Yesterday I had the occasion to listen to Rev. 'Buzz' Stevens, retired pastor of First United Methodist Church - Phoenix.

Buzz is a delightful man who takes following Jesus seriously. Buzz grew up in a non-religious home and became a follower of Jesus as an adult. Having had this experience, Buzz has a slightly different approach to life and ministry than those of us who 'grew up in the faith.'

Buzz has a theory of ministry that talks about deep single episode encounters with people. Think about this, he says, 'Jesus seldom had few long term relationships with people - he met them one time - went deep - and left.'

(My counter-point would be - his three year relationship with 12 men and some of their family members.)

I think, however, that Buzz is onto something here. How often do we take those one time experiences and utilize them for going deep. For encountering folks one time, listening, caring, even challenging and then departing.

What I learned from Buzz is that God is frequently putting us with people with whom we only get one chance to go deep into their hearts and lives.

This is not 'hit and run' ministry. When I experience 'hit and run' ministry it is usually about me or about the person who is doing 'hit and run' ministry, it isn't about genuine encounters which touch the soul. You know when you have these moments with people because they strike you as profoundly holy and sacred. I know when I have them I am often left shaken and touched to the core of my being.

Today you might have an encounter with a Zacchaeus, a women at the well, a woman who people want to stone, a rich young ruler.

How is it with you, friend?

Are you running deep with Jesus?

What part about running deep with Jesus strikes fear into your heart?

What will it take you for you to be ready to have a meeting that runs deep today?

WHAT WOULD the CHURCH DO with JESUS TODAY
- by Ian Hall.

What would the modern church do to Jesus if He were on the
earth today?:

- They would tell Him to say a little prayer.
- They would invite Him to their church.
- They would tell Him to give ten percent of his money to the
church, and rebuke Him for giving it (and more) to the poor.
- They would give Him self-help books to heal his "inner hurt."
- They would tell Him that He needed to get rich in order to prove he had
the blessing of God.
- They would tell Him that apostles and prophets don't exist
anymore, and that most of the spiritual gifts aren't for today.
BUT being a Church greeter is a "spiritual gift."
- They would tell Him to go to seminary school to "perfect" his
preaching gift.
- They would tell Him, with their actions, that it is OK to sin, as
long as you either, (a) Hide it well enough, or (b) Use Scripture
to justify it.
- They would tell Him to stop playing with the children during the
sermon.
- They would tell Him to stop preaching repentance, because
people don't like it.
- They would tell Him to preach messages with a "warm, upbeat"
message that make people feel good, so that more people
would come to His church and that He could pay His bills for
His church building.
- They would rebuke Him for saying that the church is people, and
not a building.
- They would tell Him to stop hanging out with 'sinners.'
- They would rebuke Him for making "communion" a meal.
- They would rebuke Him for calling several people in church
authority "hypocrites."
- They would tell Him to stop healing people, because that isn't for
today.
- They would kick Him out of the church for knocking down the
pews and pulpits.
- They would gossip about Him, and say that He was starting a "cult."

One of the reasons many people never return to the brick building on the corner called a church is that they don't feel welcomed.

One Sunday June and I decided to visit a large church here in Phoenix. We walked into the foyer of the church. We stood around - no one greeted us. Finally we walked into the sanctuary. No one greeted us there either. We sat through the service. We got up and walked out and no one greeted us. (I actually wanted to stand around a bit longer to see if anyone would actually come and greet us - but June had enough rejection.)

As you might be aware our experience is not abnormal in many churches in America. Many people report similar experiences in churches across our nation.

How contrary this is to the welcome Jesus gave to people who came into his presence! Jesus actually demonstrated the greatest welcome to those who society kicked to the curb. Women were certainly rejected in Jewish culture of Jesus' day - yet he welcomed them! The poor, the leper, the ill, the half-breeds from Samaria, the prostitutes, the hated tax-collectors - all were welcomed into the presence of Jesus!

Followers of Jesus practice the habit of holding their arms open to all those around them, especially to those society folds their arms to and walk away from.

