The Well

Pastor Laura's Blog

 

In Jesus' time, the town well was the place where people gathered and shared news and ideas. It was also the place they could be refreshed. In the book of John, chapter 4, the town well was where Jesus offered his living water to the Samaritan woman. In this blog, I will offer some reflections on sermons I just preached, and some thoughts on upcoming sermons and Scripture passages. I welcome your thoughts, questions and insights in conversation with me. Your feedback will help me as I pray about what word from God I can bring to people in the sermon. Please check in weekly and send me your thoughts via email through our Contact Us form.

June 25

My husband says that yesterday's sermon title - "Brain - Use It!" has to be one of the goofiest sermon titles ever. I can hardly disagree. The problem with using a VBS curriculum for your sermon ideas is that your themes and titles have already been chosen for you. I did develop all the sermons myself, but I felt like I needed to keep the clever 5-finger exercise that introduces a new "B" word each week and a corresponding response. So that's how I ended up preaching a sermon titled "Brain - Use It!" The funny thing is that people really responded to the content of the sermon. I think there has been such a hunger from people to really engage their minds in matters of faith. For too long we have been told that thinking and asking questions are contrary to faith. But Jesus told us that we are to love the Lord with all of our minds, so God expects us to use the brains we've been given!

I feel a little guilty that I haven't spent a whole lot of time thinking about next week's worship service yet. That's because I am so excited that we will be having our first-ever baptisms after worship! We have a new baptistry, and we'll be celebrating new life and new decisions for Christ in the waters of baptism immediately after worship. I have loved so many things about being the pastor of a new church, but the one thing that excites me more than anything else we have experienced is being able to baptize new believers. It is the "fruit" of our ministry, and it is my deepest privilege and greatest joy as a pastor. Oh, and worship will be great, too.

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June 18

There are so many things I love about being ecumenically-minded. I love realizing that we are connected to Christians everywhere, that we share the same table with them. I love experiencing the different ways we worship and appreciating the beauty in all of them. But I found myself becoming a little uncomfortable with the sermon yesterday on baptism because we have a very different view on baptism than many of our brothers and sisters who baptize infants. There are no easy ways to tiptoe around these substantially different ways of viewing the meaning and practice of baptism. And so, in asserting our own beliefs and how we came to them, I drew attention to the primary theological difference between us and other mainline denominations. So, which one of us is right? I think this may be an instance in which God works through the sacrament of baptism in more ways than we can understand. And while I love all the richness and symbolism of believer baptism by immersion, I continue to affirm that infant baptisms are special and meaningful in their own way, too. What it comes down to for me is that my own personal experience of being immersed was such a beautiful moment in my life that it truly makes me sad to think that other Christians have not been able to have that same experience.

Next week we'll look at how our denomination encourages freedom of thought. This can be a dangerous thing, and we have experienced a lot of pain over this issue. But it does seem that God gave us our minds for a reason...

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June 11, 2007

Yesterday's service was focused on communion and why it is so important to us. We had our little drama with Raccoon John Smith, and we took a virtual tour of Cane Ridge, trying to imagine the scene as 20,000 people came from all over to take communion and hear preaching day and night. The Spirit of God came upon the people in a powerful way, and the results were truly strange and mystifying. But Barton Stone, originally skeptical of these bizarre "exercises", became convinced that it was a work of God when he saw the changed lives of the people involved.

The most moving part of the morning, however, was when Fusion 112, our worship band, played "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." I had chosen that hymn several weeks ago, thinking that we could do an upbeat version of it, perhaps even a little campy as we leaned left and right. But then last week I had a life-changing experience that resulted in a different way of singing that song. Last Sunday, June 3, my daughter Bethany received a call from a friend saying that Kelsey Smith, a girl they had both known from playing in marching band together, was missing. We began praying for her. A few hours later, I received a call from the band parent organization asking if I would go to the Smith home and help answer their phone. I said I would do anything I could to help. I cannot describe to you the fear and tension in that household as the family and friends of Kelsey tried to hold out hope that she would come home soon. They launched an unprecedented volunteer campaign, canvassing the entire city and beyond with fliers about Kelsey. The local media called, then the national media. I was in their home Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, doing whatever I could to help. And I was there when the detectives told Kelsey's parents, Missey and Greg, that they had found her body. The grief was unimaginable. My heart broke with theirs.

