final days forum

Will the recession steal your creativity?

This recession is sneaky.

Not content to rob the country financially, this recession aims to nab our creativity. The gift of our ingenuity is the real prize this recession season seeks. The media reports about the lingering misery of the nation's financial loss, but the news shrouds the most lethal weapon -- the underlying lie that we can't get beyond this recession.

Chaos always attempts to trample the resilient order within human beings, that part of us that says: "Wait a minute! The last time I faced this, it actually turned out OK..." or "Whoa! Remember how I actually achieved more after I lost so much?"

When we give up, when we freeze in place because of chronic problems and overwhelming odds, chaos wins.

If you're out of work, you have time to think. If you want to quit a job you're clinging to because it keeps the lights on and that's about it, take time to think. Great minds seize the freedom to conceive dreams and visions and hopes even when their lives are constrained.  Nobel Prize winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich  about a Soviet labor camp touched me when I read it in high school because of the gritty survival it depicted. And I'm still amazed by Paul, who wrote inspired words to his friends in Philippi while under what traditional scholarship says was captivity in Rome.

I have not faced a Soviet labor camp or house arrest, but stories like these and the recession itself have taught me this: Chaos may limit circumstances, but chaos can't capture my spirit unless I submit to it.

Because of this recession, much has been lost, but much more is to be gained. The American Express card may be gone, but because of creative thinking during this recession, you may reach the Dave Ramsey sweet spot where you resist all plastic. The house may be gone, but its loss may drive you to build a business that builds you a new one, not to mention houses for others.

What we do now, what we create when we fight worry with work, what we reinvent ourselves to be despite the financial ashes -- will determine how luminously we emerge when this sly recession passes.

Judy Howard Ellis

Photo: Russian writer and Nobel prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn looks out from a train, in Vladivostok, summer 1994, before departing on a journey across Russia. Solzhenitsyn returned to Russia after nearly 20 years in exile. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev

From 'Manna for Mamma': Walk in 'uncomfortable faith'

Need inspiration during hard times? Do you have a spiritual hunger you cannot fill? Are you at a painful crossroads? Manna for Mamma: Wisdom for Women in the Wilderness may serve as an an encouragement for you.  Final Days Forum is featuring this book as part of the Summer Reading with Anointed Authors Blog Tour by Tywebbin Creations. 

Author Dr. Vivi Monroe Congress'  book "links the similarities between the Israelites’ journey from captivity in Egypt toward freedom in the Promised Land of Canaan, and the 10 most common experiences women face today during their personal pilgrimage," according to Tywebbin Creations. The wilderness journey is always a wonderful illustration to use to understand our journey with God. Like the Israelites, sometimes we "get" what God is doing, and sometimes, unfortunately, we don't.

This book by this Dallas-based author and columnist "responds to the wilderness conditions in a woman’s life by revealing that Jesus is her manna, available to both sustain and deliver her. Manna for Mamma will inspire women to move in the direction of his promises for her life, already fulfilled and awaiting her arrival," according to Tywebbin Creations. The 10 experiences Dr. Monroe Congress details in her book regarding women include:

• Beauty and Aging
• Dating and Marriage
• Education
• Employment and Finances
• Illness and Death
• The Missing Man
• Parenting
• Position
• Religion
• Self-Esteem

I like this excerpt from the book:

"There is never any benefit to traveling or making decisions apart from God's wisdom. Venturing off from God will only lead to discipline through which He seeks to return us back to the right relationship with Him. Your human insight cannot even fathom, let alone see, what God has in store for your life. The gulf between the way we think and see things and how God sees them is comparable to the distance between heaven and earth. You cannot plan your own life, but you can be a willing vessel by allowing God to demonstrate His power through your wilderness."

And this:

"I offer that any woman who accepts the manna -- the bread from heaven's kitchen-- for herself and her household, confirms by that single action that she is operating in uncomfortable faith and has learned to depend on Him to meet all of her needs. Not only will she pass God's test of faithfulness with flying colors, but she will have earned the right to expect Him to deliver and restore her and to move her from glory to glory in Him."

Uncomfortable faith. What a description! From the human point of view, dependence upon God is so impractical.  Who wants to wait for heavenly supply -- manna -- when sometimes those deliveries don't always arrive just at the moment we want them? But when we walk in uncomfortable faith, we get a glimpse of the Big Picture from God's point of view. And as we allow God to reshape our perspective, his viewpoint becomes all that matters.

