Listening To Pain

I have a story to tell, I do not have permission to tell it publicly, but here I proceed anyway. It is a story of love, pain, learning and unlearning.

This weekend was Art On The Square here in Belleville where we live. It is a big deal for a small city to have such a highly acclaimed event with such talented artists. So with the children spending the evening with my parents, the woman I love and I went to go see the art. As with any event of this type, there was art I liked and art I disliked, there were high points and low points; which admittedly would have changed based on style and preference.

After an evening of great art and good conversation with several of the artists we wandered into the booth of Ron Phillips. Phillips is an amazing artist who uses his media to both tell the story of his people and to inspire hope for a better story future generations will tell.

As we were both gushing over our favorites of his pieces he pointed out a particular piece he wanted to show us. This picture was a timeline of the atrocities against and accomplishments of blacks in America set on a USAmerica flag. The piece had photos of the colonial slave ships and whites only signs. It had pictures of heroes like Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Malcom X and Barack Obama. I commented that it was an amazing piece and captured the timeline well.

The artist then pointed to a photograph within the picture and asked me if I knew who the person was. I did not, so I responded, "No, but I can identify most others." Phillips proceeded, "That's Emmett Till." I answered back, oblivious to what was taking place outside myself, "No, don't know him but I do see..." and I began to proceed to identify a few of the works subjects.

As I rattled off my repository of useless trivia I was interrupted to be taught a lesson on listening to pain. This woman I love spoke over me to the artist, "Tell us his story." I silenced myself and listened as Ron shared the details of the tragic death of a little boy named Emmett Till. As Phillips finished his story my wife put her arms around him and just cried mourning the disgraceful brutal end of this boy's life. I watched as her and this artist, this stranger, shared the pain of the sickening curse poured out on this boy.

When the two of them broke their embrace Ron told her, "That was the highest compliment on my work I received tonight." No one would have believed it not true.

I am in debited to them both for what I learned in those moments.

Glen Beck & Social Justice

I have been recently on a series of posts looking at Jesus. The point of this has been to distill down how I am understanding the words, teachings, and ministry of Jesus at this point in my journey. I am continuing forward with that series. I am currently writing the "Prayers of Jesus" and will be posting that soon.

However, the stir created over Glen Beck's much reported comments on his radio program has caused me to desire to post some thoughts originally part of a conversation on Facebook on here.

Recapping the original Glen Beck quote:

I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church?

After these comments by Beck I set my status to a quote by John Allan Bankson (@knowtea).

I'll continue to preach social justice because Jesus did. I pity anyone who gets his/her theology from Glenn Beck.

A friend of mine responded with his endorsement of Glen Beck's ideas.

So this was originally offered as my response to him. I am now posting it as my response to Mr. Beck and those others who would claim that Jesus' message is easily harmonized with the republican motto of "individual freedom and personal responsibility"

Being born into the most privileged class of the most powerful empire on earth, it is easy to be sold on the imperialst creed of 'freedom' and 'personal responsibility'. However great those ideas are, and I do believe they are great ideas, there are causes and complication beyond those ideas.  Loving people requires we (I am speaking to those like myself born of privilege) look to understand the systemic inequality and emotional complication those inequalities make manifest in the world.  

This does not mean we look to the state for answers to the systems of oppression. I am not supporter of using the empire as vendors of good & services.  Coercive power, even when being used for "good" is an enemy of love.

Instead we practice a new creation, a powerful transformative force rooted in economic justice.  We empty ourselves of privlege, entitlement, and power, to suffer in solidarity with, and to creatively empower new realities within oppressed peoples.

Look at the life and ministry of Jesus. Whether it's Healing the sick, giving the blind sight, setting the oppressed free, and proclaimg God's love among the poor that he promised in his ignaugral adress and traveled from village to village to practice, or  touching the unclean, eating with the outcasts, and speaking against an oppressive religious system which ultimately got him executed as an insurectionist; Jesus message was FIRMLY rooted in social justice.

The power of social justice is one of self identication as equals to the poor and disadvantage.  Social justice is the word of God, (love your neighbor) taking on flesh.  Incarnation is social justice, and I would tell anyone, if you're NOT hearing social justice in your church then leave, because they are preaching a different Jesus than the one recorded in the gospels.

