Look in the Mirror

I am not nearly as impressed with the man
who can see the fault in his enemy
as I am with the man
who can see the fault in himself.

Christian Prostitution

If you watch the first video, make sure you watch the second one too, its kinda the main point.  The song he is talking about is the third video.

Best Sci-Fi Movies

These are my favorite science fiction movies, sci-fi being one of my favorite genres…

…of course, I don't really like much sci-fi in movie form as Hollywood generally stinks at making good science fiction.  I grew up reading 'hard' science fiction authors like Arthur C Clark and Isaac Asimov, and have been regularly disappointed by film treatments of the genre.  Science fiction is essentially really smart, highly educated people thinking about the possible ramifications of future technologies and edgy scientific theories; as Robert Heinlein defined it, "realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method."

I loved (and still love) the mind-bending concepts, philosophical conundrums, and existential puzzles that are at the core of the genre.  Hollywood, somehow, manages to take that and turn it into explosions in space, or monsters in space, or cute teens in space, or wizards in space, or superheroes in space, or… you get the idea.

So here is my list, its loosely arranged from most favorite on down, but they are all pretty interchangeable.  For something to make my list it must meet the following criteria:

1) I've seen it.

2) It's science fiction.  It is actually speculative about the universe in some way, while simultaneously consistent with what we know about the universe, and the other elements of the film (action, special effects, character development, cinematography, etc) don't overshadow the science fiction.

3) I like it.

So here goes…

===============

My Favorite Science Fiction Films

     The Matrix
     Primer

     District 9

     Time Crimes
     Minority Report
     Predestination
     Moon
     Arrival (2016)
     Planet of the Apes (1968)
     Contact

     Europa Report

     12 Monkeys
     Edge of Tomorrow

     Looper
     Alien
     Total Recall (Both versions)
     The Martian
     The Forgotten
     Gattaca

     Dark City

     Children of Men
     Serenity
     Inception

     Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind

Yup, the Matrix is number one.  The reason for that is simple.  I had been disappointed time and time again by Hollywood "sci-fi" and was jaded.  I had seen the trailer that made the film look like sexy, leather clad, ninja-hackers, with guns, performing physically impossible dance moves and ritualized fight scenes.  I had no interest in watching the movie.

Finally, a friend of mine (who had horrible taste in movies) wanted me to go see it with him because he was really into the rave scene and loved the clothes and the music, I went to pacify him.  I walked into the theater expected typical drivel and was blown away.

In some ways I walk into every movie going experience hoping to match what happened to me the first time I saw the Matrix.

============================

Sci-Fi Movies I Didn't Like

Interstellar - I really liked the film's attention to detail, and its the first film I can think of that deals with the reality of time dilation (which is actually pretty standard fare for science fiction literature).  But the absolutely bizarre "love transcends the space-time continuum" plot device completely ruined the movie for me.

2001 - I am aware of the fact that I can't really judge this film outside of the period in history during which it was made.  But I saw it in the 90s and it just fell flat for me.  It may very well be phenomenal as a film, and it objectively impacted both the industry and out culture.  I just didn't like it as either film, or as science fiction.  The homage to visuals and effects that are no longer awe-inspiring detracts from the story which Kubrick never really tells because he is too busy emoting.  When I finally read Clarke's treatment of the film, I loved the story, but never have re-watched the movie.  I recognize that this probably says a lot more about me (and what I want in a movie) than it does about the film, so be it.  I didn't like it.

Snowpiercer - I just couldn't get past the absurd premise of "a post-apocalyptic world where train tracks never got destroyed, or need repairing."


============================

Movies that Aren't Actually Science Fiction!

Star Wars - This is pure fantasy.  There is absolutely no attempt at scientific accuracy, or speculation about the universe, or technological prognostication.

Jurassic Park - Technically this would be science fiction as it is an exploration of the possible dangers of cloning technology.  But that really is only the device by which the film explains itself.  The film is actually a man vs dinosaur movie.  I would argue that the negligible science fiction elements are completely swallowed up by the film itself.

Gravity - Its a film about an accident in space.  It fails to be speculative in any way about the nature of the universe, or future technology.  It could actually be classified as "historical fiction," seeing as how the first fatality in space occurred almost 50 years ago, and the technology depicted in the film is outdated.

Super Hero Movies - Pure fantasy.

Flat Earthers and Biblical Interpretation

I had my first encounter with a real live flat earther…

…ok, not exactly.  But I did have a conversation with someone who is related to one.

My friend sent me a paper written from a flat-earth perspective and I thought I would post some of my response here:

As for the Biblical interpretation…

All I can say is that the paper is an example of what not to do with scripture. Taking metaphors/idioms and using them literally makes for good comedy, (I've got my eye on you) but it is a way to confuse things horribly in serious study. The person who wrote this paper hasn't thought through how their exegetical approach would carry out with other biblical passages.

For example, would Jesus' teaching in Matthew 10:16 require us to eat grass, walk around on four legs, and say "bahhh?" Or are we allowed to take Jesus' words as a metaphor? Again, I am quite confident that the author of this paper loves God, and reveres scripture, but I imagine that they don't take Jesus command (recorded in Luke 10:37) as a requirement to put wounded people on our donkeys and take them to the closest inn.

All that I would want is that the same lenses we wear when we read these two passages should also be worn when we attempt to understand what scripture might teach us about cosmology. Specifically, we should read God's book with the intention of understanding God's message. We rightly understand Matthew 10:16 to be Jesus' attempt to encourage humility, peacefulness, and innocence in the face of evil; we rightly understand Luke 10:37 as Jesus' attempt to encourage human compassion that trumps personal convenience and racial animosity.

We ought to also understand that scripture does not intend to speak to a physical model of the construction of the universe. The passages quoted in the paper are not God's attempt to teach us about the relationship between the sun, stars, heavens, planets, and our earth. They ARE intended to speak to the grandeur of God, or his sovereignty, or the mystery and beauty of the creation, or the destruction that is wrought when God's wrath is poured out on evil.

