sublimidad

Author's intent

2011-07-05T22:26:00.002-04:00

While reading the Preface to Farrar's The Life of Christ I ran across this gem:

I have never wholly lost sight of the fact that I had to work with no higher object than that thousands, who have even fewer opportunities than myself, might be the better enabled to read that one Book, beside which even the best and profoundest treatises are nothing better than poor and stammering fragments of imperfect commentary.

If only every author took such a view.

Poverty is More Than Lack of Resources

2011-05-17T23:28:00.003-04:00

"What is poverty?" is the question Sr. Saul of Armonia asked our group as our team met in a house outside Mexico City appropriately named Casa Blanca for its beautiful white walls. Most of the responses the group came up with had to do with lack of money or resources. And certainly that is part of the story of poverty. But what Sr. Saul opened our eyes to is that one of poverty's major factors is isolation.

To illustrate this let me tell you about my Monday morning this week. As usual I was driving my two oldest children to school along with two other friends with whom we carpool. About 5 minutes from the school my phone rings and it is a good friend whose children happen to go to the same school. I joyfully answered the phone sharing our customary greeting. Ricky wasted no time in telling me that his van had broken down as he was driving his kids to school. Could I help him because he had all the car seats and though they have a second car his wife was stuck at home with no way to transport the younger children to pick him up. I dropped off my kids at their school and then gladly drove across town to help my friend in need.

But what would he have done if he didn't have friends to call? It's something that the middle class takes for granted- community. I don't know what would have happened but I can imagine some of the domino effects. His kids miss school, he shows up ridiculously late to work if at all and faces the consequences, his wife is stuck at the house all day with no way to transport kids if they get sick, etc... It's easy to see that relationships hold us up when life takes a bad turn. But if you don't have relationships you can count on things spiral downhill very fast.

We learned lots of other things about poverty while in Mexico that go way beyond lack of resources. What are some of the primary lessons you've learned?

John Stott's trinitarian morning prayer

2011-04-20T10:26:00.002-04:00

Apparently it was John Stott's practice to begin every morning at 5am, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and praying this prayer:

"Good morning, heavenly Father; good morning, Lord Jesus; good morning, Holy Spirit. Heavenly Father, I worship you as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Lord Jesus, I worship you, Savior and Lord of the world. Holy Spirit, I worship you, Sanctifier of the people of God. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more. Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me. Amen."

You can find the reference and an article on John Stott for his 80th birthday (10 years ago) here.

Mission or Worship?

2011-03-30T00:46:00.001-04:00

I asked a question via Twitter today:

Would you say that the primary purpose for Christians on earth is mission or worship?

The responses were very interesting. As I expected, most responses were something to the effect of "mission is worship". On one hand I agree with that. In fact Romans 12 which I consider to be a cornerstone passage for my life teaches the same thing. (my Rom. 12:1 paraphrase: In response to who God is, give your very life as an act of worship.) Worship is expressed much more clearly through lives of mission than singing ever could.

Yet, in spite of all that agreement I think I have to say that worship is the primary calling. We were created for worship, not for mission. Don't get me wrong, I do believe mission is essential. To use someone else's illustration, I would say that worship and mission are like two blades of a pair of scissors. Either without the other isn't really doing anything. But still, I must say that worship is primary. Because mission is only needed where authentic worship has been traded for false worship. And that is the crux of the matter. Mission as evangelism is needed where others need to hear about the one true God and what he has done on our behalf. Mission as justice is needed where humanity has tried to "play God" in someone's life resulting in oppression, exploitation, and injustice.

So in my mind, worship is our primary purpose but it finds its true expression in mission as we seek to respond to God's self-revelation with our lives and not just our lips.

What is your take on the relationship between mission and worship?

allegory vs. parable

2010-09-14T11:12:00.003-04:00

One of the most common mistakes in understanding the Bible is to confuse teaching through parable and teaching through allegory as being the same. Jesus actually used both though he more commonly taught using parables.

The key difference:

allegory - the similitude is intended to be drawn at many points
parable - an everyday story told to illustrate one main lesson

examples of each:

allegory - the Good Shepherd in John 10, the Vine and the Branches in John 15, even the Sower in Mark 4 (Jesus interprets the many points of allegory)
parable - the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 (chiefly intended to illustrate the definition of loving your neighbor, not what the innkeeper represents, who the Samaritan represents)

-thanks to John Stott for good definitions found in Understanding the Bible

What To Do With Over Ripe Bananas

2010-09-02T22:25:00.004-04:00

If you have bananas that get a little too ripe for your taste here's an idea of what you can do with them. Cut them into slices a quarter-inch thick and spread them out on wax paper side by side. Then put it them in the freezer and the next day you have a perfect frozen treat.

Once frozen, the mushy texture problem is gone and they are sweeter and tastier. Sometimes I will eat a few slices to satisfy my craving for something cold and sweet after dinner.

(I got this tip from my dad who puts the frozen slices in his cereal to add fruit and make the milk colder.)

Can you intentionally grow in humility?

2010-09-02T09:04:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I ran across this list of five suggestions to grow in humility. They are from former (continuing?) Archbishop of Cantebury Michael Ramsey of the Anglican Church.

Thank God for anything and everything. Do it often and continually. Thankfulness is a soil which pride can not easily grow in.
Confess your sins to God. Criticize yourself in God's presence.
Be ready to accept humiliations. They can hurt terribly but they will help you be humble.
Do not worry about status. The only status that matters is your relationship and proximity to God.
Use your sense of humor. Laugh about things and the absurdity of life. Be able to be serious but not solemn or you run the risk of taking yourself seriously.

I think that's a pretty good list. Humility is a slippery virtue, you can't really pursue it directly. I also just started reading Brian Sander's Elusive: The Pursuit of Jesus and Humility. More thoughts on that latter.

I have always thought of humility as a accurate perception of who we are. It doesn't mean we pretend we're bad at things in which we're actually good. But when we perceive ourselves in relation to God we can not but see our smallness.

Is the Gospel Fire Insurance

2010-02-21T22:16:00.004-05:00

It is quite common for Christians today to decry a Gospel that is presented as fire insurance. Usually, what is meant by this is that the Gospel is surely more than something we "believe" in which will keep us from going to hell.

I remember being told once that when a person becomes a Christian, the only reason for God not to take them to heaven right away is so that they can share the Gospel with others, so that others might be saved. This is the kind of thinking that is associated with the Gospel as fire insurance. And surely it is a misrepresentation of creation, humanity, and salvation.

But Jesus' statement in John 3 struck me the other day. Here are the two verses immediately following our beloved John 3:16.

¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

One reason the Fire Insurance Gospel is wrong is because insurance is something we get in case something bad happens to us. It will then protect us or restore us somehow. But John 3:18 states that whoever does not believe in Jesus stands condemned. The verdict has been pronounced. Condemned and guilty. It's not a question of whether something bad might happen to us. Like, we might get thrown into hell. We are condemned.

But Jesus offers us great news. We can trade our condemned status for not-condemned status. Who wouldn't take that? Make no mistake, this is no insurance, this is a life-line thrown to someone heading to the gallows.

Extreme Home Makeover

2009-12-16T08:42:00.003-05:00

It's been an interesting week in Gainesville because Extreme Home Makeover has been building and filming here. It has been even more interesting for us because we know the family that is getting the new house.

Yesterday a waitress made a comment to a friend and me that has stuck with me (and seems to be a common sentiment around town). She said, "I just don't think they deserve it." The reason many feel this way seems to be that they are not poor enough. As far as I know they are not overly struggling to pay their bills, their house wasn't falling apart, etc... The show seems to have picked them because they run a non-profit music school that aims to get their students to give back to the community through music.

Now, on one hand, I can certainly understand the feelings of those that think a family "more deserving" should have been awarded the new house. But the comment has stuck with me because who really is deserving of such a thing? Does "being poor" make a person deserving of a brand new, expensive house? What about giving selflessly back to the community? Does that really make someone deserving of such a gift? No, the truth is that nobody deserves such a gift.

I wonder if this same sentiment plays out in our thoughts and ideas on religion. Maybe as a society we've come to believe that the poor deserve to be rich. And we are all poor, spiritually speaking. Revelation 3 says:

"you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked."

Or maybe we don't believe that we are spiritually impoverished. Those are who the chapter in Revelation is really talking to. So, assuming we are spiritually poor and bankrupt, do we, like the waitress believe that we somehow deserve to be rich in God? That our spiritual state means that we should not be left there? Well, I believe the Bible teaches that we deserve nothing more then to be left in our spiritual poverty. Indeed, when we obey ourselves above all else we are in enmity toward God who demands we obey him and walk in righteousness. No, we do not deserve this gift.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

And that is good news my friends.

communion

2009-11-02T00:07:00.003-05:00

I was sitting in church this morning and was a little too distracted by the people around me and having a hard time entering into the Lord's presence. When we finished singing, one of the pastors stood up and led us in receiving communion. I was so thankful for that time as the reality that Jesus gave his body and blood for me became real and I was able to see God's goodness and worship him. When the communion plate was passed to me I noticed that one of the cups had a little wafer floating in it (dropped accidentally I presume). I thought, "here is a way to serve those who will go after me" and I took the cup with the floating wafer. Immediately my mind began to think about communion mishaps and the impact on a view of transubstantiation they would have. But thankfully, my mind didn't stay there long and I resumed my contemplation on the cross and my sins forgiven.

It was a really good moment. One of clarity.

Now I didn't want to be a distraction in case someone sitting next to me saw the floating wafer so I tried to stealthily snatch out the wafer from the grape juice cup. I was successful! But a moment later as I was listening to the pastor and trying to hold both cup and wafer in one hand it happened.

