Category: Theological Musings

Disciple Making Rather than Decision Making

Mother Teresa wrote this:

You, in the West, have the spirituality poorest of the poor much more than you have the physically poor. Often among the rich are very spiritually poor people. I find it easy to give a plate of rice to a hungry person, to furnish a bed to a person who has no bed, but to console or to remove the bitterness, anger and loneliness that comes from being spiritually deprived, that takes a long time.

I think that this is true and deep. Being spiritually deprived leads to anger, bitterness, and loneliness. And changing that reality doesn’t happen through a tract, it doesn’t happen through one conversation, it doesn’t happen through one big event. Changing that reality takes time, commitment, conversation, and, most of all, Jesus Christ.

I’ve often said that we here are much more interested in people becoming disciples of Jesus, rather than just making decisions about Jesus. Making disciples takes a while. It means addressing people’s spiritual deprivation, their hurt, anger, bitterness, and loneliness. It means being Jesus to them over the long haul. Not just a few weeks, but months, and years.

So here is my question for you: who are you committing to long-term?

It’s not just about giving someone a plate of rice. It’s about giving a plate of rice each week, sitting down for conversation, for connection and for a shared commitment. So that’s my question, who are you committing to be there with, watching, hoping, and expecting Jesus to become real in their life.

Because remember we’re here to make disciples, not just help people make decisions…

by Andrew Mills

Come to Christ, not just the Church

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we present Jesus. I’ve really noticed something of late.

What I’ve noticed is how much of our language focuses on “church” as the destination. That people are seeking to get others to go to this church service, program, speaker, worship event, etc. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, in fact, I think they are important. But we must be clear, the goal of life is not to get people to go to church, but to go to Christ.

That’s where the disconnection happens, because theologically you never go to church; as a Christian you are the church. You bring church with you. Our message needs to be, come to Christ and become part of the church. Our message is come to Jesus and join the adventure of following Christ together. Our message is good news to all. The church has the amazing role and responsibility of sharing that message. But the church shouldn’t transcend  or replace the message.

So all I’m saying is, the church is important, but it’s important only because of Jesus Christ. So when you invite a neighbor to church don’t stop there. Make sure you invite them to discover Jesus as well. Because the amazing thing is that once someone comes to Jesus, they become the church wherever they are…

by Andrew Mills

Thoughts on the Church after Coldplay

Last night I went to see a concert with my wife, mom, and my brother in law and sister in law. The concert was pretty amazing. Here’s a clip.

It got me to thinking though. In the midst of all those people I was easily caught up in the whole thing, I wanted to dance, I wanted to shout, wave my hands (which had cool blinking lights on a wrist band you see in the video), and sing along.

And the concert was amazing but it also reminded me that gathering as God’s church matters.

I know it’s odd that a Coldplay concert makes me think of church, but this is the life of a pastor. Everything makes you think of God’s people and sharing grace.

What I thought about was this: gathering together, whether with thousands, or two or three, matters. When we as God’s people, his church, gather together for a common purpose, whether to worship, to serve, or then to go out and bless the world, something special happens. In Hebrews we are told to not give up gathering together (Hebrews 10:25). Because it is together in the presence of one another that transformation can happen, we can get swept into something greater than ourselves, we are reminded that we are in this together.

An old proverb says this, “The individual Christian, is no Christian.” You can’t follow Christ alone; it’s no solo journey. This is what that concert reminded me of. That gathering together for a common purpose matters. So who are you gathering with to worship God? Are you being intentional about joining something bigger than yourself? Who are you partnering with to reach your neighborhood?

We aren’t meant to do it alone. So gather with some friends this week to serve, to celebrate, dance, reach your neighbours, give grace.

And in case you are wondering – yes those bracelets are amazing…and no, unfortunately we won’t have them on Sunday 😉

by Andrew Mills

A Beautiful Story of Forgiveness and Leaking…

I love monks. There, now you all know. The following story shows why, it’s a story about Abbot Moses and he shows the depth of his connection with Christ by these actions.

A brother committed a fault. A council was called to which Abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to say to him, “Come for everyone is waiting for you” so he got up and went. He took a leaking jug, filled it with water, and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said to him, “What is this Father?”. The old man said to them, “my sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the error of another.  When they heard that, they said no more to the brother, but forgave him.

Beautiful isn’t it. So since we all leak – who should you forgive today?

by Andrew Mills

Learning to Rest

Last year our vacation at a cottage

Resting is so hard. At first glance, resting seems easy doesn’t it. You just sit back on your couch, grab some food and a drink, and watch some reality TV. There you’re resting…But is this truly resting?

