Victim or Recovery Expert?

healing

I have a good friend who hit rock bottom about four years ago. He’s a different person now.

He could have become a victim of circumstance and sunk deeper. Instead, by the grace of God – and through Alcoholics Anonymous, the Church, and some good mentors – he has been radically transformed.

His recovery didn’t come by his own power. It couldn’t have. But he had choices along the way and chose recovery over defeat.

A few weeks ago, I watched my friend give counsel to someone who had hit rock bottom four months ago. They had broadly similar stories: traumatic experiences that led to substance dependency that led to legal trouble. The counsel my friend gave was beyond anything I could have provided. In that situation, he was the far better-equipped pastor, and he rose to the occasion.

Your trials and hardships, whether self-inflicted or unavoidable, are making you into either a victim or an expert at recovery from them. Which will it be?

The local pastor and the itinerant apostle: proposal coming soon

I want to give this proposal some time to lay it out well. I’ve run out of time this week and am leaving for a totally un-wired vacation. I know you’ve been anxiously waiting, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Sorry!

[Edit: The final post is now posted here.]

In the meantime, if you missed them, go back and read the earlier posts about how our changing culture requires changes in how we handle ministry roles, how the New Testament describes ministry roles, and how the early Methodists handled those roles.

After that, maybe you can use the comments to give your own suggestions. How do ministry roles need to work to best address our current culture and remain faithful to Scripture and history?

Methodists and money

The proper Christian use of money (for both individuals and the Church) has long been one of my primary interests. John Meunier’s post here is a great prod. Scripture’s teaching about money – and Wesley’s constant reminders from it – have been a constant challenge and conviction in my life.

 

Are these teachings good and true? If so, how do we more fully live them?

John Meunier's avatarJohn Meunier

John Wesley’s teachings about money and riches are nearly as popular today as they were in his day — which means not much at all.

Actor Mark Topping has an excellent re-enactment of a portion of Wesley’s eighth sermon on the Sermon of the Mount.

We hear this sermon with as much discomfort and outrage as people did in Wesley’s day. Wesley’s own journals and writings indicate he was driven almost to despair by the way even the people called Methodists would not obey the plain, Scriptural teaching about money and wealth.

From the sermon above:

“Lay not up for” thyself “treasures upon earth.” This is a flat, positive command; full as clear as “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” How then is it possible for a rich man to grow richer without denying the Lord that bought him? Yea, how can any man who has already the necessaries of…

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