Grace and Growth

GAFCON 3rd Day

We started the day with worship, with the Primate of West Africa speaking on Genesis 12 and the Bible ('the Book that reads me') - the "I wills" of the covenant with Abraham: "I will bless you... give you the land... make you a people... make your name great... be with you..."  Speaking of Abraham's lies about Sarah, he said, "Learn to tell the truth and rely on God for his protection." 

After that I had signed up for the "Anglican Identity Workshop", filled with a couple hundred people.  We listened to two lectures, one on the linkage of Scripture to our core values by Ashley Null, and the other by Andrew Shead on the effect of the Modern Period.  Excellent presentations on the essential and substantial place of Scripture and the core events of the gospel to the identity of Anglicanism. 

After the presentations we broke into prearranged small groups for an hour of discussion and feedback.  In my group were 2 other pastors from the USA, 3 Nigerian Bishops, a Southeast Asia Bishop and an Aussie pastor.  Great group!  The conversation was immediately vigorous and challenging. 

After lunch, I took off for the Old City with 6 friends.  We walked down from the Jaffa Gate through the souk, slowly visiting shops, and finding our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre again, where I showed them what had been shown to me.  We stopped afterwards for drinks, and then went to the Western Wall, where I placed prayer cards in the wall with the names of each of my family, and of my friend Dick Spatz, recently passed away.  It was again a meaningful time of prayer.  I read the Benedictus there.  We came back up through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters to the Jaffa Gate and a cab home.

Michael Nazar-Ali, Bishop of Rochester of England spoke at 5 PM on "The Future of Anglicanism".  "The Future of Anglicanism is linked to the authentic nature of Anglicanism."  The instruments of our unity have failed under the pressure of western modernity, he said.  What is needed?  "A confessing church, a conciliar church, and a consistory church"  (consistent with the heritage of the past).  After the lecture and Q & A, we went back into the same small groups for more vigorous discussion and feedback from each group to the conference leadership.  Then, for 45 minutes before dinner we met in provincial groups, where we talked again about what we hope will come from GAFCON.  All this was fed back to the drafting and leadership committees.

I had dinner with Greg Brewer (Good Samaritan, Paoli) where we got off alone and talked everything through.  And caught up on what God has been doing with us.  And then in the early evening the Common Cause provincial group met with the Southern Cone provincial group to talk about our future together over the next years.

It has been a very substantive conference so far, all within the backdrop of Jerusalem, which is speaking as loudly as any of the other voices.  It is a profound experience, making an impact on us all.  There is no doubt that the Lord's hands are upon these days, shaping us all and giving us new friendships, common vision, and preparation for the coming years.  Please pray for these days!

GAFCON 2nd Day

We headed out early to the Mt of Olives - about 7:30.  All 1200 of us!  Just think about the logistics behind that - and somehow it worked.  Standing there in the hot morning sun, singing, listening to an introduction to the city of Jerusalem, praying...  Then there were photographs from a circling helicopter, first of the whole group, then of the Bishops, and then we broke into smaller groups and headed down the Mt to the site of Gethsemani and the church of All Nations, that place where Jesus was squeezed out in prayer on the night before his crucifixion.  It was all quite a moment.  Our small group decided to walk back through the Old City rather than take the busses back.  We went up into the Old City through the Lion's Gate - also known as St Stephen's gate, the traditional place where Stephen was martyred, outside the walls, within site of the Mt of Olives - the place where the Messiah is supposed to return.  We stopped by St Anne's Church, where the Pool of Bethsaida was in the time of Jesus, now filled with beautiful gardens and lemon trees.  Time to pause and cool off in the shade. 

We went on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, slowly walking past the place of Jesus' crucifixion, the place he was taken down and laid out, and perhaps the place where he was buried.  It is an Orthodox church, filled with old columns and dark corridors and devotional lamps.  There was Divine Liturgy being offered at the site of the tomb.  I stopped in a small empty stone side chapel and listened and sung along with the chanted psalms.  So much to think about...  We came back up through the Christian Quarter Road to David street and all the shops in the souk (a street filled with side shops).   

