Ashes, Celebration and Ministry

At New Wine we do not put new wine in old wineskins. We value the ancient truths and traditions of the church that keep us connected to the Gospel once delivered, but sometime it looks a little different. One of our new wineskins is that we do not meet in a church building. Our venues are often mobile. Thus, when Ash Wednesday comes around each year, we practice this time of gathering in various locations. One year we met in our house churches and as priest I administered the rite at different times on a "circuit ride". This year we hosted a service at Taecken's Terrace Senior Apartments. Twenty four of us gathered in the second floor library. Half were residents and half were members of our Sunday fellowship. We marked a good start to a season of seeking the Lord. We asked Him to purify our hearts from persistent sin and to make us more like Jesus. We participated in an ancient Litany of Penitence which the church has prayed for centuries. It is deeply moving as we corporately confess things done and left undone. O that the church and the world would seriously engage in heart felt repentance! Prayer and repentance is always the first step towards revival.

Today, the first Sunday of Lent, was a celebration for New Wine. Celebration is not the norm in a season of penitence, but today we marked our 6 year anniversary since our first Sunday celebration as a church. We had 30 in attendance, a few visitors who have been part of the work in the past, but we had a number of new visitors, which was a great encouragement. Our guests heard about how God has been faithful to us through the years as we recounted our first 6 years in pictures. We ended the day with a reception which included several goodies, but more importantly good conversation. Remember, it is all about "relationships".

Finally last week we saw several ministry events. Our Monday Cell group prepared lunch for a clean up crew at the Flushing Christian Outreach Center. The crew of special needs adults comes twice a month when the Center is closed and cleans the floors, equipment and bathroom while hosting churches take turns returning the blessing by fixing them lunch. A hearty tomato soup and grilled cheese meal was served and a great time of fellowship and sharing over the meal was had by all. This ministry center is a blessing as a clothing closet and food pantry serving over 200 people a month in the Flushing area. Those of us who serve there are blessed in so many ways as well. FCOC is really an example of Kingdom ecumenical ministry at its best.

Also last week the planning team for "The White House Student Cafe" met again as we prepare to kick off a 6 week coffee house project near the U of M Flint campus. We are working with Riverside Church and Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship to host a live music coffee shop on Friday nights in March and April. We are trying to create a safe space for community building and gathering. Donations for coffee will go to support various ministry projects. Our first project is to help a Colombian young man pay for eye surgery. We are excited about this project. We need old coffee mugs. Contact Kate Robinson if you want to make a donation.

The Demise of Divorce

After one of our cell groups discussed Jesus' teaching on divorce (Matthew 19:1-12), several points have been rolling around in my head.

Jesus upholds the revelation that God the Father ordained marriage to be a life-long commitment between a husband and a wife. “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh...what God has joined together, let man not separate”.

The sacrament of marriage is an action of God done by His children in faith. The promises made between a husband and a wife are not just legally binding, but in the sacrament of marriage there is a spiritual binding that happens as well. It has been described by some as a “soul tie”. It is also seen as a covenant relationship made not just between two individuals, but also includes the Lord of All.

Culturally, it has been customary that many people marry in the church, but it is questionable whether most enter into marriage understanding or believing it to be sacramental or that they are making the promises to the Lord and not just before the Lord.

In Jesus' day, like our own, the nature of marriage was being debated. Liberal Jewish teachers had found ways of justifying divorce under almost any circumstance. Jesus, however, corrected this wrong teaching by instructing that adultery is the only reason for divorce given by Moses. Contemporary minds may presume this is because of the relational mistrust and pain unfaithfulness creates, but in a patriarchal culture it was more a justice issue. In this ancient culture men were the sole providers and procreation was the primary function of sexual intimacy. Thus with each sexual act there was a real chance of conception. Acts of unfaithfulness would then place an undo burden on the sole provider who would be unfairly forced to carry the weight of responsibility for providing for a child he may not have fathered.

Jesus emphasized that it was because their “hearts were hard” that even this exception was given. God's intent is that there be no divorce. I wonder if the hardness of heart was not just people's ignoring their internal conscience in order to enter into a few moments of emotional or sexual pleasure, but that a much deeper problem existed in that their hearts were hardened toward God Himself. Without God's revelation in Christ, people then and now cannot understand the things of God, like the nature of marriage. They do not understand that when they marry and enter into sexual intimacy they are knit together spiritually in ways their mind cannot fully comprehend. They do not understand that when they may be tempted to give up on their earthly relationship, that they are still bound to the heavenly promise they made before the Creator. They may not understand that the undertaking of marriage was designed by the Father to be the backbone of a strong and healthy social order and that in treating it lightly or irreverently undermines the wider community. Hard hearts cannot perceive Kingdom Values.