I spilled the grape juice, not completely, but probably half of the little cup. The rest was on my hands and a small spot on my pants. And then it hit me. I am completely unworthy of the sacrifice that was made for me. I can't even hold the cup that symbolizes the blood that makes me clean. And with grape juice all over my hands I continued to worship.

idolatry

2009-10-02T23:59:00.003-04:00

I was going to sit down and write a post about idolatry. (a subject I wish I wasn't an expert in)

But then I saw that I just wrote a post a couple of months ago about idolatry.

thinking while driving

2009-08-30T22:16:00.003-04:00

On Friday I was driving and had a couple of good conversations with friends on the phone and at one point I just started thinking about the love of God. I was thinking about the implications of the fact that God loved us enough to let his only Son die in our place. Now that wasn't a completely new thought but it was really meaningful to me at the time. I was thinking about what that says about our value to God. What we're worth. That he would let Jesus die so that we could have a relationship with him. I mean, why would he do that? What do we have to offer him? It doesn't seem like a very good trade to me. And then it hit me. The thought I haven't recovered from yet. God traded his Son's life for ours, and he can not be called a fool.

longing for significance?

2009-07-21T09:07:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking some lately about a perceived desire for greatness that I've identified in myself. I often have conflicting feelings about this realization because on one hand I think a desire for greatness can be fuel to do great things (hopefully for God). But on the other hand striving for greatness is a pursuit fraught with danger, both for my own soul and probably for others.

Then today I was reading a book by an author I trust and he talked about 3 basic human needs that God the Father met for Jesus in the account of Jesus' baptism. The needs for identity, security, and significance. Ahhh, significance... maybe that's what I've been searching for!? So, now I am wondering if it's really significance that I'm looking for, or if it actually is greatness, and whether one or both are good or bad or neutral. I'm confused.

thoughts on idols

2009-07-06T10:41:00.002-04:00

For a long time the idea of idolatry confused me. I would read about idolatry in the Bible but I didn't know anyone who made a little idol and bowed down to it to worship it. How did the idea still have relevance to us today?

Slowly over time I've begun to see that the warnings against idolatry have huge implications for us today. We may not fashion a little figurine from stone or wood but essentially an idol is anything that we put our trust in instead of God. And I and almost everyone I've ever met puts our trust in a lot of things instead of God. Of course the big an obvious one is money. I need to constantly remember that a job that pays, or money in the bank, or retirement savings, or whatever is not what provides for me. It is the Lord. Many of us have been reminded that money and jobs are not as reliable as we thought during this recession.

But there are lots of other things we're tempted to put our trust in (idols) out there. We put our trust in family and friends for happiness, we trust in health insurance and doctors for health, we trust in clothes, cars, houses, and vacations for status. The problem with idols is that they cannot deliver. They are dead to provide us with what we really want and need. I ran across these verses in Psalm 115 this morning:

vv.3-8 (italics mine)
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor cant they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

These verses make sense of Jesus' confusing words in Mark 4:9-12. Jesus basically quotes Isaiah 6:9,10 and says that many who hear his words will be like those who see but don't perceive, who hear but don't understand. If they did they would turn to the Lord and be forgiven.

Psalm 115 is saying that we become like the things we put our trust in (idols). And Jesus is saying that when we trust in other things we become like those dead things we trust in. We have eyes but can't really see and ears but can't really hear.

I heard recently that one of the primary tasks of anyone who preaches the Gospel is to point out and speak against the idols of the culture they're preaching in. I wonder what some of our other idols are?

Granddaddy's passing

2009-06-29T11:10:00.004-04:00

Last week I traveled with my family to the Eastern Shore of Virginia for my grandfather's funeral. His passing was completely unexpected and has forced me to think about the inevitability of death for us all. I've thought before and wondered about the effects of a society that hides death in many ways. Though we are spared the uncomfortableness of death we slowly forget that our time really is short and tomorrow is never promised to us. Especially those of us who are relatively young.

It was really good to gather with family and celebrate the life of Granddaddy. He was an amazing man in so many ways. A father of eleven children, a husband for almost sixty years, a veteran, a farmer. He gave back to his community and traveled around the world sharing his expertise in farming to developing countries. He was committed and active in the church to the very end. And yet he always seemed to have time to play a game of Gin Rummy when I asked. He used to give me a quarter if I could cut the deck to exactly the 21 cards needed to deal a hand of Gin. We shared the same name. He was Thomas Berry Long, Jr. and I am Thomas Berry Long, IV.

Everyone who knew Granddaddy will certainly miss him but there are good things that come when someone we know and love passes away. I was comforted the morning I heard the news by the verse in Psalm 116 that says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of those faithful to him." Granddaddy was certainly faithful to the Lord and he is now present with him. It is precious indeed. He is now in the presence of the one who truly gives life. He has a new body, a body not touched by corruption, disease, or weakness in any way. What a wonderful thing! I can't wait for that reality to be extended to all of creation and to everyone in right standing with God.

But there is another thing that is good that comes from an encounter with the reality of our mortality. It gives focus and direction to our life. When I pause to reflect on the truth that I have but a short time in this life it makes me want to live more intentionally. To make my life count for something whenever my time is finished. To be more present to my family and friends, to enjoy the good things in life, and to work with purpose for things that will last. In days past it was much more common to wake up in a house where someone had passed away. The reality of death was much closer to home then it is today where most people (in our country) die in a hospital. We've lost something as a society in that. But in light of eternity, I want to live out my days in a way that will count. I'm so thankful to the Lord who offered me eternal life and forgiveness for the sins that separated me from him. In light of that, and with the reminder that my time on earth will pass, how could I not gladly offer my life back to the Lord. To run the race of life with endurance, fixing my eyes on Jesus, being cheered on by the faithful, like Granddaddy, and not losing heart.

How many times do I have to learn?

2009-06-09T09:17:00.003-04:00

This morning I read in Psalms 103: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him"

It reminded me of something that happened to me in Haiti on this trip:

We had been working for a couple of days, digging ditches and laying pipes to bring water to people's houses from the community well. I was swinging a pick axe to break up the ground so that someone could come behind me and shovel out the dirt for the ditch. Once, as I brought the pick axe up over my head before bringing it down I felt the all too familiar pain in my lower back that has come to precede a major bout of back pain. Typically, after something like what I felt by the next day I will be immobilized in pain and unable to even walk correctly for at least a week.

I put down the axe and moved to side of the road and began to think about how I was going to navigate the rest of the trip once my back stiffened up. Graciously some members of the team surrounded me, laying hands on my back, and began to pray for God to heal it. At first I was grateful for their compassion but as they prayed I began to feel more and more uncomfortable. I began to protest their praying because I was becoming aware of all of the pain, hunger, and brokenness of the people in the village we had come to serve. It felt wrong to pray for my needs when there were so much greater needs around us 24 hours a day.

I believe a spiritual battle was being waged at that moment. Nick, an InterVarsity staff colleague said some words in response to my protest that I believe were directly from the Lord. He said, "Even in the midst of the poverty and pain of these people the Lord cares for you as well." That my needs, no matter how small, are not insignificant in the eyes of the Lord. I realized in that moment how much I struggle with God's love, especially when I'm in touch with how unworthy I am. But that is part of receiving God's grace and it is truly hard for the proud. And sadly, I am still a very proud man.

(Amazingly, in spite of me, the Lord took away my pain that day and though it didn't go away 100% it never hindered me from working or moving around for the rest of the trip. In the moment of the injury it felt exactly the same as previous times when I've been immobilized for a week. Call it what you want, but I believe it was the healing grace of our Lord.)

Haiti

2009-06-01T10:13:00.004-04:00

I returned yesterday from 9 day trip to Haiti. What InterVarsity calls a Global Plunge. Fifteen InterVarsity students and three staff traveled to the village of Neply in Haiti on the Leogane plain. We were about an hour due west of Port-au-Prince.

The people and land of Haiti both captured and broke my heart. It is a beautiful land, with sugarcane fields spanning the plains and rising into mountains, but much of the land, like it's people has been stripped and left impoverished. On our trip, we got to come alongside a group of men who have banded together to seek the betterment of each other and the people of Neply. There are a fraternity of sorts and if you're interested you can check out their site here.

We walked twenty minutes each day from Neply to another small village called LaSalle where we brought running water to the front yards of ten homes in the village. Previously there was one well in the center of the village that every household had to travel to multiple times each day, filling up buckets or containers with water and traveling back to their homes in order to cook, do laundry, and for all their water needs. The look of pure joy on the people's faces as they turned on a water spigot in their front yard made all the work and effort worth it. God is good and the faith of many in Neply challenged ours greatly. The question of what is needed in a place like Neply has left me with more questions than answers.

I hope to post some more reflections here in the days to come. For now, I'm enjoying being home with my family and wrestling with some of those questions the trip left me with.

having kids can help your social life

2009-04-28T21:01:00.003-04:00

Today my wife and I went to go watch a kids soccer game. We loaded up our four kids in the mini-van and traveled the twenty minutes across Gainesville to where the game was being played. I held my ten month old son for awhile but put him in his stroller after my arms started getting tired.

A couple of minutes later my wife looks over at me and asks, "What's that?" I look down and sure enough, there's a poop stain two inches in diameter right on the front of my shirt.

How glad I was to be twenty minutes away from my house.

irresponsible environmentalism

2009-04-21T20:48:00.005-04:00

This morning around 10:30am I started to get hungry while I was at work. My office is in a local Presbyterian church here in Gainesville and the space they let us use is at the end of a long hallway where, honestly, not many people ever come. Anyway, I was getting hungry and luckily I had a banana in the office. A little more ripe than ideal, but hey, when you're hungry, a few brown spots aren't that big of a deal. So I ate it.

Afterward I was presented with a dilemma. I didn't want to throw the banana peel in my garbage can because it takes me a long time to fill up a can and it would be sitting there for weeks in all likelihood. I'm imagining bad smells, fruit flies, etc... and I didn't want any part of that.