I think that truly resting, soul-resting, “sabbathing” is much more difficult.

This is the type of rest that isn’t a result of exhaustion, but actually re-energizes you. This type of rest isn’t just about zoning out for an hour, but being aware of all the gift and grace around you. This type of rest isn’t just about not looking at emails, but mentally and emotionally leaving behind all the work baggage as well. This type of rest is spiritual, it is deep, it is important, and it is actually ordered and modeled by God in the Bible. We aren’t supposed to just work, create, and seek progress. We are called to reflect, to pause, and to truly rest. This type of rest isn’t easy but it is not only worthwhile, it is Godly.

Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “Labor is a craft, but perfect rest is an art”

And later this week I’m going to try to perfect that art. I’m going away for a vacation, a sabbath time. Next week for me won’t be about zoning out for a night, but really “zoning into” connecting with my son, my family, and most of all, with God. I’m going to put away my distractions, my emails, and I won’t be blogging and instead I’m going to intentionally seek to create space in both my thoughts and life to connect with my God and my family.

This type of rest is hard, but this is the type of rest that matters. It’s an art worth perfecting because I don’t want to be a pastor, a father, a husband, or a friend for the short-term. I want to be a close friend, committed pastor, loving husband, and connected father for a lifetime. Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a long haul. So I will pause, reflect, and rest. The truth is I try to work very hard, and put a lot of effort into my calling. But what type of model would I be for my son, my church, my friends, if I didn’t put that same type of effort into resting, connecting, and reflecting?

So before I get away I have a simple question for you: are you resting? The true deep type of rest I’ve been talking about. Are you taking a sabbath weekly? Are you slowing down to appreciate all you have? Does your life show that you value life / family / and friends or work most? These are hard questions, but important ones, because as Christians we are to look and act like Jesus and God. In this case that means resting.

So this week take a day and perfect the art of sabbath, of resting. Work at it. And I’ll be doing the same…

by Andrew Mills

Shhhh….I’m Hiding

A couple of months ago we were leaving my Mom’s house and I told Hudson it was time to go. His reaction was to hide because he didn’t want to go. Here’s how he did it…

So he hasn’t really gotten how to hide yet. But it is super cute. But in the midst of his small cuteness I realized something about myself.

Isn’t this exactly what I do with God? Hide in ineffective ways?

When I sin, when I fail, when I screw up, I often try to hide from God. I try to cover up my shame, my guilt, and my failure, hoping that God won’t see. This is something that I think is part of human nature. What do Adam and Eve do when they mess up? They hide. What do children do when they screw up? They hide. Rather than dealing with the mess, we hide, hoping no one will notice us hiding in the bushes.

The point for me is simple: in so many ways I’m still a child. What I mean by this is that my desire to hide, my desire to cover up my shame shows that in some way, I’m fearful of God. That at some level I haven’t truly grasped the truth that God is grace, that God is love, that God is a gift. That in some ways I haven’t grown up and matured to realize that God cares about me more than any mess I create. And instead of going confidently into his presence, as Hebrews tells us, I hide. Rather than dealing with God, I try to cover my face in some branches.

So while this picture makes me smile, it also makes me think about what I truly believe about God deep down. Do I fundamentally think that God is someone who I need to hide from? Do I believe really that Jesus is someone I wouldn’t want to meet in the middle of my mess? Because the picture of Jesus and God in the gospels is someone full of grace. It’s a picture of someone who drew to him all the broken, messy, and sinful people. It’s a picture of someone you never want to hide from.

So the next time I’m tempted to hide, I’m going to trust in the God revealed in Jesus Christ. I’m going to trust in grace, I’m going to trust in his gift, I’m going to trust in God. And I’m going to walk up to him and say, “I screwed up, here is my mess, help me.”

But what about you? The next time you feel full of guilt, shame, and sin, rather than hiding, why not start talking? Why not open up with him about anything that you’ve been shoving down and away? Why not bring him in, so that healing and grace can be part of that area of your life?

Because I’ve also learned something from Hudson: putting your face behind branches doesn’t really work anyway…

by Andrew Mills

The Long View

In my office I have a picture of early Toronto hanging. It’s probably 3 feet by 5 feet. It’s a really cool piece, that was my dad’s. Here’s a picture of it.

But if you look closely you’ll see how lots is similar to today, but lots have changed. City Hall’s still there, but there is no CN tower. There are fewer skyscrapers, and no Air Canada Centre. Lots have changed, or to put it better there has been lots of growth in Toronto’s core.

