Tag: Ithaka Fellowship

A Useless Vine

In less than two months, our nation will remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks at the World Trade Center. Pat Robertson, by his own admission, says foolish things in public. But when he suggested that the two airplanes that brought down the towers were divine judgment on our land, many Christians couldn’t distance themselves fast enough from these remarks, especially as certain people in the media howled at the very idea. 

No one completely knows the mind of God on matters like this. But I can’t help but wonder in light of all that is currently happening in our nation why so many Christians distance themselves from these types of remarks? Why are such conclusions considered foolish? 

Were Robertson’s remarks offensive because God doesn’t punish sin? Is it because God never uses evil people with their own agenda to exercise His judgment? Is it because He would never ruin a city in some devastating way? Is it because some of the righteous perished with the wicked? Is it because the Lord never sends foretastes of his judgment to warn a wayward people of worse things to come? What was there about 9-11, biblically speaking, that made people so sure that this was not an act of severe mercy on the part of God?

“And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.”

Ezekiel 15:8

In the book of Ezekiel, we are given a very helpful window into the mind of God. The book is filled with prophecies of the impending judgment of Jerusalem and Israel. And I believe there is much for us to learn today about the ways of God as they are communicated through these warnings. 

The book is divided into three sections. The first section is filled with warnings to God’s people. The second is filled with warnings to the nations. And the last is the promise of mercy and salvation for those who repent and surrender their lives to the Lord. Today we like to focus on the second and third section, but what about the first?

In chapter 15 we are given the image of a fruitless vine. The questions posed are breathtaking. They cut to the quick and lay bare the heart. God is asking His people to remember their purpose. What is the purpose of a vine? It is to bear fruit. Is there any other purpose for a vine? The answer given is, no. Unlike an oak tree, a vine’s worth is dependent upon the quality of its fruit. It has no other redemptive purpose. No one uses a vine to make furniture. No one cultivates vines to harvest the wood. In fact, as the parable reminds us, the only good one can obtain from a fruitless vine is fuel for a fire. 

All of this is significant and quite shocking because how does Israel see herself? Routinely, Israel is likened to a vine that God planted with the aim of gathering fruit. In other words, God’s people see themselves a God’s choice vineyard. But what is the Gardner’s assessment of the vineyard? We are told that Jacob’s descendants have become fruitless. And consequently, like a barren plant, they are good for nothing but the fire. 

This leads to the pivotal question. What is the reason for the bareness God’s people? Verse 8 gives the answer: “And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.”

Given all the cries for justice and the moral chaos raining down on our nation today, I can’t help but wonder. Could it be that the church is experiencing the same crisis as the people of God in Ezekiel’s day? Could it be that many within the church have become faithless? Could it be that for too long we have been so focused on preserving our nation, rights, comforts, and freedom to indulge the flesh (Gal. 5:13) that we have we forgotten what our sole purpose is in this fallen world? Could it be that the people of God then, and the people of God today, do not seriously ponder the possibility that God is awakening us to the possibility of far worse things to come because we are spiritually inclined to ignore the possibility that we are barren?

This, of course, is the tone deafness of our first parents Adam and Eve. One of the causes of their fall into sin was disbelief in the threat of divine judgment. God had said to Adam, “On the day you eat of it you will surely die,” and the devil flatly contradicted that in his conversation with Eve: “You surely will not die!” We see this same pattern today. The enemy’s first and primary argument for sin is you can sin and not suffer consequences. You will not be disciplined. Sadly, no other lie is more commonly believed than this one, even within the church.

Thankfully, as we continue onward in the book of Ezekiel, there is an alternative to wiping out Israel. And that was God’s plan to plant a good healthy vine from Jacob’s stock, a vine that would be the true Israel because it would bear the fruit that God intended when He established the vineyard of Israel. This vine—this true Israel—is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are told in the New Testament that only as we abide in Him can we be fruitful (John 15:1–17).

In closing, I think it’s wise for us to take stock of our own faith in these last days. Without a doubt we are seeing the hand of God at work all around us. It is a firm hand. It has the feel of discipline and pruning for all our sins of oppression, favoritism, and pluralism. And yes, we need to wake up and realize that He is quite adept at using wicked people with their own agendas to bring about the kind of repentance that is needed in His people. We would be wise to stop critiquing the world’s unbelief (since this is all it knows) and be diligent in getting back to the basics of abiding in Christ. And that of course would be the work of bearing fruit, by faith, for the glory of His name, which is ultimately what will make this world a brighter and more beautiful place. 

What Is Ithaka Fellowship?

