First time for everything!

I wanted to go on record to say that I just performed my first wedding! For those of you who don't know me very well, I am a pastor at Summerland Alliance Church in Summerland, BC. This spring, I finally finished the ordination requirements and was officially ordained on January 22. I am now Reverend Chris Hiebert, officially anyway. I really still prefer 'Chris' or 'hey you' or 'that guy' cause I am really the same guy I was before. I could talk more about ordination, but that is for another blog, right now I am talking about weddings.

So yeah, I married a couple on the top of Giant's Head Mountain today. It was really quite special to be a part of someone else's special day. I believe God was pleased by the marriage today. The lady is the owner of Summerland Flower Shop so now I can go in there and be all friendly like cause I know the owner. It is always fun going into a new business and knowing people. I had met her daughter before when I went to visit one of our friends that I went to visit when she worked there. The guy was a professional juggler - and no, I didn't see him juggle and I did not get any pictures.

But all this to say that I am a fan of marriage, God is a fan of marriage, it is cool to be a part of weddings, it is cool to get to know new people and I hope that this couple have many many happy years together . . . till death do them part. That is my prayer, anyway.

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War?

Someone I admire and respect told me recently that God has called Christians to change culture. He said it's up to us, that we are at war with culture. He talked about God's kingdom and how we are to bring God's kingdom here on earth. With that came the war rehtoric: soldiers, fighting, battle, etc. Then he talked about the call to be fishers of men asking questions like: "what are we doing to bring people to Christ?" "If we are honoring our call, where is our catch?"

There is truth in these statements and he poses good questions. I agree that we are to be God's Kingdom on earth, loving the poor and oppressed, caring for the naked and hungry, essentially being love as Jesus commanded (Matthew 22:37-4). But are we to wage war against culture and change it? I am not sure.

Another guy I admire and respect is Donald Miller. In his book Searching for God Knows What Doonald says that he thinks "most Christians want to love people and obey God but feel they have to wage a culture war." (p. 189) He goes on to say: "But this isn't the case at all. Remember, we are not elbowing for power in the lifeboat. God's kingdom isn't here on earth." Mind you, he was talking about militant Christians with a cause but it does make me ponder what approach Christians should take when it comes to culture.

Do I look at the world as a battlefield to be conquered, that the "lost" are the enemy and Christians are my allies? Or, do I look at the world as an opportunity to love and be Christ on earth? What would you call that? Would you call that a cause? Would you call that "Kingdom"?

All I know right now is that I am uncomfortable with "going to battle." I am uncomfortable with the charge that "it's up to you to change culture." Maybe I need to change and maybe being uncomfortable is good. But in the meantime, I'm going to do what I can to love God, love my neighbor and love myself.

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