Up at the Jaffa Gate we stopped by Christ Church for a tour and drinks and rest.  I have run into Linda Cohen several times - wonderful to see her, and she seems to be doing great work at Christ Church with CMJ.  We caught cabs back to the hotel in time for lunch.  I sat with the Leightons from Connecticut, long time friends, and with Archbishop Orambi from Uganda.  He is a wonderful man.  Long conversation about the Communion and the conference.  Very encouraging.  I invited him to Pittsburgh and the Seminary and St Stephens when he is in the States next year.  We shall see.

At 2 PM there was the opening Eucharist to the conference, with Archbiship Orambi speaking from John 5 (healing at Bethsaida), "Jesus is Lord" - "I am asking you to be a church that obeys the Lord. Listen to the healer.  Do not disobey the healer."  Wonderful worship to a Kenyan liturgy, great enthusiasm, strong singing, deep joy.  Exhausted, I went back to my room for an hour nap. 

By 5 PM I was back in the conference to hear Os Guiness speak on the "8 Challenges of Modernity".  Among them, "Modernity makes evangelism easier but discipleship harder (because of the shift from 'authority' to 'this is my preference')" and "The oddities of communication" (including inflation of language and inattention coming from the fact that everyone is speaking and no one is listening).  "Deep listening is the rarest of gifts".

After dinner I headed back to sort it out and think and pray.

GAFCON 1st Day

GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) is a response of our churches of the Global South to the innovations and failures of our western churches. If you have not read Bishop Duncan's opening address to GAFCON, you can find it at the following link. It is the best summary of what brings us here I have seen:

http://www.acn-us.org/etc/2008/anglicanism-come-of-age.pdf

We have ‘Pilgrims’ at GAFCON from about 20 nations, including about 290 Anglican Bishops and ArchBishops. They lead about 35 million of the Anglican Communion’s 78 million members. Many more of the Communion’s Bishops are sympathetic to our work here, but not in attendance. The conference has two parts to it; in the past week in Jordan, a smaller group of Bishops and leaders met for consultation and final conference plans. This week all Pilgrims meet in Jerusalem. I will probably know 150 or so of these people; most will be from Africa, South America and SE Asia – where the heartbeat of biblical, gospel formed Anglicanism is healthy and growing explosively. That region is the future of world Anglicanism.

We started this morning as a team manning the registration tables.  It was our task to register 1200 people at some 16 stations, producing photo ID's and distributing conference materials.  It was great.  We worked from 7 AM right through to 3 PM before most of it was done.   

The greatest concern (beside the electricity which failed at one point, shutting down all the computers just as 200 Nigerians came in) was the exhaustion of the Pilgrims as they arrived.  Most had been traveling for 24 hours or more, with long waits and no sleep.  They were beat, and it became our main concern to love them and welcome them and encourage them while processing them speedily.  I think I must have personally registered 30 Nigerian Bishops, often with their wives.  We had people from half a dozen African countries, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, South America, and even the USA... it was a great festival of races and peoples and tongues.  I probably had a chance to chat with 50 people that I have known, including the Bishops and Archbishops and spouses from Uganda and Rwanda - what a joy to see them again! Pilgrims from Western countries are in the distinct minority here, and it is refreshing.  I never did get to church today, and I spent all day in church!

After an afternoon break, I found a longtime friend, Tom Herrick, who is leading the church planting efforts for the Network.  We talked for over an hour about planting churches from St Stephens.   I was glad to have the chance for a long talk. Church planting is a major thrust here, and we need to think carefully about that future in our place.

I had dinner with friends: the Jones from Little Rock, John Rodgers, & Georgette Forney.  We have two large dining rooms available to us, each seating 500 people.  Dinner was served cafeteria style - great offerings of fruits and salads and breads and vegetables and meat and rice and desserts.  Lots of time to catch up and say hello to many people as we moved through the lines and the tables.  It has been a long time since I was in a conference where the faith of everyone was so evident and overflowing.  There was much joy in the room.

