Stunning Grace

There is something stunning in this basic revelation of reality: not only is it true that God will never leave nor forsake us, it is also true that He has always been with us and has never forsaken us. Through all your past, pain and pathos... through all your past bad habits, hang ups and hurts... through all your past sin, mistakes and brokenness... God has been with us. That is why we call Him Emmanuel and that is why Grace is so Amazing.

Obama Is Wrong --- And so is the Church

This week, the Obama administration made a ruling that essentially requires Catholic (and other religious institutions) must provide full insurance coverage for contraception (including methods that are post-fertilization).

The Roman Catholic Church has consistently taught that birth control is wrong -- especially those methods that are post-fertilization (like the Morning After Pill, IUD's, etc).  Many conservative Protestants, Jews and other religious people agree in varying degrees with this position.  According to the Archbishop of New York, this directive is forcing the church to pay for something it explicitly considers to be immoral and thus violates the basic tenants of freedom of religion.

[Before I tell you what I think, let me lay my cards on the table:  I am a moderate democrat, I am supportive of the use of birth control, though I have deep concerns about some methods that are post-fertilization.  While I am personally anti-abortion, in terms of public policy I am a supporter of reproductive rights and choice.]

That said, the Obama administration is wrong on this issue.

Freedom of religion in this country is a fundamental right grounded in our founding core values as expressed in the First Amendment.  While religious people do not have the right to force their moral beliefs on others through legislation, we do not as a society have the right to compel religious institutions to violate their principals and beliefs.  Moreover, individual employees should not expect their faith-based employer to violate their religious convictions in providing benefits to you.

But the church is also wrong.

While the church has the right to speak up and challenge the ruling, this is probably a case of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's."

For example, I am virtually a pacifist, opposed the Iraqi war, and believe it was immoral, illegal, unjust and a violation of Christian ethics.  However, my tax dollars -- and yours -- were used to financially support the war.  I was compelled by my government to support something that I believe is fundamentally immoral and unjust.  The same is true for people of faith in states that have the death penalty, when they oppose such penalties as part of their pro-life position (as is true for the Catholic Church).  Our tax dollars are used to pay for that execution.

But Jesus teaches that we are to be good citizens, respect the laws of the land, and "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." This is part of what it means to live in a pluralistic society (as the Roman Empire was in Jesus's day and in Paul's day.)

Are their times that we are called to be a prophetic voice -- and even use non-violent protest as a means to create change -- against our Government.  Yes, absolutely.  But we should think carefully before we make the issue of insurance coverage for birth control into one of those issues.  For it is worth noting that no one is being compelled to actually use birth control, just to make it available to those who want to.

THOUGHTS?

Jesus' Theology of Mission

Here is the audio from my sermon this past Sunday on "Jesus' Theology of Mission".  Check it out and let me know your thoughts...

My New Year's Resolution Is to Stop Stealing As Much

Saint-basil-the-great-00
My New Year's resolution this year is to stop stealing as much...

In my devotional reading this morning (from this book), I came across this from Basil of Caesarea (pictured above):

"When someone steals a person's clothes, we call him a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to those who need it; the shoes rotting in your closet to the one who has no shoes. The money which you hoard up belongs to the poor."

It was convicting to read that. My resolution is to be even more generous and giving in 2012, especially to the poor and to help the fight against poverty.

I get tired of the ongoing political debate in this country about what role government (and therefore our taxes) should play in fighting poverty.  Here is what I know, as people of faith it is our job to feed to the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, care for the sick... and to at least stop stealing from the poor.

So that is what, with God's help, I am going to try and do this year.

If you want to give more this year, maybe you should consider becoming an AWESOME PERSON and joining a bunch of us on this AWESOME JOURNEY.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

"And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.'"

- Luke 2:10-11

Enjoy the day... and remember what it is really all about!

Getting Into the Christmas Spirit

I have to confess that Advent/Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  I love Christmas -- the music (the old, traditional carols and worship hymns, not the secular and new stuff), the message, the meaning and the magnitude of it.

Because I am from a Jewish family and still celebrate the Jewish holidays with them, I escape all the pressure of Christmas shopping, hosting, decorating, parties and such. Growing up, our Christmas tradition was a movie and Chinese food. For me, it is a time of reflection, devotion and celebration of Christ.  So I experience none of the stress, pressure and debt many people associate with the holiday.  For me, I just get to enjoy it.

In the past, when I was a pastor, the Christmas season was really a journey -- and I loved it.  I would usually settle on an Advent theme for preaching sometime in July or August.  We would start planning our Christmas services concept in September or October.  Writing, message prep, and all the logistics that go along with promoting the Advent series, planning a major Christmas service event like "Imagine Christmas", etc... those were top of my to-do list throughout November and December.  Christmas was always on my mind and it meant that when it finally arrived, I had been thinking about, praying about and planning for Christmas for months.

