It Really is All About Relationships

Yesterday, I reconnected with an old friend. It was so good to hear a familiar voice. There is that sense of goodness that familiarity brings; an old friend is like that old sweater, a favorite chair, only better. My friend and I weren't at odds with one another. We were just going on with our lives, and didn't happen to cross paths for a while. But, this encounter got me to thinking about how friendships affect our lives. I do realize that books have been written on this. This is just a few reflections on the subject.

Scott Peck says, "Life is Difficult." It is, but life is not only difficult, it is busy. Some people are seen everyday; relationships with them are pretty easy. The problem is maintaining relationships with people that are close friends when we no longer see them day by day. They, or we, might have moved or gone to another job. We still have the friendship, and that friendship is important. The problem is that to act on that friendship, we now have to make a special effort to make anything happen. What do we do? In many cases, we just let it all go; the friendship is just something in our past. I is just a pleasant memory. Others go crazy trying to keep the friendship as it was. This is a real problem because now we have added an extra burden to an all ready cluttered life. The friendship becomes an extra burden; guilt and/or resentment follows.

I would suggest -- I suggest it to myself because I am really not good at this -- that there is another alternative. We need to relax. We still have a friend. We need to check in with each other once in a while. A quick email, card or phone call is plenty. Perhaps we are even able to get together for a face to face sometime. We need to relax; the relationship has changed, but it is still there. We can continue to think of one another, to pray for one another and connect when it is right.

I am glad that I have many friends. I am even more happy that I have managed to keep up with many -- I wish it was more. I have done a lot of good things. I still do a lot. But, when I think of the things that mean most to me, it really is all about relationships.

Where Did It Go?

Last night I had an appointment with a friend of mine. We were going to meet at my office away from my office -- Starbuck's. Now there are a lot of Starbuck's around, but when my friend and I got to our place -- it was closed. It wasn't that I was so attached that I didn't know what to do. It wasn't even the best place around. But, I had gotten used to meeting with people there.

This was a funny little shop. It was oddly shaped. There was a little nook only big enough for one chair to fit in. This became my counseling office. Over the last three years, I have counseled a number of people in "my office". It was comfortable. There may be better shops around, but there are none that I have found that have a small office suitable for counseling. I'll miss the place.

At Loose Ends

I am quite disappointed in myself. As I was getting ready to start this post today, I looked at my last one. It was last week's sermon! Nothing wrong with that except it was from a week ago. I didn't post anything last week after Tuesday. I want to be much more active on this blog. I was intending to put this week's sermon on today, but I don't want two sermons in a row. Now I have to get creative.

Last week was really disjointed for me. It seems that almost nothing went the way that I had intended. Tuesday, the day of my last post, went pretty much as I had intended. I went to Starbuck's in the morning, wrote until noon and went home for lunch. The afternoon was spent in routine work around the house; a great day.

My normal routine on Wednesday starts with my cluster meeting. This is a meeting of five of my closest friends in the pastorate. We have been meeting weekly for around ten years (or maybe more). I really look forward to this meeting. It is the one opportunity in the week when I can truly be myself. I trust these men. Our purpose of meeting is to listen to God (and one another) and do what He says. Jimmy, our host, had to go to the doctor, so there was no meeting. Somehow the whole day was shot for me. I didn't get anything done that I should be doing.

Thursday was a good day -- BUT, it was really not normal. Thursday, should have been the day that I go back to my "office" at Starbuck's. My mentor group, a pastor's group from the San Diego area that meets with Tom Mercer, pastor of High Desert Church in Victorville, got together. This is a monthly meeting. We hadn't met all Summer, so this was an important meeting. I also look forward to this time with the rest of the guys, but it doesn't allow time for the ordinary. Then, in the afternoon, my wife, son and I had an important meeting with our family counselor (more about this at another time). This also was good, but it took my day out of the ordinary.

