We are just a few days from the beginning of Holy Week. We will remember: 

• Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (he is from Nazareth),
• how Jesus disrupted the business of the Temple (called the cleansing but he didn’t do any cleaning)
• how Jesus taught daily in the Temple courts (outside the Temple building) 
• Jesus celebrating Passover (the Old Covenant) with his disciples and establishing a New Covenant (Holy Communion)
• Jesus’ arrest and trial (a kangaroo court for sure)
• Jesus’ crucifixion and death (by the Roman authorities)
• Jesus’ burial in a borrowed tomb (thanks to Joseph of Arimathea)
• Jesus’ glorious and unexpected resurrection

Jesus did all of these things with you in mind. Yes, that’s right. He was thinking of you. Don’t forget that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made. When you were woven together in the depths of the earth, God’s eyes saw your unformed body.” Psalm 139:14-16Like Jeremiah the Old Testament prophet, “Before God formed you in the womb He knew you, before you were born God set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5

Jesus knew long before you did that you would be a part of His family one day. He knew this before you were born. “In love God predestined us to be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:4But we aren’t members of a club. No, we were invited to be changed by this love! ^“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” Romans 8:29

You are more favored by God than even Jesus’ disciples! “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

This coming week… Holy Week is all for you. 

• Jesus reminds you that he is your King on Palm Sunday. 
• Jesus makes an unbreakable promise of forgiveness to you when he gave us Holy Communion.
• Jesus showed you the extent of His love by dying for you.
• And Jesus shows us that we no longer need to fear anyone or anything including death on Easter morning. 

This coming week is a gift for you. Immerse yourself in that gift. God loves you so much.

Speaking of God’s love, Jesus is thinking about you right now as you read this.

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

A kindergarten teacher found an exciting new thing for her Sunday School class. The teacher wrote a song about popcorn, taught it to the children, and had them crouch down on the floor to sing it. At appropriate points in the song, all the children would “pop up.” The teacher soon had them “popping” all over the classroom.

One day, the popcorn song was in full swing, when the teacher noticed one child remained crouching on the floor while the other children “popped” all over the room. “Why can’t you pop like the other children?” 

The little child replied, “I’m burning in the bottom of the pan.”

We all have moments, days, seasons of “burning in the bottom of the pan.”

When those situations arise… they are miserable. By the way, I am suspicious of Christians who smile through the obvious pain. 

Yet even Jesus reminds his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b

Jesus knew that life sometimes stinks. Jesus’ Good Friday was anything but good for him. 

The question is not “How do I avoid trouble?” Because you can’t. The question is “How do I move through difficult times?”

I can’t answer that for you, but I can tell you what I have observed in myself and other people.

When difficulties arise we have a choice between RESENTMENT or RESILIENCE. 

When we turn to Proverbs 17:22 we see what King Solomon says about the matter. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Let me be clear, this isn’t about “turning a frown upside-down.” This is about the temperament we bring to all of life. Guess what the word “cheerful” can also be translated as? Joyful. Yes, joy. Joy allows resilience. Joy keeps from getting stuck and joy helps us move forward. Without joy, we become stuck and soon resentment creeps in. 

I was reminded how important it is to choose joy is this week. My father (who some of you know) had a cornea transplant this week. A few weeks ago, he had a cataract removed from the same eye. In about 5 weeks, the same procedures will occur for his other eye. When I talked to him before and after surgery he was joyful. Seriously. My dad reminds me of the importance of choosing joy and to be wary of resentment.  He hasn’t complained about this at all (to me at least). Nor does he complain about the aches and pains of getting older. 

I appreciate the attitude my dad brings to living life. I try (and often fail) to be as joyful as my father. I am thankful I have someone to look to that does not live in the land of resentment. 

God bless you all,

Pr. Ben

One week ago, a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and killed 50 people and injured 50 others. These people were coming to worship in peace. An Australian white supremacist committed this horrendous hate crime. I denounce white supremacy and violence against others. 