To 'read the Bible literally' is to take the Bible for what it is, not turn it into something else. Where the Bible is law, we must understand it the way we understand laws; where the Bible is prophecy, we must read it the way prophecy is read; where it is song lyrics, we must interpret them the way we interpret song lyrics; where it is narrative, we must understand it as a story. No one would take the jacket from a CD and use it as an argument about the curvature of the earth, so we ought not to do so with the Psalter...

Felicia Sanders is MY Hero

Felicia Sanders was the mother of Tywanza Sanders. Both Felicia and her son were in the Bible study with Dylann Roof when he began to shoot the people there with a gun he had brought to the meeting. Tywanza was killed in front of his mother. Felicia survived. At the bail hearing for the shooter, Felicia said the following words:

“We welcomed you Wednesday night in our Bible study with welcome arms. You have killed some of the most beautiful people that I know. Every fiber in my body hurts and I’ll, I’ll never be the same. Tywanza Sanders was my son. But Tywanza Sanders was my hero. Tywanza was my hero. … May God have mercy on you.”

Nadine Collier, daughter of victim Ethel Lance, said:

“I forgive you. You took something very precious away from me. I will never get to talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you, and have mercy on your soul. … You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. If God forgives you, I forgive you.”

Wanda Simmons, granddaughter of Daniel Simmons, said:

“Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof, everyone’s plea for your soul, is proof that they lived in love and their legacies will live in love. So hate won’t win. And I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn’t win.”

Incarnational Ministry

A ministry of presence is a requirement for serving alongside the poor. We must come near to those we desire to serve. We must touch them, and they us. It is not until their problems become our problems that we will ever truly be able to minister. Not in the sense that we care about them so much that their problems burden us emotionally, but rather in the sense that the problems we face in our lives are the same ones they face in theirs. When we suffer the violence of living with corrupt or absent police officers, when our property values drop because of corrupt banking practices, when our schools are failing and our jobs are gone, then we will be trusted to minister.

Decision-making and Delegating

Here are a couple articles that I found helpful:

Decision Tree

Communal Discernment

And here is a diagram that models consensus decision-making:

It's the End of the World!

I'm a good person...

Whenever people find out I am a pastor they say all sorts of things.  Often people will try to convince me of what a good person they are, its almost cute.

Recently I had someone tell me "I'm a good person, I always let people into my home, and help whoever needs help."  The interesting thing was that this person was saying all of this to me to justify their present state of drunkenness, and the vulgarity that had been dripping from their mouth for the 30 minutes they were talking to me before they knew I was a pastor.

But when they said this, something clicked…

In the culture I grew up in, people would often say "I'm a good person…" but the rationale was different, "I'm a good person because I don't steal, use drugs, or hurt people."

But what this person told me was indicative of a different cultural norm, and they were definitely not the first person to show this to me, it was just the first time I had noticed it this clearly.

The culture of my upbringing defined 'goodness' as purity and righteousness.

The culture of many I interact with now define 'goodness' as hospitality and charity.

I'm not sure that one is better or worse, but the difference is there...

How to Help

Go to the people

Live among them

Learn from them

Love them

Start with what they know

Build on what they have

But of the best leaders

When their task is done

The people will remark

"We have done it ourselves."

-------

Above is an anonymous proverb that captures the heart of discipleship.  It also points at a Kingdom perspective in helping those in need.  If we help in such a way that those we have helped are forever indebted to us, forever idolizing us, and forever looking to us for more help, then we haven't done for them what Jesus would do.

BUMP

The Vineyard offered to help us publicize what we are doing here in Buffalo, check it out!

A Different Kind of Partnership

Love Your Neighbor pt II

The small group I belong to had a blast this week…

…Donna (one of the women in our group) has started making a list of her neighbors who need help on projects around their homes.  One of those people was a woman who has gotten to the point where she can no longer bend over to do work on the ground, her husband has passed, and she has no family in the area to help.  Additionally, the City has been pestering her about some of the peeling paint on her home.

So we went over to brush and repaint her foundation wall.

Almost 20 of us showed up (including kids) and we got about half the job done (you can see pictures below).  There weren't quite enough tools to go around, so several people ended up hanging out with our neighbor while we worked.

Our plan was to order pizza and head back down the block to Donna's house, but instead we were told we had to come inside and eat.  (This is typical Italian hospitality, and our host is proudly Sicilian…) So inside we went!

It was a wonderful blessing to me to watch our small group love each other, and love this woman.  Over the course of the evening people engaged with our host, asking her about her life, chatting with her, encouraging her, loving her…

…at one point she said to me, "this is like a godsend… wait a minute, this IS a Godsend!"

Several of us were able to pray for her, blessing her home and her life.  We are headed back next Wednesday to finish the job!

I was struck by how naturally our small group community was able to serve together, love together, and minister together.  There wasn't anything forced or awkward about the way we were present with our neighbor.

I left with a full heart.

Love Your Neighbor

A friend and I visited a neighboring City.  We ended up staying at a hostel and got to have some really exciting spiritual conversations with the host.  He was not a person who had committed to the Kingdom, but was clearly interested in Jesus, and was open to spiritual things.  We sat on the porch enjoying a beer, and some really deep conversations.  Over our time in the hostel we were able to pray with him, and to invite him to the Christian fellowship we had connections to in that City.  It was really quite a blessing to have that experience, although I have no idea what has happened to him in the time since our visit.

...but here is where the story gets sad.

We found out during our stay there, that there was a Christian 'discipleship house' immediately next door to the hostel.  Unfortunately, we found this out because at some point in our conversation with our host he commented, "you aren't like the other Christians."  Of course we asked him to clarify what he meant by this.

He replied, "there is a christian house next door, and we tried to get to know them, but they told us that they aren't allowed to talk to us.  I think they are afraid we will rub off on them."

A litany of emotions flooded through me... anger, frustration, confusion, depression, compassion, hope, despair.  How could it be possible that a house full of committed followers of Christ could live next door to this man for so long, but it took two men coming from Buffalo to share the love of God with him?

