Rational versus Relational

Have you ever noticed that the world is controlled often by powerful weaklings? I mean, people or systems that are so seeped in the wrong things, yet they often rise to the top, while most of us shake our heads and wonder why? We see this in education, politics, economics, religion, the corporate world...how do some of these people end up where they are leading...especially considering their poor grasp of what and whom they are leading? We all have noticed it from time to time. Some of us have just shrugged and reluctantly assumed, I guess that's the way it'll always be. This disconnect is more obvious...when we take time to notice...but most choose to just live on "hoping it'll go away"...and guess what, it doesn't! The same can and does happen in church circles. Religion is a place where the disconnect seems to scream the loudest. How can that be, people say? Surely God is not about all that, is He? We face an interesting time in church culture...the church has more Bible's in print, in a variety of reading levels & styles, than ever before...we have more Christian TV and radio than any time in history...we have more books, commentaries and resources...we have more seminary trained pastors than any time in church history...we have DVD's, computer programs, music galore, technology tools abound, and internet research & resources at our fingertips...yet with all this information...we reach fewer people than any time in church history? Huh? How can that be? Research shows the church in the midst of this information & resource boom, actually is less effective in reaching people than at any time in history. In many ways we've become powerful weaklings. A wagon train to no where. Leading people to who knows where? It's not a lack of knowledge or tools or resources. The church has more money than ever before, so that's not it either. It's not that there isn't enough churches (at least in the western world). But it may be an overflow from the Age of Reason, a time in history where human knowledge became glorified. Where the "rational" superceded. When science & information began to overshadow generations of common sense. Man began to glorify "his" knowledge as the most important thing. Man's "rational reason" superceded God's wisdom. Spirituality, the arts, & true community began to diminish in its influences. Yet for centuries the church flourished "before" the Age of Reason ushered in man centered "knowledge". Jesus handed the baton off to a ragtag bunch of fishermen & farmers, and guided by God's Spirit, the world has been changed, by them, forever. Their impact grew & grew & grew to impact millions upon millions in nations all around the world. And guess what? They did it without bibles, books, TV, radio, CD's, DVD's and the internet? Huh? How can that be? In our "rational" world we don't get that...yet that is the truth. As western Christianity has leaned more & more on the "rational side of the gospel" they have forgotten a key ingredient, one that was vital to the early church for centuries. That ingredient was the "relational side of the gospel". It's the "loving God & loving others" part of the gospel. Oh sure, the church has intellectually proposed this consistently, but has it lived it out? Let's be real practical here...how many churches do you know that "really live out loving others well"? Are we known as a group of people that really love Jesus AND love others in a noticeably different way that attracts? Whether we like to admit it or not, we have gravitated towards a belief that "if people just have the right information, bible verses, and solid teaching", then they will enter into relationship with God? Our churches function that way...our denominations function that way...our seminaries teach it that way...most believers live it out that way. But the result is, less and less people are being impacted. I suggest it's because we have strayed from a key component...the emphasis on the relational side of the gospel...out of your relationship with God flows a love & relationship with other people that will impact them and draw them toward God. The New Testament repeats this theme over and over...yet we so rarely live it out intentionally. I don't know about you, but I've been impacted more in my life by people who expressed Jesus to me in the way they loved me, forgave me, encouraged me, and helped me get up when I'd fallen. These people have impacted me far more than the sermons, books & worship songs I've come in contact with. Has God touched me from time to time through these things...of course...but not nearly to the degree of people who are "grace with skin on". Those people who love me & express grace as Jesus does...wow...now that has changed me. God has revealed so much to me through those people. I suspect the same for you too. At ECHO we want to be a people that are "grace with skin on"...the hands and feet of Jesus so to speak...after all He called us His body...so we who follow Him have been given the charge to represent Him to our spheres of relationship. We, at ECHO, are committed to learning to doing just that...living life with others...on a journey of faith. Does that mean the "rational gospel" of information & academia has no place? Of course not. But be careful, for "knowledge puffs up"...academia and ego often go hand in hand. It's often hard to serve humbly when you are convinced you are "right". You may win the "debate" but loose the "relationship". I would suggest, that out of relationships that truly, authentically and genuinely love and care for others...even in the midst of the crap of their life...that is where God enters in more often. And perhaps, as you & I have loved enough to have earned the right to heard...people may then be open to hearing what you "know". But information "without love is like a banging gong, a clanging cymbal (as the bible says)"...to put it bluntly...it's annoying! It's the (rational) gospel (without relationship) that deny's the power within it...so to speak. After all the bible is called God's Word...Jesus is the Word, the bible says, Who always was, even before time...so even the bible itself is all about a person, Jesus...the One who welcomes us into "relationship" with Him. The Bible isn't a book of rational words, facts & truths alone. It all points to the Word, Jesus, a person...and it invites us into "relationship" with Him & with each other, as God has intended. God is once again calling His followers to re-discover the simplicity of loving Him more & more...and learning to live a life of love towards others. That is something that you can't learn in a book...but you can learn, as you experience it with God & with others! At ECHO we want to create an atmosphere, that is conducive to people from all walks of life...so they may have an opportunity to do just that...

be God's!