The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (our bishop, if you are an ELCA Lutheran) wrote a letter to us after this violent and tragic event. Here is that letter:

Dear Church, 

Today we awoke to the devastating news of the mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. We join in mourning for the people who were killed and wounded, for their families, for the first responders and grief counselors, and for all whose lives have been shattered today. We know that God is present in the midst of their suffering. 

We know that our own Muslim neighbors here in the U.S. are also experiencing grief and fear. Many will wonder whether it is safe to attend Friday prayers today. These are not the kinds of questions that any of us should have to ask ourselves as we seek to live out our religious commitments. Yet, devastatingly, this is also a reality that binds us together as people of faith. As I wrote last November in the wake of the Tree of Life shooting: “Hate-filled violence knows no bounds – whether a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, a Christian church in Charleston, a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh” – and now these mosques in New Zealand. 

Together with our ecumenical and inter-religious partners, we stand shoulder to shoulder in condemning hatred, bigotry, racism and violence whenever and wherever it occurs. We do so because all people are made in the image of God. Therefore, as an act of neighborly love, I urge you to reach out to your Muslim neighbors today and in the days to come to ask how you might offer solidarity and support – joining whenever possible with other ecumenical and inter-religious neighbors. 

I leave you with the words of Psalm 16:1: “Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” This is my prayer – for our Muslim neighbors, for the people of Christchurch, and for all who mourn and are afraid. May we see in this devastation the possibility to be Christ’s presence with our neighbors in this world – to be present in their suffering and to be partners in God’s justice and peace. 

In peace,

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton

Presiding Bishop, ELCA

I saw the picture above, online. I saved it because I resonated with the skill set on the left side (successful people). The more I pondered this sign, the more I wondered if the Bible had anything to say about these things. And so, I dug into my Bible to see what I could find…

Read Every day—God says, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8 

Compliment—Paul says, “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Romans 15:2

Embrace Change—God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Forgive Others— Jesus says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

Talk About Ideas—Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Continuously Learn—Solomon says, “Instruct a person man and they will be wiser still; teach a righteous person and they will add to their learning.” Proverbs 9:9

Accept Responsibility for Their Failures—Solomon says, “Those who conceals their sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” 

Have a Sense of Gratitude—Paul says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Set Goals and Develop Life Plans—Solomon says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

After digging into scripture and discovering that the Bible talked about these skills long before that internet posting ever existed… I might just change the title from “Successful People” to “Faithful People.”

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Tina Sinatra, recalls her father’s unceasing drive to succeed and make money, even when his health was at risk near the end of his life:

His health was in tatters and his life mired in financial wrangles, but my father refused to stop giving concerts. “I’ve just got to earn more money,” he said.

His performances, sad to say, were becoming more and more uneven. Uncertain of his memory, he became dependent on tele-prompters. When Tina saw him at Desert Inn in Las Vegas, he struggled through the show and felt so sick at the end that he needed oxygen from a tank that he kept on hand. At another show he forgot the lyrics to “Second Time Around,” a ballad he had sung a thousand times. His adoring audience finished it for him.

She couldn’t bear to see her father struggle. She remembered all the times he repeated the old boxing maxim, “You gotta get out before you hit the mat.” He wanted to retire at the top of his game, and she always thought he would know when his time came, but pushing 80 he lost track of when to quit. 

After seeing one too many of these fiascos, she told him, “Pop, you can stop now; you don’t have to stay on the road.”

With a stricken expression he said, “No, I’ve got to earn more money. I have to make sure everyone is taken care of.”

Ironically, since his death there have been constant family wrangles over his fortune.

I can’t help but think of what Saint Paul wrote to the church in Philippi that he started… I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13

Clearly Saint Paul’s life has zero resemblance to Frank Sinatra’s life. As much as I enjoy Frank’s music, I appreciate Paul’s words even more. Paul’s life was anything but easy. I would venture a guess that Paul’s best day was probably harder than Frank’s worst day. Yet, we hear that Paul has figured out the secret of contentment in any and all circumstances. 

