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Was Jesus a Failure?

Jan 22, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // 1 Comment

By today’s church standards Jesus Christ would be a failure. He didn’t have a mega church in fact His followers were but a handful until long after He died.

He didn’t own a lot of “Church” property. He never talked about a growth plan heck He didn’t even have a regular meeting place. A lot of His church was done with just 12 people and often times it was just a few at a time walking along a dirt road.

So if this is what Jesus looks like then why does the American Church looks so different. We wear (I don’t) these little bracelets that say WWJD and yet we do the exact opposite.

Jesus asked questions and we are discouraged from doing so. He lived His faith and we are taught to copy what others do.

We think reading the Bible everyday is living our faith. Reading the Bible everyday is great but that’s not church.

I wonder if people in His day said stupid things like “Jesus seems so real?” I bet they didn’t because Jesus was real. We expect our religious leaders to be fake and then get all excited when we discover they are just people. (Yes pastor puts his/her pants on just like you do)

Jesus didn’t get paid to preach He taught and questioned because He loved people so much.

The church in Jesus’ day was not a business, didn’t sell taped series or even have a bookstore. (He didn’t really like moneychangers in His church)

Jesus wasn’t trying to build an organization or a ministry He was building up people and introducing them to God.

Jesus didn’t complicate church with legalism in fact He came to set us free from additions to the law.

Jesus continued to follow the law but the church today ignores it. We don’t celebrate the same holiday’s He did but have traded those for holidays steeped in pagan roots.

If Jesus were to walk into the American Church today would He ask questions? If so, what would those questions be? If He interrupted a sermon with a question would He be ushered to a “quiet room” and told to leave or just shunned into submission?

I have a feeling Jesus would ask a lot of questions. I think He would be asking the same things He asked more than 2000 years ago.

Why are you making this so difficult?

PS. I don’t think Jesus would mind at all that I ask these questions. He would not feel threatened and would understand that the reason I ask them is because I do love His church.

Wanted Real Church

Jan 21, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // 3 Comments

Before I start let me explain a couple of things. I’m reading a new book that I won’t give out the title of just yet because I’m not finished so I have no idea if this is a good book.

What I do know is it is raising some amazing points.

What I’m not looking for is “The Answers.”

What I am searching for is God’s heart for His church.

I do not care if your church is the perfect place and I know that churches are made up of imperfect people.

Now that we have that take care of I have a few questions raised by this book.

These are questions that have resonated with me for more than a decade and when I ask them I usually get the same religious responses and no real answer to the questions.

All I ask is that you think about it. You don’t have to say or write anything, just think for a minute.

1) When did we get to the place where questioning church or church leadership was wrong?

Jesus did it.

2) Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus was brutally killed by devoutly religious people?

3) How did we get to a place where asking questions about church or leadership is considered irreverent?

4) Would Jesus attend a mega church?

5) If Jesus looked at a church budget would he agree with how the money is spent?

Now, here are some simple yet complex statements Jesus made during his short time on this earth.

1) He warned against the teachings of the religious leaders of his day.

2) He said: “ They worship me in vain: their teachings are but rules taught by men.

3) He said: You have let go of the commandments of God and are holding onto the traditions of men.

This is normally the place where I try to explain what I am not against. I try to ease people’s minds by saying I’m not against this or that but I’m done with that.

All I am doing is asking questions, the same questions Jesus asked in His day.

If that bothers you take it up with God but to ignore this stuff is denial.

I’m excited because I’m ready to jump into church in a different way.

What that means I have no idea. I’m ready to do something and I’m relieved to know I don’t have to go back to anything to do it.

God, let’s go. I’m placing a classified ad right now.

Wanted: Your Church, not the one steeped in traditions or afraid of difficult questions. I want the church you want. So, show me what that looks like.

Our Purpose: Blink and you might miss it.

Jan 19, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // 1 Comment

I talked with a father yesterday whose son recently died. Jason had a severe disability and lived his entire life never saying a word.

His family had to do everything for Jason and to the unknowing this young man’s life appeared to have little purpose and some would fail to recognize his great value.

As I talked with his dad about Jason it was clear Jason had fulfilled his purpose on earth. It was clear God had not made a mistake but instead created a being that could show love and joy without all the trappings that keep you and me from such purity.