Finally, Friday came and nothing happened out of the ordinary. I was just upset because I hadn't done what I wanted on Wed. and Thurs., so I didn't do anything on Friday either! I'll show me!

I had time on Saturday, but that time was spent preparing for Sunday (except for a depressing session listening to the UCLA football team losing to Arizona).

Why am I going on about this? Part of it is that I just feel like complaining. I am not happy with myself for not keeping up with things. There is another reason though; I need to realize that life happens and it doesn't always happen on schedule. I have to be more flexible. In my daily devotional time this morning, God reminded me that I am semi-retired. I am not on a rigid schedule. Planning is good. Discipline is good. But, I need to lighten up. The schedule that I want to follow is just that -- it is the schedule that I want to follow! No one else is expecting this. It is something that I am putting on myself. I need to "go with the flow". I am trying. I am also trying to find a way to be disciplined and on schedule, yet to still be flexible. Pray for me -- I'm an old dog and this is a new trick.

The Great Commission

(From my sermon on 9/14/8)

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Zondervan: Grand Rapids)

Last words are important. These are the last recorded words of Jesus Christ to his disciples. They set the stage for what comes next. What was to happen after Jesus left his physical, earthly presence? Was the incarnation merely an experience for the people who encountered him? Or was the incarnation the beginning of something entirely new? Of course, we believe the latter and the Great Commission is the start of that next step.

When Jesus starts these last words, he gives the basis for all that follows. He has authority. In fact, he has all authority. He has authority in the heavens. He has authority where God dwells! But this authority is not only other worldly; he has all authority on earth. This is why he can tell the disciples to go! He has the authority!

Jesus gives an order. This is no suggestion for academic study. It is a direct order. This is important, because we often take it as a suggestion. If I have time and the circumstances warrant, I will go. Others go, but I support them. Jesus says to his disciples go. This is not only an order, it is a commission. I spent time as a commissioned officer in the US Navy. What is special about being commissioned? Commissioned officers actually have a commission, a piece of paper signed by the President of the United States. This commission gives that officer the authority that he/she needs to carry out the orders of the Commander in Chief. Jesus shares his authority with us through the promise that he will be with us – forever. This is not only for these first disciples, but it is for us, because it contains the order to teach everything that was taught. Of course, that includes the Great Commission. By extension, this is our commission; our orders.

Well, what is the basic order? The major part of the order is one basic word; Go! Where are we to go? We are to go to all nations although the Greek word is the root of our ethnic. So we are not only to go to all of the nations that carry the name nation, but to all people groups, language groups, religious groups all around the world. Our job is to make disciples of these people. Notice, we are not to make converts. Of course, the start of being a disciple is to be converted – but it must never stop there. We are directed to make disciples of all nations.

Well, how do we make disciples? As mentioned above, we start with conversion. Since the first step of obedience after conversion is baptism, we are to baptize people. It says that they are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the first step. Secondly, disciples must be taught. What are they to be taught? Jesus says to teach each of them what I taught you. We need to teach the Gospel; the good news of Jesus. I suppose that to really describe what must be taught, I should list the Bible, all spiritual writings since New Testament times, all theology etc. If this was the case, discipleship would never end – and it never does. But, we can give a short list of things that are basic teachings that we must provide young disciples as they begin their walk with God.

1. The Love of God – God loves us unconditionally
2. Our love for others – We are called to love one another just like God loves us
3. Self sacrifice instead of self promotion – Jesus came to serve not be served and to give his life as a ransom . . . (Mark 10:45 – free translation)
4. The principles of the Sermon on the Mount – The New Covenant says that the law will be written on our hearts – we need a heart change to be faithful to God’s law
5. Healing – we are called to be healers, lovers and those who bless – we stand for life and wholeness, death and despair
6. Deliverance – Jesus came to free us of the power of sin and death – we must work to help people to be free of all of the things that keep them in bondage.