Not Better, Just Better Off

Hugh Hollowell from Loves Wins a ministry to the homeless in NC had this post a few days ago. I think it communicates a message that we all need to hear most effectively.

Why did I grow up in a house with parents who loved me, who passed on a work ethic and taught me how to dream, how to set goals, how to love? I had nothing to do with it – it just happened. I was in the right place at the right time.

Why did my friend Jimmy* grow up in a house where his mamma’s boyfriend beat him with a fan belt, where mom had to sell her body to survive after Daddy went to jail and where the only male role model in his life was the local pimp? He did not pick that life. He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

If you are going to work with broken people, the first thing you have to realize is that you are not better than the people you will be working with- you are not smarter, you are not more in God’s favor, you are not morally superior. You are not better, you are just better off.

How would your life have turned out if you had to steal food in order for your little sister to eat? If you had to go to school three days in a row in the same clothes? If you had to sit on the porch in the cold while your momma is ‘entertaining’ men for money so you can eat tonight? How would you have turned out if your momma had a crack addiction, or if the only time you saw your daddy was on visiting day at the prison, or if you were raped regularly from the ages of 7 to 16?

If you are going to work with broken people, you have to understand that there are all kind of reasons that people are broken, and it often has nothing to do with their salvation, or their walk with God, or their eternal destiny after their death or whether they said some prayer.

Some of you are resisting… Hugh, Do you mean that the relative wealth I enjoy (and if you live on more than $2.50 a day, you are wealthier than half of the planet) is not God’s gift to me, but luck, or circumstance or the result of my race and culture inheriting the wealth produced by enslaved people on stolen land? Yup. That is what I mean. You were born into the right place, at the right time.

You are not better – just better off.

Read more from his blog

Jacob, Israel & the Incarnational Church

Jacob, the father of the Hebrew clans, was loved by God. However he was deceptive and arrogant and in need of being humbled. God loved Jacob, but was not content to leave him who we was. God wrestled Jacob, crippled him with a limp, and gave him a new name as a symbol for his true identity. Israel, one who wrestles with God, would become the name of God's tribe on earth.

Through out the prophets God addresses his people by both the name Jacob and the name Israel. Many people ignore this as if they are only synonyms used for literary variety. However, on closer study it becomes clear that God is addressing his people in one of their two states before him. Jacob is the condition of God's people when their mind is set on the carnal things of the kingdom of man. Israel is name used by God to address the heart state of people when their mind is set on the Kingdom of God.

As I was reading Isaiah 9, this idea seemed to break down:

Isaiah 9:8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.

At first it seems like both Jacob and Israel are about to receive God's wrath. However after reading and meditating on the chapter several more times, it meaning begins to take shape. There is responsibility placed on Israel for the fulfillment of God's Kingdom on earth.

Let's look first at the 3 promises God gives Isaiah in this prophecy:
Isaiah 9:4 - End of Oppression
Isaiah 9:5 - End of War
Isaiah 9:6-7 - God physical presence on earth

So then did Christ end oppression, end war, and establish an eternal physical presence on earth, or is God a liar? It takes only a very short look at a daily newspaper to know the answer to these questions. Sex Trafficking and the Iraq Conflict stand as testimonies that oppression and war are still among us. As far as Christ physical presence, that is up for debate too. Of course the church is stated to be the physical incarnation of Christ, yet it only seldom seems to reflect the same business and priorities that Christ has in his personal ministry.

This is where verse 8 and following began to make sense. Christ is judgment against all the Kingdoms of man. War, oppression, disease, and poverty are defeated. "It is finished" Christ said in his last words on the cross. Yet as Isaiah 9:9-16 points out the kingdoms of man keep moving onward. Though defeated by God the dark kingdom keeps it's engine spinning, continuing the work that it has always been about. Since we are citizens of a parallel kingdom, this judgment falls on the citizen's of the God's Kingdom to proclaim and act out this defeat in every place we are present. Where Christ is physically present in the words and actions of his church, there is no war, there is no oppression, there is no disease, there is no poverty. The power to be present in healed Kingdom is waiting to be spoken and waiting to be acted upon.

It is our commission to enter the places of filthy darkness. It is our calling to goto the places of disease and oppression. Redemption is realized when we the community of Christ ACTS in the world . Where Christ's church is living out the Kingdom of God, the consequence of sin is redeemed. The church as the incarnational presence of God among the world, is the only hope for darkness to be renewed in light. I want to be living in that Kingdom reality!

