We're moving!

harbarger theory: ain't nothin' constant but change!

After 10 wonderful years as a pastor in New Lexington, we're moving!!

Sometime in late July, we'll be moving into our new home in The Plains, Ohio, where I'll be a pastor at The Plains UM Church.

We are grieving as we contemplate leaving our friends-who-have-become-family in New Lex. We've had a WONDERFUL ministry here in Perry County among some of the best people on earth, but we look forward to another wonderful ministry among more of the best people on earth!

We wanted to move closer to my folks in Jackson, so as to take better care of them. The Bishop and Cabinet have graciously agreed and found a wonderful place for us to work and serve and do ministry.

I have been saying for years from the pulpit, in bible studies and casually that the only people who actually LIKE being changed are babies and most of the them cry through the whole process!!! But ... change is constant, isn't it? The law of biology is that we either change or die. Change or die.

So ... lots of changes ahead of us. We are dreading them and are eager for them. We grieve and we are so excited. We are sad and we are happy. Reminds me of "Two-Face" from the Batman movies and comics! He was always "of two minds" about things. I am of two minds about things right now.

Pray for us. We've never moved without the kids. We've been in this one place (New Lex) longer than any other times in our married lives. It's all about the changes!!

harbarger theory: ain't nothin' constant but change!

Whitewater Rafting

harbarger theory: leadership is like guiding a whitewater raft



I LOVE whitewater rafting. I've been down the New River a whole bunch of times, the Gauley a couple times and a few other rivers, too. I love it. I love it. Did I mention that I love whitewater rafting? I really do!!


As I have pondered leadership, I see many connections between navigating whitewater and leading (especially the church).


You see, a whitewater raft guide's job is to balance the demands of being safe and having fun. It is finding that sweet spot where you are able to experience the flash and excitement of riding that line where you are experiencing the heart of the rapid while not getting yourself, your raft and those on your raft into too much danger. Some danger, but not too much danger.


Most raft guides work on rivers that change water levels daily (maybe during the same day), so they hit different rapids at different water heights. And the techniques that they use to guide the raft differ for different rapids. Some are so gentle that the guide can simply let the paddlers take the raft where it wants to go. Other times, the guide has the paddlers stop paddling so s/he can do all the work and, most of the time, it's a balance between these where the guide expects the paddlers to offer propulsion and some steering (with direction) while the guide uses her/his paddle as a rudder to guide the boat. It's a complex mix of brute force, river reading, artistry, innate knowledge of river dynamics and seat of the pants decision-making.


I've been blessed. I've only had one incompetent guide and another who was fine until he got stoned at lunch and then didn't care the rest of the day.


Leadership is like this. We study; we train; we think; we act; we "read the river" as we look for trends that are coming up; we think outside the box; we lead alone; we let the church do it's thing; and we do a mix of both. To lead a church is a mix of force of will, reading the reality around us, artistry, innate knowledge of what's good for the church and seat of the pants decision making. All of it is needed. Sometimes all at the same time.


I love whitewater rafting. I love leading the church. It's all a rush. It's all exciting. It's all lots and lots of work! Woo hoo!!!!

harbarger theory: leadership is like guiding a whitewater raft

Easter

harbarger theory: empty can be good!

This is one of my favorite Easter stories. In fact, I told it as the Children's Moments yesterday. Sorry, I didn't blog yesterday. With 3 service after a busy loooong weekend and fixing dinner for my parents (it turned out WONDERFULLY!), I was pooped.

So, here's my Easter post.

Mrs Adair, who was a Sunday School teacher, wanted to teach her kids about the meaning of Easter, so she gave each of the kids an empty plastic egg (a big one like the ones that L'Eggs pantyhose used to come in, remember?). She asked them to go outside and fill them with something ... anything that told the Easter story.

So, the kids stormed out of the building picking up various flotsam and jestam around the church yard. Mrs. Adair called the kids back into the Sunday School classroom and asked them to open their egg and share what they had found.

