It's Complicated

It's Complicated

It’s Complicated: Family as a Means of Grace - Part 3
May 18, 2025
John 14:1-4, Romans 12:9-18

My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?      

John 14:1-7

Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good.  Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.

Romans 12:9-10

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In our Father’s house, there are many rooms — and together, we are learning how to live as one.

I grew up with a very different understanding of this passage. I was taught the King James Version, which says there are many “mansions.” I never thought to ask how multiple mansions could exist inside one house, but the image I held was highly individualistic and luxurious. Then I went to seminary and studied under Old Testament scholar and archaeologist Dr. Sandra Richter, who introduced us to the ancient 4-room pillared houses of ancient Israel known as the bet’ab — the “Father’s house.” This, it turns out, is the term Jesus uses when describing the place he is preparing.

The bet’ab was not a mansion, nor was it a space of private luxury. It included shared family living spaces, a combined reception room and kitchen, and small  sleeping areas often located on the upper level. In Israel’s patriarchal culture, the oldest living male was the head of the household, which included his sons, their wives, extended relatives, and sometimes servants. Much of the living and cooking took place outdoors, with rooms arranged around a central courtyard. Resources were shared, and everyone contributed to the needs of the household and wider community.

So what does this have to do with Jesus and his promise of heaven?

I’m glad you asked.

For Jesus, salvation is not some escapist dream of heavenly mansions and golden streets. It’s about a communal sense of belonging. In Christ, we are adopted into God's family, and we are given a place in the bet’ab — God’s household. 

But belonging to a household carries responsibilities. Children — biological or adopted — are expected to participate fully in the life of the family. Yes, they receive the blessings and love that come with being part of the family, knowing all their needs will be met. But they are also expected to contribute, to discover and use their gifts for the good of the entire household.

Family life, of course, is complicated. We don’t always get along, and sometimes those closest to us bear the brunt of our worst days. Siblings, in particular, can be highly competitive.

Life teaches us what it means to be part of a family — the human family, God’s family. As Paul writes to the Romans: “Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.”

May this be our greatest competition in life: to outdo one another in showing honor and love. In a world that often rewards pride, power, or personal gain, what if we became known for something else entirely — a radical, joyful commitment to building each other up? That’s the kind of family Christ invites us to be.

When the Bible isn't "Biblical"

When the Bible Isn’t Biblical

Reflections on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral - Reason
September 1, 2024


Romans 12:2, Acts 17:11

see examples of problematic scriptures such as:
1 Samuel 15:1-3, Exodus 21:20-21, Ephesians 6:5-6

This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says: I am going to punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel: how they attacked the Israelites as they came up from Egypt.  So go! Attack the Amalekites; put everything that belongs to them under the ban. Spare no one. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”  

1 Samuel 15:2-3

Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

Romans 12:2

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When reading the passage above from 1 Samuel 15:3 about God commanding the slaughter of every man, woman, child and even infant among the Amalekites, one would think someone might pause to question whether this is actually what God desires.  It doesn’t exactly sound like the loving God we see in Jesus, or even the God of the Old Testament who brought his people out of slavery and walked with them even through the valleys of the shadow of death. 

Yet to my shock and horror, I actually sat in a church meeting where church leaders said that all Muslims should be killed before they kill us and mutilate our children, or at the very least be run out of our country.  I’ve heard pastors say that gay people should be locked up behind electric fences and separated from society.  And I’ve been personally told by a church member that he should beat me to a pulp until admitted that my stance against violence was foolish and that I must fight back if I wanted to live.  In each instance, they used passages like the one above to justify their positions.

Like the text in 1 Samuel, these are extreme examples and fortunately do not represent the majority of Christians.  Nevertheless, passages like this and other “God ordained” violence throughout scripture have been used time and time again to justify violence of every kind: “Holy  Wars”, oppression, slavery, and even genocide. 

Other texts have been misappropriated in different ways; to subjugate women both in the church and in the family and society, to elevate our nation to the status of “God’s chosen” or “The promised land” over and against every other nation, or to justify abuses of power and authority in the name of God’s will, among others. 

The point is simply this.  When we turn off the rational minds that God gave us and interpret scripture at face value with no consideration for context, history, trends and progressions, literary style, and any other number of factors, we can quickly assume that every verse is a prescriptive example or instruction for how to live in all times and all places.  Certainly there are such passages, such as the greatest commandment, to love God and neighbor.  But most reasonable people do not assume that passages about genocide, slavery or other forms of oppression are offering us universal principles for all times. 

We need reason to understand how to appropriately interpret and apply scripture to our lives and in our world and we need the Spirit to renew our minds so that we may discern with humility and wisdom.

