Security Issues for Places of Worship

"I don’t want to attend a church where we have to lock our doors and monitor our entrances."

You may read this sentence and conclude there’s nothing wrong with it. If you find yourself nodding in agreement, please consider this. Is it a good idea to make policy based on how things should be, rather than on how things are? For example, I may decide to permit my children to be home unattended for long periods of time, because, children ought to be able to care for themselves, right? The danger implicit in this statement is strong.

There are two categories here. The way things ought to be (which is up for interpretation) and the way things are. The sad reality is that you and I live in an “is” world that has proven to be quite terrifying.

The congregation where I serve as pastor, St. Martin Lutheran in Birch Run MI, is in the process of implementing security procedures during worship services. A few months ago, I attended a day-long workshop put on by the MI State Police entitled, "Security Issues in Places of Worship." One of the more sober realities was communicated when a speaker shared this, "Shooters (be they in schools, churches or places of business) stop shooting for two reasons...they run out of ammo or are confronted in some manner."

The lesson I took from this was simple - heaven forbid that evil visit my or anybody’s church but if it does (and the possibility is there), it is my duty as a leader in my church to take at least simple precautions to avert, lessen or hopefully prevent this from happening. 

Now, the interpretation of what security entails and how it is actualized is open for debate and discussion. However, I feel strongly that all places of worship should have some form of security procedures. I found this quote from one of the officers particularly relevant, "The house of worship should be open for all to attend and feel welcome, HOWEVER, there needs to be a whiff of organization and accountability to the facility."

My prayers to God our Father for all congregations, that they take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of their worshippers. If you have questions or require more information, check with your state police, or local police officers, or district leaders or just do a google search. For me, the response to violence in our places of worship is simple and binary. We can do nothing and hope for the best, or, we can take reasonable measures and be prepared in case something was to happen. And make no mistake—it can happen at your place of worship. 

Map of Superion (Book 1: Bane and Blessing and Book 2: Cleave the Darkness)

Map of Superion

Cleave the Darkness is the second book in a series entitled, "Superion." I have plans for five books right now, perhaps more after that.  I wanted to add a larger map for the blog to peruse at your leisure. I personally love maps and am thankful that I have a great cover artist who can do covers and maps. Now, this is essentially the map that I had in Bane and Blessing with a few additions. People have shared with me how similar the towns are to some in MI - that of course was done on purpose. Millington, Flint, Frankenlust, Burt, Port Austin, Port Sanilac - all of those places have in some way been significant in my life.

Some have also noticed some of the places as being significant in Lutheran history and scripture. Wittenhelm, for example, is taken after Wittenberg - the small town in Germany where Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door. The island Wittenhelm is located on is called "Batmos," an allusion to the island of Patmos where John had his Apocalyptic revelation that would become the book of Revelation. The Rakkath Forest is taken from a fortified city on the sea of Galilee (Joshua 19).

My U.P. (Upper Penninsula of MI) friends have noticed some prominent locations in Superion - namely the Ironwood forest, L'Anse Forest (a city in MI - translates from French to mean "the cove") and Iron Mountain, home of the dwarves. I was blessed to call Iron Mountain home for almost five years. Book three will spend a lot of time with the dwarves of Iron Mountain.

The continent which holds the five nation-states (Galatia Major, Galatia Minor, Askani, Korsica, and Baktrani) is called Superion, which is also the title of the series. This is based on a story I once heard (don't know if it is true or not), about a group of people who wanted to extricate the Upper Peninsula of MI from the lower portion (affectionately referred to as the abode for trolls), and become their own state. A suggested name was Superion (as the rumor goes). Lastly, the elves reside on a peninsula called, "The Finger of El," El being a Semitic word for God. The insinuation is that the elves consider themselves gods amongst the other races.

Cleave the Darkness is now available in paperback with the ebook (Kindle & Nook) edition available sometime around Easter. Book three (no title yet) is progressing nicely.

God Bless

Jim

Cancer Now What?

In October 2017 I had the pleasure of having dinner with Dr. Kenneth Haugk, founder of Stephen Ministry. Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.

He was traveling the country promoting his new book, "Cancer Now What?" Not only did I enjoy an amazing meal at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, MI but I got a chance to hear the stories of how this book came into being.

The book is summarized thusly, "This book from Stephen Ministries is a comprehensive how-to guide that helps cancer patients and their loved ones navigate the medical, emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges of cancer."

I had the opportunity to finish the book recently, and I marvel not only at the work and research that went into this book but how applicable it is to anyone experiencing life-threatening illness.