Judy Howard Ellis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Vivi Monroe Congress, D.Min. is the founder of The Grand Prairie African American AUTHOR SHOWCASE and a trademarked columnist, The Voice of Inspiration™.

She has earned and Masters and Doctor of Ministry in Christian Counseling and as a self-proclaimed Literary Servant, her works include: The Bankrupt Spirit: Principles for Turning Setbacks Into Comebacks, The McMillon Family Cookbook: Something to Shout About! and  Manna for Mamma: Wisdom for Women in the Wilderness.

She lives in Dallas, TX with her family. To learn more about this author, please visit her website: www.DrViviMonroeCongress.com. 

A church unafraid of a 'pagan' world

Daniel's Answer to the King by Briton Rivière, R.A.

It is abundantly clear that not everyone in America, let alone the planet, upholds the Bible as a constant, self-evident truth. Not everyone believes what Jesus the Christ said about himself, that he was born to die, that he died to live again, and that he is the son of God.

Being a Christian has always been a spiritual choice that goes against culture. The Christ-based life is counter intuitive because it rests on claims that are first grasped by faith. So why are followers of Jesus surprised when the world rejects him? Why do we feel defensive when the culture doesn't get our God? Or us?

Jesus didn't fear the world and described it as the workplace for his followers. He lived under a Roman regime that was as worldly as they come, but fearlessly, and incessantly, Jesus talked about doing his Father's work. He spoke of his return to earth and his kingdom, despite what was happening in the Roman empire. 

So why did GOP leader Newt Gingrich on Saturday at the Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Va. during the "Rediscovering God in America"  state the obvious? Gingrich is quoted as saying:  "I think this is one of the most critical moments in American history,"  he said. "We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism."

The times are critical, but Gingrich's statement sounds like fear-based politics dusted with religion rather than an authentic display of Bible-based strength. Why should Christians feel defenseless and backed into a corner? Again, the world is our workplace! Daniel didn't get the heebie jeebies when he was in the service of a "pagan" government. He wasn't even distraught by a den of lions! The God Daniel served, though unseen, was bigger and badder. Daniel was a skilled leader in a world that did not worship as he chose.  He didn't run away from that fact. He understood that God possessed all authority. Do we view God that way?

A world with lots of "un-biblical" things happening 24-7 is the world to which God has called every believer. We are not submitting to his eternal purposes by whipping up fear about the people God has called us to serve. Jesus did not live in isolation and he is not directing us to live ensconced in a subculture of only Christian music and neighbors who sport a fish on the back of their Honda.

If we are not stretched by the challenge of serving in the world, if we do not venture beyond our mega-sanctuaries, how will we experience how powerful the Almighty actually is? How will the world?

Judy Howard Ellis

 

Get your read on for summer!

 If you want to meet some great Christian authors and get your summer reading list started, follow the Anointed Authors on Tour, starting on Monday and ending on June 12.

Final Days Forum will feature Dr. Vivi Monroe Congress on June 10. She is the author of several books, including Manna for Mamma: Wisdom for Women in the Wilderness. Dr. Congress lives in Dallas, Texas. You can visit her website:  www.DrViviMonroeCongress.com. 

 The Anointed Authors on Tour consists of seven award-winning, bestselling authors of Christian fiction and non-fiction publications with a commitment to write and/or publish integrity-based literature, touring as a testament to the power of using gifts and talents for God's glory.

Over the next two weeks, plan to meet Kendra Norman Bellamy, Tia McCollors, Vanessa Miller, Michelle Stimpson, Shewanda Riley, along with Dr. Congress. Each of these authors have current and upcoming book releases that are must-reads for your summer reading list!

What Would Jesus Wear?

Our Lady Immaculate and St  Philip Neri Catholic Church in Uckfield in East Sussex, England this week revealed a new sculpture of Jesus. Sculptor Marcus Cornish fashioned a 21st century image of Jesus -- with mustache, beard, short-sleeve shirt, and a hip pair of baggy jeans. The jeans are not a loin-hugging, Abercrombie and Fitch version but they look like those of a contemporary man. The sculpture's only "fashion" elements that are remotely familiar to traditional depictions of Christ are a halo and bare feet.

