Category: Theological Musings

Prayer Thoughts, and Tips

Today I want to share a short post on prayer; a few things I’ve learned that have helped me grow closer with God. Here are a few suggestions in no particular order:

1)    Give God Space:  At one point in my life my relationship with God seemed to slide but I couldn’t discern why. It just seemed as if we weren’t close anymore. As I reflected, I realized that while I hadn’t done anything overt to distance myself from God, I didn’t give him any space in my life. I listened to my iPod in the shower. Listened to the radio in the car. Had music playing while working, and cleaned the house with the TV on. I was asking God to speak to me, but I realized I hadn’t given him any space to speak. My entire life was filled with noise, with stuff, with things happening. What I’ve started to realize is that for God to speak I have to leave space in my life and day for him. I need to give him my attention and that has changed our whole relationship.

2)    Pray in the Morning:   I really don’t believe there is one time in the day to pray, but I have found, for me, that prayer in the morning is crucial. Brother Andrew said, “If we do not actively seek God early in the morning, it will be very unlikely that we meet him later in the day.” I have simply found this to be true in my life. If I rush past God in the morning the chances of me slowing down in the day aren’t great. So even though I have a thousand other things I’d like to do in the morning, I know the most important thing is to connect with God.

3)    Pray all the Time, Not Just the Mornings: I know this sort of contradicts my last suggestion, but well…life is complex. Here is though what I noticed in my own life a few years ago. What I noticed was that I prayed to get it done, to get it over with, or to put in my time. I prayed in the morning so I could get on with the business at hand and forgot about God the rest of the day. It was as if being present for a moment in the morning was enough for the whole day. Now I know better. I need God all throughout the day. Now my morning prayer is often a prayer to help me discover where God is acting throughout the day. And this has made all the difference.

4)    Don’t Give Up:  Ready for a confession? Not every conversation I have with my wife is scintillating and life changing. But she has had a tremendous influence in my life and changed me in so many ways. I think something similar happens with God. Not every prayer time is amazing, deep, and energizing, but I know it does change me. The point is to not give up, and to keep in the rhythm of prayer. Prayer is often called a spiritual discipline and this is true. It does take some discipline. So now, when after I’ve prayed and I feel a little frustrated, I remind myself it’s not about how I feel but continually being in the relationship that brings about change. That’s true in my relationship with Krista and even more true in my relationship with God.

So I hope those help you. But what have you learned? What would you add?

by Andrew Mills

A Challenge from the Past: Giving, Wealth, Hospitality, and John Wesley

My dad was first a pastor in the Free Methodist Church of Canada. Coming from that background I’ve always appreciated the writing and person of John Wesley.

Recently, while reading some of his stuff, I came across a few quotes from him that I found really challenging. So if you don’t feel like being challenged too, maybe just skip the rest of the blog post.

Wesley wrote this:

“One great reason why the rich in general have so little sympathy for the poor is because they so seldom visit them…The distance that wealthy people are now able to put between them and the poor makes them less likely to appreciate the need for hospitality.”

Wow how true is that? One great reason why those who are rich have so little sympathy for the poor is because they so seldom visit them. That just hits home, because I know I am rich. While I’m not rich in North American terms I am incredibly rich in light of the rest of the world. This quote made think about my sympathy for others who are struggling in my neighborhood and in Africa. It made me think about whether or not I’m willing to open my house, my life, and my world to those who need comfort and true welcome. It made me think about whether I am too isolated and insulated from those with true needs. In general, it made me think a lot. But I don’t think that’s the point.

I don’t think Wesley wrote it so I would think deep thoughts. I think he wrote it so I might take action. So that’s what I’m going to do today. I’m going to try to act on my convictions and go from there. Maybe if that quote got you to thinking, you should see if it can’t move you to acting as well…

by Andrew Mills

Being Theologically Corrected by a 2-Year Old

Hudson loves church. It’s possible because our nursery here has better toys than we do at home. Mostly he loves the gigantic Mater that we have here.

But for a while Hudson was very proud that “This is Daddy’s church”. I’m pretty sure he thinks I own the building. He would also point and say, “Daddy’s church, daddy’s church, daddy’s church”. I tried to explain that I didn’t own the church but he kept at it.

Then one day it all shifted.

We drove into church on a Sunday and I said to him, “Look Hudson, is this Daddy’s church?” And he looks at me like I was so silly and he says in his most important voice. “No Daddy, this not Daddy’s church. This Hudson’s church. This Hudson’s church. Mine”. And with that he ran into the church, into my office, and climbed into my desk chair.

But here’s the thing – he’s right. The church isn’t mine. I belong to it, but so does he. The church is a people we belong to. And Hudson belongs to this family just as much as I do. So when he says, “No Daddy, it’s Hudson’s church” he is right because in his little mind he is trying to tell me this is part of his life too. Hudson is right, this is his church, and it belongs to everyone who decides to follow Jesus with this community. So as a dad, a pastor, but mostly as a Christian I couldn’t be more excited that Hudson has realized this is his church too. Hudson has made the shift from going to church, to believing he is a part of it.