Sabbath

In the years since I have stopped working a second job for the cable company and have focused solely on my ministry work, I have consistently taken a sabbath each week.  On occasion I have to forgo my day of rest, but I would say that 9 times out of 10, on a Monday I am available only to my family, and do no thinking or laboring towards my ministry efforts.  While it has always been a needed time of rest and retreat, it hasn't always been as life-giving as other disciplines in my life like worship, prayer, study, fellowship, service...

I was in conversation with my spiritual director about my practice of sabbath, and he suggested that I find ways to engage on my sabbath; not just retreat from the world, but engage in some particular activity that I find enjoyable for its own sake.  In particular he asked about a 'creative' outlet.

Now, I have some ability at drawing, but its never excited much passion in me, I have a passable ability at guitar, but my passion there lies in worship not in creating music, I like to write, but very little of my writing is 'creative.'  I have, however, long been passionate about building things.  In recent years that has largely taken the form of fixing up the two houses that we own, which, obviously, is not very 'creative' either.  Even more problematic for the practice of sabbath, it just isn't retreat from work.  I derive an income from it, I have deadlines and expectations, it is work.

And so, I have turned my hand back to building furniture...

I have built a few pieces over the years, only one or two that I felt 'proud' of, but have always enjoyed it.  In the last two months of sabbaths I have built a small table, and a wooden offering box for use in our worship service.

Here is the lid and the box before I added the straps to the lid and attached the lid to the box:

Preaching to 'Us' and the Three Magic Words

I was once asked by a younger leader, "how can I teach or lead someone in something that I haven't figured out?  I would be a hypocrite!"

Now, the truth of this statement should not be ignored!  It is quite true that we cannot lead someone where we have not been ourselves.  It is quite true that we cannot teach what we do not know.  It is quite true that we cannot give away what we do not have.  However...

...my response to my friend was this, "when we preach Jesus, we will always be preaching something that is beyond ourselves.  This is not hypocrisy, but faithfulness to the Scriptures.  If we were only preaching what we had ourselves mastered, then we would not be faithful to the whole counsel of the Kingdom."

So how do we reconcile these two opposing truths?

==========

I was taught by my pastor to preach to 'us,' and to rarely if ever preach to 'you.'  I have learned that there are rarely appropriate times to speak in the language of 'you people' but they are most certainly not when speaking difficult truths.  Even though I am a preacher, I am myself included in the congregation who is being preached to.  I must hear the words pronounced; I must receive the revelation, correction, admonition, challenge, encouragement, teaching, blessing, and wisdom.  Are you a teacher or a leader?  Number yourself among those who are taught and led!

Hearing my pastor preach this way modeled for me a humility before Christ, and before the church that I hope to emulate.  It also, however, provided an open door to hear the difficult call to carry the Cross of Christ.  The posture of humility from the preacher, including himself in the challenge, allowed me to be challenged as well.

==========

Then we come to the three magic words...

...I will never forget them.  I heard them often on the lips of my pastor, but the first time I heard him say them, he was standing in the pulpit.  I had never heard a pastor utter these words before.  I don't think I had ever heard a Christian speak them, certainly not about spiritual or theological matters.  They were a shock to my system, but a good shock.  Like cool water on a hot day, or the unexpected arrival of beautiful music that perfectly matches the mood of the moment, or a word of encouragement when rebuke was expected, came these words:

"I don't know."

Again, the posture of humility allows for our walls to come down, and for Christ to be revealed before us in all of His glory, all of His mercy, and all of His judgment.  We can hear the difficult words of challenge, when they come with a recognition of our common need for His grace, His wisdom, and His Kingdom.

Only Jesus...

...throws parties with Pastors, Prostitutes, and Politicians!

Structure

Here is what I would say about the 'organization' of the church, and its relative importance to keeping the church on mission, and to advancing the kingdom in the lives of individuals, in communities, and in the world...

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/03/broken-tomato-cages-pt-i.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/03/broken-tomato-cages-pt-ii.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/05/broken-tomato-cages-pt-iii.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/05/broken-tomato-cages-pt-iv.html

The posts above are something I wrote several years ago, and they express my frustration at the rigid structures of church that kill the life within it. However, the metaphor works the other way too, as I have come to see in recent years...

Acts 6 is the tipping point where the early church discovered a need for tomato cages. But here is where I continue to hold the line. While the cages may be necessary at times, they are ALWAYS a means to an end. The point is the life in the garden, and the structures must serve that end. We must be ruthless in this.

What this means is that the 'spontaneous expansion' that results from people falling madly in love with the Kingdom and the King, and then selling everything for that cause, is the life of the church. We can build structures and strategies around that to support, nurture, and foster this central vitality, but we must always prioritize the life of the Spirit, and never the supporting structures...

Leaders

Good leaders give away all of the credit, but collect all of the blame.

Unity

Efforts at Christian unity across denominations and ethnic groups fall into several categories,  it is helpful to distinguish them from each other, and to categorize them in a spectrum.  Having done so, we find that efforts at unity often remain at levels 1 and 2, occasionally rising to level 3, but rarely entering into levels 4 and 5.

Level 1: Having business together

     It is in our mutual interest to share resources or to provide services to each other. i.e., sharing a building.

Level 2: Symbolic acts of ecumenicism

     Public declarations of Christian unity and affection. i.e., worshipping together.

Level 3: Enjoying relationship

     Private fellowship and intimacy.

Level 4: Strategic partners

     Strategizing together, giving each other 'veto power.'

Level 5: organizational unity

     Where we simply come under the same leadership structure.
     This need not be the goal of efforts toward Christian unity,
     although, it shouldn't be kept off the table either.

Yeast, Salt, Seed, and Light

“This then is what I mean by spontaneous expansion. I mean the expansion which follows the un-exhorted and unorganized activity of individual members of the Church explaining to others the Gospel which they have found for themselves; I mean the expansion which follows the irresistible attraction of the Christian Church for men who see its ordered life, and are drawn to it by desire to discover the secret of a life which they instinctively desire to share; I mean also the expansion of the Church by the addition of new Churches.” ― Roland Allen, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: And the Causes That Hinder It

Easter: You are Worth Fighting For!