How do we carry out this Great Commission in 21st Century America? We must recognize that all of us are directed to go? The question is where? God will provide the direction. We must be prepared with no preconditions as to when and where we will follow the Lord. Certainly, not all of us are called to go to foreign lands. But some are. These people must be supported by us; spiritually, monetarily and with our resources. The main thing that we must understand today is that the church must become missional. What on earth is missional? In my youth, the church was there. People could see it. New people would come because they already understood the church. They would come when it seemed to suit them. We were “all” the same culture. The world is far different today. Our cities are made up of many cultures, ethnic groups, races, religions, languages; not us “our culture”. People probably aren’t going to just come. Therefore it is imperative that we see the need to go. We are missionaries to our world. This is true right here in Chula Vista, California – or wherever you live.

When we go, it is not with an armload of tracts to pass out. I suppose tracts may be ok, but that is not what is required. We must understand that we work with a certain group of people, go to school with a group, shop at a certain store, and live in a neighborhood. This is our mission field. We make disciples by being authentic people. We develop real relationships. We love and affirm people whether they become converts or not. Our purpose is to be Jesus in the world today. He went to the people – not to condemn them, but to love them. In return they loved him. This is our task.

Learning to Make Do

I really am tired of being poor. Even as I say that I realize that I have so much – but life is not as easy as it once was. I don’t have everything that I want. I don’t have spare money around as I once did. I can’t always find more when and where I want it.

I can say like the Apostle Paul that I have learned to be content in whatever situation I find myself in. I can take being rich and I can take being poor. I really think that this is true for me, but, if I am honest, I am more content when I am on the rich side. How did I get this way? I certainly have never really been rich. For that matter, I never really have been poor either.

I guess my “poverty” was most real when I was a very small child in the aftermath of the Great Depression and the beginnings of World War II. I can remember living in Miami Beach Florida where my father worked as a valet parking lot attendant for a big night spot. His pay consisted only of tips. My mother and father would count the tips when he got home at night – this determined what we ate the next day. As the war began, my father did construction work for the military. This was really the only construction going on. We traveled like what we were; migrant workers. We lived on military bases in worker camps. If not on the base, we lived wherever we could find a place. We really were poor. But, I didn’t know it. I was happy. My family loved me. I was content.

I think that the time that I really got tired of being poor was in college. Fortunately the actual cost of college wasn’t prohibitive. I will really be the envy of current students and parents. When I started UCLA, the cost per semester was $50 which included football tickets (this also meant the Rose Bowl when we went in 1956). Of course, I had to live somewhere, eat and buy books. I did receive a small stipend from a scholarship fund. During the summer, I worked on the assembly line at Ford Automotive – working there was always an incentive to return to school in the fall. During the school year, I worked at a sorority as a hasher. I set tables, served, did dishes and a little short order cooking for breakfast. I did alright, but was always short of money.

In my senior year, I started to think about what was next. My major was Zoology, but my course was pre-med. Of course, like any good pre-med, I took the required tests and began the application process for medical school. I was well into this, even to the extent of receiving invitations to interview at two fairly prestigious schools. I have to admit that I was intimidated. But, more than that, I was tired of being poor. Medical school looked like such a long process. Of course looking back, it was pretty short. Anyway, I chucked it all and ultimately joined the Navy.

I never made a lot of money, but I was always comfortable. This was true both in the Navy and in the Pastorate. Sometimes we didn’t have enough. Sometimes we were ok. We never had a real abundance, but it was ok. Then came retirement! We really hadn’t prepared very well for this. That is our/my fault. Now we are poor. Of course, we aren't really poor. How could I look at real poverty in the US or around the world and say that I am poor? I just don’t have enough to satisfy me. Having said that, I also need to say that my God is good and faithful. Somehow, we are making it. I have my wife. I have my health. I have wonderful children and grandchildren. I have the privilege of serving in a great little church. Come to think of it, I have everything. I am a rich man!

