Series: Jim Tune

November 23, 2016

Christian Standard

Days of Beauty

By Jim Tune A few of my friends have been participating in a project called “Days of Gratitude.” In an effort to be mindful of their blessings, each day they record, usually on social media, something for which they are grateful. It”s a useful exercise, and some have said the daily habit is having a positive effect on their disposition. On Canadian Thanksgiving (yes, Canadians have their own annual holiday on the second Monday of October), I decided to do something similar. My journey was to recognize and appreciate something beautiful every day for 30 days. I confess that this

November 16, 2016

Christian Standard

You Are What You Want

By Jim Tune Jesus twice asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” It seems an odd question. The first time Jesus asks it, he”s talking to disciples James and John. Their answer isn”t good. They want prominent places in God”s kingdom. “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory,” they say (Mark 10:37*). Jesus knows they still don”t get it. I sigh, because I know I”m infected with the same desire sometimes. Who among us isn”t tempted by prominence and glory? A short time later, Jesus asks this

November 9, 2016

Christian Standard

Do It Again

By Jim Tune The hardest part of life, one preacher said, is that it”s so daily. Every day the bed needs to be made. Breakfast needs to be cooked. Dishes, dusting, work, and sleep demand our attention every single day. The same with ministry. Many of our churches need hundreds of volunteers to operate every week. The numbers vary depending on the size of the church, but every church needs people to show up and do their job. There”s not much glory in showing up faithfully, but without it we”re sunk. We get tired, though. The thousandth time a husband

November 2, 2016

Christian Standard

Evangelical Outrage

By Jim Tune There seems to be a lot of anger in our culture. People are seething about something . . . or everything! The economy, politics, the culture war””the list goes on. The “rant” has become a contemporary art form. And the church seems to have followed right along. We”re angry too. We”re mad at liberals, Democrats, Muslims, Hollywood, and homosexuals. New York Times op-ed writer Tim Kreider calls this modern epidemic “outrage porn”: So many letters to the editors and comments on the Internet have this . . . tone of thrilled vindication: these are people who have

October 26, 2016

Christian Standard

Vine-Ripened Disciples

By Jim Tune When I was a boy, my dad and I grew a vegetable garden together every summer. Our tomatoes were amazing. Grown in nutrient-rich soil, staked, and ripened to deep-red, sunshine-infused perfection, it was love at first bite! Our tomatoes were never perfectly round or uniform in shape. Sometimes they were so ripe they would spontaneously split during the 30-yard stroll from garden to kitchen. There”s something about a homegrown, sun-ripened tomato. Bite into one and you can taste the sunshine as the juices burst into your mouth””a delicious surge of flavor tantalizing your taste buds. Years ago

October 19, 2016

Christian Standard

The Power of Belonging

By Jim Tune When William Broyles was drafted into the United States Marine Corps in 1968, his early career as a journalist was put on hold. Some know him for his subsequent screenwriting work on the television series China Beach and films such as Apollo 13, Cast Away, Planet of the Apes, and The Polar Express. But today I”m quoting from his book Brothers in Arms documenting his experiences in Vietnam and the impact of that war on himself and his fellow soldiers. Broyles writes: “A part of me loved war . . . the comradeship our platoon experienced in

October 12, 2016

Christian Standard

On Being Done with Church

By Jim Tune Research reveals that when it comes to identifying with a particular faith, the “nones”””those who affiliate with no religion””have been increasing for decades. Recently we have heard about the rising number of “dones,” people who were actively involved in a local church who have simply dropped out. A growing number of lifelong churchgoers, many of them leaders and ministers, are saying, “That”s it. I”m done!” It”s not that they are avowed atheists. They haven”t rejected God. It”s not that they never gave church a try””quite the opposite. The “dones” have ample firsthand experience with it. They”ve been

October 5, 2016

Christian Standard

Reconciliation

By Jim Tune “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, English Standard Version). “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18, ESV). ___ A number of widely publicized events have many people concerned about racial tensions in America. Blacks and whites may not agree on underlying causes or potential solutions, but skin color aside, it seems no one is happy about the present state of

September 28, 2016

Christian Standard

Beware of Spiritual Riptides

By Jim Tune Paul (not his real name) had seen pastors attacked. He pledged he would always do what he could to protect his pastor. A few years later, that pastor agreed with a decision to close a program that Paul”s wife led. Paul stepped down from leadership and stewed against the pastor. He began to entertain gossip and went through a spiritually dry period. Years later, he rejoined leadership and was part of the decision to end the pastor”s tenure. He still nurses a grudge today. Paul had good intentions but found himself swept away. He ended up feeling

September 21, 2016

Christian Standard

14 Observations about Church Today

By Jim Tune As a pastor and leader, I”ve noticed some changes in the spiritual climate of North America. Here are some of my observations about the current situation. 1. There”s very little nominalism anymore. This is a good thing. Cultural Christianity is dying. If someone attends church, it”s usually because he or she is investigating Christianity or committed to it. 2. Attending church isn”t on people”s minds. We used to talk about building churches with programs that would attract unbelievers. No matter how good your music, sermons, parking, or programs, most people won”t even think of coming. 3. People

