Author Archives: Joseph Seger

Life Beyond The Headlines by Joseph Seger

Search

  

Life Beyond The Headlines by Joseph Seger

Share the post:

Don’t believe the story.  So went the surprising proclamation of DL Moody – 

Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal—a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.” “I was born of the flesh in 1837.

I was born of the Spirit in 1856.

That which is born of the flesh may die.

That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.

The evangelist who desired all to know Jesus – the story of His life, death and resurrection – knew the reality beyond the headlines of newspapers. The man knew well who he was – whose he was. Do we still know this good news today?

It can be easy to be distracted and lose focus. Today, we have more capacity to connect with whoever and whatever than at any prior point in history. With smarter devices and the digitalization of everything, the vast majority of the known information is available at our fingertips. If the headlines are right, we are on the verge of transcending knowledge in a technological utopia.

Tragically, the data does not bear this out. Studies show we have fewer close friendships than ever before, even though social media portends thousands of friends. We have more publications to choose yet close ourselves off from reporting which does not go along with our narratives. All are a short notification away, but loneliness has been declared an epidemic threat against our health. In the age of connection, we seem to be less connected than ever.

Still, the good news of Jesus persists. We are not condemned to be alone, but rather to be loved by God and others (1 John 4:7). We need not be conformed to this world any longer (Romans 12:1-2). We should not be confined to the prison of our desires and the resulting destructive habits (James 1:14-15).  

John Wesley wrote it clearly and simply:

God loves you; therefore, love and obey him. Christ died for you; therefore, die to sin. Christ is risen; therefore, rise in the image of God. Christ liveth evermore; therefore live to God until you live with him in glory.

God’s grace allows us to know ourselves as loveable. As loveable people we are capable of turning from the dark pain of our past towards the eternal life illuminated in the light of Jesus’ resurrection. Knowing, confessing, and living this truth rests our life with God for eternity. God’s love can then flow through us to others in a beautiful, gracious cycle. 

Only as individuals, we can get caught in the constant stream of information. Alone, and untethered from community, our eyes drift to the shadows which pull us down the day to day current, rather than to the eternal light of Christ which gives light to the whole world. Headlines call us to fear and division. Our cell phones vibrate with endorphin laden distractions. Babylon beckons with promises of fulfilled ambition and just out-of-reach wealth. Issues rise up and tempt us to partisanship which adds to the atmosphere of division among image bearers of God.

We do well to remember the words of Paul which were written while imprisoned by the headline makers of his days:

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Paul reminds us where to fix our gaze. True power does not reside in the temporal, but in the one who created time. True hope is not in the next vote or deal, but in the reign of Christ. We must act here and now, but followers of Jesus must live lives which are different, holy.

Followers of Jesus are in this world but not of this world. Our orientation is toward the heavenly Kingdom. Through this focus, we are able to passionately serve those around us. Minds fixed on Christ remember the heart of the issues before us are the issues of the human heart. For when we try to fix an issue without first dealing with the sin which separates us from God (and thereby the good and one another), we are not good estimators of what is actually  happening around us. Our supposed solutions to the present problems then become the problems for our children to solve. 

Wesley went on to say we are called to proclaim what the Holy Spirit has revealed to our hearts. The love of God, and by it, the love of all mankind in word and deed.

It was by a sense of the love of God shed abroad in his heart, that everyone of them was enabled to love God. Loving God, he loved his neighbor as himself, and had power to walk in all his commandments blameless. This is a rule which admits of no exception. God calls a sinner his own, that is, justifies him, before he sanctifies. And by this very thing, the consciousness of his favour, he works in him that grateful, filial affection, from which spring every good temper, and word, and work.

Wesley knew well that pursuing holiness meant a downstream blessing for all our neighbors. Allowing the Spirit to work within us means we can impact the world through love in ways the world cannot think possible. Loving our neighbor means we always see the person in every issue. We seek the heart of the person in front of us more than winning an issue. We seek truth and justice as we seek our fellow humans. We live tabernacled/incarnate lives in our neighborhood, not just in the digital footprint.

Wesley lived this out to the tune of prison, hospital, and orphanage reform. Those in his movement followed with works of abolition, ministry to alcoholics, presence amongst poverty, and combating illiteracy. The people called Methodists answered the call to draw near to all who needed the gospel. Even if it was far from the spotlight of the latest headline. Wesley knew where his citizenship was held, where his life really resided. By being so heavenly minded, he was of great earthly good.

Headlines are intended to grab attention regardless of the facts of the story or impact of the tale. In Jesus, we are grafted into a story which calls all people to love, hope and peace. Followers of Jesus still have good news worth proclaiming.  Our lives are not solely dependent on what humanity thinks and does right now. Rather, we have the knowledge of an eternal life of love, and the means of the Holy Spirit to share that love with our neighbors wherever we live – whatever the conditions.

