When Children Hear God's Applause

Last night I was at our Children’s Christmas Musical practice.  It was largely organized chaos.  I watched as kids ran, jumped, talked, spun, giggled, cracked each other up, and from time to time sang.  I walked away deeply persuaded of a couple things.

First, not that there was ever any doubt, but God did not call me to be a children’s pastor!  Wow, Pastor Kari and her crew are amazing.  In the midst of all the insanity, Kari was able to get and hold the attention of 50+ kids long enough to accomplish a lot of stuff.   Good thing I don’t believe in magic, because it sure looked like it to me. 

Second, I left more persuaded than ever that forming children into the image of Christ is a top priority.  While I was watching the kids practice I got into a conversation with another adult.  This person shared a funny memory from their days “on stage” for the annual Christmas pageant.  Shortly after that, I laughed my head off watching a group of grown men try to sing a song while doing the appropriate motions!  - (You’ve really got to see this on Sunday) I also watched as the children laughed at these “pillars of the church” doing such a silly thing.  There was a clear delight on their faces.

As I sat in the front pew I couldn’t help but wonder how many of these kids were making memories that would be cherished the rest of their lives?  Many of them have singing parts at the microphone and on Sunday the whole church will applaud.  In the end we will all delight in how well they did and I will instruct you to tell them as much.  In those words of praise and pats on the back, you will be spiritually forming our children into the image of Christ.

Children are not yet able to grasp the abstract idea of God.  God to them is represented in the action of people at church.  If the church is hard, angry, and judgmental then no matter how much we tell them otherwise they will believe that God is hard, angry, and looking to slap them down when they step out of line.  On the other hand, if the church is loving, supportive, and applauds them, then children will believe that God is loving, supportive, and for them.

This Sunday a bunch of kids will step onto the platform to tell us again the story of Jesus.  There will be giggles, fidgeting, waves, and missed ques.  None of that really matters.  What does matter, and it probably matters for eternity, is how the body of Christ responds.  You are literally the physical body of Christ to these kids.  When you applaud they hear the applause of Jesus.  When you tell them what a great job they did and how proud you are, they know that God is pleased with them.   Maybe, just maybe, a child on the platform Sunday is going to remember this day for the rest of their life.  Let’s help them remember that God loves them and that he is well pleased with his children.  See you all Sunday. 

Pastor Craig 

Why I'm A Loyal Rebel

All of my life, I have felt about a half step out of sync with the rest of the world.  I always seem to see things from a different angle than other folks.  This usually takes the form of asking different questions than the people around me.  Once in a while, my questions are perceived as insightful, but often, folks just think I've missed the point of whatever they're talking about.  Then there are times when my questions become a little too pointed, and I am perceived as a rebel.  

I suppose there is an element of truth to my being a rebel.  I truly believe in asking tough questions and telling the truth.  One of my little rules of life is "A painful truth is always better than a pleasant lie," but I don't really mean to upset the status quo.  I'm not a crusader for tearing down everything with which I disagree.  When I find myself asking questions that make folks uncomfortable, it is, at least from my perspective, about making things better.  I question things I care about.  I don't ask many questions about politics or flower gardens because I really don't care that much; they both come and go with the seasons.  What I do care a great deal about is the Kingdom of God and the people that populate it.  

Because I care about the Kingdom of God, I cannot help but care about the earthly expression of that Kingdom, which is the church.  I also care about my little corner of the Body of Christ on Earth (the church), which my tribe calls the Church of the Nazarene.  I love these folks, but like any good family, they sometimes drive me crazy.  It is in those moments of "family friction" that I usually ask the question that gets me in trouble and earns me the label of a rebel.  It is probably true that I have a bit of rebel in me, but I would like to think I am a Loyal Rebel.  I love my local church, my denomination, and the larger body of Christ, and I am passionately loyal to them all.  It's just that I have these questions... 

This blog has no great purpose other than a place to record my thoughts and invite others to interact if they choose.  At least once a week I will do a piece for my church Marysville Nazarene, but I will also reflect on my spiritual journey and muse about my favorite topic theology.  I should probably note that I am not a scholar; I am a pastor, and my interest is in applied theology.  I am very interested in understanding how to live in the world as an authentic follower of Jesus.