Back at My New Office

I am trying to spend at least two mornings per week at Starbucks. I may not limit my traveling office to Starbucks but, at this time, that is where I feel most comfortable. I’m not the only one with laptop opened and working. Since I am usually cooped up at home or in the church office, it is refreshing to watch others working here with me. At the next table there is a young man and young woman. They are obviously college students. They aren’t hard at work, but they do have computer unfurled. They have books and notes spread about the table.

A few feet away there is a mini business meeting going on. I can’t tell what is happening, but the two men are very involved with what they are doing. They both have laptops. They are dressed for business – so I assume that they are working. At the furthest table in “my section”, there is a young woman hard at work. She has no laptop. She is doing it the old fashioned way. She has paper and books – and a pen.

Others come and go buying their lattes and frappacinos. Through the window, I can see the outside tables. There are a few laptops out there, but most of the tables are filled with people in conversation. Finally, there is a lot of music going on. I find the atmosphere stimulating. I really want to get out into the real world. I think that this is the part I miss most about leaving the world of “businessman”. BNI was a great opportunity for me to enter into an entirely new area of life.

As a side note, I read an article from National Review that really touched me. A man died while saving his son. It is a great little article, check it out:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NmU4NDcyYTY0ZDFlMWZmZWNiNzk5MTc2NjRhNmYwOTY=

This is part of my next phase of life.

Proclaiming the Lord's Supper

(This is a free transcription of my sermon given yesterday)

The earliest written account of The Last Supper is found not in the gospels, but in the Apostle Paul's letter to the church of Corinth. Corinth was a port city in what is now Greece. By definition, a port city has a continual influx of sailors. This is true today. We live in a port city. Corinth had all of the vices associated with sailors. It was also a city where world religions flourished. It was in this atmosphere that Paul planted his church. It didn't take long though, for the church to become dysfunctional. They had so much diversity that they lost their unity. The division that affected the celebration of the Lord's Supper (communion), was the division between the haves and the have nots. The congregation gathered to celebrate the Lord's Supper and participated in an actual dinner. This was fine, but the only ones with food and the ability to get there early were the haves. The have nots were probably slaves. They had little freedom and no extra food. They went without. Paul wrote the following passage to address this problem -- and give us an insight into the true meaning of communion:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions. (1 Corinthians 11:23-34 NIV)

It is sad that a celebration that was given so that we might have unity, has been a source of real division in the church. Of course, the supper that was celebrated by Jesus and his disciples was a passover meal. In Luke's gospel, the description of this scene starts with the words, "I have earnestly desired to eat this meal with you." I believe that Jesus still utters these words to each of us as we come to supper. This is his meal. He is the host. We are entering into a time of communion or fellowship with Him. Communion is not a solitary event -- it is a communal event. It is for the church, not for individuals. Of course there are exceptions -- the sick, the isolated -- but these are exceptions, not the rule.

In the gospel of John, before the meal starts, Jesus puts on the garments of slavery and washes the disciples' feet. This is the lesson that the meal has something to do with serving one another. Jesus in actuality was about to lay down his life for his friends -- and ultimately the whole world. Communion is never about what "I" can get out of it. Yes, "I" receive, but Jesus gives. "I" receive so that I can give. The Lord's supper is about giving. It also should be observed that, for Jesus, this was the Last Supper. One of the great things about the institution of the Lord's Supper is that it is not our Last Supper. It is new and fresh for us whenever we partake.

Let's look at the supper itself. What we call the Lord's Supper actually takes place at the end of the passover meal. Jesus took bread (probably similar to today's matzoh) gave thanks, broke and and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." It is representative of Jesus' body. That physical human body that would be broken on the cross in just a few short hours. Jesus makes it plain that his body is broken for them. Certainly this is reminiscent of Isaiah 53. They (we) are to eat it in remembrance or, or as a memorial to, Jesus. After supper, he took the cup, perhaps the cup of blessing of the passover Seder, and blessed it. He said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." It is representative of his blood. The new covenant is sealed by the blood of the passover lamb. Again, we drink in remembrance of Him. This section closes with, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

What about the self-examination? The people hadn't been discerning (or recognizing) the body of Christ. This meal wasn't about food. It was about remembering and proclaiming. It wasn't about the people eating it, it was about Jesus. They didn't recognize that the bread wasn't just bread, it was representative of the broken body of Jesus. Perhaps more importantly they didn't recognize that as we gather together, we are the body of Christ. When we are not in unity -- the body is broken indeed.

