Can I be like Jesus and be a Pastor?

Posted by Jim Thornber on May 27, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

A Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table . . . Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” – Luke 11:37ff

One day, Jesus is walking along, teaching a crowd of people about prayer, Beelzebub, driving out demons and the sign of Jonah, who lived inside a fish for three days. You know, the basics of the faith. Then a Pharisee invites Jesus to eat at his house, so Jesus goes and has a nice lunch, but when He doesn’t wash before the meal the way custom instructed, the Pharisee gets religious with the creator of the universe.

In response to this Pharisee and his concern for traditions over God’s mercy, Jesus tells him and his friends they are filthy cups and fools who are headed towards God’s judgment for the way they chose tradition over relationship. This is the famous passage where Jesus pronounces His “Six Woes” upon the Pharisees and scribes.

As I was reading this, it occurred to me that Jesus is actually condemning those who were feeding Him lunch. After accepting an invitation to eat in someone’s home, Jesus turns on the one who fed Him.  In appears that Jesus wasn’t afraid to tell the truth to those who were hosting Him. Could pastors (me included) learn a lesson from this?

  • How often have pastors been afraid to address certain church issues in fear of offending the generous giver and losing their financial support? Are we, in this manner, placing tithes over truth?
  • How often have pastors been afraid to address unscriptural behavior by a member in the church out of fear of offending the family and losing a big contributor? Are we, in this manner, placing salary over salvation?
  • How often have pastors steered away from preaching the whole Gospel of Christ because they fear what Sister Self-Righteous will say during the weekly prayer/gossip circle?
  • How often have pastors skipped over controversial passages of the Bible because they know a certain deacon will say the pastor has now gone from preachin’ to meddlin’ and it may be time to look for a new preacher?
  • How often have pastors shown more fear of people’s opinions than they do the opinion of God?
  • How often have pastors been too worried about their salary and position to address the sin and selfishness in their congregation?

Jesus didn’t worry about offending people. He was too concerned with telling them the truth their souls needed to hear to worry about His next dinner invitation. Continue Reading

Saint To Satan In Seven Verses

Posted by Jim Thornber on May 20, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality. Tagged: , , , , , . 7 comments

 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” . . . “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matt. 16:16-18

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Matt. 16:23

This may come as a surprise to you, but most men seem to be allergic to cleaning a restroom. I’ve worked in more than one place where the men’s room would get so dirty the EPA was scared to enter, but still no one would think to clean it. You know, it wasn’t their job.

To complicate the situation, most men are completely inept at removing the empty toilet paper roll and replacing it with a fresh one (they just stack it on the empty roll) or figuring out how to get into the hand towel dispenser and fill it up (they just open the package and set it on the counter). These men can fly a plane, build a three-thousand square foot house on the weekend and rebuild a boat motor in their sleep, but the logistics of hanging a roll of toilet paper mystifies them.

Because I knew that it wasn’t anyone’s job to clean the men’s room at work, and that it’s sometimes gone three weeks before the manager had to tell someone to do it, I decided to take the initiative and clean it myself. As I was doing so, I remembered Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. Washing feet was a necessary but menial task that wasn’t assigned at the Last Supper. Since it was nobody’s job, the twelve disciples all sat around staring at one another, waiting for someone else to do the dirty work. Continue Reading

A Change of Habit

Posted by Jim Thornber on May 13, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

For four years I was an Assemblies of God minister and a monk with the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at the Little Portion Hermitage. This is an excerpt from my book Taking Off My Comfortable Clothes: Removing Religion to Find Relationship.

After I moved to the Little Portion Hermitage and made my three-year commitment to poverty, chastity, and obedience, I put on the clothing of a monk-a brown, one-piece hooded robe called a “habit.”  That habit was a concrete reminder that the way I walked, worked and worshiped was about to change.

Having grown up in Southern California wearing either shorts or Levi’s most of the year, learning to walk in a long, dress-like garment that nearly touched the floor took some practice. John Michael gave me detailed instructions on how walk up and down stairs, get in and out of cars gracefully, and even ride a camel. Moreover, the way I carried myself did not go unnoticed by those I went to church with at Berryville First Assembly of God in Arkansas.

