I had another discussion this past week on the topic and yet again ran into the dichotomous view of authority that I have found within my thoughts on the subject. I believe this is healthy...
It is healthy to believe that those under authority should submit whole-heartedly to those authorities.
It is healthy to believe that those in authority should not weild their authority without fear and trembling.
When looking at the topic from the perspective of one under authority, we should take a very hard view of the nature of authority; when looking from the perspective of one in authority, we should take a soft view.
I was reflecting on the way I talk to my boss ...I believe it is right for me to continue to address him as, "Sir;" and I believe it is right for him to insist I call him, "Danny." Just so, I always refer to my pastor as, "Pastor Mike," yet I have never heard him ask anyone to call him by his title. I believe those under authority should emphasize the authority of the one they are submitted to, and the one in authority should emphasize her or his role as a servant.
Oh yeah...
...check out our 'official' Buffalo Vineyard website!
9.28.2006
9.14.2006
Finally there...
Here is the house:
God is good!
We have been so blessed by God, all of the details taken care of, and in such a providential fashion!
Sam and Dre's arrival was a real blessing, we did not feel like a whole team until they arrived.
Jobs:
God has given us a tremendous grace in a city where everyone is talking about the dearth of quality occupational opportunities. I have been working for the past two weeks now for the local cable contractor (the same thing I was doing in Redding), and the company here only works five days a week; this is a real blessing compared to the six-day weeks I was putting in back in CA. Sam arrived late on a Friday, waited out the weekend, placed one phone call on Monday morning, and then went to work for a framing crew on Tuesday. Mary has been working for two weeks now at a local coffee-shop. It is not the one she thought she would end up at, but it is another one that is right in the heart of the art/homosexual community (not to confuse artists with homosexuals, that just happens to be where both communities are centered). Dre appears to have a job lined up at a drug store less than a block away.
The neighborhood:
In the span of 5 or 6 hours we met a someone from Cuba, someone from Nigeria, someone from Haiti, and someone from Switzerland; all on our block!
The man from Nigeria is named Paul. He is a pastor at a local church here in Buffalo. It is a small church, he is essentially planting it by himself as his wife is still in Nigeria. She has been waiting for two years now on her visa to go through. They are hopeful that she will join him in the next few months. Pray for him!
We had asked God for a house that had alot of foot traffic. From the very first night that we moved in people have been walking by constantly. We have encounters with new people everyday, and are getting to know our neghbors very easily. We are planning for our first neighborhood get together, an 'ice-cream social.' Pray that people show up!
Opportunities to serve abound. We are still praying for God to direct us to clear open doors into the community, it appears that we will be spending our Sunday mornings at the nursing home a block away. They sounded very excited about having us come in and sing some songs and then visit with the people who don't get visited. We have also met with a chaplain from the local Good News Rescue Mission and we are hoping to spend an evening with them. Our group has a desire to work with the Literacy Volunteers as an open door into some of the minority populations in the area. At this point, however, we are waiting as there is a time and money commitment that we don't want to just jump into. Most of the ESL groups in the city are on the West Side (we are on the edge of the West Side) not too far from us. There is a significantly large Puerto Rican population, as well as refugee groups from Somalia and Sudan. We have also adopted a Buffalo State College international student from Taiwan, his name is Cheng-Yuan (he insists we call him Frank).
This week we have just started having morning prayer together as a house. This has been a real blessing! We had been waiting until schedules began to settle into an established rhythm.
We have had some real opportunities to bless and serve. The very first day in the house there was a man vomiting on the street corner. I went over, helped him clean up his mess, and gave him some water. He has been hanging out ever since. He has been homeless off and on for the past few years. We were able to get the ball rolling and help him get into a hotel room (he has access to money, but lacks the mental resources to get himself into a place), and we are trying to get him into an apartment. He has expressed on many occasions that he wants to join our church, and he has been a part of our lives for the past weeks. His name is Tommy.
Mary has had opportunities to share what we are doing with her co-workers and has talked to her friend/co-worker about Jesus, and has committed to praying for a situation she is in.
Just yesterday I was able to pray with one of my co-workers whos wife had just left him and taken his daughter.
God is giving us many opportunities to bless and serve!
God is good!
We have been so blessed by God, all of the details taken care of, and in such a providential fashion!
Sam and Dre's arrival was a real blessing, we did not feel like a whole team until they arrived.
Jobs:
God has given us a tremendous grace in a city where everyone is talking about the dearth of quality occupational opportunities. I have been working for the past two weeks now for the local cable contractor (the same thing I was doing in Redding), and the company here only works five days a week; this is a real blessing compared to the six-day weeks I was putting in back in CA. Sam arrived late on a Friday, waited out the weekend, placed one phone call on Monday morning, and then went to work for a framing crew on Tuesday. Mary has been working for two weeks now at a local coffee-shop. It is not the one she thought she would end up at, but it is another one that is right in the heart of the art/homosexual community (not to confuse artists with homosexuals, that just happens to be where both communities are centered). Dre appears to have a job lined up at a drug store less than a block away.
The neighborhood:
In the span of 5 or 6 hours we met a someone from Cuba, someone from Nigeria, someone from Haiti, and someone from Switzerland; all on our block!
The man from Nigeria is named Paul. He is a pastor at a local church here in Buffalo. It is a small church, he is essentially planting it by himself as his wife is still in Nigeria. She has been waiting for two years now on her visa to go through. They are hopeful that she will join him in the next few months. Pray for him!
We had asked God for a house that had alot of foot traffic. From the very first night that we moved in people have been walking by constantly. We have encounters with new people everyday, and are getting to know our neghbors very easily. We are planning for our first neighborhood get together, an 'ice-cream social.' Pray that people show up!
Opportunities to serve abound. We are still praying for God to direct us to clear open doors into the community, it appears that we will be spending our Sunday mornings at the nursing home a block away. They sounded very excited about having us come in and sing some songs and then visit with the people who don't get visited. We have also met with a chaplain from the local Good News Rescue Mission and we are hoping to spend an evening with them. Our group has a desire to work with the Literacy Volunteers as an open door into some of the minority populations in the area. At this point, however, we are waiting as there is a time and money commitment that we don't want to just jump into. Most of the ESL groups in the city are on the West Side (we are on the edge of the West Side) not too far from us. There is a significantly large Puerto Rican population, as well as refugee groups from Somalia and Sudan. We have also adopted a Buffalo State College international student from Taiwan, his name is Cheng-Yuan (he insists we call him Frank).
This week we have just started having morning prayer together as a house. This has been a real blessing! We had been waiting until schedules began to settle into an established rhythm.
We have had some real opportunities to bless and serve. The very first day in the house there was a man vomiting on the street corner. I went over, helped him clean up his mess, and gave him some water. He has been hanging out ever since. He has been homeless off and on for the past few years. We were able to get the ball rolling and help him get into a hotel room (he has access to money, but lacks the mental resources to get himself into a place), and we are trying to get him into an apartment. He has expressed on many occasions that he wants to join our church, and he has been a part of our lives for the past weeks. His name is Tommy.
Mary has had opportunities to share what we are doing with her co-workers and has talked to her friend/co-worker about Jesus, and has committed to praying for a situation she is in.
Just yesterday I was able to pray with one of my co-workers whos wife had just left him and taken his daughter.
God is giving us many opportunities to bless and serve!
9.05.2006
I am here !!!!!!!!!
Hello We are here and boy is it something!!!
The neighborhood is fun and the neighbors and great!! The kids are adjusting, the house has a history (we'll talk about that later) but is seems ok now!! Now I can settle in and stop moving around soo much. God has taken care of us sooo well! I'd love to write mor
The neighborhood is fun and the neighbors and great!! The kids are adjusting, the house has a history (we'll talk about that later) but is seems ok now!! Now I can settle in and stop moving around soo much. God has taken care of us sooo well! I'd love to write mor
8.30.2006
Spiritual Authority Revisited
I had a few comments and conversations about my previous post on authority (see the title link) that gave me pause and caused me to reflect further on the subject. One comment in particular sparked this current post: "it seems your views on authority have changed over the years." This was in reference to a conversation years ago about the place of discipleship in our lives. I then (and now) took the position that it was beneficial to all Christians to have an authority figure in their lives.* I believe that we benefit from spiritual authority over us, and I believe that submission to authority is an issue of monumental significance in the spiritual well-being of all women and men, especially in today's spiritual-social-political climate. Apparently my previous post, "Spiritual Authority" appeared to have a 'soft' view of the place of authority and my previous comments (in conversation) appeared to have a 'hard' view.
The apparent disparity between this call to submission, and the understanding of authority that I wrote about in the former post, are not a disparity in thought, but rather a disparity in perspective. The former post could be seen as a view of authority from the perspective of one in a position of authority, what I am about to write can be seen as a view of authority from the perspective of one under authority.
Authority From the Other Side: Submission to Authority
What is submission?
