Are You Ready to Crash?

 Are you ready to “crash”?  I want to challenge you today to go out and crash into something, and in doing so, change a life and become a vehicle for God’s love in the world. 

 When we think of crashing, most of us usually have a negative image in our minds.  The most vivid “crash” that I have experienced occurred when another vehicle stopped very suddenly in front of our family van.  Crash!  The next thing I knew, I had an airbag in my lap, a stiff neck and back, and lot of hassle to replace the van. 

 Of course, there are less violent “crashes” that we experience.  After a long and difficult period at work or school, we talk about having to go home to “crash”.  Relationships or projects can “crash and burn”.  Usually, however, a “crash” is not a pleasant experience.  This year, the youth from Holy Spirit Lutheran who went to the Bass Lake Festival at Michi-Lu-Ca were challenged to “crash” into a person in their life, sharing God’s love with someone.  Here is a brief explanation of this concept…  

 Theme for 2010 Bass Lake—CRASH

 What does CRASH mean?  A “crash” is the name of a group of rhinoceros, like a flock of sheep or herd of cattle.  They receive this name because Rhinos have poor eyesight, and do not see things until they are right upon them.  Because of their size, rhinos take a lot of energy to start moving and to stop—so they often “crash” into things because they can’t stop until they are right upon it.

 What does this have to do with youth ministry (ministry/life in general)?

• We need to crash, or at least risk crashing.
• Often we don’t do anything because we can’t see the future—yet “we are called to ventures to which we cannot see the ending.”
• Obstacles we “crash” into doesn’t necessarily mean we should stop—sometimes they are roadblocks we need to crash through. 
• We not only called to be, also to do!
• We sometimes talk things to death before acting, there are things we need to just do.
• We fear doing something wrong, so we do nothing.  Yet we need to confess the things we failed to do!
• We don’t always need to get approval or a committee to do things.  We can crash individually and make a difference (stories of young people raising money for leukemia by selling lemonade, a young adult starting a community garden and people joining in)

 Many of us truly love Jesus and want to share Jesus with those around us, but life often gets in the way.  We get busy and distracted.  We are shy or uncertain of what we can say or do.  We lack motivation or desire.  2 Corinthians 3:12 challenges us with these words, “Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with boldness.”  You and I are blessed.  God is good, All the time.  These words are so true, and we can make these words real for someone else.  Simple acts of kindness, service, and love can turn a person’s day around, but even more, show them the true love of a Christ-like love of a Christian for their neighbor.

 So, why wait and procrastinate?  “Why not risk “crashing” ahead by showing God’s love to someone today?  Let’s redefine “crashing” as something we need to and want to do, rather than being something we avoid.

As a church, what would it look like to be a church that “crashes” forward in service to others.   Can we dare to start to radically call people to take the risk to crash forward, to crash into each other in love, to crash as a group through barriers like racism and classism?  How would our service and social missions ministries need to be different to enable people to “crash” out of the worship service into their daily lives?  Do our worship services motivate people to crash on the couch or crash into the world in service?  These are challenging questions, but important ones, if we are to live out our purpose of Following Jesus and Sharing God’s Word. 

What do you think?  What has been your experience of the institutional church?  What is the church called to do and to be in this day and age?  How can the church move forward as a place to “crash out into the world”?

Keeping Hope Alive

Tomorrow, thousands (we might wish it were millions) of folks from Michigan will go to the polls to participate in the process of electing leaders to lead our community, state, and nation during difficult times.  As I go to polls tomorrow, I go with a sense of hope that the selections I make will be able to begin to make a difference in turning things around and restoring hope.  At the same time, if I am honest, I do not have much confidence that those we elect this fall will be any more effective at bringing change and restoring hope to our communities.

 Where do I find hope today?  Do I find hope while watching TV and cable, reading the paper, or listening to talk radio?  Rarely.  Do I find hope for the future when I look at my retirement investments?  Hardly!  Do I find hope when I listen to politicians tell us their plans and hopes?  Occasionally.  Do I dream of hope when I listen to Jim Schwartz talk about his plans for the Detroit Lions Football team this fall – mistakenly, I sometimes do (a guy has to dream).  In most of these areas, we look for glimmers of hope and glimpses of a better future, but often these glimmers and glimpses are more of a mirage than a reality.

 Where do I find hope today?  I find hope in the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; the very one who kept all the promises made to them.  I find hope in the God of Jesus, who never abandoned Jesus to his fate, but was always there to share the worst that was to come.  I find hope in the God who kept the promise to raise Jesus from the dead, destroying the power of death, and granting us new life.

 Where do I find hope today?  I find hope in the God who walked with me through the many dark valleys in my life.  He was my companion, while I was growing up without a father (he died of Lymphoma when I was seven), sending me loving and supportive male mentors to guide me through many difficult situations.  He was my guide, leading me to meet my wife, who loves me (though I do not always know why) and tempers the excesses of my personality.  He was the rock I clung to over the past few years, as my mother struggled with various illnesses and near-death experiences.  He was my motivator, filling me with energy and enthusiasm for sharing his love with my church and the world around me.

 Where do I find hope today?  I find hope in local churches and individual Christians who reach out in faith and compassion, despite their own struggles and challenges.  Why does the church exist, if not to tell the world about Jesus and his love?  How can the church be relevant if it does not actively show God’s love by welcoming hurting people and attempting to help them in the best ways?  Churches need to be places where people can talk openly and honestly about their pain and struggles, their fears and desires, as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.  We are people of hope, because we worship a God who feeds multitudes (both by multiplying loaves and fishes, as well as through a semi-truck of food in a parking lot), parts seas (Red Seas, as well as figurative seas of hatred and racism), and brings healing and hope.  The church is a vessel of hope in the midst of stormy and troubled seas – this is our great calling today.

 Where do I find hope today?  I find hope when I see a child dip their finger in a baptismal font and make a cross on their forehead remembering that God is their Abba – their daddy – their constant companion and guide – the one who will never leave or forsake them.  May we all have the faith of a child, trusting and believing that we are all God’s beloved children.

Where do you find hope?  How do you keep your faith alive?