Reading with the Saints

Reading with the Saints

Reflections on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral - Tradition
August 25, 2024


2 Thessalonians 2:15, Hebrews 12:1, Romans 15:4, Matthew 28:19-20

see also how Jesus uses tradition - "You have heard"
Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-32, 33-34, 38-39, 43-45

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions we taught you, whether we taught you in person or through our letter.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through
endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures.

 Romans 15:4

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Whether we come from a religious family or not, we all grow up with traditions.  Perhaps we remember family traditions around holidays, birthdays, trips, or other special occasions.  Maybe it was as simple as Sunday dinner at a family member’s home or a weekend movie or game night.  No matter how small or elaborate, our traditions say a lot about what our family most values and those values have shaped much of our lives. 

In addition to family traditions, we also have religious traditions.  For some, that tradition may simply be that you didn’t go to church at all, but maybe a grandparent or other family member had a church at some point.  For others, it may have just been going to church on Christmas or Easter, or perhaps you were one of those who was in church every time the door was open.  Regardless of how often or how little you were in church, you no doubt learned something about faith from members of your family or from your church.  Some of those traditions may have given you a negative view of faith or religion, others may have been very positive.  But again, all of these religious experiences helped form our value systems and our faith or lack-there-of.

My own religious tradition was a mixed bag.  I grew up in the Catholic church and hated it, but I didn’t know there was anything else.  As a teenager I was “saved” in a Baptist church.  As a college student and young adult I branched out to a number of different denominations and finally landed in a United Methodist Church when I took a job as a part time youth pastor in 2003.  I chose to remain United Methodist for a many reasons, but when I look back on my religious background, I am deeply aware of the mixture of pain and blessing from each congregation and tradition.  Some things I have grown beyond and others that I once rejected I have come to appreciate more deeply in more recent years. 

Just as our own religious experiences are part of our tradition, so the larger tradition of church history has shaped our denominations and even much of our culture.  No matter how fresh or modern a church might be, it is still rooted in a long tradition of faithful saints who have gone before us.  We are not the first to study the Bible, to worship God, or to have a relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit, and we will not be the last. 

In all of our efforts as humans to make our mark on the world and leave our legacy, it is easy to forget that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves.  As we study the scriptures, we can find tremendous blessing and wisdom in walking with the Saints who have gone before us, both ancient and recent. 

We cannot escape it. 

The tradition is part of who we are.

The question is, how will we allow it to teach us, to shape us, and to bless our lives?

God Squeezes Good from Bad

God Squeezes Good from Bad

Where is God when… ? - Part 3

Sunday, November 19, 2023
Romans 8:1-39; Genesis 50:20

We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called  according to his purpose. 

Romans 8:28 (CEB) 

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

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Last week we explored the nature of God’s uncoercive and uncontrolling love.  Because love cannot coerce or force itself on another, it is impossible for God to singlehandedly prevent evil, particularly when that evil results from the choices of free-willed human beings.  Yet we can also say that love always works for the good, for the flourishing of humanity and of all creation. 

We can think of countless examples of people who have suffered tremendous evils in their lives and came out must stronger on the other side.  Victims of abuse may stand in the gap to protect others or care for others who have gone through similar trauma.  Someone whose child was killed by a drunk driver may become an advocate to prevent similar tragedies in the future.  Even if a person who has suffered doesn’t end up doing something so great and public, there are many who look back on their pain and trauma as an experience that shaped their character, that made them stronger, and potentially enabled them to do things with their lives they never dreamed possible.  Perhaps this is your story too.

This is where God’s best work comes in to play.  God is always creating and re-creating, renewing, restoring, healing, and making whole what is broken.  It does not mean, as so many have claimed, that the tragedy or suffering was a part of God’s plan in order to bring about this better outcome.  If suffering and evil is part of God’s will or God’s plan then to work against it would be to fight against God.

A loving God never causes pain or suffering.  But God’s love always works to squeeze every possible good out of even the worst situation.  Not every evil can be redeemed, even by God, but as Frederick Buechner says, resurrection reminds us the worst thing is never the last.  God is always weaving the bad into good.

#BeUMC - Bigger than Us

Bigger Than Us

#BeUMC - Part 5

Sunday, July 23, 2023
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, Romans 12:3-8

We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith.

Romans 12:4-6

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

“I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to; and sure I am that His blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I, therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work He hath given me to do… ‘As I have opportunity, doing good unto all men’; and His providence clearly concurs with his Word; which has disengaged me from all things else, that I might singly attend on this very thing, ‘and go about doing good.’” 

