Bill Berger.org

In the midst of tragedy, a hopeful doubter.

Today is a day of mourning, a day of asking many questions. My heart is broken for the parents of the children that were killed in the tragedy in Connecticut. It is unspeakable, it is unexplainable, it is evil. As I have prayed, I have asked God to bring peace and comfort to all involved. I am also asking, "how could this happen? Where were you God? Why?"

I am brought back to the character and nature of who God is. God did not turn his back on this. He did not make it part of his "plan" for those children to die. He did not leave them. But, why does God allow suffering and evil to happen in this world? I will never fully understand why? But I know that it’s not because God doesn’t care.

Timothy Keller, a pastor in New York, explained it beautifully in a message he gave after 9-11.

“One of the great themes of the Hebrew Scriptures is that God identifies with the suffering. There are all these great texts that say things like this: If you oppress the poor, you oppress to me. I am a husband to the widow. I am father to the fatherless. I think the texts are saying God binds up his heart so closely with suffering people that he interprets any move against them as a move against him. This is powerful stuff! But Christianity says he goes even beyond that. Christians believe that in Jesus, God’s son, divinity became vulnerable to and involved in – suffering and death! He didn’t come as a general or emperor. He came as a carpenter. He was born in a manger, no room in the inn.

But it is on the Cross that we see the ultimate wonder. On the cross we sufferers finally see, to our shock that God now knows too what it is to lose a loved one in an unjust attack. And so you see what this means? John Stott puts it this way. John Stott wrote: “I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?” Do you see what this means? Yes, we don’t know the reason God allows evil and suffering to continue, but we know what the reason isn’t, what it can’t be.

And this is key:

It can’t be that he doesn’t love us! It can’t be that he doesn’t care. God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it. And therefore the Cross is an incredibly empowering hint. Ok, it’s only a hint, but if you grasp it, it can transform you. It can give you strength.

And lastly, we have to grasp an empowering hope for the future. In both the Hebrew Scriptures and even more explicitly in the Christian Scriptures we have the promise of resurrection. In Daniel 12:2-3 we read: Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake….[They]… will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and…like the stars for ever and ever. And in John 11 we hear Jesus say: I am the resurrection and the life! Now this is what the claim is: That God is not preparing for us merely some ethereal, abstract spiritual existence that is just a kind of compensation for the life we lost. Resurrection means the restoration to us of the life we lost. New heavens and new earth means this body, this world! Our bodies, our homes, our loved ones—restored, returned, perfected and beautified! Given back to us!”

I probably won't ever understand, but I can find the peace that passes all understanding. I can find the strength and courage to keep believing. I can know that God will not leave us to fend for ourselves. I am praying for the families of those children and the teachers that were killed. I know God won't abandon them, I know God will bring healing.

For some reason, it gives me great courage that in the midst of tragedy, God will not abandon us. I pray you will take hold of that, and look for God as you mourn and grieve. There you will find the peace, hope, joy and love that we all want in this time and forever.

Please join us at All Saints this Sunday as we pray together and for the people who are suffering most.

All Saints Music Team

I am really proud of Jimmy and Rachel Nichols and their team. Merry Christmas. 

Not a time for hard lines

This article is a must read. It tells the story of how impotent the church has become. Granted, the article speaks more to mainline denominations and Catholic churches, but it's effect has reached into the evangelical and pentecostal ranks as well. This is good information in that it gives us, the church, an opportunity to radically pray and serve our cities and communities. The challenge will be how well we manage the tensions in culture. We can affirm the places in culture that are positive, the values of serving and giving. At the same time, we should challenge the places in culture that are more about the degradation of society and not bringing life giving help to those who need it most.

I think fear is what motivates some churches to draw hard lines in the sand, these hard lines don't bring security or answers for those who are skeptical and doubting, they are more of a repellant and do not demonstrate the essence of the gospel.

Let us return to the attitude of Jesus found in Philippians 2:5-11

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Advent - Week 1

We are beginning our Advent series this Sunday, our theme is "God with Us." We are going to look at four words that describe the character and nature of this season; hope, love, joy and peace, all four words point to a certain aspect of God's character.

This Sunday we are looking at hope. Throughout our lives, day to day, we often ask, "is there hope for this situation? Is there hope for a cure? Is there hope in the world?" These are valid questions. I believe that when Jesus Christ was born into this world hope broke into the chaos of life.

