Ordination Recap and Some Thanks

So I was indeed ordained an elder in the Church of the Nazarene last week (click here if you care about pictures). Some have asked me “how I feel.” Well, honestly, I’m thankful. Another asked me if my sermon was better the day after. I don’t know, although, I did feel a bit more confident…? Another asked what ordination meant to me. Well, here’s what the Church of the Nazarene says (in part):

401.6. Theology of Ordination. While affirming the scriptural tenet of the universal priesthood and ministry of all believers, ordination reflects the biblical belief that God calls out and gifts certain men and women for ministerial leadership in His Church. Ordination is the authenticating, authorizing act of the Church, which recognizes and confirms God’s call to ministerial leadership as stewards and proclaimers of both the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. Consequently, ordination bears witness to the Church universal and the world at large that this candidate evidences an exemplary life of holiness, possesses gifts and graces for public ministry, and has a thirst for knowledge, especially for the Word of God, and has the capacity to clearly communicate sound doctrine.

I actually appreciate that. I think it’s a worthy statement.

More personally, I saw the day as a statement of faith in me by the church community. I was not ordained by Paul Cunningham. He was the presiding General Superintendent over the New England District Church of the Nazarene, who chose to ordain me. And it is indeed quite a statement of faith, one that I must and will remember.

So in one sense, it was an end.

But in a much greater sense, it was a beginning. I am stating here publicly that I commit to continue seeking the face of God. This means that I acknowledge I have more to learn and will until the final consummation (I think the title of this blog is testimony to that). I give anyone and everyone permission to call me out on the day I stop learning. I think one of the greatest weaknesses that has put the CotN and evangelicalism in danger of not having a voice in the world is the lack of desire to continue being formed and shaped as the culture around us changes. The thought that we have ministers serving on the foundation of an M.Div. of several decades in age and a few CEUs here and there should give us no wonder that we aren’t connecting with today’s generations. Jesus Christ may be the same yesterday, today, and forever…but the culture he loves is not.

So…I hope to continue learning, to continue being shaped and formed, to continue being moved by a Spirit that is always in constant motion (it’s no wonder that the images for the Spirit are fire & wind, no?).

So while ordination was a time to look to the past and remember all we’ve come through to get where we are, it’s also a challenge to be alive in the future.

By the way, I confessed to someone recently that I have been on the BU School of Theology website quite a bit recently…but due to reasons of finance and family, another degree is not likely any time soon.

There are times in life when you just feel like you need to thank somebody. The event of ordination made me think of all the people who have shaped and formed my life to this end (beginning). I want to take some time to thank some people who have led me thus far in ministry in the Kingdom.

Of course, the danger in doing this is forgetting someone. I’m going to go ahead and risk the danger, with apologies to those I may remember later. I want those I have remembered to know that I am thankful for what they’ve done in my life as I have headed into ministry in the Kingdom of God.

Kenny Stanford – For picking a non-athletic clumsy toe-headed seventh grader to the FOL volleyball team. I had no reason to be on that team, but you have no idea what it meant to the confidence of a shy, young boy. And then you just kind of adopted me into ministry. And now, for your friendship, advice, and sounding board ears.

Jeff Lane – For being a model to a young teen and now, for your friendship. It’s nice to know that you’re “out there” too (in more ways than one).

Don & Lori Jeffrey – For driving me to countless youth events and being “youth pastors” where there were none. For opening your home to me.

David Landry – For giving tough advice and challenge to a young teen. Your example spoke to me.

Gerry & Sharon Deroschers – For your advice and challenge to serve Christ amongst my peers.

Dave Brown – For demonstrating to a young teen what it means to love and have passion about something.

Dan Eddings – For your demonstration of leadership.

Bev Keuther – For your encouragement to a young teen to keep on in serving the Lord.

John White – For leading a church community that always encouraged the development of young people: for giving us a chance to minister and lead. And for letting me be a part of a youth group when I had none.

David Bickom – For spending so much time with a young guy and giving me a sense of humor.

Mark Metcalfe – For encouraging a young musician.

Ed Frost – For your friendship. I’ve always felt like I am your equal.

Nick Mucci, Jarrod Spalding, Jamie Wilson – For your friendship in college and since. It’s so great to know that I’m not alone in what I’m doing.

Ryan Scott – For your quiet friendship, countless conversations over IM. I am challenged by you, and all for the better.

