Matt Farina - St. Matthew

God At Work In The World

matt — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:05:40 +0000

I've herd phrases like, "We are only one generation from Christianity dieing out." I've read research findings like, "most Protestant pastors are neither called to nor competent in leadership" and "most 'church growth' is simply the recycling of church-goers from one congregation to another." And, yet, in this world where we have a lack of leadership and we have Christianity dieing out in western culture it isn't dead. In fact, it's expanding in the world. Despite our best efforts to screw up spreading the word it's still spreading, people are still coming to faith, and it's spreading to every corner of the earth without the use of force.

I dunno about you but I see this as a miracle and a mystery. It's God at work in the world and he doesn't need us. In fact, it's happening despite our superb ability to screw it up. Yet, He hasn't fired us yet.

I sit here this morning a bit amazed, humbled, and joyful.

How Do You Prepare For Easter?

matt — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:20:53 +0000

Most of the preparing I do for the holidays involves presents, candy, decorations, and a little more stress than the everyday. But, is that really what's it's supposed to be about? Santa, as we know him, has been around for less than 100 years. The egg laying bunny comes from the 18th century. Yet, Lent and Advent have been around for a very very long time. The question I'm left wondering is what is a good way to prepare for this upcoming Easter where I don't get caught up in the commercialism and get to the heart of what it's all about?

On this weeks SAP episode we talk about just that. Since recording the episode I've decided on a few ways I'm going to prepare for this Easter.

I'm doing a lent devotional. Working on the site for the Writings From The Wilderness Devotional has inspired me to actually do a Lent devotional. Something to remind me, daily, what this is all about.
Wednesday Night Church Services. The church I attend does Wednesday night church services during Lent. These services, at my church, tend to have a bit more challenging sermons that hit mature Christians a little more and challenge them. Maybe this shows they aren't as mature as they think they are or would like to be.
I'm going to stay away from the commercialism. There is a lot of commercialism surrounding Easter and Lent. Some of it is the corporate world wanting to make candy sales. Some of it is the Christian world and the constant Christian consumerism stuff that's out there. In both cases I'm going to try and shut it out.

So, this is my list. What are you going to do this Lent to prepare for Easter?

Confessions of the Church on the Super Average Podcast

matt — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:18:09 +0000

The church screws up often, doesn't it. These mistakes get in the way of the mission of the church. It's like us tripping over our own feet in a marathon race. Last week we launched the Super Average Podcast (a.k.a. SAP) with an introduction episode. This week on SAP we dive into a little confession.

Here is a synopsis of the episode from the SAP website:

The church has screwed up! Since the very beginning of the church there have been mistakes. There have been sins. This should be no surprise since we are all flawed people. But, some of these sins have gotten in the way of people getting to know God. It's a case where the dysfunctional lives of Christians have gotten in the way of people learning about who Christ is.

God calls us to confession of our sins. So, as our first episode beyond introducing ourselves we dive into a three episode series where we confess some of the sins of the church. We confess our baggage. In this first of three episodes we dive into some pretty big issues with the church. Come join us for a bit of confession on this episode of SAP.

If you're interested in joining us for a little confession or you're just curious what were going to confess, head on over to the Super Average Podcast.

How do you overcome untruth?

matt — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:15:41 +0000

I've started to notice a lot of obvious untruths lately. For example, I was recently told that the theory of evolution had been proven to be true. You might think this is the case, too. I've herd this at least a half dozen times in the last 6 months. But, it hasn't been proven. The untruth here is not that it's not plausible and not that people believe it to be true but that we have proven it. This is where a great danger lies. I think the danger here is worse than blind beliefs. The danger is that people think something is known to be true when it hasn't been proven. I'd go so far to say they live a lie.

I don't think this always starts at the top. To continue this evolution example, I've read a number of scientists who have talked about the ideology, or belief, that surrounds this kind of work. Charles Darwin opened the Origin of Species, his famous book on the theory of evolution, by talking about his belief in naturalism and how he was working with other naturalists on this theory. He pointed out his world view and the belief that is attached to his work. He isn't the only one doing this.

In cases like this I think it's the middle men. The people who believe what these scientists or other leaders are saying very passionately and in response do a bad job representing what's going on. In this case they shorten names like the theory of evolution to just evolution. Removing the words 'the theory of' seems to give it more authority in our minds. They write and teach from the perspective that it's known to be true because they feel it is. They push this from a theory that people believe to a place where people are misled to believe that something is proven to be true.

This isn't always the case. There are times where someone with great charisma steps in and has people believing untruths. But, I think this case is rarer. It would be more like dropping a frog in boiling water. Many people would see what's going on and not sign up. In my evolution example it would be more like putting a frog in warm water and turning up the heat until it's boiling. The cold blooded frog wouldn't know what's going on.

In my mind this situation is separate from belief because the people following these things aren't thinking in terms of beliefs. They think something is as true as gravity which they can see everywhere. So, the question I'm left with is how to deal with this and talk to people about these blatant untruths. How do you deal with these situations when they come up?

When do you give to the church?

matt — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:51:40 +0000

Have you noticed that when many people give to the church they are trying to look good to others? Trying to look good to the people who sit around them at church. Let me try to explain what I mean.

I go to a church where at some point in the service an offering plate is passed around. I've been to other churches where it's a basket but the idea is the same. I've noticed that a lot of people I sit around put something in the basket every week. This looks like a good thing, right.

But, most of these people don't get paid every week. If the idea of giving is to give 10% of what you get and the giving to be the 'first fruits' would that really reflect in giving on weeks you weren't paid? If you give an offering at a church service when you haven't been paid since the last time you gave at a service how can that be giving the first fruits? Did you not give it all as first fruits in the previous service?

Is this a case of trying to look good to others? So, that the people think they look good to those sitting around them in the pews by not letting an offering plate go by without putting anything in it? I think so.

You might be asking yourself why this matters. I know I did. I think it has to do with motive. The bible says that our reason for doing things matters. And, it speaks out against giving as show for others. If we are giving every week a question to ask ourselves is why we are holding back from giving all of our giving at the first opportunity we get? Is if for God? Or, is it for you?

If it's for God I'd love to hear a justification. Because I just can't think of one on my own.