Hi! This is Pastor Scott, and on this page you will find some of my musings, blog posts, and videos. All are subjects that I truly feel the Holy Spirit leading me through for the purpose of better understanding, and my own personal spiritual growth. I hope something here makes you think, especially about your relationship with Jesus. Feel free to email any questions or comments to pastorscott@standrewcog.org.
A short video (16 minutes + or -) about how we should deal with this fallen world in the love of Christ.
(The following is a 02/29/2019 Facebook Post to St. Andrew Church of God’s FaceBook page)
My Milieu Is Better Than Your Milieu!
Why are you the way you are? I ask this question in the context of our current divisiveness in America, in the milieu that is our country right now. Speaking of milieu, the word simply means the context of one’s social environment; a fancy sounding word that can really put some perspective on things when we consider that we all have a personal milieu. And mine is different from yours, just as yours is…well, you get the point.
I’m going down this road (filled with social “landmines”) because if we all don’t, collectively, we are going to arrive at a point of no return, a tipping point at which I really don’t think we realize the total negative change and the devastation it will bring upon us. The sheer level of hatred that exists in this country right now is very uncomfortable in its prevalence as we wonder what stupid (or misunderstood) thing might we say/do that will bring wrath down upon us. It’s also very disconcerting in its ease of adoption into our lives as a justified thought process or viewpoint. For example, I’m allowed to hate a person because I FEEL they are wrong in their opinions, and I FEEL I am right. Therefore, my hate is justified and yours is not (think Conservatives hating on Obama, and Liberals hating on Trump). Hate is hate! Hate is darkness, and love is light. The only thing that drives away darkness is light, just as the only thing that drives away hate is love. When are we going to get that? Are we ever?!
First, we must try to understand better what hate is. Hate, at its most basic level, is an opinion (even stated while smiling) that detracts from the humanity of another person, and more than detracts, it attempts to place that person (because of their beliefs, or lifestyle, or appearance, or…) in a category that requires less respect, less love, and less attempted understanding than the category of the person who espouses someone’s banishment based on the parenthetical issues mentioned. Hate doesn’t have to be violent, it doesn’t have to be loud, and it doesn’t have to even be obvious; those things just make it a no-brainer to identify. Hate can be whispered in the sweetest voice, disguised as a benevolent gesture, or advanced by people who actually think they don’t hate at all. Hate is a satanic enemy that smiles a devilish smile as we move it forward, all the while thinking we are perfectly and righteously doing “the Lord’s work.”
The sad fact is that most people who think they are doing “the Lord’s work” haven’t even studied scripture enough to know what the Lord’s work truly is. One of my pastors used to say of Christians, “Most don’t know enough Bible to wad a shotgun!” Now, I could explain that to you if you don’t already know what he’s saying, but that would prove my point, and make you intellectually lazy. (Go look it up; figure it out!) Do you really think that if Jesus had a social media account of any kind He would spend his time sharing memes that degrade people, opinions that divide people, and trying to convince others that politics and politicians are the answer to ANYTHING? How stupid we have become, as Christians! When did Donald Trump, Barack Obama, or any president (or politician) become our answer? JESUS IS OUR ANSWER! Not a president doing Jesus’ work, but THE CHURCH (You, self-described Christian) doing Jesus’ work!
Let’s stop trying to figure out why people are the way they are and start loving them the way Jesus did. Jesus didn’t stop to wonder why the woman caught in adultery did that terrible thing (okay, to be fair to you and me, He didn’t have to wonder, He knew!). He showed us a more excellent way, simple non-condemning, non-confrontational love. Get this (and please let it sink into YOUR head), the ones who pulled her from the bed, pushing her naked down the street WERE THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE TOTALLY JUSTIFIED! They had her dead to rights. She was wrong! There was no question about it, she deserved death! There’s so much more to this story than what was obvious, but there is so much more to all of our stories than the obvious, too. Isn’t that the point? You and I don’t know the background, the milieu of that person we are trying to “put in their place” based on OUR understanding of religion, or society, or justice, or truth. Jesus had ALL UNDERSTANDING and knowledge, yet chose to simply forgive, love, and not condemn.
So now, before the religious quadrant of your brain starts yelling, “Yeah, but he told her to sin no more! We have to make sure we’re not appearing to condone sin or else we might lose our credibility with the world!”
First, are you really concerned about losing credibility with the world, or are you more concerned about losing credibility with the religious people who won’t understand your radical love, grace, and mercy? I suggest it’s the latter, and I also suggest that that’s not a bad thing. And that’s because, if that happens, you will be in the company of Jesus Himself. That’s the company I want to be in. I want to be that Christian who, when really religious people think about and deal with, heavy discomfort accompanies the conversations and interactions because the idea that my unusual and radical love could possibly be correct makes them question the very foundation of their religious and spiritual positions. Sometimes, we are so busy trying to be upright church citizens that we fail miserably at being outright (and out-focused) Jesus followers. I’m tired of being involved in a religious community (generally speaking) that would rather spend money, time, and emotional energy on their own comfort than on being the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus to a world that really wants what Jesus has to offer! Everybody does! But people often don’t want what the American Church has to offer, and increasingly, neither do I. I’m just tired…
Second, grace is messy, and grace is uncomfortable, and grace is not pretty, especially if we are offering it the way Jesus did. In trying to understand and correct the social context of someone’s life and experiences, like we Christians often do with homosexuals or pregnant mothers considering abortion, we are missing the whole point of loving the way Jesus loved.
