Restoration Blog

Does anyone make meaningful annual resolutions anymore? There are important resolutions to make, physically, socially, economically, etc. Most resolutions feel like emotional reactions to all the mistakes we made the previous years. In an effort to correct our bulging waistlines, our broken relationships, or our beleaguered balance sheets, we determine to "do better," or at least different, than the previous year. While it feels good to set goals, without a concerted commitment to fulfill them, they function more like wishful coins thrown into a well we’ll never see again. Even if we don’t fulfill our earthly resolutions, it seems like every year we still make them--the same cannot be said about us spiritually.

For some, 2020 has made it more difficult to be thankful. Everything that once brought us life feels disrupted. Difficult circumstances we cannot control have robbed us of what we could otherwise enjoy. The worst thing we can do is grumble out loud (and online) or dispute silently within ourselves. I have learned the hard way how this kind of approach makes things worse. What begins as a spark of complaint quickly rages into a fire of contempt. One word of criticism, one heated conversation, one angry post, even one snarky comment quickly leads to another and another and another. The best thing we can do in these kinds of circumstances, is give thanks.

The elders are continuing to navigate this difficult time in our community, striving to determine what is right, safe, and wise. Relative to this pandemic, we have discovered that very little is black and white. As we journey through every changing shade of gray, our elders wanted to take a moment to clarify our position in order to avoid any confusion and alleviate any concerns.

***Below are a few pastoral comments shared in our most recent member meeting*** Without question, many of us feel separated and disconnected. This long trial has tested our patience, our discernment and our love. As I have said more than once, even if we have not been exposed TO the virus, many have been exposed BY this pandemic. I wanted to take a few minutes to speak about what I consider the most dangerous aspect of this unprecdented moment in history. More than the threat to our physical safety, more than our mental health, more than our bank accounts, COVID 19 is a threat to our unity as a church.

It feels like we are living in the middle of the book of Judges. If you feel desparing, or downright scared, about our current cultural climate, you would do well skim through the book of Judges. The book of Judges is one of the most disturbing narratives in Scripture, recording of some of most disturbing people who ever lived, who do some of the most disturbing things imaginable (This is probably why most churches avoid it). The world of judges is described repeatedly as one in which, “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” This is not only true for the enemies surrounding God’s people; it is true for God’s people themselves.

Paul loved the churches he planted and served. Because Paul was often imprisoned or otherwise hindered from being with his people, he often writes about his desire--how he longs to be with them face to face. I remember when the emergency orders first came down in March. The gathering of the church was halted and, for the first time in 15 years, I didn't gather with our church on Sunday. Every morning for the last 15 years, with few exceptions, I have pulled a trailer, set up church, checked a PO BOX, bought donuts, opened a building, unplugged a toilet, vacuumed a room, finalized a sermon, prayed or otherwise prepared for a Sunday service. This Sunday felt weird...even wrong. I longed to be with our church, face to face.

Yesterday in our Sunday service, we spent our time in Mark 9.14-29. In this passage, Jesus responds to the pleas of a faithful Father and heals his demon-possessed son. His disciples had attempted to help the boy while Jesus was on the mountain. They had been authorized and empowered to "cast out demons" by Jesus (Mark 3.15; 6.6.7) but could not help this particular boy. The disciples privately asked Jesus why they could not cast out this demon. Jesus responded by saying, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

We are 10 days into Phase 2. Some churches have not decided to meet yet. Some of the churches who have begun to gather are following very few recommendations, many are following most, and several are following none of them in accord with their respective consciences. Our elders are taking a measured approach, evaluating each week and seeking to discern what is right, wise, and safe. We do not expect every church nor Christian to agree in this regard; but we do expect everyone to exercise the kind of forbearance--for the purpose of love and unity--that Paul details in Romans 14 as we each make decisions.

There are always two ditches on the sides of every road. These ditches usually represent extremes we want to avoid but, on occasion, find ourselves stuck in. There are all kinds of roads with their different ditches: religion and irreligion, self-indulgence and self-righteousness, or even "blow-anger" and "no-anger", etc. Our hope is to navigate the tension of the middle, whether it is walking the line of the gospel, self-denial, or "slow- anger" just as Jesus did.

It goes without saying that our world is broken and full of injustice. As leaders in our homes and pastors in this church, we work hard discern what injustices to address, when to address them, and even how. Rather than hastily post our reactions on social media, as our world is prone to do, we feel it is important to be slow and deliberate in our responses so as to be helpful to those in our care.