Walking a Dog and the Image of God

A couple months ago, I noticed a woman taking her dog for a walk in my neighborhood. She was perhaps in her upper fifties, and not in the best of health. The dog was about a foot tall at the shoulder, weighing maybe twenty pounds.

But the striking thing was that, though I said she was taking her dog for a walk, in reality it was more as if the dog were taking her for a walk. One moment it would be charging down the sidewalk, leash taut and dragging the woman along as fast as she could run (which was not very fast because of her health; she looked as if she could easily stumble and fall). The next moment the dog would stop to sniff the base of a telephone pole, giving the woman a brief respite. Then he would take off again, the woman stumbling behind him.

My first reaction to this scene was to be somewhat judgmental. My mother is a dog trainer, and she had shown us the need for boundaries and training for our dogs. Couldn’t this woman put limits on the disrespectful behavior of her tiny dog? But quickly my perspective changed. Of course this is guesswork as I’ve only just begun to become acquainted with this woman, but I began to wonder how she might have been treated and the things she’d been told about herself, that would bring her to this point of being dragged along by her dog’s agenda.

God delights in and cares for the smallest members of His creation: He even feeds the birds of the air. They are important. But Jesus then says, “Are you not much more valuable than they?”  (Matthew 6:26b, emphasis added)

This scene has haunted me since. Here was someone who has been made in the image of the eternal, omnipotent and majestic God of the universe. Here was someone who had been formed by the One who calls every star by name. Here she was, at the mercy of her dog’s whims, dragged along behind it when she herself could barely run.

What does this woman—and so many others in Bangor and our world, including you and me—need to know? She needs to know the God who has made her, delights in her, and claims her as a daughter of the King in Jesus. In The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis gives a glimpse of what this looks like:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”  (http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/10/17/there-are-no-ordinary-people-you-have-never-talked-to-a-mere-mortal/#sthash.8sVO2sGj.dpuf)

This woman—and thousands of other men and women in Bangor and wherever we find ourselves—needs to hear the gospel. They and we (for it isn’t just “those people” who need to hear the gospel, but each of us every day: we receive before we can give) need to hear of a new center and grounding of their worth and how much they are loved in Jesus. They need to hear and tell of God’s glorious rescue plan for the lost; they need to hear of God’s love for the unlovable; they need to hear of God’s forgiveness and cleansing; they need to hear the party in heaven that takes place whenever one sinner repents; they need to hear God’s blessing spoken over them. We need to hear God’s Word to us.

This woman is so much more than she thinks she is—as we are also in God’s eyes—and in Jesus, the road is paved for her to live as a beloved and treasured daughter of the living God...the God who, with every Christian as with Israel, “will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph. 3:17) We need to daily receive God’s love and delight in us because of Jesus. And we have the calling to introduce others around us to the God who delights to claim weak and broken sinners like us and them as His own beloved sons and daughters. 

October Update from New Hope

October Update from New Hope

Here are a few news items from this past month at New Hope/Bangor...

Small Group Study: Our current Thursday evening small group has been entitled “Fighting Well: Christian Conflict”, and we are using Peacemaker Ministries’ curriculum on addressing conflict from a biblical perspective. Some of us need to learn how to change from destructive patterns of conflict to God-honoring habits. But the leadership team has also recognized that, perhaps for more of us in the church, we need to learn how to actually engage in conflict in the first place—rather than pretending it doesn’t exist or just maintaining a surface-level peace. There has been strong interest in this study, and we pray that God will continue to work through it to teach us healthy habits of conflict and peacemaking.

Soccer: My coaching season wrapped up mid-month, and it was a delight to work with this group of students. My captains even shared that, with the 24 high school girls on the team, there were no cliques. Instead, the players were invested in and excited for each other’s success and the success of the team as a whole. It was a privilege to work with my captains as well; I am slowly learning the value of equipping them and giving them more responsibilities rather than trying to do everything myself. I also had a couple opportunities to discuss matters of faith with girls on the team (particularly noticing how the jump-off point for these conversations is often their curiosity about supernatural forces: something which Jesus was not shy in addressing). I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to coach, and the mentoring moments during the season.

