Puritan Pilgrims

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2

Thanksgiving holiday traditions in America trace their origins back to English Puritans who courageously sought to establish a purer form of Christian community in the New World. They had witnessed the drab conformity of their Christian counterparts in Britain and also vividly remembered cruel religious rivalries and bloodshed. Circumstance tested their faith as they raised funds, recruited intrepid pioneers, and gained necessary permits and provisions. A perilous sea crossing followed by terrible hardships on land left a band of survivors resembling the remnant of Israel at the end of the Exodus or after the diaspora. 

      The deep commitment of the puritan pilgrims stemmed from their devotion to the Kingdom of Christ. No cost was too high for them. They rejected British royal headship over the Church like early Christians who willingly rejected the lordship of Caesar. The pilgrims gave thanks for their blessings and their suffering, even after losing so many of their family and friends. They recognized good and perfect gifts from above and realized a deeper devotion to the LORD when they made His Kingdom the highest priority. 

     Popular culture and time-compression leave many of us with stereotypical images of the puritans. Tall hats, belts, and shoes with big buckles; plain dresses, white aprons, and bonnets come to mind. Friendly, half-naked natives and big roasted turkeys serve as backdrops for our celebrations, but the images are caricatures. Images of savage, superstitious puritans condemning and burning women accused of witchcraft may remain from a month earlier - thus, critics often derided conservative Christians as “puritanical” haters - but those are also caricatures. In fact, puritans were, like many pioneer Americans, forward thinking visionaries whose spirit of adventure combined with their faith to embrace risk. Their industry caused their society to diversify. The puritan culture divested its predecessor and eventually saw its own divestiture as Christians strove to create a better way. 

    History strongly suggests that there is no pure Christian society until Christ returns. In the meantime, believers strive to reject false gods and corruption. They adapt and overcome while hoping to resist pride, oppression, and accusation. When temptations of the flesh break down the purist expressions of faith, and they always do, pioneer Christians boldly move toward fresh expressions of the Scriptural mandates. 

     Pilgrims are sojourners seeking a holy place or outcome for spiritual enlightenment. Exodus is often antecedent - before going to something better, pilgrims must reject something lesser. Does your religion seem corrupt? Is your spiritual life dry and lifeless? Is your faith in Christ and commitment to His Kingdom such that others will realize it? Will they mock you and nickname you “puritans” or “methodists”? Will your priorities change so that you willingly embrace the cost of discipleship? If these things are true in your life, then you can give thanks for suffering and the good and perfect things from above.    

Recommended Reading: 