Pictures take a moment and freeze it so you can see what was happening in that specific moment. I sometimes wonder if you could take a picture of my life today what it would show. Or better yet if you were to have taken a picture of my life 5 years ago, capturing all my thoughts, dreams, fears, and desires, what would have grown and changed since then?

That picture of Toronto catches not only where it was, but serves to function as a grounding for seeing growth.

We can do the same sort of thing in our life. Either through journaling, practicing the Ignatian Examen, or simply pausing and reflecting we can discover the growth and change in our own lives. Life slips by quickly, but at a steady pace, that we often miss the changes that have happened over time. We might not notice how dramatically we’ve changed, how God has been faithful, how he’s been focusing on certain parts of our lives. So I’d challenge you take the long view of your life. Sit, grab a coffee, and look back to see where you’ve come. Celebrate the changes, and let go of the mistakes.

And take a picture of your life where it is now. Journal where you’re at, make a short video sharing your space, or simply tell a close friend. And then in a year review it, look at how you’ve grown, and where you changed.

Make a practice of looking back so you can see where you’re going…

by Andrew Mills

Soap Boxes, Couches, and Stories

A friend of mine, Pernell Goodyear, was talking at our denomination’s regional gathering. I was recently going through my notes and really resonated with what he shared. He was talking about evangelism, as inviting people into our lives and walking with others. In his talk he said this:

“Soap boxes and pulpits are not nearly as important as kitchen tables and couches.”

This point really hit me quite hard. His point was simple. Evangelism happens best in the context of hospitality and friendship. Inviting people into your life to see how you live, to ask questions, and to live with you is the starting point. We need to be less concerned with getting our message out there, and more concerned with getting our “lives” out there. To actually connect with people, from friendships, and not only speak the message of grace, but to live it out.

Pernell’s point isn’t to invite someone into your home to “evangelize” or “convert” them. Jesus didn’t do that. Jesus entered people’s homes to hear their stories, to enter into their lives with grace. He entered their homes so that their lives became a part of his story. And we need to follow the same example, practicing radical hospitality with our friends, neighbors, and co-workers, letting their stories intermingle with ours, to see what God might do with the convergence.

So how do we practice this? Well, that’s the easy part, you start opening up your home, inviting neighbors in, inviting friends in, and welcoming others. Start listening to other people’s stories and seeking to discover how Jesus has been active in their lives, because he is. Jesus is already at work all over the world. We need to start joining him in that work by welcoming people into our homes, and starting to share our story, and listen to others…

by Andrew Mills

A Quick Quote to Change Your Day

Read the following quote. Then slow down, and read it again. Lastly read it one last time and let it shape your day.

There are many books that tell us how to find God. But the truth is that God is not lost or hiding. In fact, it is the actual, continuous, omnipresence of God that is so hard for the human mind to fathom.

God is with you, God is near to you, God is a part of every moment of every day. So go out today seeking to just live in awareness of his presence. As Jesus says “Pay attention” (Matt. 24:42). So may we pay attention today and find the God that isn’t lost or hiding but is right with us the whole time…

by Andrew Mills

Fastening Your Grip ~ Clinging to God…

Earlier this week when I dropped off Hudson for daycare he was quite upset. He’s been sick and not at daycare and so has spent lots of extra time with mommy and daddy. So when I went to drop him off he started crying and said “Daddy, no, home daddy, home”. He wanted to go home with me. He literally wrapped his little body around me, grabbing my shirt and neck with his arms, and my body with his legs. He was literally clinging to me.

Eventually we made it through and after I left our wonderful daycare sent me a text saying he was happy and having lots of fun. But I couldn’t get that picture out of my mind ofHudson clinging to me.

Often in the Old Testament we are told to “cling” to God. We read of this in Deuteronomy 10:19, Joshua 23:8; and Psalm 63:7. In each verse we are told to cling tightly to God, to not let go. The Hebrew word is the word dabaq which literally means to cling, hold on tightly to, to cleave to, or to fasten your grip. This is literally what Hudson did. He fastened his grip on me, he wouldn’t let go, he clung to me.

As I look back on this morning I wonder if I have that same desire for God that Hudson had for me? Am I clinging to God that much? Am I truly fastening my grip on him deciding to never let go? Would I notice if God wasn’t right next to me? Am I that close to him? These are deep questions but important ones to ask.

So today ask yourself this…What do you cling to?

by Andrew Mills