So casually, I roll up the window next to my desk and slip the banana peel out the window and behind the shrubs. I go back to work thinking, that's fine, the banana is bio-degradable right? It will become nutrients for the shrubs. It's a good thing.

How quickly my tune changed when ten minutes later I see the pastor of the church walking behind my office coming straight for my window. He's walking with another guy (nobody ever comes back here) and they seem to be talking to themselves. Then to my horror, he stops across from my office and goes straight to the water spigot under my window. There's nothing I can do now, I'm sitting at my desk, pretending to work and not notice him but he had to reach within 12 inches of the fresh banana peel that only I could have left there. He couldn't have missed it. And I have to decide whether I will look him in the eye or pretend I don't notice him...

a labor of love/hate

2009-04-09T23:10:00.004-04:00

here are a few pictures of my home improvement project, a new patio in the backyard. who knew that an offer of free concrete pavers back in August would turn into such a long drawn out saga. I have been traveling a lot recently but every day I've been home I've spent all the daylight hours after work on this. finally, I'm nearing completion. here's a few of the steps along the way:

overheard at the Long house

2009-03-24T19:35:00.004-04:00

a quick story from the Long household tonight...

I'm getting my youngest daughter out of the tub and I'm drying her off and she asks me if she looks like Mary. This is because I've often said that to her when the towel is wrapped over her head like a headdress when I'm drying her hair.

So tonight, she asks me, "do I look like Mary?", and I say, "yes, you do." I then walk her into her bedroom to get her pajamas on and she nonchalantly says, "Mary is hot."

what is a father supposed to say to that?

Jesus is Hard

2009-03-04T14:36:00.003-05:00

This is from a former Southeast InterVarsity staffworker who passed away this year. It struck home when I read it today...

Excerpt from Lessons, Prayers & Scripture on the Faith Journey by Pete Hammond.

Jesus is Hard

I seek comfort – He invites me to join in his suffering.
I like acceptance and approval – He calls me to be counter-cultural.
I assume my right to safety – He calls me to personal risk.
I desire financial security – He encourages generosity.
I cherish privacy – He invites me into community.
I yearn for personal significance – he made himself “of no reputation.”
I hide for fear of being judged and rejected – He knows me fully and loves me.
I really like my pillow – He had no place to lay his head.
I want to prolong a healthy life – He calls me to die daily.
I hide in macho male bravado – He weeps for others.
I love good regular meals – He feeds others.
I ponder doctrine – He practices love.
I crave success – He wants me to oppose evil at all costs.
I seek out important people – He befriends the despised and rejected.

Jesus is hard to enjoy,
But what I find deep within me is much worse.

“Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus,
Who though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be explited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness, and being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.”
(Paul to the Philippians in Philippians 2:5-9)

Lord, help me make choices in my journey that lead
to becoming like Jesus;
by breaking the hold of sin and evil within me,
resisting my appetite for comfort, popularity and worldly success,
so I can find real joy in Jesus!

the interesting thing about memorizing parts of the Bible

2009-02-05T09:51:00.004-05:00

So, I (along with some of my friends) have undertaken a goal to memorize the Sermon on the Mount. [Don't congratulate me, I haven't gotten very far.] One thing I'm finding that is very interesting is how the whole process is opening my eyes to old and familiar scriptures. I'm not sure how others' brains work but as I set about the task of memorizing a particular verse it is easy for me to grasp and remember the main concept of the verse.

For example, today I am trying to commit Matthew 5:18 to memory. My first attempt to recite it without looking went something like this:

"Truly, until heaven and earth pass away, the smallest letter or the least stroke of a pen will not disappear until everything is accomplished."

Not bad... I think it is pretty true to what Jesus said, but here is how my translation (TNIV) reads:
"Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

So, what I am really enjoying is learning all the small details of this sermon Jesus gave that modify and clarify what he was trying to convey. Often I find it in the things I forget on the first run. Here is something I missed the first time around today:

in the last clause Jesus modifies his statement that "nothing will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" by saying it will not happen "by any means".

This strengthens what he is saying incredibly. They will not disappear by any means! I missed that every time for the first 31 years of my life until I tried to memorize it.

Plumbing Problems

2009-01-21T19:40:00.003-05:00

Last night after I finished giving my son a bath surprisingly the bath tub did not want to drain. I tried various common techniques last night to get the drain to unclog. I used my humble little 1/4" snake from the the bathtub, from the toilet, and from under the sink. All to no avail. I also tried to use it from the clean-out outside but seemed to get stuck. I gave up for the night.

This morning I didn't want to deal with it but what choice do you have when you have a toilet that's not flushing and a sink that seems to work until you realize it's filling up the bathtub in the other room. So, this morning I had a couple of other ideas to try. I tried snaking from under the kitchen sink (and at one point got the snake inside the walls). I tried going up on the roof and snaking through the vent stacks. But I never got the sense that I had reached the blockage with my snake.

After lunch, I was about ready to try my last move before calling a plumber. The ole' Drano method. I had not yet used any kind of Drano product because I don't believe they really work for serious problems. But a $5 bottle of Drano is worth a shot if it can save a $200 plumber visit. I also had a sneaking suspicion that my "snake" (1/4" auger) was inadequate. So I went to Lowe's to get my Drano and check out the other options for freeing drains. While there I was looking at various methods but they all seemed hokey and unlikely to work. Then a Lowe's employee came up and asked me if I needed help. (I honestly don't think this has ever happened before.) He suggested I consider buying a more heavy duty snake. There was a flat-wire option and a 1/2" coiled wire option. I went with the coiled wire option because you could still spin it to help break through or grab debris and the flat wire is just for pushing through. I picked up some Drano as well.

I came home with renewed optimism and hope for a solution without calling a plumber. I took my new big auger and went to the clean-out on the side of the house. As I shoved it through the clean-out and the central waste line I had a good feeling. The 1/2" cable just felt more substantive and like it could do something. Eventually I felt it hit the blockage. I had never felt this with the smaller auger. I tried pushing it through but didn't feel like I was getting through. I tried spinning it to free the blockage. I wasn't sure if it was working. I pulled it out to see if there was anything on the tip that would indicate progress. And I checked inside but the toilet still wasn't flushing right. I prepared myself for defeat. The $28 solution wasn't such a solution after all. But I decided to give it one more shot. I put the auger back into the clean-out and when I hit the blockage I spun it until it felt like something changed. Unfortunately the auger must have coiled up on itself because it seemed to be stuck. But I unwound it and it seemed to free up. I gave it one more chance and this time I broke through. I was able to push the auger further into the house. Was this my solution?

I went into the house almost scared to hope that it had been solved. But sure enough, when I flushed the toilet it drained properly. To finish the job I poured the bottle of drano down the kitchen sink and gave it 20 minutes to hopefully clear out the rest of the blockage. We'll see how long this lasts but tonight I couldn't be happier. It was really rewarding to do this all by my unprofessional self.

an idea

2008-12-18T00:34:00.006-05:00

Gandhi is credited with saying, "we should live simply so that others may simply live." Now I don't take all my cues from Gandhi but this quote succinctly says something I am very passionate about. The idea that we in this country have a responsibility to everyone- but especially our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world- to live beneath our means in order to redistribute our stuff to those in need.

The biggest problem as I see it is that we don't actually see needs on a daily basis that we can practically meet. I have not met someone truly transformed by Jesus who would look the other way as a friend goes without food or medical care or education or whatever. We give our money, we tell others, we invent ways to help our friends get the care they truly need. But most of our friends are not in destitute poverty. And we just don't see what we consider real poverty on a regular basis. Or if we see it, it's on TV, or through a donation letter, but not up close and personal, as in a conversation.

Many of us sponsor children around the world, give to our favorite organizations and do our best to be generous and make a difference. In fact, everyone I know wishes they had more to give. Because there is just something good and right about letting go of our resources and seeing them used to make someone's life tangibly better. To be the answer to someone's prayers for provision, or as Gary Haugen said, "to help people who have a hard time believing that God is good."

Well, not too long ago Matt Stauffer and I were talking about this, and with some encouragement from my friend Amy Wright decided to do something. We are a developing a website that is intended to help you free up more of your money so that you have more to be generous with. Essentially, we believe that small decisions on a weekly basis can add up enough to significantly impact peoples lives. No, we're not asking for your donations, but we do want to see you give more to the organizations that you think are doing a good job of making the world a better place. A world where there is no more hunger or pain or sickness or tears or death.

The site is FAR from finished but we're at a point where in the next couple of weeks we will need some people to begin using it to help us make it better (and hopefully) to help free up resources for what God is doing around the world. If you think you might be interested, head over to Spend Less Give More and sign up to be notified for when we launch the Beta version.

Transfer of Power

2008-11-06T08:45:00.003-05:00

Whatever else any one may think or feel about the recent election, here's something that makes me proud. Quoting a post from Real Clear Politics:

When (George) Washington stepped aside after two terms, his old adversary King George III is supposed to have said, "If he does that, sir, he will be the greatest man in the world."

I am proud that there is a history of over 200 years and 40 peaceful transfers of power between presidents. Let's not take that for granted.

-thanks to Brian at Pixelated Pad and Pen for the link and quote.

the scales of justice

2008-09-09T21:47:00.003-04:00

So, after 13 years of eligibility I was eventually summoned for jury duty. Monday morning I showed up at the Alachua County Courthouse not sure what to expect but slightly annoyed and slightly intrigued.

Other than getting a bit behind in InterVarsity work stuff it didn't turn out to be too bad of a day. I was glad I had my computer because I was able to take advantage of the free wireless signal in downtown Gainesville.

The most interesting part by far was the Voir Dire process. I was on the first panel that was interviewed by the state prosecutors and the defense attorney. The crazy thing was watching a couple of the potential jurors who seemed to be answering questions in order to ensure they did not get selected. Seemed pretty immature to me.

