On Mission, Seeking, Shopping & Pearls

Not only should mission be entered into with full confidence that the world, wittingly or unwittingly, actually wants what we have to sell – and not only should we put the news of its high price as winningly as possible –we should also not be too quick to insult their taste in pearls before they get to our shop.  And we should be equally slow to scare them out of the store with a lot of negative talk either about high prices or about the awesome, burdensome responsibilities incurred by those who acquire top-of-the-line merchandise.  Of course there are responsibilities.  Buy the world’s finest pearl means guarding it and worrying about it and paying monstrous insurance premiums on it.  Bur first and above all, it means actually owning the world’s finest pearl – which, if you have even a smitch of a taste for pearls, has got to be a real “up.”

Robert Farrar Capon

Turning 30

One Sunday after church I headed out for a run on the outskirts of Fort Wayne, IN.  Running after church was part of my normal Sunday rhythm and was often a time for me to wind down from all that had taken place in the morning.

This was not one of those runs.

That Sunday happened to be my 25^th birthday and there was a lot on my mind.  There was so much that I had hoped to accomplish, so many things I wanted to do and so much I had hoped to experience and as I was running down that country road I came to the realization that I hadn’t accomplished, done or experienced much to this point in my life.  I began to have a pretty frank discussion with God that could be summed up with “what’s up God!?!”  As the conversation continued I realized that 25 wasn’t that old, that my story wasn’t finished and that God was still at work.  If I just had patience I probably would accomplish, do and experience all I was hoping I would.

Today I turned 30 and in the past five years I have accomplished, done and experienced a lot of things…

• I have moved from Indiana to Cleveland.
• I have moved form youth ministry into young adult ministry.
• I went from having about 10 sermons under my belt to having a couple hundred.
• I’ve weathered two serious ministry storms
• I had one article published in a (somewhat) major publication.
• I’ve gotten through a large majority of a masters program.
• We’ve sold one house and bought another.
• We’ve purchased two new cars (well… one new and one used)
• We’ve added one beautiful baby girl to our family

If I’m honest with you, none of the things on this list are the things that I had in mind on my 25^th birthday.  When I was running 5 years ago the things on my heart and mind were “big deals.”  Things that people would know me for and recognize about me.  They were dreams that would really “put me on the map.”  Again, being honest, none of that has happened.

What has happened is I’ve realized that those “big deals” really aren’t that important.  There are a lot of people who have accomplished “big deals” and a lot more people who devote their lives to trying to accomplish them without much success.  In the long run, the “big deals” aren’t really that big of deals.

This could easily start to sound like rationalization for why I haven’t accomplished the “big deals” the past five years, but it’s not.  What I have realized is that I have accomplished, done and experienced a lot of “Great things” in the past five years.  Everything that is on that last is a Great thing.

Great things matter.  They have lasting impact.  Nobody has to know about them. They aren’t about me.

I’m not saying that I won’t be a part of “big deals” in the future because I think I will.  I’ve got a couple of “big deals” up my sleeve as we speak.  The difference will be that I’m not doing the “big deals” to be a big deal, I’m a doing them to be a part of something Great.

So, I enter my 30’s with a vengeance.  No fear or disappointment.  No apprehension or confusion.  I have my eyes set on the things that matter and a desire to be a part of Greatness wherever it may be found.

Here’s to doing great things.

Poets Prophets & Preachers // The Notebook

About two weeks ago Meri, Kenzie and I traveled to Grand Rapids, MI with our friends the Stegall’s for the Prophets, Poets and Preachers conference organized by Rob Bell with Shane Hipps and Peter Rollins.  In all it was an amazing experience that challenged and encouraged me greatly.  There was a great deal of takeaway for me as a pastor, a preacher and as a person.

As part of my seminary degree I will be submitting a paper with my takeaways from the conference and will use them here on the blog.  As an initial post I’m uploading my conference notebook in pdf form for your enjoyment.  If you do take the time to look through it and have questions please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at asikora@gmail.com.

Download here. Enjoy!

A Vision for the Church 30 Years From Now

When this change comes and we see Christ differently, others will notice.

Christians will be known not merely as engagers of culture, but as creators and builders of culture.  We will not avoid or fear the marketplace of ideas, the museums of modern art, and the assemblies of diplomacy; we will enter them.  Christians will cultivate an understanding of science, business, engineering, architecture and medicine because we know that our work tells the world more of what God is like.  When any field wants a well-informed expert, Christians will be consulted, not as token evangelicals, not because we have demanded representation, and not because we are so nice, but because we are concerned with excellence.

Christian women will no longer be known as the quiet, meek, and somewhat pathetic group who doesn’t experience twenty-first century freedom.  Instead, we will be something of an admired anomaly, sought after as the most informed believers in the value of femininity.  We will define womanhood beyond gentle and quiet submission, curves, baby production, and high heels.  We will understand and cogently explain how women are both body and soul and valuable for more than sex appeal.  We will be known as “those women” who are not afraid of old age and its mark on our bodies.  Our self-possession will make us a challenging group for marketers to target.  We will be less concerned with proving our equality with men and more intent on building our souls for the kingdom of God.

As Christian men and women, we will be faithful when we demonstrate long suffering with discernment, joy without everlasting grins, peace when it costs us personally to keep it, patience when our favorite causes are overlooked, and self-control when others are given the credit for changing the world.

In thirty years our souls will be bigger.