The opening worship service was at 8 PM, in a room filled to the edges with some 1200 people, including 300 Bishops.  It was hymns and Evening Prayer, and a keynote address from the Primate of Nigeria that repeatedly brought us to our feet.  His talk was a lengthy history of the events that have brought us to this place.  And a call to consider important questions before us.  You can find the text at  http://www.standfirminfaith.com/ As you read it, imagine 1200 people from all these nations, leaders and servants and believers in Christ listening carefully and responding enthusiastically. We finished with 'It is well with my soul', loudly sung to the Lord, loudly.

This is a most serious conference, with much at stake, among people who have all been saved by the gospel, among people who have suffered for the gospel, among people who are determined to live their lives for him who gave his life for us.  It is a remarkable place and moment. I ask your prayers!

Tomorrow AM we go (all 1200 of us!!!) to the Mount of Olives for the morning.

Jerusalem at Sabbath

I wanted to write a bit about the Shabbot (Sabbath) last night. When Sabbath started here on Friday evening, everything shuts down. No cars or busses during these 24 hours, no shops open (except in the Arab Quarter). In our hotel, a room was given over to a synagogue, which was filled with loud singing! Joyful singing of prayers.

When we went to the Wall later in the evening (following the tradition to go to the wall as soon as you can when coming to Jerusalem), there were many Jewish families coming back up the alleys. They looked happy and at ease with life and wonderful. They were dressed for Shabbot, with white shirts and black pants and skirts and men in black hats and ties and some with black coats. The children and women looked beautiful. The men and the women had a dignity.

Then we got to the Wall, and went down through the guarded gate (like an airport) into the large stone courtyard. People were leaving by this time, but many remained. We were allowed to go to the Wall and pray, after a bit of instruction (reverence, wear a paper skullcap, be free to pray as you wish, ok to insert a paper prayer in the Wall, when done back up to leave, don't turn your back on the Wall) I went forward for a few minutes of prayer. One man questioned me as I cam forward, very friendly, asked where I was from and we chatted about Pittsburgh and the Pirates! - 'Are you Jewish?' 'No, a Christian pastor, and a friend of Israel' 'You are welcome here.'

It was very moving. On the way back up to Christ Church, we went by a couple of Sabbath dinners, large celebrations, lengthy meals, all food prepared beforehand. This morning there were more synagogue services, filled with men at prayer, and special meals. The presence of many, many men is very noticeable. Everywhere they lead their families.

I found myself jealous, jealous for the loss of culture that supports our faith and the gospel, jealous for a sane and godly and joyous way to raise children, jealous for the rhythms of life that speak Life, give Life, celebrate the Life that is real Life. Instead we slough through (and too often contribute to) a culture that degrades life and withers the trees and vineyards of the Lord. Recovering a godly culture - wasn't that one of Wilberforce's two great life callings - the abolition of slavery and ‘The Reformation of Manners'? It needs to be done again.

It is now Saturday AM and the synagogue here in the hotel is again at song. We work behind a closed door so as not to offend those celebrating Sabbath.

Jordan, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem

Well, Friday I went down to the Jordan river (for baptisms for many of our group - not me; already been baptised!) and then we headed south to the Dead Sea (where a bunch went swimming) and to the Ein Gedi Nature Preserve. Ein Gedi is where David hid from Saul - a beautiful place way out in the wilderness, near an 80 foot waterfall that comes out of the mountains.  It was wild and dry and HOT and beautiful.

We also went to the Qumran area where the Essenes lived in the wilderness. The excavations around their living area give you a good feel for their lives - total separation from the culture, living in the desert, total devotion to God and the Scriptures, waiting for the Messiah. The whole day was desert experiences around the Dead Sea area.

I love the desert. In fact, Ein Gedi and Tel Dan are probably the favorites of all I have seen so far. They are wild and beautiful oases in otherwise inhabitable areas. And they were places of resistance to corrupt forces and total devotion to God (well, not at Dan where they had that golden calf!).

After swimming in the Dead Sea, we drove through Jericho and then up the mountains into Jerusalem. On the way up we read the Psalm of Ascent (120-135), traditionally sung by Jewish people on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The first sight of the city was stunning - so large, so full of people, and with a beauty that makes a quick mark.