Ah, a Jesus for today. Basic Galilean wear might work among money changers and fishermen, but they apparently aren't a fit for a world shaken by a crippling recession, global warming, widespread famine, wars and rumor of wars.

Fashionistas everywhere might be celebrating the Jesus makeover, but Father David Buckley gave a serious reason why Our Lady Immaculate wanted the sculpture. He told the Telegraph: "You are always looking for new ways to enrich people in the experience of Christianity and it is good people can be open-minded to appreciate it," he said.

"On the continent you often encounter modern representations of Jesus but it is not so common over here. We wanted a figure of Christ not in suffering but dynamic and welcoming.

"We felt this design summed up the spirit and activity of Christ perfectly and I think it speaks for itself."

The sculpture is intriguing and is a bold shift from traditional images of Jesus. And Father Buckley has a point; the Jesus of biblical stories is a figure who makes himself accessible to people from every station of life. But is a sculpture the primary way to convey the accessibility and power of Jesus' love?

The image may annoy Christians who think it belittles Jesus, but how will it affect those who can take Christ or leave him? Art is a powerful vehicle to share meaning, but will those who view the sculpture heed or miss the message of Jesus?

Art is one facet of an overall effort by any church to share the truths about Christ's life, death, burial and resurrection. But a sculpture can't ensure that a family has a place to sleep when they lose their house to foreclosure or kiss the brow of someone in hospice care.

Those who sincerely love and follow in Jesus' steps can do that. The fashionistas are only good for the runway.

Judy Howard Ellis

Why churches should join forces

Wolfville Baptist Church in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, the oldest continuing Baptist church in Canada. Photo by Bill Porter

What if neighborhood churches attempted real, stand-up-and-mean-something collaboration? Like sharing office space or the resources of a benevolence ministry? Maybe one sacrificial church can point a donor toward a needy congregation instead of swelling its own coffers. Others could share administrative staff, pricey computer software or a production studio. Three or four could start a credit union and host job fairs and offer career counseling.  Another team of churches could collectively provide temporary housing for people who've lost their homes.

Certainly this kind of cooperation is happening, but what if local churches made this kind of community-focused work the high-profile norm?

Call me an idealist; I accept the charge. Churches often operate in mini-spheres of particular doctrines, administrative structures and purposes. Fifty zillion bureaucratic, legal, business and cultural reasons argue nonstop against cooperation, but if a congregation claims the name of Christ and no other -- they are his. We will be held accountable for how we treat the sheep and shepherds of God's earthly pastures, even if we say:

"We were unequally yoked theologically. Not about Jesus. Just other stuff."

"They allow women to preach."

"That church is in a bad neighborhood." 

"That church is not like us."

"They speak in tongues."

"They don't speak in tongues."

"Their choir doesn't sing our kind of music."

"They can't be saved. They don't vote the same way we do."

"We can't work with that pastor. He's arrogant."

"We've got our own faithful tithers. Let them get their own."

Beyond steering clear of spiritual leaders and congregations corrupted by greed and other sins, and definitely beyond linking arms with leaders who are sketchy about who Jesus Christ is -- where authentic agreement about Christ emerges, ample opportunity exists to express cooperation laced with supernatural power.

The church is as effective as we are loving. People who do not share our convictions can sniff out phony affection like rain before a Texas storm. Unexpected and undeserved grace grabs their attention -- without a single placard raised in protest or one sarcastic segment on talk radio.

Judy Howard Ellis

Obama is not the messiah, but...

So far, President Obama's ability to communicate galvanizes people, particularly the young. Many young people crave inspirational leadership because they long for a compass that directs them to reach above their circumstances instead of being swallowed by them.

Obama's power to influence this generation may be the most annoying trait for critics; this may be why the accusation of "messianic"  is pasted to him with an apocalyptic wink.

Such criticism forgets that men and women throughout the ages were gifted with voices that spoke to their generation. Sometimes those voices fueled changes that  led to massive empowerment. At other times, those voices generated despair and sowed destruction. 

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

We may all be better served if we study the responses of people to Obama -- consider the crowds in Strasbourg, France today -- and learn something about the hunger for inspirational leadership. It may inform us of the core shift not only in America, but in the world. It may reveal to us our place of crossroads, a term which the city of Strasbourg has as part of its name.