(After Christmas, we went through the same process preparing for Lent and Easter... planning Ash Wednesday, special prayer nights, Lenten devotionals and preaching series, Holy Week -- Good Friday services, Easter Services, post-Easter series and follow-up, etc. So my year was very much balanced around the church calendar... and balanced around the incarnation and passion of Christ.)

Now, that is not true. And I am feeling less engaged and prepared for Christmas.

Working in the restaurant business, we are incredibly busy right now. And that is good.  But in the kitchen, it doesn't feel "Christmasy". And while my devotions and scripture reading have been focused on Advent, and now Christmas, it feels like it has just sprung on me... no months of meditation and study and planning and preparing for the Christ child.  He is just here! Now!

And maybe that is okay.

The Wise Men spent a lifetime seeking after God.

But the Shepherds just stumbled upon Him.

Mary was able to prepare and pray and reflect for months.

But the Innkeeper had little time to plan or prepare at all.

But either way, Christ the Savior is born!

And that is really the only thing that actually matters about Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Looking for some Awesome People to Join Me

Here is the deal... I am looking for 9 awesome individuals (or couples/families) to join me to start a small local foundation that gives away $1000 grants every month!

Here is how it works...

We create a chapter of The Awesome Foundation by gathering ten people (couples/families) each commit to giving $100 per month.  That committment makes you a "Trustee" in the foundation.  Then, each month, we meet (I am thinking over a good dinner) and decide where to give a $1000 grant.  We can solicit applications or look at general applications made through The Awesome Foundation website.

In one year, together, we will be investing $12,000 in our community.  I think that is pretty awesome!

You can find out more about how this all works here.

Let me know in the comments or by direct email (benjamin dot dubow at gmail dot com) if you are interested or want more info.

Depending on who the Trustees are, we can decide to focus geographically (Central/Eastern CT for example) or, if we have a broader geographical participation, we can do it by purpose/cause.  As trustees, we have total discretion.  The only thing is we all need to contribute financially and make grants monthly.

Pretty Awesome!

Excited about the possibilities... 

Sunday Service Analysis: When It Works

I love my church.  For a lot of reasons.

I love the church's vision, values and mission.
I love the way God is working in people's lives in our church.
I love the diversity within our church.
I love our pastor and her leadership.
I love being part of a church plant and a movement of God.

Having been a pastor for ten years -- and a church planter for almost half of that time -- I am both very sensitive to and critical of almost everything churches do.  This is especially true sitting in the weekend service (the same is true when I eat out in a good restaurant!)

I have to say that the Sunday services at my church are consistently excellent. But today was extraordinary.  So I was reflecting on what made it such a special experience this morning.

The preaching was great -- though we are blessed with great preaching every week.
The music was excellent and seasonal -- but that is consistently true.

Those two ingredients are essential for an excellent service -- but not quite enough for extraordinary.  But add in the use of creativity and the arts, and you have something very special.  In addition to great preaching and worship music this morning, we also had some of the best special music I have ever heard in church -- and it connected directly to the message.  Also, great use of video, projected images, etc.

In other words, the entire 60 minute experience worked together to create a place and space for people to experience and encounter God -- and it was awesome!

Now I don't believe that weekend services are all about my experience... but it is nice when it all comes together.

When I was lead pastor at my last church, much of the planning for our weekend services began as much as a month or two prior.  Tons of prayer, planning, study, etc, went into planning those services.  And when it all came together, it was a powerful and life-changing experience for people.

The truth is that while Sundays aren't everything, Sundays matter a lot.  Great weekend services are like a greenhouse for spiritual growth.  It is worth the time, energy and prayer that it takes to make them great.  And I am thankful for this morning's service and for a church that takes weekend services so seriously.  (and not only that, but you should see what they do for the Familytime/Children's service... but that is another post altogether...)

War, 9 Years Later

Iraq-war
Late last night, the last U.S. troops exited Iraq signaling the official end of the U.S. - Iraqi War after 9 years of fighting.

The cost?

  • Over 4,000 U.S. troops killed.
  • Over $8 billion spent.
  • Over 30,000 U.S. soldiers injured.
  • Over 100,000 Iraqis killed.

For what? Nothing. A total waste of human life and capital.

I have total respect for our military and our troops and they (or, at least, the vast majority) did everything their government asked of them with honor and skill. I honor, respect and support our troops; and I mourn for those who died and for those who have their lives forever altered by both psychological and physical injury.

But this war was a travesty and a tragedy.

I opposed the war from the beginning -- but have to admit that I was kind of wish washy in that opposition.

I remember that I was interim pastor at a small church when the war began. That week, I gave a sermon about what the Bible says about war. I presented a balanced view of what the Bible says on the topic, raised important questions about the implications of modern warfare for Christians, and then left it at that.  I decided not to weigh in strongly on my own view.  I actually had two conclusions written and brought both into the pulpit.  I decided to go with the less controversial, less bold and less open to criticism conclusion.

Not that it makes any real difference (no one in Washington is listening to me), but I regret that decision.  I wish I had stood up and called it what it was then: a travesty and a tragedy.

I hope when faced with similar issues in the future, I do not fail again.

​