Do You Know Cory Booker?

"I am often told I am unrealistic, I believe this country was formed on unrealistic thoughts." - Cory Booker

Cory Booker is the mayor of Newark, NJ. He was interviewed by Bill Moyers last week. He is a brilliant thinker. I am very sure he and I have different opinions on many policies, however he has a wonderful vision for seeing our country unified as a common people.

He is inspiring, and well worth listening to the interview.

Lent:: Holding Onto Faith

It is the time of the year when myself and the other "camp guys" begin to form ideas and plan lessons, activities, and programs for the upcoming summer sessions. This is a wonderful time of the year for me, because I get to slip into youth minister mode. this period is also a challenge for all of us, as we plan to attempt impact in so many lives in such a short period.

This process led me to desire to revisit a concept from a previous post back in December. I included a quote by C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity. He stated:

We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away? - C.S. Lewis

I wanted to return to this idea again as I reflect on the outcome of camp and youth ministry in the lives of these many young people we work with at camp and examine their faith experience during their college years. It should be noted that as I have watched many of these young people transition from the protection of their parents household to the freedoms of collegiate life, the decision to attend a Christian college over a secular college has virtually 0% impact on the eventual outcomes of their faith experience. Since getting the desired outcome is not as easy as a road map to the right University, we must genuinely examine our ideas and methods of discipleship.

I read this quote today from a campus minister with Campus Crusade for Christ in San Fransisco:

"My experience... is that 80 percent of all incoming college freshmen who are 'saved' youth group kids become 'lost' college students very quickly. Why? Because they didn't follow Jesus to college. (Instead, they followed their friends, parents, 'the system,' or whatever.) They are usually good kids but not very godly. They are nice Christians but not very Christ-like. They are kind of spiritual but not very Spirit-filled."

The author points out from observation that spiritual success has more to do with the instilled manifestation of their faith to maintain them the through these years rather than a compelled sense of participation in religious services.

Instilling only a duty to religious participation is shallow and leaves our teens with a need to a search for fulfillment. Since the fulfillment brought by empty religious ritual matches the emptiness of the world's offerings the responsibility of religious morality becomes burdensome and gives way to the ease of self fulfillment. Having never been offered true meaning for life, pleasure becomes that purpose.

The contrast to pleasure as a purpose teens is young people who were inspired by their parents and other authority structures to live out the service oriented aspects of the Jesus lifestyle. The young people who have committed to renew their faith regularly by participation in Jesus style evangelism. Please understand that this means more than an occasional "service project" and the periodic "mission trip." This structure to bring meaning to faith requires commitment to it's application.

As I look over the majority of our youth I see only lifeless skeletons. Biblical education has provides a framework to build a Spirit Filled life upon, and yet by our lack of diligent commitment to this growth most of the teens are spiritually emaciated with no robust body of Spirit Filled experiences to promote growth. The gods of greed and pleasure have left our students shattered, withered, and perishing.

This is not a white flag! I have not accepted the atrophy and coalesced to merely offer a shallow ala carte consumerist schedule. Instead it is a prophesy!

Ezekiel 37:1-6 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

God has brought Ezekiel on survey trip. He has placed him in a valley of death with one instruction, "Speak words of life." I indict myself, my peers in youth ministry, the parents of these young people, and our churches. This indictment is offered as I stand like Eziekel in the valley created by our efforts and I see only wilted remnants of our grave mistakes. The lifeless bones of those entrusted to our ministries are calling out, "Speak words of life, that we may hear the word of the Lord!"

Ezekiel 37:7-10 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

I challenge us as the fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers of these young people to a new commitment of evangelism to our youth. We must enter into the death and reclaim them from the gods of this world we have surrender them to. We must begin to teach new lessons, not in the classroom, but in the praxis of purity and justice.

We must demonstrate the freedom in Christ we have to choose the narrow road that denounces greed and pleasure. We their leaders have been joined to these whores of worldly religion in their midst. Our first words of life must be tears of repentance!