Paul’s relationship with Jesus took precedent above everything else in his life. Jesus is literally the most important thing in Paul’s life. His contentment isn’t found in things or pleasant surroundings, it was found in Christ alone. The things happening around Paul were less important than the Christ within him. 

Earlier in the fourth chapter of Philippians Paul talks about the importance of prayer. Prayer is our life-line to God and Paul tells us that no matter what is happening in our lives, we should pray about it. Why? Because there is a benefit to praying about everything. Listen to this…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Peace is given when we pray. Who doesn’t need more peace in our chaotically busy lives? I know I do! 

Maybe Frank Sinatra could have benefitted from prayer too.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

I read an interesting anecdote by Joani Schultz the Chief Creative Officer of Group Publishing.

This is what happened (in her own words)…

A crazy rumor erupted on our wedding anniversary cruise.

Before we even boarded, a just-met passenger whispered, “The new CEO who just purchased this cruise line is a passenger!”

Of course, my head swiveled around to see if I could spot the big-wig.

As the week went on, rumors flew like the norovirus. Who is the CEO? Where is that VIP? Are they dining among us “little people”?

One night, a passenger even turned to me and asked, “Are you the CEO?” By this time, if someone stooped to ask if I was the undercover boss, I knew people were desperate.

Mystery. Not. Solved.

Yet…

During the week, I didn’t mind the attention and care the staff lavished on us passengers. Until I thought: They do not know who the dignitary is. Are they covering their kindness bases just in case the new owner was one of us?

It was a case of “hedging your bets.” Better treat everyone like the new CEO (just in case). I really want to know if the quality plummeted for the people on the next cruise! 

I couldn’t help but think about the church and how we treat others who are “checking us out.” Do we treat them like angels from heaven or do we steer clear and look for the people we know? 

The author of Hebrews reminds us to always be full of love and not just with the people we know.

Keep on loving each other as sisters and brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2

The author is reminding us of Abraham’s hospitality towards the three divine visitors in Genesis 18 and possibly even the hospitality Lot (Abraham’s nephew) extended to the two angels in Genesis 19. 

When we gather to worship (or adjourn from worship) we should treat everyone as if they are a guest from God to be welcomed because we too are messengers of God’s love. 

Jesus half-brother James was very clear on this point in a letter he wrote to the church. 

My sisters and brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a person comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the person wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor person, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4

It doesn’t have to be the “rich/poor” comparison. It can be anything… including people we know versus people we don’t know. 

Let us continue to seek those who are craving connection to Christ and to us. If people are brave enough to come to church not knowing anyone, let us be brave enough to welcome them in the Name of Jesus.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Every week the Church gathers to do the one thing that every congregation has in common: we worship Jesus Christ, the resurrected One. 

But what is worship? 

It is more than the songs we sing.

It is more than the prayer(s) we pray.

It more than the words the pastor speaks.

It is even more than all of those things put together. 

I understand that every pastor and worship leader might have their own definitions of what worship is or is not. I am not here to dispute others and their definitions. There is more than one good definition of worship in the church world. I am taking the time to give you my perspective. 

I see two components as it relates to our worship of Jesus.

Worship in itself is an act of surrender to someone who is smarter, better and more wonderful than we are. More than that, worship is an acknowledgment that we cede control of our lives to someone else (Jesus).

That sounds pretty straightforward but as you know that is a challenge to each and everyone one of us. We like to be in control. Even though God created us to worship Him, this is hard for us.  We may worship but never surrender our lives to the Lord of all things. We might “enjoy” the music and the message but that doesn’t necessarily leads to a surrendered life where our God has the final say on the decisions we make. There has to be something more.

There is! Worship can help facilitate a surrendered life but it won’t do the spiritual work for you. Worship is the “environment” that can assist us in our spiritual growth but it is a not a magic spell that makes our wishes of greater devotion come true. Yet, if we don’t know the purpose of worship, how on earth do we expect anything out of it other than be entertained or bored? One out of every five attenders admitted that they had no idea what the most important outcome of worship is (in a national survey). 