There was a prayer meeting that night, and a candlelight vigil the next. Even though Missey and Greg had lived through a parent's worst nightmare, they stood together, offering thanks to the volunteers and standing firm in their belief that Kelsey was with Jesus and that they would see her again. I have never seen two people more gracefully live out what it means to lean on the everlasting arms of God in order to even stand up. I asked Fusion if we could sing the hymn slowly and reflectively, as a song of strength for the Smith family and all the other families out there who don't know how they can stand on their own strength. It was a beautiful moment in worship, and I don't think any of us will ever sing that song the same way again. You can listen to it here.

Next week we will talk about baptism - what it means, why we do it the way we do, and how the experience of it can change us. We hope you'll join us.

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June 4, 2007

I've always been a fan of history. I don't find it dull and dry at all. The people and situations of the past fascinate me, and I find myself wondering what I would have done if I had been in their situation. I think the history of our denomination - the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - is especially interesting. You have rugged individuals on the American frontier, churches and denominations trying to sprout up along with new towns, and divisions in doctrine causing Christians to fight with each other. On the scene appears Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell with a God-inspired dream to unite Christians in love like the early church in Acts. It was a great vision. It was a great beginning. My hope is that this sermon series will help all of us to understand where we have come from, and more importantly, where we are going. But I also hope each one of us will also ask ourselves, "What will I do when God gives me a vision to pursue?"

Next week we'll look at how communion has always been central to our worship. Sharing the bread and cup are part of our DNA. We can't imagine worship without them. Come find out why the early founders thought communion was so important, and see if it brings new meaning to your experience of it each week.

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May 27, 2007

What a celebration we had yesterday! It was Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, and we wore red and heard the story of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. After worship, we had our own birth-day celebration, marking our leaving the "nest" that Countryside Christian Church has provided for us. We had many friends from Countryside come worship with us, and then we had a potluck party together. The highlight was the signing of our birth certificate, our official document that will tell future generations who was there at the birth of this new church. It was a little disappointing that this great day had to fall on Memorial Day weekend, but God was in the house, and it was still an awesome day!

Next week we begin our new series, Back to the Future, as we look back at the roots of our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It is with some fear and trembling that I take on a five-week series about denominational history because it might induce a big yawn from a lot of people. But I have just returned from a trip to Cane Ridge, Kentucky, the place where one of the most exciting events of our past occurred, and I think we can gain so much insight into our faith today and so much hope for where God is leading us by looking back at some of the incredible events from our past. So whether church history excites you or makes you roll your eyes, we can all find contemporary ways to grow in our faith by looking Back to the Future.

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May 21, 2007

Some of you may be old enough to remember the Mary Tyler Moore show, a sitcom that aired in the 70s. One episode that I distinctly remember was when Ted Baxter, the insecure anchorman of the local television news station, was forced to take vacation for the first time in many years. Ted had been reluctant to take a vacation because he feared that whoever sat in for him while he was gone might be more popular with the viewers. Sure enough, the substitute anchor was a big hit and Ted's job was in jeopardy. I was reminded of this episode yesterday when I got the report from people at Living Water about what an awesome job my daughter Bethany did preaching yesterday while I was out preaching at another church in town. Perhaps I shouldn't plan any vacations any time soon (or I should make sure my daughter is with me!). Actually, I couldn't be more thrilled that she is exploring her own gifts and call into ministry, and I'm elated that Living Water had an awesome worship service without me. What a testimony to the fact that we are, indeed, growing up and becoming a church where everyone works together to make worship happen.

Next Sunday is Pentecost, and it's one of my favorite days of the year. I love preaching about the Holy Spirit coming down on the heads of the disciples. I love singing energetic songs. I love wearing red. And this year, I love that we will also be celebrating the birth of our own church. We have filed our articles of incorporation, and we are stepping out of the nest that Countryside Christian Church has provided for us while we got on our feet. We will have a potluck cook-out after worship on Sunday to celebrate what God has done in us. We will also have a "birth certificate" for people to sign as a tangible sign and memory of where we have come from. Don't miss this incredible, historical day!