Our second phase of dialog must be action. We must STOP acting like Christ called his church to be philanthropic purveyors of charity! Augustine's words have never been more timely, "Charity is no substitute for justice withheld." Our day timers need to be realigned to afford greater priority to being light in the darkness. We must seek out opportunities to join with God constantly in his work of reconciliation in the world.

We will not be successful in discipling our young people to hold onto their faith until we learn to live out gospel in front of them. The cross is redemptive, meant to resurrect us from the impoverishment of pride and self gratification. We must physically invest in their restitution through constant participation with them in the work of God among our world. Purity and Justice demonstrated will be more foundational to holding on to faith than any lesson, program or activity we can ever plan. We must breathe life into these slain.

5 for 50 Priceless

A McDonald's Extra Value Meal ... $5
A Starbucks Venti Mocha Frappuccino with a Shot of Raspberry... $5

Feeding 100 Children A Hot Meal... $5
Sending an Orphan To School For A Month... $5
Having My Heart Changed ... Priceless

The M/C Priceless ads are probably my favorite ad campaign ever. In honor of them I could not resist the cheezy opportunity to contrast the priceless changes that God is doing in the hearts of his people.

Inspired by Jeff Walling's 3:16 prayer for the lost idea at Winterfest I decided to attempt to raise $316 in 30 days for the 5 for 50 program. The 5 for 50 program shows how a little bit can go so far. I want to ask my friends to choose 1 day in the next 30, and give up 1 extra value meal, or 1 Starbucks Frap, or 1 whatever and send that money to support the work of feeding, educating, and discipling the 120,000 orphans of the Kingdom of Swaziland. In light of the abundant love of Christ, how can we not do that one small part!

Donate Here

Fair Trade Valentines?

How do you plan on showing love to your special someone tomorrow? Flowers? Chocolates? Sugary Sweets? Coffee? Tea? Wine? What if by purchasing these items you were making a statement of love that was bigger than your mate?

Corporate Greed, and modern feudalism creates a system of exploitation that any follower of Christ should be ashamed of each time we sit to eat. Flowers are grown in literal sweatshops in the Andes. Coffee is grown in slave camps in South America, while the slavery of the cocoa, tea, and sugar industry is in Africa. The food chain of our "simple luxuries" is a reminder of one of Solomon's rants from Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 5:8-11 - If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless.

As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner
except to feast his eyes on them?

The workers of the third world are exploited through 80 hour work weeks, minimal food, subhuman housing, and unclean water all while being told by US corporations and their subsidiaries that they owe more for these "services" than they earned. Tennessee Ford sang about this during the US depression.

You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

As we goto our local store to purchase our holiday wares, we should make no mistake who we are in this equation. We are the rich man, the exploiter. Dante, famously stated there was a special place in hell for those who remained silent in a moral crisis. Although a bit harsh, Dante is right in his emphasis that we are responsible for the oppression, slavery, and injustice our purchasing has. Go back to Solomon's warning, and see that this gift is not a symbol of love, it is simply meaningless lust to gorge our senses!

This valentines day, I would encourage you to make a different choice than the roses, Russell Stovers, or other exploitative products. This holiday demonstrate your love through a holistic decision. A love that shows your feelings to that special someone, but also shows your commitment to the life and justice of the person who labored to make that product. Transfair and Equal Exchange offer ways to connect to companies that support the ethical treatment of their workers. Your commitment to purchasing Fair Trade items is a commitment to "real love" the kind of love Christ spoke about when asked, "Who is My Neighbor?" Purchasing Fair Trade is the responsibility of the people of God.

The Spirit of God calls us to JUSTICE! Will you be the rich man consumed with his wealth, or will you listen to the spirit and practice love!

Isaiah 32:15-17 - Till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.
Justice will dwell in the desert
and righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of righteousness will be peace;

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr day today I give you a little art based on one of my favorite quotes by him. I do believe, that God calls us his people to continue to work for justice and dignity for all people!

Thank you Dr. King for all you taught us about God!

What's Love err... Justice Got To Do With It

Justice, the word conjures up pictures of men sitting in dank cells behind iron bars, or perhaps images from the Nuremberg trials flash across eyes. Justice does not have a positive connotation in our vernacular. Like the character of Shylock in Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" justice is equated to an idea of vengeance for unrighteousness. However, this is not the justice we see in the word of God. In

Deuteronomy 27:19 - "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the
widow."