Many years ago the Lord planted a seed deep within my heart. It came in the form of a question – or a series of questions, really – that have quietly directed my meditations, my prayers for illumination, my study of the Bible, and my interactions with trusted friends. The following article is an attempt to convey the fruit of these spiritual exercises and in turn lay down what have become the organizing principles of Ithaka Fellowship, a nonprofit ministry that my wife and I started back in 2007.

Rooted Tree or Hydroponic Plant?

In the Scriptures a rooted tree symbolizes a person that is mature, wise, or blessed (Ps. 1:3). The interpersonal dynamics are composed of a complex root system that runs deep within the soul, creating a powerful interplay between love, trust, dependency, and fidelity to a region or place. Friendships are cherished and tend to be maintained for long periods of time. Families relish the support of relatives and grandparents. And the life that is most generous and wise is the one that humbly trusts in the Lord and understands work to be the means by which one’s relation to the land comes alive. 

Conversely, the worldly life is ethereal or chaff-like in nature (Ps. 1:4). Though rooted (Pr. 2:22), its system is aquatic in nature. Sustenance and meaning are found in the superficial rather than the eternal, creating a shallow and makeshift life – a life easily influenced by adverse currents both within and without. Closeness and intimacy are valued, yet must be found in voluntary associations formed by common interests or spiritual practices. Friendships tend to be short-term and address only a few dimensions of a person’s life. And the life most sought after is the one that capitulates to the subtle demands of corporate advertising and in the work exploits the land for a greater good. 

Which best defines our culture? To my mind, ours is an age that mimics the life of a hydroponic plant living on the surface of a pond. The reciprocal and analogical ties between marriage, household, church, community and the land have been pulled apart by the wisdom of the age and each dimension of life has been parceled out to well-intentioned experts who can, at best, only encourage the disheartened masses to move on to a better pond when the stagnation becomes a bit too much for them to bear. 

The migration patterns are everywhere, even within the church. Baptismal vows, marriage, and family life are not central. Husbands and wives find it easier to revoke their commitment to each other and transplant their hearts outside the home. Christians are not staying in churches for the long haul. When things get rough it is assumed that God would want them to live in a nicer pond – one that makes them feel a little happier. More broadly speaking, we are witnessing a complete mistrust in a God’s providence that puts individuals and families in a place and time for kingdom purposes – a multi-generational faithfulness testifying to the glory of God.

What’s the Challenge?

This brings me to the core questions alluded to at the outset. For many years now it has been my passion and aim to understand the following questions: 1) How can the church develop a relationship with Christ that goes beyond a shallow view of personal interest and private concern?

2) How do we redefine our situations so that Jesus is Lord of our families and spiritual community and not merely our private lives?

3) How do we counter a culture that increasingly encourages consumerism, novelty and short-term commitment and in the process develop a biblical discipleship with regard to the land?

What is Ithaka’s Place in the Struggle?

Thirteen years ago the Lord put it on my heart to open our home and make it a place where the church can send the hurting, the bruised, the seekers and the skeptics to witness first hand the harmonious life; a place where marriage, home, church, community and the land are integrated and shaped by a devotion to Christ. Since that time, we have hosted hundreds of forums and learning events, most of which are now in local churches and venues. Our summer music festival on the farm has become a much-anticipated annual celebration.

If you would like to learn more about this ministry you can find us online at Ithakafellowship.org. Our next Friday night lecture is March 20, 7 p.m., at Christ Community Church of Chenoa. Come check us out. The guest speaker’s topic (Rev. David Keithley) will be “A Non-Anxious Presence In Our Out Of Control World.” Hope to see you there.

Unfinished Business Part 2

I knew I had left home, but home had not left me. This is a statement made in Unfinished Business Part 1 in reference to the many men and women who are tormented by the trauma of a dysfunctional childhood. Until fifty or sixty years ago, very little attention was given to the family member that grew up within a home struggling with drugs, alcohol, and now the opioid epidemic. Today, the research shows that despite being physically grown, the uncomforted inner child of our past continues to exist in us as adults. There is, in the words of Hugh Missildine, an “emotional residue in our memory or subconscious that was created in response to past events. We still feel the reactions even though the events produced them are gone.” 

Perhaps you or someone you love is struggling with this kind of unfinished business. Past addictive patterns in the home, and the “learned helplessness” they create, are obstructing the kind of growth and maturity the Scriptures promise through the inner working of the Holy Spirit. This month I’d like to introduce you to the biblical path for healing and transformation. I’m not going to use a lot of theological terminology. I’ll save that for another forum. I simply want to point you in the right direction and get your feet on the path. 

“At a very young age we are forming core beliefs about ourselves. We learn from our home-life which emotions, wants, desires, and longings are acceptable and which ones are off-limits.”

