Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

2 Aug

The Good News, Faith, and Works

Posted by Jennifer Clark Tinker in Community, Inspiration. Tagged: , .

20130803-075517.jpgI wrote the following in response to a discussion on Facebook about faith and works and decided to cross-post my thoughts here.

A person who is blessedly assured of the Gospel is more likely to have that bubble over in what we think of as works or fruits than someone for whom the perception of God’s judgment still looms.

Overflowing!

Thinking of a hierarchy of needs model, whenever we have our own needs taken care of, we are more able, willing, maybe even eager to address the needs of others. So having our need for the Gospel addressed, we naturally turn outward as expressed in works/fruits.

So then, works, in my view, are a natural overflowing of receiving the Good News (for we have received grace upon grace). A living, vibrant faith would naturally result in works just because God’s grace is just so huge that we can’t contain it!

Trying Too Hard

On the other hand, the person who perceives rightness with God as being in question may try to appease God with works to attempt to earn God’s favor. But this is all toil, no joy, and ultimately futile because God is not asking us to earn his favor (and we couldn’t even if he did). The works, in this case, are irrelevant, not at all indicative of a living faith, and powerless to save. Here the works themselves are dead.

Suspicion

But what about the person who claims to be a Christian but has no works/fruits to show for it? Is it fair to say that person’s faith is dead because there are no works/fruits to see there?

Perhaps.

But then, maybe not so fast.

A Closer Look

How do we know that someone has zero works/fruit? There may be lots of things done in secret that are works/fruits overflowing in that person’s life. Or maybe that person’s gifts are so very different than ours that the works/fruits look very different than our own. This is perhaps one of those times to be sure to put the best construction on our neighbor’s actions (Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, explanation of the 8th Commandment).

More Suspicion

Furthermore, what if there is a quantifiable dwindling of works or fruits in the life of a Christian? Do we leave that brother or sister for “dead” on account of a “faith” that lacks works?

I sure hope not, because sometimes, in the ebb and flow of life, our reserves get depleted. Sometimes we face challenges that require every ounce of grace we have for ourselves. We can’t bubble over at that time because we’re wrestling with God about our current state of affairs.

Drained to Death?

These crises of faith may lead to a scenario in which someone decides to abandon the faith altogether. But then, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7-8) We may decide to walk away, but where could we possibly go that the Spirit of God will not continue to draw us with the Gospel?

Hope Beyond the Wilderness

Oftentimes though, the crises of faith, the wilderness times, lead us to a deepening of faith. Perhaps in the middle of it we “withdraw for a time” but that in itself can be a very faithful “work.” But even in this, it is God who is at work assuring us of the Gospel and replenishing us with his love. We can then emerge from the crisis of faith as even more joyful servants with a renewed vigor for the outward works/fruits for which we are freed and to which we are bound to do!

What do you think?

12 Jul

I’m Thrilled to Announce My First Podcast at “Life and Liberty”

Posted by Jennifer Clark Tinker in Community, Inspiration. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Listen to my first podcast at Life and Liberty: "Where is God in the Muck?"

Listen to my first podcast at Life and Liberty: “Where is God in the Muck?”

Friends, I am so excited to tell you about my first podcast ever! (A “podcast” is an audio recording on the internet that you can listen to on a computer or a handheld device.) This podcast is about one of my scariest experiences I’ve ever had and how I got through it. I was 14 years old at the time. The story is titled, “Where is God in the Muck?” This is the first of my new monthly contributions on “Spirituality” over at Life and Liberty.

>>>“Please click here to listen to the podcast “Where is God in the Muck?”<<<

Keep reading to find out how I got this opportunity and why I’m so excited about it.

Cool, How’d that Happen?

When David Housholder put a call-out for spirituality contributors on a Lutheran clergy Facebook group, I responded before I had the chance to over-analyze the opportunity. Not long before that he had commented on my blog and I became an instant fan of his. I mean, he’s a tradionally-published author with real books to his name and yet he noticed little old me! He was so supportive of my writing that when he said he needed spirituality contributors, I nominated myself.

(I’m grateful to Clint Schnekloth for putting me on his blogroll when both my acquaintance with him and my blog itself were only a few weeks old. It was through Clint Schnekloth’s blog that David Housholder got to my blog to begin with.)

Isn’t this Great?!

The irony is not lost on me that the exact post at which David Housholder first “noticed me” addressed my awareness of my own desire for greatness. Even my elation at being noticed by someone more successful than myself drips with egocentrism.

Also not lost on me is that the content of David Housholder’s original comment to me was, “make the big time where you are.” That’s great advice for being faithful with small things! But then that same guy is giving me this big opportunity? I’m still working all this out in my own spirit.

The Media Business

I’m gonna tell you right out, we hope to make money over at Life and Liberty. It is after all, a magazine. And magazines exist to make money.

On my blog here, I don’t make a dime off any clicks on anything at this site. I’m not directly selling anything here. I started this thing for the sheer need to share my voice with the world on a more regular basis. I need to do this just because I can’t not do it anymore. I’ve squandered my voice too long.