The final result? I was selected as part of the jury for a case of "battery" on Thursday.

have we done something wrong?

2008-08-28T20:36:00.002-04:00

we have, haven't we?

seeking...?

2008-08-20T09:21:00.003-04:00

I've been studying the "Sermon on the Mount" and leaning heavily on John Stott's book/commentary of it this summer. Stott is possibly my favorite teacher of scripture and today I read something that flipped my old thoughts upside-down.

I was reading his treatment of Matthew 6:31-34 regarding seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. Stott writes:

God's kingdom exists only where Jesus Christ is consciously acknowledged. To be in his kingdom is synonymous with enjoying his salvation. Only the born again have seen and entered the kingdom. And to seek it first is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

But God's 'righteousness' is (arguably, at least) a wider concept than God's 'kingdom'. It includes that individual and social righteousness to which reference has been made earlier in the Sermon. And God, because he is himself a righteous God, desires righteousness in every human community, not just in every Christian community.

He goes on to say that to 'seek his kingdom and his righteousness' may be said to embrace our Christian evangelistic and social responsibilities. Aside from being a great scriptural summary of those two twin values, this summary may not be earth shattering to you. But what surprised me was that I tend to think of those two terms flipped around with 'kingdom' incorporating social responsibilities and 'righteousness' coming from saving faith through evangelism. But now I am seeing it like Stott and realizing once again that I need to use and think about words more carefully.

Any thoughts?

wishing I had a camera on my phone...

2008-08-18T13:55:00.002-04:00

recent life stuff

2008-08-02T16:05:00.002-04:00

Mackeil is growing (but the number of people who can pronounce his name is not)
Andrew was admitted to the hospital with Nephrotic Syndrome (but he is fine now)

I made the switch to a Mac
I think it was a good decision

I have begun to get really excited about SpendLessGiveMore
we made our first decision at an IV staff meeting to Spend Less & Give More
a group of us saved $20 by sharing a container of Breyers Ice Cream instead of going to ColdStone
we will give the savings to Feed the Children

shriveled fruit

2008-07-08T14:33:00.004-04:00

I had to learn the hard way today that blueberries that sit out too long and begin to shrivel can become quite bitter. Unfortunately, I kept trying to prove myself wrong for too long. Now I can't get the bad taste out of my mouth.

My advice is to only eat them if they are still plump with no evidence of shriveling. Have you had any bad experiences with food and tips to share recently?

the power of diverse communities of faith

2008-07-07T23:53:00.003-04:00

Sometime ago I read a book called "Divided By Faith". It is a very good book that helped define so many things for me. The gist of the book is that though Evangelicals have really responded in the last 15 years to the racial crisis in the U.S. it has not been effective because our tendency is to see everything through the lens of "individual" and rarely "systems". So we as Evangelicals have sought to be personally reconciled across races but it has done very little to change the landscape because the systemic issues are still there undermining all of our best efforts.

Toward the end of the book the authors are making the argument that we need diverse communities of faith. One reason they give is that in a society like ours where the wealth (power) is largely controlled by one race, having separate communities of faith hinders the movement toward equality. The reason is that (generalizing here) the majority of jobs are controlled by people of one race and if two people with the same qualifications apply for the job but one applicant knows the person doing the hiring and the other doesn't, the one who knows the employer will almost always get the job. This isn't racism per se, it's just the normal way of things. Well, because communities of faith are so likely to be where many of our social relationships are, if we are in homogeneous communities of faith then the jobs we control or have access to will continue to go to the people like us. Again, this is not malicious or intentional but just because their is a connection there.

Well, tonight I got to participate in something like this, but better. I have a friend (who happens to be Black) who is looking for a job in Gainesville for a year while she takes a break from school before going to Law School at Northwestern in Chicago. She is one of the smartest people I know. But there are not many jobs in Gainesville (maybe anywhere these days) and it has been hard to find one. While talking to a different friend (who happens to be White) I asked a random question and he replied that his department was looking to hire someone for a certain job. Because I am in community with both of them I was able to bridge the gap and possibly help my other friend get a job. She does not have the job yet but now when she turns in her resume she will have an insider to put in a good word for her. I thought this was such a beautiful application of "Divided By Faith" that I wanted to share it with you all. Let's go out and develop diverse (in every way) communities of faith that will be used in big ways and small to make this a more beautiful and equitable nation then it already is.

tie them as symbols

2008-07-01T22:51:00.003-04:00

Materialism is such a slippery thing and it's hooks in me are deep. It is so easy to read the Old Testament and condemn the people we read about for their blatant idolatry. How could those who had seen the Lord part the Red Sea bow down and worship an image forged out of the gold they donated for it? Sometimes it baffles me.

My idolatry is so much harder to spot. (For me anyway, maybe not for you) For instance, I need to replace the computer I'm typing on. Well, need is a subjective word because it technically is still working though it takes more and more to be able to see the results of its computations. Nevertheless, I feel like I need to replace it b/c the display is going out quickly and it is 3 years old, and it has begun to freeze up more often which happened with my last computer before the hard drive crashed.

Assuming I buy a computer sometime this month, what do I buy? I can not deny that my eye and my heart wander after a new Macbook. Yes, the commercials and all the other young professionals switching over have seduced me. All it takes is one friend who I respect to tell me how they would like a new Mac too and I can almost justify buying anything that I can afford. But the thing is that there are PC's that have the same specs and cost half the price.

While this battle rages (maybe not rages) within me some other things are happening too. For one, there are billions (billions) of people who are going to bed hungry tonight. I even wrote about it here. They don't have money for food and I am trying to decide whether a preference for Leopard over Vista justifies $500.

This is why we need reminders in our lives. Idolatry is so slippery. In Deuteronomy 6:1-8 the Lord basically says, "do whatever you have to do to remember the commands I am giving you today." Thankfully I read a blog post tonight that reminded me of who I am called to be and what's important to me. I wise mentor in my life has talked about the need to frequently (at least yearly for him) see real poverty in the world in order to be reminded. I need reminders too. I wonder what computer I'll end up buying?

10 days after

2008-06-29T00:02:00.003-04:00

my last post was from the night before Mackeil was born. that was ten days ago and a wild ten days it has been. in the spirit of my last post here are some things I have learned or "re-remembered" in the last ten days...

when changing a newborn baby boy's diaper you must be prepared for an inadvertent stream of liquid coming at you. I hear it's something about cold air. it is best to use the new diaper as a shield when this happens but sometimes your hand is your only defense.
there actually is a reason why some people keep a coffee pot next to their bed.
moms are incredible people. their capacity to love most likely can not be measured. moms, grandmoms, it doesn't matter, they can all kick it into overdrive.
it is amazing how quiet a house can seem when 2 of 4 kids leave for a night of vacation bible school. i forgot how quiet a house with just 2 kids can be.
even the love of a mom can be tested at 4am when a kid is awake and won't eat.
friends are really good. and some of the best friends are family.
paradoxically, it is both easy and hard to believe in total depravity when living with a newborn baby.
there is no good reason for me to be awake when I will most likely have to get up twice with Mackeil in the next 6.5 hours before starting my sunday.

the night before

2008-06-18T00:41:00.002-04:00

here are the thoughts going through my mind the night before my wife is scheduled to be induced into labor.

I sure hope there are enough beds available that we actually get in.
We finally decided on a name!
I've really enjoyed conversations with my wife lately. I love her more and more. I hope we don't let jockeying for sleep time in the coming months drive a wedge between us.
Why am I still up when we are scheduled to go into the hospital in 5 hours?
At least 2 sets of friends have said that the transition from 3 to 4 kids is not too bad. I hope they're right.
I wish we would have gotten our third child potty-trained before bringing home another diaper-maker.
We are incredibly blessed as a family.
I really hope I get to share some good news and put some cute pictures up here soon and that everything will have gone well.
The Lord is good. We put our trust in him.

World Food Crisis

2008-06-10T11:14:00.005-04:00

I have been doing some research on the world food crisis. It is amazing what can happen throughout the world with us knowing very little about it here in the U.S. Basically, millions of people around the world are going hungrier than before because the cost of nearly every food staple has risen dramatically in the last year. If someone went to the market with all they had before and bought a 10lb bag of rice, now they can only afford a 6lb bag of rice with the same amount of money.

Why is this happening? Well, it's quite complicated but here are some of the reasons from what I've read:

1. rising energy costs - the higher cost of fuel means higher transportation costs associated with delivering food. in addition, the cost of petroleum based fertilizers has skyrocketed. finally, the increasing use and demand for bio-fuels (i.e. corn based ethanol) is taking away from the supply of food.

2. the weather factor - drought in places like Australia (one of the world leaders in wheat production) has had a major impact on supply levels. also, many tropical areas in the world are experiencing shorter growing seasons due to warmer and drier conditions. this is a factor we have little to no control over though many would point to the environmental effects of Global Warming.

3. increasing demand -
a.) part of the current food crisis is in response to positive developments. over the last several years many sites are reporting that millions have escaped poverty, especially in population heavy countries like China and India. this is good news! thankfully, many of these people are able to add meat and dairy products to their diets. that is good but it means the quantities of these foods gets spread thinner and demand rises.

b.) the corollary to this is that as demand for meat rises on a global level the demand for grain to feed livestock rises as well. often debated, it take somewhere between 4-16 lbs of grain to produce 1 lb of beef. and chicken requires roughly half the amount of beef though still substantial amounts.

