Tuesdays with Morris

One of the main reasons I’ve pursued the ministry path I’m currently on is due to my great desire to preach. There is just something about studying the Scriptures, praying, and then sharing what God lays on my heart that totally resonates with my soul. Every time I preach, I get the overwhelming feeling that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. And, that’s what’s led me to where I am today…not to lead music, youth ministries, small groups, etc…but a passion to preach has led me to pursue my licensing in the UM church.

Now, I’m not saying that I’m a master preacher. I’m far from that. I’m simply saying that God makes it clear to me that the passion I have for preaching is straight from Him. It’s a different feeling that I experience when leading worship, heading up youth ministries, or teaching a class.

Lately, I’ve been given the opportunity to preach a lot more than I have over the last couple of years. The circumstances are less than desirable (the reason I’m preaching more is because of the health of our sr. pastor’s wife). But, I do enjoy being able to step up to the plate. And, every time I preach, I can’t wait to preach again.

I’m sure this experience at Center Chapel is preparing me for my next chapter. In the near future, there just might be a congregation looking for a pastor with a growing passion for preaching and teaching the Scriptures. And, I’ll be ready.

This morning, I’m enjoying two of my favorite things…coffee and music.

I ground and brewed some Costa Rican beans. They are still fresh…a little oily. The aroma of the beans fills the kitchen as I grind them. Then as it slowly brews, the anticipation of enjoying a fine cup of coffee builds. I poured a cup and I’m taking it in…savoring every sip.

While I consume this coffee, my ears are enjoying the sounds of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby. Country Music Television (CMT) has a program called Crossroads. They take two artists from different genres of music and they perform together…playing each others songs. The other night, I caught the first 15 minutes…they open with Hornsby’s “The Way It Is” and then covered an old Bill Monroe song (of course, all Bill Monroe songs are old). Because of the time, I had to get some sleep…so I checked the schedule and set the tivo. Now I’m enjoying the tunes…it’s incredible.
If you have CMT, check to see if it’s playing again and be sure to watch it. Or if you know me well enough and live close by, give me a call and you can come watch it…I’ll be keeping this on the tivo for a while.

In other words, it’s a good morning. And, to just add to it all…Samantha slept 9 straight hours last night (that’s huge for us) and is still asleep after having a little snack.

To me, coffeehouses are meant to be sacred places. A place of semi-quiet solitude. A place where friends can gather to discuss world affairs, philosophy, theology, politics. A place where you can simply put on your headphones and get lost in a book while enjoying a warm cup of strong coffee. There are some unwritten rules that I believe most coffeehouse visitors understand. The first is that if you are talking loud enough that people two tables over can hear you, it’s time to quiet down.

This morning I was given the opportunity to retreat for a bit to work on a sermon. I found myself at one of my favorite local coffeehouses. The coffee is hot and tasty. The wi-fi is quick and free. But, the lady on the opposite side of the shop is talking so loudly that I have an awkward inability to concentrate. As I write, some eccentric fellow with a dog is allowing his dog to bark loudly. It’s not the dogs fault…but why would the owner feel he should bring his dog to the coffeehouse (it’s not a seeing-eye-dog)? Why does this woman feel the need to broadcast her daily activities to everyone within a quarter-mile? Is it a desire to have attention focused on you? Is it a desire to let everyone know how important you are?

Imagine my relief when the man with the dog and the lady with the loud voice made their exits at the same time.

All of this has simply reminded me of how difficult it is to find true quiet in todays world. Technology is great…but it can be a roadblock to finding quiet peace. I know that all of us need to find some solitude from time to time…to escape the loud, busy world in which we live. It’s quiet now, if only for a moment. And I plan to enjoy it.

The Christian Bookstore

Last night, I took a trip to the local Christian bookstore. It’s something I try to avoid doing. But, I was picking up something for my wife (to give to someone else) that really can only be found at the Christian bookstore.

Most of the time, I prefer to order books via Amazon. Or, if I happen to be near a Borders or Barnes & Noble, I’ll usually be able to find something. You see, the local Christian bookstore drives me nuts.

Nine times out of ten, they won’t have the books I’m looking for. In that case, I’ll ask if they maybe have the book in the back (or placed in some random spot in the store). In this case, ten times out of ten I’m told, “No, we don’t have that book. I can order it for you. We could have it in about 10-14 days.”

And therein lies the reason why I avoid the local Christian bookstore. Every time I have ordered a book it has taken nearly two weeks to come in. To me, that’s ridiculous. At times, I’ve been told, “We only place orders on Tuesdays.” This just doesn’t make sense. How about placing orders when you receive them?

Last night I was looking for Dan Kimball’s new book “They Like Jesus But Not the Church.” I was told it could be ordered and here within 10-14 days. Amazon and Cokesbury indicated that I could receive the book in 2-3 business days.

I mentioned to the manager that I wouldn’t be ordering the book through his store. I indicated that I’d order the book on-line and receive at my home before he would get the book to his store (another convenience…with the local store I have to wait for them to call and then go pick it up). He said, “Well, that’s just how we do things.” To which I said, “You might want to change how you do things.” In this day and age, businesses have to look for ways to stay competitive.

Oh, and I get terribly annoyed upon walking into the bookstore. They have their big display of best sellers and new releases. All of the books have one of two themes: 1) prosperity gospel books (hello Joel Osteen), 2) fictional end-times books (when will the Left Behind series finally be Left Behind). All of the good books (the ones I consider to be good) are either carefully hidden or have to be ordered.

I just need to avoid the place. I think I might write a book titled “I Like Jesus But Not the Christian Bookstore.”

Recently, a church in Muncie stirred up some controversy with a mailer they sent out advertising their new sermon series. As I have read some of the reactions of people in our community through the local paper, I’ve been thinking about how important it is for the church to understand its surroundings.

This mailer did not offend me. I thought it was catchy, direct, and well done. I’ve seen this flyer before (via outreach media). And, Granger Community Chruch did this series a while back. I have no problem with the mailer, the series, any of that.

It does surprise me that so many in Muncie are outraged by a simple mailing indicating that a church is going to be dealing with sexuality. Much of this controversy was being fought out in the local paper the same week as Muncie’s annual Mardi Gras bash. Public intoxication and nudity don’t seem to phase people, but a church flyer talking about sex sets them off.

The one error I see on the part of the church is not a clear understanding of the surrounding community. Muncie is a fairly conservative community. Though there is a university known as a party school, the townspeople are mostly blue-collar conservatives. And, the church is new to the community…not even a year old. So, they have not developed a reputation and identity within the community. If this mailer had been sent out by one of the more established congregations, I believe there would still have been some people upset…but not as many.

As pastors and leaders in the church, we have to be a lot like farmers. Talk to a farmer about the soil in his fields and he can tell you every thing…more than you want to know. He has a full understanding of the soil and knows exactly what to plant in order to reap the greatest harvest.

In the church, we get caught up in flashy ideas…trying to stir up controversy. And, in the end, we find ourselves alienating ourselves from the community.

I think the church at the center of this controversy is full of great people and wonderful leaders. But, the fallout from this one mailer could be huge. I hope and pray that it all works out. I feel like they are trying to do something in Muncie that needs to be done.

All of this has just reminded me how much a student of my culture I need to be in order to effectively bring the Good News to those that don’t know Him.