getting lean

The following was originally published in the September edition of The Encourager:

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.” – Semisonic

Regeneration – new birth and new life – are at the heart of Methodist Christianity. John Wesley rightly believed that the great work of redemption begins when we experience the second birth – when we are made into a new creation in Christ Jesus. Regeneration represents the ultimate change in the life of a human being. It takes place when we allow our sinful self to be crucified with Christ and when we join with him in his glorious resurrection. It involves the circumcision of the heart and a transformation of the mind. We put off our old, childish, sinful ways and allow Jesus to become our living Lord. The reign of sin is broken in our lives and we begin life anew – in the pattern of holiness God always intended. It is a glorious work of God. It is also a painful process of letting go.

Considering the central role regeneration plays in the life of the Christian, you would think that we would be better at handling change than we are. I wish to speak plainly to you church. I pray that God gives you ears to hear the rhythm of my heartbeat so that you may share in my hope for the work of Christ in our midst.

Well over a year ago, I began to discern that we as a body were moving through a time of transition, change, and new birth. The word that kept coming to my mind was “winnowing.” In my mind’s eye I kept seeing a boxer preparing for a prize fight. He was slightly out of shape, bathed in sweat and working with every breath to get down to his “fighting weight.” He knew that the battle was approaching and that it was time to get prepared by getting lean. He wanted to shed every extra ounce of fat and be pure muscle. He had to narrow his focus and place all his great will toward one end. I felt then, as I do now, that this is a picture of our church.

I believe we are in the process of getting lean. It is an exciting, though exhausting, time.

It is my perception that we are currently experiencing some anxiety about our future together. This is being fueled in some large part by the impending opening of our new facility. Though I was not here at the time, I strongly suspect that University has had to wrestle through similar experiences with each new chapter of life together. This is not a bad thing. We should embrace our feelings of anxiety, excitement, hope, and even fear. Each of them needs to equally owned so that they can be laid at the feet of Christ.

Have you ever moved homes? I have. Moving generates enormous stress for your family. Even if you are moving into your dream home, it is often bittersweet. There is always so much to do, so much chaos in a major move. We have never lived in that new house. We don’t know where all our stuff will be located. Our neighbors are strangers. Even worse, we are leaving the house we raised our family in! We just love our neighbors and our neighborhood. We know where every pot hole is on the way in and the way out! It is our family’s home. It is our place of sanctuary and security. Nevertheless, we move into that new house. And once we have unpacked all the boxes? Once we have met our new neighbors? Once we have our first peaceful night’s sleep and see our kids at play in their new back yard? Our minds are comforted and our spirits find peace.

I think it is the same for our church family. As we prepare to move into our new facility, we may harbor fears and anxieties. Will it be too big? Will we become two churches? Will I get lost in the shuffle? Where will my place be in the future? Will I still count?

Hear me: these are natural concerns when faced with new beginnings. Change is difficult – even change that we truly long for, hope for, and even work for. Even our new birth in Christ is difficult while we are experiencing it. It is painful to let go of familiar patterns of behavior – even the ones that in the end are destructive to our souls. It is often only in hindsight that we recognize the good work of Christ during times of transition.

Church, the fight that we are preparing for is much more important than any boxing match. We are preparing to launch an assault on Enemy occupied territory. We go into battled armed only with the name of Jesus Christ. Now is the time for us to become singular in our focus. We must rally as one around the Captain of Heaven. We cannot allow anything to distract us.

God has done amazing things at University. I don’t believe he is done. Our Woodlawn pioneers and long-term members have made an incredible sacrifice of obedience on the altar of God. It would be an offense not only to God, but to these saints if we ever supposed that God’s best days for University are behind us. No, God’s best days for our church lie ever before us.
Now is the time for us to renew our commitment to personal and social holiness. Any word or deed, any selfish or vain attitude, anything that not in Christ, needs to be crucified and left behind. We must stand together, unified by the Gospel of Christ and enter together into the new beginning he has laid out before us.