Ordering My Private World

Finally finished reading this book, about fifteen years too late.  It is proof positive that I do have some variation of Attention Deficit Disorder.  But after three airplane rides, I finally got through pastor and author Gordon MacDonald's National Bestseller.  It is in the category of self-help but with a theological impetus.
He starts out making a distinction between being Driven versus being Called.  The former is in the patterns of meeting demands of the ego and society, while the latter meeting a far more quiet invitation to partake in life with a sense of personal decrease, and a God-increase. 
The rest of the book addresses me, the disorganized person, who has poorly managed time, usually being dragged by dominant people and while often relying on talent, dismisses the discipline of personal development. 
There are useful insights and strategies to maximize one's effectives in whatever one is doing:  Like knowing your own rhythm and not fighting against it but to learn to work with it.  Having a fixed criteria on how to budget your time and to do it far in advance (one of my greatest weaknesses I must say).  To keep up the intellectual agility by actively engaging in Christian thinking.  To learn to appreciate God's creation.  (To read messages that God has coded into nature).  To train the mind to research information for the sake of serving people of the public world.  Many of the points sound familiar, it is a good title for Christian formation.  MacDonald encourages readers to become good listeners, to grow by becoming accustomed to read, to keep up with disciplined study.  The last few chapters touch on the centrality of God in the process of getting ordered.  To take time alone and to go to God, to learn to listen to God.  Keeping a journal for example (an account of things that were accomplished throughout the day, prayer topics, insights from Bible reading and other materials, and details about their children and their milestones).  Worship and rest, how they are related.  This is how he finishes out the book.  First edition copyrighted 1984, it is a classic.  Already 33 years in print!  Wow.  I might put it up there with M. Scott Peck's "The Road Less Traveled."  To the תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ - Let there be Light.    

If you can't bring the people into the church...

Bring the church to the people.

One of our EM church members was the conductor for the first segment for this Fall "Reformation Chorale" put on by ASU students of their music department.  It was an offering that celebrates Martin Luther's 500th year of nailing down of the 95 theses that began the cutting away from unbiblical traditions that misled the people of God (namely the selling of indulgences).  500 years of returning to the heart of the matter, the Holy Scriptures; but it also turns out that Luther was a prolific hymnodist.  I was not aware of this until last night!

The feature piece was Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott which is likely to be a familiar tune (from movies) to even non-church-goers.  After about 80 minutes of all the classical music, the remaining segment was of gospel choir.  I don't know how many people were there to tap into, or to participate in what is "singing unto the Lord," but between four songs a young man from the choir came up and explained the importance of an African American Methodist Episcopalian church had become influential during (I am guessing) around the 50' or 60's.  At the very end they sang a spirited "He's My Everything." a musical score recorded by the late Julia Mae Price-Williams.

Towards the tail end of the show, as they were clapping, turning left and right, and really entering into a kind of tangible joy readily found in the African American gospel choirs, the conductor turned around, faced the audience and he had this look like, "Well, come on now~  Why aren't you standing?" prompting the audience to join in.  Right away the entire audience got up and started clapping to "Jesus, He's My Everything, Jesus, He's My Everything..." and I really got into it!

I wonder if the Spirit touched any of the unchurched people of the audience through the elaborate theatrics.  Was the cultural venue (Tempe Center for the Arts) a distraction or conduction?  His church should go into the world.  That is after all, how it all started.  The event ended on a high note because I for one, felt the spark of what I would call a spontaneous moment of worship.  It was an epiphenomenal moment.  It was no longer just music, it was exalted with a standing ovation, that Jesus always deserves!  For a mighty fortress is our God.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.