Brian O

Lead Pastor dude, ECHO

The Finish Line

It was the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain during the semi-finals of the men's 400 meter race, when Derek Redmond pulled a hamstring muscle. Redmond collapsed about half way through the race with the injury, but got up, determined to finish despite the pain. His father came out of the stands and onto the track to help his son. Redmond initially tried to push him away, not realizing who he was, but then heard a familiar voice. "Derek, it's me" his father said. Redmond told his father "I've got to finish this race." His father said "If you're gonna finish the race, we'll finish it together." With his father's help, Redmond made it to the finish line. What a cool story...and true! It reminds me of our Heavenly Father's heart towards us..."if you're gonna finish the race, we'll finish it together". What a picture of trust in the midst of pain...of love in the midst of heartache. If God loves us this way...and He does...then shouldn't we learn to love each other the same way? What if people could learn to come along the wounded, hurting, messy lives of others and help them continue...all the way to finish line! At ECHO we hope to be that kind of people...people who help others get up, & keep on going, even in the mess of life and the hurt that goes with it. This song by Steve Taylor comes to mind...and though it is over 10 years old...it speaks of the struggle...the pain...the messiness of life as we press on toward the "finish line"...towards ultimately victory! Because in God's Kingdom all you got to do is finish...it's not a competition...its not whose first...because "the first shall be last and the last shall be first" The victory is in not giving up...even though we all need help along the way!

The Finish Line

Once upon an average morn

An average boy was born for the second time

Prone upon the altar there

He whispered up the prayer he'd kept hid inside

The vision came

He saw the odds

A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel

"These will vie to take your place, but Father,

by your grace I will never kneel"

And I saw you, upright and proud

And I saw you wave to the crowd

And I saw you laughing out loud at the

And I saw you brush away rocks

And I saw you pull up your socks

And I saw you out of the blocks

For the finish line

Darkness falls

The devil stirs

And as your vision blurs you start stumbling

The heart is weak

The will is gone

And every strong conviction comes tumbling down

Malice rains

The acid guile is sucking at your shoes while the mud is fresh

It floods the trail

It bleeds you dry

As every little god buys its pound of flesh

And I saw you licking your wounds

And I saw you weave your cocoons

And I saw you changing your tunes for the party line

And I saw you welsh on old debts

I saw you and your comrades bum cigarettes

And you hemmed and you hawed

And you hedged all your bets

Waiting for a sign

Let's wash our hands as we throw little fits

Let's all wash our hands as we curse hypocrites

We're locked in the washroom turning old tricks

Deaf

And joyless

And full of it

The vision came

He saw the odds

A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel

"These have tried to take your place, but Father,

by your grace I will never kneel

I will never kneel..."