4. governmental policies (wading into deeper and more controversial waters) -
a.) government subsidies in many countries encourage overproduction and distort prices. this makes it impossible for farmers in other countries to sell their goods at the cost of production, let alone for a liveable wage. this forces these countries to become dependent on imports (presumably cheaper) to feed their populations. when world food prices rise however, the infrastructure to produce their own food doesn't exist and they are dramatically affected.

b.) some grain producing countries enact policies prohibiting certain exports when global food prices rise. they do this understandably to keep domestic food prices under control. what that means for the rest of the world though is that less food is in the markets and so as demand rises (or even remains) supply decreases relatively and prices go up.

c.) countries have to make policy decisions on where to focus their development assistance. underinvestment in agricultural productivity is contributing to supply levels not keeping up and therefore higher prices.

So what can we do?

Consuming Jesus - Part 3

2008-06-09T15:10:00.003-04:00

This was a pretty good book. I think Metzger is at his best when he is analyzing history and culture as the beginning of the book does. He does a great job of looking back and showing how the church got to this moment of being consumed by consumerism. It's effects are so wide-ranging, it's almost the water we're swimming in, without even knowing.

From there, the author goes into how the church should live out its calling in this consumer culture, that is separated, by and in large, by race and class. In my opinion, this is where Metzger's writing is weaker. He is synthesizing the work of others such as John Perkins, William Cavanaugh, and Marva Dawn. Not that any of it was bad but I thought the first half of the book was more compelling.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has an inkling of the effects of consumerism on the church in America but wants to explore its implications further and begin to live counter-culturally, resisting the commodification of the church . I was especially challenged in regard to the mono-cultural tendencies of the small group movement.

giving and equality

2008-05-29T10:01:00.003-04:00

I was reading a booklet called The Grace of Giving (reprinted as this) and the following principle really struck me:

Principle #5: Christian giving contributes to equality (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)

"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: 'He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.'

Stott writes:
"...the same dilemma that confronts missionaries. Should they 'go native', becoming in all things like the nationals they work among? Or should they continue to enjoy western affluence without any modification of their lifestyle? Probably neither. The Willowbank Report on 'Gospel and Culture' suggests that they should rather develop a standard of living 'which finds it natural to exchange hospitality with others on a basis of reciprocity, without embarrassment' [Making Christ Known (Eerdmans/Paternoster, 1996), p 82]

In other words, if we are embarrassed either to visit other people in their home, or to invite them into ours because of the disparity of our economic lifestyles, something is wrong; the inequality is too great, for it has broken fellowship. There needs to be a measure of equalization in one or the other direction, or in both. And Christian giving contributes to this equality."

I couldn't agree more.

Social Justice vs. Mercy

2008-05-28T14:54:00.002-04:00

this is something I wrote about a year ago but not in a forum where I could get any feedback. let me know what you think if you get a chance...

I was listening to a well known pastor give a talk on missional leadership today. At one point he began remarking that in the church we often talk about social justice when we should be calling it ministries of mercy or something like that. There was much that I disagreed with in his little aside but essentially he was saying that we need to be more careful with our language. His point was something to the effect of “justice” is what Jesus got for our sake and “mercy” is what we get from God. Therefore, we should practice acts of mercy not justice.

I think as followers of Jesus we need to practice both, but that we should be able to distinguish between them. In my mind social justice is when we act to make right the systems that enable and support oppression in any form. Mercy is when we act to relieve the symptoms of oppression (that comes from without or within).

This pastor used the example of a homeless man who is an alcoholic and hungry. He said that if this man lets alcohol destroy his life and doesn’t try to get a job then justice is to let him rot away on the streets (not his exact words). Mercy in his mind was to give this guy a hot meal, some clean clothes, and a place to sleep. He doesn’t deserve it but neither do we. I think this is a typical way of thinking about the problem of homelessness (or any number of social problems we see) in this country. It assumes that everything we see is a product of choices, good or bad. “If I have a nice home it is because I’ve made good choices and if someone else is homeless you can probably trace it back to bad choices.” Those of us who don’t really experience any form of oppression tend to overlook the way our society is structured that leaves some with such a feeling of desperation that they make bad choices.
I don’t believe that justice is to just let this guy get what he “deserves”. I’m trying to look beyond the obvious (alcoholism, inability to get/hold a job) and see if there are any systems that are not right/just that keep him in this vicious cycle. So social justice would be to act to correct the laws that aim to keep the homeless population out of our sight so that businesses can thrive and everyone else can pretend they don’t exist. But this takes a longer time then I would like and in the meantime, out of gratitude for how God has treated me, I should practice mercy by taking care of his immediate needs, etc…

In the end, I think this pastor was on to something though he missed the boat in some ways. We are lazy with our language in this culture and if we’re not careful, words like justice and mercy will lose their meaning (i.e. grace, love, awesome, good). But regarding this example, let’s be a people that would stand for both justice and mercy where appropriate. Let’s let our hearts be angered by the things that anger the heart of God and be moved to make systems right and treat people with the mercy that we’ve been shown. Come Lord Jesus!

Escape From Reason

2008-05-22T00:20:00.003-04:00

...a quick review of a book I read this week.

Escape From Reason - Francis Schaeffer, IVP

Schaeffer offers a concise yet penetrating overlook of philosophic thought from the time of Thomas Aquinas through the 20^th Century. Written in 1968, Schaeffer had such an insight into the thinking of his day that 40 years later, the things he saw are finally making their way into mainstream ways of thinking. He was writing brilliantly about postmodern thought 30 years before I ever even heard of it.

I won’t lie, this book, though short and sweet, put my intellect to the test. He moves through 750 years of philosophy at breakneck speed. He does not adequately encapsulate any of the thinkers he writes about but more shows the movement of thought through different eras. I found it to be quite helpful in understanding how the current science vs. faith debate came into being. Essentially, Schaeffer argues that for the Christian to fall into the modern (and postmodern) way of thinking about a dichotomy between reason and faith leaves us without legs to stand on in either category. It’s a very compelling yet challenging read.

Consuming Jesus - success & the homogenous unit principle

2008-05-19T14:53:00.003-04:00

Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be one so that the world might know that he was sent by the Father. What is this to look like? If a bunch of people who look alike and like the same things are "one" is that really anything that is worth noticing? Now I know that we are all selfish enough that anytime anyone sacrifices for others in way that allows us to be "one" it is worth something. But I think Jesus was talking about bringing together people from different social classes and cultures.

Being enamored with "success", by and in large the church in America has sold out to the homogeneous unit principle. This principle states that we will be more effective (successful) in ministry if we target those who are like us in order to make them comfortable enough to hear the Gospel. Is that what we're doing or do we just not really like people that aren't like us that much? Maybe it's an answer to Jesus' prayer that Gator and Seminole fans who are alike in every other way would be "one". That will make people sit up and notice that there's something about this Jesus guy.

Consuming Jesus - Fundamentalism & "trickle down social ethics"

2008-05-16T12:26:00.004-04:00

In chapter 1 of Consuming Jesus, Metzger traces some of the history of the evangelical church in the U.S., it's racial divisions, and it's consumer culture mentality. It takes us back to the turn of the century with D.L. Moody and his evangelistic revivalism. Moody, described as the "forefather" of fundamentalism, shifted during his season of ministry to a singular emphasis on evangelism. Though early in his ministry he had walked in the Evangelical tradition of social concern he began to see social reform as a distraction of the primary concern, evangelism.

According to Metzger, Moody and his followers did not necessarily lack compassion, they just believed that evangelism was the most effective way to address social concerns. Metzger calls this "trickle down social ethics", that as people enter into a right relationship with God that there life will improve and they will be able to "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps". Metzger rightly points out that this belief overlooks the reality of systematic injustice that takes away the bootstraps of those who are to pull themselves up by them.

In my next installment of this book review I will try to summarize Metzger's argument of how the premillenialist eschatology of Fundamentalism furthered this disengagement with the social concerns and injustices of the day.

Consuming Jesus - Part 2

2008-05-15T14:36:00.002-04:00

I plan to begin reading Consuming Jesus tonight. The subtitle reads, "Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church". Promises to be good stuff. Come back for thoughts along the way.

SharpTop and my wandering mind

2008-04-27T01:26:00.004-04:00

tomorrow morning my family and I leave for SharpTop Cove, a YoungLife camp in north Georgia. They will be there one week with me and then I will stay on for a second week. I can't wait to get there. It's always a great time and the chance to pour into students 24/7 makes it one of my favorite parts of the year.

I've been thinking about (though probably not very intelligibly)
1. the nature of repenting versus merely reforming
2. the Holy Spirit and what exactly it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit
3. the worship of Money "or the god Mammon" as John White would say. Here's a quote from the Pathway of Holiness:

"You worship whomever you trust. Most of us trust Money more than we trust God. It hit me when God once said to me, 'When I ask you to give money to someone and tell you how much to give, do not consider how much you will have left, I will take care of you! You are to trust me not the money you have left in your account!'"

wow, that kicked me in the pants.

Quick-fix Christianity

2008-04-23T09:39:00.005-04:00

Against my better judgment I am going to post a quote here from a book I am reading by none other than John White. I say "against my better judgment" because when I read quotes online without their context I almost always feel like they must have meant more to the person quoting them than to me. But I read this today and it so completely rings true to my observations and maybe even experience that I want to share it. And if anyone wants to discuss it with me in this context or another I'd love to. Here it is:

"Our day is a day of superficial Christianity. To become a Christian you are supposed to agree to certain correct beliefs. Gradually you learn the Christian jargon and gain confidence socializing in the Christian community. This is the quick-fix form of Christianity." - John White, The Pathway of Holiness (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996) p.65

Better Together

2008-04-14T23:10:00.004-04:00

We really are better together.

For over a year now I've been telling myself that I would find time and start to work with children in some kind of after-school program here in Gainesville. It just seemed like an appropriate way for me to help out and serve in a practical way. The problem is, I let myself get so busy that it has sat on my goals for the last 16 months or so and I've never moved forward with it. I've made multiple commitments without much action at all beyond a couple of conversations with the right people. I was starting to feel pathetic and like I was all talk.