Communion is one of the identifying marks of being a Christian. It proclaims Jesus death. It proclaims that His body, the church, is still in the earth. When we eat and drink in any other (unworthy) manner we make a mockery of Jesus. We break the body of Christ all over again.

A Businessman No More

Well, I came to a difficult decision this week. I am no longer trying to be a businessman. I have not been successful in my attempts. I have spent a lot of money to make a little bit of money. Business is just not my strong point.

I started into business for the obvious reason. I wanted to make some money to supplement my retirement. I read that the best way to really make money is to own your own business. I believed this and I still do. The problem was, and is, that I really wasn’t willing to pay the price to succeed. Why?

When I started Real Life Solutions an independent dealership for EcoQuest air purifiers, I had high hopes. The product is really amazing. I am a true believer. As I started to market the business and the product, I found that I was really resistant to selling. I think that my years in the Navy, followed by a lengthy career in the ministry, gave me a warped view of business. I saw myself through the lens of the stereotypical Used Car Salesman – and I didn’t like it. I might add that I was a Fuller Brush Salesman while I was in college – this really was not a good experience.

This negative self image as a salesman really killed my business opportunities. The good thing about this process of trying to become a businessman is that I did a lot of study. I had to repent of my disrespect of business and sales. I learned that this is what makes the world go around. Business, especially small business, is very honorable. I have made a number of relationships with business people that I respect and like a lot. In fact, fellowshipping with other business owners was really one of the high points of my life after retirement.

Why then did I need to quit the business? Well it had nothing to do with the business or sales. It was all about me. I have done a lot of soul searching, praying, research on old personality trait surveys and conversations with my wife. My gifts and strengths are not in the area of business! I am a Pastor. I am a speaker. I am a counselor and mentor. I am a communicator. That’s what I am. That’s what I should be doing. Therefore I am going to do more writing. Some of you may say, “this guy is writer?” Well, that is why I am spending a lot of time on this blog. I need to practice and improve my skills as a writer. I will be talking a lot about this in future posts.

Mom's Birthday

Last night I began to think of my mother. Yesterday was her birthday. She has been gone for over 20 years, but I still think of her often.She was certainly the most important woman in my wife until I got married. She wasn't perfect -- in fact, she had some major failings, but she was a good mother. She loved me and let me know it.

She became a single mom at the age of 40. She really hadn't worked outside of the home since she married my father. This was a difficult transition. She had no real job experience. She finally was hired by our church to be the pastor's secretary. Here she really did well. The pastors loved her and the people did too. She began to blossom.

She always had a lot of friends -- women of her age group that were either divorced or widowed. I grew up around women. If this wasn't enough, my grandmother came out to live with us (and help take care of me). I was the only male in a house always filled with females. When I was in college, my mother became the sponsor of the Junior High Girls group -- so I would come home to find the house full of Junior High girls. I certainly wasn't interested in any of these little girls -- but, come to think of it -- I married one of those girls after she grew up.

Why do I miss my mother? She gave me love. She gave me affirmation. She gave me confidence. I owe her a lot. She sacrificed so that I could have what she never did have. She encouraged me to receive my education -- and made me stick to it. I remember coming home during my sophomore year saying that I was through. I was tired of being broke. "I can't afford it, so I'll just quit and get a job." My mother grabbed me by the shoulders and said, "On your knees. We are going to pray." I was mortified, but one doesn't argue with Mom when she is in that mood. We prayed. She told me to go back to school. I did. The following week I receive a call from an attorney that I didn't know asking me to come to his office. It seemed that he administered a trust for needy college kids and he had heard about me. How? I don't know, but I suspect my mother's prayers had something to do with it. The upshot is that I received a nice check every month until I went into the Navy. Mother was always right.