In a post-Christian culture, which is increasingly self-centered, violent and unfaithful, we should not expect anything other than a rise in the divorce rate and the demise of the institution of marriage. However, in the faith community, where people enter into marriage as a sacramental covenant, we should expect the demise of divorce. Between two believers divorce is never an option. May the church find herself once again standing counter-culture to a world which is walking into the darkness of heartache, pain and social chaos as it abandons God's sacrament of Marriage.

The good news for the divorced is that divorce is not the “unforgivable sin”. Forgiveness in Christ allows us to start anew. People enter into marriage spiritually ignorant, or unequally yoked and the unbelievers may walk away from marriage. Paul taught that the believer is to stay in the relationship, praying for conversion of their spouse and a change of heart. If the marriage is physically or emotionally abusive, get out of the house until there are signs of repentance. If divorced and one is led to remarry, know that the Lord would not have you marry a person who is not fully converted to Jesus and understands that divorce is not an option.

The hope for the resurgence of traditional marriage and the demise of divorce lies in the conversion of men and women one heart at a time.

Healing and Lent

Last Sunday we had four friends from St. Matthew's Anglican join us for worship.  I had asked Chuck Lambert to come and share his story of a physical healing he had experienced.  At a Winter Conference in North Carolina an evening service for prayer and healing was held.  Chuck believed that the Lord can heal today just as Jesus did when He walked among the apostles 2000 years ago.  During the prayer ministry he was approached by one of the prayer ministry team asking him if he wanted prayer for his hands.  This was a "word of knowledge" from the Lord, for Chuck had been suffering from great pain in his hands to the point that he could not open water bottles without help. To his delight the Lord moved that night and relieved his pain and he celebrated by opening a bottle of water on his own.

Sunday we heard of two healings recorded in the Scriptures.  The first was the healing of Naaman, a foreign soldier who had a skin disease.  The second was a man with leprosy who Jesus cured by simply proclaiming him clean.  Physical healing is a sign of the Kingdom of God.  Where God reigns there is no more pain, suffering, sickness or death.  We are all going to be healed when Jesus returns or when we see Him face to face.  But the Kingdom is not fully known yet in this age.  We hope for our total healing, but in the mean time, God the Father breaks in and sometimes healing happens now.  Just like when Chuck's hands were made well.   James, the brother of Jesus, wrote in his letter that we are to ask the elders to anoint us with oil and pray for us when we are sick.  So Sunday during our service we invited Chuck and others from St. Matt's to pray for those who would like healing.  We anticipate  hearing reports of how the Lord is working in our body and our lives in the weeks to come.

Next Wednesday February 22 begins Lent.  This Lent we will be exploring the topic of shame, based on a Navpress topical study guide by Ralph Ennis and others.  Unaddressed shame can deeply affect people.  It can hinder our relationship with others and with the Lord.  I sense the Spirit will work in many of us if we invite Him to use the Sciptures and the church to minister to us in this season of soul searching.

"Freedom - Breaking the Power of Shame"

February 26    Part I - The Human Experience of Shame

March 4    Part II - The Sources of Shame

March 11  Part III - The Shame that Hides

March 18  Part IV - The Naming of Shame

March 25  Part V - The Shame Exchange

A Fruit Filled Week

The Lord spoke to the people of Israel about the promised land; "...the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me." (Lev. 25:23)  Working for the Master in His vineyard is hard work.  There can be a long time from the time you plant the vineyard until it produces visible fruit.

This has been a good week. A week when the Lord has allowed us to taste some of the fruit.  Last Sunday we had 5 first time visitors.  All younger men and there is a good possibility they may come back.  Some had some contact with us last year when Bishop Augustus came to Flint from Rwanda.  A great letter from Joy was read reporting on her work in China highlighting how even our numerically small fellowship can have an global impact.  One of our guests was hearing impaired and his friend who has joined us before was able to sign the service.  After the service we had to politely dismiss people after an unusually long fellowship time because the room had been scheduled by another group that afternoon.   It was as if people did not want to leave.  What a great problem to have!