Off in the distance

Bloodied but wise

As you squint with the light of the truth in your eyes

And I saw you

Both hands were raised

And I saw your lips move in praise

And I saw you steady your gaze

For the finish line

Every idol like dust

A word scattered them all

And I rose to my feet when you scaled the last wall

And I gasped

When I saw you fall

In his arms

At the finish line

lyric by Steve Taylor

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO

Olympic Fever

Well, the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China are well under way. Lots of excitement, heart breaks and heart warming stories abound. It's official, Olympic Fever has gripped the world, and what a show it is! The Opening Ceremonies have many thinking they were the best ever...or were they? It appears that not all is how it was, as advertised. Apparently most of the fireworks we saw during the opening festivities were computer generated for TV. One of the most memorable moments was a cute little Chinese girl who sang with a fantastic voice. Unfortunately it wasn't her voice...she was lip syncing. Apparently the girl who really sang wasn't cute enough, the ruling Communist Party decided. The actual girl who sang had bad teeth and was too chunky, and didn't represent China well enough, they say? What a drag for those kids. What a drag for us viewers worldwide. Now I'm as excited as the next guy that China has opened up its country to the world, but come on people, if you want us to like you, admire you or even envy you...then show us who you really are. In an attempt to win the world's approval and admiration, China faked the impression they gave. How sad is that? Unfortunately, these things happen it seems...even on the gymnastic team, 3 of the 6 girls for China were under the qualifying age of 16...at least according to the last 2 years of competition records...but apparently their passports (issued by the Chinese gov't) now say they are all 16 years of age? Wow, I'm so glad they caught those errors "before" these Olympics (insert sarcasm at it's highest here). Isn't it funny to see how the spirit of "competition" enters in and so easily can run amok. It happens in sport, where competition is part of the deal...and all too often cheating creeps in. This "fever" of competition is a symptom of illness... something wrong...something unhealthy. It also happens in church life. How often do churches "fake" the impression they are trying to give visitors? How often do people "fake" who they really are...even Christian people? We call it "mask wearing"...people outside church life call it "hypocrisy". In a culture that cries out for "real deal people", authenticity and the genuine...we all too often offer a facade. As if the fake will con them into liking us, and maybe even joining our church? We actually believe a spotless building, with perfect people performing a perfect program with error-less eloquence...will somehow draw them closer? Just like the Chinese have discovered, their lack of integrity has caused greater suspicion and mistrust...not more friends. Maybe a functional facility that isn't perfect, with regular people humbly doing their best and being able to laugh at their own mistakes...would be more attractive to a world struggling to "measure up" in so many ways. Do we see the disconnect? Apparently not. Too many churches put on "the show"...we'll say we are "friendly"...so we'll have "professional" greeter type people who will smile at you and say good morning...but in reality, won't know your name or remember you 5 minutes after you walk by. Is that "real" friendliness? Is that what people crave? Is that really attracting people? We see it, where only the right looking, pretty, talented, stylish ones are allowed to be seen "upfront"...as if there is no short, average looking, everyday folks, with a few extra pounds allowed. Is that attractive or repulsive? Especially in a church setting? Is that what Jesus would model? The bible says there was nothing attractive about Jesus in His appearance, for instance...many commentaries suggest He may have even been homely...at the very least, He was very average and typical. But His heart, His love and the way He treated people...now that was attractive! All too often we get caught up in the spirit of "competition" and we fake it. Some would say the bible encourages competition, pointing to the many "sports" analogy's within Jesus teachings and the New Testament. Yet the bible never uses any of these sporting images to suggest we are "competing versus each other"...trying to out do each other somehow. When we stoop to that mentality, we inevitably will creep towards faking it...pretending we're better than we really are...the mask goes up very easily. The "sports" imagery of the bible always points to things like "endurance"..."not giving up"... and "perseverance". They remind us that its not who wins...but who finishes the race! It speaks of staying in the battle, and not quitting. Yet as people we often inject "our" sports imagery into these bible passages, assuming sports to God means winning... competing...and being the best (at all costs). In reality this is not the spirit of what Jesus taught...for He knows the spirit of competition is very closely tied to "pride"...which is the root of sin. Pride and the striving for "success" has compromised more than one person...in sports...in church...and in life. Jesus calls out for humility...and urges you and I to endure...keep fighting on...to persevere no matter what...because all who finish are His. It's not a race to see whose first...in fact Jesus said the first will be last. It's a race of humility, authenticity and endurance...things that are attractive and will last. Unfortunately, all too often church life becomes a prideful show of competition, where only the fake survive...and that turns people (& God) off more than anything else. At ECHO we humbly want to cheer people on...help them get up when they want to quit...and carry them across the finish line if we have to...because in the end, all who finish are His...no matter how bruised, tired & exhausted they may be. Join us in this race called life, where no "perfect people" are allowed and where all who finish are winners!