After dinner we went to the Western Wall for the start of Shabbat (Sabbath). The streets were full of people coming and going, most of them observant Jewish families. In due time I got to the wall for 15 minutes of prayers. It was a wonderful moment. We walked back through the Jewish quarter and the Armenian Quarter to the Christian Quarter and a cab home. Our hotel is very simple but adequate, and right next to the place of the conference - but a 45 minute walk from the Old City. I will have to find a way to get there often.

Golan Heights and N. Israel

We started off in Qasrin Park up north of the Galilee.  It is an ancient Talmudic Village and Synagogue made out of the ever present basalt (volcanic) rock.  That rock is extra hard, and doesn't absorb water (more on that later).  In using it for building it is most often uncut, so walls look like piled up stones. The village was authentically reconstructed, giving an accurate impression of village life in the second century AD and before.  We looked carefully at an oil press (olive oil was used for light, soap, cosmetics, medicine, cooking and fuel).  We looked at olive trees, and the process of grafting a branch in, and how after many years it is almost impossible to tell the grafted branches from the originals (Jeremiah 11; Romans 9-11).  We had a detailed discussion of bread making and agriculture in the ancient world.

From there we headed up into the Golan Heights and northern Israel for the rest of the day.  Along the way we noted again the volcanic geography and the basalt rocks throughout the fields and slopes, making life very difficult in this region.  We had a lengthy discussion of much of modern and ancient history of the region, including the 1967 and 1973 wars here with Syria and Egypt, the impact of Shiite Islam on the current situation, the threat of Iran and the bomb, the peace with Jordan, and Syrian encroachment on the border area through settlements.  We stopped and looked over the border with Syria and Lebanon several times.

We ate lunch at a Druze village.  The Druze are an offshoot of Islam, and believe in reincarnation.  Druze who have assimilated into Israel are some of their most fearless fighters because they do not fear death.  These Druze, however, have a fear of returning to Syrian rule. 

By now we are in the foothills of Mt Hermon, which towers over all the other volcanic mountains, but is itself not volcanic, but limestone.  That means it absorbs the snows on its slopes (there was still some visible) and slowly over the years filters them.  They emerge decades (perhaps centuries) later as springs of clear, pure water from the foothills of Hermon.  We went to two nature Reserves in these foothills, Hermon Stream and Tel Dan. These are the water sources of the Jordan River, which flows from these foothills some 40-50 miles south into the Galilee, then out from the lower Galilee all the way to the Dead Sea.  These springs were a primary fact in ancient wars and modern wars.  The Syrians tried to divert the waters from the Jordan, part of the reason for the 1973 war.  Whoever controls the water, controls the agriculture and the settlements and the population.  The springs are large, surging out of the base of limestone cliffs, quickly turning into rushing creeks some 20-30 feet wide and 1 or 2 feet deep.  Herod Agrippa had palaces here, and the ruins are being excavated.  The water is snow-cold and wonderful to walk in, cooling you right off from the arid, hot air. 

We walked up a lengthy stream path at Tel Dan to the source of another spring, which was weaving in and out of thick old trees and vines.  Anywhere along you could fill up your water bottle from the stream without risk.  The water, they believe, has not surfaced for over 100 years since it was snow on Hermon.  Part of the reason they know this is that when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, the fallout put radioactive traces on all water sources around the world.  60 years later these springs still show no such traces, indicating they have been underground all that time and more.  It is a place of great beauty and history and things to ponder.

We paused for a wonderful teaching on living water, on how the Israelites were never given this territory in the original promised land, but moved in ancient Dan to take it, and how that led to idolatry.  In Jeremiah's words (ch 2 or 3?) they forsook living water for cisterns built with their own hands, that cracked and could not hold the water.  A fatal mistake. 

The excavations at Tel Dan included the ancient Temple set up there in opposition to Jerusalem (Judges 18.27-29).  We saw the gates of the city which have been recently uncovered (2 Kings 23.8) and more impressively the very large altar (35 feet or so square, 12 feet or so high) that dominated this northern temple, a place where a golden calf was set up (1 Kings 12.28-29) in opposition to Jerusalem (some 180 miles to the south).  The syncretism of Dan and its di sappearance from history under the judgment of God is a bracing lesson of history.

