Month: November 2009

Chapter 8 of The Holiness Manifesto is “Transformed by Grace: The Beauty of Personal Holiness” by Cheryl Bridges Johns. Johns is a professor of Christian Formation at the Church of God Theological Seminary.

She talks broadly about John Wesley’s approach to a transforming (sanctifying) grace, as well as the types of grace we experience/receive. She then goes on to list and briefly discuss each of the “Instituted” means of grace (those we see in the life of Christ), and the “Prudential” means of grace (fulfilling social and relational aspects of the gospel).

I think she does a great job in each of the means. She discusses prayer in a way that makes you hungry to spend some time in genuine prayer before/with God. She talks about fasting in a way that makes you hungry to experience hunger. She reminds us that Scriptures can be very moving and literary, rather than simply studied. She takes us through Wesley’s appreciation for the Lord’s Supper, and Christian community – including the high emphasis he placed on small groups.

She closes with some more comments on the prudential means of grace, such as charity and mercy. She takes a close look at what occurs when we experience a “crisis” moment in our life, and how it can lead to growth in grace. The way she presents it really challenges the norms of how we handle crisis today. Especially we masculine types.

We’re encouraged to be tough. To be solid. But if we follow Wesley, and many other Christian theologians (including Paul himself – Romans 5:3-5)….to not allow ourselves to fully experience crisis, is to short change a potentially very transforming experience of God. To pretend too quickly that “we’re okay”, or to swallow our emotions so we can live as if we’re “beyond that already”, could be missing an incredible opportunity for our very soul.

May we continue to seek such means of receiving transformational grace….both the ones we look forward to…and the experiences we may not have chosen….God offers to redeem/use both areas…

Today marks the beginning of the Christian New Year (Lectionary Year “C”). No countdown, no ball dropping, no kissing at midnight. Just a simple realization of the Advent season beginning. The quiet lighting of a candle. We’ve spent the previous week saying “Thanks” for the previous year, and here we are beginning the journey together again.

I’d admit…even though I’ve used the “Book of Common Prayer” for personal devotions here and there since college….I’ve not paid much attention to the actual “New Year” for the Church beginning on the first Sunday of Advent.

I like it.

We begin our year in a season of preparing/waiting/anticipating the arrival of Christ. Of course, we are celebrating the original arrival. But we are also collectively living towards the anticipation….”is this the year?” that Christ will return to complete what He has begun? We live from/toward what Christ will bring to completion.

This also marks an important year in the Anderson home. Being parents, and thinking about wanting to have “traditions” in our home that allow what God has done/is doing/will do to be more than just something we talk/sing about..but something we live. This is our first year of doing an “Advent Wreath” at home (where they were always done, traditionally). Looking forward to all that this year of serving Christ as a family offers…both to us…and the Kingdom. 🙂

You don’t have to attend many Midwestern Protestant Evangelical services to recognize we’re not exactly people who “color outside the lines”. Much of that might be attributed to beautiful tradition and ritual. But much of that might also be attributed to atrophied abilities to worship freely. As much as I love our church’s worship, both services; I would confess my “freedom” usually comes in the form of bouncing a bit on my toes when I sing. Maybe even bobbing my head.

When I’m worshiping God by dancing with my daughters, I run around the house, spin in circles in the kitchen, sing LOUD and quiet, and make noises both natural and unnatural. 🙂 When you compare that guy, to the man I often become in a worship service…..you may wonder what sedative I’m on.

So many pressures collide when wanting to worship in Spirit and Truth in a public arena. I admit I’m not as completely released from them as I’d like to be. What would people think? Would they think I’m trying to get attention? WOULD I try to get attention? Would a bar be set that I’d have to then meet again and again every service?

So I end up standing there. Bouncing on my toes. Except, of course, when I’ve gotten to join the band by playing the jimbe/bongos lately. Totally digging that….and even feel a new type of freedom there.

But I will say this: Alone in silence…in my car sometimes, but better when in nature of some sort – I worship freely. I talk (to myself, to things, to God), I sing, I pray, I make noises, I imagine. I smile open-eyed, in awe of simple things. I’m filled with His Love for others, and for His creation.

I want the man I am when enjoying an afternoon with my daughters, or when walking through a quiet afternoon forest…..to be the man that comes to worship service Sunday morning.

That might take practice. I think a good step may be to attend our Monday morning service as much as possible. We do a prayer service, that is mostly attended by families who will be coming to our food pantry that day. Admittedly, the ethnicity shifts significantly from Sunday morning…and the balance is shifted from those who keep quiet…to those who can’t hold back the “AMEN!!” welling up inside.

That…and spending more time purposefully being the man who dances with princesses and shouts Hallelujah in the silence…:)