September 14, 2016

Christian Standard

Christianity Is More Than

By Jim Tune I wonder how often we fall for forms of Christianity, ideas that capture us because they fit well within the borders of our comfort zone. We truncate our faith when we redefine it in ways that are less than, more than, or even outside the essence of Christianity. Thus this list of things Christianity is more than: 1. Christianity is more than religion. Many people have so long identified the words religion and Christianity that many consider them to be synonyms. Religion emphasizes systems, propositions, piety, rules, observances, and human effort. “Religion,” according to Christian author and

September 7, 2016

Christian Standard

Love and Reconciliation

By Jim Tune On Sunday, September 15, 1963, four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted and then detonated at least 15 sticks of dynamite beneath the front steps of an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama. The firebombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church killed four girls, prompting Martin Luther King Jr. to make one of the most radical statements imaginable: “At times life is hard, as hard as crucible steel. In spite of the darkness of this hour, we must not lose faith in our white brothers.” To insist on faith in the humanity of an enemy and to

August 31, 2016

Christian Standard

In ALL Things, Love

By Jim Tune For as long as I can remember, our movement has gravitated toward a familiar slogan: “In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; and in all things, love.” Still, we often find it difficult to offer liberty when our opinions clash, and the list of essentials varies from person to person and from church to church. One might expect that familiarity with such a gracious slogan would tilt us strongly toward accepting one another”s differences and respecting the cherished convictions of brothers and sisters who see things differently. However, our movement has been as vulnerable to division, splits, and

August 24, 2016

Christian Standard

Come to the Table

By Jim Tune Claudia and I enjoy our annual trek to Cape Breton Island for summer vacation. Our cabin is at least six hours away from the nearest independent Christian church. There are very few churches in this remote part of Nova Scotia, and the few that can be found are all part of mainline denominations. At best these churches offer Communion quarterly, making it very easy to miss Communion entirely if the date for it doesn”t fall during our stay. I find myself keenly aware of its absence during our visits to the local Anglican church. I”m grateful to

August 17, 2016

Christian Standard

Genuine Community

By Jim Tune How would you like a church in which everyone gets along, people are able to share intimate details of their lives, and conflict is minimal? It sounds good, but according to the late M. Scott Peck, this church would be a disaster. In The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, Peck described community as having four stages. The first stage looks attractive, but it”s deadly. He calls this level pseudocommunity. At this stage, people are pleasant, and conflict is avoided. The problem? If you”ve experienced this, you”ve probably enjoyed it, but then realized that something”s missing. It”s

August 10, 2016

Christian Standard

Loving Through Listening

By Jim Tune I”m pretty good at talking. It”s a big part of what I do for a living. When I look for leaders, I look for someone who can communicate. I”m convinced, though, that speaking and writing are only part of what it takes to be a great leader. Leading also involves listening. “Listening comes first,” writes Adam McHugh in his new book The Listening Life. We started listening before we were even born. Listening is a key part of what it means to be human. “Somewhere along the way we start to violate the natural order of things,”

August 3, 2016

Christian Standard

Ending the Shame of Mental Illness

By Jim Tune In the early years of our church plant in Toronto, one of our staff members preached a message about mental illness and faith. He made himself vulnerable as he shared about a season of significant depression in his life. The story he told was courageous and honest. I remember it as a defining moment in our new church”s development. Mental illness was, and still is, a topic that rarely is discussed head-on in churches. In sharing his story, our speaker brought mental illness out from behind the curtain of shame and exposed it to a liberating light.

July 27, 2016

Christian Standard

Embracing the Imperfection of Being Human

By Jim Tune Those around men like Jean Vanier usually anticipate they will do great things. He is the son of Major-General Georges Vanier, who became the 19th governor general of Canada, serving from 1959 until his death in 1967. And his early years wrote a resume that depicts greatness. In his youth Jean Vanier received an elite education in Canada, England, and France. He served admirably in World War II and was a close companion to members of England”s royal family. After resigning his naval commission, he went on to complete a PhD in philosophy from the Institut Catholique

July 20, 2016

Christian Standard

Risk or Rust

By Jim Tune You probably haven”t heard of Andrew and Debbie Jones. Together, they have five kids. They”ve served all over the world. In 2015 alone, they worked in Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Hungary, Poland, and Germany. They”ve done some work recently with Syrian refugees. Andrew calls himself a thinker and a nomad. He was an early and influential voice in Christian blogging. Debbie worked with hippies, refugees, social activists, and spiritual seekers. As I write this, Andrew is recovering from African diseases, including malaria. He”s had four blood transfusions and countless needles.

July 13, 2016

Christian Standard

Give Yourself a Break

By Jim Tune I heard about a pastor who took a day off. He set his e-mail to respond automatically with this message: “I”m out of the office today. I”ll respond to your e-mail upon my return.” When he returned to work, he found this e-mail: “Don”t bother. You”re a loser for taking a day off. People will probably die and go to Hell because you thought you needed a day off. Do you think God takes a day off? Are you better than God?” Of course, the e-mail was a joke. The man who wrote that e-mail is a

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