I have the idea that there is a fundamental inward bent to all of Christian ethics. Much of the history of morality has emphasized the outward actions of individuals, which leads to all sorts of moral predicaments; questions about the worth of the individual in comparison to the greater good of all, questions about the importance of the motivation behind the action, questions about the conformity to an absolute standard or a mutually agreed upon social standard, ad infinitum; Jesus brilliantly cuts through all of this. The issue for Jesus is never the outward action, but the inner reality. Is the heart turned towards God and others in love? Is the tree fundamentally ‘good?’**
When this same outlook is applied to the conversation on submission we see that there must therefore be a difference between submission and mere obedience. Obedience to a set of rules is very different from a heartfelt pursuit of the internalization of those rules. Obedience to the commands of an individual is a very different thing than coming under that person to serve their needs, to build them up, to learn from them, to desire their ultimate good, in a word, to submit.
What we see is that it is possible to obey an individual without submitting to them, to obey without loving them, to obey without taking responsibility for our own actions, to obey without serving them; obedience can be given with gritted teeth, submission comes only and always from a willing heart.
It is not obedience that we are called to, but rather submission; and this is the greater and more expansive call, it is the call of Christ.
*It is important to note that, by 'authority over us' I do not intend that all people should have a 'pastor' who 'teaches' them. I fail to see this as a real source of authority on a spiritual level, it is rather authority on an intellectual level. When I speak of being 'under' authority, I am speaking primarily of a mentor or spiritual advisor. There must be the relational connection for the authority to be truly functioning on a spiritual level. It is good to have authoritative sources for sound teaching in our lives, however, this fails to amount to the submission that is the call of Christ on all of His followers. Submission to a teaching is much easier than submission to a person. In submitting to another we learn selflessness, in submitting to a teaching it is even possible to reinforce selfishness, as we often gain a sense of self-importance through increased knowledge.
**Of course, we must never make the mistake of believing that actions therefore have no part of Christian life. (Luke 6:43-49) Jesus is unequivocal on this point, our actions will flow out of our heart, and this will reveal the true nature of our hearts. A heart of love for God and others will not be capable of producing evil actions, a ‘good’ tree will produce ‘good’ fruit.
More to come…
The apparent disparity between this call to submission, and the understanding of authority that I wrote about in the former post, are not a disparity in thought, but rather a disparity in perspective. The former post could be seen as a view of authority from the perspective of one in a position of authority, what I am about to write can be seen as a view of authority from the perspective of one under authority.
Authority From the Other Side: Submission to Authority
What is submission?
I have the idea that there is a fundamental inward bent to all of Christian ethics. Much of the history of morality has emphasized the outward actions of individuals, which leads to all sorts of moral predicaments; questions about the worth of the individual in comparison to the greater good of all, questions about the importance of the motivation behind the action, questions about the conformity to an absolute standard or a mutually agreed upon social standard, ad infinitum; Jesus brilliantly cuts through all of this. The issue for Jesus is never the outward action, but the inner reality. Is the heart turned towards God and others in love? Is the tree fundamentally ‘good?’**
When this same outlook is applied to the conversation on submission we see that there must therefore be a difference between submission and mere obedience. Obedience to a set of rules is very different from a heartfelt pursuit of the internalization of those rules. Obedience to the commands of an individual is a very different thing than coming under that person to serve their needs, to build them up, to learn from them, to desire their ultimate good, in a word, to submit.
What we see is that it is possible to obey an individual without submitting to them, to obey without loving them, to obey without taking responsibility for our own actions, to obey without serving them; obedience can be given with gritted teeth, submission comes only and always from a willing heart.
It is not obedience that we are called to, but rather submission; and this is the greater and more expansive call, it is the call of Christ.
*It is important to note that, by 'authority over us' I do not intend that all people should have a 'pastor' who 'teaches' them. I fail to see this as a real source of authority on a spiritual level, it is rather authority on an intellectual level. When I speak of being 'under' authority, I am speaking primarily of a mentor or spiritual advisor. There must be the relational connection for the authority to be truly functioning on a spiritual level. It is good to have authoritative sources for sound teaching in our lives, however, this fails to amount to the submission that is the call of Christ on all of His followers. Submission to a teaching is much easier than submission to a person. In submitting to another we learn selflessness, in submitting to a teaching it is even possible to reinforce selfishness, as we often gain a sense of self-importance through increased knowledge.
**Of course, we must never make the mistake of believing that actions therefore have no part of Christian life. (Luke 6:43-49) Jesus is unequivocal on this point, our actions will flow out of our heart, and this will reveal the true nature of our hearts. A heart of love for God and others will not be capable of producing evil actions, a ‘good’ tree will produce ‘good’ fruit.
More to come…
8.29.2006
At last...
We signed papers today on our lease. We will be moving in to our rental house on the 1st of September, this upcoming Friday. The house is on Hodge St, just a block from Elmwood Ave. (Check the title link for mapquest) This is truly a great location. Elmwood is the strip running through the heart of Buffalo with bistro’s, shops, and attractions for a good amount of the foot traffic through the city. If you zoom out to the 'city' view in Mapquest you can follow Elmwood Ave south to the City Central Business District which is were the black dot is at, or north to the Buffalo State Campus which is the Purple splotch. We are excited about the location of the house.
It is also a spacious house that will provide plenty of room for everyone moving into it. With three floors and extra bedrooms, we should all be able to have our own private space, as well as enough room to use our house as a center of ministry in the first year or so of our plant.
Tamy and Mary have been doing a wonderful job picking up furniture and house-wares at extremely affordable prices. We have been able to grab beds and dressers for everyone, as well as basic furnishing for the living spaces on well less than half of our allotted budget.
Keep praying for our jobs. We have had some good leads, but so far no one is actually hired. It sounds like the local cable contractor is going to hire me. The biggest concern about working cable again was the work load. This last year I have been working six days a week, sometimes 10-12 hour days; I am not willing to do that again. However, the contractor here has a much larger crew and so they only work five days a week, also, one of the technicians told me that they are great about working around schedules. Mary still has not heard one way or the other about the coffee shop she applied at. Pray that God would put her in the right job, and that she would have the patience to see where that is! We also have a good lead for Sam; turns out our property manager does quite a lot of work with contractors and will try to drum up a job for Sam!
God has been putting all of the details in order!
We have also had some wonderful times with people. We have had an opportunity to spend time with a lot of Tamy’s family. Her grandparents just recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, wow! There was a surprise party with a ton of family from all over the East Coast.
We also have spent quite a lot of time with Tamy’s best friend from childhood, and her husband, Matt and Jess. They are awesome people, we are blessed to have friends here with similar passions and desires; they will be a constant source of encouragement when so many of my family, and our great friends and spiritual family are so far away. They live only two hours away in Syracuse, which is a city we will be frequenting often as it is the site of our area meetings every other month.
Which brings me to our area. The Vineyard (for those of you unaware of it) groups local Churches into Areas that consist of a dozen or so Vineyards. We were able to gather with about half of the Churches in our area for a BBQ last week. We had a lot of fun, and were able to see friends we had already met, as well as make new friends. The area pastors include several ex-wrestlers which makes things fun for me! Everyone has been very encouraging and there seems to be a common set of values. We look forward to more time with those we have already met, as well as meeting others. The area leaders gather regularly to pray for different cities in the area, they will be coming to Buffalo late in September to pray for us, and for the city. We are greatly encouraged!
We are about ready to embark! Friday we are living in the city, and sometime in the next week, the rest of our team will arrive. Sam and Andrea are leaving Saturday and visiting an old friend on the way out.
It is also a spacious house that will provide plenty of room for everyone moving into it. With three floors and extra bedrooms, we should all be able to have our own private space, as well as enough room to use our house as a center of ministry in the first year or so of our plant.
Tamy and Mary have been doing a wonderful job picking up furniture and house-wares at extremely affordable prices. We have been able to grab beds and dressers for everyone, as well as basic furnishing for the living spaces on well less than half of our allotted budget.
Keep praying for our jobs. We have had some good leads, but so far no one is actually hired. It sounds like the local cable contractor is going to hire me. The biggest concern about working cable again was the work load. This last year I have been working six days a week, sometimes 10-12 hour days; I am not willing to do that again. However, the contractor here has a much larger crew and so they only work five days a week, also, one of the technicians told me that they are great about working around schedules. Mary still has not heard one way or the other about the coffee shop she applied at. Pray that God would put her in the right job, and that she would have the patience to see where that is! We also have a good lead for Sam; turns out our property manager does quite a lot of work with contractors and will try to drum up a job for Sam!
God has been putting all of the details in order!
We have also had some wonderful times with people. We have had an opportunity to spend time with a lot of Tamy’s family. Her grandparents just recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, wow! There was a surprise party with a ton of family from all over the East Coast.
We also have spent quite a lot of time with Tamy’s best friend from childhood, and her husband, Matt and Jess. They are awesome people, we are blessed to have friends here with similar passions and desires; they will be a constant source of encouragement when so many of my family, and our great friends and spiritual family are so far away. They live only two hours away in Syracuse, which is a city we will be frequenting often as it is the site of our area meetings every other month.
Which brings me to our area. The Vineyard (for those of you unaware of it) groups local Churches into Areas that consist of a dozen or so Vineyards. We were able to gather with about half of the Churches in our area for a BBQ last week. We had a lot of fun, and were able to see friends we had already met, as well as make new friends. The area pastors include several ex-wrestlers which makes things fun for me! Everyone has been very encouraging and there seems to be a common set of values. We look forward to more time with those we have already met, as well as meeting others. The area leaders gather regularly to pray for different cities in the area, they will be coming to Buffalo late in September to pray for us, and for the city. We are greatly encouraged!