To further clarify this idea, a Biblical definition of justice is actually laid out in the prophets.

Zechariah 7:9-10 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.

Isaiah 1:17 Seek justice,encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

While the carnal definition of justice is focused on punishment and reward, Biblically, Justice is mercy and compassion. We can return to Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" to see these two juxtaposed by Portia,

Portia - But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself,
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
(Merchant of Venice IV.i.189-199 - William Shakespeare)

So now to bring these three idea's of Biblical justice; equity, compassion, and mercy to Christ himself. This examination must begin in the Old Testament prophets, continuing on to the prenatal prophecies, and finally conclude with Christ own words about his sense of mission.

Notice how in Isaiah 9:6-7 the very physical incarnation of Christ is defined by justice and righteousness.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

The lens of scripture relies only on the praxis of these two concepts to illuminate the identity of the Messiah. Later in Isaiah 42:1-7 the mission of Christ to bear justice through the action of compassion, mercy, and equity is affirmed as being directed to all governments and people's of earth.

Isaiah 42:1-7
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope."
This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

This is important because of the intentional inclusion in the second verse of the non-violent nature of Biblical justice in contrast to carnal justice.

The activity of Biblical justice being wrought through the incarnation is demonstrated in Jeremiah's prophecy about the restoration of Israel in the time of Messiah. In Jeremiah 30 the promise of Christ is that he will return God's people to their right place.

Jeremiah 30:21-22
"Their leader will be one of their own;
their ruler will arise from among them.
I will bring him near and he will come close to me,
for who is he who will devote himself
to be close to me?'
declares the LORD.
'So you will be my people,
and I will be your God.' "

The prenatal New Testament prophecies of Luke, echo these same ideas of Biblical justice. Both "Mary's Song" and "Zechariah's Song" define the mission of incarnation in terms of restorative justice.

Luke 1: 46-55
And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

Mary prophesies that the mercy of Christ will be demonstrated through abolition of carnal political power and just treatment of the poor and humble. Zechariah also promises his mercy to be a force of rescue to those in oppression in verse 74.

It is clear that both the prophetic scriptures, and prenatal prophecies were littered with justice as a central attribute of Messiah. So then it stands to reason that Christ's own mission would be anchored in Biblical justice. This is demonstrated by his reading from Isaiah 61.

Luke 4:16-21 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

His mission statement as outlined to the listers in his home synagogue is solely defined by the concepts of equity, compassion, and mercy. Immanuel is justice. John 5:36-40 demonstrates that Christ uses his participation in justice as the proof he is Messiah.

So one is left at this point to answer the question of what justice has to do with the gospel. The justice of the cross was that the incarnation restored humanity to the image of God through equity, mercy and compassion. The justice of restoration to God has no resemblance to the justice of punishment and reward. Instead the fullness of the new heaven and new earth are seen in Christ ultimate mercy and compassion. Christ non-violence retards the myth of redemptive violence which was powerless to restore humanity to God.

Since therefore the prophecies about Christ, the mission of Christ, the practice of Christ, and the sacrifice of Christ were all centered in this Biblical concept of justice, the new creation must also be realigned to practice equity, compassion, and mercy as beacons for their mission. The second incarnation, the church, must be hallmarked as people of restorative practice. The church can not achieve the mission of the Kingdom so long as it is shackled to a notion of punishment and reward. Biblical justice frees the adopted sons and daughters of God to live out compassion and mercy in their sacred spaces and their marketplaces as imitators of the lifestyle of Christ.

What Would Jesus Buy?

Friday night my wife and I sat over two hours in Chicago rush hour traffic to pilgrimage our way from the suburbs to the bright lights of the city. Our journey taking nearly an hour longer than we accounted for left us attending the 10:15 showing of the new film, produced by Morgan Spurlok and starring Reverend Billy, "What Would Jesus Buy."

My wife and I both liked the movie. Although I do not agree with the reverend on every level, his overall mission to "slow down American consumerism" is certainly a worthy goal. I certainly believe he proves his thesis that Jesus would not endorse the selfishness and greed that are associated around the celebration of his birth.

Overall, I would recommend the movie. Rev. Billy was at the viewing and we enjoyed being a part of the discussion with him after the show. He did admit to having had a few drinks by the 12:15 AM ending of the show.

