ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 28, 2025 
On Sunday, we will be talking about self-control, and in my pondering of this topic the last couple of days, it sort of hit me that the first half of that hyphenated word is “self.” It is not an invitation to control others. One of the great challenges in life is realizing that we cannot dictate other people’s lives. We may try, but for anyone who has or had a teenager in your house, how did the prescribing of behavior work for you? Maybe you had better luck than I did. How about that friend who keeps on making bad choices? You know exactly how best to solve this problem, and you can provide the best advice, but you cannot make another person do anything. You cannot live their life for them. Oh sure, plenty of people try. And sadly, there are plenty of abusive situations where someone does control another human being. But in respectful and healthy relationships, it is all about advising, encouraging, helping, cheerleading, being there even after the twelfth failure, occasionally crying alongside, and trying to always find ways of loving. When you look at the life of Jesus, there was a deep respect for people’s free will. In Matthew 19, Jesus is talking with a young man who wants to know what good thing must he do to have eternal life. He had done exceptionally well in regard to following the basic rules of the faith, but then Jesus dropped the big one, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” The next line is, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad…” And guess what, Jesus didn’t yell, demand, manipulate, or guilt the man into following. Jesus let him walk away. There might not be a more profound respect for free will than this moment, even though we might view it as an unsuccessful one for Jesus. Maybe it was a success, in that faith was given the freedom to truly be faith.

As much as I want to fix everything, Lord God, I pray for the capacity to respect every person I meet, and even to respect their decision to choose something other than what I would choose. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 27, 2025
Yesterday was absolutely beautiful. I don’t know about you, but I was sort of needing some weather like that. Today is looking pretty good as well. It’s amazing how our mood and attitude are impacted by the weather. Growing up in Nebraska, I remember when winter was unyielding, the yucky dirty piles of snow and ice were everywhere, and we rarely saw the sun. Teachers would talk about the behavior issues they begin to see in the middle of February, sometimes lasting until the first of April. As a kid, I loved the snow in October, November, and December, but around January, I was done. Rarely was Mother Nature done. What aspects of our lives are almost entirely beyond our control yet still exert a profound impact on us—physically, emotionally, and spiritually? When we’re feeling drained and low on energy, it becomes challenging to muster the emotional zeal to even figure out what is possible. Yesterday, I found myself sitting at my desk for an extended period. The sun was shining through the shades on my window, so I got up and walked around the entire campus twice. According to my phone, it was 82 degrees. I even got a little sweaty. When I returned to my desk, I believe I was more productive, and I know my mood was better. There can be multiple days when the sun does not show itself, and taking a walk might not be a real option. But what can we do? I’ve been thinking a lot about what I can control when there are so many things out of my control. Scripture often says for us to be happy, even if we are suffering. I’m not suggesting such words are naive. However, there has to be more than just choosing to be happy. Finding that happiness is wrapped in a dozen other choices—finding the things we can do to feel as if we have some power and purpose amidst the chaos.

God, you invite us on a journey where we often have a lot less control than we’d like. Of course, Jesus did not fight back, yet his arrest and crucifixion were not what he wanted. He, like any of us, prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed. Yet faithfulness to what is good, loving, and just is often met with forces very much out of our control. Even when the possibilities are limited, help me to do the good that I can, share the love that is possible, and work toward justice in those places where I can make a difference. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 26, 2025
Today, I am reminded of scriptural expectation around care for the poor. In Leviticus 19:17, we read, “Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.” And in 1st John 3:17, we read, “But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help—how can the love of God dwell in a person like that?” Of course, the Prophets of Israel kept on having to call out the people, specifically the people in power, as they were not following the clear expectations of God. And in the early church, there were plenty of moments when the followers of Jesus were not representing the call of Jesus to care for the hungry, sick, poor, those in prison, the widows, and the orphans. Today, please pray for the most vulnerable in our country and around the globe. The programs and ministries of care and compassion are being stretched beyond measure, and my fear is they will soon break.

Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! We need your mercy and your help, even though we know your clear expectations. Sometimes we just don’t know where to begin, so provide us with clear opportunities to act with empathy and generosity. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 25, 2025
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This Sunday, we conclude our time with the Fruit of the Spirit, with the underlying message of getting serious about the harvest. It is one thing to speak of the fruit growing and ripening within us. That is beautiful imagery, but that list is not intended to remain within us. Every single one of those has external implications, assuming we actually plan to harvest and share. Recently, I had a very lengthy conversation with two guys who wanted to orthosplain what Jesus was really about. Orthosplain is explaining from the place of orthodoxy, or someone’s perceived understanding of what orthodox Christianity is. What people don’t seem to understand who attempt to orthosplain something is that I sort of understand this stuff. More importantly, I understand that orthodox Christianity changes about as often as Taylor Swift changes outfits during a concert, and the church has been arguing about orthodoxy since the day after Jesus’ return to God. But here is my point—everything about these guys’ understanding of Christianity was internal. The whole purpose of Christianity for them was about having Jesus and his forgiveness, love, joy, and peace in their hearts. And you got Jesus and his stuff by just praying the magical prayer that they willingly offered to me. I do not question the sincerity of those two guys, but at the end of the day, the Fruit of the Spirit begins to rot on the vine inside us if it is never harvested and shared. There is no question that we need to allow such things to take root and grow within us, but that was never the expected lifecycle of these amazing gifts.

As you continue to bless me, O Mothering God, I pray for the capacity to allow those blessings to grow within me and to be shared through me. I both want to be blessed and need to be blessed by your grace and goodness. However, once I am blessed, my response should be to bless others. Please continue to guide me in sharing what grows within me. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 24, 2025
Prayer for the Week: 
Consecrate your people;
Empower their gathering; 
Sanctify their work.
Holy God, your church believes it is called to be more than just another community organization, more than another social service club. It is your Spirit-infused body for the purpose of healing a broken and fragmented world. Immerse us in your vision of what is possible, allowing your magnificent presence to animate this community that has taken the name of Jesus. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 23, 2025
At what point do you choose to stop being gentle and choose a different approach? I recently was trying to get something corrected with my medical insurance, and though I started with the spirit of gentleness, I can’t say exactly when, but somewhere in that conversation and the passing me on to someone else, I sort of left behind the gentleness. Yes, you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, but I wasn’t trying to catch flies. I was trying to get someone on the phone who could get something done. Yet later in the evening, I reflected on the conversation, and I realized that gentleness does not mean passivity or a willingness to be run over. Gentleness can, in fact, be strong. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” I would go as far as to suggest that one act of gentleness is far more powerful than any of us can truly imagine. Remember that gentleness is found in the Fruit of the Spirit, and if the Spirit of God is what gives power to the attribute of gentleness, then no act of mean-spiritedness, hatefulness, or violence will ultimately defeat it. Gentleness is light, and as John’s Gospel reminds us, “The light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.” Sadly, the darkness sometimes extinguishes the lamp-bearer, but the impact of the light is forever, as is the impact of gentleness.

In so many moments of life, it feels as if I should reach for something other than gentleness. Remind me, Merciful and Gracious God, of the capacity of gentleness. It is infused with your Spirit, and so we pray for your help as we seek to unleash it through our daily choices. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 22, 2025
If I can, I’d like to make a confession. As one who celebrates the diversity of Christianity, and has an appreciation of both the richness and turbulence of Christian history, I can also be a little judgmental when it comes to some fringe expressions of Christianity. With that said, I even have a hard time putting some of these fringe groups under the broad tent of Christianity. It sort of seems necessary that there be some hint of Jesus if it is to be called Christian. The Seven Mountain Mandate is one such organization. It claims a mandate for Christians to take charge of the Seven Mountains (Family, Business, Government, Media, Entertainment, Education, and Religion). The goal is the dismantling of democracy, for the purpose of creating theocracy. Anyone who knows history knows that this does not end well, especially for anyone who does not accept their narrow, Euro-centric, male-dominated, hierarchical understanding of God and religion. It would be one thing if this group was some house meeting of 20 people in a small town in Nebraska, but this group has significant numbers, including elected officials—local, state, and federal. Not only do I have some genuine concern for our country, but as a pastor, I feel as if we are losing all of the Jesus message to those whose only purpose is power. They can shine it up with all kinds of trinkets and polishing techniques, but it is nothing more than a power grab wrapped in religious language. People who see themselves losing power have manufactured a ridiculous religious system that has nothing to do with the Jesus of scripture, the one who gave up all power, taking on the form of a servant, for the sake of both neighbor and enemy. If your Christianity is all about gaining earthly power, it might be time to have a come-to-Jesus meeting. Seriously!