Jonalyn Fincher:: UnChristian

Kenzie Update

Tomorrow we’re heading home.  The time in the hospital has been really good for us.  Meri’s getting the hang of feeding Kenzie, I’ve changed a handful of diapers and Kenzie’s sleeping for 2-3 hours at a time.  Both sets of our parents have been here for visits as well as a few friends.  It’s so wonderful to share these first days with people we love (and to hear people tell us how beautiful she is).

Today I put together a photoblog to try and capture one photo every day of her first year.  If you’re interested in checking that out or subscribing (grandparents, aunts and uncle).  Check out Kenzie’s photoblog here.

Here’s a few newer pics

Kenzie Shae Sikora

Today I became a dad!  We were scheduled to come in at 9:30 and have our c-section at 11:30, but some emergency situations with other births pushed the birth of our baby back until 2.21pm.  She’s 7 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long.

Meri’s felt pretty sick to her stomach and is now just dealing with dizziness probably associated with the medication for the c-section.  In time she should be feeling great.

Here’s a few pictures from our day.

UnChristian :: Overcoming Hypocricy

I sin.
I swear when I’m frustrated.
I let things frustrate me too often.
I can be lazy.
Instead of serving people I’d rather watch tv.
I watch too much tv.
I am prideful about spiritual things.
I am prideful about practical things.
I am prideful.
I lie about my feelings.
I ‘exaggerate’ to make myself look good
I lie.
I am often disappointed because I don’t get my own way.
I don’t pray enough.  I don’t read my bible enough.
I am too self-reliant.
I think I know more than I do.
I sin.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Doing What You Love

My friend Josh is a writer.

It’s clear, spend a few minutes reading something he’s written and you’ll understand that God has given him the ability to express himself through words in a way that connects to the heart.  For a while Josh wasn’t putting much of his writing out there but this week he’s posted a few stories and thoughts and I am so glad that he’s back.

The truth is that when you’re doing what you love other people benefit from it.  I think there’s a reason for this.

There are things you love to do.  Things you were made to do.  Things that energize you and remind you that there’s a reason you’re here.  But it’s not just good for you, when you do the things you love it’s good for us.  God has given us gifts and abilities that we just have to use and when you do we benefit from it.  If it’s music, writing, humor, encouragement, hosting, leading or planning it’s not just good for you, it’s good for us.

We need you to do what you love.

It’s made me think a lot about what I love doing and how much time I’m spending doing it.

• I love talking about the Gospel with friends.  Thinking about what Jesus came to do and how we can join him in that mission.  I love it.  I love seeing the Gospel emerging in places that we least expect it and I love the hope that comes when we realize we still don’t have it all figured out.
• I love reading/watching/hearing good stories.  Nothing gets my creative juices flowing more than experiencing another’s story told well.
• I love running.
• It’s kind of weird, but I love to listen to interviews.  I don’t even care about who’s being interviewed, but I love to hear the heart behind what’s going on in a person and the logic they use in their day to day lives.
• I love strategic planning.  I love to draw on white boards and dream about what could be.
• I love writing and speaking, especially when I get the chance to help people get from point A to point B in the process.

Here’s what I’ve found recently, that to many is probably a no-brainer: The more I’m doing things I love the more energized (a fancy way to say happier) I am.

Too often we convince ourselves that we shouldn’t have the opportunity to do what we love.  That for some reason we should spend our time doing things that drain us of our energy.  That God would rather you spend your time doing things that you don’t like doing.  No doubt there will be times when we just have to do some things that we don’t love, things that just have to get done, but it’s up to you and I to fight for the things we love.

So what do you love?  How much time do you spend doing it?  What are we missing when you aren’t doing what you love?

UnChristian :: Get Saved!

I’m working on this week’s sermon on the apparent lack of sincerity that is experienced by most young adults when it comes to common evangelism techniques (the study shows that we are viewed in the same light as the door to door Mormon missionaries – yikes).

One of the problems the authors point out is our obsession with the moment of conversion and this NT Wright quote from his John for Everyone commentary makes an excellent point.

To think that this moment itself is the center of what it means to be a Christian, as though what God wanted was simply to give people a single wonderful spiritual experience to be remembered ever afterwards with a warm glow is a bit like someone framing their birth certificate, hanging it on the wall, and insisting on showing it to everyone who comes into the house.  What matters for most purposes is not that once upon a time you were born – though of course sometimes it matters that you can prove when and where you were born.  What matters is that you are alive now, and that your present life, day by day and moment by moment, is showing evidence of health and strength and purpose. – NT Wright

UnChristian :: Judgemental

A decade or so ago, when television evangelists right and left seemed to be falling by the wayside, I spoke at a denominational meeting of mainline pastors.  Before I was on, the mater of ceremonies said something like this to the audience:  We must distance ourselves from the likes of Jim Bakker.  Men like this have disgraced the church, and we must make it clear to our people that we are not like that.”

His words infuriated me, which explains why I started with words to this effect:  “the Difference between Jim Bakker and the rest of us is that they haven’t found out about the rest of u yet.  This is no time to distance ourselves from Jim Bakker, but to acknowledge that what was in him is in us all.  The line that separates good from evil does not separate one group of people from another, but runs right down the middle of each of us.  Each of us has a dark side –and if the truth were known, each of us would have to run away and hide.”

I am not suggesting that we are all adulterers, liars, and embezzlers.  All I’m saying is that there is enough evil in the best of us and enough good in the worst of us that it behooves us to not look down on others.  -Tony Campolo :: Adventures in Missing the Point