We are about ready to embark! Friday we are living in the city, and sometime in the next week, the rest of our team will arrive. Sam and Andrea are leaving Saturday and visiting an old friend on the way out.
8.16.2006
Jobs and a House
So far things are going well. We haven’t resolved our housing or employment, yet… hence the update. Mary has been praying for the last year that God would allow her to work at a particular local coffee shop. The shop has free wireless internet so it was the first place in town we stopped last Friday when we made our first foray into Buffalo. Mary filled out an application while we had lunch and then spoke to one of the managers. The manager told her to expect a call and that she would be holding interviews for one of several positions the following Monday. We planned on returning for the interview, however, Mary never received a call. We showed up anyways, and Mary got her interview. The interview went very well, Mary is confident she has the job. This would be a unique opportunity for Mary to work around lots of people in a business that she is already familiar with. Pray that God grants her favor with the manager there. (It appears he already has!)
Here are some pictures of the shop, it is called Spot Coffee, and is one of a small area chain including three stores.
We also have been looking at houses. We have been trying to find a house large enough to accommodate our entire team (five adults and two children) and still maintain a modicum of privacy. The first house we looked at was superb. It was located right on the main strip (more on Buffalo geography in a later post) and only blocks from Mary’s prospective coffee shop. It was only one block from a children’s hospital should Tamy end up picking up a shift here or there as an RN; and the house itself is huge! It would definitely provide a sense of privacy for the three families moving in together (Schenks, Masons, Perkins), the rent is reasonable for the location, however, we would have no problem finding cheaper rent in another part of town, so we looked at a few more houses (unfortunately there is not a large selection of available houses for rent as most homes have been turned into multi-unit rentals).
The other houses we looked at simply couldn’t compare. We looked at several that were illegally built, or just outright disgusting, and then got a chance to see some in the Lower West Side that were in a much lower socio-economic zone. Our heart is to have a presence in one of these neighborhoods in the city, however, at this time we really felt uncomfortable moving into a house that could potentially bring violence right inside our home (there are occasionally shootings on the streets of some neighborhoods). The neighborhoods here do not work the way they do in any place I have lived, there can be a huge disparity on a block by block basis, in terms of property value as well as criminal element. We believe it would be wiser to stay in an area that we know is a safe place until we get to know the city better and can make a wise decision about where we should live.
So we are currently in the process of placing a deposit down for the first house, to move in September 1st! Pray that God would smooth the transactions! We really believe that this house is the one for us.
Finally continue praying that God would provide jobs for the rest of us. There is the possibility that Dre could also be hired at the shop Mary applied at. There appear to be plenty of framing/construction jobs available for Sam, and I have several phone calls out for potential jobs (at this point the leading candidates seem to be continuing with cable, or substitute teaching).
We love you and miss you!
Here are some pictures of the shop, it is called Spot Coffee, and is one of a small area chain including three stores.
We also have been looking at houses. We have been trying to find a house large enough to accommodate our entire team (five adults and two children) and still maintain a modicum of privacy. The first house we looked at was superb. It was located right on the main strip (more on Buffalo geography in a later post) and only blocks from Mary’s prospective coffee shop. It was only one block from a children’s hospital should Tamy end up picking up a shift here or there as an RN; and the house itself is huge! It would definitely provide a sense of privacy for the three families moving in together (Schenks, Masons, Perkins), the rent is reasonable for the location, however, we would have no problem finding cheaper rent in another part of town, so we looked at a few more houses (unfortunately there is not a large selection of available houses for rent as most homes have been turned into multi-unit rentals).
The other houses we looked at simply couldn’t compare. We looked at several that were illegally built, or just outright disgusting, and then got a chance to see some in the Lower West Side that were in a much lower socio-economic zone. Our heart is to have a presence in one of these neighborhoods in the city, however, at this time we really felt uncomfortable moving into a house that could potentially bring violence right inside our home (there are occasionally shootings on the streets of some neighborhoods). The neighborhoods here do not work the way they do in any place I have lived, there can be a huge disparity on a block by block basis, in terms of property value as well as criminal element. We believe it would be wiser to stay in an area that we know is a safe place until we get to know the city better and can make a wise decision about where we should live.
So we are currently in the process of placing a deposit down for the first house, to move in September 1st! Pray that God would smooth the transactions! We really believe that this house is the one for us.
Finally continue praying that God would provide jobs for the rest of us. There is the possibility that Dre could also be hired at the shop Mary applied at. There appear to be plenty of framing/construction jobs available for Sam, and I have several phone calls out for potential jobs (at this point the leading candidates seem to be continuing with cable, or substitute teaching).
We love you and miss you!
8.11.2006
8.10.2006
New York!
We have arrived in New York!
(My apologies for the lack of pictures, we left our rechargeable batteries in Laramie and didn’t stop to get more for the camera.)
It became ever increasingly apparent that we are where God intends us to be, it was a real heart-lifting moment the first time Buffalo began appearing on the road signs. Even though we haven’t yet been into the city, it is still a wild thought to realize that we have no ‘return trip.’ Mary even said, “Wow, I guess we’re almost home.”
The last few days here at the farm have been peaceful enough. Zoe is still trying to figure out exactly what is going on, and that has caused her some stress (pray for her), but she is enjoying all of the new people and the animals here on the farm. For those of you who weren’t aware of our plans, we are staying at Tamy’s parent’s dairy in Bath, NY. They live on a beautiful rolling hilltop, surrounded by deep green woods and bright green fields; full of cows, horses, cats, dogs, and as many nooks and crannies as a two-year old could ever think to explore.
The second half of the trip was much smoother than the first. After our time in Laramie we headed to Omaha, Nebraska. I didn’t know quite what to expect there as I had simply emailed the local Vineyard Church there asking if they could house us for a night. The Pastor had seemed friendly during our correspondence, but we had yet to meet.
We had a great time! The Vasey’s opened their home to us and were so welcoming and hospitable; their three daughters (ages 4-10) were enraptured by our son, or perhaps it was the other way around! They made us a fabulous Mexican-style meal (the recipe is on its way) with a lime-cilantro cole-slaw that was phenomenal. The senior pastor and his wife, Scott and Lynette, came over for dinner. We talked shop (that’s code for I asked him a ton of questions and let him share years of experienced wisdom with me) as they had planted their Church about ten years ago. After the pastor and his wife left we had some time to fellowship with the Vasey’s. We shared our stories with each other and had the opportunity to encourage each other and pray for each other. They are entering an exciting season in their lives; this past year or two God has placed a burden on their hearts to leave American soil and reach out to people in other countries with the message of Jesus.
We were able to let Zane and Zoe sleep in the next day as we were only driving to Chicago. When we arrived in Elgin (a suburb of Chicago) we had another great time of food and fellowship with the Tai family. They brought home an authentic Chicago-style pizza, delicious! Li-En and his wife Amy (and two children) are a part of the team that went to China with Pastor Mike and Dave DeMar a few months ago. The Elgin Vineyard does work in China, as well the entire Tai family has been involved in China for a long time. Since that time they made a trip out to Redding, some of you had the opportunity to meet them. During their visit Zane actually managed to vomit on both of them, so they felt obliged to offer us their home when we drove through!
We left Chicago around 5:30 am to beat the traffic, Elgin is on the west side of the city. We made it through with out any real trouble and were through into Cleveland by 3:00 pm. We had been hoping to make it to Bath by bedtime, but we made great time and pulled in around 7:00. We were hoping to surprise the family as we had told them to expect us the next day, but when we didn’t answer our cell-phones all day, they had us figured out.
We are planning to go up to Buffalo to look for housing and pick up some job applications tomorrow. Pray that God would point us in the right direction. Thank you so much for your love and support.
(My apologies for the lack of pictures, we left our rechargeable batteries in Laramie and didn’t stop to get more for the camera.)
It became ever increasingly apparent that we are where God intends us to be, it was a real heart-lifting moment the first time Buffalo began appearing on the road signs. Even though we haven’t yet been into the city, it is still a wild thought to realize that we have no ‘return trip.’ Mary even said, “Wow, I guess we’re almost home.”
The last few days here at the farm have been peaceful enough. Zoe is still trying to figure out exactly what is going on, and that has caused her some stress (pray for her), but she is enjoying all of the new people and the animals here on the farm. For those of you who weren’t aware of our plans, we are staying at Tamy’s parent’s dairy in Bath, NY. They live on a beautiful rolling hilltop, surrounded by deep green woods and bright green fields; full of cows, horses, cats, dogs, and as many nooks and crannies as a two-year old could ever think to explore.
The second half of the trip was much smoother than the first. After our time in Laramie we headed to Omaha, Nebraska. I didn’t know quite what to expect there as I had simply emailed the local Vineyard Church there asking if they could house us for a night. The Pastor had seemed friendly during our correspondence, but we had yet to meet.