Rev. Duane Otto

To begin with, it’s important to understand that you are made in the image of God. This is why you have such a deep longing for intimacy. God made you to know and to be known. That’s His nature, too. So it’s important to know that when you came into this world as a child, you were born with two relational needs etched deep within your soul. And here’s the thing, they are expressed in question form. The answers are not “hardwired” in, so to speak. The conclusions are drawn from our childhood experiences. The two crucial questions are: Am I worthy of love? And are others capable of loving me? 

Let me give a quick example. Let’s say you are seven years old and you come home from school and ask your mom for a new pair of sneakers. For most of us, asking for something requires vulnerability. You are giving your mother power. She can ignore you, hurt you, make light of you, refuse you, or help you. Asking is at the heart of being known and knowing. Apply this to your own childhood. When you asked for something did you feel love or neglected? Did you live in the context of scarcity or fear? Did it have to be on sale? Were you made to feel selfish or ungrateful or irresponsible or unwanted? At a very young age we are forming core beliefs about ourselves. We learn from our home-life which emotions, wants, desires, and longings are acceptable and which ones are off-limits. And these assumptions form powerful patterns that determine in adulthood how we respond to our own emotions and others, and how we ultimately relate to God. 

This is why we all struggle as adults with intimacy. The sin patterns are complex, but research breaks them down into four categories. First, some of us are overly preoccupied with relationships. We want intimacy with others but we are impulsive and overly emotional and needy. This is why some of us keep putting ourselves in damaging relationships. Second, some of us are fearful and afraid of getting hurt so we struggle with trust. We avoid closeness and vulnerability in relationships. This is why intimacy seems so illusive. Third, some of us are dismissive and detached in relationships. We act like we don’t need people. We act defensive, self-sufficient, and work to hide our feelings. This is why we are quick to point out the wrong in others. And fourth, some of us are able to create deep and meaningful relationships with appropriate boundaries because we have come to the realization through the grace of God that we are deeply loved in spite of our brokenness, and God is not only capable, but more than able to give us the love our soul needs through His Son Jesus Christ. This is why some of us are able to give ourselves away to others in a non-defensive way. 

If your soul has yet to experience this kind of response from the Lord, I invite you to accept His invitation today. The path to healing and grace is found when we accept the invitation to come and abide in Him (John 17). This path of course will require you to find a gospel-grace centered church. And of course it will require you to surrender and turn away from your old patterns of relating to others and Him. This is easier said than done. The irony of having unfinished business in our lives is that we get use to it. We get comfortable with it. We learn how to manage it, though painful and hurtful. In fact, during certain moments of our day, we even embrace and cherish the lies about our identity. They motivate us. We are bent on proving them false. But again the invitation of Christ still stands. Will you come? Will you renounce your sinful and addictive patterns? Will you come to Him and let Him whisper to your soul, “It is finished”? This is the path of gospel transformation. And it does not disappoint. It is quite the journey!

Unfinished Business, Part I

Unfinished Business

“I knew I had left home, but home had not left me.” This is a statement made in reference to the many men and women who are tormented by the trauma of a dysfunctional childhood. Until fifty years ago, very little attention was given to the family member that grew up within a home struggling with drugs, alcohol, and now the opioid epidemic. This article, and the next, will briefly attempt to focus on the lingering residue of this unfinished business in an adult’s life. 

How much of an impact does a parent have on the adult later in his or her life? Is it possible, despite the fact that we are physically grown, that we are stunted emotionally and spiritually? In 1963, Hugh Missildine had this to say about this matter: “The uncomforted inner child of our past continues to exist in us as adults. There is an emotional residue in our memory or subconscious that was created in response to past events. We still feel the reactions even though the events produced them are gone.” 

Does the Bible speak clearly on the issues of learned behavior, co-dependency, negative and positive reinforcement?

Duane Otto

Missildine made this observation in his book Your Inner Child Of The Past. Using many case studies to prove his point, he showed that the temperament of an adult is often the remnants from the child they once were. The temperament in other words is intertwined with the emotions and character of an individual early in life. Thus a child from an alcoholic family, for example, will be influenced by the dependent parent and will be taught a behavior called “learned helplessness.” Day-by-day as the child develops, he or she will be made dependent on someone or something beyond himself or herself. 

