one church family

Two weeks ago, Pastor Dawn walked us through the book of Ruth and we heard Ruth say the following to Naomi, “Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.”  Likewise, Rahab could have spoken these exact words to the Israelite people.  Rahab and her family are entering into a new community of believers that God’s grace has made possible.

Rahab entered into a new family when she became a part of the people of the God by her confession of faith.  At CHIC2012, our 30 teenagers became part of a larger family as well: the larger family of Christ followers (6,000 teens!) for one week to be a part of something amazing. 

While the “official” theme of CHIC 2012 was FIVE (five questions asked by Jesus), there was definitely an unofficial theme that flowed throughout the week: One Youth Group.  We were 6,000 people from literally all over the world coming together for one week to form One Youth Group.  We are a family under Christ.

On the CHIC website (www.chic2012.org), there are several images, videos and links to blog post.  Below is a link to a blog post written by a pastor who took their kids to this same CHIC conference with the hope of showing them what one family under Christ looks like.  As you read it, apply these same principles to our church family, and think about what it would look like if our church family was to live as One Church Family.

Youth and the Church

the strength of boaz

Having been raised in a home with an alcoholic father and bumping into the wrong kind of men in my twenties, I had a bit of a suspicion towards men and their strength.  That was until God blessed me with a man who changed my view of Godly strength ... 

I think Boaz did the same for Ruth.  In the culture of her day, I am sure she had her fair share of run ins with men who made sure she “knew her place.” And after relocating to Judah I suspect her Moabite status would have made this even more likely.  I can only imagine the fear she felt meeting the Landowner himself, Boaz, face to face her first day gleaning in his field and later on the threshing floor.

Yet Boaz, rather than affirming her worst nightmare, affirms her - not once but twice - as a woman whose love and loyalty (hesed) towards Naomi and the God of Israel warrants blessing of provision and even protection.  “May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge,” Boaz says to Ruth in 2.12, “reward you fully for what you have done.”

The real strength Boaz shows us is his Godly perspective; a perspective that flexes the muscles of his spiritual sight.  Boaz sees Ruth not just as a woman, Moabite, Widow, or tragic combination of all three. Boaz sees Ruth not as the vulnerable or discarded to be manipulated or forced to do his will … but rather a fellow journey person along a path with God.

That strength of Boaz allows him to become her advocate rather than an adversary or person of indifference; even willing to go so far as to seek out and pursue tangible ways in which God’s best might be made known in Ruth’s life. And what amazing fruit it yields!  Ruth continues to grow as a woman of God, ultimately participating in the full redemption of Naomi and the lineage of Christ.  And the efforts of Boaz to bless her, ultimately brings him lasting recognition and admiration.

I thank God for men like Boaz.  I thank God for my own Boaz who has breathed life into me that I never thought possible.  And I pray emphatically, that the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings these “Boaz Men” have taken refuge by using their strength for the most vulnerable around us, reward them fully for what they have done and may we recipients of their strength participate in making that happen as well.” 

–Ruth 2.12 (reworked)


-Pastor Dawn

god-forsaken places

When you and I run across a desolate place, a place without life - literally or spiritually - we might sometimes refer to that place as "God-forsaken."  What we mean by this is that we are in a miserable place and it appears to us that God is nowhere to be found.

Several years ago I was at a workshop entitled, "God in God-forsaken Places."  I don't remember a whole lot about the workshop, but I do remember one particular part of the presentation.  The speaker walked us through Scripture, skipping here and there, from Genesis to Revelation, lifting out quick vignettes of the stories we were all familiar with - from Adam and Eve to the Apostles - showing us God at work in the most unlikely of places and people.   Such a list of people had to include the story of Abraham and Sarah.  Within that story, of course, is enmeshed the story of Hagar and Ishmael.  From worldly standards, these people and their stories are a blip on the radar.  They become much more in the end, of course, but that's not where they started.  From an outsider's point of view, one might wonder if and where God could be found in their stories, at all.



Within the whole Abraham-Isaac-Ishmael context, Hagar would appear to be one of the most "God-forsaken" people around.  The desert in which she finds herself twice in the story would appear to be one of the most "God-forsaken" places around, as well.  And yet, as we saw on Sunday, God forsakes no one in this story and no place is beyond his reach.


