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Good Theology?

   There is a war raging in the church right now between so-called “liberals” and so-called “conservatives.”  I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately and I have come to a conclusion...  We are not asking the right questions.  Before we even get-to-know a person we want to give them a litmus test to find out their short-answers on faith and theology.  We ask bad questions.  We make terrible assumptions.  We want to know “Are you a conservative,” “Do you believe homosexuals get into heaven,” “Do you believe in a literal heaven,” “Do you believe that Noah built an ark or that Adam and Eve ate the apple as a historical act?”
    In the war between liberal and conservative we have people on both sides with “bad theology.”  Bad theology is not about which theological position you take, but how you struggle with it.  The right question we should be asking is whether Christians are being faithful by growing in faith and we grow in faith by struggling in our faith.  That is good theology.  Good theology is about questioning our own faith, reading scripture and trying to look for God in places we never have before.
   Bad theology is taking a hard-and-fast ideological position and then sitting in our corner never allowing our faith to be challenged and never inspecting our faith from new angles.  When we have a bad theology -an unquestioning theology, such inspection of faith can seem like an attack because we don’t have the language or the practice of struggling in our faith.  But such an inspection of faith will actually help us grow in our faith, help us better understand other people’s faith, and give us the practice and language to go even deeper in our faith.

That practice will help us get to the right questions and that is Good Theology!

Title Photo:  Worship while on mission in Montana.  Photo by Scott Carnes, 2008


My wife, Carrie Carnes, left the following comment on this post on April 13, 2011 (before I moved the blog to blogger.com to be archived):



I believe that theological struggles and studies are a means of grace and therefore ought to reflect the life-giving, invitational and creative traits of God. Certainly, theological positions which are damaging to people's lives need to be challenged and rejected; but perhaps, its not so much that we need to re-define "good and bad theology" and more that we need to reject these labels entirely. I have never experienced a situation in which telling someone one that they had "bad theology" was helpful. Certainly, there are theological positions which are damaging, outside of orthodox tradition(s) or illogical. Certainly, I value the sort theology that leads to deeper questions rather than quick answers as I believe that that struggle is a sign of faithfulness. 


Having said all of that however; I think that it is only fair to acknowledge that we all or at least most of us (including you) hold specific positions which are so core to our understandings of God that we won't really question or re-think them. For me, God's identity as rooted in love: invitational, creative and relational love, would be be one such position. I suspect the same it true for you...that if a belief or position is not consistent with a loving God you most likely will reject it. For others that core concept might be the infinite power of God, or the infallibility of scripture. I think these are the discussions we need to have and never do because of the labels of "Good" and "Bad", I think that it is only fair that we begin not by being open to just anything but by acknowledging which positions we will not compromise so that we can then have an authentic discussion.

Biking High

I’ve been bicycling over the last few weeks.  Last year I hit it far too hard right at the beginning.  I was sore for days.  This year I’m starting slowly and building up.  Today, though, I got a phone call and ended up heading back to the apartment way too soon.  On the way home I was gliding down the street and realized I just really didn’t want to stop.  I think that bicycling has become a spiritual practice for me.  It’s not just exercise anymore.

When I bike I find my mind can wander freely.  It’s a time when I can think about whatever is most important in that moment.  Sometimes that is something unexpected that I didn’t even realize was on my mind.  I can daydream about my new job in Pontiac.  I can think about the next sermon topic or scripture for preaching class.  Perhaps, though, I find myself thinking about something as asinine as my car’s squeaky brakes or the laundry that I need to do.  But, increasingly often I find myself, simply, by myself.

Over the past few years of bicycling, my prayer life has been increasing as well.  It is not always intentional prayer, but sometimes it is better than my best prepared or most earnestly said prayers.  When I’m out on my bike, I find myself asking questions, considering my own life, and looking for answers.  I find myself [silently, i hope] talking to myself, no one, and God...all at once, sometimes!  When I go bicycling I am growing in mind, body, and spirit -it turns out.  Who would have thought?

I believe in this world of constant contact it is sometimes difficult to just be alone.  Perhaps, though, we need to find times and activities that allow us to be self-reflective.  We need to allow our minds to wander...and when we least expect it, perhaps, we will find ourselves meditating and growing in prayer...even talking to God without realizing it.  I think that each of us should find an activity that we love and as we practice it (like taking long bike rides with an iPod blasting) we will find God listening to us...perhaps we will even discover God somewhere within ourselves!

The Security of a Promise

   Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston, where I am an intern, recently made a decision to house the homeless.  After discussions with other area churches they realized a need to help families that have become homeless, especially in light of the recent economic crisis.  They, with other churches, founded a new local initiative called Family Promise.  Family Promise is part of a nation-wide program where church take turns housing recently homeless families so that the children and parents can be kept together and have access to their schools and workplaces.
    The church has been enthusiastic of its support for this program.  The church helped the new program purchase cots, curtains, toys and all of the things that would be necessary to create a temporary home for the people we are trying to help. This week was the first week of the program in Evanston but we found ourselves setup and ready but without families.
    We could easily become discouraged that, perhaps, this is a bad program or disillusioned that there is not need of the program.  What I have seen at Northminster, however, is excitement.  We realized that, even though there was the hiccup of no participants this week, we could do this.  We setup the church and had all of the volunteers and money in place for our turn.  We did it!
    It turned out that it was a test run, but the test run had purpose it proved that we could do it and it proved that we were faithful in our promise, even if there were not yet families to accept the help.  I’m reassured that there are applications turned in, there is a great need, and that the churches are ready.  Come our next turn hosting the program will be running smoothly and there will be people living in our church.
    Isn’t this like God’s promises?  God promises us love.  God promises us life.  God promises us faithfulness.  Northminster remained faithful to its promise and so does God hold faithful the promises that she makes.  The family that was lined up, from what I understand, became nervous about this new program.  Perhaps they were embarrassed.  Perhaps they were afraid that we would not live up to the promise we have made.
    It seems that we have become accustomed to fellow humans not living up to their promises.  We have become used to unfaithfulness and disappointment.  What God offers us is a steadfast, ironclad promise.  This promise is expressed in scripture and should be expressed through communities of faith.  As a church -as a community of faith, we must be faithful to one another, to humanity-at-large, to all of creation, and to our Almighty God.

The Experience.

Every since I got engaged this blog has been hi-jacked by personal stories that are probably not very interesting, so today let me reflect a bit on something even more obscure:  Groundhog Day!

    Here is an interesting holiday.  We ceremoniously parade out Punxsutawney Phil to see if he will retreat back into his den or cage.  American culture has set aside a day that we watch with fascination as a groundhog retreats into her/his hole.  Can we all agree that this is an obscure and bizarre holiday???  Now is the time when I admit that I love groundhog day.  Not because I’ve ever been to see Phil nor because I put any stock in Phil’s predictions, but I love groundhog day because it is obscure.  It reminds us of our fascination with the unexplained, the accult, the bizarre, the supernatural.  It reminds us that we want to believe in more than what can be seen or measured by science.
    By all accounts Easter is much like Groundhog Day to many Americans.  Crazy Christians gather in their churches to see if Jesus is in the tomb.  If Jesus has risen (He always has) then they are inexplicably ‘saved.’  For those of us who are Christians, Easter is not meaningless like Groundhog Day but it is bizarre, really.  Can we imagine what it must look like to those of other faiths?  Can we imagine what it looks like to those with no faith?  How is it that we bring forth the story of Easter that others will appreciate the mystery, the excitement and even the bizarre nature of the day without writing it off as a superstition?
    I think first of all we have to take time to just enjoy the moment.  We can use groundhog day to practice.  Can we just experience Groundhog Day in all of its uniqueness?  Can we forget about the fact that weather and sunlight contribute to whether the animal wants to come out or not?  Can we forget about meteorology, climate and weather patterns?  Let’s set aside science and technology and just enjoy the moment today.  We’ll watch a groundhog for what it is and we’ll accept that the experience of watching the groundhog is worth something.  As Christians, when we arrive at Easter in just a few months, perhaps we will remember this exercise.  Let’s set aside the technological and scientific and just accept that the experience of Easter is where we will find the truth.

New Year's Lobster Party

   Two weeks of time spent with family and friends is coming to a close and we ended the time with a great New Year’s party at Carrie’s parents.  Each year Bob and June put on a Northeast-style New Year’s Lobster dinner.  It was great fun.
    I was pretty much a nervous-wreck, though, before New Year’s Eve.  At the start of the fall, before I had even proposed, Carrie had a conversation with me, “So Scott, don’t be mad at me, but I was talking to mom and dad...and they want to invite you parents to New Year’s.”  It took me a moment to recover but I realized that if I was going to follow through with asking her to marry me- then the families would have to meet.  Carrie said, “Great!  There is one other thing, and don’t be mad, but actually my parents didn’t ask.  I told them to invite your parents.”
    Well, you can imagine how this conversation went.  The whole thing began to stress me out, but over the last few months I warmed up to the idea that our parents would, indeed, meet.  But a few days ago I realized with horror that they really were about to meet!  Now, really I know, there isn’t actually anything to worry about.  We both have likable parents.  Yet, knowing, that everything will be alright doesn’t change the feeling of fear and trepidation that I was feeling!
    It is actually something her father said that calmed my nerves just before my parents arrived.  He said, “Scott, it doesn’t matter if we like one another or not.  It’s not us getting married its you and Carrie!”
    I don’t exactly know why I told all of this, but in the end, our parents got on very well.  Our dads talked politics, our moms talked wedding, and we got to hang out with Carrie’s cousins and friends.

Not Planning A Wedding

    So the last few days, if judged by our expectations, would have to be deemed a failure.  We had intended to go down to Carrie’s parents and spend three full days of wedding planning so that Christmas with each family could be wedding-planning free!  It was a well thought out plan...
    Carrie still had a mountain of work before her that was due a.s.a.p. so she was working feverishly between our appointments with the pastor, a bridal shop and her dentist (not wedding related, but thought I’d be thorough).  That night she was up all night getting the paper done so that it would be in the professor’s email before 8 a.m.  She came by my room at 8:30 a.m. to ask that I would come wake her up before her appointments started at 10.  She had scheduled appointments with bakers, dress shops and florists but her mother and I conferenced for a few minutes over breakfast and made the executive decision to cancel everything and let her sleep.
    We were, in the end, still able to go see the reception site but Carolyn got some much needed sleep.  We had to cancel about half of what we intended to do during the three days, but it made the rest of the trip very enjoyable.  Carrie got a full morning’s sleep. And we’re heading to the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Springfield on our way back to Chicago.  All in all it was a great few days.  We just didn’t get much wedding stuff accomplished.

Title Photo:  With Carrie at the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, IL.  You can't see so much in this photo but it was decorated beautifully for Christmas but, of course it is a beautiful house anytime of year.

Ozark Wedding

Last weekend I went to a wedding in Southern Missouri.  Now, first of all, I had a wonderful time.  This will seem surprising to some of you when I recount the story.  If you don’t know the couple and the context it will seem strange and unusual.

First of all, there was a hillbilly hot tub.  Andy, the owner of the camp where we were (camp, you say?  - yes, I’ll get to that), brought an old truck over by the bonfire (yes, I’ll get to this, too) lined the bed of the truck with a sheet of plastic and filled it with water.  He then setup a wood-burning stove and pump that runs off of a car battery and pumped the water out of the truck, through the stove and back into the bed of the truck.  This creates a hot tub which is the center of attention and a great deal of party fun....    I regret to admit I “forgot” my swimming suit and was not around for this photo.

So back to the wedding.  Jason and Clarissa met and grew up spending weeks of the summer at camp Taum Sauk each summer and then later both became camp counselors at said camp.  After years of knowing one another at camp they started dating as they went off to college and now, six years later, are married.  In itself this is a sweet story as their parents and friends talked about their many letters as child penpals and later falling in love.  It seems an obvious choice that they would want to go back to the camp where they grew up to get married.  But wait, there’s more.  Clarissa’s mother and father also got married at this camp which is near the small town where they live.

It turned out, though, that last weekend was cold and wet.  When I got to the camp with Carrie, I was in a grouchy mood.  It had nothing to do with the camp or the wedding or even Carrie.  No, I was crabby because through a series of unfortunately events... I didn’t get any sleep the night before (3 hours or so) and when we arrived they didn’t know where we should put our stuff or where we would be sleeping cause the cabins were unheated.  With the combination of a long drive, no sleep and no apparent accommodations (when all I wanted was a nap) I was feeling way grouchy and stressed.  Eventually they got us all settled in and I got to bed early and had a long and comfortable sleep.

Saturday was an fresh start.  I was refreshed and relaxed.  Carrie and I took a romantic walk through the woods and along the black river.  Everyone pitched in to setup for the wedding and reception.  It was different than holding a wedding in the city.  It was difficult to schlep everything to the “middle of nowhere” and there was not a hotel staff or large catering staff to take care of accomodations.

This might not be expected, but it was actually wonderful.  Everyone really felt they were a part of the wedding.  Mama Schuller would yell, “Scott, get your ass over here and lift this for me.” Btw, this is just a polite colloquialism to Lesa Schuller (mama) and the other folks at camp.

The wedding ceremony took place in a field nearby and after the ceremony the invited guests were encouraged to proceed towards the camp dining hall and help themselves to kegs of beer and hor d'œuvres around a bonfire while the wedding party took a hayride down through a horse pasture to the river for photos.

At this point I must digress.  My girlfriend’s twin sister, Katie, flashed me and all of the wedding party (and their significant others) with her boobs.  The bridesmaids were all where these strapless numbers and when she ran up from the river while taking her coat off...well...turns out the girls were “out and about” without her knowing it.

Anyway-  the only other thing I think I should mention was the amazing pig roast.  They roasted a whole hog for the guests to enjoy.  I hope you can appreciate that people (who missed the “business casual” message) were hanging out in a field, by a bonfire and taking hayrides in their suits.  It was, in some ways an odd sight but in everyway it was a wonderful way to spend my weekend.  The wedding was a complete success and all of the guests seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

What's Up With Full Communion?

If you ask most United Methodists what “full communion” was... and they would say, “well, Scott, that is probably when the pastor gets real generous with the bread and grape juice!”  Well, I’ve had that kind of full communion, but United Methodists today should be talking about another kind of full communion.  You see, The United Methodist and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have just entered into a new Full Communion agreement after more than 39 years of dialogue (when it is an ecumenical discussion of unity between two churches we call this a bi-lateral).

The General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns of the United Methodist Church has been engaged in this work.  So often people ask me when I return home from board meetings of the GCCUIC, “What do these national agencies do for my local church?  How does that work affect me?”  The same question could be leveled at this work.  What does full communion mean and what does it mean for our churches?

Many United Methodist Churches already work with Lutheran (and other churches) in their area.  They may even have exchanged communion with pastors blessing the elements in one another’s churches.  Full communion certainly means that we should be engaging in eucharistic sharing (communion services) together, sure, but FULL COMMUNION means sooo much more.

Let’s step back a bit.  What does it mean for the church to be the body of Jesus Christ?  Well, which church?  The catholic church sees itself as THE church universal and then there is the Eastern Orthodox and many protestant churches...  Which church is the body of Jesus Christ?  I’d like to say that Christians are one church regardless of denomination or sect, but let’s be honest, we sometimes can’t sit in the same room hardly (at least this has been the case at times).  So there are many churches, yet one body of christ that, I would like to believe, encompasses and is lived out by all of the Christian churches.

Certain churches have taken steps towards unity.  Not organizational unity, at least necessarily, but theological unity.  In the case of the ELCA and UMC, the churches have discussed theology and practice and determined there are no longer any major theological understandings that should keep them apart.

The pastors of our churches may be appointed to churches of the other denomination (so long as they meet denominational standards such as taking a polity class or conforming to regulations on WHO can be a pastor in the denomination)  In other words, a gay Lutheran pastor, unfortunately, can not be appointed to a United Methodist Church.  In small communities, then, where a lutheran and united methodist church would wish to combine and share a pastor they may do so more easily.

Some of you may say, “we’ve been doing these things for years.  It sounds like the national church is just catching up to what we’re already doin’.”  This is a fair challenge, but we can rejoice that the churches have come to this agreement and that we growing in unity.  Local churches could choose to ignore this....or we can take advantage of the moment and take steps to get to know our local Lutheran sisters and brothers in Christ.

GCCUIC, Day 1

The board of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns is meeting yet again this week.  I’ve been a member of the board for five years now and really enjoy the work.

I got into New York on Tuesday evening and after a terrifying van ride to 6th Avenue and 26th in Manhattan, I got settled into my hotel and went out for pizza with a friend.  We went to “Waldy’s Wood Fired Pizza” which was great.  Cindy, Luke and I met for breakfast.  We walked up to the 2nd Ave Kosher Deli for breakfast and I had some amazing french toast.  Enough about food, though.  When my beautiful girlfriend was in New York last week with her family  I called the second night of her trip to ask her about the trip.  She began listing all of the restaurants she had been to and food she had eaten.  I said, “Haven’t you done anything besides eat?”  I guess I had just forgotten how exceptional is the restaurant selection and food variety.

This is only my third trip to NYC so there is a newness to my experience and I am soaking in the magnificence of this city.  Bishop Park, in his welcoming remarks, spoke of his 10 seconds of welcome to the pope.  He said that he had many things with which he might have loved engaging the pope such as challenging him on ordination of women and yet when he was before the pope with only seconds to greet him, he said, “The people of New York have welcomed you and when New York welcomes you, the world welcomes you.”  I really like this.  It speaks to how crazy diverse this city is.  Every where I look I see not just an American city, but multiple cultures on each city block.  Next to the Kosher Deli there was a middle eastern store with an Arabic sign. Muslims and Jews side-by-side with other cultural stores spanning the block.  Other cities, like Chicago, have these elements but there really is an intangible quality about New York which makes it remarkable.

Enough rambling for now.

Title Photo: At the "God box" 475 Riverside Drive in New York City.  By Scott Carnes, 2009

Young People In The Church

I’ve been sitting in a meeting of Young People in the United Methodist Church.  One of the greatest concerns I keep hearing from the people is the need for more money and resources.  Secondly I hear from them that they want to be given leadership in the church.  I maybe misquoting a bit, but, of course, each person says it differently.  I feel as though these students and young people are waiting for something to happen.

Even during the meetings through which I sat the students would ask permission about everything.  I think about groups that have wanted to have leadership in the past.  Women never asked permission to have a division of their own in the church, but when given boundaries and limits they pressed against them.

Young people in the church have spent a lot of time in the last two decades or so talking about issues and talking about being leaders and talking about being the church of today, not just of tomorrow...  Young people need to stop waiting for something to happen and stop expecting entitlement.  When I say this, I mean myself, too, of course.

How do we make something happen?  Well, money isn’t the answer at all.  When we look at the history of the church, young people empowered themselves most when they were an unfunded group.  The disciples with Jesus didn’t have major funding sources.  Young people who are exponentially growing the church in South and Central America are not doing so with the help of the mainline or Catholic church with money, they are a pentecostal movement without a structure or money.

Right now the church gives young people just enough space to feel that they are opposing the church’s current structure and aiming for change, but at the same time the church is training us young people in the ways of the institution.  I want us to think radically about what church means beyond convocations or church worship or even walls of a church building but to join with other young voices shouting for a new kind of church experience with radical expressions of love and abundant freedom to commit to “Kingdom of God works” as Jürgen Moltmann would say.


Title Photo:  Some goofing around between session of the DMYP (Division on Ministry with Young People).  By Scott Carnes, 2009

Jr. High Alive Camp

I wasn’t really sure about whether I would enjoy Jr. High Camp.  I sound like a child, right?  “Mom, NO! You just CAN’T make me go to camp.  I don’t know ANYONE!”  The truth is that I didn’t know if I could enjoy Jr. High camp as much as I did Sr. High camp.  I’ve been volunteering at Night Owl camp for the past several years and enjoy working with the high school kids and just didn’t know if I would have enough patience for the younger youth for a week straight.

The truth of the matter is that I had a wonderful time!  The youth were extraordinary and I’m still coming down off of the ‘energy high’ that I get from a week at camp.  I wonder how many people (especially pastors) are out there thinking what I was thinking, “I don’t have enough energy,” “The kids won’t relate to me,” or (this is the big one) “I don’t have enough time.”  I hope that both lay people and pastors in churches will take time to call the camping office and volunteer for one week next summer.  It doesn’t take any special skills, except the desire nurture children in christian fellowship and discipleship. In fact, each year I leave for camp stressed and wondering how I ever thought I could have time to take a week off, getting to camp and enjoying the experience, and then coming home renewed and refreshed.  It does as much for the volunteer as for the campers!

Racism And Politics

I’ve been watching the Republican National Convention and I’m startled by the contrast between it and the Democratic National Convention.

I’m watching Mike Huckabee’s speech right now and as the cameras move about the room it is predominately old white people (many men).  He stands in a room full of white people in positions of power he then talks about the evils of racism....  I guess he wasn’t talking about institutional racism and tokenism that seems to be pervasive in the Republican Party.

Now don’t get me wrong, I struggle with our party system.  Democrat and Republican party organizations have systematic problems and neither is any more perfect than the other......but when a man like Barack Obama stands up and starts talking about hope and brings a new vision of self, country, and responsibility...and he is made fun of by a bunch of [predominately] old white people I feel sickened.

In one of the video ads by the Obama Campaign “Signs of Hope and Change” one of the men on the video says, “I don’t want a country for me, I want a country for everyone.”  That is what I want.  I want a country that will take seriously the need to inspect our exclusivism, racism, sexism and hopefully one day we will begin to cope with our materialism as well!

Mike Huckabee attacked Barack Obama for going abroad.  I could have imagined (not agreed with) Mike (for) attacking him for wasting money or some other issue in relation to the European tour...but Mr. Huckabee attacks Senator Obama by sayng, “It’s not what he took there that concerns me.  It’s what he brought back.  Lots of ideas from Europe he’d like to see imported here.”  First of all, why not ‘import ideas’ that might make health care more accessible and bring better services (such as preventative care) to our citizenry.  There is an idea to laugh at!  How about ‘importing’ some ideas from countries with better economies, schools, and longer life expectancy than the United States?  There is an idea to laugh at.

Looking at the camera pans back-and-forth, here is what I see:  white Americans who have healthcare and money for good educations  LAUGHING at people who are willing to say, “I don’t want a country for me, I want a country for everyone.”

The Republican leadership in the white house have heard that there are other ways of seeing the world and we know what they do.  They Laugh.  When most of the world says, “no” to a war in Iraq they laughed and ignored them.  When their own citizen’s raised concerns they laughed and said those are just the bleeding heart liberals.  Lastly, when even the republican base withdrew their support of the war and the white house what did they do?  The laughed.

Yes, Republican leadership call Obama an elitist.  They call him incompetent, inexperienced and, of course were happy to circulate the rumor that he was a “secret muslim.”  We have a man standing up with new ideas and a new direction for our country.  This young but competent man, each day, teaches our young people by example that one person can instigate change in the world.  We have a presidential candidate who has proven that he can hear the needs and views of others.  We have a candidate who has already demonstrated his intent to be diplomatic.  Most importantly, if one actually listens to Barack Obama’s acceptance speech in it’s entirety, Obama has a concrete and, in fact, ambitious agenda for this country which speaks to personal responsibility of citizens, fiscal responsibility of the government, and social responsibilities of all.

We have serious issues facing America today and we will have to work hard to address them.  Laughing at other people’s problems, dreams, and hopes doesn’t seem like an effective way to make our country a better place.  I do respect John McCain, but I hope he can find some republican leaders who don’t just laugh at problems, should he be elected to the presidency.

Great Floods

I lived near the Mississippi growing up and still remember the flood of ’93.  Today I took a bike ride to photograph some of the Rock River flood of ’08.  I know it isn’t quite as mind boggling as housing falling into the river (Wisconsin Dells) or entire towns underwater to their roofs (Mississippi flood of ’93), but I found the overabundance of water pretty amazing.  Especially since I now live just a few blocks from the river.

I wonder how Noah and his contemporaries felt as the water rose?  As we consider the destruction that has already occurred and consider the destruction that is still to come, we should consider God’s continual covenant relationship with us.  Over and over again God has been with us as we endured pain, suffering, loss and destruction.  Some people might need to curse and scream at God.  Fine. That can be healthy, look at Job who remains faithful to God despite all of his losses.  When we are rebuilding, however, we must also be thankful to God for the chance to start again.

Baptism is deeply connecting to creation and flood.  By the water washing over us we have symbolism of the water destroying our sins.  As we rise up out of the water we rise up to re-creation.  A new life begins.  Out of destruction can come new life and new opportunities.  We must stay hopeful for this in 2008.


Title Image: A young girl ponders the flood waters in Janesville.  Photo by Scott Carnes, Copyright 2008, All rights reserved.

Door-to-door 4 God

Nope, we’re not Jehovah’s Witnesses or anything, but last Sunday I sent my youth door-to-door.  We didn’t hand out anything, by the way, either.  We collected stuff.  We played a well-known youth game called “Bigger and Better.”  Each group got a paperclip and then went door-to-door.  At the first house they would say, “We’re from Cargill United Methodist Church and we are playing a game called bigger and better.  If we give you this paperclip would you help us with something “Bigger and Better?”

It was  lot of fun.  This kids came back with tons of stuff including: chairs, 2 microwaves, a bench, 2 car seats, hats, toys, a clock, lots of non-perishable food and over $30.00 in cash.  Not bad for a walk around the neighborhood.  We’re going to take the stuff we collected to Echo, the Salvation Army and the Hospital thrift shop.  We are also going to take the money we collected on our mission trip to St. Louis so that we can purchase classroom supplies for the Kingdom House (a social services outreach of the United Methodist Church for low income families which provides low-cost childcare and preschool).

What would happen if we all went door-to-door 4 God?  In this case we proclaimed the name of our church, acted out our faith, and challenged others to help us.  It doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is often uncomfortable to walk up to people in this day-and-age regarding faith issues.  If North American Christianity is to survive, though, we must learn to step out of our comfort zone and take part in world-changing and attitude-changing behavior.

Take a moment to think about how you might share your faith today. Might you invite a friend to church?  Could you challenge someone to do acts of kindness for others?  What would the church look like if we all began acting out our faith and unashamedly proclaimed our love of God?

Evangelism does not have to be “in-your-face,” but it is also not “just” doing Good Works.  Evangelism is different things at different times, but I believe that it can include: Sharing our faith story with individuals or groups, Helping others in the name of Christ, showing love in our daily lives with no expectation of reward or recognition.

Music To My Eyes

Sometimes I like to just pull out my guitar and strum.  No matter what I’m playing (or attempting to play), I find myself relaxed.  What is it that you do to relax?

It is important to relax.  Reading is the way that I used to relax, but now that I’m at seminary I find myself with an inordinate amount of reading and writing.  When a person spends all of their time reading theologians and Biblical commentaries it is hard to find the time to enjoy a Harry Potter book, for example.

I hope that you will take a moment to think about the last time you were truly and completely relaxed.  Don’t think of it as a luxury - but as a necessity - and make time to relax more often!

Overwhelmed and Tired

It is difficult to balance school and work, especially this week.  I had a great week when it comes to being “Scott Carnes, Coordinator of Student Ministries,” but I have fallen far behind in being “Scott Carnes, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminarian...”  As of earlier today, I had three papers to write.  I finished my assignment for tonight, but I am struggling as I try to catch up.  There just seem to be too few hours in the day.

I am also in the midst of scholarship and tax season!  I am trying to apply and re-apply for scholarships and it is clear that I can not (and should not) expect the same level of financial support from my home church as I received during this past year.  I guess I am just feeling very stressed out.

The good news is that I am where I want to be.  I have a kind and loving home church who support me from a distance.  I have a wonderful job at a church which is immensely supportive and accommodating of me as I work through seminary.  Lastly, and most importantly, I am in school and receiving an education is primarily where I want to be right now and I am thrilled to be learning at seminary.

It's More Than Just Staying "Informed"

I’m now in a church that does not have a regular newsletter, nor a heavily used website.  I hear from around the church council table and staff meetings that communication is one of our biggest needs.  The truth is that I was most recently at a church with a monthly newsletter that was very professional and a highly used website and I still heard the same concerns.

Church newsletters are necessary to keep people informed and in today’s world websites are even more important in order to share information, but faith is more than being informed.  It is about being activated.  It is time we stop asking “how do we keep people informed” and begin asking questions like “how do we build community and activate that community?”

Youth know how to use their technology to do such a thing.  Using social networking youth have taken relationship building on-line.  They have found a way to make technology work for them and enrich their relationships.  Some churches and religious organizations have tried to create similar “Christian” communities on-line, but why a separate endeavor.  When Kings were going across the Atlantic ocean to a New World the church did not say, “Well, it is dangerous and there are ‘savages’ there we should go find our own island to create a paradise...”

No.  The church can no longer be in the business of just creating a website and hope that people stumble across it (or even if we advertise it).  We must look at the internet as a new world and begin moving our faith out into that world in a natural but competent way.  If we had pornographers, prostitutes and drug lords moving in to the lots next door we would get activated and take back our community.  It is time for us to get out into the internet and share our faith on-line and “take back the neighborhood.”

Apple, Inc. to purchase Baptist Church for $10 Million

“Sources close to Steve Jobs have confirmed that he is currently in negotiations to buy a local Baptist Church.  When asked his intentions, Jobs reportedly noted that Apple has attracted faithful consumers with deep convictions, but they have not yet determined a way to make Apple a faith.  Jobs hopes that by merging Apple, Inc with a church he might be able to do this.”

Did I get your attention???

Why is it that in the church, these days, we seem to always be one step behind companies and other organizations.  I look at Apple, Inc.  They make lots and lots of money making electronics and yet somehow they have created a deeply committed consumer-base.  They have become exceptional at their communications and advertising and die-hards like me have great loyalty............to a money-making corporation!?!

How do we create a similar commitment in the church???

I have been thinking about this.  Apple has attemped to never sacrifice quality.  They have always aimed for the best, easiest-to-use, and most attractive computers (note:  during years when Steve Jobs was CEO, but we must ignore the “dark times” for my purposes here).  In order that everything works together flawlessly, Apple has taken a corporate approach that is unmatched anywhere else within or beyond their industry.  Apple makes the hardware, the software, provides the tech support, has created its own .Mac web connectivity service, and makes its own peripherals like iPods. Most importantly they have never been willing to sacrifice quality for price.

This last point is where we have failed.  In the church we think that we have to make church easy in order to get people in the pews, but wherever we have failed to set the expectation of commitment and loyalty we have created apathy and faithlessness.  If we want to re-energize our churches we must start by setting high expectations.  In other words we must not sacrifice quality for price.

Gang Living.

I was just with a couple of other people who have been camp counselors and I realized that I’m not the only one looking forward to summer.  I can’t wait for camp to come again!

Since I’ve been thinking about camp, it really hit me when we were visiting Quinn Chapel AME last week.  The youth that I met there were so different from the youth with whom I work each week.  They are kids that don’t likely have the opportunity to go to camp each summer.  Instead of worrying about which game system they will get for Christmas they are worried about whether their parents (if they have parents) were able to pay the heating bill.

Quinn AME is in the middle of what used to be the worst neighborhood in Chicago, but now the poor are quickly being pushed out and housing projects are being shut down  because large companies want the land for new developments.  On the outside this sounds okay, a bad neighborhood is being redeveloped, but where do the poor go as rent goes up and housing is torn down?

In Janesville, Green Bay, Marion, Murphysboro, Carbondale, and Pittsfield...in most of the places where i have lived I have not been confronted by this kind of poverty.  On mission trips it still seems like someone else’s problem once time and distance is put between you and the street.  Here it feels like it is my problem.

In the photo above, you will see some of the city housing projects.  The one at the far right (distant) is gang controlled.  The city (and community) has simply abandoned these people and when it gets too bad, they start shutting them down and selling the only housing that some people can afford because the land has become too valuable.

When did a person’s safety and welfare begin to come with a price tag?