Share the Post:

Subscribe

Get articles about mission, evangelism, leadership, discipleship and prayer delivered directly to your inbox – for free

Related Posts

Christ Between Us by Joseph Seger

Wesleyan Accent
Search
Close this search box.

  

Christ Between Us by Joseph Seger

Share the Post:

“Good morning, pastor.”  “I am so glad you are my pastor.”  “If only we had a different pastor.”  “It must be nice to be a pastor and work only an hour a week.”  “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that in front of a pastor.”  “You, are a pastor?”

I have been a pastor for more than a decade now. The comments no longer surprise me even if the emotions raised may linger. The blessings of the calling far outweigh the predictable misunderstandings of the many. I get to meet so many gracious people and bear witness to meaningful moments in their lives. Through this, I have learned the intimacy held in sharing the gospel is not so unique. I joke with people that I get to be a ‘professional Christian.’ Laughter often follows, but then a pause, as the thought clicks. There is something about pastoring that all Christians can be about. It can be found by anyone who places Christ before them. And this is good news for all.

As a pastor, I have many stories and received many blessings as I attempt to be faithful to the office. I appreciate Eugene Peterson’s vision of a pastor, “The role of the pastor is to embody the gospel. And of course to get it embodied, which you can only do with individuals, not in the abstract.” Diving into the everydayness of people’s lives creates an intimacy which is singular, and ever present.  The uniqueness comes with the privilege of the calling. People who love Jesus grant me an unearned peak into the vulnerability of their lives. The good, the bad, the ugly, the downright scary, and the tucked-away, hidden dramas that yield great hope and great pain in what’s to come.

I knew of this before being a pastor, but it becomes more profound as each encounter reframes and refreshes this truth. Encounters made possible by the name of Jesus – not me and my own glory. Many of those I encounter are meeting me for the first time. Why would I have any intimate connection with the person who just met me? Why would anyone feel at ease in sharing guarded truths of life and the longings of the heart with a stranger?

I can point to training, title, theology – no matter.  It’s not earned. It remains a privilege. Because of Jesus. One more closely guarded the more we hear of people who abuse the office of pastor. (Lord hear our prayers) Peter knew long ago the temptations which come with such unearned trust, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-3)  

Before being a pastor, I thought they (do not ask me to tell you who I thought ‘they’ were) taught pastors exactly what to say to earn this trust. Like a reference book in which one could look up ‘teenage drama,’ ‘dying friend,’ ‘’moving across the country,’ ‘childhood trauma,’ ‘wedding nerves,’ ‘unexpected cancer diagnosis,’ ‘family dysfunction,’ etc. – find the phrase, posture, or prescription – and then fix what is broken. Indeed you can find these books on shelves, but no matter how many are obtained, are appropriate, or have the perfect post-mortem point – none ever fit. Real life never imitates the precision of a crafted scenario or the cold analysis of what should have been.

Seminary does not prepare you for the intimacy the gospel provides in ministry. It can be a wonderful and formative experience. It can teach all about how others have thought and acted throughout history about matters near and dear to your life. Indeed good seminaries will open, challenge, and guide your perspective into expansive mysteries previously unknown. However, they do not then live your life, make your decisions, or wrestle with the reality of a broken world in real-time. They do not address the administrative challenges, random conversations, and frequent interruptions to a perfectly planned day of abstract theological reflection. Only time with Jesus and others does this.  And this happens in the reality of everyday encounters common to all.

Real life is so much better than ivory-tower abstractions and self-help scripts. There are imperfect people sharing with each other about real matters which have temporal consequences and eternal implications. I have found the words shared in those holy moments often seem unpolished and sparse, far from the theological precision and self-help wordsmithing of the guidebooks and classroom. Yet, they become the right words, for they bear witness to the uniqueness of a moment entrusted to our mutual faith in Jesus. And though I can share the entire journey and humbling experiences which brought me to my current role as pastor – it is still the people’s love of Jesus, entrusted to the local church, which connects us.

I thought this was unique for the few called and privileged who got to be a “professional Christian.”  Only, I hear stories. Good news about how God is working in and through people who never went to seminary. People who often could not quote chapter and verse to back up their unorganized theology. They have the audacity to believe their love of Jesus and His love of them is enough to meet strangers on the road of life. Without theological training, prescribed psychological approaches, or prior experience they sense the Holy Spirit calling them to share their love with others. Because Jesus is enough.

Venturing into the real world, I hear of prayer in office break rooms and school hallways. I know of studies amongst friends and families which no church has organized. I see testimonies on social media which no pastor curated. I know of strangers who have prayed for me in public. Time and time and time again, without knowing who I was or what I did, people have prayed for me in airports, provided for my family in a moment of need, and ministered to me because of their love for Jesus. Jesus is a bridge between us all.