Millie opened her L'Egg and inside was a dandelion. Millie talked about how the flowers die every winter and rise again every spring. Mrs. Adair complimented her on how well she understood Easter.

Freddy opened his L'Egg and inside were some blades of grace. Freddy talked about how the grass goes brown and then, miraculously in the spring turns green again. Again, Mrs Adair showered Freddy with praise about how well he understood the Easter story.

Ling opened her L'Egg and insde was a rock. Ling shared about how the stone was rolled away from Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. Mrs. Adair was beaming over how well her class was understanding the Easter story.

And so it went around the room until they got the last kid. Craig had multiple learning deficits. He was in special classes at school and would never develop intelligence that would get past a 5 year old. He was a sweet kid, who loved everyone and everyone loved him back. But, he could be a distraction in a classroom of "normal" kids.

Finally Craig opened his L'Egg and inside was ... nothing. Nothing at all. Mrs. Adair was so concerned that Craig didn't understand his assignment, or that she should have gone with Craig to help him, or kept him with her so he wouldn't be embarassed, or ...

But, because Mrs. Adair trusted God and had an inordinate courage, she pressed ahead. "Craig," she said, "tell me about your Easter Egg."

Craig did. In his halting and child-like way, he shared. "My egg is empty," he started, "because it's Easter and Jesus' tomb was empty!" And he beamed the most beautiful smile you could imagine.

And Mrs. Adair cried grateful and joy-filled tears and hugged Craig with a fiercely loving hug.

harbarger theory: empty can be good!

Holy Saturday

harbarger theory: sometimes funny stuff is serious

When I was in seminary at Drew University Theological School in Madison New Jersey, I had (and still have, thanks to Facebook!) a good friend, Dave Jones. Dave was (and I suspect still is!) kind of unique fellow. Odd humor. Odd perspectives. Well, just odd. But a good friend.

On this day of the year, Holy Saturday ... the day between Good Friday and Easter when the church stops moving so fast (except for the saints prepping for Easter morning!). This is the day of Jesus' entombment.

Dave used to greet everybody on Holy Saturday (actually he would start sometime on Friday evening) with "Well, ... He's dead!"

Holy moley!!! That took me aback for the first couple times he said it. But, it stuck with me. He is dead. Jesus ... was ... dead!!

You know, as much as we would like to jump straight from Palm Sunday to Easter, we might acquiesce to jumping from Maundy Thursday to Easter or maybe even from Good Friday to Easter. But, it takes fortitude to trudge through Holy Saturday, doesn't it? After all, he's dead.

On Friday, he died, all day Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath), he's dead and on the third day (Sunday, the first day of the Jewish week), he's alive!!! But, let's stop here. Today ... he's dead.

Yea, Dave was funny. Dave is still funny. But, this time, Dave's humor was pretty serious. Because, ya know what? He's dead.

harbarger theory: sometimes funny stuff is serious

Good Friday

harbarger theory: good ain't always easy

Today is Good Friday. It's the day that Jesus was crucified. It was the day Jesus died. It was a sad, sad day. The world cried. The sun went dark. The dead walked. The curtain that separated the Holy of Holies in THE Temple tore in two. Behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies was where the Jews believed that God lived. So, either the tearing of the curtain was a reference to the Jewish tradition of tearing one's clothing when a loved one dies, or it was a graphic representation of God becoming available to the whole world through the redemptive act of Jesus on the Cross.

Personally, I like the third option ... all of the above. The goodness of Good Friday is that redemption has come to the whole planet through the "Cross Event." By the very thing that made God grieve brought life and redemption to the whole planet.

But, that redemption came at such a dear price. The only perfect human being who fully encompassed love, grace and joy died. He really, really died. He really, really felt pain. He really, really did the whole thing. He didn't sorta die. Indeed, he was a fully human being who went through all that he went through.

For you.
For me.
For the people we love.
For the people we hate.
For our enemies.
For the people who scare us.
For Adolf Hitler ... for Saddam Hussein ... for Osama Bin Laden
For the jerk who cut me off in traffic


He died for every single human being on the face of the planet.