We had a great time! The Vasey’s opened their home to us and were so welcoming and hospitable; their three daughters (ages 4-10) were enraptured by our son, or perhaps it was the other way around! They made us a fabulous Mexican-style meal (the recipe is on its way) with a lime-cilantro cole-slaw that was phenomenal. The senior pastor and his wife, Scott and Lynette, came over for dinner. We talked shop (that’s code for I asked him a ton of questions and let him share years of experienced wisdom with me) as they had planted their Church about ten years ago. After the pastor and his wife left we had some time to fellowship with the Vasey’s. We shared our stories with each other and had the opportunity to encourage each other and pray for each other. They are entering an exciting season in their lives; this past year or two God has placed a burden on their hearts to leave American soil and reach out to people in other countries with the message of Jesus.
We were able to let Zane and Zoe sleep in the next day as we were only driving to Chicago. When we arrived in Elgin (a suburb of Chicago) we had another great time of food and fellowship with the Tai family. They brought home an authentic Chicago-style pizza, delicious! Li-En and his wife Amy (and two children) are a part of the team that went to China with Pastor Mike and Dave DeMar a few months ago. The Elgin Vineyard does work in China, as well the entire Tai family has been involved in China for a long time. Since that time they made a trip out to Redding, some of you had the opportunity to meet them. During their visit Zane actually managed to vomit on both of them, so they felt obliged to offer us their home when we drove through!
We left Chicago around 5:30 am to beat the traffic, Elgin is on the west side of the city. We made it through with out any real trouble and were through into Cleveland by 3:00 pm. We had been hoping to make it to Bath by bedtime, but we made great time and pulled in around 7:00. We were hoping to surprise the family as we had told them to expect us the next day, but when we didn’t answer our cell-phones all day, they had us figured out.
We are planning to go up to Buffalo to look for housing and pick up some job applications tomorrow. Pray that God would point us in the right direction. Thank you so much for your love and support.
God For Us
"The doctrine of the Trinity is ultimately a practical doctrine with radical consequences for Christian life."
With this revolutionary concept Catherine LaCugna begins her book (check the title link and scroll down).
LaCugna shows the history of this understanding of God to be rooted not, as some are tempted to believe, in the dusty towers of men with bloated brains contrasting their atrophied bodies and souls; but rather this understanding of God is born of the concrete experiences of the first disciples of Jesus. The common misconception is that the doctrine of the Trinity was conceived and delivered by theologians in the great church counsels of the first centuries of the church; LaCugna argues that this doctrine is rather a description of the fundamental elements of Christian communal life.
There is God; the great transcendent, and self-reliant Creator.
...and then was Jesus; the lover of people, radically challenging established concepts of God.
...and then was the Spirit; the empowering presence in our midst, guiding us into God and His purposes.
And God had long promised the coming of Jesus and the Spirit; Jesus Himself continually spoke of the coming Helper. And all three were God.
God our Father, Creator and Source of All.
God our Redeemer, God come near and in the flesh; the image of God in human terms.
God our Helper, leading us into Truth, guiding our common life.
What are some of the practical outworkings of a trinitarian God?
God is love, even before there was a creation and creatures for God to love, He was love within Himself; a joyous dance of selfless submission and sacrifice, an ecstatic union of essence and purpose, a unity of plurality.
This implies that man, made in the image of the triune God, is also created to enter into this dance.
We are invited into fellowship with the trinity, experiencing Him and His joy.
We are also experiencing a joyous fellowship with each other as multitudes from every tribe and tongue join in the dance with their Creator.
We enter the dance, but we follow His lead, and the Lord of the Dance leads us to Gethsemene, Gabbatha, and then Golgotha; but the dance continues beyond the tomb to the Emmaus Road, the Sea of Tiberius, and beyond. The triune God leads us, as we experience His love, to follow Him outside, to those who are cast away and despised, we dance in His power from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the Earth.
Finally, as God has revealed Himself to us and taught us and empowered us, so we too will follow him in the revelation, education, and empowerment of others. The Church of Christ is the Kingdom's cutting edge, bringing the loving presence of the King to those in outer darkness.
With this revolutionary concept Catherine LaCugna begins her book (check the title link and scroll down).
LaCugna shows the history of this understanding of God to be rooted not, as some are tempted to believe, in the dusty towers of men with bloated brains contrasting their atrophied bodies and souls; but rather this understanding of God is born of the concrete experiences of the first disciples of Jesus. The common misconception is that the doctrine of the Trinity was conceived and delivered by theologians in the great church counsels of the first centuries of the church; LaCugna argues that this doctrine is rather a description of the fundamental elements of Christian communal life.
There is God; the great transcendent, and self-reliant Creator.
...and then was Jesus; the lover of people, radically challenging established concepts of God.
...and then was the Spirit; the empowering presence in our midst, guiding us into God and His purposes.
And God had long promised the coming of Jesus and the Spirit; Jesus Himself continually spoke of the coming Helper. And all three were God.
God our Father, Creator and Source of All.
God our Redeemer, God come near and in the flesh; the image of God in human terms.
God our Helper, leading us into Truth, guiding our common life.
What are some of the practical outworkings of a trinitarian God?
God is love, even before there was a creation and creatures for God to love, He was love within Himself; a joyous dance of selfless submission and sacrifice, an ecstatic union of essence and purpose, a unity of plurality.
This implies that man, made in the image of the triune God, is also created to enter into this dance.
We are invited into fellowship with the trinity, experiencing Him and His joy.
We are also experiencing a joyous fellowship with each other as multitudes from every tribe and tongue join in the dance with their Creator.
We enter the dance, but we follow His lead, and the Lord of the Dance leads us to Gethsemene, Gabbatha, and then Golgotha; but the dance continues beyond the tomb to the Emmaus Road, the Sea of Tiberius, and beyond. The triune God leads us, as we experience His love, to follow Him outside, to those who are cast away and despised, we dance in His power from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the Earth.
Finally, as God has revealed Himself to us and taught us and empowered us, so we too will follow him in the revelation, education, and empowerment of others. The Church of Christ is the Kingdom's cutting edge, bringing the loving presence of the King to those in outer darkness.
8.05.2006
Travels
We are on the road!
It has finally arrived, we have begun the move to Buffalo. We have had our tearful goodbyes and our last minute packing anxieties, and now we are in the middle of the US headed into the rising sun...
We had a good nights rest in Reno before making the long drive to Laramie, WY. Our friends in Reno blessed us with a bed and a steak dinner and a relaxing evening. Thank you!
Jack and Vanessa in Reno
Our second day, however, was a little more exhausting. Stuck in a traffic jam for over two hours outside of Reno, road construction, towing a trailer, and severely underestimating the impact of two small children cut into our traveling speed enormously. What would have been a 12 hour trek turned into a 21 hour day. Fortunately the kids went to sleep around 9pm in Evanston, WY and we were able to push through to Laramie that night. We got in at 3:30am and promptly went to sleep.
The past few days have been quite relaxing. Visiting friends and famiily, napping, reading, and taking Zoe to see leaping llamas at the local fair!
Here is Zoe petting goats at the fair.
We have been able to see some very good friends of ours from college. It is a funny thing to visit with friends who have children, and to watch them play with your own. We are no longer 'young marrieds' we are a family!
These are some great friends from college, John and Jessica Faczak and their two children Jack and Katie.
Here is our family in Laramie, Wyoming
I was able to spend some time with my old college coach who was very influential in my spiritual journey. He was there for the 'beginning of obedience' in my relationship with Jesus; I am sure many of you back home have heard that story.
Coach Suder and I
Thank you all for your prayers, we miss you yet we are excited for what is ahead!
It has finally arrived, we have begun the move to Buffalo. We have had our tearful goodbyes and our last minute packing anxieties, and now we are in the middle of the US headed into the rising sun...
We had a good nights rest in Reno before making the long drive to Laramie, WY. Our friends in Reno blessed us with a bed and a steak dinner and a relaxing evening. Thank you!
Jack and Vanessa in Reno
Our second day, however, was a little more exhausting. Stuck in a traffic jam for over two hours outside of Reno, road construction, towing a trailer, and severely underestimating the impact of two small children cut into our traveling speed enormously. What would have been a 12 hour trek turned into a 21 hour day. Fortunately the kids went to sleep around 9pm in Evanston, WY and we were able to push through to Laramie that night. We got in at 3:30am and promptly went to sleep.
The past few days have been quite relaxing. Visiting friends and famiily, napping, reading, and taking Zoe to see leaping llamas at the local fair!
Here is Zoe petting goats at the fair.
We have been able to see some very good friends of ours from college. It is a funny thing to visit with friends who have children, and to watch them play with your own. We are no longer 'young marrieds' we are a family!
These are some great friends from college, John and Jessica Faczak and their two children Jack and Katie.
Here is our family in Laramie, Wyoming
I was able to spend some time with my old college coach who was very influential in my spiritual journey. He was there for the 'beginning of obedience' in my relationship with Jesus; I am sure many of you back home have heard that story.
Coach Suder and I
Thank you all for your prayers, we miss you yet we are excited for what is ahead!
Reflections
Walking through the foothills outside of Reno, staring up at stars that are brighter than I have seen in months, talking to Jesus, reflecting on His kingdom, reflecting on life, listening to what He might say to me…
I cannot help but be humble at the infinite amount of wisdom and knowledge that I lack, and yet, I know this…
…there is more!
There is more to life than a 40 hour a week paycheck and a big screen television. Why do so many of us settle for living vicariously through the hopeless despair of Hollywood celebrities? Why do so many of us drown out our chance to change this world with mind-numbing self-desensitizing electro-media? Why do we narrow our own lives so dramatically? Are we simply unaware of how cramped a life is that is self-consumed? Do we fail to see the freedom found in a life consumed with Christ?