I stopped questioning God a long time ago. I question everyone else but when it comes to God I really do trust He has a plan and knows what He’s doing.

I don’t always agree with God but it’s easy for me to remember that I am not “The Creator” but instead a creative individual, created in the image of my “Father” and He alone is the creator.

When you are the creator the creation is not allowed to tell you what to do. God doesn’t mind our questions as long as we understand our tiny brains will never fathom all that He is doing.

As Alan and I ended our conversation I had this amazing sense that this Father could truly see the value of His son, disability and all. This father understood a life well lived even though it didn’t look that way to the outside world.

Perhaps as we toil and fret over the purpose we’ve been given we should relax just a bit and realize the tiny task we’ve been asked to do may have much greater importance than we could ever imagine.

No Excuse, Just Excused

Jan 18, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // No Comments

I knew something was foul when I found 455 people called for jury on the same day as me.

I knew something was up when staff was secretive about the case and escorted us 7 at a time up to the courtroom.

I knew I was in big trouble when I stepped off the elevator and there were all the TV Cameras in the hallway looking at us.

I sat there for three hours while the judge graciously explained and talked to the jury. She was actually amazing and very kind.

The case is a high profile manslaughter case involving a Springfield woman and a baby that’s all I’m going to say out of respect for the system and the woman who is innocent until proven guilty.

You all had great suggestions as to ways I could get out of serving (if I were breast feeding that would actually work). But after sitting there a while I really wish I had the time to serve on this case.

The problem is, this trial could take a month or more to try. I told the judge I don’t have that kind of time to give. I have a business and if I don’t work there is no money coming in.

She was very nice but asked if that would be a hardship. I said: We’ll if you call not paying the mortgage or putting food on the table for a month a hardship, yeh, It would be.

She asked me one other really funny question. She wants to make sure jurors are listening to the facts in the case not reading it in the paper or hearing it on the news. When she got to me she said “number 68, would you say disregarding what you see or hear in the media is a good idea for a juror?” I said, yes your honor I’ve seen a whole different side of the business being out here and people should definitely weigh only the evidence they hear in this room.”

So I don’t have to serve which is good news for my business but as Rick Dancer I’d really love the chance to do it.

Change: You Can’t Stop It.

Jan 17, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // 2 Comments

As I read the book of Mark this morning I find a rather frightening similarity between the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and us.

In one chapter the religious leaders tried numerous times to catch Jesus breaking their man-made laws. Jesus was healing people. Jesus was hanging out with people who didn’t fit the mold, today we might call them (The World) and all the while those in charge were trying to trip Him up.

Don’t we do the same thing today? We establish rules or ideals that followers should exemplify and when they don’t we correct them because it doesn’t look like what we know.

That’s what was happening in Jesus’ time too. The leaders were trying to protect their ways. They were not bad people they just didn’t understand and when change to the church came they failed to see Jesus and instead protected the familiar.

I wonder that God isn’t trying to make a move in His church today? I wonder that as change happens those closest to the traditional ways might put up the greatest fight to hold on to status quo?

Unity is important in the body of Christ but that does not mean we all sign up under the same mission statement.

As I boil down my faith I find fewer ideals I’m willing to fall on a sword to protect.

Things I used to be sure of I’m not that concerned about. Traditions that once made sense seem somewhat senseless and more about us than Him.

I find my relationship with God becoming much more simple and less connected to the guy next to me.

Marilyn Moved Me

Jan 16, 2012 // by Rick Dancer // Blog // 1 Comment

I was fine until she started writing on the white board.

I really was okay. Not one single tear leaked from my eye until she pulled out the purple marker and started writing the word family on the board.

Marilyn is gifted in ways you and I can’t understand. Our culture labels her disabled because she is deaf and experiences Cerebral Palsy but she is anything but disabled.

Her face, her smile and her hands are more than enough voice for this 63-year-old woman.

We interviewed her today for a video we are doing for Look Me In The Eye. As I said I was fine until I started asking Marilyn about “her story” and her purple pen went crazy.

She was writing names of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. She would howl, smile and laugh as she used her hands to sign family, love and joy.

Communication is so important to all of us. I know how frustrated I get when I write something and people don’t listen but judge, try to fix and offer advice.