Seeking Salvation : Christianity, Faith, Methodism

         (Photo by Ian Stauffer)       I have had a horrible bout of writer's block this week. I have done all the things that a writer/ pastor should do. I prayed and studied the scripture and sought counsel. I just started writing because sometimes you can write yourself out of a funk. All to no relief. And the longer it went, the more I panicked because Sunday was coming, and I needed to say something.        I woke up this morning four days later, and poof, it was gone. No idea why it just lifted, and it got me thinking. Sometimes we have problems that are not up to us to solve. We may want to solve them, and others around us may want us to solve them, but sometimes it's not our problem to solve but God's.       In the case of writer's block, going on with life and doing other things like pastoral visits and reading pushed the problem into God's lap. I had prayed, I had studied, I had sought co...

 According to CNN, an “Oklahoma lawsuit seeks to block opening of first publicly funded religious charter school in the US”. [1] This false narrative is that religion and public schools should not be separate but interwoven. The question is which religion, even if we assume Christianity, there are hundreds of variations within the US alone!  The truth is that God is present and doesn’t need human endorsement or funding. God was there before the staff and kids arrived. God is there through how our children and staff treat each other. As kids seek to love their neighbors as themselves, and teacher and staff seek to show patience, perseverance, and excellence, in all of this, God is present.  God doesn’t need human approval to act, so what is really driving this push? Let me argue that families desire to get a parochial education at taxpayer expense. The Constitution, though, is clear in the First Amendment “Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or pro...

Difficult things happen to all of us. It’s part of the creation that God orders for us. Pain is part of life; you can’t avoid it. The United Methodist Church teaches that “suffering begets holiness”. The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, added a little more nuance when he argued that: · Suffering keeps the believer humble, even as a little child. [27] [1] · Suffering alters the believer’s focus, from this world and toward God. [28] [2] · Suffering teaches the believer obedience, just as it did for Christ. [29] [3] · Suffering cultivates an attitude of full submission toward God. [30] [4] · Suffering increases our earnestness for pure love. [31] [5] · Suffering prepares the believer to fight temptation. [32] [6] Ultimately, “Whatever raises the mind to God is good; whatever draws the heart from its center is evil [7] This is great to know; however, Pain, Suffering, and illness seem to contradict what many know about God’s nature that: o God is all-powerful. o God is all-kn...

 If you are like me, your attention was on your phone screens this past weekend as Russia experienced the closest thing to a real coup since 1917. The Wagner Group, a private military company, marched on Moscow because of working conditions. They were speeding towards their objective, a mere 123 miles from Moscow when their leader turned his troops around and went home. Hundreds of miles were conquered in hours, with public support, yet when the goal was in sight...the inability to capitalize. What happened? Before I answer that, let's contrast this with Jesus. Jesus started a movement in the first century focused on simplifying humanity's relationship with God. He actively protested against the religious powers, demanding a complex religion and living standards. Jesus slowly and methodically healed, taught, and challenged authority all the way into Jerusalem. Yet, when facing death by crucifixion, he finished the last mile. He poured out his life for everyone now and going for...

           Have you ever experienced a disconnect between how you appear externally and how you feel internally? Do acts of kindness become tainted by guilt, shame, and anger, robbing you of the joy they should bring? Do you struggle with feelings of worthiness, questioning whether you deserve happiness, fulfilment, love, a rewarding career, or a fulfilling relationship? The concept at the core of all these experiences is worthiness. Jesus once remarked, "You can be a clean cup on the outside but dirty inside." Feeling unworthy has the power to tarnish a person's inner being. So, what causes this feeling, and is there a way to overcome it?      Throughout my life, I have grappled with feelings of unworthiness. I constantly felt like an outsider, never truly belonging. This sentiment was amplified by public rejection, such as unsuccessful political campaigns, missed opportunities for promotions, and failed relationships. For some individu...

       In today’s rapidly changing society, the church faces a significant challenge in engaging with young people. Research from the book Unchristian reveals alarming statistics about how young adults perceive Christians, with negative associations ranging from judgmental and hypocritical to anti-LGBTQ. These perceptions indicate a branding problem that contradicts the fruits of the Spirit we should be known for. Rev Adam Hamilton and his team at the Church of the Resurrection have identified five key areas that turn young adults away from the church, highlighting the need for introspection and reform. In this blog post, we will explore these issues and discuss potential ways to bridge the gap and reestablish meaningful connections with young people. Evolving from a Habit to a Movement: In the past, attending church was viewed as a positive habit, much like working, buying a home, or voting. However, to effectively engage with young people, the church needs to tr...

  Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Have you ever thought about fruit? What is a fruit? According to Wikipedia (The source of all information, am I right?...No...)  "Fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate their seeds." (1) To make a fruit requires a flower and flower requires a plant and plants need roots.  The root of the fruit of the Spirit is Love. God is Love and God gives good gifts. God gives us all of Creation. God gives us Life and God gives us knowledge or Light to everyone. Jesus, God enfleshed in humanity was the plant. Through Jesus humanity was taught how to love the least, the marginalized, and the forgotten within society and sacrificed Himself so all have had the...

     This week I will be teaching Romans 5:12-21. To understand Sin within the church, discussing what sin is and isn’t is important. Sin is a spiritual state of separation from God. It’s a state that we flow through. Sometimes we are close to God, and sometimes there is a chasm between us and God. Anything that causes this chasm is a sin. Sin is unique to the individual. Each of us is impacted differently by sin and its individuality. Sin, though, is not: o          Based on the opinions of the media. o          What the politicians or activists tell you it is. o          Sin is not between you and other humans. It’s between your spirit and God.      When sin shows up in the plural, discount it because what is coming is human judgement. We are hard enough on ourselves! The Bible says that sin came into the world through Ada...

Sin can often hinder our spiritual growth and create separation from God in the faith journey. However, Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross transformative power, as Paul highlights in Romans 6.1–14, offers hope and redemption. This blog post delves into the significance of Sin, the role of communal and individual Sin, and how faith can help us overcome Sin and rediscover spiritual renewal. Sin is a spiritual separation from God, not societal or legal transgressions. It is unique to each individual and should be seen as a personal offense against God. Societal norms are not Sin. They may have consequences for breaking them, but God isn’t in them. Right now, the US is in the throes of communal Sin. It is tearing us apart. How can we differentiate communal Sin from individual Sin? When communities and countries collectively fail to protect marginalized individuals or seek justice for those wronged by society, they lose the collective soul of the country or community. Many popular political an...

  In Romans 6:1-14, the apostle Paul writes about abandoning sin and choosing faith. But what the heck is sin? We talk about it; we assign human traits and judgements, but what? Sin is a spiritual state in which we are separated from God. The core teaching of the church is this. God saw that we were spiritually distant from God because of our sin. God put on flesh and came to Earth as Jesus. Jesus simplified the various laws given in the 10 commandments. The commandments had two purposes: to ensure humanity loved God and their neighbors. Right? But society set many guidelines, rules, and institutions that God was not loved, and our fellow humans were hurt! The Roman authorities executed Jesus because he represented a threat to their order. Something happened during this execution because Christians believe that our sin was forgiven in dying. God sacrificed God’s self to may our relationship right with God. But people began to have encounters. They claimed to see and experience a ...