If we come to worship understanding that our very act of worship is submission to Christ and our hearts and minds are open to greater surrender… God will work on us and in us. 

I said there were two components. Surrender is one of them. The second is what I do on Sunday morning at worship. My job is to help people enter into the presence of God at worship. I see myself as a conduit to help every worshipper make a connection with Jesus. I do not have the power to conjure God or make Him show up but I do have the ability to help people adjust their spiritual gaze toward Jesus so that they can connect with Him in a deeper way (surrender). I suppose I see myself like a docent or a guide to help people experience Jesus and His love. 

I am reminded of Psalm 100:4 where it says, “Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”That is my job! To escort people to enter into the house God, through his gates and into his courts so that we may give thanks and worship Christ and his powerful name. This happens in so many different ways that I do not have time to share today. 

Here is my promise to you: If you come to worship ready to more fully surrender your life, I promise to walk with you as we walk towards Christ together.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article to the larger church entitled, “We Need to Talk.” (https://benbergren.com/article-we-need-to-talk/) Last week, I penned an article on talking less and listening more. (https://benbergren.com/article-listen-more/) I want add one more “thought” to this string of articles. If we are to help others more than judge them and spend more time listening than speaking, we should (as Christians) spend a little time thinking about what we will say when the opportunity presents itself to open our mouths. 

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6

Instead of talking about the weather, making snide remarks or gossiping we are encouraged to speak with grace. If you didn’t know, the Greeks called salt “charitas”—grace—because it gave flavor to things. It seems that we spend a lot of time talking about trivial things and not enough time speaking about the one thing that truly matters: Jesus. 

I know, I know, we don’t want to talk about Jesus out in public… but we are called to share Jesus with others. Not because Jesus has an ego problem and wants everyone to be talking about Him. Jesus wants everyone to know His love. Love that is stronger than evil. Love that saved us from eternal separation from God. Love that makes this life worth living.

My life is infinitely better because of Jesus’ love. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without God. I hope that is true for you. If it is not, let’s spend some time together growing in our awareness of God’s love. It is only when we experience the love of God are we able to share it with others. Besides, how do you share something that you don’t have?

I mentioned this quote the other day… “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words only when necessary.” It is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. I think we like it because it lets us off the hook. Kevin Harney puts it this way, “How many times has the gospel not been shared, because we’ve embraced a version of Christianity where words don’t matter?”

Words do matter and our words matter. We have been tasked with sharing Jesus with others and only words will convey the truth of Jesus identity as God in the flesh. Only words can begin to describe the love Jesus has for humanity and His willingness to give His life so that we may be connected to God now and forever. 

Don’t hear that I am discounting a life of service and caring for others. Actions are not a substitute for speaking about the love of Jesus. 

Even Saint Paul wrote about this in his letter to the church of Rome.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in God  will never be put to shame. For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:11&13

Paul is telling us that everyone who is introduced to Jesus will not be shamed by God in spite of their sin and they will be saved for a greater purpose and saved for an eternity with God! But Paul continues…

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14

The short answer to Paul’s rhetorical questions above is: They can’t. 

Faith in Jesus Christ cannot transmitted without words. Kevin Harney (again) puts it this way, “The truth is that no matter how much we try to live in a way that reveals the presence of Jesus, words will still be needed.”

There is power in His name. I don’t mean that figuratively or symbolically. The Name of Jesus has spiritual power. His Name causes demons to shutter! We should not be timid in using this powerful Name in our lives, in our homes and in the world. This Name and this person can change your life because he already changed the world!

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Those who answers before listening— that is their folly and their shame.Proverbs 18:13

Hey! Shhh! Just kidding! The Bible verse and the picture above says it all, doesn’t it? It sure seems that people don’t want to understand those who are different than they are. It is easier if not more pleasurable (in the short term) to attack the things and people we don’t understand or agree with. What does Proverbs tell us about that approach? It is foolish and it is shameful. 