We watched this recently, and, while I thought the movie as a whole was 'good' this scene was 'great.'  God ministered to me through it; helping me to experience the brokenness of humanity, and the power of the gospel.

Prayer Reflection

Stillness:

Relax; be still let the tensions of the day slip away from you. Know that you are in God's presence. He rejoices that you have come to him, however forgetful you may have been of him during the day or week

Thankfulness:

Remember with thanksgiving the gifts of God to you today. A meeting with a friend: a glimpse of deep joy or sadness in a passing face; a flower at the wayside; a babys first steps; a grandparents smile; a friendly shop assistant; a considerate driver; a moment of insight; a job done; a problem solved; a child's hug; a lovers touch; a warm memory; a rising moon; a falling leaf....Be still in the memory and offer God your thanks in your own way.

Lightseeking:

Ask God to help you see and understand how his love has been working within you today. This is a gift of the Spirit, and it has been promised to all who sincerley seek it.

Reflection:

Reflect peacefully on what has been happening to you and in you today or this last few days, trusting that your prayer for the light of his Spirit has been granted. Let him show you whatever he may want to show you. The questions that follow are only suggestions to prompt your reflection, if you feel drawn to particular question stay with it, and let God speak to you heart about it.

How were you drawn to God today: by a friend, the beauty of nature, a book...

-Did you meet him in fears, joys, work, misunderstandings, weariness or pain?

-Did you sense the presence of God in the wider world, perhaps in what you saw on TV or read in the paper? can you bring him your feelings..your anger, your compassion

-Did anything happen to make you feel loved ? Were you able to show love to another person today?

• How were your moods today, what made you feel peaceful? where did you experience turmoil? What seemed to cause you to react with these feelings, open them up to God for affirmation or healing.

Sorrow:

With hindsight you may realize that much of your reactions to the events of the day has been centered on your own kingdom. This may have led you to fail to respond to the cry of another person, or to allow your own preoccupations to take the center stage and crowd out other people's needs. Your day may have left little space for an awareness of God or of his creation. Whatever inadequacies you find in your day's living, let them be there before God now, not for judgement, but for his Spirit to hover over the mess, bringing wholeness out of brokenness , as once that same Spirit brought creation out of chaos. Express your sorrow to God, and confidently ask for his healing and forgiveness.

Hopefulness:

Look forward to tomorrow. Ask him to open your heart to whatever surprises it may bring; to open your eyes to notice him in unexpected places; to open your ears to become tuned in to the unceasing song of his kingdom. Pray for sensitivity to recognize the Lord in whatever ways he may greet you or call you. Something of God lies still concealed for you in tomorrow”s journey. Look forward to discovering it.

*This reflection was lead by Tamy during our Sunday worship gathering as a part of her sermon this past Sunday.  Several people asked to see a printed version of it.  This was taken from the book Inner Compass by Margaret Silf.

His Holiness is His Love

It is impossible to overestimate the goodness of God.

Sex and Hollywood

I thought this was interesting.

Opportunity Knocks

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

-Thomas Edison

Celebrating Black History?

Why would a White man write an article celebrating Black History?

...thats a fair question, but I think the answer is obvious enough.  A better question, however, is why would anyone want to read an article from a White man celebrating Black History?

Hopefully that question is answered in the next paragraphs.

Permit me an observation.  Some of the most articulate African-American voices I interact with are often given a platform to speak to White people about issues of race and racial reconciliation.  White culture, and in particular, White Christian culture, is coming to terms with the fact that the gospel demands that we share meals with Christians of every cultural background (see Galatians 2).  In light of this, articulate African American voices are sought after by some White Christians...  but those voices are quite often only invited to speak about one thing: race and racial reconciliation.

The White Church will have a panel discussion around issues of race, and invite a multi-cultural group to speak, or will have an event focused on the issue and invite an African-American scholar to present some ideas the topic.  In and of itself, this is a good thing.  We need people of all cultures speaking to the issue of a reconciled and reconciling church.  In particular we need the voices of the Black community to share their perspectives and their pain regarding the racial history of our world and the Church.  The problem lies, however, in the fact that this is often the only space where White Christians are willing and able to hear Black voices.

Back to Galatians.

Paul's argument is not that Jews and Gentiles must resolve past hurts for the sake of the gospel, but rather, that Jews and Gentiles must eat together for the sake of the gospel!  Indeed, the entire point of resolving past hurts is precisely so that we can enjoy fellowship in Christ!

What this means to me is that, while it is indeed vitally important for me to hear Black voices explain the history of race from Black perspectives, it is equally, if not more important, for me to hear Black voices speaking about worship, poverty, Christology, prayer, Ecclesiology, discipleship, addiction, Missiology, evangelism, technology, leadership, business, philosophy of ministry, socio-economics, etc. from Black perspectives!

The Church needs the wisdom of the Black community's voice, not just on issues of race and racial reconciliation (although this is one of the great gems that the Black community has to offer the global church!), but on all issues.  The Body of Christ needs every member healthy and fully engaged for us to be healthy as a whole.  If we belong to Christ, then we belong to each other.  While this must be asserted when one part is suffering, it should also be asserted when there is no suffering!  Should we only give attention to our hands when they are injured, or might we consider using them for work, and play, and art when they are healthy as well!

So... back to the question at the top; why would anyone read an article celebrating Black History that is written by a White man?

Simply put, if we are to ask for the African-American voice to speak to every facet of life in God's good creation, then we ought to expect to hear the White voice speak to issues of race and reconciliation.  If I have asked African-Americans to speak about the breadth and depth of life and ministry, then perhaps I ought to speak to the issue of race and reconciliation.