This is why the worst day on the planet is Good Friday.

Have a Good Friday.

harbarger theory: good ain't always easy

Maundy Thursday

harbarger theory: ya gotta do what ya gotta do!!

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day where we celebrate the very FIRST communion. The word Maundy comes from the Latin "mandatum", the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you"), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet.

As a pastor, I LOVE serving communion, The Lord's Supper, Eucharist, what-have-you. It is a truly holy time. I remember a story where Martin Luther, while in the midst of his conflicts with the Church as a monk, was serving the Mass and while holding the elements, he had such a conflict because of his great unworthiness that he put the elements back down and ran out of the church because he was unworthy to even hold the elements of the communion. I've been there. Well, I've never actually run out of the church, but I have felt, oh, so unworthy.

But, that's the issue. It's not about my worthiness as a pastor or as a person. It's not about what I FEEL like doing. As a pastor, I serve the sacraments. It's part of my role in the Kingdom of God. As a person, sometimes I just gotta do what I gotta do. I don't have to enjoy it. I don't have to like it. Sometimes, I just have to do it. End of story.

It's part of being a grown up. Sometimes I just have to put on my adult underpants and do the thing. You know what I mean?

Jesus didn't want to die the way he did. But, he did what he had to do.

Lord help me to be faithful, even when I don't want to do it!!!

harbarger theory: ya gotta do what ya gotta do!!

Holy Wednesday

harbarger theory: it is i!

In today's gospel reading from John 13:21-32 (that you can read here) we hear the whole controversy and discussion about who is going to betray Jesus. This, of course, spurs the questioning, "Is it I?" Only one knew that he had already planned to do so (Judas), but the rest weren't sure. Hmmmm.

How sure are we of our fidelity? I enjoy watching NCIS where Mark Harmon plays Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a retired Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps where he was Marine Recon and a Sniper. He's a tough so-and-so who expects a lot from Marines and offers them much respect. Of course, their motto is ... what?? Yes, very good there in the back of the room .... Semper Fidelis or "Always faithful."

Are we? Are we Semper Fidelis to our God. Well, maybe you don't have the foibles and lack of restraint that I do. I can't answer for you, but my answer is a "NO!" said with my head bowed and a blush on my cheeks. I'm embarassed to say that I am NOT always (usually?) faithful to God. I go my own way, do what I want, etc, etc, etc, WAAAAYYY too often. How about you?

Today is the day that we repent of our unfaithfulness and come back home (from however far away we have wandered). Today is the day that we re-establish our relationship with God.

Today is the day that I admit, "It is I, Lord! It is I who have betrayed you!" I betrayed you for a candy bar. I betrayed you for a second look at that woman who is not my wonderful wife. I betrayed you for the trappings of acceptance and being liked for a moment. It is I who betrayed you. I am sorry and want to be always faithful ... forever faithful ... always holding you first in my heart.

harbarger theory: it is i!

Holy Tuesday

harbarger theory: sometimes we ARE called to the hard stuff.


The gospel reading for today is John 12:20-36. You can find it here. Jesus is offering a powerful teaching about suffering and destiny. In it, he says, ""Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"


It reminds me of that "Name it and claim it" garbage that is part and parcel of the Prosperity Gospel heresy. There is a strain of thought in the church that if we are faithful, then God will give us an easier time. What a load of hooey! If JESUS didn't get an easier time, then why should I? Why should you?


Nope. Here's the truth. We are faithful because we love God. We do what is needed ... because it's needed. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God. It's about my neighbor (both next door and across the globe). It's about having a servant's heart. It's about being like Jesus. It's about serving; about loving; about being selfless; about being like Jesus.


My friends, let's be willing servants!!! Let the world know that Christ changes us!!!


harbarger theory: sometimes we ARE called to the hard stuff.

Holy Monday

harbarger theory: the poor need nard



I'm gonna try to post each day this week. This is Holy Week (the week just before Easter) and it's a powerful week. Of course we celebrate the big days like Maundy Thursday (the first communion service ... ever!), Good Friday (the day of the crucifixion) and the REALLY big day, Easter (the day of the resurrection), but the other days are powerful as well.