(And the next day I read this)
Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
2 Corinthians 6:11-13
He is larger than the universe! He is so expansive, there is room enough in Christ for each of us to become ourselves, and yet reflect his nature. Becoming like Jesus is not a route to becoming Christian clones, but rather the only route to true self-actualization. In Christ we find our true selves, and he is so vast and so glorious that there is simply more than enough room for billions of individuals to be gloriously like Him, and still gloriously diverse!
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
Colossians 1:18-20
Everything good is found in Christ, anything outside of Christ is meaningless.
I cannot help but be humble at the infinite amount of wisdom and knowledge that I lack, and yet, I know this…
…there is more!
There is more to life than a 40 hour a week paycheck and a big screen television. Why do so many of us settle for living vicariously through the hopeless despair of Hollywood celebrities? Why do so many of us drown out our chance to change this world with mind-numbing self-desensitizing electro-media? Why do we narrow our own lives so dramatically? Are we simply unaware of how cramped a life is that is self-consumed? Do we fail to see the freedom found in a life consumed with Christ?
(And the next day I read this)
Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
2 Corinthians 6:11-13
He is larger than the universe! He is so expansive, there is room enough in Christ for each of us to become ourselves, and yet reflect his nature. Becoming like Jesus is not a route to becoming Christian clones, but rather the only route to true self-actualization. In Christ we find our true selves, and he is so vast and so glorious that there is simply more than enough room for billions of individuals to be gloriously like Him, and still gloriously diverse!
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
Colossians 1:18-20
Everything good is found in Christ, anything outside of Christ is meaningless.
7.24.2006
The Final Quest
The Final Quest
by Rick Joyner
This book, as the introduction informs, is born out of a series of dreams and other prophetic experiences that Rick Joyner had over a length of time. It speaks powerfully to the soul. I have read this book through a second time now, and still find myself moved to tears at the beauty of the life found in our Master, and the depth of blackness of evil that my own heart is capable of. Humility, pride, wisdom, and other characteristics, are dealt with in a powerful and symbolic/prophetic way.
While some might find this book appealling as fiction, yet disturbing as 'prophecy,' I would highly recommend this book as an insight into the workings of evil in our world, our church, and our heart; and the supremacy of Jesus in all things.
7.13.2006
MYSPACE
I am not really into America's new online rage, MYSPACE, I was on there tonight checking out my brothers myspace page (I guess you could call it spying) and checking all his friends pages too. I just wanted to see what they were into and everything. I just don't like it. It seems like a weird place and I just have this dark feeling everytime I go there. I am afraid of what I would be exposed to. You never know what you might see. It feels like to me that you can't go very far without being violated at some point or another. It's all so weird to me. I don't like it. Maybe because I just don't get it, and I am sure there are some good ones out there that aren't so bad. And that's all I have to say about myspace.
Answered Prayer
I hope this news encourages you as it does us!
Answers to prayer are a real encouragement!
We had been praying for several different areas of need for our move, and God has provided beyond our expectations. He has given us a mini-van! He also granted us a very succesful moving-sale; we were hoping to clear $1,000, and we ended up with almost twice that amount! This means we will have enough money to furnish our new home when we arrive in Buffalo (Tamy is giving a loud "thank you God!") as well as help out with the moving expenses so more of our savings will be able to be directed to reaching out to the community when we arrive.
We have also been blessed to find friends, family, and hospitable strangers who are willing to house us as we travel through on our way across country. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to make the trip less stressful, and more affordable, not to mention make a few friends along the way!
The day swiftly approaches!
God is good!
Answers to prayer are a real encouragement!
We had been praying for several different areas of need for our move, and God has provided beyond our expectations. He has given us a mini-van! He also granted us a very succesful moving-sale; we were hoping to clear $1,000, and we ended up with almost twice that amount! This means we will have enough money to furnish our new home when we arrive in Buffalo (Tamy is giving a loud "thank you God!") as well as help out with the moving expenses so more of our savings will be able to be directed to reaching out to the community when we arrive.
We have also been blessed to find friends, family, and hospitable strangers who are willing to house us as we travel through on our way across country. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to make the trip less stressful, and more affordable, not to mention make a few friends along the way!
The day swiftly approaches!
God is good!
7.09.2006
Judgment
So here are some thoughts...
Do I judge people who I perceive as 'not wanting God?'
Do I take people who don't conform to my plans for their life (and no matter how spiritual sounding I make it, it doesn't amount to anything more than that!) and place them in a box? Anyone who refuses to jump on board with what God has called me to is relegated to non-existence? Is there no room for other people pursuing God's plan for their life, must they also pursue God's plan for me?
It is very easy to do!
It is very easy to just expect people to 'get with the program!' "Why won't you just do what everyone else is doing!?!" If you won't, the obvious answer is, you are lazy, evil, unrepentant, unsubmissive, difficult, or all of the above. These people are then simply ignored. I know I do it. If you are unwilling to make the effort, if you won't pursue my time, if you won't show up to my group, if you won't approach me, then you will not 'qualify' for my time.
It is very easy to do, it is what our culture trains us to do, it is the easy thing to do, the unreflective and comfortable thing to do, and it is just what Satan is whispering in our ear!
I turn the Kingdom of the Blessed poor, into the Kingdom of the beautiful people. Jesus said blessed are the down and out, and I very often choose instead to bless those who already have it made. Jesus said blessed are the meek and weak, and yet I choose to bless the powerful and successful. Jesus hung out with despised people, I choose to hang out with those who can accomplish much; and perhaps that keeps me from seeing what Jesus can accomplish...
How can I say I am 'seeking the lost' when the people I am 'finding' are so capable and self-assured?
I know that people will say that we shouldn't 'cast pearls before swine,' but swine don't have a use for pearls; and I don't think Jesus intended that saying to be used to instigate segregation, to promote cliques. Jesus, it is noted, spent time with the twelve, and with the three, at the expense of his time with others, but is this our real motivation for our proximity to the best and brightest, the up-and-comers?
I know that spending time with burned out people is depressing, but doesn't the Spirit of our Crucified Master compell us to blow on the spark till it flames, even though it means ashes in our faces?
Wouldn't Jesus rather have us get behind them and encourage them, instead of ignoring them, or privately mocking them?
Shouldn't we take the time to get to know the people who 'don't want more,' the people who are left out of the 'inner circle?' Shouldn't we do the real relational work of finding out just what is really going on, before we throw them to the trash heap of Church rejects?
Wouldn't we rather be a Barnabas and look for a discounted Saul to stand up for, invite along, and then step out of the way?
I am telling people to 'come follow me' instead of being 'with' them. Jesus loved people, He was with them and that is what allowed him to challenge people to 'follow him;' do we love the people we are 'challenging' the way that Jesus loved them?
The real question, of course, is not "do we?" but rather "do I?"
Do I judge people who I perceive as 'not wanting God?'
Do I take people who don't conform to my plans for their life (and no matter how spiritual sounding I make it, it doesn't amount to anything more than that!) and place them in a box? Anyone who refuses to jump on board with what God has called me to is relegated to non-existence? Is there no room for other people pursuing God's plan for their life, must they also pursue God's plan for me?
It is very easy to do!
It is very easy to just expect people to 'get with the program!' "Why won't you just do what everyone else is doing!?!" If you won't, the obvious answer is, you are lazy, evil, unrepentant, unsubmissive, difficult, or all of the above. These people are then simply ignored. I know I do it. If you are unwilling to make the effort, if you won't pursue my time, if you won't show up to my group, if you won't approach me, then you will not 'qualify' for my time.
It is very easy to do, it is what our culture trains us to do, it is the easy thing to do, the unreflective and comfortable thing to do, and it is just what Satan is whispering in our ear!
I turn the Kingdom of the Blessed poor, into the Kingdom of the beautiful people. Jesus said blessed are the down and out, and I very often choose instead to bless those who already have it made. Jesus said blessed are the meek and weak, and yet I choose to bless the powerful and successful. Jesus hung out with despised people, I choose to hang out with those who can accomplish much; and perhaps that keeps me from seeing what Jesus can accomplish...
How can I say I am 'seeking the lost' when the people I am 'finding' are so capable and self-assured?
I know that people will say that we shouldn't 'cast pearls before swine,' but swine don't have a use for pearls; and I don't think Jesus intended that saying to be used to instigate segregation, to promote cliques. Jesus, it is noted, spent time with the twelve, and with the three, at the expense of his time with others, but is this our real motivation for our proximity to the best and brightest, the up-and-comers?
I know that spending time with burned out people is depressing, but doesn't the Spirit of our Crucified Master compell us to blow on the spark till it flames, even though it means ashes in our faces?
Wouldn't Jesus rather have us get behind them and encourage them, instead of ignoring them, or privately mocking them?
Shouldn't we take the time to get to know the people who 'don't want more,' the people who are left out of the 'inner circle?' Shouldn't we do the real relational work of finding out just what is really going on, before we throw them to the trash heap of Church rejects?
Wouldn't we rather be a Barnabas and look for a discounted Saul to stand up for, invite along, and then step out of the way?