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May 14, 2007

In addition to celebrating Mother's Day yesterday, we also celebrated Internet Evangelism Day. We even did a "shout out" to the folks who listen to the sermon online. Don't be embarrassed if you forgot to send a card to your favorite church nerd. My husband, a church nerd extraordinaire, is one of the few people who even knew there was such a thing as internet evangelism day. And if we take the "scariness" out of the word evangelism (all of the "you'll go to hell" stuff), then this blog is a good example of ways that people can communicate about the Christian faith, share the Good News, by electronic means. For many people, the internet is a less threatening way to explore the questions of faith. We continue to be awed and amazed at how many people come to our website. I'm surprised you're even reading this now! But I think it's cool that we can connect in some small way through this medium, and my prayer is that someday we'll even meet in person. I'd love to hear from any of you who check out our website. Use the Contact Us Form and give us a "shout out" back.

Next Sunday is the day the Disciples of Christ churches in Kansas City are celebrating new churches. As a part of that celebration, the new church pastors were asked to preach at some of the established churches in town. I will be preaching at First Christian Church in Independence, MO. Here at Living Water, my daughter Bethany, a sophomore at Park University, will bring the message. I'll miss seeing my Living Water friends, but I know that Bethany will bring her own fresh perspective to Scripture, and God will be in the house!

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May 7, 2007

The problem of evil, or theodicy, has to be one of the most difficult topics to preach about. It would be hard enough to preach it to a room full of strangers, but when you know some of the suffering that people in your congregation have endured, it makes it that much more difficult. I didn't want to say anything that might seem trite or dismissive, but the reality is that we can only look at the topic from a distance, not up close. For anyone in the middle of suffering, theological insights are not helpful. So it was with much prayer and trembling that I ventured into the murky waters of theodicy. It is fascinating to me how many different answers there are to the question of why there is evil in the world when we have a loving and powerful God. I don't know that my sermon wrapped up anything neatly for anyone, but I hope it advanced our understanding in some small way.

Next week is Mother's Day. I usually try to find a biblical story of a mother for my sermon, but I also lift up other women who influence us, too. Mother's Day can be a difficult day for those who are dealing with the death of a mother, memories of an abusive mother or for women dealing with infertility. So we will celebrate all women next week. For some dumb reason, I chose another difficult text to preach on (why do I do this to myself?). We will tackle the story of the very persistent mother in Matt. 15:21-28. Hopefully, I can come up with something to help us understand why Jesus is so harsh with this woman. And then I'll find some happy subjects to preach on for a while!

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April 30, 2007

Yesterday's sermon was one of those frustrating ones where I wanted to say 10 times more than I had time to say. How can I celebrate everything Living Water has been and continues to be while casting a vision for what God is calling us to become? It can't really be contained in a 20+ minute sermon. And yet, in spite of my desire to have more time to say more things, I knew that the most important part of the sermon was going to be hearing Matt's story. I've been a part of churches most of my life, and my family always visits other churches when we're on vacation (Ok, we are definitely church nerds who like going to other churches to get some new ideas. We know we're weird.) It is so hard for me to put myself in the shoes of someone who has never been to church and has no idea what goes on in one. Matt's story reminds all of us that what is easy and natural for some of us is uneasy and unnatural for others. We need to be reminded that our purpose, our reason for existence as a church, is to make sure that people like Matt can always find a place to taste Christ's living water.

I am really having second thoughts about my decision to preach on "Why Does God Allow Innocent People to Suffer" next week. It is the most difficult question to answer, and brilliant theologians have wrestled with it for 2,000 years or more. I'm afraid that people are expecting me to come up with a definitive answer that will end any further questioning. Ah, I wish it were that simple. But I will bring all my understanding and the thoughts of those theologians to the sermon, and pray that God will help all of us find some kind of new level of comfort with the question, if not an answer that satisfies. This will be especially timely in light of the killings at the mall here in Kansas City yesterday...

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April 22,2007

The tragedy at Virginia Tech a week ago weighs heavy on my mind and heart. As the parent of a college student myself, my heart aches for the parents who are trying to put their lives back together after losing a dear child. I pray for all the families and friends who lost loved ones in the senseless violence. I also pray for the family of the mentally ill man who caused the violence. When things like this happen, people want someone to blame so that we can feel confident that it will never happen again, and never happen to us. But blaming the family or the school does not bring back the dead or make any of us any safer. As people of faith, we struggle to make sense of it, too. Couldn't God have stepped in and stopped it? That's why I decided to preach on this fourth big question on May 6 - Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? It is a question that has stumped some of the best theological minds for centuries, and I won't pretend to have any tidy answers. But asking the question together, wrestling with it, can help bring us closer to the heart of God.