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO

Substance Over Reason

Have you ever found yourself focused on the wrong thing? So focused, in fact, that when someone mentioned you "were focused on the wrong thing" you thought they were nuts? It's so easy to do in life. We can focus on money, careers and status...yet in the end we know those have little lasting value. Relationships, family, friends...now that's stuff that lasts...even when your unemployed...broke...and "a nobody special". It'll all fade away...but relationships last. In fact, this is so true that God tries to continually draw our attend back to that truth. He continually is reminding us that our relationship with Him & with other people is the stuff of eternal value. Yet we often get distracted and preoccupied with other stuff...all too often at the expense of the very relationships God reminds us to value. I see the same missed focus in spiritual matters also. People often ask, "What's so special about Jesus?" We describe how He died for our sins... how our sins separate us from God... and now the price has been paid for our sinfulness...so we have the free gift of God...eternal life...available to us all...all because of Jesus. But in that seemingly theologically correct response have we missed the reason underneath all the substance. It is true, Jesus died for our sins. He is the only perfect sacrifice for all sin for all time. That is what separates Jesus from everyone else, He's the only one to pay that price. But why did He die? Why did God allow this horrific price to be paid at all? The bible says "the wages (or price to be paid) for sin is death". Now that penalty seems quite harsh to us humans, but apparently God takes this sin stuff pretty seriously. Now before we shake our fist at God over this harsh response to our sin, realize this, whether we agree the price is fair or not is not the question, because in the end, God paid His own price! He never expected you and I to die for our sin...He provided the perfect sacrifice...Himself. Wow, now that's radical, regardless of view on the severity of that penalty. The bible says "there is no greater love than this, that one lay his life down for another..." So whats up with the harsh penalty on this sin stuff? Many will point to the scripture that says "God hates sin". Wow, "hate"...that's harsh too! So why does God hate sin? Well, some will say, because "He is a holy & righteous God". This is true, but what is "holy"? Many struggle to describe the term "holy"...it refers to a density, a thickness, a permeating heaviness, emanating from God. In a sense it is the very essence of God oozing out from Him. His righteousness, or His being absolute "truth", thus He "is" the very essence of "righteousness". With those thoughts...many will conclude that God hates sin because of who He is by nature, and who we are as humans by our sinful nature. Thus the two cannot mingle, they are incompatible. Yet in that thinking have we missed a deeper reason. The bible tells us "God is love". His very nature, His very substance, His very essence is love! Relationship and unity are at the core of who God is. Even the mystery of the Trinity expresses a beautiful relationship within God. He is united, mutually serving Himself, submitted one to another, a team, love expressed in its purest, most authentic spiritual sense. Perhaps the answer to "why does God hate sin" goes deeper. Perhaps it goes deeper than His holiness and righteousness...perhaps it goes to the core of who God is...love. If God is love...then anything that hinders love and relationship is what he hates. And whether we like to hear it or not, sin is usually rooted in selfishness, not love. When we steal it's for selfish gain or pleasure. When we cuss someone up one side and down the other, its because we selfishly wanted to vent & drop a few f-bombs on someones head. When we cheat on our spouse, we selfishly compromise our vows of love, so we can get our jollies, because, darn it, my desires are whats important here! When we lie, its because we selfishly have to cover our butt, or manipulate another into doing what we want. The examples go on and on...but in the end...sin is rooted in "self". Me doing what I want, when I choose. When the world revolves around me, it becomes clear that no one else lives on the planet! Ya, sin is fun for a season, as are most selfish things...but never are they productive in the long run. Heck I hate that sin stuff too...at least when its hitting me in the face and screwing up my relationships. And let's be honest, that sin crap gets in the way, doesn't it? Maybe that's why God hates it too. It does mess up relationships, with people & God. Selfishness goes right against the core of love. Selfishness pulls us away from authentic, genuine relationship with each other and with God. God hates sin, because it flies in the face of love, relationship and unity. He doesn't hate us, but He hates the stuff that ruins our relationship with Him & others. He doesn't want anything in the way of pure relationship. All these things are part of the very essence of who God is...that is why He values them so much. And dog-gone-it relationships are hard for us, aren't they? In fact, God relaizing this, says, "kids I'm coming down and paying the price for it all". Why? Because God is holy and righteousness? Only partly...I believe it has a whole lot more to do with "because God is love and He values relationship more than anything". God paid the price, so now our relationship with Him is an open door, no more walls. Now the issue for each of us is, "do you trust Him enough to enter into a relationship with Him?" Now that's an opportunity, an opportunity that ECHO wants everyone to clearly understand...in the hope some beautiful new relationships begin, with the God who is relationship, Who is love. As we learn to trust Him in relationship then its easier to trust His ways as we learn to live in relationship with each other. After all, its what God's all about, and we are His kids...that's why He wants us to be like Him...and thank God He has made a way for us to do just that! Maybe the real answer isn't "God hates sin", but more importantly that "God loves relationship." I'm suggesting the reason God hates sin is because sin ruins relationship...and a God who "is love" cannot tolerate that in any way, shape or form...so He took care of it...once and for all...thank you Jesus! Now the opportunity for relationship with God is available to everyone who trusts enough to step into it...

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO

One Step Closer

There is something within the human soul that longs to be known and to know. We all desire that someone really know the real us. In that knowing we long that we also know...we want to discover the other...we want to know truth...our God. It's a craving that is settled in process...rarely in a moment. That's what we love and hate about it. At ECHO we want to learn in process... in the celebrations as well as the frustrations. We want to discover in the pain and the blessings of existence. It's beautiful, mysterious, attractive, yet mind warping. I suppose that's why I love this song by U2. It speaks of the discovery...the process...the knowing...as we journey through this thing called life...as we get one step closer...

I'm 'round the corner from anything that's real

I'm across the road from hope

I'm under a bridge in a rip tide

That's taken everything I call my own

One step closer to knowing

One step closer to knowing

I'm on an island at a busy intersection

I can't go forward, I can't turn back

Can't see the future

It's getting away from me

I just watch the tail lights glowing

One step closer to knowing

One step closer to knowing

One step closer to knowing

Knowing, knowing

I'm hanging out to dry

With my old clothes

Finger still red with the prick of an old rose

Well the heart that hurts

Is a heart that beats

Can you hear the drummer slowing?

One step closer to knowing

One step closer to knowing

One step closer to knowing

To knowing, to knowing, to knowing

lyrics by U2

be God's!

Brian O

Lead Pastor dude, ECHO