Romans 12

The Valley of Vision 

Into the Light

 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”’ ~ John 18:36

     We often sing the familiar doxology “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. World without end. Amen. Amen.” It is a succinct statement of faith in the Kingdom of God yet, it often seems we are woefully unaware of the implications. If we were aware, then we would see more clearly with a Kingdom worldview. The Kingdom had not come yet when Jesus said, if it had, his servants would fight for him. The LORD restrained Heaven’s angelic army for a time so that God’s magnificent grace could run its course. For the moment, Jesus bore the immeasurable weight of sin alone. 
     The coming Kingdom of Christ was the central theme of His preaching and teaching while he walked among us. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled” “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:14) Heaven’s gates opened wide and the unseen Kingdom of God became a present reality to all who would be its citizens after Christ’s death and resurrection. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13)
     The Father rewarded the Son for His faithfulness with Kingship and we who repent and believe are Christ the Son’s subjects. Many Kingdom citizens choose to live in its frontier zones. Christ sees them in houses of worship each week, or occasionally. They often behave as if the light of Christ’s glorious throne is too much to bear.
     Frontier Christians and those near the Kingdom realm prefer to think of the King as distant and ineffectual. They wear masks, like welder’s shields, when compelled to enter His presence. Fear causes them to believe they cannot see our LORD’s glory and live. Their fear is justified in a way, because one’s eyes adjust and permanently change after lingering in His presence. The transformation is so profound that the old world of the frontier goes dark and one simply cannot return to it. In effect, death to the old way occurs. 
     Average Christians are familiar with this concept and most will declare their death to sin and celebrate the assurance of Heaven when their flesh expires. However, confronting the reality of the Christ’s Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven requires acknowledgement that we all fall short of Christ’s glory - in fact, we unconsciously try to avoid it. Many of us deeply desire a more complete relationship with Christ, but remain inert for fear of the light of His glory. One wonders if, like Icarus, we fly too close to the Sun we will surely die. 
     It takes faith to walk toward His glory. It takes courage to leave the oddly comfortable dimly lit, grey world of the flesh behind. Ironically, many American Christians push further from the heart of Christ’s Kingdom because of innate pride in their rugged independence, bold frontier explorations, and dedication to freedom at all costs. “We rebelled against kings and kingdoms,” they declare. Such persons audaciously rewrite the gospel with a uniquely American twist, combining patriotic legends with superficial biblical concepts. Others prefer the dark frontier periphery of the Kingdom because they fancy themselves as sources of light, aligning themselves with the lesser gods of the flesh. Moving closer to His glory diminishes them and their assumed status. 
     Right now, you may wonder what sort of encouragement is coming, if any. So far, it sounds like a put-down or just an overly hard message to accept. “Here he goes again, saying I’m not good enough!” I’m speaking to myself too and, believe me, I get it. Beloved, the LORD compels me to speak truth in love so that we might strive for the heart of His Kingdom together. The long, dark winter nights of our land remind us that, if not for the gentle rising of the sun, we would emerge into the brief daylight only to be blind for a time as our eyes adjust. So it is with pressing on toward the King’s throne. What we once saw only dimly, we gradually see with greater clarity than we thought possible. 
     Consider the exceedingly grey times we are presently enduring. Everyone seems to move cautiously through the days as if constantly rounding a bend in the road, fearful of what lies just out of view immediately ahead. People are so risk-averse that they refuse to make commitments and choose to hoard their time and possessions. The old, grey faith of their predecessors no longer brings comfort and they distrust nearly all public figures, even religious leaders (Sadly, often for good reason). 
     Have you noticed that survival supplies are in high demand? Have you seen advertisements for powerful flashlights that will illuminate vast areas and far ahead on one’s path? People instinctively fear the dark unseen roads ahead, yet they distrust those who profess to possess the light. As stated above, distrust and the vanity of false sources of light have bred extreme caution. 
     Beloved of God, there is only ONE true light. It radiates from the throne of our King, Lord Jesus Christ. When we look to Him and move toward His glory, we leave fear and failure behind. We see the world the way it really is. Gradual illumination reveals false gods of the carnal and lights the path of righteousness. 
     How do you see the lighted Way of our King? Jesus said, 'It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. (John 6:45) The divine irony is that one must hear the Word of God in order to see the light of the Son’s glory. The eyes deceive, but the ears become more effective in the dark. Therefore, hear the Word of God spoken in truth and love. Close your eyes and listen, or in this case, read the words aloud and listen for the King’s voice. Do you hear Him calling you home? I hope and pray so. 


Recommended Reading: 
Insurgence: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom by Frank Viola
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
 

Understanding is Worth More than Sympathy

 For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows you're going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”’ ~ Deuteronomy 2:7

There’s no way to adequately express how much the heartfelt compassion I have received in many forms of get-well wishes and encouragement lately has lifted my spirits. One message insightfully stated, “Our Church was broken years ago through no fault of your own. The Methodist Church is broken, again through no fault of your own. You have helped the healing process in our Church. You are leading us through the transition within the Methodist Church as best you can.” I was grateful as I read that since it helps to know that someone realizes my weariness results from a cumulative effect. Each of my pastoral appointments was to broken churches. The brokenness is nearly always because of poor leadership. In my experience, clergy seldom possess the skills to turn things around. Seeing local churches through the storms and attacks of the Enemy over the last two decades was usually a solitary affair. As I strove to reorient systems and values, there were always persons who felt that I undermined their rank and values. Others who had hoped for such an unseating and the end of oppression privately cheered me on, but publicly sympathized with persons whom they feared. No one had the courage to stand with me to say I was doing the right things, yet all celebrated their victory when the battle ended. Some church people have been unbelievably cruel and incredibly insensitive. When discussing my home, my salary, and my time, they showed little regard for my family’s well-being and my basic need to protect and provide for them. I have often been treated as a soft target whose feelings and needs don’t matter because I am expected to be passive and devoted to everyone else’s needs because I am a pastor. I’ve always fought back so that change could lead to Christ’s glory. The cumulative toll eventually comes due.