Each day, each of us have what appear to be "God-forsaken" moments in our lives - miserable places and desperate people to which we are called .  It may be the office, the neighborhood or the home, but there are days when we wonder if and where God is at work in these relationships.  Be assured, however, that God is indeed at work in those places and people.  No one and no place is truly God-forsaken.  Such a phrase should not even exist in our theological vocabulary!  We are told both in the Old and New Testaments (Dt  31.6; He 13.5) that God says to us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  That's a promise to the people of God, of course, but it is also a testimony to the character and ways of God.  This is the kind of God, God is.

To what "God-forsaken" places has God called you?  To which "God-forsaken" people has he led you?  Be at peace!  God is with you and for you and wants to reveal himself to others through you as the God who sees and hears those in need!

when we are tempted

First Corinthians 10.13 is a well known passage that encourages us when we face temptation and trial.  The Apostle Paul reminds us, And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.  This is a verse that young Christians are often given to memorize as a reminder that sin does not have to have the last word in our walks with Christ.  But it's about more than the standard lists of sins we often hear about.  It's about knowing that no matter what we might face, God is with us, enabling us to bear up under trial and providing a way out when we are tempted.


I'm sure in that walk up the mountain in Genesis 22, Abraham was tempted with each step to turn back.  He had Isaac, the promised child.  Would it be so wrong of him to hold onto him, even at the risk of disobeying God?  Maybe he wasn't hearing God's voice, after all.  Maybe he wanted to shout out at God, "This isn't fair!"  All of us can identify with these thoughts and others like them when we are facing trial and temptation.


Of course, we don't know what Abraham struggled with or what he thought about on his way up the mountain to sacrifice his only son.  But we can know that God was with him all the way.  And from that, we can know that God walks with us in our challenges, difficulties and pain, as well.  In addition, not only do we have the faith of Abraham to guide us, we have the example of Christ.  Hebrews 2.18 speaks of Christ, saying, Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.  


I pray that whatever challenges you are facing this day or this week, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ walks with you and is there to help you when you are tempted.  Amen.

no zombie sheep allowed

It occurs to me that after Sunday's sermon, Against All Odds: Sheep Among Wolves, it would be tempting for us to think that since Jesus sends us out as sheep among wolves, we might want to fight back against those wolves, using any means necessary.  This reminds me of a film that came out a few years ago - a film I have not seen, will not see and do not recommend seeing (but the trailer was amusing), just to be  clear.  It was called, Black Sheep and was the story of genetically engineered sheep in a rural New Zealand town.  In the story the sheep become zombie sheep.  Yes. You read that correctly.  They become zombie sheep and attack and devour human beings in the village.  This is not what we are to become, even though Jesus sends us out among wolves.

Jesus uses the imagery of wolves not to say that we should take up arms and fight back against the wolves, but that we should realize that the call to follow him and obey God is a call to take up our crosses and deny ourselves.  This does not mean that if we are in an emotionally or physically abusive situation we must simply "take it" for the sake of the kingdom.  It is, after all, unloving toward our abuser to continue to allow them to abuse us, to say nothing of our own safety and needs.

Furthermore, God promises us victory, even though we may suffer.  He promises us his peace, even in the midst of war. He promises us resurrection, even though we die.  Our call is to be faithful to God when we are up against the odds, not to give in to the temptation to "fight back" and do damage to those who oppose us.

It's interesting to me that in the list of Jesus' disciples is one named "Simon the Zealot" (Mt 10.4).  A zealot was a Jewish activist who was unafraid to take up weapons and fight to the death against the oppressive Roman forces in Jesus' day.  Zealots may have even killed Jewish people who collaborated with the Roman government - Jewish tax collectors, for example, like Matthew (Mt 10.3)!  The call to follow Jesus was a call to lay down arms and pursue God's purposes instead.  It was not a call to become zombie sheep amid wolves.

I know that all of this is quite challenging when the rubber meets the road.  But however we might answer the questions we have has to begin with the reality that Christ's methods are different than the world's methods, that disciples behave differently than zealots and the sheep ought not imitate wolves.  Our model is Christ who, though he was mocked, spit upon, tortured and killed, went to the cross like a sheep to the slaughter.

May we all find the grace we need to carry out crosses.  Amen.

P.S. - if you would like to have a version of Sunday's title slide for your smartphone background, go here.