~ From the Journal of John Wesley:

We are a missional people. (James 2:18, Acts 1:7)

Since the early days of the Oxford “Holy Club,” Methodists have found missions as an expression of our faith. We reach out to neighbors near and far, offering the love of Jesus in word and deed. We do this in many ways. As a denomination, we support missionaries and dynamic, community-centric
initiatives all over the world. Local churches operate food banks, clothing and shelter ministries, childcare services, support groups and countless other caring ministries that introduce all people to the love of Jesus. We don’t do this to win God’s favor, but because we are recipients of God’s love and grace. In other words, we show our love for God by loving whom God loves… everyone!

We are a connected people. (Rom.12:5, Eccl. 4:12)

 Being part of a church—a community of faith—is important for our spiritual journeys. Today, we can attend classes online, buy a car from our couch, and worship via YouTube. That may lead us to believe we can do anything alone. Our faith journeys, however, are best nurtured when we are connected to a community of faith—which may include digital relationships and online worship!

We are a world-changing people. (Luke 13:20-21)

One of the markers of the early Methodist societies was their outreach to their communities and to the world. The first Methodist society meetinghouse in Bristol, England—known as the New Room— did not have pews fixed to the floor. Instead, the seats were removable, so that the room could be used for educating children or offering food and home remedies to the community.

We are a generous people. (2 Corinthians 9:7-9)

We give to minister in Jesus’ name. Together, United Methodists do remarkable ministry around the world. We care for survivors recovering from earthquakes and storms; we invest, long term, in vulnerable communities; we implement the most effective solutions to diseases like malaria; we equip the next generation to lead the Church and society. In all of this, we share the good news of Jesus Christ. We give because God first gave to us.

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- excerpts from #BeUMC Study Guide

You can download the complete discussion guide at https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/our-people/beumc

#BeUMC - From Fear to Freedom

From Fear to Grace

#BeUMC - Part 2

Sunday, July 2, 2023
Romans 8:1-17

You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” 

Romans 8:15 (CEB)

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

The sound of crashing metal echoed through the dark cavernous sanctuary as a stream of light flickered on a small collapsible screen. A reel-to-reel whirred from the back of the room projecting gruesome images of human flesh run through with huge rusty spikes. Screams of agony drowned out the film reels and the clanging hammer, followed by a few guttural words in some foreign language I would later come to know as Aramaic.

 “Father, forgive them,” the dying man cried as he was hoisted up on a cross. “They know not what they do.”

In all honesty I don’t remember the words first hand; only the graphic sounds and images flooding the consciousness of my seven or eight-year-old mind. It wasn’t until middle school that I even began putting the pieces together, but the jumbled nightmarish images haunted me for years with little to no real meaning.

My childhood experience in the Catholic church left me with the confusion of mixed moral messages and a general fear of God and religion.  Looking back, I can appreciate many things about the Catholic faith, especially its positive influence in my grandmother’s life as one of the most devout prayer warriors I know.  Attending an occasional mass or Catholic funeral as an adult, I am struck by their rich heritage and their overwhelming reverence for the Scriptures. I am even moved on occasion to go and light a candle for friends who are grieving the loss of loved ones. But in elementary school, I did not have the wisdom or discernment to separate the anxiety of my personal experience from the whole of the Catholic church or even the whole of Christianity. 

The film we watched on the death of Jesus did not even come close to the graphic depictions of Mel Gibson’s, “The Passion of the Christ”, but at the time I felt as if I were actually there in Jerusalem, cowering away so the blood would not splatter on my face.  Like Peter, I would likely be huddling by a fire in the courtyard, unwilling to admit that I even knew the unrecognizable man on the cross.

I made straight A’s in school. My intelligence and imagination always ran high. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could not wrap my brain around why this man would have to suffer the way I saw that night. I couldn’t rationalize how anyone could inflict such a horrifying punishment on anyone, not even a mass murderer. 

Still reeling from the shock of it all, I heard the nun explain that Jesus died because of my sin.  The horror I had just witnessed was all my fault. OK, maybe not ALL mine, but I couldn’t stomach the idea that I needed forgiveness as much as the ones who nailed him to that cross. I never even had a poor conduct mark in school.  How could my wrongdoing cause this man to die nearly 2,000 years before I was even born? 

I don’t remember hearing anything about resurrection or the hope of eternal life. Maybe they taught it later on, but after that night, I was too scared to hear anything else.  Being a good kid would never be good enough anymore. I had to be perfect. I couldn’t live with his blood on my conscience but I didn’t understand how to remove the stain. I couldn’t even figure out how I ended up being responsible in the first place…

… and so begins my journey from fear to freedom...

For the rest of the story, listen to this week’s sermon here.

Also be sure to check out Rev. Tangela Cameron’s UMC story as shared at Shiloh on June 25th to kick off this series. You can see the video here.