Another sentiment expressed recently by a few kind encouragers. “We’re sorry for letting you down” deeply troubles me because I have no right to that role in their life. I do not intend to imply that the flock is accountable for the shepherd’s feelings and their physical manifestations. Here we see that Christ’s enemy is cunning and ruthless as he plays on our weaknesses to make us feel inadequate and ineffective as we strive to be a Christ-centered family. Fixing broken churches is part of my calling and I have no right to feel sorry for myself. Working with unhealthy souls and pushing others toward greater spiritual stamina goes with the territory. Still, making some things better is relatively easy for a person with the right skills. My primary aim, for which I earnestly hope and pray, is that our LORD will bring revival for His Name’s sake ... sometimes I just wonder if I’m not good enough for that part. My weather gauges are the countenances of the present worshipers, and the influx of new ones. The evangelist in me feels such urgency - the LORD is coming soon; He really is!

The Church history class on Wednesday nights reintroduced many significant players in the ongoing drama of the Christian era to me. I enjoyed recalling that I am a little like the great reformer Martin Luther in that we are both anti-establishment-religion and talk too much about it. Like him, I can be too passionate and crave “table-talk” wherein honest, unfiltered conversations generate fruitful critical thinking, but it unsettles people with comfortable traditions and ideologies.

History lauds the outgoing, gregarious people, with strong wills and Type-A personalities who often accomplish great things and also leave collateral damage in their wake. We’ve all benefited from their efforts but are left to deal with incomplete projects and walking wounded who stayed through it all when others became angry, bored, or unfulfilled and then quit. Two of my church appointments involved mitigation of, or cleanup after such hurricane ambition blew through. 

I am not an extroverted or autocratic leader and much of what I do seldom gets noticed, which suits me. I enjoy working unnoticed, behind-the-scenes doing strategic planning, motivating and training. Helping others to thrive and succeed in their mission fulfills me. There is often tiredness after I do my leadership in public. However, I am energized by teaching and preaching. It’s a pleasure to enlighten and inspire people. In my experience, charismatic leaders frequently pressure people into joining them in what they are doing and sometimes those people regret it later. I prefer to present intriguing knowledge and ideas and then pray people will respond. It is a harder way to get support but it tends to build stronger bonds.  

It must seem strange for a self described introvert and private person to put so much introspection on display. Well, writing is my favorite form of self expression. I like its exactness and permanence. If I change my opinions later, I can jot it down and add it to the body of my written thought, so that a process of critical thinking and growth is apparent (if only to me). The Lord challenged me to be vulnerable and humble when I’d rather be stoic and strong. It seems like sharing with you will help with understanding our shared calling as the Body of Christ in this time and place. I know too well of the detrimental effects rumors and assumptions have. Therefore, writing things down takes away speculation, at least among those who read it. If you want to know something, all you have to do is ask me.

Patrick O'Brien wrote dozens of books about seafarers of the 18th century. My favorites are from the series usually called the Aubrey-Manturin books from which the 2003 feature film “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” emerged. Technically, I’m a lubber, but in my imagination I am an explorer-adventurer captain of a sturdy warship like HMS Surprise - You can learn much about leadership from good fiction stories. Reading good literature informs everything in my life, even bible study. Try Stevenson’s “Treasure Island '' for example. Read or hear the unabridged version and don’t settle for one of the good movies. B90 veterans will recognize the biblical parallels throughout the tale. 