Mike Schutz – For challenging me to think and ask tough questions of God and humanity.

Fred Fullerton – For your mentorship in some tough times in college, for your friendship now as a peer.

John M. Nielson – For encouraging Meghan and I as we sought the will of God. And for your example in family and ministry.

Tom Oord – For helping me understand that it’s okay to challenge my own thinking, to doubt, and for showing me my own foundation for believing in God by your own testimony.

LeRoy Hammerstrom & Ken Constantine – For passing me! But even more so, for encouraging a young college student to follow the voice of God, despite the confusing road I was on.

Anita Henck - For your encouragement in confusing times.

Bill Clay – For challenging me to be sanctified daily. Starting now.

Hans Deventer (and others on Naznet) – For giving me a place to present ideas, challenging me to be able to know what I’m talking about and allowing me to grow in grace and knowledge, all the while in love.

Clark Armstrong – For giving me a chance, for your encouragement, your loan forgiveness, your willingness to share the helm, your release, your passion, your quickness to demonstrate emotion, and your example of “plodding along.”

Golda Masters – For demonstrating to me a “fight to the end” attitude. For your love and “gramma-like” care to a poor young couple and their son. For your comradeship.

Tim Pusey – For always seeking out a lowly seminary student in a Kansas City crowd of bigwigs.

Brian Postlewait – For your constant challenge to think about what it means to be a part of the Kingdom.

NTS Profs – I could list each one of you individually and say how you impacted me. Thanks for leading me in ministry for the Kingdom.

Ron Benefiel - Though you don't even know it, for showing me that I can stay...and how.

Russ Metcalfe – For your example to the next generation, and your continued willingness to seek the face of God despite “time served.” And for daily prayer.

Jossie Owens – For not throwing away a letter and giving a chance to a young and crazy guy.

Larry Ogden – For demonstrating to me that generations other than my own can think too. And your grace.

Geoff DeFranca – For being a bigwig that’s not afraid to challenge the ways of our small corner of the Kingdom of God.

Scott Newell – Your sense of humor is a reminder to me to “chill out.” Thanks for praying with me every week. And thanks for starting a church community in Hingham.

Larry & Martha Wilson – For being a counselor who took interest in a young guy in his cabin. And for continuing the work in Hingham.

Mike Matthews – For your open and welcoming arms to me and my family when you probably had good human reason not to. And for continuing the work in Hingham.

Ron & Patty Parker – For your example and quiet advice. (Oh yeah, and for your daughter, my partner in ministry).

Floyd Nease - Though it may surprise many (and perhaps none more than yourself) to find your name on this list, conversations we've had have shaped my understanding of God, one way or the other. And thanks for being a sounding board each week, as in my head, I've often deleted portions of a sermon after thinking, "Uncle Floyd would think that's ridiculous." Quite often, you've been right.

Jeff – For talking theology. I look forward to more of it.

Mike Lyle – There are several on this list to whom I could give a lifetime of thanks (both in breadth and because they deserve it). You’re one of them, and I hope I can do it. Thanks for your honesty and transparency.

Grandma & Grandpa Scott - For your demonstration of what it means to be dedicated to service in the Church.

Grandpa Nease – I don’t even know where to begin. I guess if I were to pick one thing in relationship to service in the Kingdom of God, thanks for your example of humility and grace. That’s what I hear about the most as I talk to people who knew you well.

Mom – I continue to be pleasantly surprised sometimes, as I think about theology, to remember back to some conversations we had when I was growing up.

Dad – Good grief, where would I start? I guess it all started with DNA, but thanks most of all for your example of humility, grace, and plodding along despite a lack of acknowledgement. I imagine I’ll be needing that too.

Meghan - Thanks for not giving up on me, especially when we've talked late into the night about some whacko theological thing or another. I love how we've grown together.

(I really didn't mean for this to sound like I won the Oscars or something...it's just that there have been times when people have thanked me for something I've not even remembered doing, and it was an encouragement. I guess I want to do the same.)

Been a while: Brief Update & Ordination

So it's been quite a while since I've posted. Things are as crazy as ever with the three kids and the church community. But life is good.

Perhaps the two or three of you who might actually check this thing can notice a few changes around the site. One, I have the URL now (thanks to J-Twitch) www.jeremydscott.com. The old address will still work too. I hope to add to the links across the top as time goes on. We'll see...