Love Is Dangerous

I was listening to one of my favorite sermons again yesterday. It inspired me to create this shirt.



If I get 8 - 10 people who want it, I am going to do a print run, so comment to me. The cost will be $12 each and proceeds will go to Sevens.

The Power of the Blood of Jesus

Andrew Murray - a 19th century Dutch Reformed minister and first president of YMCA wrote over 240 books in lifetime. I am currently reading "The Power of the Blood of Jesus" This quote really struck a chord with me.

The hidden value of His blood is the spirit of self-sacrifice, and where the blood really touches the heart, it works out in that heart, a like spirit of self-sacrifice. We learn to give up ourselves and our lives, so as to press into the full power of that new life, which the blood. has provided.

We give our time in order that we may become acquainted with these things by God's Word. We separate ourselves from sin and worldly-mindedness, and self-will, that the power of the blood may not be hindered, for it is just these things that the blood seeks to remove.

We surrender ourselves wholly to God in prayer and faith, so as not to think our own thoughts, and not to hold our own lives as a prize, but as possessing nothing save what He bestows. Then He reveals to us the glorious and blessed life which has been prepared for us by the blood.

So basically since Life is in the blood and Christ giving us his blood was the ultimate step of self sacrifice this means that participation in self-sacrifice is where we most experience our "life" in Christ. Our participation in the service of restoring justice to others is the ultimate form of participation in Christ's redemptive work.

The book is free online in an old english translation. A modern translation is available in paperback for only $9 on Amazon.

Power In The Blood

My Frustration Knows NO limitations

Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I am overwhelmed with excitement as our church prepares to begin working alongside our Hispanic brothers in reaching out this community in our area. As one of our elders sent an email announcing the beginning of Spanish classes at our building this is the response back to the entire email list from one member:

It seems to me we should better teach an English class to all those who want to learn.  Seems like it would prove to be more useful since they have come to the United States to live.
Love you all,
X

I am MOST certainly thankful that Christ did not require me to learn Aramaic, or worse to make myself righteous before he was willing to offer me salvation. I can only imagine how this might have worked out on Spiritual Scale:

Step 1: Live Sinless
Step 2: Since you failed step 1 you're already screwed, report to the lake of fire upon death.

CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF! CHRIST TOOK ON FLESH! CHRIST BECAME LIKE US! Why? So that we might be SAVED!!! This idea that we will only provide outreach to those willing to conform themselves to our Social, Civil, Political ideals is an affront to God and detestable to His gospel! THE KING and CREATOR did not demand his disciples take up the towel to wash his feet. HE carried the basin to THEIR feet and cleaned them by his efforts. Finally he instructed them to GO AND DO LIKEWISE!!!!

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL!!!! It is not an invitation to CONFORM to Conservative 1950 WASP ideals of Americana!!! It is not a path to better US residency policy. It is not a call to outsiders to sacrifice their identity for our convenience. THE GOSPEL is a call to SELF SACRIFICE. The gospel's goal is that we will KILL OUR ENTIRE SENSE OF SELF for the sake and name of God's Kingdom!

I sit here with tears flowing from my eyes as I type this! We must confess this arrogance and rid it from our churches by true repentance, the kind that is TREASONOUS to our former selves. WE too are only pilgrims and guest of the nation, WE ARE CITIZENS OF GOD'S KINGDOM!!! We should plant our faces to the ground, and cry out for God's mercy in the face of our arrogance!

Have We Made God Deaf?

Several years ago when our good friends were dealing with a pregnancy that medically would not end well. I often questioned God and his providence as he ignored our cries for a miracle that would changed the verdict of this medical reality. I trust God and his providence, but still the scars cut deep as I mourned with my friend because of God's refusal to intervene.

This week I rejoiced with my friends Benny and Niki as God provided an amazing miracle in healing their son. These friends son, have dealt with a crippling milk allergy that has caused him to live in fear of the consequences of food. I wept as I shared in their joy. My heart swelled as I considered the possibility of a life without Celiac.

Still the old wounds creep to the surface, and the old scars hurt deep as the barometer of my heart leans toward hope in the news of my friend's child. Academically, I absolutely believe in the power of miracles. Practically, I challenge God why he chooses to heal a milk allergy, and leave another child to be born still.