Not long after I left the community, our church had a ceremony for the Honor Stars – those girls around twelve years old who have completed the Missionettes program (Missionettes is the Christian version of the Girl Scouts.) They all came to church one night in long gowns, and had to walk up a couple of stairs in order to reach the platform. While I was standing in the back talking to one of the mothers, her daughter came up to me, and in a hushed tone said, “Jim, how do you walk up stairs in a long dress?” Without words, I showed her how to maneuver her dress modestly, and she imitated the feat perfectly, climbing onto the platform without a hitch. I’m still amused that she asked me and not her mother! The scene begs the question: Are people asking your advice on how to walk in Christ? Continue Reading

Irritable with God

Posted by Jim Thornber on May 8, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

For four years I was an Assemblies of God minister and a monk with the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at the Little Portion Hermitage. This is an excerpt from my book Taking Off My Comfortable Clothes: Removing Religion to Find Relationship.

Even though I spent many hours alone with God, it was only when I encountered my fellow community members that the true fruit of my prayerful labors showed its worth.

If you ask me, I’m a pretty great guy when it’s just me and God in the room. I find it easy to count not only my blessings, but also the many ways I’ve blessed others. However, when I stepped outside my hermitage (or prayer closet, if you need to get religious about it) and saw someone I didn’t like, it was then that the true fruit of my prayer life would show itself.

If you are calm, cool and collected when you are alone with God, but irritable, cranky and short-tempered when you are around people, then it wouldn’t take a prophet to know that you are still dealing with some personal issues in your life. I’ll say it again; you are only as good with God as you are with people. If you’re the type who likes God but has a problem with people, then I’ll wager when God asks you to do something you find distasteful, you’ll find yourself irritable, cranky or short-tempered with God, too.

No More False Positive Confessions

Posted by Jim Thornber on April 29, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 5 comments

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies”  Psalm 34:12-13

 

I don’t think I became a proficient liar until I became a dedicated disciple of Christ.

Before my conversion, if someone asked me what I thought about a subject, I’d tell them. I may have lacked diplomacy and discretion, and I know I needed to work on my social graces, but I was honest with my opinion. Now I think about what I say in order not to offend someone. Quite often I weigh truth against kindness, and kindness tends to win.

In other words, I lie.

The other night my wife and I were having a conversation with a friend who is dealing with a great amount of stress in her job. Barbara said, “Feel free to come over any time and just talk.”

Since I’m a pastor, I encouraged her. “Our home is a safe place for you to come and unload. Feel free to be yourself. Be angry, frustrated and hurt. Say the bad words you want and know it’s okay.”

At this point she laughed and said, “I don’t think a pastor ever encouraged me to cuss before!”

I said, “If you’re thinking the bad words then God already knows it. You might as well just be honest about your feelings. God isn’t scared of your vocabulary.”

She said, “It is so hard to be honest. When people ask me how I’m doing I’ve become good at saying, ‘Fine. I’m good.’ Even when I’m not.”

At this point I said, “It’s amazing how we have to become Christians in order to become good liars.” Continue Reading

Nothing Is Wasted

Posted by Jim Thornber on April 18, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Scripture, Service. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 comment

“After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, ‘Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.’ So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people” – John 6:13 (NLT)

In this very familiar passage – the only miracle that is mentioned in all four Gospels – Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, with five small, flat cakes of barley (the cheapest of grains) and two small fish (probably pickled fish served as hors d’oeuvres). After everyone had enough to eat, Jesus instructed the disciples to gather the leftovers, filling twelve large baskets, “so that nothing is wasted.”

This story is a great picture of our God who not only provides but also over-provides, and by doing so teaches us not to waste the over-the-top supply. This passage challenges me to ask, “What am I doing with my extras?” Specifically, what am I doing with my extra time, treasure and touch? And every person I know has extras in at least one of the areas, if not all.

Time – What do I do with my extra hours? Do I spend it working more so I can earn more? Do I use my extra time to watch more television? After the people ate and were satisfied, Jesus likely distributed the extra for the blessing of many. On the other hand, I like to picture twelve grown men marching behind a young boy and delivering the baskets to his family in Capernaum. Jesus produced the over-abundance but He shared the results. Am I using the blessing of my extra time to be a blessing to others, or am I finding extraordinary ways to waste it on myself?

Treasure – What am I doing with my extra money? After I’ve tithed, paid my bills and put a little away in savings, what am I doing with the rest? Am I spending it on what is not bread and laboring for stuff that does not satisfy (Isaiah 55:2)? Do I have to have that latest iPhone? Does it satisfy? Is the newest Wii game something my soul will delight in? Is it the richest of fare? Where my treasure is, there is my heart, also (Matthew 6:21). Do I pay more attention the bells and whistles of my latest gadget than I do to maintaining my relationship with my family? Do I know where the games apps is on my phone but don’t know where my child spent the night? If I’m quicker to get angry at someone who has scratched my car than someone who uses a racial slur, I’ve just shown my heart is with my stuff, even though God’s heart is with His people.