Admittedly, this article has not actually been much of a 'celebration' of Black History or Black culture, so much as a push in the direction a multi-cultural future!  So I will end with a few practical thoughts that might help:

1) Recognize our failure at a multicultural church as a failure at believing the gospel (Galatians 2:14); as a failure at Christian maturity.  We must begin to talk like this and think like this.  "I won't eat at the table with 'them' because I won't trust in the power and truth of the gospel."

2) Start with eating together with those different from you.  Jesus scandalized his contemporaries precisely by who he chose to eat with.  This is because table fellowship builds intimacy.  Let us learn to eat the bountifully diverse fare of the Lord's Wedding Feast!

3) Look for collaborative projects with Christians of different cultures and traditions.  The word conspiracy literally means "to share breath with another."  This is the definition of intimacy.  Let us find conspirators amongst Christians of all cultures!

4) Move towards giving away control, power, and influence.  This means you will get things that you dislike and disagree with.  Do so anyway, for the sake of the gospel.

5) Be true to who you are in Christ, don't hide yourself or pretend to be something you are not.  But be humble and accept others as they are in Christ, allow them the same luxury to be themselves!

6) Expect this to be a painful process.  Don't be afraid to communicate your pain, but be even more attentive to the pain of others!  Think of it like a poodle dating a gorilla, it surely requires a great degree of sensitivity and creativity!

Local Church

"Go to the nearest smallest church and commit yourself to being there for 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, find somewhere else. But don’t look for programs, don’t look for entertainment, and don’t look for a great preacher. A Christian congregation is not a glamorous place, not a romantic place. That’s what I always told people. If people were leaving my congregation to go to another place of work, I’d say, “The smallest church, the closest church, and stay there for 6 months.” Sometimes it doesn’t work. Some pastors are just incompetent. And some are flat out bad. So I don’t think that’s the answer to everything, but it’s a better place to start than going to the one with all the programs, the glitz, all that stuff."
Eugene Peterson

See more at: http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2013/09/27/faithful-end-interview-eugene-peterson/#sthash.aZIKrRqe.dpuf

Marriage

Marriage is about 'two becoming one.'  Two lives becoming a single life.  A common home, a common purpose, a common dream, common finances, common responsibilities, a common reputation… you get the picture!  A single life, with two persons.

So here is whats required:

Communication:

Firstly, sharing yourself with the other person, and secondly, learning to receive from that other person.  Learning that what motivates you to say and do certain things, is not necessarily what motivates them to say and do those same things.  Understanding and sharing what you are at the core of your personhood with your spouse, and allowing them to share with you as you seek to understand them.

Reconciliation:

Repenting of sin and offense on your part, over-and-over-and-over-and-over…

Forgiving sin and offense on their part, over-and-over-and-over-and-over...

Conformity

“The test of character posed by the gentleness of God's approach to us is especially dangerous for those formed by the ideas that dominate our modern world. We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than one who believes. You can be almost as stupid as a cabbage, as long as you doubt. The fashion of the age has identified mental sharpness with a pose, not with genuine intellectual method and character. Only a very hardy individualist or social rebel -- or one desperate for another life -- therefore stands any chance of discovering the substantiality of the spiritual life today. Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as wildly individualistic and unbearably bright.”

― Dallas Willard

Chili Recipe Redux

This is my second attempt at writing down a chili recipe (after my first attempt was probably 2 out of 5 stars).  I would personally add more seasoning, but my wife didn't want me to, so I left it the way it is.  It can use a little more salt, but that can be added at the table.

Start by chopping the following (food processor for all but the onions) and sauté over medium heat in the bottom of stock pan in olive oil:

3 large carrots
3 large celery stalks
2 bell peppers
3 large onions
3 large bay leaves

Once they start to get soft add the following:

2 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 beer
24 oz corn (can or frozen)
24 oz pinto beans (can)
24 oz black beans (can)
24 oz red beans (can)

Once the meat is fully cooked add the following:

24 oz tomato puree (can)
24 oz diced tomatoes (can)

Once the chili begins to bubble turn down heat and add the following:

4 medium cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 1/2 oz molasses
5 teaspoons of chili powder
3 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of paprika
2 teaspoons of oregano
2 teaspoons of black pepper
3 teaspoons of salt

Let simmer over low heat, if the chili is too thin, thicken it with tomato paste, corn starch, or other thickener.

Racism Means Many Things...

In talking about racism, I believe it would be helpful to distinguish between the following things:

#1 Systematized Racism (Bigotry): Social/political/economic structures that are intended to treat one racial group different than another.  Examples: Impinging upon voting rights of a particular group.  "Whites Only" signs that were placed everywhere.  Redlining practices.  Preferential hiring practices.  Refusing to investigate or prosecute lynchings.

#2 Individual Racism (Bigotry): Personal animosity and/or discrimination towards another person because of their racial background.  Examples: The use of racial epithets.  Violence against person or property. Ostracism.

#3 Systematic Racial Injustice: Social/political/economic structures that are not intended to treat one racial group different than another, but indirectly accomplish that end.  Examples: Educational systems that prioritize the children of wealthy and powerful families.  A justice system that dispenses justice to the poor much more harshly than to the wealthy.  Government subsidies to the poor that have largely gutted poor communities of their work ethic and their family units.

#4 Racial Pride: Being glad of one's own heritage.  Examples: Celebrating our culture through holidays.  Promoting the values of our culture to those of other cultures.  Learning about historical events from the perspective of our culture.

#5 Cultural Privilege: The reality that our society is made up of people groups from many cultures, but only one culture can be the dominant culture.  For those individuals within the dominant culture, they are both privileged, and often ignorant of their privilege.  Examples: The white, middle-class values of punctuality, industry, and self-reliance are a standard by which all people are expected to live up to, while the values of other cultures are downplayed and ignored.  Images of white people are considered 'normal,' images of anyone else are considered something 'less normal.'  The structures necessary for our society to function are created with implicit reference to white cultural norms.  The fact that #4 is indiscernible to our society when the racial pride of whites are on display, but somewhat radical when other groups do the same thing.