For you though do you feel the same sense of ownership, partnership and belonging in your church? Because I think we should. In whatever church we are a part of we should be proud like Hudson to say, “this is my church.”

Now of course it could be that he just love’s the Mater toy that’s there. As a dad, but even more as a Christian, I have to believe something deeper is going on.  I believe he said “No Daddy, it’s Hudson’s church” because he knows he belongs here. And you know what – he’s right…

by Andrew Mills

Prayer to Be Jesus’ Hands and Feet

This is one of my favorite quotes that I read in my morning prayer book a few days ago. It’s from Teresa of Avila and helps me to put things into perspective:

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the world; yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; yours are the hands with which God is to bless people now”

Powerful isn’t it. Reflect on it a moment. Would people say your eyes have the compassion of Christ? Would people say your actions are the loving actions of our Lord? Would people say your hands are the hands that they receive the blessing of God from?

I know I rarely live up to that standard. So my prayer today, and maybe yours can be as well, is this. “God may I be your hands and feet today. May you take these hands and use them to bless. May you take these feet and help me to do your good today. And most of all may you change how I see the world and the people you love with only the compassion and grace you see them with. Amen”

by Andrew Mills

How to Launch a Vision

So on Sunday we talked about the practical steps Nehemiah takes to see his vision start to come to fruition. We see the steps he takes that leads to action, progress, and development. We came away with three steps:

  • Deal with reality
  • Share with clarity
  • Own your responsibility

Nehemiah begins by dealing with reality. He shows up in Jerusalem and doesn’t assume he knows the people, place, or process to build the wall. Instead he waits and inspects the wall before going public with the vision. Because a vision shared prematurely dies quickly. A vision that isn’t connected to reality doesn’t succeed. So he adjusts his plans and figures out how to the build the wall not in theory but in practice. So he first deals with reality before sharing publicly.

He then shares his vision, but he shares it with clarity in 4 steps. He says what the problem is, what the solution is, why it needs to be done, and why the timing is right. Each of these steps leads to clarity and then commitment on behalf of the people. He shares that the problem is the walls are burnt and down, that the solution is to build the walls, that it needs to be done because they are a disgrace, but it’s the right time because God is with them at this very moment. So they all agree and begin to build the wall.

The last thing Nehemiah does is he owns his personal responsibility in the vision. He consistently speaks of “we” rather than “they”. He doesnt’ show up and give the city officials the plan, resources, and letters and then say “Now you build the wall”. No, he knows that if God has given him the vision, he is to be part of carrying it out. Too often people get a vision and then expect their church, their pastor, or their little committee to program it, run it, and own it. The truth is we need to personally own and be responsible for what God gives us. We can’t expect others to risk or give more than we are personally willing to give or risk.

So with Nehemiah we see him deal with reality, share with clarity, and own his personal responsibility. And when he takes these steps his vision launches and begins to succeed. So in our own personal visions, dreams, or desires there is a lot we can take away. We need to deal with the reality of where our family, business, or ministry is at. We need to share with clarity why change needs to happen. And we need to own our personal part in the whole vision. Those are the steps Nehemiah takes, and I believe there is wisdom in following his model. Because at the end of the story Nehemiah gets the wall built, a people restored, and a future is renewed. And I think we’d all like to live a life with that type of legacy and meaning…

Adult Discussion Questions: Has God given you something to live for? If not yet, how can you find out. If so, what is the reality you are dealing with? What is the problem, the solution, why it needs to be done, and why this is the right timing? How have you seen people’s visions “compete” before? How can we ensure our personal visions don’t ever compete but complete God’s overall design? How much are you personally willing to give for your vision?

Challenge This Week: Deal with Reality – Inspect the Walls of your vision

by Andrew Mills

Failing Communities = Failing Churches

Here is a general rule I live by:

If your church is doing well and your town isn’t; your church is not doing well.

The point is that the church can’t grow and thrive as the community that surrounds it and supports it fails. If the church is growing but your neighbors are drowning in debt, depression and difficulty, the church isn’t really growing.

  • The church cannot be doing well, if our neighbors are struggling.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if the youth of the town aren’t valued.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if single mothers across the street aren’t loved.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if people don’t know one another’s name…

The point for me is to change our perspective. My goal isn’t to have our church grow massive; but to have a deep impact in the people and places that we are a part of. My goal isn’t for the church to be the biggest church in the area but to truly be the church to the area; meaning that we bring life, love, and grace to people needing it.

I think this is what Jesus gets at when he calls the church salt. Salt is supposed to change things. It’s supposed to preserve good things, enhance flavor, and bring out great taste. This is what the church is to do too. So today why not bring a little flavor and life to your community. Help a neighbour, start a conversation, invite someone over for coffee…

Because I think the reverse of my rule is true too. If your community is being filled with grace, life, God’s love, and is doing well…then your church is doing well too…

by Andrew Mills

My Biggest Temptation…Each and Every Day…

“Let us leave a little room for reflection in our lives, room too for silence…Let us hear the Word of God in stillness and perhaps we will then come to understand it” – St. Augustine

Want to know what my biggest temptation is as a pastor? Want to know the one thing that I’m tempted to do everyday that would be the downfall of my ministry?