I’ve long believed that God created Israel for conquest. The people of God set out from captivity in Egypt to take possession of the Promised Land away from God’s enemies. Many weak and faithless people turned back, rebelled, and died along the way. An entire generation died in the wilderness while their successors matured in faith, trained, and prepared for conquering the land God prepared for them. The LORD would go before them and the victory would always be His, but they would faithfully stand in the breach. God made His people for Kingdom conquest; for warships, not cruise ships. The LORD made us for adventure and exploration; risk and reward, not for entertainment and excess; nor to be served, but to serve. Under Christ, we fight the status-quo by being set apart from the world, not like it. We serve the LORD first and then whatever needs be. We still stand in the breach, and the battle still belongs to the Captain of the LORD’s host. His manifesto is the Sermon on the Mount by which our war strategy is executed. 

The local church is also meant to be a warship - I like to think of an aircraft carrier, because it regularly launches parts of itself on risky missions. The captain and crew strive to keep her trim and shipshape while managing the crew and dealing with disorder, decay, and disease. Its captain and navigator plot the course toward a destination beyond the horizon. The ship’s conquests include adding to its manifest. It is stressful at the best of times and frustrating amid capricious currents and winds. Battles with the Enemy and foul weather leave the ship and crew wounded and scared, and fatigue accumulates. Increased responsibility naturally produces increased stress. It is both exhilarating and exhausting. 

Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land. An encounter with the Captain of the LORD’s hosts preceded his first major battle. He understood that the battle belongs to the LORD, but God chose him to lead the people in the breach. Joshua was humble and bold. He was obedient and decisive; organized and flexible. Joshua encouraged other leaders and cast a clear vision for the people. He knew who the real enemy was and strove to keep the main thing, the main thing, at all costs. He said, “choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The COVID-19 storm led to courageous action on deck and perseverance below as unsung heroes plugged holes, pumped bilges, and shifted loads. Shellshocked passengers and crew have grown weary and the captain’s call for “all hands on deck” goes unanswered. He collapses at the wheel, for a time, but does not give up the ship. 

OK. It’s a corny metaphor - thanks for indulging my imagination. The truth is, we are not plunging through a stormy sea on a warship, as much as I would wish it. We are actually a remnant people trapped in a wilderness of our own making waiting for the LORD to lead us into the Promised Land. Like Moses, I am a complicated, moody old man who has walked with Christ for a long time and still needs large daily doses of sanctification. I speak recklessly about the powers above me like Martin Luther, and I am a temporary burnout like Elijah. You can help me most by accepting me as I am and staying with me all the way to the Promise.   

“Heart Attack”

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ~ Hebrews 12:15

I awakened with discomfort in my chest and gut Sunday morning. I didn’t dwell on it since I hadn’t been sleeping well for some time and the dark mornings of autumn only make it harder to get moving. Aches and pains in the morning are a matter of course for most of us over a certain age anyway. The unusual thing about my chest pain and knotted gut was that I instinctively felt a correlation between them and my emotional and intellectual weariness. It had been a particularly hard week with heartbreaking disappointments and no-win scenarios that followed a general dismay over the future of the work I’ve loved for decades. 

My Sunday morning partner in worship ministry and I stood before the altar again intending to pray for our efforts to please the LORD. I whispered “I’ve got nothing left in my tank this morning, Sunshine.” So, we prayed that the LORD would make Himself known anyway. The LORD showed up. Music was rich and inspiring and our prayers about the saints in Heaven evoked strong emotions. Then, with tempered wit and restrained frustration I preached a brief message based on Howe's “For All the Saints.” Ironically, I told my wife and daughter that I thought it would be a good epitaph should I die that day, and that before I suspected I was seriously ill. . 

My bride and I met with a lovely couple whose genuine faith and hunger for Christ inspires me amid so much apathy. They sought counsel in preparation for their upcoming wedding. It was a lovely conversation that gave me joy though I felt myself deteriorating as the chat went on. I was sweating profusely and my skin was clammy. My gut felt like a tightening rubber band on a balsa wood airplane.My chest hurt and my mind was blurry. My bride and I went home after parting with our young friends and we sat down to watch the remainder of a football game. I left the room several times trying not to alarm anyone since I wasn’t sure about my next steps yet. Finally, I quietly called my bride out of the room and said, “I think I’m having a heart attack.” 