As a pastor, I am deeply moved and humbled by this.  I still see clearly the need for pastors in Christ’s church in this muddled, distracted world. It remains a privilege to ‘professionally’ preach the Word, sit with others, listen, share, and challenge to live like Jesus. I am just astonished and joyful this ministry happens so often outside of the church, and by so many. God may have known what He was doing when he put the world peace plan on the line with ‘love your neighbor.’

There is something about the good news of Jesus which compels us – no matter our calling – to share beyond ourselves and into community with others. There is something about Jesus that connects us, no matter our calling. 

And this is good news for all.

Share the Post:

Subscribe

Get articles about mission, evangelism, leadership, discipleship and prayer delivered directly to your inbox – for free

Related Posts

   

The Good News of The Good Life by Joseph Seger

We need to change the world. This message continuously repeats throughout the world today. Whether we believe it or not, we see, hear, and encounter it everywhere. From our social media feeds and the many causes shared there to the virtue posturing of the latest ad, the message continues – life would be better if we only – the answers vary, but the same questions arise.

Should life be better? What is the good life?

We may know it by sight or feel. We may desire it as we look at the people around us. We certainly share it in the stories we tell. Good stories give our hearts and minds room to play out real life’s struggles. They also reveal the issues of the human heart.

I recently watched the Lorax with my children. A classic Dr. Seuss tale refreshed in a clever way. In it, the people of Thneedville are sold fresh air and plastic everything as a result of environmental constraints and constant advertisement. A world only animation could offer in a fun way. Still, amidst the laughs, the social critique of Western civilization jumps off the screen. An individualistic approach to life has led many societies promoting the ‘good life’ by ‘biggering and bettering’ in Seuss’s classic observation. Keeping up with the Joneses and the so-called American Dream pull its followers into the business of busyness.

It made me pause and take stock of how I might be caught up in a real life reflection of this fictional tale. Am I really just giving my children experiences or am I also pursuing this empty promise? Do I pursue what I believe to be good or just the next thing offered? Has the good news of advancing lifestyle pursuits greater digital access moved me to live under FOMO (fear of missing out), or its recent iteration of FOBO (fear of better options). Am I caught up in this hesitating loneliness and the gospel of plastic consumerism? How should I be living?

It’s a question which applies to us all and haunts human history – How then shall we live? It forces us to pause and reflect on our current path in life. I won’t burden you with my own reflections (though we have remarkably less lying around these days). I will give you the question which often haunts me, ‘Am I living the good life?’

Philosophers and politicians have offered varying answers. History tells us how these proclamations have swung societies and nations back and forth in life’s pursuits. Great empires rose, fell, and were torn apart by the ways the people have grabbed a hold of an offered answer – or the ways in which they failed to consider a way together.

This is still true today. The world changes as it stays the same. Of late, people have clung more to ideas not from moral or thought leaders, but rather entertainers, influencers, and advertisers. Attention has flowed towards those who can capture our gaze over those who have shown character and wisdom. This leads to fads, gimmicks, and novelty demanding our life fulfillment.

Yet nothing is new under the sun. Blaise Pascal, the 16th century mathematician, brilliantly articulated this truth in his Penses, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”

We cram the biggering and bettering into a bottomless hole that has but one satisfactory answer.  God. Only God can sustain our longing, being, and purpose. The better product, the funner event, the shinier life, the tribal prestige, the ambitious agenda – all fall away against the march of time. Or as Ecclesiastes teaches, “Meaningless, meaningless – all is meaningless.”

How then shall we live? The one answer Pascal reveals is not a principle or definition, but rather a God-centered life well lived. We have stories of someone who revealed this life to us and it is good – some say good news for us. For the answer is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The answer is Jesus, who told us long ago about the emptiness of other pursuits,”The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus’ answer has an invitation which extends still today. The good life lies in the way following his teachings. The good life comes from loving our neighbor, seeking justice, coming alongside the downtrodden, loving ourselves, and walking humbly with our God. It remains good news to those not yet living in it that abundant life can be had by all. It offers life unswayed by advertising and social advancement. History reveals countless lives which witness to these truths. And we are all invited to add our lives to the many who have walked this path.

I confess I have at times been swayed by the pursuits sold and modeled to me by many. Over time, I have seen and felt them turn to ash. Only Jesus’s way has endured the trials of time. My hope is that people look at my life and see not the ‘biggering and bettering’ of consumerism’s empty promises, but rather the abundant life of obedience to Jesus, the fount of eternal life. And about this, I care a whole awful lot.

How then shall we live? By following Jesus and inviting others to join in the journey. By this the world will indeed change.. May we share this good news well as we tell stories of life lived along the path Jesus calls us all to walk.