Building: As New Hope has been gathering in a school gym for several years now, we have been open to options for a more permanent space. We have a good relationship with the school, but hope to have a space that would not involve weekly set-up and take-down. So far, we have considered sharing space with another congregation, leasing our own space, or purchasing a building. Please do join us in prayer for guidance as we continue this process. With that said, God has also reminded of the potential danger of seeking a building with the idea that a worship space will itself create a shared mission and vision (an external solution to an internal need). We need to first be listening to (and following) how God is shaping New Hope’s mission and vision as we enter these next years, and then, out of obedience to Him, we can seek a building that facilitates what He would have us do/focus on. This month, our leadership team is taking time in listening prayer, attune to how God has equipped and worked through New Hope in the past, what He’s doing in the present, and how He may be leading us into the future. We will then come together in our December meeting to discuss this further. Please pray for discernment and sensitivity to God’s leading—whether or not the areas in which He would have us focus involve a building.

“Random” Meetings: As I often work in local coffeeshops, there have been many opportunities to meet and build friendships with other regular customers. I have met several individuals in particular who have moved from outside Bangor, and who have expressed feeling isolated in this area. One day, I noticed a woman (I’ll call her “Julie”) at a table by herself, looking quite depressed. I had seen her there before, so introduced myself. We had a relatively brief conversation, but Julie shared how she felt isolated, and a little of her past. Then, a couple months after this initial conversation, I saw her again. This led to a much longer conversation, with her asking questions about many aspects of Christian faith. I was struck by how much she opened up, and I’ve found that although it is very rare for anyone to initiate a conversation with me, the vast majority are quite open when I take the first step. I’m grateful for these opportunities to meet others and hopefully begin to introduce them to Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement.

September Update from New Hope

Dear Friends and Family,

I apologize about taking so long to write another update. It’s been a full summer, and below I’ve given just a couple glimpses of what’s happening at New Hope and here in Bangor. Thank you for your interest in reading, and for all your prayers!

Sermon Series: For the past couple months, I’ve been preaching through the story of David in 1 Samuel. We’ve come to some challenging passages, but it’s also been a great opportunity to address how to read the Old Testament (and any difficult passages in the Bible). Each Sunday, we spend time addressing the immediate passage in its own context, then how it points to Jesus, and then what that means for us. So in the story of David and Goliath, we saw the family and political dynamics at work in that time and place, and then saw how Jesus (the “Son of David”) is also our representative champion who defeats sin and the devil through his sacrifice—and how we participate in His victory by faith, like the Israelite army no longer had to be afraid after David had killed Goliath.

Youth night: One of our leaders observed that the youth in the church don’t have much connection, so in July we started a once-a-month youth night. I am co-leading with another couple in the church, and encouraging other adults to join at times, hopefully allowing for informal mentoring relationships. We start by eating together, then do a group lesson (watching a popular advertisement, and then discussing its messages through the lens of Scripture—learning a Christian worldview), and then play games. It’s been exciting to see the response from the youth, to see them engaging with one another and the leaders, and to see the parents’ appreciation of this opportunity for their children. Please continue to pray for mentoring relationships to develop between adults and youth, as well as for friends and visitors who come—that they may experience the hospitality of the gospel and come to know Jesus.

Street Pastors: For the past few months, a management team (of which I am a member) of leaders and members from various churches in the area has been meeting to bring a ministry called “Street Pastors” to Bangor (see streetpastors.org for the organization; bangormaineusa.streetpastors.org for the in-the-works local website). This organization began in the U.K., and local chapters train and send out lay “pastors” to extend the love of Christ on the streets—being a listening and caring presence during the high-crime times. Cities in the U.K. have seen crime rates drop dramatically with Street Pastors’ presence, as people experience God’s love through Christians meeting them where they are. In our first “patrol” a couple weeks ago (a group goes out every Friday between 8pm and 1am), it was amazing to see God at work. There have been many opportunities to listen to what people have to share, pray with them, be a presence that prevents conflicts that otherwise might have escalated, provide for basic physical needs and/or direct people to resources and social services agencies, and to share the gospel in deed and word. One of the most amazing parts was to see Christians from many different congregations presenting a united witness. One of the men who had gone summarized it something like this: “An Anglican, a Methodist, a Congregationalist, a Reformed believer, an Adventist, and a Baptist walk into downtown Bangor…It sounds like the start of a joke, but it’s not—it actually happened last Friday!” In fact, one man was so blown away by seeing congregations working together that he just (completely unsolicited) offered a monetary donation on the spot. Please continue to pray for Christian unity (in the midst of the diversity of more peripheral convictions held by believers who are involved). God is at work!

