Shane Ash

Christmas is a season of anticipation…a time of waiting. Really, this season is a narrative of life itself…we live in a life-season of waiting for Christ’s final return. But a life of anticipation/waiting doesn’t mean living in inactivity. We are called to live in anticipation with the activity of preparation. Preparation requires both thought and action. Both heart and will. Both belief and works. One without the other is vain.

So, as we draw near to this Christmas morning (or depending on your tradition, Christmas eve) anticipating the joy of the moment we are waiting for…let us remember the preparation that went into the moment…the shopping, picking of gifts, making of lists, preparing of food, decorating the tree, and hanging the stockings…all of this preparation is in the waiting season. May it remind us of the preparation we are making in and with our lives as we wait for His return…

Merry Christmas!

A waiting person is a patient person. The word “patience” means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment, as a mother nurtures the child that is growing in her womb. – Henri Nouwen

O blog, how I loathe the very thought of you.

I wish you were easier to ignore.

Even now I dread seeing you on my lists of “to do.”

 

What must happen, what must change

For you and I to grow close again?

How can we become like paper and pen,

Flowing stories of the Kingdom onto this web domain?

 

Indeed, you are here to more than entertain.

You should not and can not be ignored.

You must become a place of thought,

of refuge for the sane.

 

So, I commit once again

To you my friend,

That I will seek to write

All the thoughts contained within…

 

But until the next time we meet

and my guilt is erased,

May this poorly written poem

bind us as graced.

Things I am kinda pumped about on this Friday afternoon…

• “Seek first the Kingdom…and all that other stuff will be added later.” I am not certain what the “other stuff” is…but I am pumped about how nbc is beginning to seek first the Kingdom. Prayer is happening. Kingdom sharing and vision is happening. Humble service is happening. Repenting is happening. God’s healing of salvation and redemption of the world is happening.
• I am kinda pumped about these guys and this opening weekend. 11-5.
• Even though we don’t know all the details yet…I am pumped about the potential of this.
• Tomorrow morning at 9am. Prayer at church.
• This book. But it comes with a warning…be prepared to think differently about God, yourself and the world. Let me know if you want a copy…
• Sunday.
• Amazed at this story.
• Looking forward to the Invisible Children tour at nbc on November 17th.

Part of my job as a pastor is to understand the sins of the flock (those within my influence range) and lead the way to the cleansing waters of Christ. As I seek to do the work of exegeting my own life, the lives of others and the cultures we live within, I am struck with the overwhelming common sin of me-ism. (It is also ironic and noteworthy to mention that in a twisted understanding of holiness, I like to call it hokiness, the sin of me-ism is the prevalent attitude.)

Eugene Peterson writes in his recent book Practicing Resurrection, “Individualism is the growth-stunting, maturity-inhibiting habit of understanding growth as an isolated self-project. Individualism is self-ism with swagger. The individualist is the person who is convinced that he or she can serve God without dealing with God. This is the person who is sure that he or she can love neighbors without knowing their names. This is the person who assumes that ‘getting ahead’ involves leaving other people behind. This is the person who having gained competence in knowing God or people or world, uses that knowledge to take charge of God or people or world.”

If there is a “most common sin” list for Christians in America, me-ism would be numero uno. The sin of me-ism. Selfishness. Individualism. Pride. And if this sin has free rein in our lives, we are incapable of growing into the full stature of Christ Jesus. If ignored in our life…it will lead to noticeable immaturity and ultimately death.

Why is it so difficult for us to repent (change) of our me-ism? Perhaps we are so blinded by our consumer culture we can’t even recognize ourselves as selfish. Perhaps it is the curse of perceived past successes  in business, church growth, or personal education. For each of us there is different set of blinders on our eyes.

Why is it so difficult to change our me-istic ways?

Top eight Monday morning musings (there were more…but they didn’t make the cut):

1. In the two years I have been pastor at New Beginnings Church I am more encouraged and clear about what God is calling and moving us toward then ever before. If only half of what I believe God is revealing to many comes to be true…then we are still going to be amazed at God.  If you haven’t already, you should invite someone to come with you and experience what God is doing and going to do…
2. This week I am hoping to hit the 5 mile run mark once. It will probably be the longest run of my life…well, if we don’t count the time when Ashley locked the keys and the kids in our only vehicle…and I ran from the house in my softball cleats…it’s a long story.
3. This next Sunday is going to be an amazing illustration of what is possible when we begin partnering with God in the building of His Kingdom.  New Beginnings Church and New Generation Christian Center will be joining together for the Sunday morning service. I have a sense that God will smile a little wider this Sunday…
4. As we spend time this week in prayer we are asking God to remove from our church any obstacles that would hinder a great moving of God within our people and community. If you are looking for an opportunity to pray there are groups meeting at the church on Thursday (7pm) and Saturday (9am).
5. I am really pumped about the possibilities of our Midweek Meal and Ministry at NBC this Wednesday. As we share a meal together and serve together we are participating in a means of grace that moves us closer to the likeness of Christ.
6. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says that IF God’s people humble themselves, pray, and change their selfish behavior…then God will forgive their sin and healing will begin. I am convinced this is the same proposition in front of us today as a church. IF we will humble ourselves (this is always the first step…and often neglected), pray (another humbling step…but begins to posture us to hear from God), and change our selfish behavior (this is maybe the hardest step…it begs that we must recognize our own selfishness and then change our patterns and habits of selfishness)…THEN God will respond in restorative and healing ways.
7. I am also learning that paranoia and self-pity are reserved for people who don’t want to be leaders.
8. Fantasy football draft was yesterday. I need for a good name for the pursuit of my third championship in a row…tri-feat, trimendous trifecta, tribute to the triple triumph…what say you??