This past Sunday we began a sermon series entitled “A Frayed Religion.” It is an expository series based on the book of Job. I have asked for eight volunteers to share how God has carried them through a very difficult time in their life and so far we have seven out of the eight weeks covered. Jenny B. started us off last Sunday and she did a wonderful ‘job.’ What made her testimony so powerful was that she was so transparent and honest, and gave God all the glory.

To be honest preaching this book is going to be very difficult for me. Even at 34, I still feel like I am young and have so much to learn about God. There are people in our congregation that have gone through such deep and debilitating life crises that anything I have been through seems quaint. So I point them to Job and his suffering and to a God who love them, and I get out of the way.

I have finished my sermon for Sunday (chapter two) and there is so much there. It feels like a burden that I have to get off my chest; like a burning in my chest. It is also like throwing a handful of darts in the air knowing that the darts will fall in the crowd and cause pain for those they hit. But there is no way of knowing who the darts will fall on. The study of the book will cause grief for some and prayerfully will be a healing balm for others.

Job is such a beautiful book; I pray that I will do it justice as a preacher.

Here’s the order:
March 1st, Job 1
March 8th, Job 2
March 15th, Job 3-14
March 22nd, Job 15-21
March 29th, Job 22-31
April 5th, Job 32-37
April 12th, Easter
April 19th, Job 38:1-42:6
April 26th, Job 42:7-17

Tonight I taught at our Remnant Bible study (the sr, high to 20 somethings). We discussed three inadequate sources of authority (tradition, experience, and intellect). After about thirty minutes of going through various Scriptures we closed with prayer. The church and tradition dominated much of our conversation. As we were standing to go and pray (the boys go the basement of the home where we meet and the girls stay in the living room), Eric suggested that that we mix it up, (i.e. the girls go the basement, and the boys stay in the living room). His idea was met with instant disagreement, “the boys always go downstairs, and the girls always stay upstairs.” I had to chuckle, even the young find security in doing things the same way every week.

It is a constant struggle for church leaders to initiate change for the right reasons at a pace that causes tension but not division. A church leader must always be gently pushing the congregation away from tradition which leads to dead religion, while steering clear of foolish and non-biblical new ways of doing church. It is a dangerous razors edge.

This Saturday Joshua and Caleb’s Cub Scout Tigers den went to the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue. It was an hour of “get down,” “don’t push that button,” and “Caleb please don’t put your leg in the jaws of life” (no kidding). It was a first grade boys Disney. There were sirens, lights, heavy mechanical machines, trucks, apparatus, and on and on it went. The building smelled of gasoline and medical supplies. It was like holding back raw energy. I was really afraid to turn my back in fear that the boys would take off with one of the trucks (you know they keep the keys in the ignition).

The volunteers on duty were great and very patient. It was encouraging to know that we have people like them keeping watch.

Thank you Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue, and all those who keep watch for the rest of us.