Soccer: In August, I began my second season coaching girls’ JV soccer at John Bapst—a local private high school. Coaching keeps my schedule full, but I find it refreshing and enjoyable. It’s a great opportunity to build bridges within the community, and at our first team dinner, I was able to connect with one parent in particular about a challenging church situation.  This past week, I also met with my captains for dinner to talk about leadership, and the team/season in general. It was neat to see them noticing teammates who are more on the margins—and thinking of how to integrate them. We also talked about leadership as investment in others’ improvement as well as one’s own. I could tell that the captains were genuinely excited as they observed improvement by one of the girls in particular. A couple weeks into the season, and it’s been a great time.

Babies: Over the course of five months this summer, there were four babies born at New Hope. We’re grateful for all healthy deliveries, and the increase in noise is well worth it!

It is a privilege to continue to be able to live in Bangor and work alongside those at New Hope. Thank you for your encouragement and support.

In our Lord,

Jonathan

July Update from New Hope

Thank you for your continued support of the work at New Hope here in Bangor, Maine. We see God at work, and trust that He is Lord of this congregation and this city!

A few updates from the past couple months…

We are currently in a sermon series entitled “Are You Crazy Busy?” in which we are seeking to grow in a Scriptural perspective on rest, work, and what is of eternal value—all in light of the gospel. So far we've addressed the gospel and rest, a biblical perspective on work, Christian "ambition", and worry. 

Over the past couple months, we have been re-working the mid-week men’s and women’s Bible studies, and in late June started a mixed (men’s, women’s, and youth) Bible/topical study. We hope to give couples and families the opportunity to study and grow together, with multiple generations present and a setting where friends and neighbors can also feel welcome—allowing for both discipleship and evangelism. I meet with a leadership team each week prior to the study, to brainstorm, plan, and pray together. One or two of those on the leadership team will be leading each session (sessions running for about two months before we shift to a different topic), but with the support of the whole team. This should allow for both growth opportunities for current and future leaders, as well as shared responsibility that will hopefully allow leadership to lead directly at times, and at other times simply attend as participants. Our first study met on June 26^th, and there was a good turn-out. For the first two-month session we are going through sections of Richard Foster’s Devotional Classics—addressing spiritual disciplines and growth towards maturity in Christ. Please pray for the leadership team members to continue to grow, and for those participating in the study.

God has persistently been reminding me and others at New Hope of the centrality and importance of prayer. Two years ago, following the CRC prayer summit, a prayer team was formed at New Hope and has been meeting weekly since then. It’s wonderful to see the faithfulness of these members, their hearts for God, and their prayer that is saturated with worship. In addition, this past winter I was able to attend a seven-week prayer training (addressing repentance and spiritual/emotional/physical healing from a strongly Scriptural perspective) and shared the materials with our prayer ministry team leader, and a few members were also able to attend a weekend “retreat” led by a local congregation that focused on prayer and repentance. We are hoping to continue to encourage and equip members these areas—and are looking to find and train prayer partners who would be available to pray with individuals after the Sunday service. Please pray that God would give New Hope an increasing hunger to seek Him in prayer—recognizing prayer as communion with God and as an arena for spiritual warfare. God works powerfully in response to His people’s prayers!

We have seen God working in response to our prayers in many ways. One individual in particular comes to mind, although there have been numerous other ways that God has worked through the prayer team. We had been praying for one member’s mother for some time; she was diagnosed with cancer, and we began praying not only for her physical health but for her salvation. And God powerfully answered those prayers as He worked through those who spoke to her about Jesus. I could see a change in her: Where before she had seemed to only express faith on a surface level, she now began to actually want to hear Scripture, expressed genuine joy and hope in Jesus, and began to open up to her daughter and others in a new way. She died this past week, but God had answered our prayers for healing on the most profound level: healing in her relationship with Him and with others. It’s amazing to see God’s work even in the lives of those who are near the end of their lives. Please pray for His continued regenerating work in the lives of other spouses, parents, children, and friends.

  

On another note, God has given us growth on two levels over this past year: New families have been coming to New Hope, and we also have four babies expected (two already born, two on their way) in the span of five months!