Inspirational leadership in every sector of life is key. The dour news today about the unemployment rate makes me think about the economy. Banks that refuse credit lines to small businesses because they fear going under should revisit their commitment to being "community leaders." Businesses that lay off because of grim economic forecasts should return to their profit-and-loss sheets and choose not to be economic pundits, but human beings who understand they can say nothing when their epitaphs are written. Think of this tombstone message: AS CEO, I KEPT MY ENORMOUS SALARY WHILE MY FORMER WORKERS STRUGGLED TO LIVE.

The progress inspirational leadership brings advances slowly, painfully, and sometimes unseen. It makes this type of leadership problematic for some. But for me, that is what makes inspirational leadership fascinating to watch. The fruit may not blossom for long periods of time, but the words of the leader either feed anger or motivate people to recover. I prefer the power of the latter. As Proverbs says, there are words that can be "fitly spoken."

Obama is flawed like everyone else. History will record his every mistake and misstep. But perhaps something else is at work during the Obama era, if we could but grasp it. Maybe now is an opportunity to point people to the true Messiah, the greatest inspirational leader of them all.

When that inspirational leader saw a man trapped in his circumstances, it was the leader's words that motivated the man to catch a vision of what could be. That inspirational leader said: "Do you want to get well?"

The man gave his reasons why he was still sick. Certainly they were acceptable conclusions for he was plagued with a 38-year condition. But the inspirational leader was after something else, something deep within. With a forceful, healing love I can only imagine, this inspirational and transformational leader said: "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."

All of us must be inspired to look deep within -- past our frightfully limiting circumstances. All of us must decide now whether we will walk or sit.

Judy Howard Ellis

Links courtesy of msnbc.com, wikipedia.com, cnn,com, biblos.com, studylight.org

A recession antidote: servanthood (Part 2)

vintage cafeteria scene, grandmother, originally uploaded by freeparking.

Fear marches across the land as a ruthless army of giants, but congregations nationwide can be fearless havens of peace. Churches are perfect hubs to generate amazing innovations that serve society. Sure, we can pass the potato salad and pour the coffee, but we can also share ideas and principles that will transform the generations.

Within the church lies boundless imagination. Unfortunately, some congregations lost their spark and their treasures were buried beneath the refuse of the cultural wars. Let's recover that imagination in every church house where Jesus is glorified as King!

Think of the seniors who fill the pews. We absently insult them with our condescension. We don't seek their wisdom or the direction they offer. With our youth, some congregations isolate them instead of letting young people blossom at the church's epicenter. Are we so weary we have forgotten the promise of youth? Unbridled aspiration prevents their hopes from being submerged by cynicism. Speaking of hopes, consider church members who have toiled for years at dead-end jobs for little pay. Churches can do more than accept their tithes and assign them to random ministries because warm, working bodies are needed in the ranks. Tap their creativity! Unimaginative bosses may ignore their contributions, but the local church never should.

The point is, churches, like no one else, can harness strengths like these and shape them into a powerhouse of influence. I mentioned five steps to do this in yesterday's post. Here are five more:

1. Tackle the needs of homeless people, on some level, in local areas. Churches can start by making sure every member in their church has shelter. They could work with nonprofit organizations and link homeowners with those who need to rent rooms. They could hold free seminars for those facing foreclosure. They also can support local shelters and raise awareness about their efforts.

2. Create a community hub for the arts. Perform the classics, not just Bible stories. The best of the classics have redemptive elements that offer a fresh way to share truth with those weary of of Bible-thumping, but hungry for biblical living. A strong arts presence reveals the artistic glory of the church and communicates truths that stick for a lifetime.

3. Create a hub for entrepreneurs. Support the self-employed and encourage others to generate multiple streams of income. Offer free workshops and seminars that train and motivate entrepreneurs. Invite successful entrepreneurs in the church to mentor and train those seeking to start a business.

4. Host lots of free events. Congregations certainly must practice fiscal stewardship, but they should not fear financial loss because they want to protect their bank account. This can include national speakers, concerts, health fairs, town hall meetings and food-related events. A local congregation need not go broke hosting free events, but it should increase its profile by providing activities that add value to their community's. A congregation's  resources are never determined by the financial mutations on Wall Street.

5. Increase customer service. Congregations should work hard to ensure that every usher, parking attendant, pastor, receptionist and ministry leader offers the best service. What people will remember when they visit a congregation is how they were treated. Customer service also extends beyond the sanctuary. How does the surrounding neighborhood view the congregation? Is the parking on Sundays a mess for drivers? Do the neighbors wish the church offered child care? What about ESL classes? Talk with the neighbors and find out.

