On May 1 I invited Mount Zion United Methodist Church to a 40 day Bible reading challenge.
The same Luke who wrote the 3rd Gospel also wrote Acts. It’s a sequel, so he continues where he left off: the disciples are waiting. To know about Jesus, is not enough. We need to experience His power, so we wait, pray and discern.
They replace Judas Iscariot, by rolling dice? That’s a pretty big decision to leave to a game of chance. We should look at what’s going on in our churches and communities, but why not just pray? The practice of casting lots does disappear from the Bible, so maybe the apostles felt they needed confirmation for a fledging church with a crucial leadership position to fill.
Casting lots was a method used in ancient times to make decisions or determine God’s will. But Peter also prays, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen.” Like the Hebrew proverb goes, ” The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33].
Are we experiencing the power of Christ? Are we able to listen and discern God’s will?
Where do we get our beliefs?
Three theological perspectives have significantly shaped my Christian identity: Evangelicalism, the early Methodist tradition and liberation theology.
From my coming to faith in a Baptist church and throughout my education in a Baptist school and college, I was nurtured by convictions that emphasized a spiritual rebirth, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the centrality of the Bible. Even when I disagree with certain aspects of evangelicalism, it has deeply influenced my sense of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
My seminary studies spawned my interest in early Methodism, particularly its approach to spiritual formation. Its leaders were convinced that only a foundation of doctrine and discipline would lead to a meaningful transformation of the heart and mind. In other words, having the mind of Christ enables me to be more like Christ.
Life in a suburban culture obscures the increasing gap between the poor and rich, as well as the Bible’s close identification with the poor. My doctoral work in socio-cultural context exposed me to liberation theology, which helps me see redemptive history as a history of oppressed groups, written from the perspective of the powerless, about a God who is actively involved with the poor in their struggles.
I am now the pastor at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in St Mary’s County, Maryland. Together my wife and I have 4 children.
The Other Six Days 