In other news, Meghan and I get to go away alone for three days and two nights this week. North Street gave us a bedandbreakfast.com gift certificate, and we're hitting up The Maine Stay in Kennebunkport, ME. We're really looking forward to it.

And then next week I'll be ordained by the New England District Church of the Nazarene (pending GS approval...hehe...). It's been no secret here on this my site, on other blogs, and at Naznet.com that I have in the past and still do differ with some aspects of the Church of the Nazarene. However, it's taken me three years of seminary and almost five years in full-time ministry to decide that even with such variances, I believe that I can make a beneficial impact in the small corner of the Kingdom of God called the Church of the Nazarene.

Even still, that doesn't completely dispell a slight nervousness that I have in knowing that as I kneel down next Saturday, May 31st for ordination in the CotN, there is an implication to many that I'm swallowing the Manual whole. It's the future disagreements that make me slightly nervous. However, I'm quick to point out that when a resolution to change an aspect of the Manual fails at our General Assembly, no one's asking for the credentials of those who voted on the failing side.

To clarify, I uphold the Articles of Faith (though I'd change some wording). I actually really value our Articles of Faith - I think they're worthy. But there are other areas of the Manual that I find disagreeable, but not enough to make me feel like I can't support the CotN, all "in spirit and in truth" (see John 4:24).

I value much of the tradition of the Church of the Nazarenes. Our roots move me. The dedication of many to compassion inspire me. There are leaders in spotlight positions from whom I have benefited, demonstrating to me great humility and leadership. And I am excited about what the CotN is doing locally (near me). I am excited about North Street, though I've for sure learned that community is a long, hard road.

Anyway, I wanted to fire this blog up again. We'll see if it takes me ten months to post again.

Infant Baptism

On Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2007, Meghan and I gave our twin girls, Brenna Munro & Brooklyn Gwen, for infant baptism. Click here for all the pictures. It was a beautiful gathering.

Our son Brayden Wesley was also baptized as an infant on Christmas Sunday, December 25, 2005. We have just the one picture you see here. This one was special because his cousin, Karter Landen Kern, was dedicated at the very same time.

For all three of our children, we were blessed to have their grandfathers - both elders in the Church of the Nazarene - present and overseeing. Our families were well-represented (with all the Parkers present for Brayden's baptism and most of the Scotts present for the twins' baptism).

These were important events for the Scott family. Meghan and I "dedicated" our children to God the day we knew they existed. We chose infant baptism for all three for a number of reasons. Baptism is many things. Perhaps at the forefront for us, it is the public entrance (welcoming!) of an individual into the Christian community of faith. In my own experience (and in Meghan's), we were both born "into" the Church. We've never known life outside of the Church. While we've had our fallings and shortcomings, we've really always been a part of the Church. We want the same for our children.

So yes, we made that decision for our children. They can choose to accept or reject that decision at an appropriate age - as they can and will with all the decisions we'll make for them throughout their early lives. It's obviously our hope and prayer that we raise them in ways that are most conducive to them making the choice to follow Christ.

What happened at their baptism was a sign of and to something, not an end. I believe that this is true for all baptisms. Baptism is a sign and symbol of what happens in one's life.

One thing that was beautiful about the gathering for Brooklyn and Brenna's baptism is that our community of faith got to recognize the affirmation of a little girl's own infant baptism. Just the week before, a girl in the church prayed to acknowledge Christ. For her, it was the "confirmation" of her own infant baptism that her parents had initiated when she was a baby. It's good to see it come full circle! It's to this end that Meghan and I pray.

The last thing I'd add for now is that it's important to us that this happen within our local church community. As a reception into the community of faith, these children become a part of the Church through this local church. North Street had already been so supportive of the kids in every way, but it's important to me (as Dad and as Pastor) that the community be reminded that these children are theirs.

Meghan and I get the unbelievable privilege, joy, and responsibility of taking care of these three kids for a few years. What we do will shape them tremendously. This is an awesome responsibility and one we don't take lightly. I'm not sure there's anything more important in our lives for which we can be so directly responsible. This is it.

By the way, we don't hold infant baptism as prescriptive for anyone (though I'll recommend it in my own community). We just chose it as we saw it best for our kids.

For Brenna & Brooklyn's baptisms, we used about 90% of the order of service that Dennis Bratcher provides at the Christian Resource Institute (click here to see it).