Judy Howard Ellis

A recession antidote: servanthood (Part 1)

Hands, originally uploaded by John-Morgan.

This severe recession continues to reveal itself as an agent of equality. Everyone feels the crush of the economy, although the wounds from it may vary, depending on our financial condition. Still, there is an element of democracy to the crisis, and therefore an opportunity to serve other as we go through it.

No place is this more true than for the church. I know, I know. I often call the church to task to do better and be better. I do that because church folk have not always shown the deeply loving side of our Lord, although we have self-righteously claimed to do just that. We have pummeled the world with our words, but have our hands been the instruments of his power?

The Father is extremely practical. He fed a prophet through a raven, he used a field of lentils as the cushion for a warrior to fight off enemies, he fed millions through a true organic food that was delivered daily, and he used the ambition of ancient Rome to build roads that were used by an infant church to spread the good news about his son, Jesus.

Why can't we serve the world around us that way? I've mused about this for weeks, and here are five ways I bet we can serve with divinely inspired practicality:

1. Offer free WiFi on our campuses. Instead of just hogging a block full of parking space for our weekly worship services and Bible studies,  help tear down the digital divide, offer a solution for those who do not have access, and build community with our neighbors. Prestonwood Baptist Church here in Dallas, for example, offers free WiFi on its campus.

2. Offer a free, or heavily discounted financial course. My husband and I are participating in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. The House of Hope in Cedar Hill sponsored the course we are taking.  Ramsey's course is one of many that hold us accountable for our financial stewardship as believers. It's a great trainer or a refresher on financial truths.

3. Offer free Bible training.  I've mentioned this in an earlier post, but it's worth repeating. People are hungry for the Word. They desire a transcendent perspective and the church is filled with learned men and women who know how to rightly handle the truth of God. Instead of charging for DVDs, books and online courses, focus on providing understanding to a perplexed world. God will take care of your expenses... One of the ways he may do it is by building a loyal audience. When the economy turns, they will come back and be willing to pay!

4.Increase activities for families. Help ease the stress on parents and kids. Gear budgets and funds to help families and cut down on extras that have less impact. Work hard to engage singles and seniors with the work of families instead of isolating them.

5. Emphasize marketplace ministries. The church was never intended to be an isolated edifice. And Christian service was never limited to the clergy. With plenty of input from the congregation, explore ways to elevate the role of serving outside of the church building. Encourage church members to host family potlucks in their own neighborhood. Encourage families who live in apartments to reach out to their neighbors instead of living disconnected from people in their complex.

Tomorrow I will list five more ways today's church can serve during the recession.

Judy Howard Ellis

Seeing the light of success, despite the darkness

Waiting for dawn, originally uploaded by James Jordan.

Today I was at Starbucks chatting about business with a colleague from my reporter days. He talked about the power of the entrepreneurial hustle, and his voice carried the authority of a person who had experienced success. A business-minded person doesn't emphasize the lack or the hopelessness, but is captivated by the light of opportunity. A business-minded person, my friend went on, possesses the knack to close the deal, not just dream about it.

One of the parables of Jesus extols the savvy steward who knew how to multiply his money. Instead of clinging to the little and the certain, the exemplary steward reached for the impossible and was praised for it. Could it be that the "ceilings and walls" that seem to imprison us during this economic crunch have more ways out than we think? Could it be that God's miracle workings in our lives lie not in the unexpected check in the mail, but in the engine of our ingenuity?

I read Psalm 8 today, a passage God takes me to often. I've wondered why and today I mumbled when that passage came to mind. Psalm 8 again?! C'mon, God, can't we do better than that today? I've got major things to deal with and I need a "word." Patiently, God allowed me to see that "the word" was that I was not operating in my dominion. Not dominion over people, but as Psalm 8:6 says, God made men and women rulers over the works of his hands. In other words, the work of the planet.

I believe God is expecting us to prayerfully tap our imagination, study our environment, employ our gifts, determine the needs, and spring forth in the areas where he has given us leadership. That puts the economic downturn in another perspective altogether. Instead of a hopeless field of play, we see an obstacle course we are destined to conquer.

Judy Howard Ellis