No it’s not something sensational. No it’s not something full of mystery and intrigue. It’s something everyday and ordinary.

My biggest temptation is to go to the office…and get to work.

Yep that’s my biggest temptation. My biggest temptation is to actually skip meeting with God, and get busy doing work for God. My temptation is to skip reading his Word, spending time praying, and get a lot of stuff done for God. Do you sense the irony and the problem with that?

The biggest factor in my relationship growing with God is spending time with him and reflecting on his Word. The problem is that seems so…inefficient. The problem is that it doesn’t seem to accomplish a lot, or change the number of things on my to-do list.

But that’s the temptation isn’t it? To see time spent with God as optional, as inefficient, as unnecessary, as not actually accomplishing things. But the type of change that happens through daily spending time with him isn’t instant. It’s long-term, it’s legacy building, it’s mentoring of the deepest sense. And it matters more than anything else. Nothing impacts your walk with God as much as spending time with God.

So now when I’m tempted to run and do ministry for God, I try to remember I’m really meant to do it with him. I try to remember that when I choose to stop doing things and be with Him.  It’s giving him space to do something in me and through me. I try to remember that time spent with God is the best way to spend my time.

So while I still get tempted to get to work…I’ve learned through enough failures that the work can wait. What can’t wait is the need for me to grow with God.

So today if you get tempted like I do, why not carve out some time, read a passage, reflect, pray, and pause. Take up the challenge and see if your day doesn’t go better by involving God in it…

by Andrew Mills

Verbal Sparring Partners

Henri Nouwen, a favorite writer of mine, writes this: It seems that I am perpetually involved in long dialogues with absent partners, anticipating their questions and preparing my responses. I am amazed at the emotional energy that goes into these inner ruminations and murmurings.

Does anyone else struggle with this too? Replaying in your mind pretend conversations about how things could have gone? Creating new situations in your thoughts where you get verbal revenge, with a great response?

What I love about Nouwen’s quote is that he gets it right. When I look back on my life I’m amazed at the amount of emotional energy and time I give to these fake situations. I’m amazed at how much thought space these pretend situations, that flow out of real people, take up.

After realizing that, I’ve decided to give up the fight. I no longer want to have pretend verbal sparring with the difficult people in my life. I no longer want to replay how conversations could have happened or should have happened. I no longer want to give up that time and energy.

The question is how?

Because my guess is that if you’re like me you get stuck there. So the question is how do you let go? How do you give up the mental fight? How do you let your verbal sparring partners go?

The answer is easy but hard to live out.

It’s simple: start to bless them and pray for them.

Jesus teaches us that we should pray for our enemies. What he is teaching is not just about our posture towards others but where our time and thoughts should go. So now every time my mind starts to pick up that conversation, preparing answers, playing out situations, I stop and pray. I say,” God bless this person. God be with that organization. God give grace to that committee, group, or family member”. I start to change my thoughts for sparring to blessing.

And that one little change, changes everything…

So why not try it today. Seek to bless rather than rehearse verbal dialogues..

by Andrew Mills

What’s Your Name?

Naming someone is important and hard. Krista and I really debated and talked through naming our son. We wanted a strong name, and a courageous name, and one that we both loved. Not a name we liked, but one we loved. And that’s how we chose the name Hudson. Here’s Hudson learning to say his name and he loves to say it:

So the next time you see him, ask him his name he will grin, smile, and yell Hud-son.

But names are important. Right now Krista and I are back in the process of choosing names for a boy and a girl with our upcoming baby in November. Our girl one is picked, and but we’re still struggling with a boy’s name. The reason is that name’s last for a lifetime and we want it to be the right one.

But it got me thinking about the how God gives Jacob (which means deceiver) a new name in Genesis 32:28. God renames Jacob into Israel and changes his destiny. His change of name marks a course change and character change in his life. One deep encounter with God leads Jacob to no longer be a deceiver, and a cheat but a different person. A different person with a new name.

So my thought was this: What name might God give you? If you were to deeply encounter him today – what name or characteristic would he give to you to shape and change you? What names would you leave behind – like failure, cheat, liar, sinner? What name would he give you – cherished, faithful, courageous, loved? Or maybe something else entirley…

The point is we receive names from those around us. But the names that matter most are the names that God gives us. So maybe today spend a few moments, encounter God, and ask him – what is my name?

And if you have any boy suggestions – send them my way…

by Andrew Mills

We need each other…

“We shall have to break our habit of having church in such a way that people are deceived into thinking that they can be Christians and remain strangers” – Stanley Hauweras and Will Willimon

I don’t have much to add other than its brilliant and true. We need each other. Christianity isn’t a faith done in isolation but in relationship with God and others. So next time you gather together, go and meet someone. Move past being strangers, and move into being true follower of Jesus.

by Andrew Mills