Missional Suggestion #7

Practice Lenten Disciplines

The three primary Lenten disciplines are fasting, prayer and alms giving. We are all called to examine ourselves during this season of preparation and reflection. These three diciplines are tools to help us in this exercise of self examination. Here are a few thoughts and suggestions about the Lenten Disciplines.

Fasting

When we think of fasting we think of food and we are quite correct to do so. A fast from food reminds us of our dependence an God and each other.Fasting is not a diet; it is a discipline that enables us to focus our attention toward prayer. Fasting can give us a great sensitivity to hear God. When you are hungry …pray…or you may say, “feast on God.” This turns our thoughts from ourselves to focus toward the heart of God. Fasts I would like to suggest :

• The John Wesley fast--Each Thursday evening, after the evening meal, until mid-afternoon on each Friday, John Wesley would not take solid food but fasted and focused much of his time in prayer.
• The sunup to sundown fast on Friday

Non Food Fasts

• fasting from anger
• fasting from any arguments with a certain person
• fasting from criticism of a certain set of people, but letting God take care of their change

Alms giving

Jesus presented alms giving as a necessary part of Christian life: “when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Mt 6:2-3). He does not say IF you give alms, but WHEN.

Some Suggestions:

• Give to a new Charity
• Volunteer your services to a shelter or some other non-profit
• Give an anonymous gift to someone

Prayer

Prayer is the most essential element of the Christian life.Withpout prayer we are cut off from God and powerless. The question is not whether to pray but how to pray ? Jesus gave his disciples a prayer that we would all do well to use at the start of each day. Use it and the other suggestions below.

• Pray the Lord's Prayer
• Begin a prayer journal
• Use a daily office

Missional Suggestion #6

Practice Hospitality

Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 1 Peter 4:9-10 Monastic hospitality is the model for us today. The monastic way of hospitality holds the key to the future of the church, at least here in the United States. Monastic hospitality requires that the Monastery doors be open to all Christians who present themselves to the porter at the gate. Churches and Christians need to realize this kind of hospitality may require changes of attitude, and even lifestyles, so that the church can be a more vital place ministering to others in the twenty first century.

Our challenge is to finds ways that we can practice hospitalty in our everyday lives. When the "open door" becomes a way of life for us God will bring blessings to our lives. We can all practice hospitality in simple ways. Here are a few.

• Throw a party and invite someone new.
• Greet strangers as Jesus did.
• Invite someone to your home for a meal.
• Host mission volunteers.
• Prepare someone's favorite food for them.
• Turn the TV off and log off the computor when a guest arrives.
• Simply welcome unexpected guests.
• Make your guest feel like you are interested in them.

Dictionary.com defines hospitality as "the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers." I think the keyword here is "friendly" because we can receive people and show no feelings at all.

We can receive them coldly, or make it obvious that we're put out.I think in our American culture many of us have forgotten what it means to be hospitable. Sure we all put on a good face when we have people over on our terms (like for a dinner party), but what about being hospitable when it is an inconvenience for us? I think about when people stop by our home and we're watching TV. I can think of at least one incident where the guests though they were "interrupting." Shame on me.

Missional Suggestion #5

Learn Someone's Name

Everyone is in love with one word. We love our own name. Being noticed or acknowledged is important. Learn a person's name and use it-more than once. Try to learn their name well enough remember it the next time you meet. People feel astonishingly important when someone remembers their name. Listen to others. Let them tell you about themselves. Remember the details so you can ask about them next time you meet. I read of a successful businessman that remembered details about the lives of many people. He kept a file on 3x5 cards with names of children, spouses, family situations, etc. He knew how important they would feel when he asked specific questions. Is it any wonder he was so successful? That's just business stuff you say. The Bible says: 13I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; 14instead I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face. 15Peace to you. The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by NAME. (3 John 1:13-15) Learn someone's name this week.

• The cashier
• The waitress
• The person you pass when walking
• The school crossing guard
• The garbage collector
• The person at church who sits “over there”

It could be a revolutionary thing to be missionally mined enough to learn to call people by name. This week’s missional suggestion is learn someone’s name.