On the way home, we stopped at a place that arguably could have been the site of the Transfiguration.  And we paused to look at Crusader ruins.  We also noted that all day we were on the 'Road to Damascus' that Paul would have walked.  It was likely in these hills that he was converted.  We were within 15 miles of Damascus in this area!

Well, at the end of the day, I was exhausted, and went to bed early without dinner.  Far too much sun!  Now I am up at 5 AM again, refreshed and alert and ready for the day ahead.  Today will be more and more sun.  We will be traveling down the Jordan Valley, slowly making our way to Jerusalem, with stops on the Jordan River, The Dead Sea, the Ein Gedi Nature Preserve, and the ancient site of the Essenes at Qumran. 

I will write more from Jerusalem...  What a remarkable experience to visit this special place that I have so long studied and imagined and learned from. 

Galilee of the Gentiles!

You can see the whole lake in a sweep of the eyes, with hills on the opposite side rising steeply.  It is beautiful.  Most of Jesus' ministry happened in the NW quadrant of the Sea of Galilee.  You can see it all at the same time, standing on almost any part of the shore.

Fell asleep quickly, but woke at 5 AM.  Morning Prayer by myself out next to the sea, and off on another day.  Today the focus was on Galilee, and the ministry here of Jesus.  We started out up at Korazim, a village build of basalt rock.  Typical ruins from the 2nd century, with the outlines of a house, baths for purification, a synagogue, and surrounding buildings.  Most of the teaching today was on the reactions to the Roman presence: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots.  There are parallels between these movements and what we have seen in the Anglican realignment.  Worth thought...  We talked a lot about synagogue life in normal villages.

We went on to the Mt of Beatitudes where Jesus may have preached the Sermon on the Mount.  We talked about his teaching on the Kingdom, and we walked from that hill down to the sea - about 40 minutes.  Everywhere it is hot and dusty. 

Our next stop was Capernaum, Jesus' base of operations in Galilee.  There are remains there of what was very likely Peter's house, and ruins of a synagogue.  It was very hot by this time, about 109 I was told!  We talked about what it meant to him to move from Nazareth to Capernaum, and about how this city functioned as a major economic crossroads. 

From there we went in succession to Tabgha (the place where Peter was reconciled to Jesus after the resurrection), Nol Ginosar (a museum where there was a 2000 year old fishing boat that had been discovered and preserved), and then boarded a boat for a 45 minute ride back to Tiberius.  We quickly changed and went for a swim in the sea, then into the pool, then showered and went to dinner. 

After dinner we had a discussion on what has stood out for us...  Many things.  Here are a few of my own to date:

• I am stunned by the cruelty of the ancient world.  It is unavoidable.  Especially the severity of the Romans in their rule, and their treatment of enemies in warfare... brutal.

• I am also shocked by the harshness of this land.  Life is hard here.  Many of the places we visited simply had no possible way to support life.  The land is rocky and hills are everywhere.  There is little water.  It is dry and hot.  God chose this place to give to a special people.  God chooses people and places for his purposes.  Perhaps the harshness of the land was the condition to      draw out dependence and faith and trust in him.  It seems he still does that in our lives these days.  Bless him for the rocks!
• Kay (our tour guide - she is great) said, 'God chose Israel because he loved the Gentiles'.  I      have thought a lot about that.  And we could add, God chose us because he loves our co-workers and neighbors and friends and enemies.
• Arab Nazareth is these days a large, suffering city on a hill.  The difference between Arab cities and Jewish cities is palpable.  There is something broken in Arab culture, and much suffering.  The position of Palestinian Christians is the most unbearable - hated by Moslem Arabs and Israelites.
• Israel is a modern state with ancient realities, all mixed together.  The modern state and culture is thoroughly secular.  And there is still much observant Judaism. 
• Israel is a land that has had to contend for its faith and its existence.  Everywhere you see      that about Israel.  You can feel it in the air, walking through airports or Arab cities.  They feel no one can be depended on for their survival.  That is a historic fact that is millenia old - and it is a present day reality.  Israel lives in opposition. 
• God is bringing GAFCON to Jerusalem, to this place of opposition and faith and heritage.  We      are also a movement that has had to contend for our faith, that widely has had to pay a price.  And God is bringing us here to this place, this land, this people for a very important moment in our formation.  That fact has caught my attention.