Brian McLaren on the Kingdom

I think I've demonstrated here before that I love the image of a kingdom in describing how God works. Jesus talks about it all the time. We have good and bad examples of the image in the Old Testament. Personally, I think I might like it because I've always been fascinated by these kinds of stories - The Princess Bride, The Sword in the Stone, King Arthur, etc.

There were recently two videos put on my favorite visual liturgy site (The Work of the People) of my favorite author, Brian McLaren in which he discusses the image of the Kingdom of God. I've posted them both here (sorry...I'm not sure how to get them to not start playing both at once...you'll have to use the pause button).

Good stuff.

Two Guns and a Baby

These are rough days on a national and on a local level. The massacre on the campus of Virginia Tech has rocked the United States. The death of a one-year-old baby has shaken a family and many members and friends of the North Street community. Death is in the air, and it's hard to know how to respond. In the first case, the media tells us who to blame. But he's dead, and even if he were alive, would it help? In the other case, well...it's pretty hard to know how or who to "blame" in the death of a baby. It just sucks (and even that word isn't strong enough).

It's hard to think about mass murder and the death of a baby. Our human reactions include confusion, fear, anger, disillusionment, and a variety of other emotions. We need to deal with them and not ignore them.

But when it comes to answers, they're hard, even impossible to come to. I can't explain the motives of Cho Seung-Hui, regardless of what the media says or what an investigation will eventually decide. And I can't explain the death of a baby. I do know that these things do not resonate with the imago Dei - the mission of God. These events and events like them are not what God planned for humanity...and just a little over a week after we celebrated resurrection, it's still not what God has planned for humanity.

So how do we respond?

The Word of Sunday's worship gathering lingered with me throughout the day yesterday as I watched all together too much news on television. And this morning, Jesus' words in John 20:19-31 are still pressing on my mind. Below is a manuscript form of the preached Word yesterday (for those reading outside of the North Street community, that means the "sermon"). I edited it for readability, but please still remember that what you're reading was meant to be delivered orally (I would have given an audio link like usual, but it didn't get recorded this week). But if you want to read it, please be sure to read the biblical text first (that's the link above to John 20:19-31).

Here it is:

Let’s remind ourselves of where we’re at here in the gospel text.

We’re in the gospel of John and it’s been barely 48 hours or so since Jesus had died when the disciples were gathered in that room. But let’s look back for a second.

He died on Friday, the first day. Though not all were present at his death, everyone knew it had happened. All the disciples of Jesus knew that he was dead. So Jesus had suffered and died brutally. The man in whom all these disciples had put their lives and hopes was stripped from them, arrested, put on trial, beaten, mocked, dragged through the city of Jerusalem carrying a cross up to a hill called “death” where he was nailed to the wooden beams of the cross and hung up for all to watch his cruel death. No one doubted it – he was dead. From the perspective of the disciples, it was the end of their hope, all that they knew and believed to be true was gone. The situation of “all things right and proper” and “as it should be” was gone. Jesus Christ, their messiah, their hope, their savior…was…dead. This was the first day.

Then there was the second day, the Sabbath – what we know as Saturday, a day of rest for Judaism, and a day of rest for the dead Christ. We have nothing of this day in John. But we can imagine. Have you ever woken up the morning after a bad day? You wake up and you know in the back of your mind that something bad has happened. Perhaps you were up much later worrying about it and got a bad night’s rest because of it. Regardless, you wake up with a bad feeling. Sometimes, I’ve woken up after a day like this and there’s this slight glimmer of hope that what had happened actually didn’t happen. Have you had this? You know, just for a moment, when you wake up, you think, “Wait, was that a dream?” Well, it wasn’t for the disciples of Christ, it wasn’t a dream at all. Jesus was dead. And they had to go through that whole day of Sabbath, with the knowledge that Jesus was dead. The son of God was dead. God…was…dead. This was the second day.

Then there was the third day, the first day of a new week. And what we know in the text so far is that Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene and that Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved had seen an empty tomb. So for a second, let’s look at this from the perspective of these disciples who are gathered in this room, with the door shut and locked for fear of the Jews. Let’s place ourselves in their position – what are we thinking? It’s barely been 48 hours since all of this has taken place – since Jesus has died. I’m no great psychologist, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t enough time for our period of grief to subside. And that’s for anyone’s death. It takes time to get over death. And here, 48 hours or so later, the drastic nature of Christ’s death – the death of our Savior – is probably finally beginning to really set it. We’ve gathered together, in fear of what’s going to happen, and our situation is one of confusion, distress, perhaps even chaos – what are we going to do? We’ve dropped our careers, we’ve given up family, and we’ve sold the farm so to speak for this guy Jesus, who’s now dead. Death lingers in the air around us. We can still smell it and taste it and feel it. The anguish of Jesus’ death is still on our minds. We’re disparate, and we’re angry. The last thing on our minds is a peaceful life. Nothing’s right or as it should be.

