think it had a lot to do with my son going before his Eagle Board of Review last night (which he passed and is now an Eagle Scout).  Each week in my High School years, I stood, held the Scout sign and repeated the values Scouting seeks to instill in boys starting with the first words, “A scout is trustworthy…”  For a number of years now, I’ve stood and done the same ritual, believing those are values which are timeless and I wanted to pass on to my son, “A scout is trustworthy…”
     To break the bond of our word is what we are talking about when we speak about the breaking of our covenant vows of ordination.  I get we have disagreements of conviction, theology, and psychology regarding the issues related to sexuality.  I am of the conviction still to listen and learn what else we are not seeing clearly in the debate at hand.  But I’m also of the conviction that we have given our word, we have established a bond of trust (and we have a polity which says how we conduct debate and change) and some have chosen to break it.

Simplicity is more than just scaling back what we buy or going through and cleaning house (be that literally or figuratively). I think, in part, it is taking the time, no, let me change that: making the time to get back down to the most basic levels of life.

I have long been captivated by Jesus image of

the “birds of the air and flowers of the field (that would be found in Matthew 6:26-30),” yet I feel at times I must clearly be the only one. As a 21st century Christians living in the affluency of western civilization, we do not take Jesus seriously that God cares for our needs so intimately. And before we pull out the political and economic cards, this is not a Republican, Democrat or Libertarian argument nor is it a capitalist versus socialist issue. We can each live more simply REGARDLESS of politics. The question is will we choose to do so? If you think government needs to tax more, fine. Write the government a bonus check. If you think churches or non-profit orgs are the ones who can work better at caring for the needy, great! Log in and start giving away online with your credit or debit card (I recommend supporting UMCOR by the way.)

No one is stopping you from giving. No one is keeping you from living more simply than yourself.

I think Maslow’s Theory on the Hierarchy of Needs really hits on Jesus’ point. The most basic level of need in a human being consists of meeting a person’s biological and physiological needs such as; air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, and sleep. Sounds a lot like what Jesus was implying when it comes to what we ought to be worried about. Maslow’s theory has since been examined and the website link above will do a great job of explaining things.

As a present for finishing middle school, we have given our kids smart phones (I should say, upgraded. They had flip-phones that worked just fine). It wasn’t anything fancy but it is the same phone I have. As we set-up my daughter’s phone, I thought about my own phone, “hmmm, mine is a year and a half old. Should I trade it in?” I caught myself and was like, really?!? There is NOTHING wrong with what I have! It does far MORE than I even use it for anyway and the little computer brain probably wishes someone else owned it.

The salient point is this: I didn’t NEED a new phone. Period.

But I started thinking about some of the things I have been using to live simply, some of the guide posts I have put in place.  Ultimately, I think living simply means we have to make some choices:

1. Talk to Yourself. – Do I need it or do I just want it?

2. Live the Bottom Line. – Stop spending and living beyond your means.

3. Trading up or staying put? – Does trading up benefit the Kingdom of God? What part of your life does God get?

4. No Remorse. Ever buy something and then wish you didn’t? Only buy what you need and even then, schedule the trip and make a list.

5. What Matters? This one really takes work. Jesus seemed to keep putting that question to people in different ways. I think He still is doing it but do you listen?

Maybe those might help you or maybe not. Try one or all or maybe they just seem stupid to you. I get it, doesn’t hurt my feelings. I do like what Brother Lawrence said though. He, the simple cook and banger of pots and pans said simply, “That our only business was to love and delight ourselves in God. (The Practice of the Presence of God. 21).” Pretty hard to argue with that but if you want to do so, go back to number 1 above.

Nobody and nothing is keeping you from following Jesus; from beginning the work of casting off what you can’t take with you anyway.

I find myself incredibly frustrated with myself sometimes. It usually occurs when I have to organize my garage, my office, my bed side table, or the basement. “How did I come to have all this stuff,” I wonder as I begin work to clean up. As I clean, more times than not, I have found that I have held onto things of no value, of no use and of no meaning. Why can I not give things up I don’t really need?

The words of Abba Pambo, one of the Desert Fathers in the early centuries of the Christian faith, is credited with s tating, “The monk’s garment should be such that he could throw it out of his cell for three days and no-one would take it.” Before moving past those words, read them out loud for a moment. Consider the real meaning of it.

The Desert Abbas and Ammas were generally in the desert to fight the trappings of the world’s temptations and wrestle with their own demons and passions. You might say, simplicity was a given. They had very little. So this statement is not about a monk that has no need for his cloak, for it would likely be the only one he had. Nor was it in regards to the integrity of his fellow monks. It is that this one cloak was his only one and is in such a condition no one would consider it a trade up to take it. It would have been all he had and even what he had was worth nothing.

Simplicity is a choice for sure but it is more than that if we truly believe the example set for us by Jesus Christ and the early apostles. Clearly the example of Pope Francis has been refreshing to see but how is this impacting the everyday Roman Catholicism? I keep reading he is inspiring protestants as well, so I am wondering where in the protestant churches and mainline churches, are we seeing a similar standard being set for us? Whose giving up their cloak? Yes, there are those like Shane Claiborne, but who else? And who is following the path of simplicity who are clergy? Yes, I am looking in the mirror. I know this, my sin.