New Hope has also been partnering with other churches in Bangor, and it’s encouraging to see the united witness to Christ that can result. As one example, members at New Hope co-sponsor the “Gen Rev (General Revelation) Outdoor Club” with others at a local conservative Anglican church, planning hikes and outings that provide the opportunity for time together and the opportunity to invite those who don’t yet know Christ.

My tennis coaching season ended well; the boys’ team made it into the post-season but lost in the first round. However, it was a good time to begin to build bridges in the area, and God also provided opportunities during the season to share my faith with players and parents. We just started a middle school summer tennis camp, and I look forward to continuing coaching tennis each spring and soccer each fall.

Once again, thank you for your partnership in the gospel. We appreciate ongoing prayers for protection for our leadership, spiritual protection and restoration where needed for marriages, and an ever-increasing hunger for God and recognition of our dependence on Him. He is Lord of the Church and King of this world.

May Update at New Hope

Easter at New Hope was a great time. A number of visitors joined us, and the message was on the story of God’s redemption in Scripture. Adam and Eve fell into sin when they believed the lie that God was not good, but God fiercely loves His people so much that He would stop at nothing to bring them (us!) back home—even giving His only Son. This is the story we all need to hear every day, as we grow in the gospel and in the knowledge of God’s goodness to us. During this service, we also presented families with young children with The Jesus Storybook Bible—a powerful and theologically rich children’s story Bible, which shows how all the stories in the Bible point to Jesus.

On the weekend after Easter, I was ordained as Minister of the Word at New Hope. I am grateful for such support in this time from friends and family, and from everyone at New Hope. It has been a privilege to serve God alongside the congregation, and I look forward to the years to come!

In a couple weeks, we will be wrapping up our Sunday School for the summer. We’ve been watching television commercials, and then discussing their implicit and explicit messages and comparing them to Scripture. During the past few weeks, we’ve also been addressing spiritual disciplines that counteract destructive messages, such as prayer (versus cultural values of self-reliance such as in Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Superbowl commercial) and fasting (versus an idolization of food in various commercials).

We’ve also seen a number of answers to prayer in the past months. God has worked powerfully in the life of an elderly relative of a church member, and we have seen a change of heart even as she approaches the end of her life. God is still at work to save, and it’s been a good reminder to never give up in prayer or our witness! This and other evidences of God’s goodness have been an encouragement, and it seems that God has been growing in us a hunger to seek Him in prayer.

Thank you all for your support and prayers. In this next month, please pray for God to continue to give us a greater hunger for Him as we expand the prayer ministry here at New Hope. In addition, in late June we will be starting up a Bible and topical study for men, women, and youth, so please pray that God would be preparing leaders and those who will be attending—including those who don’t yet know Jesus.

In our Lord,

Jonathan Fischer 

"Making" Jesus Lord?

I remember a conversation I had with a teenager several years ago, who professed to be an atheist. When I asked him why he didn’t believe in God, he explained that he didn’t like the idea of someone up there who could tell him what to do.

That stuck with me. He professed not to believe in God because he didn’t want to have to obey God.

Of course, underlying this statement is the assumption that his own way of living is better than God’s design for his life. And that’s a lie: The God who created and loves us calls us to a life of flourishing, away from our own self-destructive and impotent self-centeredness.

But there’s another problem with his statement. The fact of God’s existence is not determined by whether or not we like the idea or acknowledge Him. We have to reckon with the reality of God’s existence either way. It’s not a question of whether God is “up there”; the only question is whether this teenager will acknowledge God’s claim on his life.

But this mindset isn’t only true of professing atheists; it’s also true of each of us at times. Whenever we sin or go our own way, we’re acting as if there were no God, as if Jesus were not really King. And sometimes, even when we are seeking to honor God, our language reveals this faulty understanding of God. We find ourselves using phrases such as “make Jesus Lord of your life” or “I need to put Christ first”. I understand the sentiment behind these phrases, but ultimately they are confusing.

You and I can never “make” Jesus Lord; He already is Lord and King—period. You or I can never “put” Christ first; He already is the “First and the Last” (Revelation 22:13). So it’s not our job to “make” Jesus Lord; it’s simply for us to first acknowledge that Heis Lord, and then to appropriate/receive Him as our Lord.

We weren’t the ones who crowned Jesus King; if we were, that would put us in a position of authority over Him. Remember what Peter said in Acts 2:36: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When we recognize this, we see that we’re simply called to align ourselves with this reality.

