Hi everyone-
In his The Wisdom Pattern, Richard Rohr notes, “Transformation happens not when something new begins, but when something old falls apart.” Looking at Nicodemus in John 3 last Sunday, it is clear the old ways had to fall apart. Like all of us, he was called by Jesus to begin again. Experience new birth. Nothing tells us Nicodemus did. Perhaps it meant giving up more than he was inclined to let go—his traditions. His power. His performative approach to life and how it builds the ego.
Starting afresh can be hard for us as well. And what is true of our personal lives is also true of our corporate lives—the church. The church also cannot enter a new place until it is willing to let go of the past. Allow some things to fall apart, beginning with resentment and hurt. There have been some painful moments in the past for Trinity, but I believe we are moving into a new future. And this calls for trust. Moving into a new future can be disconcerting, especially in a season when we are seeking to discover Trinity’s next pastor. Pray God leads us to him—and soon!
This week we will look at the paralytic in John 5 and talk about real healing. He too was not willing to move from his past.
| A reminder of our upcoming “How to” classes—beginning TONIGHT! May 1-How to Get the Most Out of the Gospel of John. We will dig deeper into the mystery of this book. We will look into the structure of John, John’s approach to telling the Jesus story, John’s use of irony, etc. I might even bring a few copies of my book, “Under an Open Heaven. May 15-How to Recognize the Future Pastor of Trinity—What the Scriptures Tell Us. I have taught a course on pastoral identity for some 20 years at Western Seminary. I will seek to help the church know what it is God calls pastors to be and to do. May 29-How to Lead a Small Group-The Essentials for Healthy Groups. I do believe Trinity’s future depends, in part, on establishing healthy small groups. We will look at some of the core characteristics. June 5-How to Effectively Preach-A Step by Step Approach. For those of you who want to refine preaching skills, as well as those curious about what makes for good sermons and good communication, this class will be for you. June 12-How to Get the Most Out of Reading the Bible-Using Wisdom Literature. Who of us don’t ask, “How can I get more out of my time in the Word?’ Using Wisdom literature as an example, we will look at some key principles. If interested, please let Carol at the office know of your interest. |