What would be your “cloak?” Your salary? Your house? Your position? Would anyone want it? Could you give it up if Christ Jesus were to ask, “Come and follow me?” Yeah, sometimes I really don’t like looking in the mirror. The idea of living simply is not hard but the actions it will demand? Well, that is a whole other point, one I suspect we’re uncomfortable with for ourselves. Could we say with Paul, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need (Philippians 4:12 ESV).”  Maybe it does start with one cloak (or coat). Really, how many do you need? 

My old dorm-mate, author and fellow UM clergy, Bob Kaylor, has
written a recommendation for pastors going to new congregations to write a blog to introduce oneself.  Since I already have a blog, I figure we might as well do that here and get to the heart of the matter and extend my greeting to God’s Church at Bethelview UMC.  If you are like me, I suspect you are a bit curious about who I am and what I am all about (I’ve been wondering about ya’ll too) and that is probably why you’re here. I am really glad you stopped by to find out.

Since our family has been living here in Forsyth County for the last three years, I also suspect we all have some connections in common. I hope that will help make the transition easier for everyone. You’ll find me on Facebook and Twitter (@jedipastorken). I’m also on Linked-in too.

I know Pastor Don Underwood has done wonderful work in his time with you all. I suspect you have some great plans here in the next few for him and his family. My thoughts and prayers will be with them and with you in the weeks ahead.  I will continue to post through the coming weeks so feel free to stop by any time.  Grace and peace!

There is nothing easy about goodbyes. They signal change, present obstacles and likely will force you to grow. We can fight them if we like but it usually to our detriment we do so.

I read recently the root of “goodbye” comes from the old saying, “God be with you.” In other words, it is the ancient version of TTFN or “Ta Ta For Now” (So obviously, the 21st century did not come up with text lingo all by itself). And whether you like them or not, we don’t get to escape the truth that if change is inevitable we best invest in healthy goodbyes.

I recently closed at chapter and said my goodbyes to so many dear friends and pilgrims from our Two Year Academy of Spiritual Formation sponsored by The Upper Room. It was a truly life shaping and faith influencing experience that I will be forever grateful for and especially for the family we made a long the way (calling us friends doesn’t seem to do justice to the experience).

Now, like other pastors and churches, I am saying goodbye to the family of God who I have worshiped with and served for these past three years. Soon, I will no longer be able to be one of your pastors at Cumming FUMC, but will part ways as friends, and certainly as family in God’s Kingdom. I am thankful for how you welcomed our family into your’s and have supported us in so many ways, especially in your concern and prayers as I have adjusted to my low-vision disability. I hope and pray you’ve come to know and love Jesus Christ better during our time and that you’ll continue to do so after we say our goodbyes.

I love new. That may sound odd or contradictory considering my early post on simplicity but in truth, it is not. New does not always mean buying something new. For me, what I love about new, is the freshness. My wife is always looking for new recipes and I am usually looking at how I can steal those recipes for backpacking and camping ideas. I love spring because it is new, new flowers and new plants break through the ground reminding me they were never asleep during the winter months.

I love the outdoors, whether that is spent hunting, camping, backpacking, whatever. On any given day, you can return to the same spot from the day before and if you are silent, attentive and patient, creation may surprise with glimpses of her wild and wonderful creatures or moments. When you expand 'new' beyond consumerism, we begin to realize how narrow we have defined the word. When seen this way, simplicity magnifies, multiplies, and can revitalize,in short, it makes life new.

Author, speaker and nametag guy, Scott Ginsberg, observes that, “As much as I loathe reality television with all of my being, the sheer number of makeover shows on a typical evening of programming does indicate something reassuring: Most people want to get better. Not all, but most.” (from 8 Engagement Strategies to Keep Your People from Walking Out the Door) Scott points to a reality many of us in the Christian tradition hold, that while we are corrupted by sin, what John Calvin termed, “total depravity,” (it is actually the one thing John Wesley agreed with Calvin on) there remains a spark of divinity. I know this a point of contention in theological discussions, but Scott’s point is a valid one, many people DO want to get better.

I have yet to meet anyone who went about living life in order to sabotage their marriage or career. I also have not met anyone who wanted to be a bad parent or for that matter, wanted to be a bad child. It may even be hard to believe that we pastors generally do not think we are perfect, in fact, most of us know too well how we fall short, yet we still want to get better...to BE better.

But this is where it gets complicated. We cannot do it. On our own we cannot just get better, we cannot just be better people. We start working on it, trying to make up how we will visualize a better “me” and it is not long before our laser beam focus begins to burn our way through everything and everybody for a perfection that is unattainable. We fall short and in the wake, we find we have capsized friends, family and values we claimed matter. I have been there and I have done it. I threw away the t-shirt.

It seems to me that simplicity, as a part of our spiritual formation, our spiritual journey, must hold hands with grace. Grace puts God at the center. The new life Jesus speaks about throughout his teaching points to a life without entanglements in stuff and instead is a life in community, of relationship and of inter-relatedness. What do you hear when Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom...(Matt. 6:33)?” We find in the Gospel of John, Jesus’ teaching on how we are to come into relationship with God when he says, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 NASB)”

Jesus works with what we have; he works with who we are. There is no care about what you or I have, in fact, Jesus regularly chose hanging out with the most destitute saying they will have the best seats in the Kingdom (Matthew 22:2-9) not because those who “have it all” are not invited, but because they chose not to come. Their new stuff took precedent over new life.

Taking steps toward simplicity begins with recognizing that it is God who took the first steps toward humanity, to you and me.