I am telling people to 'come follow me' instead of being 'with' them. Jesus loved people, He was with them and that is what allowed him to challenge people to 'follow him;' do we love the people we are 'challenging' the way that Jesus loved them?
The real question, of course, is not "do we?" but rather "do I?"
7.03.2006
...another gnostic Gospel?
The Secret Message of Jesus
by Brian McLaren
McLaren gives us a great treatment of the theme of Jesus' ministry, message, life, death, and resurrection; the Kingdom of God. I am grateful for this highly readable book on this subject. McLaren essentially provides us with an exegesis of the message of Jesus in its entirety. The Secret Message of Jesus is by no means a secret, and so McLaren's latest book is less provocative than others he has written. I would give a warning that McLaren's appraisal of the contemporary application of the Message of Jesus is politically liberal* (specifically on the issue of foreign policy and war), although he does provide ample room for alternate perspectives, which is why I would not make this a critique of the book. The only outright critique I make of the book is that McLaren describes something that has been proclaimed for 2,000 years as 'secret;' he paints the gospel as 'hidden,' even going so far as to imply in his Appendix I entitled Why Didn't We Get It Sooner that the Church lost the message of Jesus sometime before the end of the second century and we have just regained the proper understanding of it in this most recent generation.
I had the unfortunate timing to read this Appendix while I was about halfway through the book. I was immensely excited by the direction the book was taking and then, while perusing the endnotes, came across the Appendix. I did not know how to react. Anger, sorrow, disgust... The Appendix colored my reading of the rest of the book. In fact, I don't know that I will be able to read McLaren again in the same light (without some sort of retraction). While McLaren disavows any naive arrogance about contemporary scholarship in comparison to that of antiquity, he has little ground to stand on when he makes the argument that he does. I hold very few positions with greater conviction than the universal nature of the Church, and the 2,000 year history of worldwide witness to the message of Jesus that the Church catholic provides for us.**
I would be tempted to give this book to others, with the obvious provision of cutting the Appendix out of the book prior to doing so, however, this theological 'newness' that fails to understand and value the truth of the gospel for 2,000 years expressed in hundreds of cultures is a common theme throughout 'emergent' literature and McLaren is not immune to it. This is the danger of speaking prophetically; judgment, criticism, dogmatism; unfortunately McLaren (while I must credit his sincere attempts to avoid these errors) has obviously fallen into them. While McLaren speaks with gentle words, what he is saying is ultimately "The Church, for 2,000 years and in hundreds of cultural expressions, has completely missed the point of Jesus, let me tell you what he really meant." This has never been a stated point in any of his works that I have read (until the Appendix) yet there are hints towards this in everything of his that I have read.
I have become even more skeptical of dogmatism in the past months (wait for my next blog). I have often been told to "chew up the meat and spit out the bones," however tossing out 2,000 years of Church history from every continent on the planet is, perhaps, too large a bone for any meal. While I have been greatly, and positively, influenced by McLaren, I am saddened by the position he outlines in his Appendix. It is a dangerous trend...
*This is not to say that Christian politics, in order to be truly Christian, should be conservative. We should offer similar warnings for writers who exegete along Republican party lines. In fact, I find liberal politics a refreshing mix with orthodox theology...
**This is not to say that Christian history is without error, but rather that the gospel message of Jesus ("repent for the Kingdom is here!') has always been attested to throughout history. There have even been times when the majority of Christians, or the officials of the Church, have stood in opposition to the Gospel of the Kingdom, but we must never mistake that for complete apostasy. There have always been those who live in the Kingdom, at times they are cast to the fringes of the Church, at other times they are properly honored as the keepers of the Gospel flame, but they have always been present; the Message of Jesus has never been 'lost.' (Matthew 13:24-30 addresses the issue of 'weeds' that need to be destroyed and harvestable 'crops' both existing together until the end.)
by Brian McLaren
McLaren gives us a great treatment of the theme of Jesus' ministry, message, life, death, and resurrection; the Kingdom of God. I am grateful for this highly readable book on this subject. McLaren essentially provides us with an exegesis of the message of Jesus in its entirety. The Secret Message of Jesus is by no means a secret, and so McLaren's latest book is less provocative than others he has written. I would give a warning that McLaren's appraisal of the contemporary application of the Message of Jesus is politically liberal* (specifically on the issue of foreign policy and war), although he does provide ample room for alternate perspectives, which is why I would not make this a critique of the book. The only outright critique I make of the book is that McLaren describes something that has been proclaimed for 2,000 years as 'secret;' he paints the gospel as 'hidden,' even going so far as to imply in his Appendix I entitled Why Didn't We Get It Sooner that the Church lost the message of Jesus sometime before the end of the second century and we have just regained the proper understanding of it in this most recent generation.
I had the unfortunate timing to read this Appendix while I was about halfway through the book. I was immensely excited by the direction the book was taking and then, while perusing the endnotes, came across the Appendix. I did not know how to react. Anger, sorrow, disgust... The Appendix colored my reading of the rest of the book. In fact, I don't know that I will be able to read McLaren again in the same light (without some sort of retraction). While McLaren disavows any naive arrogance about contemporary scholarship in comparison to that of antiquity, he has little ground to stand on when he makes the argument that he does. I hold very few positions with greater conviction than the universal nature of the Church, and the 2,000 year history of worldwide witness to the message of Jesus that the Church catholic provides for us.**
I would be tempted to give this book to others, with the obvious provision of cutting the Appendix out of the book prior to doing so, however, this theological 'newness' that fails to understand and value the truth of the gospel for 2,000 years expressed in hundreds of cultures is a common theme throughout 'emergent' literature and McLaren is not immune to it. This is the danger of speaking prophetically; judgment, criticism, dogmatism; unfortunately McLaren (while I must credit his sincere attempts to avoid these errors) has obviously fallen into them. While McLaren speaks with gentle words, what he is saying is ultimately "The Church, for 2,000 years and in hundreds of cultural expressions, has completely missed the point of Jesus, let me tell you what he really meant." This has never been a stated point in any of his works that I have read (until the Appendix) yet there are hints towards this in everything of his that I have read.
I have become even more skeptical of dogmatism in the past months (wait for my next blog). I have often been told to "chew up the meat and spit out the bones," however tossing out 2,000 years of Church history from every continent on the planet is, perhaps, too large a bone for any meal. While I have been greatly, and positively, influenced by McLaren, I am saddened by the position he outlines in his Appendix. It is a dangerous trend...
*This is not to say that Christian politics, in order to be truly Christian, should be conservative. We should offer similar warnings for writers who exegete along Republican party lines. In fact, I find liberal politics a refreshing mix with orthodox theology...
**This is not to say that Christian history is without error, but rather that the gospel message of Jesus ("repent for the Kingdom is here!') has always been attested to throughout history. There have even been times when the majority of Christians, or the officials of the Church, have stood in opposition to the Gospel of the Kingdom, but we must never mistake that for complete apostasy. There have always been those who live in the Kingdom, at times they are cast to the fringes of the Church, at other times they are properly honored as the keepers of the Gospel flame, but they have always been present; the Message of Jesus has never been 'lost.' (Matthew 13:24-30 addresses the issue of 'weeds' that need to be destroyed and harvestable 'crops' both existing together until the end.)
6.27.2006
I Remember
I thought I should follow up on what Steve's Blog was saying and post the memories I have from this whole experience I have found myself in. This picture I put at the top of my post is a picture of me when I was about a year and a half old in the Lord. I think I have grow since then, and yes I am wearing plastic wrap.
I remember my second week at church and Kristin said to me, "Hi Mary." I was blown away at the fact that she remembered my name.
I remember hanging out with Susan, Lea, and Melissa at celebration on Sunday nights because I loved going to church.
I rememeber the Sunday night I knew with everything in me that I was saved and that the Lord loved me.
I remember going on my first mission trip to Mexico and swearing that I would live there someday. (Who knows?)
I rememeber asking Pastor Mike if I could be on the worship team and I remember how welcoming and awesome everyone was.
I remember when I confessed to Kerri a sin that I was so ashamed of.
I remeber asking Tamy, in a passing moment, if she would disciple me, and I remember thinking that she would forget. So I figured that I wouldn't ask again and just leave it be. I remember the phone call I got from her because she didn't forget.
I remember the trip to Mexico where Steve taught me how to play the guitar, which by the way I never thought would amount to much.
I remember going over to Steve and Tamy's house 3 or 4 nights a week for one reason or another. I remember thinking that these people were so awesome and that I would go anywhere they would go.
I remembered wanting more passion from God and for God and the thing that was holding me back was the fact that I didn't tithe. I remember the first time I tithed. (That was a fun time because the first thing that I felt called to tithe on was the $6,000 my parents gave me for college. That was fun telling them that I tithed 10% on that. The fur was flying that night!)
I remember when Yaks opened. I remember crying everyday for the first year. I remember hiding in the bathroom because I was crying so much and thinking that I was safe till Nancy walked in. She prayed for me.
I rememeber the time I realized that I needed to take responsibility for my relationship with God, that was time I started to tithe.
I remember the day that I called Jeff Jones and told him that I felt called to lead worship. I remember writing papers and reading articles for my internship.
I remember being so excited at the possibility of another Girl's House. I rememeber moving into the Girl's House. I also remember the 5:00 am meetings at Nan's house.