Touch – Am I stingy with my personal self? Do I have a limited amount of hugs and affection I can share with people? Do I seek out the people I want to be associated with and withdraw from the unlovely or unpopular? Am I cold with someone who has recently criticized me and overly enthusiastic towards someone who likes me? Do I coddle up to the rich man in church and compliment him on his new Mercedes Benz while giving monosyllabic answers to the poor man who smells of stale cigarettes?

When I look at my life, I can see waste in every area I’ve mentioned. But as I think about the twelve baskets of leftovers and how Jesus made sure they were picked up, I’m starting to have trouble with waste. I want God to show me creative ways of using my time, treasure and touch, and maybe some day He’ll choose me to bring a basket full of abundance to a family that needs it most.

The Top Ten Albums I Absolutely Wore Out

Posted by Jim Thornber on April 13, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . 8 comments

The other day I was walking around the hardware store where I work when the song “As” by Stevie Wonder came over the radio. I smiled because I remember playing that over and over on the cassette player. I think I played that whole recording so much I wore out the cassettes.

That got me wondering what other albums made such in impact on me that I might have worn them out, also. This is my list, in no particular order. You can tell that it dates me rather well, but this is my list, not yours! However, if you’d like to tell me about some of the albums you wore out and why, I’d like to hear about it.

1.  Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder. It is hard to put into words the sheer brilliance of Stevie Wonder. Many consider this album his finest work, and I would have to agree.

 

2. Paris – Supertramp. One of the best live albums I ever heard. The lyrics and astounding chord patterns still amaze me. I found it interesting to learn this was Princess Diana’s favorite group.

 

3. That’s the Way of the World – Earth, Wind and Fire. Maurice White, Philip Bailey, the Phoenix Horns. Enough said.

 

 

4. Graceland – Paul Simon. This was the album I listened to walking on the beach while wondering what I wanted to do with my life. I’m still trying to figure out why a girl would have diamonds on the soles of her shoes.

 

5. Joshua Tree – U2. The song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” spoke volumes to me when I was contemplating going into the monastery.  I figure if a successful Bono could make that statement, so could I.

 

6. Close to the Edge – Yes. “And You And I” remains one of my all-time favorite songs.

 

 

7. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John. This album came out when I was in Junior High and simply astounded me. That one person could write so many different songs for one album was beyond my comprehension.  I bought the songbook and learned to play “Funeral For A Friend” on the piano.

 

8. Secret Story – Pat Metheny. I listened to this album over and over after the break-up of a relationship. It seems Pat wrote most of this album after a break up. The haunting song “The Truth Will Always Be” still moves me.

 

9. The Koln Concert – Keith Jarrett. The best-selling solo album in jazz history and the all-time best-selling piano album. Recorded before a live audience, this is a completely improvised recording. I’m still trying to figure out how he does some of the things he does on the piano.

 

10. Hymns to the Silence – Van Morrison. Van was anything but silent in this very personal and spiritual album. “Take me back, take me way back….”

I am NOT a Ditto Head

Posted by Jim Thornber on March 26, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Leadership, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 comment

And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. – Jeremiah 3:15

I did not grow up wanting to be a pastor. I sort of stumbled into it by default. I’ve been told from my early teen years that I was a good teacher and I’ve developed that skill over the years. But I didn’t want to be a pastor, just a teacher.

However, this was the problem I encountered with not wanting to be a pastor: in order to be a teacher in a church, too often I was forced to fit into the mold of the senior pastor. He wanted to recreate me in his image, make me be like him. He wanted me to think like him, have his sense of humor and manner of speech. Too often they wanted a “mini-me.” And since I wasn’t always willing to be like him, my teaching opportunities were infrequent.