For the humble Christ who changed the trajectory of the world, I give you thanks, Lord God. As some people attempt to dramatically alter that grace-filled and life-changing trajectory, I pray for a faith centered in Jesus, including his Sermon on the Mount, his parables, and his nonviolent self-giving witness. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 21, 2025
Does the metaphor of trying to keep all the plates spinning ever feel like an accurate description of your life? The other day, I realized that I had totally forgotten about a plate that thankfully was still spinning, but was beginning to lose some of its energy. I got distracted and found myself focused elsewhere. Sometimes I wonder if God gives a little spin to the important plates that we have forgotten? In my case, I think that plate should have fallen for lack of attention. 

How does God work in the world? Does God ever supersede free will? Does God intercede using supernatural forces or does God use people who can make the choice of saying Yes or No? Or does God say to us, “I gave you Jesus and a really clear picture of how you are to live and interact, so figure it out”? These are among the more challenging questions people of faith are asking, and how one chooses to answer them dramatically impacts how a person lives. Of course, I see people say one thing and live very differently, but that’s for another conversation. At the end of the day, I do not feel as if God has stepped away and said, “Figure it out!” At the same time, I believe God is extraordinarily cautious about removing free will, as love is entirely dependent on human beings freely choosing to love or not love, to accept love or reject love.

What do you think? How do you live your life? When you see something that needs to happen, what does your understanding of God tell you?

Whatever way you choose to work and interact with this world, God of Grace and Goodness, I pray for the capacity to live my life in such a way that I am serving your grace and goodness. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 20, 2025
It is a cold morning! After our last blast, I was sort of hoping we were done with the below-freezing stuff. Like many of you, I covered certain plants that don’t like the hard freeze. As I covered my rather tall olive tree, it got me to thinking about how little work I do in making sure the unhoused on our streets are well covered. There was a sudden heaviness that came over me. Am I more concerned about my olive tree than I am the person I saw back in the park on Sunday afternoon? Yesterday afternoon, I gave away a pair of gloves and a blanket I had in my office, but to be honest, it felt sort of shallow. The prophets seemed to suggest that a society is judged by how it does in caring for the most vulnerable. We have some amazing programs, including Hope Center and NAM, but we need to do more. A lack of good mental health programs is also concerning, leaving so many on the streets or in unsafe situations where they are easily exploited. I don’t intend for this to be depressing. In fact, I hope to inspire us all to consider a small act of kindness today that could provide encouragement and support to someone in need; someone needing some advocacy. 

Lord of Heaven and Earth, with so many people in need, let us never become so overwhelmed that we lose sight of what we can do. And for many of us, there are places where we can stretch ourselves even more for the sake of the most vulnerable. Be our guide! Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 19, 2025
From the Regional Office 
of the Christian Church in the Southwest
The Christian Church in the Southwest honors Black History Month by recognizing Rev. Sarah Lue Bostick, a pioneering figure in Disciples history.

Rev. Bostick holds the distinction of being the first African-American woman ordained within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her ordination on April 24, 1892, was a groundbreaking moment for both women and African-Americans in the denomination.
Born in Kentucky, she made Arkansas the home base of her impactful ministry. She played a key role in organizing the African-American Christian Women's Board of Missions, contributing significantly to the broader efforts of the Christian Church movement at the turn of the 20th century.

Her influence extended far beyond Arkansas. Traveling extensively, she preached and helped establish missionary boards and auxiliaries throughout Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Her tireless efforts laid the foundation for future generations of African-American Disciples leaders.

In recognition of her lasting impact, the Christian Church Foundation established the Bostick Fund in 2018, focusing on investments that promote environmental protection, equity, and justice—values that reflect her pioneering spirit and dedication to service.

As we honor Rev. Sarah Lue Bostick this Black History Month, we are reminded of the power of faith, perseverance, and service in breaking barriers and creating positive change in our church and society.

I love the history of our denomination!!