Maybe I still am... but tonight at our small group we decided to make helping underprivileged kids in our community our primary mission. We're not exactly sure what that will look like but several of us have a connection to a particular after-school program that is getting started in Gainesville. I think that together with my community this will finally happen. I never got the ball rolling by myself but with my friends pushing alongside I believe this goal of mine will come to fruition. I love it when a plan comes together.

Pride

2008-04-04T10:08:00.001-04:00

** in tribute to a truly great man **

Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride

In the name of love!
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love!
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love!
What more in the name of love...

Consuming Jesus

2008-04-04T09:41:00.005-04:00

awhile back I went in on an offer to receive this book for free provided I write a review of it on my blog. I have yet to read it but plan to, and am excited about it. I guess this post is really an attempt at catharsis. I feel somewhat guilty, hopefully it is also a reminder at some point this summer to read and review it.

my addiction?

2008-03-25T23:23:00.004-04:00

I can't go a day without it. My thoughts return to it throughout the day, whether I'm at work or at home. I have a simultaneous love/hate relationship with it. I wish I could cut it out or go longer stretches without it. I know that it is bad for me when I don't use it in moderation. Sometimes I use it when I think my wife won't see me. Often I'll cut away from playing with my children for it. It controls me instead of the other way around more often than I'd like to admit. I crave more access to it. I continue to use it long after I know I shouldn't. I often feel powerless to it's grip over me.

I'm ashamed of these things.

(the internet)

my take on St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T15:26:00.003-04:00

I am mostly Scottish. At least I think. At any rate that's the ancestry that I most identify with. Maybe that's why I like Braveheart, I think I might be the only one.

Scots aren't real big on St. Patrick's day. We like to wear orange instead of green. That tends to irritate some people. But there's at least one really good thing from Ireland. U2. They are the best. Today I will only listen to U2 in honor of good ole St. Patrick. because I really needed an excuse...

when I don't want to do something

2008-03-11T23:13:00.003-04:00

At what point do you give up on a commitment? There are two opposing view points but neither seems right to me.

One perspective is that you should never give up on a commitment. The very meaning of the word implies that it's a pledge and one that should not be broken. There is much to this and we probably take our commitments far too lightly. But at some point it just becomes legalistic and void of grace.

The other view is that we should only do something as long as it's meaningful to us. This view says it's the heart that matters and being authentic with our actions. This perspective certainly steers clear of legalism but leaves us as weak creatures, ruled by our passions and not the will.

I have been struggling with a commitment I made a couple of months ago. It is a part of my weekly rhythm of life but I have begun to question it's meaningfulness. This week was perhaps the hardest week yet to follow through with it. I felt constantly bombarded leading up to it and during with thoughts and excuses for why I should give it up. It has lost some it's original purpose to me and began to feel like an empty ritual. And of course it's not convenient.

How do you make decisions like this of whether or not to carry through?

Death by Airport

2008-02-27T00:25:00.001-05:00

February 26, 2:45pm
I'm writing this as I sit in the Gainesville airport. After 4.5 hours of sleep last night I got up early to get here today by 7:15am. One of the things I love about the Gainesville airport is that you can show up 45 minutes before take-off and feel comfortable that you'll have plenty of time. Ha.

Around 9am this morning I found out that the reason we were delayed was because of extreme weather in Atlanta. I then began a game of debating about waiting it out or renting a car to drive to Pensacola (my destination). I'm the biggest loser. I would have been in Pensacola by now. I'll spare you the hour by hour updates and delays that resulted in me sitting at this Gate for the last 7.5hrs. Suffice it to say that our flight was "supposed" to take-off at least 4 different times including once when were on the plane and taxiing to the runway before they called us back and made us de-board.

3:07pm
Our flight that was supposed to leave at 3pm has been rescheduled again to 4pm. I'm stuck again. If I rent a car and drive right now I will be in Pensacola by 7:30pm. If all goes well with the flight I could be there by 6:30pm without the stress of having driven 5.5 hrs after an already long day. What do I do? I'm in limbo.

4:10pm
Standby comes through! I got on a standby flight that should get me through to Pensacola by 6:30pm.

5:30pm
Arrive in Atlanta and get to the gate. Somehow the ticket agents messed up my ticket but I do have a seat and they can make it work. Who knows what all that means but I'm at my gate and reasonably happy?

[side note] Sometimes just being able to complain to people helps a lot. I feel like a wimp for that but texting people kept me sane today.

6:15pm
Everybody is here at the gate and ready to go. Except for the pilot! We'll see how this unfolds but I smell another delay.

7pm (Central Time)
Finally arrived in Pensacola. Everything is great. Except my luggage didn't arrive...

Excellence In Leadership

2008-02-08T12:28:00.000-05:00

This is a great little book on leadership, drawing principles from the life and work of Nehemiah. Maybe the best thing about it is that it has drawn me into the story of Nehemiah and I think that I will continue to go back to the biblical account as a leadership resource for years to come. I believe that is White’s main goal even beyond his own words and thoughts on the subject.

There are many memorable lessons: the importance of prayer in leadership, Spirit led planning, dealing with opposition, and finishing strong, to name a few. In addition to my own use of the book in the future, I will encourage other leaders to read it, but I think it may be more valuable to the leader with some experience than for the young leader looking for a training manual. My appreciation of the book is much greater now than it probably would have been at the beginning of my leadership journey. I think this is because it is not meant as a comprehensive overview of leadership but more as a reflection on the example of one particular leader and the situation he found himself called to lead in. It is a great book, I highly recommend it. Though short, it’s not a fast read, more like something you drink slowly and enjoy.

John White on leadership

2008-02-07T13:25:00.000-05:00

There has always been a true elite of God's leaders. They are the meek who inherit the earth (Mt 5:5). They weep and pray in secret, and defy earth and hell in public. They tremble when faced with danger, but die in their tracks sooner than turn back. They are like a shepherd defending his sheep or a mother protecting her young. They sacrifice without grumbling, give without calculating, suffer without groaning. To those in their charge they say, "We live if you do well." Their price is above rubies. They are the salt of the earth. And Nehemiah was one of them.

biting the nails of success

2008-02-06T23:33:00.000-05:00

"it's no secret that a conscious can sometimes be a pest. no secret ambition bites the nails of success..." - U2, The Fly

I've been thinking a lot about ambition lately. Is it good? Is it bad?
Neutral maybe?

Paul writes, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit." Are we capable of ambition that is divorced from selfish beginnings and endings? How many of the great evils in our history were waged with the fuel of ambition? They all seem to come from it. That or fear.

Is there any room for ambition in the life of a disciple of Jesus? Should we aspire to things? For most of my life as a follower of Jesus I've been afraid of having too much ambition. It would be better not to get my heart too caught up in any enterprise. Better to make sure that I steered clear of any selfish pursuit. But maybe I've been wrong. Maybe there is room for a consuming passion. Maybe it requires ambition to get anything great accomplished. I want my life to count for something. And I think I'm going to crawl out of this old shell of fear. What is there to fear anyway? If God is for me who can be against me? Even if I crash and burn miserably, my consolation is God himself. Imagine that. So I think I'm going to take these dreams and allow God to add fuel to the fire. Who knows where it will take me, but I want it to be somewhere with a view.

processed religion

2008-02-03T12:22:00.000-05:00

At church today my pastor preached about the dangers of processed religion. Upon coming home and enjoying some reheated chicken for lunch in front of my computer, imagine my surprise when Google Reader fed me this delectable treat.

It scares me what well meaning professional Christians will say sometimes. Some people are claiming that ideas like this will become the "new denominations" of the future.

second degree

2008-01-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

**warning: this post is not for the weak of heart or stomach**

I have come to the conclusion that second degree burns on the roof of your mouth is one of the worst fates you could wish on a person.

Over the weekend, while dining at an asian bistro I put a scalding (some might say boiling) piece of broccoli in my mouth. Being my typical prideful self, I chose to keep it in my mouth and just cover my face with a napkin while I tried to choke it down and hold back the tears. (unsuccessfully)

I kept thinking during the rest of the meal that I wasn't supposed to feel flesh that soft and lose throughout my mouth. When I finally got in front of a mirror I was surprised to to see that my mouth was bleeding it two big places from the burns. After some forceful argumentation about whether or not it deserved a trip to the hospital we finally decided to just shove some gauze in my mouth and continue with our plans.

I've spent the remainder of the week fighting the impulse to go to the doctor, fighting a sore throat, and lamenting that every delicious bite of food comes with pain. In my still painful state I can not imagine many fates worse than prolonged contact with boiling water on the inside of your mouth. Please do not wish this on your enemies.

think differently

2008-01-22T12:37:00.000-05:00

For those of us (like me) who get tempted by gadgets here is a good post by Lifehacker on reasons and ways to avoid buying the latest gadgets. Here's an example: for those of us who might be tempted by something beautiful like the MacBook Air, we need to learn how to think differently.

Like, get a bigger envelope and be happy with your own laptop. Just owning one puts you in the top 1% of the world.

perspective

2008-01-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

This weekend I went to the Underground Network Conference. The Underground Network is a newly formed coalition of churches united by the prophetic call to love the poor, reach the lost and seek biblical justice. The purpose is to facilitate a community of support, accountability, cooperation and creativity between coalition churches and their leaders.

During the opening session the speaker suggested that the prevailing “the world is going to Hell in a hand basket” mentality is not very helpful or Biblical. This caught my attention because my last post was about the reality of our society and how day-time television portrays that.

We are not called to be unaware of the darkness that envelops this world, but it does not help to sit on the sideline and just watch it continue to spread. We are called to jump into the fight and bring light into the dark places. Day-time television reveals the darkness that exists in our hearts, But will I sit and wait for the walls to come crashing down or will I thrust myself into the fray, fighting, giving and sacrificing everything I have to see Light conquer darkness? Time will tell.

day-time television

2008-01-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

What kind of society are we? What's wrong with us?

