lost, it's a non-negotiable. Sadly, we have become a Christian culture that says.... "Come out of the bars, come to church, get Jesus" ... "Drop your addiction to (insert vice here), come get Jesus". See the pattern, "come here". Luke 15 tells us otherwise.... go find.

I can no longer sit back and just wait on the preacher to become a better speaker in order to entice people into the church pews. I can no longer wait on the music ministry to get better musicians so people will come hear the latest worship song. I can no longer wait on the youth pastor to get those goofy black lights for the youth room or come up with a killer name for youth service. Passing the buck in my own life, sadly, is over.... Jesus has told me to GO and FIND... the buck stops with me ..... my normal American life is over .... When my time is over I can't tell Jesus, "sorry, I lost a few sheep, but I lived in a killer house and my stock portfolio was rockin... and I paid my tithes on time, every time" .... that stuff won't go very far when He looks and me and says "you owe me for the sheep you didn't go and find".

Just my thoughts.... it's my blog!! hehe

~~Disclaimer~~ Let's vocalize ....

Over the past couple of years, in conversation with folks here and there, I've heard a similar theme from them ... "Why don't you blog?". Ok, I'll give it a spin. I've always felt different, not in some weird kinda, "I hate everybody, nobody understands me", kinda way. I guess what I mean is this, I've never been one to just fall in line with the norm, whether that be the fad of the day or the thought processes of those around me, especially in the church. I've just kinda felt like so many around me just didn't get it ... and I still feel like many just DON'T get it. Irony (ready for this... buckle up), I'm beginning to find that the more I realize that "believers don't get it"... the more I realize that "I still don't get it". Whether that be from pride in some shape, form, or fashion; or maybe it is indeed the life journey that we all find ourselves in.

Having said all that, my "disclaimer"... I intend to use this blog to talk about things that are on my heart. If I were a betting man, I'd bet that at some point in this world of blog, some will take issue with some of my thoughts and ideas, and trust me, that's cool. The older I get the more I realize that it is not so much important for people to always agree with me, but it is however MOST important that people think. Look at things from a different angle, let a little light in, and then form their own opinions. A lot of topics will be Jesus oriented ... but then some will be very light hearted, sophmoric, typical "Jim" stuff. Enjoy