The (Lieben)GOOD LIFE

  Recently I was asked to speak at the national conference for the Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD). The organizers asked me to give a theological account for the work of student development and to show how the themes of the conference connected to the good work of student life. Here is the fourth  installment of the six talks I gave on June 10-13.  Session 4           The Good Work of Identity Formation   For most of my time in college, I felt totally lost. I went to San Jose State, where I was able to pursue my life-long dream of playing football. Even with success, I was totally empty.   Strangely, the most profound feeling of emptiness came after one of the best games I ever played. I remember standing on the Orange Bowl logo at the fifty yard-line, shaking hands with Gino Torretta, the Heisman trophy winner that year. I was a freshmen; I got my first start; and we played the number one...

  Proper 8             Lamentations 3.22-33             Psalm 30             2 Corinthians 8.7-15             Mark 5.21-43   Prayer of Invocation Father, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together   in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.   Prayer of Illumination Lord, we rise to meet you this morning. Meet us where we are at with your word, that we may hope in you, trust in you, and bear witness to your faithfulness and goodness; in the name of Jesus. A...

Recently I was asked to speak at the national conference for the Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD). The organizers asked me to give a theological account for the work of student development and to show how the themes of the conference connected to the good work of student life. Here is the third  installment of the six talks I gave on June 10-13.  Session 3          The Good Work of Reconciliation   Good morning. I hope the past two days have been encouraging for you; that you have a renewed sense of purpose and value in what you do; that you’ve been able to connect with your people, and perhaps even meet new people; and that you’ve had rich fellowship with God, and   have sensed God’s comfort and direction in your life. Lectio Divina: Jeremiah 9.24 Over the past two days, we’ve been thinking about how our work is connected to the work of another—that of Jesus Christ, who has gathered us and called us t...

  Recently I was asked to speak at the national conference for the Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD). The organizers asked me to give a theological account for the work of student development and to show how the themes of the conference connected to the good work of student life. Here is the second  installment of the six talks I gave on June 10-13.  Session Two: The Good Work of Paying Attention   Lectio Divina: John 17.24-26: hear this as God’s word to you as we listen in on the motive of Jesus’ work that he has been sent to accomplish.   All of our work is to be oriented around the good work of another—Jesus Christ—who is at the right hand of the Father, where he continues the work he was sent to accomplish by empowering us through the Spirit to join him in what he is up to in the world.  Y esterday, I gave you three snapshots in the NT, which point us to this foundational calling (the overarching narrative of the Gospels-...

Recently I was asked to speak at the national conference for the Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD). The organizers asked me to give a theological account for the work of student development and to show how the themes of the conference connected to the good work of student life. Here is the first installment of the six talks I gave on June 10-13.  Session 1   The Good Work of Student Development: Participating in the Ongoing Work of Jesus Christ.   Thank you, Dr. Morgan for allowing me to be a part of this gathering. I wish you could all be on our campus this week, and I wish I had to the opportunity to meet you and hear your stories, and to learn more about the important work that you do on our campuses.   I must say that of late I have come to appreciate the important work you do at a deeper, more personal level. That is not to say that I didn’t appreciate your work before! As a former campus pastor, and as someone who became a Chris...

  Easter Sunday Homily: God’s “No!” Is for and Even Greater “Yes!”               Isa 25.6-9;   Psalm 118.1-2, 14-24;   1 Cor 15.1-11;  John 20.1-18 Easter is a reminder that God’s “No!” is for an even greater “Yes!”, a yes that we are incapable of imagining, a ‘yes’ that we are incapable of constructing on our own. And so Easter is a reminder that we are called to be patient, to wait on the Lord.    In Holy Week we have been reminded, in our Stations of the Cross readings from the Gospel of Matthew, that Jesus prayed fervently three times for deliverance. Embodying our Psalm 118 reading, he  longed to see the steadfast love of the Lord endure through his trial, torture, and crucifixion. He turned to the Father to be his strength and his salvation. He looked for the Father’s right hand to do valiantly: “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me”. Luke’s account tells us tha...

  Fifth Sunday in Lent: God’s Word against Us Meets God's Word for Us             Jer 31.31-34 ;  Psa 51.1-12;  Heb 5.5-10;  John 12.20-33   Prayer of Invocation   Father, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.   Prayer of Illumination   Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are reflected upon and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you have to say to us today. Amen.   Proclamation   We entered this season of Lent with a courageous prayer: “Search me, ...