I miss my mother.

Repenting of Religion

The next book that has had a profound impact upon me is "Repenting of Religion, Turning from Judgment to the Love of God" by Gregory Boyd. The following quotes can be found -- with more at http://www.gregboyd.org/books/repenting-of-religion/.

Description: In this bold and provocative book, pastor and author Gregory A. Boyd draws on the insights of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer to demonstrate that the foundational sin of humanity is “eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Instead of being content reflecting God’s perfect love to others, we are inclined to eat of the forbidden tree and judge them. The heart of the Gospel, Boyd argues, is receiving and reflecting God’s love, but this is precisely what our judgmentalism prevents. Unfortunately, Christians tend to be at least as guilty of this foundational sin as the world. Boyd challenges Christians to repent of our judgmental religious attitudes and commit to living in God’s outrageous love.

Greg’s story behind the writing of Repenting of Religion: I first read Bonhoeffer’s Ethics in graduate school, and it frankly bored me. Then in 1998 I met a couple (Gina and Richard Patton) who were exceptionally bright and who were really into the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Through many stimulating conversations they inspired me to re-read Bonhoeffer’s Ethics. It honestly turned my world upside down! I then went on to read Temptation and Fall and other works. This research, combined with other things God was doing in my life at the time, awakened me to the fact that I was a compulsive judge — though most of my judgment was unconscious. Even more significantly, I came to see that judgment is the antithesis of love and is, in fact, the “original sin” of the Bible (eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil).

The book Repenting of Religion was originally going to be a study on Bonhoeffer’s concept of judgment. But as I began to put the book together several years later I came to see my thinking on the topic had evolved quite a ways beyond — and in some cases, against — Bonhoeffer’s. So, while I rely a lot on Bonhoeffer’s thought, the book expresses my own thinking on judgment as humanity’s foundational sin.

Now to my own thoughts. I was profoundly affected by this book. I have to admit that part of my admiration for the book stemmed from my admiration and affection for Bonhoeffer. But it was more than that. I first heard Greg speak at a symposium at Bethel West Seminary several years ago. He also spoke twice at the Holy Spirit conference at Greenlake. He is dynamic. Ideas just seem to flow from him. Do I like everything that he says? Of course not. He always leaves me asking questions -- some of which are still not answered. He also speaks what I believe is truth. Much of it challenges many of my preconceptions.

Again, his theme is love. God loves us so that we can love. The church all to easily falls into the Pharisaical trap of judgment. I love the church and believe that people fall into the trap of legalism because they care. They want to be pure, they want the church to be pure. The problem is that they become stumbling blocks keeping people from hearing and accepting the gospel. Rather than judging people, we need to love people.

Of course, Boyd goes a step farther. He puts forward what he (and I) first saw in Bonhoeffer. This judgment that we are so quick to enter into is really a part of our fallen nature. The original sin in the garden was that Adam wanted to be like God. Judgment belongs to God -- not to mankind. We have taken this on as our own task and have really perverted it. Paul tells us to judge sin within the church -- not outside. He tells us to judge sin inside so that the body may be kept pure and that the one who sins can be reconciled. This judgment is to done out of love, not out of pride and vindictiveness.The sin outside the church is not our issue. We are to love all men (and women) and help them to find Jesus. We are not to set up barriers to keep them out of the church.

Finally, it is too easy to make judgments about sin in a way that makes the sinner an enemy. Remember, Paul the Apostle tells us that flesh and blood are not our enemies. Flesh and blood (people) are God's creation. God loves them. Jesus died for them. We are to love them and help them to find Jesus.

Greg Boyd didn't really tell me anything new, but he did help to put things in a way that made everything become clear in my thinking. I devoured the book. I really think that it should be widely read. Some may be reluctant to read the book because they are aware that he is a proponent of the "openness of God" theology. They don't need to be afraid, this book is not about that. Others may have heard that Boyd writes some controversial and shocking things -- he does. Read the book. Try to keep an open mind and listen to what he is saying. I believe that he is saying something very important for this day.

Some Thoughts on The Shack

I read The Shack the third week in July. I remember the week because I had just returned from the Holy Spirit Conference in Greenlake Wisconsin. I admit that I couldn't put the book down. I was caught up in the story itself. But it was the theological truth behind the novel that really captured me.

The novel is controversial. There is no denying that. But readers must remember that it is a novel. It isn't a theological text and should not be read as one. When I said that there was theological truth behind the novel, I meant just that. I really haven't sorted out all of my own thoughts on how this all works out. In the following paragraphs I will set down my thoughts on the novel and point out both some of the truths and problems that I saw as I read the novel.

The story is so touching and compelling. I don't want to give away all of the plot, but here is the general idea of the story. A man takes his three children on a camping trip. On the last day of the trip his youngest daughter is kidnapped -- and killed. Of course this has a tremendous impact on the entire family, but especially the man. He feels so responsible for allowing this to happen. He also feels that God had let him down. He was depressed and angry. While in this mood, he receives a mysterious letter from Papa, the name that his wife always calls God. The letter invited him to come and meet with Him at The Shack. The rest of the story I wont discuss. You really need to read the book. It is exciting, touching, funny, shocking and probably some other adjectives that would fit equally well.

The first theological truth that underlies the novel is that God is not bound by our stereotypical ideas of what He should be like. He is. He will be what He will be. We have to deal with Him as He is, not what we would wish Him to be. I am sure that some readers are shocked at the way the author pictures God. I was certainly surprised and am not sure that I would ever picture God that way myself. But it works in the novel and it sets forth that truth. In the novel, it challenges the ideas that the man had about God. We must never put God in a box. Many years ago, I read a book by J. B. Philips entitled, "Your God is Too Small". In this book, Philips discusses many of the ways that we place God in a Box. Our thinking limits God. We don't realize that God is never limited to our idea of how He should be. I think that Young deals very well with this subject in "The Shack".

The second theological truth is the way that the Trinity works. Now I don't pretend to believe that the pictures presented in the story are exactly as it really is. In fact, I'm sure that they aren't. But within the story we are given the relationships between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We see their absolute love for one another -- no envy, no self seeking. The try to please and compliment one another. They anticipate the "needs" of one another (I know that technically God needs nothing). They exist for one another. This is so similar to the book by Clark Pinnock, "The Flame of Love, A Theology of the Holy Spirit". Pinnock discusses the relationship within the trinity as a dance of love. I think that we see this in The Shack.

The third truth is that God loves His people. This is certainly Biblical. "God so loved the world . . ." This is so clear in the novel. I don't even think that the story stretches this. It is right there. The reader doesn't have to look below the surface for this truth. God created us and He loves us unconditionally. He loves in spite of our sin. He loves us in spite of our attitudes. He loves us in spite of our doubts. Of course God wants us to trust him, to have a good attitude and not to sin -- but it doesn't make any difference as to whether or not He loves us. Like a parent, He loves His children whether they are naughty or nice.

The final truth is that Christianity is about relationship not dogma. This is not to diminish dogma, Biblical Truth and Theological Correctness. This is all very important. But good doctrine without relationship with God and our fellow human beings is worthless. This is said quite forcefully in I Corinthians 13. God wants to have a relationship with each one of us. He wants us to worship Him freely because we love and trust Him. he wants us to love one another because when we love others, we are being like Him (John 13:35 and chap. 17).

The way Young pictures all of this is merely one man's imagination. It shocks many of us and probably is not really the way it is. The value of this novel, other than a gripping story, is that there is truth behind the story. It is a truth that is all to often ignored in Evangelical Circles.