But over there, we mean business…well…hopefully! The site is barely covering costs right now, but it’s gaining momentum and it has the potential to be profitable. I would be delighted if a stream of income from my work there could contribute to my family’s financial goals.

Getting Political

Also, and this is the part I’m mostest scaredest to talk about, if you hadn’t already figured it out, Life and Liberty is kinda political. Okay, a lot political. I’ve tried really hard to pin down my own ideology. I don’t fit neatly into the bipartisan landscape as it is. And so, I have never really thought outloud much of my political stance with anyone outside of my very closest family and friends.

When David Housholder said that contributors would have to be able to work with the Libertarian-leaning of his site, I told him I was secretly very comfortable with that. The way I’ve been voting doesn’t thrill me anyway and I have become more open to Libertarian ideas over time. But, when he formally accepted my application and was willing to give me a shot as a contributor, I had to decide if I was willing to go public as having affinity for Libertarian ideas.

Who’s Ideas Are These?

I went to the Libertarian party website to study their platform. And the more I read, I just kept nodding. And I figured if large portions of their platform felt like something I might’ve written myself, then maybe it makes sense to be honest about the resonance I feel with it.

Once I got the Libertarian concern resolved for myself, the rest was easy. David Housholder’s vision for a free society that is spiritually deep is akin to thoughts and ideas I have had for years. What it comes down to is this, I wouldn’t be over there if David Housholder didn’t agree with me as much as he does! (Listen to this and read my comment exchange with him to see what I mean.)

What Goes On Over There?

There are things on the site I can’t even look at, there are things that make me shake my head just reading the title, and there are things on the site that point out realities that make me sad in ways that I’ve tried to explain here on the blog. At the same time there are things over there that give me much hope, there are things that give me a fresh perspective, and there are even things that kinda encourage a belief in fairies!

Also, as I’ve begun to meet the other contributors, I am particularly drawn to Lisa Goodwin and the amazingly deep things she has to say. I’m glad to join the team as a second female voice.

Taking a Step

So, I’m stepping out into something new. I’m excited and nervous. And I don’t know where any of it is going. But somehow working over there brings out more of who I am really which is so freeing. I hope you’ll take this step with me!

5 Jul

The More Different We Are, The More We Need Each Other

Posted by Jennifer Clark Tinker in Community, Leadership. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

We need each other.

My heart aches for the polarization we have in our country and our church. Really I don’t mind the diversity of perspectives. In fact, a little part of me does a happy dance inside when people engage in respectful discourse. We need more of that because we need each other.

But do we know this? Do we know how much we need each other? I’m afraid we don’t. And the reason why I think we don’t know how much we need each other is because I hear more shouting than meaningful discourse. I see more protests than meetings of minds. And that is why my heart hurts.

What is at stake?

I wrote before about how I am on the fence about a lot of things. And it was sort-of a “woe is me” for being so misunderstood for seemingly not being able to take a stand. But really, I’m sorry for all of us because we’re missing out on what everyone has to offer when we draw lines, and take sides, and demonize everyone who is not and in our camp.

It’s that demonization, that dismissal of the other, that hurts everyone. Sometimes it’s mild enough. “I don’t really like what she says so I’m not going to friend her on Facebook.” Fine. We don’t have to be Facebook friends with everyone. But if we never listen to any of her ideas with an open mind–with a respect for her as a person who has a unique perspective because of where she’s been, who she has known, what she has read, if we dismiss her because something she said once turned us off, then we’re missing out.

Of course, there are more blatant ways that we demonize one another. I’ve heard Christians on
both sides of the marriage issue accuse opponents of not really reading their Bibles. The implication on hot topics is, if you really love Jesus you’ll see things my way. Pick a topic, any topic in which people are deeply divided, and you eventually hear an insistence that those other guys hate God.

But then, we hope to move forward to set policies and make laws. We try to gather enough power to steamroll the infidels in our way. Then, when we get our way, a remnant rises up on the other side. We fear them because what if they gain enough power to undo what we worked so hard to accomplish?

What Else Can We Do?

If we would listen to each other about these things, then our lives would be enriched, and our policies would be enhanced. Our opposition would be our allies and implementation would have widespread support.

Think I’m dreaming? Dream with me!

Last year I was on a task force for my Deaconess community to improve understanding of our decision-making process. A few years ago we took a bold step to stop operating by majority rule and instead to make decisions by consensus. And it is messy. Really messy. And we didn’t know what we were doing and sometimes people got hurt. And the more we did it the less we understood about how to do it well. But I had the stubborn conviction that it mattered very much that we learn to do it better. So I joined the task force and I studied my little head off about it. I’ve learned there are ways, good ways, tried-and-true methods of finding common ground and moving forward in an organization even when there is division.

The fundamental principle in the process of finding common ground is that each person is valuable. The experience and insights of everyone in the group should be honored. And we need to listen most and best to those whose opinions are least like our own. Special deference is even given to those whose ideas are most on the fringe of the group.