#6 The Legacy of Racism: The generational legacy of #1 (which no longer exists) and #2 (which is socially unacceptable, although still existent in plenty of individuals and communities).  Examples: Different racial groups have different correlations with poverty.  In particular the descendants of individuals who have suffered from #1 and #2 have passed down their pain, their anger, their legacy of deprivation, to their own descendants.  Additionally the family unit was greatly disintegrated in some communities which has lasting negative effects generationally.

(I don't know what the best labels are for the above, suggestions are welcome.)

Along with the above categories, I would add these thoughts:

1) The reason for the above categories is this, the honest* debates surrounding racial issues in our culture are often exercises in miscommunication.  One side is talking about #6 and #5 and #3, but the other side thinks they are talking about #1 and #2.  Or the other side sees #4 or #2 happening and equates it to #1.  I do think we need to be able to distinguish between these various realities as an aid to understanding what is actually happening, and as an aid to communicating about what is actually happening.  Bluntly, misdiagnosing a situation radically decreases your credibility to speak to people about these issues.

2) Race (as opposed to ethnicity, or country of origin) is a social construct, that is not rooted in any scientifically discernible reality. That doesn't make it less 'real,' but does point towards its roots in xenophobia and ethnocentrism.  This is true for all peoples…

3) Perhaps most importantly, we need to be able to distinguish between those responsible for creating these realities intentionally, those responsible for creating the realities unintentionally, and those responsible for dealing with these realities.  All human beings should be responsible for dealing with these realities (certainly all those who claim to follow Jesus).  Almost every human being is responsible for these realities in the sense that they have tacitly participated in them without any real reflection (this is true regardless of race and class).  But very few people are directly responsible for intentionally creating any of this.  Assigning blame to people who are not guilty of what you are accusing them of not only decreases your credibility, but actually hinders the process of finding and pursuing solutions.

4) Perhaps even more importantly, we need to make clear that many of the categories above continue to hold sway over our culture, and negatively influence the lives of whole communities.  As Christians we must not only acknowledge that these forces exist, but we must work to bring the light of the gospel into these dark corners of society.

*Many public debates around race are simply political posturing by people of all colors trying to gain power.  These are not miscommunication (i.e. failures at communication) because there is no real attempt at communication taking place.

The Trinity Prayer

Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth:
Set up your kingdom in our midst.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God:
Have mercy on me, a sinner.

Holy Spirit, breath of the living God:
Renew me and all the world.

Responsibility

Leadership is responsibility.

Responsibility, however, has two definitions:

1) Responsibility is having an obligation to do something about a particular situation.

2) Responsibility is being the primary cause of a particular situation.

The first definition of responsibility is what we mean when we ask, "who is in charge?" whereas the second definition of responsibility is what we mean when we ask, "who broke the lamp?" or "who built the fence?"  One definition has to do with the present and the future, and who has the authority, the mandate, the charge, to make something happen in a particular way.  The other definition has to do with the past and the present, who is to blame or credit for the way a particular thing happened or is happening.  In some ways the first definition of responsibility is actually about accepting blame/credit before the fact!

Leadership is about both kinds of responsibility.

A leader takes the blame for whatever happened on their watch.  Although a good leader will pass along the credit to those around them, a good leader doesn't shirk blame.  But assigning and taking blame and/or credit is actually not the primary way in which leaders take responsibility.

Leadership is ultimately about the first kind of responsibility.

To be a leader is to see oneself as the primary person tasked with accomplishing something.  This doesn't mean a leader does everything themselves, (creating teams and delegating tasks are encouraged) but the leader is the one who says, "Yes, I am responsible to see it done.  If it doesn't get done, and done right, I will be to blame."

Levels of Partnership

In partnering with other organizations, I have come to see that the word 'partner' means different things to different people. There are actually multiple 'levels' of partnership:

Level 1: Having business together

It is in our mutual interest to share resources or to provide services to each other. i.e., sharing a building.

Level 2: Symbolic acts of ecumenicism

Public declarations of Christian unity and affection. i.e., worshipping together.

Level 3: Enjoying relationship

Private fellowship, trust, and intimacy.

Level 4: Strategic partners

Strategizing together, giving each other 'veto power' over each others decisions.

Level 5: Organizational Union

Merging together and becoming the same organization.

"Authenticity" Eroding Effort

You will never do anything of significance with your life that won't require you to engage in activities that feel insignificant while you are doing them.

If you are only willing to do that which 'feels' significant, which 'feels' valuable, or which naturally flows out of the core of your being, you will never go anywhere, much less to those places you dream about.  The feelings you have when dreaming are not the same feelings you will have when working to accomplish your dreams.  Fantasizing about a faraway land is not the same thing as journeying there.  If you are not willing to labor in the journey, you will not accomplish the dream.

Failure

Fear of failure leads to an inability to learn and grow.  A prerequisite for discipleship, on the other hand, is the acknowledgement that we are in need of help from Jesus to become fully functioning human beings.  Even more so, when we step into ministry leadership, we must be willing to embrace failure as a necessary part of the process.

As Christians and as leaders we should be constantly seeking to grow and improve, not out of some sick sense of God's displeasure, but quite the opposite, out of the knowledge that God is completely for us.  In our society there are certain people we allow to see our weaknesses, foibles, and failures.  They are our coaches, our doctors, our psychologists, our lawyers, our accountants, our personal trainers, or our beauticians.  We let them see our failures because we know that they have a vested interest in our success, they only succeed as our coach, if we succeed in the athletic arena.

For some reason, however, we balk at bringing that same level of vulnerability into the church.  I believe that God wants us to know His deep and abiding pleasure and affirmation, precisely so that we can then enter into the process of receiving and responding to His discipline and training!

This is practical for us!  Will we respond to our present efforts with an ever watchful posture of growth and improvement?  Or will we respond to our present efforts by defensively maintaining the status quo?

I believe that God has a future for us as a church that is much more glorious than anything we have ever seen!  We must be willing to embrace failure, however, if we are going to see that glorious future.  Below is a TED talk and a short article that I found encouraging on this topic:

Forbes Article on the Importance of Failure in the Marketplace

What is Kingdom Ministry?