The book will help walk the patient (or family member) through the land-mine filled landscape that descends upon them when cancer strikes. The book compassionately takes you by the hand and walks you through the beginning stages of grief and fear, informs you of options available, helps you deal with the emotional roller coaster, gives advice on how to deal with family and friends and instructs on deeper spiritual matters.

If there is one thing humanity has in common, it is illness and disease. I also think our world is hungering – not for food or acceptance but spiritually. Get this book – whether you are suffering yourself or know someone who is undergoing this difficult time. It is a fantastic spiritual tool for your arsenal.

It is a reminder and an exhortation to all who follow Christ as their Lord, that our Christian duty is to take our compassion and willingly walk with those who are suffering. The mantra, "No one should walk alone," resonates throughout this book. May it bless your life as it has already blessed mine.

Light and Ashes

Many Christians will attend worship tomorrow for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. Some will receive ashes on their forehead and hear the immortal words from Genesis 3, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

This is a time to reflect on our current state. We are mortal…we are sinful…we are proud…and hopefully, amidst the ashes and darkness, we can hear another word – we are forgiven. I can speculate on some things, and one thing I believe is that many people today, looking at Christianity from the outside, get it wrong. Why? Well, perhaps because our loudest and most energetic words have to do with morality. Instead of hearing Good News in Christ we communicate self-righteousness.

Philip Yancey once said: "The only difference that I can tell between Christians and non-Christians is not necessarily morality; it’s that Christians have acknowledged that we’re sinners and we can’t make it on our own." Ash Wednesday reminds us that we can’t make it on our own. God has provided us a way, through our Lord Jesus Christ to be righteous in Him…not because of our own efforts. 

Picture number one is my to labs doing what they do best, relaxing in the sun. Picture two was taken recently...I had just finished refinishing the hardwood floors in our front room, left for a moment and returned to see Cleo calmly basking in the sun. I believe this was her stamp of approval on my work (this is about as much praise you will ever get from a cat). These pictures remind me of how the light of Christ breaks the darkness of the human stain. On Ash Wednesday we stand before God with no illusions about our perfection or self-sufficiency. But hear the Good News…God doesn’t expect us to be. His light, the light of Christ is proof of that. 

The Blessed Road Less Traveled

I would like to take a quick look at a word that people use all the time (Christians and non-Christians). That is the word blessing. Now, most people have no issue with the word in itself, and most often use it to describe things conducive to happiness and welfare. I received a raise, "What a blessing."  I have a wonderful family, I am so blessed. I am blessed to be able to fish all weekend. You get the point. Now, I don't mean to demean this definition of blessing, because even scripture uses happiness and blessedness synonymously in some instances. But to fully understand scripture's use of blessed, we must take a different road. 

The ‘blessed road less traveled' teaches that a blessing is anything that drives us closer to God and strengthens our faith in Christ. Christ didn't say, "Blessed are the rich," (even non-Christians laugh at this notion), but, "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit." Now, as many commentators agree, the poor in spirit include the dispossessed and abandoned people in our midst but contains a larger audience, generally referring to individuals who realize that they have nothing to offer God in the form of spiritual requirements to achieve righteousness.

Namely, that we don't deserve God's grace and we can't earn it. When you read through the beatitudes in Matthew 5 you realize that the blessings of Jesus are given at the beginning of the sermon and are given to those who have done nothing to deserve them. Can God be found in prosperity and ‘earthly' blessings? I don't know – I'll let you know if we meet in heaven.

I do know however that I don't desire pain for you or for myself (and I really want to stress that I don't want any more pain than I currently have). However…as my Grandfather used to say, "Life ain't about what you want." We don't seek out pain, but maybe the blessings we are missing (namely the connection to Christ) are because we have taken great efforts to equate all blessing (from God and man) with earthly happiness and to avoid pain and suffering at all costs.

The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis

This month our congregation is walking through C.S. Lewis' book, "The Problem of Pain." The premise of the book is stated in the beginning, It's unsettling, but he writes, "pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we had received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving.”

There it is. If we have no room for a good and righteous God... then the question of theodicy is not an issue. Without God, life (including the beginning of life) is random, unforgiving and a result of luck or fate or whatever your metaphysical make-up is constructed of. 

However, for those who believe (or want to believe) in a good and loving God in spite of the darkness this world so often throws at us, this resource is a good weapon to have in your arsenal. 

As with anything worth having, there are some hard questions to ask. Who is to be blamed for sin? How did we become a horror to God and to our neighbor? Is it ok, in an evil age to be evil? I will write more about this later.