It was so awesome to hear Amanda's story about how finding Jesus has changed her life (you can hear her story at the end of the sermon on Apr. 22). When I started Living Water, I prayed for people like her, people I didn't even know. I prayed that those who were searching, who were hungry for God or thirsty for living water would find it through this new church. It is so exciting to see God moving and to hear how He is changing lives! We'll have a chance to celebrate that next Sunday as we ask, "Why do people need this particular church (Living Water)?" Come join us!

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April 16, 2007

You wouldn't think a pastor would struggle to write a sermon titled, "Why Do People Need Jesus?" It should be one of the first questions you learn to answer in seminary. Unfortunately, the real answer is often obscured behind theological language - justification, redemption, sanctification, etc. Those words all mean something important, but they don't have any meaning at all to the people in our culture who are asking the questions. So how could I boil down all these deep concepts to something easy and concrete? I ended up with two primary answers to the question of why people need Jesus. We need him in order to know the heart of God and in order to reach the heart of God. That's Christianity in as small a nutshell as I could find. In the end, however, I encouraged the congregation to answer the question from their own experience - why do they need Jesus? That's often the answer people are really looking for.

Next week we'll look at why people need the Church - any church. It is more and more popular for people to embrace Christianity but reject the Church as an institution. Is there any good reason that we should continue to support the local church? Can't we worship just as effectively on our own? Great questions. I hope I can come up with some good answers...

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April 9, 2007

What an incredible weekend! The Good Friday service was very moving, and it really brought home to me the depth of pain and the depth of love that the cross represents. We watched the movie Most, a powerful parable of Christ's death. I wasn't sure if showing a movie at the Good Friday service was the right thing to do, but the discussion afterwards was meaningful and thoughtful, and I think it really helped all of us to understand the crucifixion at a new level. Saturday was a day of prayer at the church building, and I used it to pray for each person who would come to the Easter service. Since I wasn't sure who those people would be, I prayed over each chair in the room, asking God to speak to and bless the person who would sit there.

For the Easter service, we wanted the room to be filled with butterflies - a symbol of new life, of Christ emerging from the tomb like a butterfly emerges from a cocoon. We handed out white fabric butterflies a few weeks ago to everyone at Living Water, and we asked them to decorate them. We took all the butterflies that had been turned in, and we pinned them all over the communion table cloth and the curtains. It was a fantastic symbol of the new life each of us has found in Christ - beautiful and unique! And the fresh flowers added the color and smell of spring. Before worship, we shared a fantastic brunch together, and the kids made special Easter necklaces. After the service, everyone received their own Living Water mug filled with candy to take home. The service itself was joyous and celebrative, thanks to our band, Fusion 112, and all the guests musicians that joined them for the morning. But my prayer is that the best part of the morning for everyone who attended was hearing that Jesus is alive, that he has conquered death, and that his resurrection power is available to us to overcome whatever pain and loss we have experienced in our own lives. He is risen! And that makes all the difference in the world.

Next week I'll tackle the first of The Big Three ?s - "Why do people need Jesus?" Answering that question without being preachy and judgmental, yet being honest and faithful, is a difficult thing to do. If you're stumped by that question, then join us as we wrestle with it together!

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April 2, 2007

Palm Sunday can be a difficult day to deal with in the Church. The day itself is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is appropriate to sing Hosanna and wave palm branches. The problem is that many people are unable to attend a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, and so they go from the joy of Palm Sunday to the joy of Easter without walking through the pain of Holy Week. As much as I would like to simply focus on the parade for Jesus, we must also take people through some of the other events of that painful week. Yesterday I chose to do this by telling the story from the perspective of four different people who were there - Mary Magdalene, Pilate, John and Peter. It is always my hope that people will hear our own stories in the lives of biblical characters. This simply drives home the truth that we are still the same fickle people who would shout "Hosanna!" one day and "Crucify him!" a few days later. Yet Jesus loved all of us enough to go to the cross.

We are beginning to experience some growing pains in our church, and it is the most wonderful blessing! We will be moving furniture out and moving chairs in to make room for everyone who wants to celebrate Easter with us. If you do not have a place to hear the Good News of the risen Christ, then come share the joy at Living Water this Easter!