Then Tuesday we had 2 new cell groups start up.  One of our members hosted a "Grief Support" ministry and over 12 people attended.  That evening 10 people gathered at the home of another one of our families for a book study using Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover".  With our other groups going we probably served close to 50 people this week.  Hopefully we were doing our part to move them a little closer to Jesus.

On Wednesday we had our second meeting with the staff from a neighboring church and a campus pastor about hosting a student coffee house in a nearby house.  We are organizing a 6 week Friday night concert series.  One of our young adults is taking a key organizing role.  We are already collecting old mugs to use for coffee (Bring them to our Sunday Celebration before March 9).  We are calling the meeting space "The White House Student Cafe".   

Today I heard a report from another of our members who just returned from Columbia South America after a 2 week short term mission with "Open Arms", a ministry helping street children find a safe home and spiritual life.  Not only was he able to complete his assigned work on electrical and plumbing needs, but he was also deeply touched by how some of the children expressed their gratitude for his faithul service to them as he has traveled there nearly a dozen times.  His generous and caring heart has not  gone unnoticed.  Though we are to be ready to give an account of the hope that is within us, this is an example where deeds often speak louder than words  (particularly when we struggle with their natural lanuage.) 

This week is the kind of week I had hoped the Master would allow us to see happening when we started the work 7 years ago.  "Father, it has been a long process.  Thank you for letting us have a fruit filled week like this one" 

New Wine Report - Feb 2012

New Wine Report - February 2012

Just this morning I read an article listing the 10 most "miserable" cities in America. Flint was third based on unemployment, crime and housing statistics. Here is the link:

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-most-miserable-cities-2012.html

The thing about Flint is that other cities seem to move up and down this list but we have been persistently at the top for many years. So why would anyone want to plant a church here where there is so little hope? Why plant when people do not want to build much of anything? Instead, people are trying to leave the area rather than stay here. The reason is easy. This is exactly where people need the Word of Hope to be proclaimed in word and deed. That is why I believe He keeps us here!

Last month the desperation that leads to crime in Flint manifested itself in a real way when our son Kyle's college apartment was broken into three times. The first time they stole his new Apple laptop. Our home-owners insurance covered about half of the replacement cost, but more disturbing is to see the effect this has had on Kyle as he struggles with living in the fallen world. He is temporarily at home again, looking to find a new place to stay. I struggle with feelings of anger, disappointment and a deep sense of sorrow for the despair which is so rampant in our city. Just at the the time this was happening, I found myself preaching out of the book of Jonah. Nineveh was a desperately wicked city of 120,000 people. My heart was moved when I found out that Flint's population in 2010 was 124,000. If a pagan city like Nineveh can experience a moral turn around, a spiritual awakening, Flint can too. Please pray with us that the Spirit might move the hearts of the people to repent and turn to the Lord.

I am happy to report that New Wine finished the year 2011 well by meeting all its obligations. The trustees have by faith increased our support by 10% for the first time since we began and are making a budgetary commitment to a regular contribution to a retirement fund. Presently, I am able to stay on full-time, but Deb still needs to find work and has been searching since last summer. Two weeks ago she got her first face to face interview. She is hoping to hear from the company this week. Once again we have seen the Lord faithfully providing through people like you what we need just when we need it.

Last month I was able to attend the AMIA annual conference in Houston, Texas. In spite of leadership and organizational challenges facing the AMIA right now, I came home greatly encouraged. I continue to believe we are on the right track trying to reach people through relational evangelism in small groups. This month I am excited to report we hope to launch two new cell groups. The first will be a grief support group hosted by one of our members in her apartment complex north of Flint. The other group is a neighborhood gathering hosted by one of our couples where they will be working through material on personal finances by Larry Burkett. Both these need-centered groups have the potential of becoming regular cell groups where discipleship, fellowship, worship, ministry and mission takes place.

Though several of our members have headed south for "snowbird" travels, we feel they go forth as missionaries to the people and places down south. Nick Daddario also made another trip to Columbia, South America, helping out with"Open Arms", a ministry to street-kids. We also have Joy who is working on her two year mission to China representing us and the Lord a long way away. Our congregation continues to support in prayer and resources our daughter Kate who is in the Middle East. Before she returns home in May she has an opportunity to spend her final month abroad in Cambodia helping a ministry to women who want to come out of the sex trade. For a small fellowship we are blessed to have such an international impact.