I can’t remember where, or I’d give credit, but I heard once that we Christians should abandon the common refrain “Hate the sin, but love the sinner!” because we have become so good at hating the sin that it looks very much like we’re hating the sinner too. There are some subtleties in there that, if missed, may initially offend our religious sensibilities, but if we would think about it, it would make sense. I think it should look more like this: we love the sinner so much, and well, that others need to look closer to make sure we are not loving the sin. THAT’S THE SITUATION JESUS FOUND HIMSELF IN! The religious leaders thought that since He was found in the company of sinners (losers, and posers, and tax-collectors, OH MY!), He must love their sin. It took a close look to realize what He was doing, and how He was doing it. He was meeting them where they were, and loving them in spite of their sin, not waiting to love them until they started looking and acting more like He wanted them to.
Changing people isn’t our job! It’s Jesus’ job! More specifically, it’s now the Holy Spirit’s job. The tendency to try and understand the sinner before we love them, or demand that they change to fit into our pre-conceived concept of what a Jesus-follower should look and act like, which is usually a JUST-LIKE -ME evangelism theology, is far removed from the way Jesus did it when He walked this earth as a human being. Granted, He could, arguably, look into their very soul, but that’s something we could never do. Someone’s personal milieu, or their life experiences, may not ever be something you could understand from your own context or worldview, but that’s not the point, anyway. We are tasked with spreading the good news of Jesus’ love to all the world! Stop trying to fix everybody, and just start loving them. If you find it hard to love people that are different from you, let the love of Christ fix you first.
Friday, Feb. 28, 2020
A Blog of Confession
I am sitting in Starbucks this morning, or as some call it, Four-bucks! Get it? Expensive coffee, and…oh, never mind! Anyway, I am trying to catch up on the week’s work (sermon writing, screen prepping, worship music prep and track building, social media updates with announcements, fielding calls, listening to the Holy Spirit regarding the coming days, etc.…). I’m catching up today, a day that is usually my day off, because this was a week where I was out of town Monday through Wednesday at a minister’s and spouse’s retreat. Don’t get me wrong, it was very enjoyable; I love hanging out with, and meeting new pastors and lay leaders, and getting great quality encouragement and teaching, this year from Pastor Clifton McDowell, a Church of God pastor from Brooklyn, NY.
So, here I sit in a noisy Starbucks, really needing to finish my sermon and music prep for this Sunday but being prompted by the Holy Spirit to write this “blog of confession” before I can go any further in my day. And while I miss my day off when these kinds of weeks come around, I LOVE being a pastor, and being able to talk to the people of God and getting to do my own encouragement and sharing with them. I love knowing that God “has my back,” and no matter what the enemy throws at me, I am the Lord’s, I know! A missed day off is a small thing compared to what God is doing at St. Andrew CoG, and in our community with many pastors who are feeling the call to unity, and many people of God who are feeling the same thing. God is my refuge and strength, and I will rest in Him whether I get to physically rest on this busy day, or not. So, Satan, you lose again, you jerk!
But I tell you all this of this because at the beginning of this day I was lamenting that I had to work on my day off (as though I am any different than any other pastor); I was feeling like I was being cheated in some way. The old devil was about to win. Then I came to my office away from the office, sat down for coffee across from my beautiful wife and started studying/prepping for this Sunday. As the morning progressed, I talked to Brooke Bradshaw, one of our awesome young leaders who is helping me with worship music now, about how our children are leading worship this Sunday, which is very exciting! I talked to Junior Hopkins, who is leading a newer ministry at our church, and who just wanted to call me to say he enjoyed a song I sang and is always an encouragement to me (along with so many others from St. Andrew CoG). Then I talked to a friend from long ago who is doing ministry now and wanted to catch up and come visit. And I just have to say, I have really enjoyed all of this! God NEVER lets us down! He NEVER forsakes us! And I just have to confess that I repented of my “poor me” attitude that started my day.
Serving Jesus is ALWAYS preferable to whatever else may come our way. So, today, I pray that we all lean into Him, serve Him, love Him, love others in His name, and get excited about what’s going on in the Kingdom of God! I challenge you to be a part of it, and not just a spectator of it. Eternity is a long time (understatement of the year…so far!), and we’ll all rest one day, there. But for now, enjoy the favor of God as He uses us to accomplish His will! Wow! Us!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a sermon to finish writing, and some music to work on for these wonderful children who’ll sing for their Jesus this Sunday! This is the life! Join it!