We could think of it like this: Imagine if I assumed that the law of gravity didn’t apply to me, so I climbed every house and jumped off the roof. It wouldn’t go so well. But if I finally learned to acknowledge and respect the law of gravity, I would stop jumping off roofs and wouldn’t get injured. In doing this, I wouldn’t have “created” the law of gravity or “made” it true; I would have simply aligned myself with it and stopped rejecting its claim on me.

As another example, think of WWII in Europe after the Nazi surrender. If the few scattered troops were to continue resisting the new authority in Europe, they would be defeated. They would need to recognize that the war was over, and surrender. By surrendering they would be acknowledging the authority and victory of the Allies—not “making” the Allies victorious.

On Easter, we celebrate that Jesus is the living Lord. Christ is King. We don’t “make” Him King; He is already King, and we simply acknowledge His authority and align ourselves under Him.

As Christians, that means that when we speak to others about Jesus, we’reannouncing. We’re not trying to get others to “make” Jesus Lord of their lives; we’re pleading with people to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord—and to rest in (or to appropriate) Him as their Lord.

And thankfully, Jesus is not only a Lord and King who conquers and judges, but a King who forgives, saves, and protects His own! He has limitless grace for all who throw down their arms and come to Him for forgiveness. And He doesn’t just give amnesty; He pours out upon us the never-ending favor of God. When we come to Jesus and acknowledge that He is Lord and Savior—and our Lord and Savior—we are no longer under the anger of God; we are under His favor as adopted sons and daughters.

Call and Ordination to New Hope Church

I have been a long time in writing, and have a few updates to share.

Call and Ordination

As I mentioned last year, Pastor Carl Bergman (the lead pastor at New Hope) took a sabbatical from October 2013 – February 2014, and as Intern Pastor, I was functioning as the sole pastor during this period. Over his sabbatical, it became clear to Carl that God was leading him to step down from pastoring New Hope and to enter a partial retirement. (He will still be working for the denomination in this region.)

Following this news, New Hope later extended a call to me to serve as lead (long-term) pastor. Through a period of thought and prayer, God gave me a sense of peace about the call, and I accepted in late February. It will be a privilege to continue to serve the congregation and city in this region!

In mid-March, at our regional denominational leadership meeting, I was examined in my faith and life, preaching, and biblical and theological understanding. Although I certainly approached the exam with some trepidation, it was a very affirming time—and especially encouraging to have family and several long-time friends and mentors there. Now that I have been ordained, there will be a special ordination/installation service at New Hope on April 27^th. Thank you for all your support and prayers leading up to this point! I know I will continue to need them in the coming years.

Coaching

I just started coaching tennis at a local high school, and as always it’s a delight to work with the team. We have 17 students, and already I see several potential captains/leaders among them. It can be exhausting to coach on top of everything else, but in many ways it’s even more refreshing to run practices and be able to mentor these students in an enjoyable and challenging athletic context. Please pray that this season provides opportunities to point the students and their families to Christ.

Easter

Our Ephesians sermon series will be finishing up this Sunday, and we are praying that next week’s Easter service will be a time when many others will have the opportunity to hear the gospel. In addition, as we have gained more young families in our congregation and anticipate the birth of four more babies within these next couple months, we will also be giving out The Jesus Storybook Bible on Easter morning to all families with children. (This is the best children’s Bible I have seen, showing how the whole of Scripture points to Jesus. I actually bought my own copy as well; it’s well worth it for children and adults!)

New Members

It’s been a privilege to teach a new members’ class that will conclude this upcoming Sunday. Two long-time members are co-leading the class with me, and three couples are participating. We spent the first week addressing the foundations of Christianity, seeking to answer the question, “What is the gospel?” The gospel is something that Christians are called to live into, not move past—so it never loses its relevance. It’s like a good book that only gets better the more we read it. The second class focused on our Reformed “accent”, with an overview of the Reformation, Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, and our denomination in particular. Our last class will focus on membership at New Hope in particular. We will discuss the history of New Hope and its membership covenant, and also the importance of addressing previous church experiences—forgiving where necessary before pursuing membership at New Hope.

As always, thank you for your prayers—I know we need them. And if you find yourself in Maine sometime in the next few years, please let me know; I will now be here past this year!