I came home from the hospital approximately 20 hours later after constant tests and brief, uncomfortable naps. It had not been a heart attack, which was good news, but “what the heck happened!” I wondered. Stress was generally, but not officially credited with causing my symptoms. While not surprised, I was a little angry that I could be undone by something like that at this point in my life. I’d been in many stressful situations and seasons over the years and had managed to cope admirably by my estimation. It turns out that the Enemy is no fool. Attacking on multiple fronts simultaneously and employing diversions to weaken an objective before the final assault are common tactics for good generals, no matter how diabolical. 

My bride went back to her job the next day and came home within hours as she was suffering with similar, but milder symptoms in her gut. While the hospital care I received was excellent, it was laser focused on my heart. The fact that a stomach virus was passing through the community and likely afflicting me came from the best network in town, the local school. So, I was the victim of an intestinal disorder that was profoundly exacerbated by weeks of stress, months of constant adaptation, and general burnout. 

While it may seem sanctimonious to some, my constant ministry goal is described in the verse above, See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; Over the years, I’ve seen bitterness, in this case “poison” would be a better word, lead many pastors and church members to focus their energies on self-fulfillment and aggrandizement. Consequently, the idea that a local church could be a farm for the development of serious Christian discipleship became an obsession for me. I felt that a systematic approach to the business of the institution and its leadership could relieve worldly stressors and enable faith development in attenders, worshipers, and members of the local church. A small, Spirit-led leadership team could join me in this while and effective, unified staff took care of business. Preaching from the Bible and letting its natural authority speak truth in love from God seemed like a certain way of generating revival and authentic Christianity in the local church. 

My fiscal leadership routinely improved the general health of the institutions I’ve served but my preaching and teaching always seemed to have a limited impact. What’s more, there are always persons whose commitment to their particular role in the local church caused them to resent me for preaching against them. I wasn’t trying to hurt them with preaching since that would be reprehensible in my mind, but I admit that I used other opportunities to call out toxic persons and reject their negative impact on the vision and mission of the Church-Universal. Those battles have a cumulative effect. Grief, self-doubt, and fear all linger in me and combine with less than desirable Spiritual growth in the congregation to bring me down, especially self-doubt. 

A simple majority of 51% seems attainable and yet elusive. If slightly more than half the people attending the local church would worship God because they just can’t help it, then spiritual growth would be irresistible. We see Local churches dying across the land, especially during the pandemic, mainly because they have nothing to offer new generations who see them as social organizations of morally superior hypocrites. I genuinely believe we can do better. My hope is that sleeping saints will awaken and demonstrate the power, life and vitality of the Kingdom of Christ. But, I fear that I have failed to awaken enough for a simple majority. Especially after the pandemic dulled their senses and deepened their lethargy. My grief and sense of failure, and perhaps unrealistic expectations, combined over the years to bring me to this point. 

I do not plan to quit, my King makes it very clear that is not an option. I truly want to stay with my current local church until I’m done. I do not plan to aim for lesser things and accommodate toxicity in the Church. I will not stop preaching truth in love from the Bible or seeking the 51%. Still, for the moment, I will rest. I will pray the LORD reveals a way forward that humbles me and makes me more dependent upon His grace. I will pray that the roots of the growing simple majority will become more fruitful. I hope the local church I serve will realize that this, like a marriage, is a relationship that prospers and fulfills by mutual consent and commitment. This season of burnout will pass but I cannot do it alone. 

There’s another passage from the same chapter of Hebrews that says, “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7) I have no doubt that our LORD is using these circumstances to direct me and refine my discipleship since my journey toward personal holiness means more than my success as a pastor. Likewise, the LORD using your current state of affairs, maybe even our shared journey through this week, to grow your devotion to discipleship. Will you join me in becoming a simple majority for His Name’s sake?