The LORD says in Jeremiah 3:15 that He will give people shepherds (pastors) after His own heart. If this is so, then why did most pastors I served with (read that, “under”) want to make me in the image of their heart at the expense of God’s heart? Why did I have to do an imitation of them in order to do what God called me to do? I finally determined that to do what I felt called by God to do, I had to be a pastor, a shepherd and leader, after God’s own heart. I couldn’t do an imitation of a pastor still living in the 1970’s. I had to be who God called me to be. Continue Reading

Ready to Rejoice

Posted by Jim Thornber on March 20, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion, Scripture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 comments

 This is how I will know you have shown unfailing love to my master – Genesis 24:14

A while back a friend called to tell me his grandmother died. I didn’t know the grandmother very well, but I did know she was comfortable financially. Although I was sad for my friend, it also occurred to me that he might see a significant inheritance, and I was surprised my reaction was, “Why him? Why can’t I get something from someone?” Yes, I was disappointed in myself, but being the self-professed good Christian man that I am, I put aside my bad feelings and convinced myself they weren’t there.

But God knew better.

Two days later, I’m reading in Genesis as part of a “Read the Bible Through in a Year” program we were doing at the church where I’m the self-professed good Christian pastor. When I got to the above verse is Genesis, my reaction to my friend’s potential blessing came flooding back. It seemed God wasn’t finished with me. As a side note, have you ever noticed some of the programs we use to enhance our spirituality, like Bible reading programs, God uses to fix our spirituality?

What bothered me about the story was Abraham’s servant, probably Eliezer (Genesis 15:2), wasn’t looking for God’s blessings in his own life, but for God to bless the life of Abraham. Eliezer was sent on a difficult mission – to find a wife for Isaac among the family of Abraham. When Eliezer gets to the homestead, he makes a convoluted prayer about camels and drinking water in order to find just the right wife for Isaac. And when it works, Eliezer rejoices that God has shown “unfailing love to my master.” At that point, the Holy Spirit slapped me in the head.

Why is it so difficult to rejoice with those who rejoice without feeling a competition for the love and attention of the Father? Why is it so hard for me to ask God to bless others without wondering (not always, but sometimes) when I’ll get my piece of the blessing pie? Without malice, rancor or competitiveness, Eliezer is truly happy when God has shown favor to Abraham.

Now I’m thinking about this story and God won’t let me alone. I begin to wonder about the times when I was truly happy when God showed favor to a friend. I can think of a few. But then it occurs to me. Eliezer wasn’t rejoicing when his poor neighbor got blessed, but when his rich employer got blessed. Can I do that? Can you? Sure, we can be happy if the Lord sends our poorer neighbor a hundred dollars to put towards their winter heating bill. But can we truly rejoice when God dramatically and miraculously shows unfailing love to one of the richest and already most blessed people we know? Won’t there still be a bit of jealously and envy, a bit of “what about MY blessing” thrown into the mix? Continue Reading

Ready for the Banquet

Posted by Jim Thornber on March 10, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

 A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. – Luke 14:16

When I was boy, my family used to go to my grandmother’s house for those two great special food occasions: Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Thanksgiving always had the turkey, which my Jewish grandmother cooked in a paper sack to keep it moist. Does anyone remember that? On New Year’s, we usually had a leg of lamb or prime rib. My mom’s parents weren’t hurting for cash, and it showed when we ate.

My grandmother also had one of those beautiful, cherry-wood china cabinets with the glass doors so you could show off all the beautiful dishes you only brought out on Thanksgiving and New Year’s and, for her family, Passover. She also had one of those velvet-lined boxes that contained all her sterling silver place settings, including those big spoons and that funny piece shaped like a slice of pie. Grandpa’s duty on those special days, of course, was to teach the grandkids how to play poker and Chinese checkers, have quarters come out of ears and noses and make funny noises with their hands, all to the delight of the kids and the dismay of grandma.

These were the times when our family got out the best – the best food, the best silverware, the best tablecloth, the best clothes, and briefly, until grandpa entered the room, the best behavior. A table had been prepared, and since the grandkids got to eat first, it always felt like everything had been prepared just for us.

Wanting to give our family the best we have is a direct imitation of God’s desire to give us the best. He prepares for us, anticipates our arrival, has everything taken care of. If we, trying to be gracious guests, call ahead and say, “Is there anything we can bring?” God doesn’t say, “Yes, we need more rolls.” No, everything is prepared, so God says, “Just bring yourself.”

Entrance to the Banquet is by invitation only. The good news is that all are invited. The bad news is that not everyone has accepted the invitation. When I went to my grandmother’s home, I didn’t have to earn my way in – I was welcome because we had a relationship.

I’m looking forward to that table God has prepared of us and I’m grateful for my relationship Him. There may not be magic tricks and funny noises to laugh at when we get to Heaven, but I’m sure it will be the best Banquet the universe will ever see.