Today, the bible reading is John 12:1-11. Here is a link to it on Bible Gateway. It's about the instance where the woman breaks into a dinner party and pours an obscenely expensive jar of ointment on Jesus' feet. Nard, in Jesus' day, was the kind of ointment that only vastly wealthy women could afford to use. We don't know how this woman got it (some scholars suggest that she was a high-priced hooker ... but we don't know). But, she extravagantly shared this expensive potion on someone that she felt was worth it!



Judas (who is described as dipping his greedy little fingers into the Disciples' money bag) complained that this Nard could have been sold for a whole bunch and the money given to the poor. Jesus responded that we'd always have the poor, but they would only have him for a little longer. Not surprisingly, he was right. Jesus indeed left them when he died (and then resurrected, of course, and at that point didn't need freshening up!).



So, the question stands in my mind ... What do the poor need with Nard? Do the unwashed need some scent-management? Do the hungry need a little beauty treatment?



Here's what I think. We need to give Nard to the poor. You see, so often, when we have a food drive, we reach into the back of their cupboard and pull out some can of bizarre/out-of-date/unwanted stuff and give it to the poor and feel so good about ourselves. When we have a clothing drive, we give away the stuff we're too fat/too thin/too fashion-forward to wear anymore (our unwanted items) and we give it to the poor and feel so good about ourselves.



What if ... we gave them the Nard? What if we gave them the GOOD stuff? What if we found a way to effectively "anoint the poor with Nard?" What if we gave them good food, real jobs, decent clothing, genuine respect, actual eye contact, true compassion? What if we treated them like Jesus did? What if we treated them as if they were Jesus? What would that look like?



Yea, yea, yea ... we need to be good stewards of our resources. We need to stretch out dollars to meet as many needs as possible. I know all that. But ... is there a way to be a good steward AND treat the poor as if they were Jesus? I think so. I'd love to spend time in conversation and THEN action trying to do exactly that!!



What if we started a Nard Initiative where we acted like Christians toward the poor? Hmmmm

harbarger theory: the poor need nard

harbarger theory: God is STILL calling women and men to share life together.

I just read Mark Driscoll's blog about "Complementarianism." Mark is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Mark has done a great job growing a church in a town that's tough to be a Christian in. He also did an EXCELLENT job in the Nightline Debate about whether Satan exists. Watch it here.

But, Mark and I don't agree on the role of women in life and in the church. While I agree that Mark's view is not as extreme as some who would relegate women to very minimal roles in the church, I'm not sure how he deals with the Apostle Paul (as opposed to my buddy Paul) having Lydia and Priscilla/Prisca lead churches. Those don't seem like complementarian roles. I'm not sure how he deals with Deborah being a Judge way back in the pre-monarchical days of the Hebrew people. I'm not sure how he deals with the Acts passage that quotes the Joel passage about young men and young women will prophesy. Those don't seem like complementarian passages.

New Calvinism (or even Old Calvinism) aside, these are not Calvinist/Arminian arguments. These are ways that we see the freedom of God's Spirit to call people as the Spirit will. Why, oh why, would God not allow women to do the job that God has called all of us to do? If women are not fit to carry the gospel to men, then why, oh why, did the angel tell the WOMEN at the tomb to tell the MEN about the resurrection? The very, very FIRST preachers of the gospel of the resurrection were ... wait for it ... women. Sure, the men dismissed them as being silly women ... but the gospel was STILL TRUE!!!

Mark, I pray for you. I support you in your work. But, let God be God. Let the Holy Spirit go and move and call whoever the Holy Spirit will call. God will call who God will call.

Therefore, I stand here. God calls men to do great things. God calls women to do great things. I am honored to stand beside my colleagues and partners in ministry and will do my part and will do what I can to support my colleagues in their ministry, regardless of their sex.

harbarger theory: God is STILL calling women and men to share life together.