As I was struggling with these conflicting feelings toward God, I ran across this verse in my daily study.

Proverbs 21:13

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered.

I must admit, I "heard" nothing else that chapter contained. My eyes continued reading, but my heart, my mind, and my spirit stopped right there at verse 13. I found myself unable to think about anything else. I have found myself unable to move on in my thoughts for the six days since I first read that passage.

The question that keeps recurring over and over in my head is, "Have we made God deaf?" The miracles of the first years of the church are AMAZING. They stand as AWESOME praise to God. Yet, that power, that presence of God's power seems to be unfound in our world. I am left to wonder, "Where did God's power go?"

Then I hear the amazing miracle of my friends who have surrender the comfort and convenience of many career paths available to them, and instead chosen to serve as missionaries among the homeless teenagers in Boulder. The have given up the hope of the American dream, for the hope of rescuing teens struggling with physical, emotional, and spiritual addictions through the redemption of Christ blood. They have not been building the Nowell kingdom in the suburbs, instead they have been building Christ kingdoms in the dark places of American's urban refuse.

Perhaps God's power isn't present in his people like it was in the early church, because his people are present in the places where his power has always dwelt; with the helpless, the hopeless, the rejects.

I want to be where God's power is.

Imitator of His Kindness

I went out to read the whole epistle after loving the 2 quotes that Mark Moore used in his post and comments. I thought this segment from Chapter 10 (the website I used did not have verse breakdowns) was also amazing!

Epistle to Diognetus 10

And if you love Him, you will be an imitator of His kindness. And do not wonder that a man may become an imitator of God. He can, if he is willing. For it is not by ruling over his neighbours, or by seeking to hold the supremacy over those that are weaker, or by being rich, and showing violence towards those that are inferior, that happiness is found; nor can any one by these things become an imitator of God. But these things do not at all constitute His majesty. On the contrary he who takes upon himself the burden of his neighbour; he who, in whatsoever respect he may be superior, is ready to benefit another who is deficient; he who, whatsoever things he has received from God, by distributing these to the needy, becomes a god to those who receive [his benefits]: he is an imitator of God. Then thou shalt see, while still on earth, that God in the heavens rules over [the universe]; then thou shall begin to speak the mysteries of God; then shalt thou both love and admire those that suffer punishment because they will not deny God; then shall thou condemn the deceit and error of the world when thou shall know what it is to live truly in heaven,

I do believe this is a formula to "awaken longings for what God will someday bring to pass" as Philip Yancey speaks of in his writings about the Kingdom of God.

Come, Lord Jesus

Who The Christians Are!

I was reading an old blog post by Mark Moore and he had this WONDERFUL quote in the comments of the post:

Epistle To Diognetus 5:1-17

“For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.”

I want to live my life in such a way this could be written of me!

Not That Kind of King

You Are Chosen By an Extraordinary King

Jane Espenson in her article " Harry Potter and the Secret to Selling Sci-Fi: " points to the reality that what makes stories about Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, and Dorthy Gale have such universal appeal, as compared to many other characters and stories is,

They're living a life, sometimes a fine one, often a troubled one, but certainly one governed by ordinary rules, when suddenly the curtain is pulled back and a whole new world, or a new set of rules of this world, is revealed. And what's more - and this is the important part - in that new world, they are something special. They are The Chosen One.

Isn't that the reality behind John 10:10 - Christ came to give us ABUNDANT LIFE! We are CHOSEN ADOPTED children of the FAMOUS and ALMIGHTY king. We live in a new world, a new kingdom governed by new rules. When we build our life on the old dead structures we are living CONTRARY to the truths of this new world!

We as God's people need to live as citizens of his kingdom, and be about his business after all he CHOSE US!



Famous One (Live From Austin Music Hall)

Immigration - A Hard Issue In These Days

I have a real issue with our immigration policy as a country. In a truly free society any person should be free to live anywhere they own or rent despite any need for "citizenship" The problem in a world of Social Security and Medicaid one can not have a truly free society. So rich white people from a xenophobic conservative background and their (also rich & white) "liberal" opponents drive in the $60K SUVs to meetings to debate these matters.

Sometimes though the reality of these debates manages to peek it's way through the political fodder of angels and pin tips. One such example is chronicled by Larry James about his friend Monica. Please read his post.