Arrival and Coastal Israel

The flight to Israel went without a hitch, though it was exhausting.  A little more than 25 hours from start to stop, and just a couple of hours of sleep in there.  But we all arrived safely.  There are 22 in our study group, and we have a full sized modern bus at our disposal. 

After a half night of sleep in Netanya (45 mins north of Tel Aviv) we were out the door for a full day of touring up the coast.  The focus was Old Testament and Roman influence.  We went in turn to Caesarea (very impressive, built by Herod the Great), which was the Roman capital of the province at the time of Jesus and Paul.  The Romans could build! 

Then on to Mt Carmel, where Elijah had his showdown with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).  From the top of that mountain, we could see all across the Jezreel valley - and see in turn 5 or 6 other places of major biblical events.  F-16's were taking off from a military airport, booming right over our heads.  The connection was not lost. 

From there we went to Megiddo (Rev 16.6), the place some believe to be prophesied to be the place of Armegeddon.  It is a 'tel', a mound, with some 30 layers of civilization being unearthed.  It sits right on the crossroads of the major trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia, which is the fact behind its strategic value over the centuries.  The archeology around here at sights like that is interesting and impressive. Then we headed to Nazareth, the place of the annunciation, and the childhood residence of Jesus.  It is now a fully Arab town, and you could immediately tell.  In Jesus day it was probably no larger than 500 people.  By 6 PM we were in Tiberius, and checked in at our current hotel, which is very nice.  We are directly in the Sea of Galilee, and earlier tonight I walked out of my room, down to the beach and swam in it.  Funny, but that is the sea Jesus walked on.  I just swam.  Hmmm!

Lost and Found

We don’t think much about lostness. But it is a big idea in the Bible. When you are lost, you don’t even know where you are, or where you want to go, and so you don’t know the way. You are just lost. And when you are lost, you don’t know what life is for and so you don’t fit in and you just bump off life hard.

There are lost people today. We forget that sometimes.

Foolishness and carelessness and willfulness are all ways we can get lost, but there is another way someone gets lost in this chapter. By your goodness!

 
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

Luke 15:29

 
Jesus wants us to get this straight. He wants to mess with how you see the world until you see the world like he sees the world, until we love who he loves. He wants to reset the DNA of his church. Jesus loves lost people. That was his reputation. The Pharisees tagged him for it again and again, and he wore it proudly.

 
The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’   Matt 11:19

Look at this series or other St Stephens messages

Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers- the moon and the stars you have set in place- what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? Psa 8:3-4 (NLT)

Who are we, anyway?  Everywhere in Narnia, there seems to be an answer.  You find a hint in the children’s rhymes… another hint in the awe and surprise of the beavers and fauns when they meet a Son of Adam and a Daughter of Eve...  and another in the fears of the Witch when she sleighs past Edmund and grinds to a fast stop: “What are you?” she asks.  Well, he is human... and she is not happy with the answer. 

The reason is that everywhere in Aslan’s world creatures know humans are destined to rule.  The four thrones at Cair Paravel, empty for centuries, were meant for two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve.  When they ascended to those thrones, the reign of the White Witch would end.

“When Adam’s flesh and Adam’s bone Sits at Cair Paravel in throne The evil time will be over and done…”

This is the same answer that you find in the pages of the Bible.  Men and women are meant to have dominion over the earth…

For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. You put us in charge of everything you made, giving us authority over all things- Ps 8:5-6 (NLT)

This is why we instinctively want to be in charge and control and shape our world.  It is why you want to hold on to the TV remote.  It is why you don’t want to ride in the passenger seat... 

Life with Christ is about learning how to share his rule over God’s creation.  Those partnerships are all over the place in our lives.  Your family is one of those gardens.  Your church is one.  Your job is another.  So is your body.  So is the city you live in.  Places you manage and rule in a partnership with Christ. 

Do you hear the voice of Aslan…?

“Bear it well, Sons of Adam!  Bear it well, Daughters of Eve!”