My car broke down today driving from Gainesville to St. Augustine. First I experienced the good side of our society. After, talking to a couple of unhelpful people over the phone I finally talked to a mechanic that was willing to drive out and check out my car where I was for no extra charge. He did all the little tests that a seasoned mechanic knows to do to eliminate possibilities. How to easily check and see that fuel is getting to the engine... How to see whether it is getting a spark... or compression. In the end I had to get it towed in because it wasn't the kind of thing that could be fixed on the side of the road.

Finally, I got to the auto-repair shop with my car. In the waiting room all I wanted was a little bit of silence to clear my mind and figure out how to make the best of a bad day. Instead, I get a TV that is blaring day-time television at me. Is there anything decent on daytime television? It is just ridiculous. My heart grieves for the people who go onto these day-time talk television shows and it also grieves for the people that except it as entertainment. I am angry, frustrated, and sad all at the same time. We are a people who have sold our souls to the god of entertainment and I don't know what will become of us. Am I being over-reactionary here? I don't know anymore.

camp rules

2008-01-10T00:51:00.000-05:00

I have been checking out different sites for an InterVarsity student conference in February. One particular Christian camp has it written into their "Rules and Regulations" that there is to be no playing "rock music" or dancing. Unbelievable! I find myself wondering how they could still (if ever) have that as a rule. It just brings so many follow-up questions to mind:

Is it just rock that is disallowed? What about rap, disco, pop, or techno? What about country? What about Christian rock? Is that allowed? What if 3/4ths of the band claim to be Christians? What if we are reasonably sure that all of the band are Christians but they stick to secular radio and wouldn't be caught dead on WAY FM?

I just find it hard to believe that this document hasn't been updated in the last 40 years or so. Or maybe it's still a strong conviction. Lucky for me, I had the windows up as I blared U2 on the way in.

home improvement anger

2007-12-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I went to the local home improvement store to have an inch taken off of some blinds I had bought there for the girls room. There were two other customers in front of me having their blinds cut, and when it was finally my turn the employee kindly informed me that they don't cut the blinds I had bought, but they do cut this other kind that cost $28 more for the same size. So, after considerable internal struggle I decided to exchange the old blinds and buy the nicer ones that can be cut to the right size.

Following a 15 minute wait in the returns line I finally got back to the "cutting station" with my new blinds. As I walked up to the employee she looked at me strangely and asked if I wanted the new blinds cut. When I replied that I did she offhandedly told me it would 30 minutes before she completed two other customer requests and could get to mine. Before I knew it I was mumbling under my breath, "f***". Immediately I felt both guilty and ashamed. I'm not even sure whether or not she heard me but I had just let the granddaddy of all cuss words slip.

Now what was wrong with that? This is a line of thought I've thought about and discussed off and on over the years. (Here's a post at Just Matt that I joined in on) I guess what it comes down to for me is not that the word is that bad but that the condition of my mind and spirit at that point is just out of control. I was basically walking around one little inconvenience away from erupting and flying off the handle. To me, that is what's wrong with cussing. It's being out of control of my words and actions. I have much less of a problem with intentionally using strong language (provided it's not derogatory toward another person). I don't think uttering those sounds and syllables is really that bad. But what's bad to me is what my heart looks like in that moment. I want to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation. Then, a 30 minute inconvenience would not be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" but something entirely different. And I would be a man of peace.

real life CSI

2007-12-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

Let me tell you, in real life, CSI is not that glamorous. Our house was broken into this morning while I was at work and my wife was at the grocery store with two of our children. I would say we were burgled but the violator did not actually take anything that we can tell. He/she rifled through every drawer in the house and strew the contents on the floor but as far as we can tell did not take any electronic equipment, jewelry, or even a brand new credit card that was sitting on our desk. Nothing at all. Either they were just looking for cash (in which case they definitely picked the wrong house) or we are spies and they hoped to find some of our secret documents.

Above is a picture of the window they chose to enter through. I would show you the finger-printing dust but it is boring (I don't see any finger prints) and it is everywhere, carpet, door handles, the whole nine yards.

book summary: Daring To Draw Near

2007-12-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

Though it would fall into the "books on prayer" category, this book is about a lot more than prayer. (though I learned a lot about prayer as well) What I loved about the book was the reflections at the beginning of each chapter on biblical passages. White does a masterful job of letting us peer into these encounters between men and God. I really appreciate John White's perspective on scripture. Essentially, he takes a different biblical character for each chapter to reflect on and learn about prayer. Along the way you look at Abraham conversing with God over the fate of Sodom and Hannah asking the Lord for a child, and Job covering his mouth as God reveals himself to him. We look at how David had both reverence and joy in his dancing before the Lord and Paul's measured theological intercession for the Ephesians. The book ends by looking at the recorded prayers of Jesus during his last 24 hours.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. It's not a manual on how to pray but is more intended to look at the prayers of very real people and their response to God's initiative. Along the way, we learn to see God more clearly. It is kind of like a book that blends prayer with discipleship. I think it is one that I will reread in the future.

dying

2007-12-04T22:29:00.000-05:00

Dying well is a lost art. Most of us are so scared of death that we don't want to even think about it much less consider how to die well. But how can you live well if you're not in touch with your oncoming death. The truth is, our days are limited, they will not last forever. How will we spend them? There will be a point in time when we take our last breath and the canvas of our lives will be finished. But what will it say? Or to be more theologically correct, Act 1 of a great play will be finished. The better Acts are to come but this one will surely be finished. Our spirits will be disconnected from our bodies until they are returned to us fixed, repaired, and glorious.

But how will we die? Will have to be dragged off the stage after that first Act or will we gracefully exit, excited about what is to come? I think this is one of the serious downfalls of living in a society with the technology to keep us "alive" even after we lose consciousness. We are much less in touch with our own mortality and so we don't learn how to die well. Also, we are seldom with people when they die. People don't consciously die in homes anymore and so few of us get to see someone die. I don't say that with morbid fascination but just to say we don't have many models. When I was a kid I remember thinking that I wanted to die in my sleep. I was so afraid of the pain involved that I figured going in your sleep is the way to go. If the Lord sees fit to take me that way then I won't complain but tonight I hope that when I die I am able to be with those I care most about and consciously commit my spirit to the Lord as Jesus did. Has anyone ever died as well as he did? Here was an innocent man, taking on the punishment that others deserved, experiencing the cruelest form of death that has probably ever been invented. While dying, he asks for the forgiveness of his tormentors, asks his friend to care for his mom, offers eternal life to those dying with him, goes through hell and separation from the Father, comes through it and with joy (I believe) says, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

My days are numbered though I do not know the number. I want to spend my remaining days living intentionally. I want to make them count for something. I can trust that whatever the Lord has planned for my life, I will not die until its complete. That's a good feeling. I hope and pray that in death I can bring honor to the one who makes life worth living.

retreat

2007-11-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving for a spiritual retreat and will be at the Lake Swan Camp in Melrose, FL. I don't include that so that you'll come visit. But, what a privilege to have a job where this is part of my job description.

prayer

2007-11-28T00:02:00.000-05:00

my boy John White on prayer...

"we must remind ourselves again of the basic nature of prayer: a response to God's initiative". [I am wondering if that statement is true in all its simplicity.]

White quoting C.S. Lewis, "God whispers to us in our pleasures but shouts to us in our pain."

"Longing is always understood clearly by God."

"Evangelical Christians are far to ready to treat God as a heavenly buddy."

blogging

2007-11-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

I think I need to find a way to have more significant conversations on a daily basis. Being an external processor I don't really do a good job of reflecting on life if I'm left to myself to conjure up thoughts. Trying to post to this blogspot has shown this to be true. I find that most of my significant thoughts come from things I'm reading. I think that is fine but I would like to be this person who has significant thoughts that just come from reflecting on life, events, etc... But that doesn't seem to happen in my life, so I can either just continue to post about things I'm reading or I need to find find ways and time to have the kind of conversations with other people that I would like. Where are all the philosophers?

partnership with God?

2007-11-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

I'm reading Daring To Draw Near by John White (who is steadily rising to the top of my favorite authors list). The other books of his that I've read (all or part of) are The Fight, Eros Defiled, and The Cost of Commitment. Each one has had a profound impact on me. On my bookshelf for the future are Excellence in Leadership and The Pathway of Holiness. Anyway, now that I'm finished gushing over John White I'll get on with my post.

In the first chapter of this book he explores the interaction that Abraham has with God in Genesis 18 as the three visitors are leaving. You're probably familiar with the story, God reveals he's about to destroy Sodom, and Abraham begins to plead with God to save the city if there are some righteous people there. One of White's assertions is that God not only chooses to call us friends (John 15:15) but that he also wants us to be his partners, to have a role in his plans. White says that this is part of why God lets Abraham in on what he is about to do. He's inviting Abraham to take counsel with himself on matters of importance to him. In White's words, "God has called you to attend a celestial board meeting to deliberate with him on matters of destiny."

This argument certainly seems to be treading on thin ice to me. Would God actually involve us on that level in his purposes in the world. The part of me that is convinced of God's utter sovereignty certainly hesitates. If this is true it would drastically change my prayer life though. White points out that there is no longer room for "if it be your will" kinds of prayers because that is essentially lazy pseudoreverence. It's a cop out from struggling to find out what God's will is, or it's a "lack of faith in the character of the Invisible One who works miraculously in the face of impossible odds".