Basic Kingdom Definition:

Allegiance to Jesus: the Rule of Heaven: Discipleship

Kingdom Ministry Defined:

Doing, and teaching others to do, the following:

1) Communion with God

2) Communion with God's People

3) Inviting Outsiders into the Kingdom

4) Liberating People from the Satanic Kingdom

5) Confronting Systems of Injustice

6) Kingdom Purpose versus Organizational Purpose

7) Collaboration with other Kingdom Ministries

Chili Recipe

Sometimes this works out well, and sometimes not so much.  I think I made my best batch ever, and my worst batch ever, in the last month.  So I finally decided that it was time to start doing something I hate…

…using measuring cups and following directions!

This is the recipe I used, but there are a few changes I would make to it.  It was a little too sweet, so less molasses next time, and I will probably add a bit more chili powder and cumin, and cut back a little on paprika, carrots, and celery…  I would also like it just a little thicker, so maybe a little more tomato paste, or some cornstarch.

Soak the following in water for 24 hours:

8 oz pinto beans (dry)
8 oz black beans (dry)
8 oz kidney beans (dry)
8 oz red beans (dry)

Then bring to a boil and then simmer til soft (this took a good chunk of the day).  Make sure to check all of the different beans, some cook more quickly than others.

Next add the following, in this order:

5 large carrots (food processor)
6 large celery stalks (food processor)
3 medium green bell peppers (food processor)
2 large onions (chopped)
5 large bay leaves

Then add 3 lbs. of ground beef, stirring it up into small chunks until browned.

Add the following:

28 oz tomato sauce (can)
28 oz diced tomatoes (can)
32 oz corn (can)
12 oz tomato paste (can)

3/4 oz chili powder
3/8 oz cumin
3/8 oz paprika
3/8 oz oregano
1/4 oz black pepper
1/2 oz salt
6 oz molasses
5 large garlic cloves (pressed)

What will we pay attention to?

Dr. Glick in Sierra Leone

Why I Don't Cuss...

Something that comes up from time to time with my fellow ministers, and other christian friends, is the use of profanity   I haven't personally met any non-christians who make this argument (although I am sure they are out there too), it is only christians of a certain type.  Christians who have a bone to pick with religion will, often enough, make the case that its okay to use profane language.  More often they will cuss in front of me to see if they can get a reaction.


In fact, you can usually tell the non-christians from the 'cool christians' by this.  Do they apologize to the pastor when they cuss, or do they smirk at the pastor when they cuss?
Needless to say, I have done some thinking about this, and while I am tempted to side with those who enjoy scandalizing the religious (they certainly need to be scandalized!) I am even more interested in how this plays out with those outside the bounds of our faith.  What do the cultures of the world think of when they hear followers of Jesus using profanity?

So, some basic facts:

1. Scripture is more concerned with God than with teaching people etiquette.
2. Vulgarity is a cultural norm that changes from culture to culture and language to language.
3. Many of the prophets use scandalous imagery, and language that might be considered on the 'strong' side (i.e. Paul's use of skubala which is definitely less technical than 'scat or defecate' and more vulgar than 'poop,' although probably not as offensive as 's--t,' and should probably be translated as 'crap') as a way of clearly communicating the depths of God's and/or the author's displeasure.
4. Jesus hung out with people who probably used language a lot worse than skubala (and behaved even more despicably) but managed to avoid making them uncomfortable around him AND avoid participating in their behavior.
5. Religious folks in our day (and in Jesus' day) seem to be caught up in behaving 'properly,' and seemed to think that 'being proper' was superior to 'being godly.'  This is the most dangerous spiritual trap imaginable.

The points above definitely lean towards a relaxing of our rules around vulgarity in the church, but I just don't think that rises to the level of justifying the use of the words our culture has said are offensive in and of themselves.  It's not that the words are immoral, rather, its that they are indecent.  Using the f-word is like pooping your pants, if a 2-year old does it without really understanding, people aren't offended, they just teach the kid how to go in the toilet.  …or they say, "No son, thats not a f--k, thats called a truck."

But when adults choose to use words that are indecent, knowing they offend the sensibilities of our culture, it rises to the level of immorality.  Not because the words are immoral, but because they are intentionally offensive.  Just as if I chose to poop my pants and walk around in it all day, 'sharing' it with my neighbors.

In fact, it is probably almost exactly like flatulence in front of others (something I have had recent conversations with my kids about).  If you don't understand that its offensive to some people, then its clearly not immoral, its just unintentionally indecent.  But when you know it offends, and you do it on purpose (either to be offensive, or because you just don't care enough about others) then you are being immoral…

Matter of fact, I hung out with a local ministry leader recently who couldn't stop dropping the f-word.  The first time he used it kinda made me laugh …after all, people love to test pastors to see how they respond.  Then he wouldn't stop.  I kept thinking, this guy sounds like Eva (a teenage girl who lives on our block), who thinks she sounds like an adult by talking this way.  It just came across as immature.

Obviously, I wouldn't put this in the category of 'central doctrines.' Many of my good friends come down on the other side of this, but a point of agreement is that the use of vulgar language should not be embraced simply out of a lack of control over our tongues or our minds.  Indeed, perhaps the take away here is this: both my personal decision to avoid such language, and my colleagues' decisions to intentionally use it, are motivated by the prioritization of missional relationships to those outside the church, and the missional de-prioritization of peripheral issues like using profanity.

Rightly Ordered Love

"But living a just and holy life requires one to be capable of an objective and impartial evaluation of things: to love things, that is to say, in the right order, so that you do not love what is not to be loved, or fail to love what is to be loved, or have a greater love for what should be loved less, or an equal love for things that should be loved less or more, or a lesser or greater love for things that should be loved equally."
(On Christian Doctrine, I.27-28)
St Augustine

What Captures your Imagination?