We need more of that kind of approach to issues where there is conflict. We need to value each other more than our own agendas. For instance, what might happen if we stop arguing about who should be allowed to get married and instead listen to each other’s wisdom? On the left, a gift you bring is the insistence that gay people are people, worthy of respect. and you make sure we know that their orientation should never be reason to cause them harm. On the right, a gift you bring is the reminder that there is something very sacred at stake–our bodies are temples. And even if you have to concede on something you’ll remind us that, regardless of orientation, promiscuity and infidelity hurt people.

These are gifts! And maybe the gift of people like me who are in the middle is to get everyone talking about how our gifts can inform our policies. I already hear widespread agreement about the points I mentioned. No one I know personally, on either side, says that gay bashing is okay. Also? No one I know personally promotes the idea that promiscuity or infidelity are healthy life choices.

So, what might we be able to agree upon that respects the gifts on each side? Let’s talk more about that because we need each other to move forward in a way that more of us can feel good about. I don’t know what that way forward would look like exactly because I don’t think we’ve ever quite had the discussion framed that way.

Dream with me.

But it’s not just the definition of marriage, there are lots of big issues that divide us. What would happen if we would pick an issue that we’re passionate about and set aside our agenda to see the gift that the other side brings? We’re not sure what that gift might be? Let’s have a loving, gracious, conversation with someone who disagrees. Let’s listen more than we talk. Let’s receive the passionate objection as a gift. And if the person is open to it, we too could share about the gift that we bring. Let’s talk together about where we agree and see where that gets us.

What might happen in all of our relationships if we listen to each other like this? We all have gifts to bring–and we need each other.

This post was included in Elizabeth Esther’s #TreasuryOfSmallBlogs in July 2014! Check out all ten in the treasury:


http://www.elizabethesther.com/2014/07/treasuryofsmallblogs-for-july-2014.html

21 Jun

Why I Love Conferences Even Though I’m an Introvert

Posted by Jennifer Clark Tinker in Community, Inspiration. Tagged: , , , , .

20130621-095048.jpg
I’m a certified introvert–one of those people that draws energy and strength from time alone to think and process. I’ve taken the Jung Type personality tests numerous times and have flip-flopped on everything else except introversion. With all my need for alone time it always surprises me how much I love conferences. But I do! I’ve been thinking about why and here is what I’ve come up with.

Expanding my world of ideas

A common description of introverts says that we like to spend time in our “inner world of ideas.” And that is very true of me. I can be in a crowd of people and be totally withdrawn into my own thought-world. If someone says my name, I’ll come back to the group. If you need me, you will have my undivided attention. But if you don’t need me right now I’ll just be here in my head.

The thing about a conference is that it feeds this inner world of mine. New ideas from keynotes and workshops get added into my own mix of thoughts. I think pretty good thoughts on my own, but I think even better thoughts when my brain has more tumbling around up there. The talks I go to at conferences energize my introverted self because they give me more to think about.

One-on-one conversations

Another thing about introverts is we tend to be more comfortable interpersonally with one-on-one connections. Having gobs of people together in one place can be a bit overwhelming (see above about withdrawing into my inner world). This in itself can be reason enough for many introverts to avoid conferences altogether.

I don’t let that sea of people scare me away though. Instead, when I go to a conference I like to carve out time for deeper, more intimate, conversations. Sometimes this means talking with my husband about what I’m learning. But oftentimes I find one or two other participants that I can talk with about what we’re thinking about, what life is like these days, or how we’ve been growing in our faith. By nurturing one-on-one connections at a conference, my introvert friendship needs are wonderfully met.

The rule of two feet

Even though my inner-world of ideas and my intimate friendships can be nourished at conferences, there are times when the whole thing gets to be a little too much for me. Sometimes my brain is too full for just one more remix of “let’s all say where we’re from and what we do and who we came with and why we’re here and what we really, really love about being here.” Sometimes I just can’t do another thing with another human being.

When I feel like that I exercise what my Deaconess sisters refer to as “The Rule of Two Feet.” We have this understanding among us at our Deaconess annual meeting that if a given scheduled activity is too much, or if you are just too tired and need a nap and you can’t come to every, every thing it is okay. We trust your “two feet” to take you where you need to be throughout the event. Even though other conferences don’t state an official two-feet rule, I find that my ability to appreciate any conference is enhanced by respecting my two-feet.

True to type?

While it may not make sense on the surface that a confirmed introvert could be so exuberant about a conference, it works for me. In fact, paying attention to my introvert needs is what makes a conference so great for me. I don’t speak for all introverts because their experience could be very different from mine. I’m simply sharing what works for me and why I love conferences.

What about you? How do you feel about conferences? How does your personality influence how you participate in large group events?

24 May

Help that is Helpful

Posted by Jennifer Clark Tinker in Brokenness, Community. Tagged: .

Donate and Volunteer Generously and Wisely

All week I have debated about how or even if I should use my blog platform to say something about the tornadoes in Oklahoma. I’m afraid I don’t have anything very profound to say about it, but I want to be clear that what happened is sad and tragic and I do not attribute it to human sin or God’s judgment. Mostly, my heart goes out to everyone affected and I would never want my silence about it to seem like I don’t care. To that end, I wanted to offer the above link from my denomination. It offers a perspective on the kinds of help that are and are not helpful at times like this.

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