I have often heard people say – I give to the homeless because I always get more than I give.  While the benefits of serving those in need are too numerous to count, that answer always comes across as an arrogant and selfish mindset.

Let me respond from my heart.  A few years ago our church adopted the tagline that we are a missional believing community.  We are still figuring out exactly what that means in a suburban/rural context.  But being missional means we exist for others and take seriously the context people find themselves in and allow the grace of God to become a reality.  As I continue to explore the call to be missional, I am surprised at the many different opportunities that Jesus brings into my life.

As a disciple of Jesus, I am a servant.  Servants serve.  We are here to allow the presence of Jesus to transform our lives and the lives around us.  I have found serving through Boulware is a powerful way for God to remind those struggling in life that they are not forgotten but loved by God and God’s people.    

Masonville Baptist Church began relating to Boulware Mission in 2005 after one its members began his employment there.  Today our relationship includes:

Ø      Spirituality group for clients – what it means to follow Jesus

Ø      5-12 clients worshipping on Wednesday and Sundays

Ø      Led a memorial service for a client who died

Ø      Financial and meal support

Several former and present Boulware clients have found a home at Masonville Baptist Church and have become active in our church family.  Others have joined and left, never to be seen again.  It is amazing to see God at work and a blessing to be used by God.

At prayer meeting a few weeks ago, one of my friends, a former client of Boulware, gave an impromptu testimony of how blessed he was to be a part of a church that offered him acceptance and love.  I am reminded that I am a steward of my time — much of which is wasted.  I pray that i will be a better steward.

I first met this man at a homeless shelter.  For about two years I have led a spirituality group each week to share my belief that a relationship with Jesus can help us through life.  I came to know a man in his 50’s who needed to reconnect with a faith community.  His journey into drugs is a long story, but could happen to many in this world.  As we talked during the visitation time, we talked about the bleak future, the need for repentance, and the possibility of forgiveness. 

Just before the end of visitation, he said “let me see if I can get my tithe check from my belongings to send to the church.”  Of all the things I thought that we would talk about, the notion of receiving his tithe check for the church never crossed my mind.  Even in jail, my friend was trying to live out his faithful existence as a follower of Christ.  I found inspiration there in the visitation room.

Frederick Buechner once wrote that he was a part-time novelist and a part-time Christian.  I am reminded that none of us live up to our claim to be Christ-like. But my friend/parishioner is still trying, and we will walk with him. 

I find myself tired of the rhetoric, angry with the accusations, and horrified that many sincere Christians have become so certain that they know the will of God concerning the elections.

Unlike many of my fellow Christians I cannot say that God has told me how I should vote in the 2008 election.  I turned 18 years old in 1977 and have voted in every election in which I was eligible to vote and have yet to hear God say – Kimbrough, vote for this specific candidate or this particular party.  I do my best to understand who would be the best candidate for our country.  However, I find myself, more often than not voting for a person but against a person – picking in my mind the lesser evil.

The criteria that I use in this decision is not an exact science.  I do not ask the question, “Am I better off than I was 4 years ago?” or “who will make me feel good about being an American?”.  As a Christian who happens to be an citizen of the United States of America, my allegiance is to my Savior and Lord.   I try to read and apply God’s written word in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus’ inaugural address in Luke 4 reminds us:  The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.  Should not that be the focus of our lives as well?

The two issues that continue to come to the forefront for me: the sanctity of life (the unborn as well as the born) and the importance of justice in the world.  I must say that neither candidate is ideal when it comes to the sanctity of life: Obama disturbs me because of his votes on the abortion issue and McCain disturbs me because of his lack of regard for those already born.  I also feel that each candidate is primarily concerned for their own political lives and do not care about justice in the world.  The question I ask myself is who will do the least damage to God’s call to justice?

I find myself cringing at the way so many people seem to claim their identity as Christian Americans in this day and age.  It is my hope that we can find our identity first as a Christian and let American be the adjective to describe us.  Neither party captures what it means to be Christian, and neither party saves us.  May God have mercy on us, because we have let the world divide us.  My prayer is that we, as Christians continue to pray for God’s transforming power to work in our lives, our leaders, and our country. I am open to God’s continuing leading?  Are you?

In the fourth century, the early church called for a time of preparation (40 days) to those who were preparing to be baptized and enter into the Church. Christians who were already baptized were called to a period of prayer, fasting, and giving to help prepare them to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Too often the Season of Lent is only associated with the Roman Catholic Church or other high church denominations. Lent is for Easter what Advent is for Christmas; a time of preparation to fully appreciate and celebrate the mystery of God loving us and reconciling us to himself.