"There is nothing more interesting than God and nothing more exciting than watching Him move. There is nothing more boring than religion, and we are about to be delivered from religion to follow the Lord, not just men. We can also be sure that He has again saved His best wine for last."


Rick Joyner

Leadership is Four Things

In my experience, leadership can be defined in four ways:

1. Influence - The ability to change the thinking, behavior, and desires of others.  Influence can be seen clearly in a leader by observing the people following the leader, are they taking their cues from the leader or not?
2. Responsibility - The willingness to take ownership over a situation, problem, task, goal, person, or community.  Responsibility is seen as a leader simply does what needs to be done, or arranges to have it done by orchestrating and delegating to others.
3. Confrontation - The ability to say what needs to be said in spite of how unpopular it might be.  Confrontation can be rejecting a poor proposal, pointing out improper thinking and behavior, or bringing an optimist back down to earth with some difficult facts.
4. Vision - The ability to see things that do not yet exist.  Vision is ultimately an orientation towards the future that some people possess in more or less quantity than others.

All four of these characteristics are possessed in some measure by all people, and so it is fair to talk about leadership existing on a spectrum.  On one end are those individuals who are only capable of one or more of these character traits in fits and spurts and only when asked to do so by others, or when circumstances force it upon them.  In the middle are those individuals who can learn to exhibit these traits, and can ultimately grow into capable leaders.  On the other end are those gifted leaders who do these things in their sleep, they aren't capable of turning it off, they simply lead naturally.

Of course, we should be clear, this is not what godly leadership looks like, simply what leadership is.  Godly leadership must lead in a direction that honors God, and do so with a character, a posture, and an attitude that reflects Gods ultimate authority.  Indeed, godly leadership can perhaps be defined by reading through St. Pauls letter to the Corinthian church and the famous chapter defining love.

A Biblical Praxis

We are really doing our best to live our lives according to Scripture… so when the Bible is clear about how to live, we just act accordingly.  For example, when we read 2 Corinthians 13:12, we are admonished to "greet one another with a holy kiss."  

…how "biblical" are you?

May God Bless You...

Orthopathy

Orthopathy is a great word, it has now entered my lexicon.  But the concept is not new...

St Augustine taught that the essence of Christian discipleship was developing 'rightly ordered love.'  In essence we have to learn what to love, and how to love, in ways that are consistent with the love of God, as a catalyst for orthodoxy and orthopraxy, and as the fulfillment of them.

Indeed, St Peter wrote that 'love covers a multitude of sins' (ie orthpathy is more important than othopraxy) and Jesus Himself taught that the repentant sinner is better than the righteous Pharisee who doesn't need repentance (ie orthopathy is superior to orthopraxy AND orthodoxy).  Jesus quotes the OT Scriptures that say the same thing, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."

Radical

"Often times people will tweak the existing model and think that this makes them radical."

Shannon Callan

Dating Advice to Gorillas and Poodles

One of the pressing issues facing the church today is the lack of unity. (OK so its been an issue for 2,000 years!) And one of the difficulties in working towards unity is the inherent pain that is caused when those who have power and privilege in the church try to 'help' those churches who lack power and privilege.  In particular, I am thinking of large, wealthy, middle/upper-class suburban churches that feel a calling to 'help the poor,' whether that is the poor in the urban slum nearby, or the third-world nation across the water.

A friend and I had a conversation where we compared that to a dating relationship between a gorilla and a poodle. The reality is that, no matter how much of a gentleman the gorilla is, if the gorilla is in charge, the poodle isn't going to fare very well. It is simply inherent in the power dynamic between the two.

So here is some advice to those of us in the church who are poodles dating gorillas, or vice-versa.

To the poodle:

1) God has brought the gorilla into your life (He makes poodles and gorillas for a reason and wants them to live together in harmony), submit to God in this and you will discover the strength of the gorilla at work on your behalf.

2) Don't be afraid to tell the gorilla when it hurts you. Feel free to call sin, "sin." But recognize that there IS a difference between intentional and unintentional harm.

3) Don't be afraid to take the lead with the gorilla. You need to teach the gorilla a different way of doing ministry.

4) You don't get to tell the gorilla to go away, or that it has nothing to offer. You need what the gorilla has to offer (above and beyond its sheer size and strength), and the gorilla has things to teach YOU about doing ministry.

To the gorilla:

1) You are not God's gift to the poodle. This is your greatest problem, you confuse your size and power with godliness, faithfulness, and effectiveness in the Kingdom. Repent.

2) Show up and help the poodle, but let the poodle tell you what help it needs! Be patient, poodles aren't used to polite gorillas, and have a history of being either ignored, patronized, or brutalized by gorillas. Be patient! Let the poodle take the lead. Offer suggestions, but ultimately let the poodle be the boss, and be patient. Remember, there IS a difference between hurting the poodle on accident and doing it on purpose, but if you are the poodle they both hurt exactly the same!

3) Show up to learn. Don't presume you know how to live like a poodle just because you are a gorilla. The poodles lack of size and strength has taught it to rely on God in ways you will never know. The poodle has a perspective that you cannot have because of your own perspective. Learn from the poodle.

4) Keep showing up and keep making the resources you do have available to the poodle. Offer your insight, your organization, your expertise, your strength, your size. Don't go away, and don't return to a lifestyle of ignoring the poodle, even if the poodle bites you! Remember, the poodle is biting you because you are hurting it! Keep offering your services, but don't forget point #2!!!

To both the gorilla and the poodle:

1) God made you both. That means you are of equal value. Each of you is necessary, which means you are both important in and of yourself AND you both need the other!

2) Be yourself. Don't try to be each other.

3) Love each other. It is a command AND it is wisdom.

Generosity and Ownership

Nothing that you have not given away will ever truly be yours.

C. S. Lewis

Jericho Road in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone Health Clinic

Originality

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.

C. S. Lewis

Vision, Passion, Discipline, Risk

James Ryle gave this talk at the very first men's retreat I ever went to.

http://vimeo.com/12927988

FLUSH

The after school program from our church wrote, filmed, and produced this: