Many know by now that Easter is another word for Ishtar, who was a self-proclaimed, real life Babylonian goddess, said to have been married to the biblical figure of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10) and long before it (meaning “Easter”) was celebrated by Christians around the world, it was celebrated by pagans worshiping this goddess who happened to specialize in fertility (I guess if you’re going to specialize in something…).  This celebration apparently drew world wide popularity because King Herod Agrippa celebrated it after killing James, one of Jesus’ disciples and then decided to imprison Peter during the party, which at the time had no connection to the resurrection of Jesus. (see Acts 12:1-5, KJV)  It happened to occasionally connect with the Jewish celebration of the passover.

Years go by and the church becomes official and the church becomes THE CHURCH.  THE CHURCH decides, in honor of their risen Savior to mix holiday metaphors a bit, and copy the culture that exists.  Easter then becomes a THE CHURCH holiday.  The problem is the former holiday never really goes away, but the two begin to meld together in a bunny loving, egg coloring, candy eating, oh yeah, and by the way, Jesus rising type of way.

By the time it’s too late, THE CHURCH becomes THE CHURCHES and wonders what all the confusion is about – this thing, after all, is about one thing.  The one thing that, somewhere along the way, was not enough, and needed to be pepped up or apologized for or altered a little bit, because it’s been years since anyone’s seen anyone rise from the dead.

So this Sunday, THE CHURCHES are going to do everything they can to ‘pull out all the stops’ and wow you with classy production, excellent gimmicks, and the pastors best 3 point outline.  None of those things are wrong and none of those things are going to be demonized here, but none of those things are also the reason why we meet together and call ourselves “followers of Jesus” or “Christians”.

But the reason we are gathered as the church is not because of a holiday or a tradition or because we’re supposed to, but because a man walked this earth (many have done this), did amazing, miraculous things (many have done this, too), could not be found guilty of anything (no one else has done this), gave His life for the glory of God and for the salvation of mankind (wait for it…), then three days later rose again, after he was indeed (not figuratively) dead. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

The hope that we have because this happened is unimaginable, as our trust can now be placed firmly outside of our own hands and into the hands of a Savior and a God who made a way for our world to be healed and redeemed back into His arms.

Call it whatever you want, but just celebrate the right thing.

Sitting in church with a sweet yellow suit. Must have been Easter.

Growing up in a midwest church is a little bit like taking a cold shower in the middle of winter.  You know something’s broken and it really sucks to do, but you also kind of understand that in the end, it’s the best thing for you.

Sometimes I wonder what people in churches are thinking.  Well, actually I know what they’re thinking.  A lot of people use church as one of two things:  A place where they can obtain power easier than anywhere else or a place where, if they are needy enough, they can come and get what they need.

Consequently, American churches are full of two types of people:  power-hungry Napolean types and selfish “give me what I need” adolescent types.  And the good news for the former (but not for the church) is that they can control the latter very well.

The verses that people use to tell everyone else that they need to be in church (and rightfully so, btw) can be found in Hebrews 10 when the writer quips, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

There’s a major disconnect here then because churches want people to get involved in their activities (many churches go 7 days a week) and immerse themselves in the community of the church organization, yet the purpose of said organization is, at its best, “spurring towards love and good deeds and encouraging one another.”

We’re supposed to be a coach, and instead we’re trying to be the game.

Why?

I can understand back in the 70′s and 80′s why you would want to get all the churches together and play sports.  All the churches felt obligated to keep their “sheep” away from the world.  But now?  I have no problem with sports, what I do have a problem with is building a wall around yet another event you have on a weekly basis and calling it “a church league.”  I know there’s something wonderful about getting to pray with the same group of guys after the game that you just chewed out for calling the “stupid foul” on you, but seriously, let’s let this phenomena die…and very soon.

Here’s a few things I despise about church leagues:

1.  In many of them, there are no referees.
Ummm, I understand the majority of us profess to have a relationship with Christ, but Christ wouldn’t even want to get in the way of some our tempers.  A basic rule of thumb – if there’s no referee, it’s pick up ball anyway.

2.  It’s just another ministry of the church that takes people away from their families.
I know, I know, a city league would take away from family time too, but at least that’s the decision of the individual.  Because trust me, down the road, people will start blaming the church.

3.  They take away from “Kingdom Living”

I know it seems spiritual to let people see “churches coming together”, and occasionally praying afterward, but it’s not – there, I said it.  What church leagues do is give churches an excuse to make a name for themselves.  If you want to be a testimony, get out of your comfort zone, and register for a city league.  You know, people who don’t go to church, and live out what you believe every time you play on the field or the court.  And if you don’t want to live out what you believe, at least it’s not the church that’s taking your time.  It’s time to stop playing in our holy huddles and begin making a difference in people’s lives.

Next Post:  Calling all Christian Office Supply Stores!

Today I’ve decided to take my morning of blogging off in order to give a platform to Dionne Kane, a woman in our church who leads this amazing ministry online called “Lotsahelpinghands.com” (LHH)
Enjoy her post and please give her a shining comment about your thoughts on this incredible use of technology.  And now…….Dionne.

When I first started going to church I was pretty much of the same mindset as other newbie attenders.  What is available for me?  What is available for my kids?  What can I learn?  I also thought, whenever I saw the requests for help in the nursery or other areas, “Well, I’m too new, I need to be learning more in the regular service.”  Besides, this was a “church”… didn’t they have staff to do the work? I had a job and this was my weekend, my time, my day of rest!

That was a long time ago though.  I’m now attending an intimate church full of authentic and wonderful people, and serving has become not just a joy, but a calling in my heart. 

One thing I realized as I grew into my small group is the sometimes limited ability of a small group to meet the needs of all members.  In larger churches there seems to be a specific team that heads up collecting money, food, gifts etc for their families in need.  You make a phone call, get your name on the list, and then suddenly there appears food, money for gas, a job offer, evidence of support. 

In our church, we ask everyone to be a part.  The whole “Body of Christ” meets “it takes a village” concept.  Within our small groups though, the lifeline of our church foundation, I was hearing about need after need… new babies, illness, loss of jobs, and it seemed overwhelming to communicate the needs, organize volunteers, and to do all that with a spirit of love and grace.  It was disheartening to see the needs, and not be able to meet them.  In one of my marathon web surfing moments, I happenstanced upon a website created to do just that:  communication and organization.

I jumped right into Lotsa Helping Hands and launched our church’s own webpage called Fellowship Outreach.  On this site, our church members can sign up by entering their email and a password of their choosing. 

That “helping hand” then gets automatic emails whenever a need is expressed.  When an email goes out, it describes the need (meals, transportation, other) and who it is for (includes address, map, etc).  LHH members can respond to the email by following the link and signing themselves up for whatever day they are available or for whatever task they are available for.  It is so incredibly simple!  New mom’s are getting food, medically needy families are getting childcare and household help, and everyone gets a chance to help out in the area they are gifted in.

Speaking of gifted areas, let’s think outside the box just a little bit.  LHH isn’t just about being able to cook a meal for someone, or to go cut someone’s lawn.  It’s about being (as an active verb) part of the body of Christ – being a hand, a foot, even just one finger.

Here are some of the many ways you can help out:  order a pizza or other meal  to be delivered to someone, buy some breakfast foods like croissants and tea and fruit and either deliver them, or have them delivered, cut someone’s lawn, offer up the use of your high powered lawn mower for someone else to go mow someone’s lawn, go along with a helper and pull weeds or sweep up after to make a job easier and shorter.  If you know someone who cooks a lot, bring them a supply of disposable freezer pans or a gift card to the grocery store so that THEY can better meet the needs of providing food.  No time? Swing by after work and wash someone’s car. Now, maybe that won’t meet their specific need, but think of how surprised and happy they’ll be!  Know that there is one helper who seems to be intimately involved and feel like there is nothing for you to do?  Slip a prepaid gas card into their car, a coupon for a free coffee or snack, or bring the helper a plate of cookies and a kind word to thank them for their efforts.  No time, no money, and no idea how else to help? Make a phone call just to leave a message saying that you were thinking of them, pray for them, write a note or card, email them… seek and ye will find!

If you attend Fellowship church, you should be on the LHH website, signed up and signed in, and ready to do your part in our church body.  (Or if you don’t attend Fellowship Church, then maybe you can start one at your church.)  There are, like in any other ministry, a select few who always seem to jump on board and give.  Let me tell you, the rewards in doing so are tenfold.  
You don’t want to miss out on rewards do you?

As I write this, I want you to know that I’m not angry and I’m not bitter at any particular Christian sect or group.  How’s that for a starter?

I wanted to write today about a phenomenon that exists in American Christianity of which I have thought about frequently and am attempting to change.  It’s an iron curtain, but not one of guns and hatred, but one of comfort.  This iron curtain is a spiritual one and rests not in Europe, Asia, or Africa, but just south of New York.  The curtain divides the northeast (and specifically New England) from the rest of the United States.

I moved here 10 years ago, being born in Northwest Ohio, going to college in Florida, and living for short periods of time in Tucson and Atlanta.  Almost immediately God gave me a passion for this area and for the people in Massachusetts. 

Outside of this place, the Northeast is looked at as a place that could do with or without God, a place that is cold to the gospel, and a place filled with rude people who drive as arrogantly as they talk (so 1 out of 3 ain’t bad).  But since I moved here, what I’ve found is people in love with the truth.  Not what they’ve been taught.  Not what they’ve been told.  Not necessarily with the traditions they’ve grown up with (though they have them too).  But the truth.

So here’s the thing I’m trying to figure out.  If this place is so cold to the gospel, then why would more people from this beloved “Christian culture Bible belt thing” we have going on from Florida to Idaho, not be moving their families away from this subculture in our society – one of affluence and comfort, to a very difficult place where it’s gonna take 5 years to see any kind of fruit?

I love going to conferences like Catalyst and C3 and other such venues to get fired up about what God is doing, but when I do, I wonder how many of these pastors or leaders or lawyers or teachers or whoever would be a great asset to our difficult task of reaching people with the gospel in the Northeast.

There are people going to the Middle East and Asia and the Philippines and third world countries by the scores.  And tons and tons of Christ followers are moving to some super-growing cities like Charlotte or Columbus (Ohio, not Gerorgia) to start churches.  But I don’t exactly see people lining up to make their way into New England (one of the great technology areas in the US, by the way).

And so we try to place a band-aid on a bullet wound.  The southern baptists, who I respect in a great way and believe are doing some great things, send their college students on yearly mission trips to New England colleges.  By the time the college grads are finished, many of them hate the winter,and despise working so hard to have 30 students come to their things when back home there was 100.  So in the end, they are seduced by the community back home.

What we need up here is talented men and women, the best and most creative people that places like California, Florida, and Texas have to offer(preferably people who are not cry babies when it’s cold), who will come and utilize those gifts here, even though they would probably be leaving their family and friends for a place not quite as cozy as home.  (But I do believe I recall Christ calling people that direction in Scripture)

People like Steve, who has brought his family here from Missouri, and worked through a lot of hard times in the process.  Or Anthony, who left the comforts of Pennsylvania in the late 90’s and who has now started 4 other churches besides the successful one he pastors now.  Or this church in Boston, which originated from a group of people that were sent from this church in Chicago because of the vision of this pastor and have done quite nicely for themselves.

I say all this today because I believe that the iron curtain that divides New England from the rest of the country is one-sided.  This area is ready for the gospel.  Not a subculture.  Not a conference. Not a political ideology.  Not even a Christian radio station (we can check that out on the internet if we really want to).  But the gospel.

And if there’s anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable, just say the word.

Until next time…