I remember feeling called to plant a church with Steve and Tamy, and for the first time not being afraid to leave the Vineyard. I wouldn't be leaving I would be sent out.
I remember whe Sean and Linda came back and Sean started to meet with me about worship. I remember the first thing that he said to me about leading worship. "Character over quality anyday." I remember starting to lead worship and the first time I had a meltdown. I remember when Sean asked me what was the matter I told him that I felt like a big a**hole. I remember he laughed.
I remember starting on Staff and wondering what the heck everyone was thinking. I remember 301, boy do I remember 301. I don't think I will ever forget that. That was the most family I have ever done.
I remember all the 6am meetings at the Girl's House.
I remember going to Buffalo for the first time.
I remember going to World Mandate and being rocked and for the first time realizing the urgency of salvation of unbelievers. I remember for the first time seeing the world through the eyes of God.
I remember being loved and feeling loved. I remember being encouraged to go for God with everything in me. I remember being told that I am the hope of the World. I remember being told that I can dream big, that I can dream God's dreams and that it was okay for me to reach out and grab ahold of them and run with them. I remember being told that people were 100% for me and whatever God was doing in me. I remember learning to do family and learning to love the family that God gave me. I remember growing.
This is me 4 years after meeting the Lord. I guess the goofiness never left.
6.26.2006
Our Last Sunday
This past Sunday was our last Sunday morning gathering with our sending Church. We are still in town for another month, but because our Church doesn't hold corporate gatherings for the month of July, we will not be attending any more corporate Church events. We leave August 1st for Buffalo!
Aside from the ever growing anticipation, this last 48 hours has afforded me the opportunity for quite a bit of reflection...
I have learned that being a Christian is about a commitment to the person of Christ. Not a commitment to my personal salvation.
I have learned that following Jesus is always done with a brother at your side. Always.
I have learned that my sin can be conquered by the blood of Christ. If I allow it.
I have learned that God does not hold my sin over my head. He is my biggest supporter.
I have learned that learning is about heart changing lessons that result in lifestyle changes, not information that makes me feel that I am better than others.
I have learned that God is heartbroken over the world that He created. He longs for His children to return to Him.
I have learned that I will be judged a success not by what I build, or what I accomplish, but by my love of God and who I touch with that love.
I have learned to worship the one who is worthy.
I have learned that I can actively chose to cooperate with God's Spirit, just like I can actively chose to reject it. I can allow space in my life for his voice and his action; those times of quiet reflection, listening, reading, praying, even working.
I remember Pastor Mike cracking jokes from the pulpit the first time I came to Church; I was at home. I remember him confessing sin from the pulpit; I was relieved. I remember his unwillingness to fumble about with questions that don't have answers; I gained, for the first time, a value for the mystical reality of life with Jesus.
I remember meeting with Pastor Kyle (before he was Pastor Kyle) to come up with Bible Study questions for our small group. For the first time in my life I would spend an entire week meditating, reading, thinking, talking, and studying a single passage of the gospels. It remains to this day one of the richest experiences with the Bible that I have had.
I remember meeting with Pastor Jeff (before he was Pastor Jeff) for the first time one-on-one, and he gave a heartfelt invitation to open up to him. He offered to be there for me, he let me know that if I was struggling he was there for me.
I remember the first time I sobbed and snotted on the floor in front of a group of men, confessing my sin that had been eating at me for months. I remember the relief.
I remember my first trip oversees.
I remember when Pastor Mike told me I was preaching, and I was scared to death.
I remember Cedar throwing up every five minutes, and I remember conversations with Levi.
I remember when I realized that I was going to give my life in service to the Church.
I remember when I was finally able to say the word 'pastor' in reference to myself without stuttering.
I remember sitting in a staff meeting where everyone there told me I was called to plant Churches.
I remember Lisa's deep thoughts, Kerri's dogmatic support, Janie making me laugh, and teasing Lynne about being a preacher one day.
I remember getting licensed as a Pastor.
I remember having our own private, world-famous worship leader; and it didn't even come close to Jeff on the guitar, everyone singing their heart out to God, and Bean playing rythym on a cooking pot with a whisk like Jesus was about to come back!
I remember Jason Verduzco catching on fire! I remember being there when he had to confess the sin that haunted him.
I remember so many faces, and so many prayers.
I remember Zoe’s birth, and the way our Church embraced my in-laws with love.
I remember going to World Mandate with Sean, and having my vision expanded, my heart broken, and my head spun, inside of one weekend.
I remember the first time we had James and Rebecca over for dinner and I couldn’t stop laughing for several hours, I hadn’t laughed that hard, that long, for years.
I remember Nancy’s ubiquitous smile and her attitude that always said, “You can! With Jesus you can do that and more!”
I remember a month in the Ukraine where I learned to play the guitar and fell in love with the Church. Where Tamy and I, Dave and Robin, were bonded together forever by our experiences with each other.
I remember walking with David DeMar every Monday night, coffee in hand, around down-town Redding.
I remember Sjoera's hugs, Kristin's practical jokes, Brad's death. I remember wishing I could have done more to reach out to Paul and Tim, Monday nights at the Barham's house, Carly's phone calls, Grazes at the Amens, Brett's handshakes. I remember the Church that taught me, the Church that is throwing me out of the nest so I can learn to fly, and oneday throw someone out of my nest...
I remember the women who poured their lives into my wife. Seeing her respond to God’s love for her, and call on her life.
I will forever be changed.
I love Jesus, and yet know I do not love him enough.
I love the Church, and yet know I must love her more.
I love the world, and yet know Jesus has still to truly break my heart for his lost ones.
I believe we are called to influence those around us for the Kingdom, and yet I am still learning how to lead.
I have become a Christian here…
Aside from the ever growing anticipation, this last 48 hours has afforded me the opportunity for quite a bit of reflection...
I have learned that being a Christian is about a commitment to the person of Christ. Not a commitment to my personal salvation.
I have learned that following Jesus is always done with a brother at your side. Always.
I have learned that my sin can be conquered by the blood of Christ. If I allow it.
I have learned that God does not hold my sin over my head. He is my biggest supporter.
I have learned that learning is about heart changing lessons that result in lifestyle changes, not information that makes me feel that I am better than others.
I have learned that God is heartbroken over the world that He created. He longs for His children to return to Him.
I have learned that I will be judged a success not by what I build, or what I accomplish, but by my love of God and who I touch with that love.
I have learned to worship the one who is worthy.
I have learned that I can actively chose to cooperate with God's Spirit, just like I can actively chose to reject it. I can allow space in my life for his voice and his action; those times of quiet reflection, listening, reading, praying, even working.
I remember Pastor Mike cracking jokes from the pulpit the first time I came to Church; I was at home. I remember him confessing sin from the pulpit; I was relieved. I remember his unwillingness to fumble about with questions that don't have answers; I gained, for the first time, a value for the mystical reality of life with Jesus.
I remember meeting with Pastor Kyle (before he was Pastor Kyle) to come up with Bible Study questions for our small group. For the first time in my life I would spend an entire week meditating, reading, thinking, talking, and studying a single passage of the gospels. It remains to this day one of the richest experiences with the Bible that I have had.
I remember meeting with Pastor Jeff (before he was Pastor Jeff) for the first time one-on-one, and he gave a heartfelt invitation to open up to him. He offered to be there for me, he let me know that if I was struggling he was there for me.
I remember the first time I sobbed and snotted on the floor in front of a group of men, confessing my sin that had been eating at me for months. I remember the relief.
I remember my first trip oversees.
I remember when Pastor Mike told me I was preaching, and I was scared to death.
I remember Cedar throwing up every five minutes, and I remember conversations with Levi.
I remember when I realized that I was going to give my life in service to the Church.
I remember when I was finally able to say the word 'pastor' in reference to myself without stuttering.
I remember sitting in a staff meeting where everyone there told me I was called to plant Churches.
I remember Lisa's deep thoughts, Kerri's dogmatic support, Janie making me laugh, and teasing Lynne about being a preacher one day.
I remember getting licensed as a Pastor.
I remember having our own private, world-famous worship leader; and it didn't even come close to Jeff on the guitar, everyone singing their heart out to God, and Bean playing rythym on a cooking pot with a whisk like Jesus was about to come back!
I remember Jason Verduzco catching on fire! I remember being there when he had to confess the sin that haunted him.
I remember so many faces, and so many prayers.
I remember Zoe’s birth, and the way our Church embraced my in-laws with love.
I remember going to World Mandate with Sean, and having my vision expanded, my heart broken, and my head spun, inside of one weekend.
I remember the first time we had James and Rebecca over for dinner and I couldn’t stop laughing for several hours, I hadn’t laughed that hard, that long, for years.
I remember Nancy’s ubiquitous smile and her attitude that always said, “You can! With Jesus you can do that and more!”
I remember a month in the Ukraine where I learned to play the guitar and fell in love with the Church. Where Tamy and I, Dave and Robin, were bonded together forever by our experiences with each other.
I remember walking with David DeMar every Monday night, coffee in hand, around down-town Redding.
I remember Sjoera's hugs, Kristin's practical jokes, Brad's death. I remember wishing I could have done more to reach out to Paul and Tim, Monday nights at the Barham's house, Carly's phone calls, Grazes at the Amens, Brett's handshakes. I remember the Church that taught me, the Church that is throwing me out of the nest so I can learn to fly, and oneday throw someone out of my nest...