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March 26, 2007

There aren't too many perks in ministry. I'm not complaining about my vocation, but most people wouldn't go into ministry for the "glamour." There have been weeks and months in my ministry when it felt like all my hard work and prayers barely made a difference. But then there are moments like what happened in worship yesterday that make all of the dry seasons of ministry worth it. I preached on my favorite chapter in Luke, chapter 15. I love these three stories because Jesus shows us so clearly the heart of God. And in each story, God is doing something ridiculous, even humiliating, to find the lost one and bring it home, back into community. (You can see the movie my daughter made of the lost coin parable here.) So I shared my story of being lost myself when I was 13 years old. I told how God intervened in my life and found me and brought me to safety and community. And then I offered the opportunity for anyone else who was feeling lost to come home, too. We don't regularly do an altar call or invitation hymn, but I thought we needed to offer it on this particular day. When the song started, I closed my eyes and prayed, "God, it's okay if no one comes up. But if You are leading someone here, help them to find the courage to come." When I opened my eyes, two people were up front with me. We held on to each other and were soon joined by others, eight in all. We all joined hands in our new circle of found ones. After the song we prayed a prayer of repentance and thanksgiving for our God who never stopped looking for us. It was holy moment, a moment I will never forget. It is the reason I became a minister, and it makes everything else I do worth the effort. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Next week is Palm Sunday, and we will hear about how Jesus headed into the last week of his life. There is the joyful celebration of his entry into Jerusalem, but the mood quickly turns as he is arrested just days later. Heading into Holy Week is a strong reminder of how fickle we can be, praising Jesus one day and yelling "crucify him!" the next. But the message of Easter is that life conquers death and love conquers all!

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March 19, 2007

I discovered that I'm not the only person who likes puns. It was a little silly to rename Jesus's speech to the Pharisees and teachers "The Six Whoas" (Luke 11:37-54), but that seemed the likely response from his audience. It's so much more comfortable to sit on the sidelines and cheer Jesus on, "You tell 'em, Jesus!" But if we put ourselves at the table, eating with the rest of the good, upstanding church folks, it becomes clear that Jesus is speaking to us. I find it amazing that some Christians spend a lot of time talking about the kinds of people Jesus doesn't like and who is going to be sorry if they don't straighten up. When I read the Gospels, I see over and over again that the people who riled Jesus the most are the religious people who go around talking about who God doesn't like and who is going to be sorry if they don't straighten up. Why would we go out of our way to become the very people Jesus yelled at?

Next week we'll look at my favorite passage in Luke - chapter 15. It is a masterpiece of 3 stories, each unique and yet all linked together. They give us such an incredible picture of God as One who never stops looking for the lost. They also show us God's joy at finding even one of those lost ones. What a powerful reminder that none of us is so insignificant that God won't go to the ends of the earth to find us!

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March 12, 2007

On most days, I am very happy to be a mainline pastor who received her Master of Divinity degree from a mainline seminary. I think the historic denominations in America have had a major impact on faith and culture in this country. I also think there is a bright future for denominations like mine that are anchored in hundreds of years of history. Having said all that, however, there are times when I feel like my Christian education is sorely lacking. That is especially true when it comes to topics like yesterday's sermon - demons (Luke 8:26-39). A member of the church asked me after worship yesterday if I had been taught anything about demons in my seminary education. I almost laughed at the question and replied, "no." Part of the reason we have been so timid to discuss demons is because we have seen historically how ancient cultures would label any disease or mental illness they didn't understand as "demonic." We now know that many of those illnesses can be treated and cured with medical/psychological help. But how do we deal with Scriptures that clearly state that Jesus and the early church cast out demons as a part of their ministry? And how do we deal with our brothers and sisters in the rest of the world who also see exorcisms as a vital part of their church's mission? It's a question I won't be able to answer in just one sermon, but I can at least clear some space for us to have more conversation...

The next passage from Luke that we'll cover in our series is not a story of a healing or other miracle. It's a story of Jesus getting up in the Pharisees' faces - known as the Six Woes (Luke 11:37-54). No one likes being in the hot seat, and the Pharisees are no exception. What would happen if we put ourselves in the hot seat and imagined Jesus saying those things to us? Ouch. Sometimes we need to be called into accountability. It's not fun, but we can't follow Jesus too closely unless we're willing to hear what he has to say, as uncomfortable as it might be. Is it getting warm in here, or is it just me?

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March 5, 2007

It's interesting to think about why the Gospel writers included the story of the woman anointing Jesus. It is one of the few stories that made it into all four books, but each one includes different details. It may be that Jesus was anointed by more than one woman on more than one occasion. But all four writers thought enough of this story to include it. It seems like an embarrassing story, even for Jesus. I know I would have felt very uncomfortable if a woman did something like that in the middle of one of my dinner parties. In John's Gospel, it is Mary who anoints Jesus after her brother Lazarus is raised from the dead. John at least tells us why this great act of devotion happens - it is in gratitude for Jesus bringing back her dead brother. But Luke doesn't give us any clues about why some nameless woman would crash a party to make a spectacle of herself. I think this must have been a story that was close to Jesus' heart, perhaps one he often told to others. He might have been so moved by her complete devotion, unaware and uncaring what those around her thought, that he used her action as an example of the kind of gratitude we should all show toward One who has forgiven us. It is an amazing story, and the fact that a woman is the hero makes it even more special for me.

Next week we'll look at the story of the demon-possessed man (Luke 8:26-39). It's always a little tricky to preach on demons in our "enlightened" culture. Do we simply pass it off as a primitive way of understanding illnesses like bi-polar disorder or epilepsy, or do we deal with it as it is recorded, as a force of evil that must be exorcised? The people who gather in most mainline churches tend to favor the first view, but I think we do a disservice to the Scriptures if we jump there too quickly and don't at least consider the possibility that the writers are talking about the latter. So I'll take a deep breath and jump into this fascinating and even frightening story.

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February 26, 2007

I just wrote a supplemental blog all about "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." If you are interested in reading it, click here. But there are other, more important things going on in the world. In this past week, I have been aware of and a witness to relationships beginning and relationships ending. I have celebrated new life and been grieved by impending death. This is the stuff of life. We all experience new beginnings and great joy as well as sorrowful endings and tearful goodbyes. The beauty and wonder is how a church family is there with us through it all. It is not by accident that most weddings and funerals take place in churches. These life-changing events are grounded in our faith because God is especially present to us during these times. Our community of faith is also close by to reveal God's presence to us in their well wishes and their tears. How blessed I am to have the people of Living Water to share my life with! If you do not have a church where you can bring your joy and sorrow, come be a part of our family.

Next week we will continue our series on Luke by looking at Luke 7:36-50 where Jesus is anointed by a sinful woman. This story tells us so much about who Jesus is and what is important to him. Come meet this Jesus in Luke with us.

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February 20, 2007

I usually write this blog on Monday, but this week it is Tuesday morning before I have a chance to share my thoughts with you. My family and I were traveling over the weekend, and our booked noon flight with a 5 pm arrival yesterday turned into a 5:20 pm departure and a 1:00 am arrival. It was one of those weird experiences where it seemed as if everything that could go wrong did go wrong - all on the same day. We are all safely home now, and we are grateful for that. I am also grateful that worship at Living Water was lively and Spirit-filled while we were in Tucson. Sometimes it feels uncomfortable when our usual church routine is interrupted, but it is often when things are non-routine that God gets our attention again. How wonderful that Sara Matney-Collins and family were able to bring the message last Sunday, and my family was able to sit and worship together in a church in Tucson.

Lent begins tomorrow, and I am still in prayer about how I might find a way to do something non-routine with these 40 days of preparation for Easter. In past years I have done some fasting and some dedicated Bible study. I am praying that God will direct me to a meaningful Lenten experience this year, too. In worship, we will be going through the Gospel of Luke, seeing Jesus through Luke's eyes and discovering what makes him such a unique and compelling person in history. Join us by reading through Luke's Gospel during Lent and hearing more about the passages during the sermons.

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February 12, 2007

Yesterday's sermon was one that came up unexpectedly. When I was mapping out the sermon series on prayer, I had a general idea of what I would preach for the last week of the series. It was supposed to be a kind of "mop up" day - the opportunity to say all the things about prayer that didn't fit into the other sermons. But then I looked up some of the passages where Jesus talks about prayer, and I discovered the passage in Luke 6:27-38. All of the nice things I thought I wanted to say about prayer for this last Sunday went out the window when I began to think about what it would really mean for us to pray for those who mistreat us. It's so easy for us to hear Jesus say those words and think, "Yeah, maybe in a perfect world, Jesus. But we don't live in a perfect world." But what if he really meant it? Then wouldn't our prayers lives have a huge gaping hole where the prayers for our enemies belonged? Just when I think I'm making progress on this walk with Jesus, he confronts me with teachings like that, and I am forced to rethink everything I'm doing. That's what makes following him such a challenge and thrill.

Next week my family is going to Tucson to celebrate the 75th birthday of my step-dad. He married my mom when I was 30 years old, and at the time he married her, we all knew she was dying from cancer. But they figured life is short for all of us so why should something like impending death keep you from marrying the person you love. She died 4 months after their wedding. He has since remarried, and he and his new wife continue to be a part of our family. I call us a ragtag family because none of us are actually related by blood. But being family is more about love than blood, so a family we are! While I am gone next Sunday, Sara Matney-Collins will share an interactive sermon about the important work of Week of Compassion.

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February 5, 2007

Preaching about unanswered prayers was one of the most difficult things I've done at Living Water. I wanted so much to find a formula, an ironclad reason why some prayers are answered and some are not. My research revealed a batch of articles and sermons that seemed to indicate that if prayers weren't answered, the fault must lie with us. We lack faith or have sin in the way or pray for the wrong things. But my experience told me that sometimes God answers prayers from people who aren't even sure they believe in a God. So how can the prayers of the righteous go unanswered? Of course, I have wrestled with this problem in my own life, too. My sermon did not contain any neat formulas or tidy solutions, only hope and mystery. Surprisingly, I received more positive feedback on this sermon than any other I have preached. I think God had something to say to all of us about His love that reaches across the silence of unanswered prayers. I am looking forward to our prayer retreat this Saturday as a time when we can just relax and allow God to speak to us.

Moving from the reflective to the ridiculous, we had a great time at our Super Bowl party last night. The place was packed to capacity, but with the big screen, everyone had a great view of the game and the entertaining commercials. It is always fun to gather with friends and have a good laugh and some incredible food.

Next week we finish our series on prayer. I will be a little sad to leave this topic because I have learned so much and grown so much through it. But coming up on Feb. 25, we will begin a new series for the season of Lent - a look at Luke. Last year we met Jesus in Mark, and it's always interesting to look at the life of Jesus from the perspective of just one of the Gospel writers. We will see the unique stories that Luke gives us and what he wants us to know about Jesus. If you live in the Kansas City area and do not have a church home, come join us for this Lenten series.

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January 29, 2007

It probably would have been good idea, since we talked about praying for others yesterday, to actually take some time during Act(s) II and pray for each other. As it turned out, I needed to leave immediately after the service to drive to Burlington, IA to preach at a friend's installation service. I asked my husband Clif to share with the gathered group about the movie he previewed - Amazing Grace - and the life of William Wilberforce on which the movie is based. He reports that it was a great discussion. We'll save our praying-for-each-other (including anointing with oil and laying on hands like we learned about in the sermon) for our prayer retreat on Feb. 10. The times when I have been prayed over like that have been some of my sweetest memories of the Church supporting me and encouraging me. I'm looking forward to extending that privilege to anyone who wants it at our prayer retreat.

I am taking on the challenge of trying to understand unanswered prayer. It is an issue I have struggled with myself, and I am praying that God will give me some new insights to bring to my sermon next Sunday. I know intellectually that God can't answer every prayer - it is only logical when we know that people are praying for opposite things to happen ("Let the Colts win!" "Bless the Bears with victory!"). But it still stings and feels like rejection when God doesn't heal a friend who is dying of cancer, no matter how hard we pray. And Jesus said that whatever we ask for in faith shall be done for us. I don't know that we'll come up with any conclusive answers, but hopefully we'll find a place of acceptance for what we can't understand. If you've ever had a prayer go unanswered, join us next Sunday.

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January 22, 2007

Once again the weather was against us, but once again, people came out to worship despite the slushy conditions. And God did amazing things! This was one of those unusual services - the kind that sounds good when I'm planning it but when I try to explain it to others they say, "Huh?" Then I get nervous and wonder if the plan is too far "out there" for people to get anything out of worship. But when it all comes together, the Holy Spirit fills the room, and things happen that I can't predict or plan for. It was so amazing to see God at work yesterday as we experienced different kinds of prayer together. We even heard a brand new song written by one of own, Matt De Leon, about his feelings surrounding the murder of his sister Sarah in 1989. It was a powerful moment, and Rhonda McMahon did an outstanding job putting Matt's words to music and writing a song of response to them. If you have time, I encourage you to listen to the audio of this incredible service that God put together.

Next week we'll ask the question, "How should we pray for others?" Much of our prayer life is spent praying for others - prayers for healing, finding a job, safe travel, etc. Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray for others? Are some prayers more effective than others? Do our prayers really matter? We'll tackle these tough questions in worship and see what answers we can find in Scripture.

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January 15, 2007

The forces of the universe were conspiring against me. That's how it felt yesterday. Not only were we in the middle of a three-cycle winter storm, but I came down with a weird inner ear infection that gave me vertigo - a constant feeling as if I just got off a Tilt-a-Whirl, except things never stop tilting and whirling. I wasn't sure if anyone would come to worship yesterday, and I wasn't sure I would even be able to preach if they did. Yet, sure enough, some hearty folks did make it to worship, and thanks be to God, I was able to preach my sermon, although I did it sitting in a chair. It was one of the smallest gatherings we've had at Living Water for a while, but it was full of God's Spirit, and that made it joyful. How wonderful that even the forces of the universe cannot keep God from being worshipped!

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, I encourage all of us to take a few moments and reflect on the life and mission of this great man. If you have never read his I Have a Dream speech or his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, today would be a great time to do that. Then we must ask ourselves, is MLK's dream so very different from God's dream for His Kingdom?

Next week's worship will be a little different as we use music to explore the words we use when we pray. There are all kinds of ways to pray, and all kinds of words to use. We'll use Scripture and songs to help us find new words to use when we pray. We will also get to hear a brand new song written by someone at Living Water. It promises to be a great morning to pray together, finding new words and new ways to connect with God.

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January 8, 2007

Yesterday was the first Sunday service of 2007. I borrowed my father-in-law's shtick and congratulated the congregation for having perfect attendance at church in 2007. I also reminded them that the decision whether or not to attend church can be one they make 52 times - trying to decide every week if they are going - or they can make it once - "as long as I am physically able, I will be in worship every week in 2007." When being in church becomes our priority, we schedule other things around it. If we only went to church when we felt like it or when it was convenient, few of us would be there every week. But the routine of going to church each week gives our life a rhythm, a spiritual rhythm, that marks the passage of time as time spent with God. I have discovered in my life that even in the "dry seasons" when it felt like nothing was happening in my spiritual life and I was getting nothing out of going to church, in looking back I see how God ministered to me through the people and spoke to me through the worship. It is when a relationship seems stalled that we need to make an extra effort to keep the lines of communication open. That's what weekly attendance in church does for us, it physically puts us in a place where God is known to speak and move and be at work. Eventually, God will get our attention again and the relationship will move forward. I encourage everyone reading this to find a church where you feel God's presence, and make one decision to be in worship every week you are physically able.

We handed out prayer journals to everyone yesterday as we started our new series on prayer. I believe that prayer is one of the most important things we can ever do, but all of us can use a jump start to make our prayer lives more satisfying. Using Philip Yancey's book Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? as our guide, we will be exploring what prayer is, why we should do it, how to do it well and what we should expect out of it. Our prayer journals are one way of capturing what we learn along the way. It's a great way to start a new year!

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January 1, 2007

A New Year brings new promise. It is a chance to let go of things that have been holding us back and move into the adventures that are in front of us. It takes some effort, though, to decide that we are willing to take more risks, step out of our comfort zones and put our selves on the line for the things that are important to us, the things we believe in. Whether it is our relationship with God or our relationships with others, if we want to make it better in 2007, we have to be ready to put some work into it. But when we take that step, it opens up new worlds of possibilities. Who knows what things will have changed when we stand here a year from now, looking back on 2007?

This is one of the reasons I decided to start the new year by preaching about prayer. I know I feel very inadequate in my own prayer life, and yet I am sure that God does not intend for us to beat ourselves up over our prayer lives - or lack thereof. I'm ready to make some changes so that prayer time with God can become my most favorite time of the day. If you're ready to dive into meaningful, life-changing prayer, then join us for this journey!

 

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Who is Pastor Laura? Pastor Laura Guy, Living Water Christian Church

Get the 411 on Pastor Laura and the rest of Living Water's staff here. Read her answers to frequently asked questions here.