Nancy Beach

The Pros and Cons of a "Staycation"

     I haven't written a post for a couple weeks, mostly because my husband and I are on vacation, and this year, we are trying one based at home. Both of us had traveled so much for ministry purposes in the past six months that it just sounded appealing to embrace Chicago in the summer. Now that we are about to wrap up this time, I have reflected on the pros and cons, from my vantage point, of "staycations."

PROS:

•  You get to sleep in your own comfy bed!
• You enjoy experiences in your local region that often draw tourists but are overlooked by residents. For example, last week we walked around the South Loop area of Chicago and enjoyed Buckingham Fountain for the first time in years.  Yesterday, we went to a suburban art fair that was delightful.
• You save a lot of money on hotel and food expenses...

CONS:

•  You are easily tempted to look at work e-mails too often and get back to your normal life rhythms.
• You are frequently dealing with the guilt stirred up by seeing projects around the house that really, really require some attention such as the mailbox that needs to be replaced, the weeding under the deck, the accumulation of junk in the furnace room from the last couple decades, etc., etc., etc.!!!

     All in all, I think the positives have outweighed the negatives. We did buy a new mailbox (it's not been put in the ground yet), and we pulled stuff out of the furnace room that is now overwhelming the family room. It's one of those projects we got pumped up for a few hours and then lost steam.  Hopefully we can recapture that energy soon!

     I hope that whatever you are able to do in terms of vacation this summer will truly refresh you, whether you stay at home or travel to some distant place.  Only about 42 days of summer remain - so let's savor every day and be filled with gratitude for this glorious season.

Favoritism in the Body of Christ

     I've been reflecting on the issue of favoritism in the Kingdom - the ways in which our celebrity culture spills right over into the Church, and we tend to show extra honor and deference to well-known and specially gifted people.  At the HIllsong Conference this week, Bishop T.D. Jakes mentioned in one of his messages that he wants others to not take away his chance to be human, to be a regular guy.  I understand his statement, and yet, those of us who were teaching there were very well taken care of.  I did not have to show up an hour early at the arena to fight for a seat among 20,000 people.  Instead, I was blessed with a front row seat with my name literally on it.  My backstage pass allowed me to go to special lounges and entrances, to hang out among the speakers and artists.

     There are also Scripture verses that tell us to show honor to those to whom honor is due.  We respect those who teach us well and lead us into worship, and we recognize that they have some demands on them that are terribly complex and draining. So I understand why things are set up the way they are.  I was actually torn between gratitude for the special treatment and discomfort at the favoritism.

     I think where things become most troublesome is in church communities where we isolate pastors and worship leaders, where we treat them with kid gloves, where we find little or no accountability, where we don't ask the right questions and don't realize the fallen nature that so easily starts to become phony if we give ourselves the smallest opportunity. Bishop Jakes kept saying, "I'm just a guy...I'm just a GUY."  Somehow we Christians have to forge a perspective that allows our leaders, teachers, and artists to be human while we also protect them from too much pressure.  We have to hold them to high Biblical standards - the same ones we expect every other Christ follower to obey, if not higher.  When we begin to fawn over them, to place them in some kind of super star category, we do not serve them or the body of Christ.

     This is very complicated...and I have jet lag, so I think I'll try to sort it out another day!

Wondrous Moments at Hillsong Conference

     Later today I will have the privilege of teaching about "Wonder" at the HIlsong Conference here in Sydney.  But I have already tasted so many moments of wonder participating in this event:

•  hearing testimonies like the story of Dave who is recovering from sexual abuse and is a follower of Jesus...and another man who almost lost his wife and daughters because of his alcohol abuse, but who has been transformed by the outrageous grace of God
• worshipping with over 20,000 people in all the main sessions...most of them jumping.
• singing worship songs led by the original songwriters including Tim Huges, Israel Houghton, Darlene Zschech, Joel Houston, Christy Nockels, and others
• rich teaching including two messages that stretched me yesterday - one by Pastor Andy Stanley and one by Pastor Judah Smith
• quieter moments reconnecting with folks I know over breakfast and tea
• the joy of seeing Darlene's grandbaby, Ava!
• the awareness that I am among brothers and sisters from 77 different nations, united by our common love of Jesus Christ 

     It's become a cliche that sometimes here on earth, we receive a little taste of heaven - but that's exactly what it feels like to me, and I am abundantly grateful.