That is tough language. Maybe it takes words that blunt to get our attention sometimes. Instead of waiting our turn to rebut, just maybe we should take a breath and actually listen. There is a false equivalency that understanding and agreement go hand in hand. It is absolutely possible to understand someone or some thing and not agree with it. Not only that, but it is possible to disagree and not get into an argument. 

Proverbs says something about this too…A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.Proverbs 18:2

Once again we see behavior identified as foolish. We don’t have to say everything we are thinking because it is not always helpful and has the possibility to cause turmoil. 

Huh, Proverbs has something to say about that as well. The one who guards their mouth and tongue keeps themselves out of trouble.Proverbs 21:23

Why does the Bible and specifically Proverbs talk about this so much? (Disclosure: There are more verses about this topic in Proverbs that are not in this article.)  The answer is this, we are created to be in relationship. We are created for community. God’s intention for humanity is that we draw close to each other. At times we try real hard to prove God wrong. 

We don’t endear people to us by arguing. Just maybe by listening more and being less opinionated we are actually doing God’s will. This will allow us to connect with others at a deeper level so that we can talk about things that really matter… like Jesus. 

Even Jesus half-brother James reminds us of all these things when he wrote… Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for person’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.James 1:19-20

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Hello Church, we need to talk…

I am concerned that parts of the Christian Church are spending too much time worrying about other people’s personal conduct. But it is more than that, parts of the Christian church expend way too much energy on what they perceive others are doing wrong while minimizing their own poor decisions and attitudes.

Here is the equation we need to remember: Help others, worry about your own sin/conduct. Some in the Christian Church got their wires crossed and reversed that that equation. Instead they help themselves and worry about other’s sin/conduct. This must stop because it is wrong and it damages the effectiveness of the entire Christian Church. 

If you happen to be guilty of this, this is about the time your brain goes into overdrive and starts to scream, “What about…? What about…? What about…?” That is a natural defense mechanism when you are challenged by another, especially when you are convinced that you are right about most things.

God came to us in the person of Jesus to show us the extent of God’s love. God drew close to us that we would draw close to Him. But not just us, all people. Somehow this thought that God wants to transform the entire human family with the love of Jesus is lost on some Christians. Instead, the life of Jesus became a version of “Noah and the ark” where the chosen are already saved and everyone else is damned. In other words, it is quite fine to judge others because they are already condemned with no hope of redemption. They see the ark door of salvation is already closed. (Ummm, nope.)

History is clear. If the Christian Church sees itself as “moral law enforcement” for the world, the church will die. First, that is not our mission. Second, no one in the history of humanity has ever experienced life change by another group of people saying, “You are a sinner, you are evil, you are morally bankrupt, change or else…” Remember: Rules without Relationship will result in Rebellion. Case in point, many U.S. Christians thought that alcohol was evil. Because of their influence, the “prohibition” of alcohol manufacturing, sales and consumption became the law of the land. As you know, that did not stop the consumption of alcohol (even among Christians). We Christians are not here to monitor the behavior of our neighbor. We are here to care for our neighbor. There is a difference.

There is no way to legislate humanity into perfection (or impose your preferred behavior on others based on your beliefs). It doesn’t matter if they are laws written into our civil code or demanding obedience to a set of religious law/rules/commandments, this is not an effective means to a better world. Murder is not only against the law but it is also frowned upon by God (The Fifth Commandment). Neither of them deter murder. 

We are here to help the “other” in Jesus’ Name. We are to love others so that they are changed by our kindness. We are most influential when we love. We are least effective when we judge and condemn. If we truly want to change the world, we love it. Love is way harder than judging others from our Lazy-Boy recliners. Love is messier and it is dangerous but it is the only way forward. Warning: Loving others got Jesus killed and many others that followed in His footsteps. As for me, I still choose love.

God bless you,
Pr. Ben