If there is one topic I discuss more than any other in my counseling office, it is this one: forgiveness.

When people in my office say something like this: "I have to forgive him", the first thing I ask them is for their definition of forgiveness.

Usually what most people mean by forgiveness is making up with the person who has offended them. They understand that forgiveness has something to do with being reconciled with the person who has harmed them. Most people have come to this understanding from their childhood when an adult encouraged them to make up with a classmate in the playground. Furthermore, these same people believe that making up means that we forget about the past and that need to let the offender back into their lives.

I tell people that while forgiveness may result reconciliation, forgiveness is not really about making up.

Forgiveness is about no longer being judge and jury. Forgiveness is about removing myself from playing the judge in the offender's life. Forgiveness is about letting God be the judge and jury in the person's life. (Let's face it, God is a bigger judge than you and I are!) Forgiveness means that I have decided not to harbor anger and resentment over what the person has done to me. Forgiveness means that I am no longer chained to the person. As long as I hold anger and resentment toward the offender I am chained to him or her. Instead of anger and resentment, I am actually able to pray blessing on the person.

Now, what about making up? If the person has taken advantage of you, violated you, then it is appropriate to continue to put up boundaries. It is appropriate to say, "I release you and myself from the bondage of my anger, however, I reserve the right to protect myself (and my minor children) from you." Forgiveness should not be confused with foolishness.

What about forgive and forget? First of all, in the Bible, forgive and forget is what God is said to have done with humanity's sin. This is not a requirement of people. Second, forgiving doesn't mean amnesia. Forgiving means that I now take a different stance toward the offense. I no longer view myself responsible to keep on beating up the offender or myself over the offense. I can actually live my life free of the torment of my feelings toward the offender. (After all, who is being hurt by your anger? Is the offender losing sleep over your anger? Probably not.) So 'forgetting' isn't about erasing the memory of the offense from my mind. In fact, to do so may mean putting yourself and/or others in danger. It has been noted that the opposite of forgetting is faith. We move toward faith - we move toward believing that God can handle this situation better than we can. It is truly 'Letting Go and Letting God."

There is an old story about a small town where the sheriff ran the town. One day a thief came to town and stole some money from the bank. He was quickly apprehended and placed in the town jail. Unfortunately, the jail door was broken and so whenever, the sheriff went anywhere he had to take the offender with him. He took the offender with him to lunch, dinner, home in the evening. Well, you get the picture. Unforgiveness is like that. We take the offender with us wherever we go. Forgiveness in putting the offender in God's jail and letting God's justice take care of him or her.

Forgiveness is hard work. It is worth it! When we do it, we are most like the God who forgives us.

So to show the world that you have experienced God's forgiveness, practice this habit of the church: Forgive One Another!

We received a letter at our home yesteday from a friend we have not heard from for several years. Our friend brought us up to date with her comings and goings.

Then she shared this "I so enjoyed my work at Lawrence Heights Community Health Clinic - I worked there 18 years! Ron, I believe you were instrumental in me getting that job."

Yes, I heard about the job opening which this friend is talking about. I had a good reputation with the people who would be doing the hiring. They trusted my recommendation. And I knew our friend's values and work ethic, so there was no hesitancy in bringing the opportunity and our friend together.

A few years ago our friend and her husband move to another part of province. As our friend was casting about for a job, she heard of another opening at a community clinic close to her home. She went and applied - and one of her former co-workers was there and recommended her for the job. Her co-worker practiced the gift of encouragement.

Some of my friends discovered I was not given a middle name at birth, knowing my spirit of encouragement, they have recommended that I take on the name Barnabas. Barnabas is the saint in the Bible who is nicknamed "Son of Encouragement". He is the follower of Jesus who took on John Mark after Paul lost his patience with him. I am proud to follow in the footsteps of such a man - Barnabas.

If our lives should be about anything, they should be about encouraging one another. God knows, there is enough stuff in life get us down. So we need to encourage each other!

Today is your chance - pracitice this habit of the church - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!