Sadly, many Baptists have failed to appreciate the rich resources of these six weeks of emphasis on holy living, self-discipline, cleansing, giving.

Lent should be a sacred and spiritual time for every Christian. This is the season that reminds us to consider our identity as followers of Jesus and the responsibility that comes with discipleship. It is a call to prayer and repentance.

It has throughout the ages been a way for Christians to claim their identity with Jesus.

Customs of Lent

The first thing many people think about when they think about Lent is giving up something.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in which many people receive ashes on their foreheads and hear the minister say words similar to these in the Book of Common Prayer: I invite you to observe a holy Lent, by self examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our moral nature, let us kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. The ashes are made in the sign of the cross with these words. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

The Season of Lent is about more than abstinence, it is about embracing the radical call of Jesus and living under His authority by participating in his life, suffering, death, resurrection, and life in the Holy Spirit. It means that we experience the grace of God that continually transforms our thoughts, motives, and very life.

Jesus’ message of counting the cost, self denial, and taking up the cross is central to our journey through Lent as we prepare for the miracle of Easter. The Forty days from Ash Wednesday (excluding Sundays) corresponds to the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness before his baptism and public ministry.

The whole thrust of the season of Lent is to increase one’s faith and spirituality. The more you realize the sacredness of this season, the more you offer your suffering in union with the suffering of Christ, the more you identify with Christ, the more spiritual you become, the more sacred your Lent becomes.

Theology of Lent

Denton Lotz, General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance says Lent for Christians is a time to reclaim, restore, and renew their faith.

The Season of Lent can help us grow in faithfulness to our Lord and Savior, if we take the time to allow God to mold us and to lead us through the work of repentance and experiencing the transforming grace of God.

Repentance should be a continual part of the disciple’s life as we seek to live a holy and fruitful life – will we be found faithful?

Areas to consider for our personal self-examination during Lent

Pride: putting self in the place of God as the center and objective of our life. The refusal to recognize our status as dependent upon God.

Irreverence: deliberate neglect of God’s worship, or contentment with a superficial participation in it.

Distrust: refusal to recognize God’s wisdom and love. Undue worry or undue anxiety

Disobedience: rejection of God’s known will. The refusal to learn God’s nature as revealed in Holy Scripture. Breaking legal or moral contracts.

Arrogance: being overbearing, argumentative, opinionated, and obstinate.

Resentment: rejection of talents, abilities, or opportunities God and man gave us. Rebellion, hatred of God or man. Cynicism.

Envy: Dissatisfaction with our place in God’s order of creation. Manifest itself in jealousy, malice, and contempt for others or others ‘things.’

Covetousness: Refusal to respect the integrity of others, expressed in the accumulation of material things to prove self worth.

Gluttony: overindulgence of natural appetites for food or drink.

Lust: Misuse of sex

Sloth: refusal to respond to opportunities for growth service, or sacrifice.

A Lenten Blessing from Book of Occasional Services

Look with compassion, O Lord, upon this your people; that rightly observing this holy season, they may learn to know you more fully, and to serve you with a more perfect will; through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Today I attended the community events to recognize and celebrate the life and vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a dismal day, raining and cold. Let me share some thoughts on the experience.

Disappointments:

• The march was called off due to the weather.
• Dr. King’s faith tradition was not mentioned.
• Very few young people attended.

Affirmations:

• The participants were diverse racially, with the noticeable exception of the Hispanic community.
• The program was well done.
• Many are still concerned about the quest for justice and equality.

Reflections:

I found myself wondering if we have become to civilized to honor the legacy of MLK Jr. The inconvenience of a cold rain halted a march to start the festivities of celebrating the struggle for human rights. As I remember the civil rights movement, it was a time of courage, strength, and conviction.  I am disappointed that we let inclement weather alter the plans of marching.

As I looked around, at the morning program, most of the participants were about my age (47) or older.  I have not done a very good job of sharing the story of Civil Rights and how the Christian faith demands our involvement of sharing the good news of hope, reconciliation, and better days ahead. 

I was also reminded that I do not have many acquaintances beyond people of my own racial background.  While Daviess County, where I live is not racially diverse I am reminded that I should do more to develop relationships with people of all walks of life.  Diversity can help us to grow and become more than we are presently.

The message of Martin Luther King Jr. continues to call me to do more than I am doing, and with the grace and power of Jesus, I pledge to do more.  Pray for me to be faithful.

I have entitled this blog a grace place because the longer I live the more real I find the need for grace in my life and in the world.  Too often, find myself living in a world of legalism that hampers the work and ministry of God.

As I share my thoughts through this blog, I welcome your input as we journey along life’s path.

Blessings to you,

Kimbrough