I remember the women who poured their lives into my wife. Seeing her respond to God’s love for her, and call on her life.
I will forever be changed.
I love Jesus, and yet know I do not love him enough.
I love the Church, and yet know I must love her more.
I love the world, and yet know Jesus has still to truly break my heart for his lost ones.
I believe we are called to influence those around us for the Kingdom, and yet I am still learning how to lead.
I have become a Christian here…
6.23.2006
The Father's Love
Since February God has been showing me about the lenses I see him through. I see God and his characteristics in the same light as my earthly father, whom by the way I love very much and he is a wonderful man. These lenses create a lot of weirdness and I often times feel like I am never good enough or I just don't meet up to his expectations and that I am always a disappointment to God the Father. That is how I feel most of the time. So over the last few months there have been glimpses of the Father's love and the sermon that Pastor Mike preached was really awesome and a lot of the things that he said were so good to hear. So I have been trying to trudge through this thing and I have been learning about my earthly father too and about myself and it is all a really good process. Today was also a part of the process. My dad is in the hospital right now and has been in and out since April because of problems with his Pancreas and with his Gallbladder. Yesterday he had his surgery, which is a huge relief by the way. So I spent some time with the Lord today before I went to the hospital to see him, and I was praying for a better understanding of the Father's love. I want to know what it is like to be loved by a father who thinks that I am just it. I prayed that God would send me someone fatherly that would love me like a father loves me. So I went to the hospital after this, and my dad was still very very out of it because of his medicine and after just having a big surgery yesterday. When my dad is out of it like this he is very vulnerable and will say things that I believe come from what he is feeling inside, I don't think he would normally say them with this innocence (without pride or anything getting in the way). So I sit with him and he's nodding off and I decide I would rather leave and let him sleep. So I tell him this, "Dad, I'm going to go so you can rest." And he looks at me and says, "I hate that I am always pushing you away." He is almost crying when he says this which doesn't happen very much. He didn't want me to go. So I told him that I would stay even if he was sleeping. All throughout this hour or so visit he went in and out of sleep but he would tell me that he loves me more than I know. He would tell me that the reason he had to have so many heart surgeries was because there is not enough room in his heart for all the love he has for me and Harry and my mom. I kept telling him that I loved him too. It was such a blessing at the time, but I didn't realize it till hours later when I was retelling this story to someone and they said to me, "So you prayed for someone to love you like a father does and God sent you your father."
6.21.2006
Digging up old roots
“The greatest obstacle, indeed, the only obstacle, is that we are not free from passions and lusts, that we do not try to follow the perfect way of the saints. Thus when we encounter some slight difficulty, we are too easily dejected, and turn to human consolations. If we tried, however to stand as brave men in battle, the help of the Lord from heaven would surely sustain us. For He Who gives us the opportunity of fighting for victory, is ready to help those who carry on and trust in His grace.
If we let our progress in religious life depend on the observance of it’s externals alone, our devotion will quickly come to an end. Let us, then, lay the ax to the root, that we might be free from our passions and thus have peace of mind.
If we uproot only one vice each year, we should soon be perfect. The contrary, however, is often the case-we feel that we were better and purer in the first fervor of our conversion that we are after many years in the practice of our faith. Our fervor and progress ought to increase day by day; yet it is now considered note worthy if a man can retain even a part of his first fervor.”
- Thomas a Kempis
My alarm clocks rings for the 3rd time this morning. I sit up and stare sleepily at the clock. 7am. This is not so early for getting up and spending time with the Lord before Yaks. I've have to get up at 4 am before if I wanted any time with the Father in my day. I blankly continue stare at the clock as I plan how much time I would actually spend with the Lord. "Okay, if I spend time with him from 7:30 - 8:00 then I can sleep from 8 - 8:30." I thought to myself. When I am half asleep I can talk myself out of all sorts of things. I continue to think till 7:30 and then I open my Bible and lay on my bed and begin to read. I dazed in and out and kept thinking that I couldn't wait till 8 so I could hit the hay for a half hour more. Then a thought hit me. "If you know what you are supposed to do and you don't do it then you are in sin." I knew that I was supposed to spend an hour with the Lord this morning and I wanted to go to sleep. But apparently that wasn't an option this morning. So I ended up staying up the whole time and spending it with him. It was funny though because satan tries to get in there and do the whole forbidden fruit thing. "Did God really say that you are in sin if you don't do what he says?"
This quote is the devotional I have been reading over this week. It's from "Imitation of Christ." I have been reading one small chapter a week for the last 3 weeks. They can be pretty pretty chewy. This one has stuck out to me the most. What an amazing thing it is. Everything he says is so true. We so often set these crazy goals for ourselves, and we don't ever meet up to them. (I set goals too high.) Then we totally quit and just go to our comfort thing, whether it would be food or other people or hunting, whatever it is. I hate that. If, like Thomas a Kempis said, we stand up and fight, like this morning's quiet time, God will surely stand up for our cause. He will surely defend us. I love how he talks about putting the axe to the root as far as our passions go, and think these are different then the passions that God puts in our hearts, he will give us peace of mind if we let them go. There is just something in this quote that speaks to me. It is possible for me to uproot the vices that have been rooted in me for the past 20 years. All hope is not lost, 20 years of forming habits and such is a long time to try and kick them in just one day, one week, or even one year. But if we can uproot one each year how different everyone would look. I totally think that the fervor he is talking about is awesome too. It is so possible to be just as zealous for the Lord as when we first got saved. A lot of people who are fresh saved will do just about anything for the Lord. They almost immediately love him. That was the feeling I had anyway. "You died for me of course I will love you! You gave your son for me, of course I will call you daddy and of course I love you!" That was my instant reaction. I've had to really recently walk the whole love for the Father out, and allow some healing, I'm in process because that uncondional first reaction love has left and I see God through weird lenses. But that first fervor I had no doubt will return and I will see him through clear lenses. I don't know if any of all of this makes any sense, but this is everything that came out of me reading this section of "The Imitation of Christ"
If we let our progress in religious life depend on the observance of it’s externals alone, our devotion will quickly come to an end. Let us, then, lay the ax to the root, that we might be free from our passions and thus have peace of mind.
If we uproot only one vice each year, we should soon be perfect. The contrary, however, is often the case-we feel that we were better and purer in the first fervor of our conversion that we are after many years in the practice of our faith. Our fervor and progress ought to increase day by day; yet it is now considered note worthy if a man can retain even a part of his first fervor.”
- Thomas a Kempis
My alarm clocks rings for the 3rd time this morning. I sit up and stare sleepily at the clock. 7am. This is not so early for getting up and spending time with the Lord before Yaks. I've have to get up at 4 am before if I wanted any time with the Father in my day. I blankly continue stare at the clock as I plan how much time I would actually spend with the Lord. "Okay, if I spend time with him from 7:30 - 8:00 then I can sleep from 8 - 8:30." I thought to myself. When I am half asleep I can talk myself out of all sorts of things. I continue to think till 7:30 and then I open my Bible and lay on my bed and begin to read. I dazed in and out and kept thinking that I couldn't wait till 8 so I could hit the hay for a half hour more. Then a thought hit me. "If you know what you are supposed to do and you don't do it then you are in sin." I knew that I was supposed to spend an hour with the Lord this morning and I wanted to go to sleep. But apparently that wasn't an option this morning. So I ended up staying up the whole time and spending it with him. It was funny though because satan tries to get in there and do the whole forbidden fruit thing. "Did God really say that you are in sin if you don't do what he says?"
This quote is the devotional I have been reading over this week. It's from "Imitation of Christ." I have been reading one small chapter a week for the last 3 weeks. They can be pretty pretty chewy. This one has stuck out to me the most. What an amazing thing it is. Everything he says is so true. We so often set these crazy goals for ourselves, and we don't ever meet up to them. (I set goals too high.) Then we totally quit and just go to our comfort thing, whether it would be food or other people or hunting, whatever it is. I hate that. If, like Thomas a Kempis said, we stand up and fight, like this morning's quiet time, God will surely stand up for our cause. He will surely defend us. I love how he talks about putting the axe to the root as far as our passions go, and think these are different then the passions that God puts in our hearts, he will give us peace of mind if we let them go. There is just something in this quote that speaks to me. It is possible for me to uproot the vices that have been rooted in me for the past 20 years. All hope is not lost, 20 years of forming habits and such is a long time to try and kick them in just one day, one week, or even one year. But if we can uproot one each year how different everyone would look. I totally think that the fervor he is talking about is awesome too. It is so possible to be just as zealous for the Lord as when we first got saved. A lot of people who are fresh saved will do just about anything for the Lord. They almost immediately love him. That was the feeling I had anyway. "You died for me of course I will love you! You gave your son for me, of course I will call you daddy and of course I love you!" That was my instant reaction. I've had to really recently walk the whole love for the Father out, and allow some healing, I'm in process because that uncondional first reaction love has left and I see God through weird lenses. But that first fervor I had no doubt will return and I will see him through clear lenses. I don't know if any of all of this makes any sense, but this is everything that came out of me reading this section of "The Imitation of Christ"
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