C.S. Lewis describes hope this way:

“Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”

As we seek to embrace what God with us means to our everday life, we can begin to sense a hope that is real, a hope this is not tied to circumstance, a hope that springs eternal. There really is only one reliable source of hope that will not let you down. Look at these words from Isiaih 40:31:

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Join us this Sunday at All Saints Church, as we learn to embrace hope.

Reflecting on God with Us.

As we approach Advent and reflect on the theme of God with Us, I am reading 1 Peter this month. I spent some time in chapter 1 this morning, particularly verses 6-9. What good news, and some great encouragement knowing that Jesus is real and is showing me how present he is in my life through grace and mercy. I thought this quote from C.S. Lewis helps digest those verses well:

"You may say that no temptation is ever overcome until we stop trying to overcome it--throw up the sponge. But then you could not "stop trying" in the right way and for the right reason until you had tried your very hardest. And, in yet another sense, handing everything over to Christ does not, of course, mean that you stop trying. To trust him means, of course, trying to do all he says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you." ~Mere Christianity

Why Urban Churches are necessary

First and foremost, this is not a poltical post. As a follower of Jesus, I look at the election in this way. The people voted and I leave it at that. I believe God's will is being done no matter who is in office, so I pray for the leadership of our country and carry on.

That being said, the map shows something very interesting. Michael Frost makes this observation, "Apparently this graphic shows the actual outcome of the 2012 election without the electoral colleges. Rural America to Romney, urban America to Obama."

As a pastor of an urban church, this gives me clues as to what is important to the people our church ministers to, it shows what they value and the conversations that are most necessary. It has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with serving. I am sure there are many who may not agree with what I value and believe, and the converse is true. However, Jesus has called the church to be in the world, not take ourselves out of it. The bottom line is this, no matter where your church is located; serve, love, give and be open for conversation.

I love my city. I want to know that. This means working, playing, and serving with people who see the world differently. I think that is being on the mission.

Urban Churches

Being a church in the city, I am looking to understand as much as I can about Seattle, the city I live and pastor a church in. This research has turned into a passion for Seattle and cities around the globe. Studies show that half the world population now reside in cities, by the year 2050 75% of the world will live in urban environs. I think it will be important for churches in the city to be good at cultural architecture and be willing to teach, coach, and mentor young ministers to do the same. Timothy Keller envinces an improtant understanding of what is special about urban life:

• Many cultural differences among people, requiring sensitivity;
• A heightened importance of work and career;
• An increased number of “edgy” people, who seek change;
• Artists, who have their own way of experiencing life;
• The importance of helping the poor, and what he calls “justice and mercy” initiatives.

These are important if we are to keep the faith conversation going and for urban dwellers to find an opportunity to experience God.

Aaron Renn, an urbanist, posted a great article on the importance of churches in the city. You can read it here.

As a church in Seattle, our goal is to serve Seattle and do what we can to make it better. Please join us!

Sex Trafficking

I found this article very interesting. The last paragraph especially. What are your thoughts? What do you say?

 

I survived Dallas, Texas and 106 degrees!

What a week! I traveled to Dallas/Austin with my team to look at some amazing churches doing some incredible work in their cities. I was encouraged and excited to learn. It was 106 degrees everyday, but it was worth it. I will give you some highlites next week. I want to make this a short one as we go into our weekend.

#1 - This Sunday, we are looking at Ephesians 2:19-22. Such a power packed text with a lot of stuff to know about our role as the church. As we learn more of what it means to be a culture center, we get to grow in unity so we can encourage and challenge one another in our next steps.

#2 - I was so happy to see so many attend our Urban BBQ! Thank you to Chet and Brianne Owings for being gracious hosts and standing at the grill the whole time. I was happy to see many new connections. We will have another one at the end of August! There will also be a tank so we can baptize anyone that is ready. If you are ready for that step, contact warren@believedoubtseek.org

#3 - Life Groups. Are you ready? We are gearing up for some great groups this fall. If you want more information now, contact Jimmy@believedoubtseek.org.

#4 - I want to encourage all of you to attend your local Night Out! What a great way to connect with neighbors and make some new connections. I am looking for stories. If you plan to attend, please let me know how it went for you.

See you Sunday!

Kristin Stewart

I know, I know, It's Bella, Twilight, and big time pop culture stuff. If you haven't heard, Kristin has created some drama for herself. I don't keep up with this stuff too much, but I found this article from The Atlantic interesting. I must say, I admire Ms. Stewart for what appears to be some down to earth humility. You can read the article for yourself. I am curious to know what you think.