We need to talk for a second about this word ‘peace.’ ‘Peace’ in scripture is often a bit different than we speak of peace today. Today we hear the word ‘peace’ and our understanding shifts to one of tranquility. We might think of the word ‘peace’ and see a quiet bubbling stream or a slight wind blowing over a grassy knoll. Or we hear the word and think of the opposite of fighting and war, when all sides are in compromise and not killing each other. These two ways of thinking of peace are not wrong, they’re quite appropriate, but the peace of scripture – shalom – goes beyond this. Shalom is a state of being where all is the way it should be. A closely related word shalem means “complete”. Another closely related word l’shalem means “to pay”. Shalom – to pay complete. To give completeness. And Shalom is one of the many Hebrew names for God. God is shalom. Shalom is God. God gives completeness. Satisfaction. Shalom makes things the way they should be. God makes things the way they should be.

So if we’re back again with the disciples during the evening of the third day in the fearful, chaotic, and tense locked room, we’re in a place that lacks any sense of peace, any sense of shalom, any sense of completeness. Our situation is ruin.

…and John says that Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

And after showing them his hands and his side, he says it again, “Peace by with you.”

And the he does something strange. The text says that he breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

All right, sorry, but here’s some more Hebrew – a related Hebrew word for ‘breath’ and ‘breathe’ is ruach. And it’s this word ruach that’s in play when God breathes into Adam in Genesis that gives him life. Remember, Adam has a whole body with every part and muscle and bone completed, but in Genesis, only when God breaths ruach does Adam know life. And later on in the Old Testament, in a story that we read last week in Ezekiel, we see ruach again. But here it plays a couple of meanings. God’s spirit is ruach. And God’s spirit leads Ezekiel to the valley of the dry bones, and God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones for the ruach of life. Remember, they too have complete bodies at this point in the story, bones, and flesh, and sinew had grown upon them, but they’re lifeless until God’s ruach – his spirit, his breath is put within them. All is only well, when with the presence of God’s ruach his spirit, his breath, and our breath. Without ruach, there is no life. Without ruach, there is only death.

An equivalent word in Greek is pneuma. It’s from this word pneuma that we get all sorts of words today – pneumatics, pneumonia, pneumatology, and so on. All these things have to do with air, or our breath – pneuma.

So here, back in the room with the disciples, Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the holy spirit.”

And he adds this:

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

What the…?

What…does…that…mean?

I’m fine with the holy-spirit-giving and the peace and maybe even the whole breathing thing. It makes sense that people over the years have made this John’s version of the commissioning of the Church and even Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Spirit (in John, ‘advocate’ or ‘counselor’ is perhaps more appropriate). That’s all well and good, but what’s with Jesus’ words on sin, here in this place at this time?

Let’s again remember some things that have happened.

It’s notable that:
- Jesus said, “Put your sword away, Peter…” when Peter begins his great defense of Jesus at his arrest.
- Jesus did not fight back amidst his arrest, his trial, his mocking, his beating, his path to the cross, and on the cross itself. He could have, right?
- Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” even as they ‘did.’

Jesus’ whole life is notable in this way: a lack of aggression, a calmness and serenity when he is challenged by those who seem to despise him. Jesus lived a peaceful life. Jesus lived life the way it’s supposed to be lived.

And after the victory over death, and sin, and the grave, Jesus appears to the disciples who’ve gathered in fear and anger and says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; and if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

How do you handle the sins of others?

Again, let’s pretend we’re the disciples. We’re fearful and angry that our savior has been killed. And he shows up, alive, breathing, right in front of us. He has risen from the dead, conquered death. This guy’s alive and now I definitely know that nothing can take him down! What’s my response?!?

…Let’s go find Pilate.
…Let’s go find the chief priests.
…Let’s go find the guys that held the hammer and spear.
We’ve got something to settle. Let’s go get ‘em.

…and Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

How do you respond to the sins of others?