What if God really does want this kind of partnership with us? Would I feel like someone with a brand new MBA walking into a board meeting with Donald Trump? Excited to be there and contribute but scared to be fired at any minute for saying something stupid. It would definitely add a new dimension to Jesus saying that if we ask anything in his name that he will do it. I'm imagining a business owner and a young apprentice. They usually reason everything out together, and the owner always has the last call, but it's a true discussion with give and take on both sides. And when the young apprentice makes a special request that isn't clearly bad for the company the owner will grant it because of their relationship. Could this be true?

progress?

2007-11-13T23:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't read many books from the 1600's but a few years back I read The Pilgrim's Progress. One of the characters in the allegory that Christian walks along with for awhile is a guy named Talkative. I remember Talkative because I was severely convicted by this character. He seemed like a great guy to Christian at first and he had great ideas and talked about all the right things. But slowly, Christian began to realize that all he ever did was talk. And he wasn't really willing to do anything and live out his values, he just wanted to talk about the faith.

There is way too much "Talkative" in me. I have seen that again and again. I'm an idealist and I love to talk about my ideals. It's much harder for me to get around to living them out though. And so I fall into the trap of talking and talking and never doing the things I know I should do.

Well, today someone came into my office and was telling me about these boys and girls that she works with that are coming from some pretty tough living situations and the need for people to invest in them and see their potential and be with them as they do their homework and stuff. Now for 2 years, I have talked about and had the personal goal to get involved in some kind of after-school program here in Gainesville. The opportunity presented itself today.

Will I just be all talk?

building the Kingdom

2007-11-06T00:15:00.000-05:00

are we called to build the Kingdom of God? Jesus almost always preached about the Kingdom of God (or Heaven) but he never said anything about advancing it or building it. instead, he said stuff like, "the Kingdom is within you" or "the Kingdom is here" or "the Kingdom is near". but never, "go forth, and build ye the Kingdom".

how has "building the Kingdom" slipped into our language so easily? I use this phrase all the time but it was pointed out to me today that behind that phrase lies a mindset of works that is in contrast to the Kingdom that is both "already" and "not yet".

is it wrong to think in terms of building or advancing the Kingdom?

(origin of thoughts credit: This Beautiful Mess)

Getting Your Feet Dirty

2007-10-26T17:48:00.000-04:00

hey, I finished another book. I like having accountability for this in my life as I read alongside some of my staff friends. If anyone would like to see our reading list and join us just let me know. Here are my thoughts on the latest book I read...

Before reading Getting Your Feet Dirty I had read Jesus With Dirty Feet and The Smell of Sin written by Don Everts. I loved both of those books; they were insightful, creative, and beautifully written. This book was not what I expected. Part of that is that it was written to people who are not familiar with the story of the early church as recorded in Acts. I am and it was not as compelling to me. But that may be my fault. I think it would be more compelling for people who are not as familiar with the story and maybe I read it from too prideful a perspective.

The strength of the book lies in that it does a good job of unpacking what happened at Pentecost and in the days and months that followed. It shows how the first followers of Jesus began to live out their new lives. If we all followed their examples in our own contexts there is much that is wrong that would be right. It is simple and I appreciate that. I think it would be a good book to put in the hands of a new believer, but I can think of other books that I would read alongside a new believer to discuss with them, and that is what I was looking for.

traveling man

2007-10-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

...sitting in the Charlotte airport waiting for a flight to Knoxville. big props to Charlotte for providing free wireless internet in the whole airport. I might start taking US Airways instead of Delta when I can.

tonight I'll be in Knoxville with former IV staffer Greg Jobe. tomorrow I'll be in Maryville with Bob Roberts from Maryville College as part of my coaching role in the Chapter Building Cohort. then Tuesday through Friday I'll be in Townsend, TN (in the Smokies) for the southeast Regional Leadership Team meeting. traveling is fun but its hard to be away from such a fun family.

I'm doing some last minute reading from a business book called The Fifth Discipline that is required for the RLT meeting. The focus of the book is on becoming Learning Organizations. That doesn't mean a whole lot to me but what I've read so far is making me think along good lines. Do we let ourselves become "prisoners of our own thinking"? ...maybe I can post on it later. my flight is finally boarding.

from noun to verb

2007-10-17T23:26:00.000-04:00

I've spent a lot of time in the book of Philippians this year. I spent January through June memorizing the whole book and my plan is to slowly study the whole book by the end of December. It has been a lot of fun and Philippians has probably become my favorite book along the way.

This morning I was reading a commentary on Philippians 2:12-18 and the author made the point that throughout Philippians, joy is a verb and not a noun. It is not a feeling but something we do. We rejoice! It is not dictated by our circumstances but by our perspective. I thought that was really helpful. I decided to take a short walk outside and rejoice in all that God is doing in and around me right now. It was a great walk.

sonburst 2007

2007-10-10T22:50:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Sonburst tomorrow. You can read about it here or here. On Saturday morning I will co-lead a seminar titled New Community: Creating Places of Belonging. And on Sunday morning I will be leading a seminar titled The Beauty of God and Call To Mission Among White Americans.

In the middle, I hope to hear some great stories by Carl Medearis, hang out with lots of college students who are serious about God, and maybe even get to see Dawn a little bit. I should be back on Sunday afternoon but I probably won't be recovered until sometime on Monday.

authenticity of speech

2007-10-08T23:00:00.000-04:00

Do Christians tend to exaggerate their relationship with the Lord?

I have a friend who is really struggling in their faith right now because they don't sense the kind of closeness to God and real relationship that they expect. Though I am sad for my friend, I admire their uncompromising quest for authenticity and it has made me begin to question the ways we talk about our relationship with God. It is so common to hear people say, "God told me this" or "God wants me to do that". Should those statements be that common? On one hand I do believe that those experiences can and should be regular. But I think that many of us fling those phrases around and allow them to be a common part of our everyday speech.

There is nothing common about the God of the universe speaking to a mortal. When the Lord speaks there is no choice but to listen and obey. He is the Lord. That is what "Lord" means.

But tonight I am more concerned about a culture, a way of talking that implies that we carry on conversations with God all the time. I know that this culture exists because I am somewhat self conscious even writing these words. I am after all in full time ministry and am expected to carry on these daily conversations with God. But if I'm honest, God's communication to me is much less dramatic and usually happens through the scriptures. In fact, most often it is when a part of my character or actions does not line up with his will. I am convicted and in that moment it is clear that God is the one who has laid me bare with those words. The beautiful thing about these moments is that they usually come with a promise of freedom through repentance. There is way out, a chance to change, to turn back to the Lord and a sense of liberation that comes with that.

For sure, there are moments when I've sensed a positive affirmation about a course of action and for me, those moments usually tend to be in corporate prayer with others. There are other cases but that has been the norm in my experience.

So, what am I asking?

I'm asking that we choose our words and what we communicate about our relationship with God very carefully. Many of us have grown in our relationship to God in contexts where the former kind of talking was the culture and we have slipped into it all to easily, allowing ourselves to interpret our experiences a little too liberally. I do believe that we should share it when God reveals himself, for that is far too special of a thing to keep to ourselves. But let's do so with humility and caution, lest we attribute something to God that is untrue. Let's be authentic and not afraid to struggle along in this journey of faith. It is still faith is it not? But God is true and his word promises that he is for us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

'anti-social behavior order' Jesus

2007-10-05T08:28:00.000-04:00

I stumbled across a blog last night...

The Adventures of ASBO Jesus

It is a series of cartoons that a guy in England is publishing at his site. If you love the church but think she needs to get her act together in some places then you will probably enjoy it.

I finished a book...

2007-10-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

I just finished Growing Your Faith by Giving It Away by York Moore. Below is a summary of it I wrote as part of group of friends who are reading together.

This book was very compelling. I almost always enjoy reading evangelism books because it is a subject I don’t feel like an expert in. Some evangelism books spur me on to actively sharing the Gospel more than others though. This is one of them. York Moore has a very straight forward manor and language in his evangelism. He doesn’t shy away from words like repentance, hell, sin, and death. Although I think my approach with people is much different it is also clear that sometimes I miss opportunities to convey what’s vitally important. It is a good challenge for me to move some in that direction.

The strength of the book in my estimation is that he explores the realm of listening and responding to the Holy Spirit in evangelism that we all experience. He is direct about this as well but doesn’t shy away from telling his failures as well as his successes in responding to God’s promptings. Really, it’s the candid nature of his personal experiences that is so helpful. He writes about what we’ve all felt and gives examples of how God meets us more than half way in these situations and uses our meager efforts. Not all of his stories end in someone’s conversion. That is refreshing because it is so true of my experience. And in the end, the title of the book captures really well the theme he explores throughout. He sees evangelism as an adventure together with Jesus that stretches us and grows our faith. He sees it as the call of every Christian and reminds us that Jesus has promised to be with us, day after day, to the very end.

dignity

2007-10-03T03:08:00.000-04:00

Dawn and I watched The Motorcycle Diaries tonight. It's a stunning film. The simple beauty of the American people and landscapes. The purity of true friendship. Adventure and transformation. It made me feel a lot. About people, our common humanity, pain, suffering, and the chance to remind someone that they have incredible worth.

I'm really glad we watched it. I've felt somewhat disconnected and dispassionate lately. But watching the "not yet" Che Guevara go to a leper colony as an aspiring doctor only to be changed forever worked its magic. I couldn't help thinking of Jesus when young Ernesto rejected the gloves and shook Papa Carlito's leprous hand. And though I've felt torn in too many directions lately and have not been able to focus, somehow God is reigniting those places in my heart. I want to burn white hot.

The intriguing thing to me is that this could happen through the story of someone who seemed to reject God at every turn. As for me, I never cared for the forgotten and oppressed until my eyes were opened to God's love for them. So it is a bit weird to see that in Che Guevara. But it also makes me question all that I've ever been told about the Cuban Revolution that Che was a part of. I haven't studied it or him and I don't know what he became, but the movie has the ring of truth and I see someone who would break the rules to love people sacrificially. And I aspire to that.