The word “dependent” in the context of the dysfunctional home refers to the addictive personality. This dependent behavior is most common in the home of an addict but also resides in the workaholic home, sexually abusive home, perfectionist home, and the gambling home. A list of common traits for the child experiencing these various kinds of home environments may include poor self-image, high frustration, poor concentration, depression, or hyperactivity. Each will serve to distract the development of the child’s identity. Missildine’s research supplies the evidence that supports the idea that these traits, if unchecked, will carry on into the adult life. Anger, hurt, humiliation, shame, guilt, shyness, distrust, depression, and many other intimacy traits are common signs of the lingering residue of the unfinished business. These past patterns will obstruct the growth and maturity of the adult identity. 

Is all this biblically supported? Much is said and written from the observations of the therapeutic world but little worth can be placed on it if it contradicts the Word of God. Therefore, does the Bible speak clearly on the issues of learned behavior, co-dependency, negative and positive reinforcement? And if so, what is the path forward for those dealing with the ramifications of a dysfunctional home? 

I believe it does. For instance, Proverbs 22:6 wisely instructs parents to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” And Jeremiah teaches: “Then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them” (32:28). There are many more places we could turn to see that the parental impact upon children was recognized in ancient times way before any science report on human development was published. That being so, in my next Pastor’s Trellis article I’ll attempt to explain the biblical path for healing and transformation.

Jesus And The Dark Night Of The Soil

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the soil and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John 12:24 

The dark night has come. The end of Jesus’ earthly life is near. Using soil as a metaphor, he explains both the necessity of his death and the subsequent outcome. John later tells us that many in the crowd believed that day, but did so secretly in fear of being put out of the synagogue. 

In these words of Christ we have a both a message and a world-view. The message is declarative. Those in love with the things of this life lose that which really matters, while those in love with Christ reap the benefits of His saving work now and forever. This is a message our wayward hearts need to hear daily. Why? It’s because this principle of life through death is contrary to both intuition and commonsense. It is only when we are walking in union with Jesus that we truly experience its truth and power. 

But just as importantly, the implication of the worldview Jesus uses to communicate His message of life through death has life changing properties. He says a kernel of wheat must fall into the dark earth and cease to exist as a mere kernel if it is to bring forth new life. Is this just good communication on the part of Jesus? Is He simply borrowing the vernacular of an agrarian culture to make a point about the vitals of salvation? I don’t believe so. The implication is that the gospel and the soil are linked. 

How so? Gregory of Nyssa, a younger brother of St. Basil puts it this way: “When we look at creation, we form an image not of the substance of the Creator, but of the wisdom he has revealed in his work. We can see God’s goodness in every object around us, and the contemplation of any object carries our minds upward to the supreme source of goodness.” I find this observation to be truly fascinating. Gregory is communicating something about creation that we would be wise to consider; something Jesus and the Holy Scriptures even encourage us to respect. 

As Scripture testifies, God in His essence transcends all human understanding. He cannot be approached by human intellect. That is why we are told that the ways of God are unsearchable and even beyond human reason. Yet, simultaneously we are told that God in His love and mercy has granted several ways for us to apprehend Him. In other words, He has provided timeless means of grace that give us ongoing access to His good nature. It matters not your age, color, educational background, vocation, or hobbies. Both Scripture and creation are gifts to be explored and contemplated by all (Psalm 19). 

Yet how does one strengthen this Word-soil bond in a culture that is primarily post-agrarian, or shall we say is spiritually schizophrenic in the areas of faith and matter? 

In asking this question there is no intent in alluding to a golden age. Christians have always struggled to deal directly and openly with the fullness of God’s Word. And yet, at the same time we need to qualify this confession with the admission that some eras understood or at least enjoyed the intended order of life better than others. For instance, there was a day when vegetable gardens put many families on their knees and kept their hands in the soil. There was a day when young children sat on their mother’s lap in the cool of an evening, rocking on the porch to the cadence of summer locusts, later to rise and chase the fireflies of the night. When activities like this happened, subtle lessons were being taught. Many came to know something about the Lord in these common everyday moments. They learned that God was inescapable. They sensed the sacredness of life. They felt led to take off their shoes. They knew deep down in their souls that they were on holy ground. 

This is the bond of which the Bible talks about when it comes to the wedding of God’s message and worldview. Let’s face it; we are a generation that loves our computers, TVs, cars, air-conditioning, smartphones, and the culture they create. We love what they give us – that sense of control and relevancy. But what is the tradeoff? What happens to a people when you divorce the Word from the Bible’s worldview? 

Perhaps your own longings provide the answer. Are you sensing the need for more of Jesus in your life? Begin by digging deeply into the Bible. But don’t stop there. Let the Word of God teach you how to slow down, listen, and nurture values that open your heart to the presence of Christ around you. In other words, try putting your hands back in the garden. Take time to chase the fireflies of the night. You might be surprised what happens in the dark night of the soil.