Looking Behind The Curtain

I was thinking about "The Wizard of OZ" the other day.... the movie.  I have read the book several times but the movie is one of the few where I actually like the movie better.  Anyway, I thinking about the scene where Dorothy and her friends meet the Great and Might OZ.  The booming voice, the authority, and special effects kept them from looking behind the curtain.  When Toto goes and pulls the curtain back the companions are surprised to see that the Great OZ was only a short, small voiced man... a human like them, without special powers.  He was using the tricks of special effects to keep them from seeing what was really behind the curtain.

If you look closely at the picture that is behind this blog, you may notice that it isn't a stock photo robbed off the internet.  It is actually a picture I took back in about 2004 or so.  I chose this picture as the back drop of the blog because it is a particularly nice picture... only problem is that all the words and stuff on the blog page keep it hidden.  It disappoints me not because it is my picture, rather it disappoints me because all my busyness gets in the way of seeing the beauty of God's creation captured in that moment in July of 2004 in British Colombia Canada.  It is a shame that you can't see what I saw.

Is it possible that we do that with God, sometimes?  We have an amazing experience of a personal encounter with the Living God... and we clutter the view with busyness.  The beautiful things God is doing in my life and in your life are like that picture... we need to shut-up sometimes, and just let people see the changes that are happening.  Let the beauty that is your changed life speak.  Instead we sometimes feel we have to defend God, or at least our ideas about God.  The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said that defending the Bible is like defending a lion.  Just turn it loose and get  out of the way... Our experience of God is like that.  We don't have to defend it we just need to share it.  God's love will shine through and others will see the beauty of what He is doing in our lives.
Grace and Joy in Jesus,
Pastor Bill

What is an Ecumenical Church?

It has happened again!  I actually had someone question why I would choose to pastor a church that is "ecumenical".  By his question I could tell that in his mind "ecumenical" means... doesn't believe anything, or believes everything.  Let say right up front that "ecumenical doesn't mean either of those.  Another myth is that "ecumenical" means that we are a part of a movement trying to create a "new world order" that has only one recognized church... led by the anti-Christ.  We are not that either.  Let me explain...

According to the Merriam-Webster on line dictionary ecumenical is:"Late Latin oecumenicus, from Late Greek oikoumenikos, from Greek oikoumenē the inhabited world, from feminine of oikoumenos, present passive participle of oikein to inhabit, from oikos house or more "vicinity"...not clear?  Essentially, "ecumenical" means world wide or more closely "universal".  It is the Greek equivalent of "catholic" as it is used in the Apostles Creed, "I believe in the holy catholic church".  That line was not intended to mean "Roman Catholic" church.  The intention was for the believer to affirm one's belief in the Church Universal much as described by the church fathers and St. Augustine.  The church exists where ever those who claim Jesus as Lord and wherever the fruit of Holy Spirit is made manifest. In other words... no one denomination can lay claim to being the only one true church.  No particular congregation can lay claim to being the only true church.  The church, according to scripture, is the "body of Christ".

Here at the Ecumenical Church of Pueblo West, we believe that God's intention is for God's people to join together in celebrating the oneness of Christ's body by choosing to recognize that God's people are not bound by denominational lines but by the work of the Holy Spirit.  That work is being done in and through any who proclaim Jesus as Lord, regardless of denominational affiliation or lack there of.  The "Church Universal" or Ecumenical is God's not man's.  As such, I believe we are to look past each others  "errors" and love one another in spite of those "errors".

Ephesians 4:3-6 says it this way..."³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

It seems to me that I could take that line about "one body, one Spirit,"etc.,  to mean my brand is the only one, or I could take it to mean that the whole body is one and not complete with out the other parts.  I choose to believe that we need to be inclusive of others who differ from us so that our "body" is complete.  As the Apostle Paul says... "not all are a hand, not all are a foot."  There is a legitimate reason to include with out demanding agreement.  As the verse above says, "make every effort to keep the unity...".  Notice it says "unity" not "uniformity".  The distinction being that "unity" means agreeing with out being the same and "uniformity" means everything is in lock step agreement. What this means for us here at Ecumenical Church of Pueblo West is that we celebrate all of God's goodness, grace and love with Baptists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Independents, Republicans, Democrats... any and all who proclaim Jesus as Lord.

So, I will maintain my efforts to live at peace, "doing good to all, especially to those of the household of faith". (Gal. 6:10)  Until Jesus comes back to sort it all out, I believe we have a primary responsibility to love one another... often in spite of ourselves!
Grace and Joy in Jesus
Pastor Bill