Here are some links I have come across the past two weeks and thought I'd share them with y'all.
http://www.seedsofcompassion.org - check out the webcasts of what was an amazing conference including influential leaders like The Dalai Lama and Rob Bell.
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk - stories from the Church of England and their desire to see new ways of being church brought about.
Peace
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Pause Buttons
In the movie Click Adam Sandler's character possesses a remote with which he is able to pause time. Interestingly, whenever he hits the pause button time stops for everyone but himself, so he is able to maneuver around, changing his position (and the position of objects) while other people stand still.
Do you ever wish you could get your hands on such a remote? I know I do.
Thanks to Galileo and his then controversial heliocentric theory, we now know that the world never stands still; we as a planet are in constant motion around the sun. And yet there are times in my life when I wish the world would just stop orbiting, that the people around me would stop moving, that everything and everyone would just stop and take a collective break.
But life isn't like that, is it? There always seems to be people to talk to, projects to finish, shows to watch, emails to respond to, kids to take care of, theories to articulate, books to read, and goals to accomplish. As people in a capitalist society, we are constantly being pulled toward increased productivity and accomplishment--what some call the "rat race"--and so it comes as no surprise that so many people find their value in what they do.
I've wondered for a while how Jesus would function in our society. Would he too feel the constant pressure to perform more, to relate more, to know more? Would he ever give in to that pressure? How would he balance all of his responsibilities? We could speculate all day long and never come to a definite conclusion. Yet I think it's important for us to ask ourselves the following questions: If Jesus were in my shoes, how would my life change? Where would I want to invest my time and energy? What or who would be a priority in my life?
Despite of the endless movement of our world, we as human beings have the ability to pause and reflect on these kinds of questions. We have the ability to make changes, rearrange priorities, and say no to things we once said yes to. It's as if we all hold a remote, but instead of pausing those around us, we can only pause ourselves.
If life seems to be going in directions you would rather not go, then I invite you to pull out your remote, push pause in any way you find helpful (take a vacation, visit a retreat center, start a journal), and take some time reflecting on who God made you to be. What are your passions? What brings you joy? How has God gifted you to be his agent of love in the world?
So go on and push that pause button. It'll change your life.
Do you ever wish you could get your hands on such a remote? I know I do.
Thanks to Galileo and his then controversial heliocentric theory, we now know that the world never stands still; we as a planet are in constant motion around the sun. And yet there are times in my life when I wish the world would just stop orbiting, that the people around me would stop moving, that everything and everyone would just stop and take a collective break.
But life isn't like that, is it? There always seems to be people to talk to, projects to finish, shows to watch, emails to respond to, kids to take care of, theories to articulate, books to read, and goals to accomplish. As people in a capitalist society, we are constantly being pulled toward increased productivity and accomplishment--what some call the "rat race"--and so it comes as no surprise that so many people find their value in what they do.
I've wondered for a while how Jesus would function in our society. Would he too feel the constant pressure to perform more, to relate more, to know more? Would he ever give in to that pressure? How would he balance all of his responsibilities? We could speculate all day long and never come to a definite conclusion. Yet I think it's important for us to ask ourselves the following questions: If Jesus were in my shoes, how would my life change? Where would I want to invest my time and energy? What or who would be a priority in my life?
Despite of the endless movement of our world, we as human beings have the ability to pause and reflect on these kinds of questions. We have the ability to make changes, rearrange priorities, and say no to things we once said yes to. It's as if we all hold a remote, but instead of pausing those around us, we can only pause ourselves.
If life seems to be going in directions you would rather not go, then I invite you to pull out your remote, push pause in any way you find helpful (take a vacation, visit a retreat center, start a journal), and take some time reflecting on who God made you to be. What are your passions? What brings you joy? How has God gifted you to be his agent of love in the world?
So go on and push that pause button. It'll change your life.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A Dream of the church
I've just begun reading a book by Wolfgang Simson titled "Houses That Change the World" which focuses on who the church is called to be. He begins by spelling out a vision of the church that is both challenging yet inspiring. He dreams of a church that is...
"as simple as One-Two-Three, yet is dynamic; an explosive thing, able to turn the world and a neighborhood upside-down. The church as a supernatural invention, endowed with God's gift of immortality; a means to disciple one another, and to make the life of Jesus rub off on each other. An experience of grace and grapes, love and laughter, joy and jellybeans, forgiveness and fun, power and -yes, why not?- paper.
A church, which does not need huge amounts of money, or rhetoric, control and manipulation, which can do without powerful and charismatic heroes, which is non-religious at heart, which can thrill people to the core, make them lose their tongues out of sheer joy and astonishment, and simply teach us The Way to live. A church which not only has a message, but is the message."
I hope Wolfgang's dream stirs something in you as it did in me.
Peace
"as simple as One-Two-Three, yet is dynamic; an explosive thing, able to turn the world and a neighborhood upside-down. The church as a supernatural invention, endowed with God's gift of immortality; a means to disciple one another, and to make the life of Jesus rub off on each other. An experience of grace and grapes, love and laughter, joy and jellybeans, forgiveness and fun, power and -yes, why not?- paper.
A church, which does not need huge amounts of money, or rhetoric, control and manipulation, which can do without powerful and charismatic heroes, which is non-religious at heart, which can thrill people to the core, make them lose their tongues out of sheer joy and astonishment, and simply teach us The Way to live. A church which not only has a message, but is the message."
I hope Wolfgang's dream stirs something in you as it did in me.
Peace
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Taking the Next Step
Easter has come and gone again...at least on the 2008 calendar. But in my encounters with people who find themselves intimately connected with what God is doing in the world I am discovering that Easter is happening every day of the year.
The hope that was established and is now offered by the resurrection of Jesus is increasingly prevalent in the lives of those who call themselves followers of Jesus. These are the people who are quite literally offering food and water to a hungry and thirsty world. These are the people who are adopting whole villages of kids for whom their parents have either died or are dying of AIDS. These are the people who are stepping into some of the most church-forsaken places on earth and proclaiming a message of hope with their words, but more importantly, with their lives. These are people who not only dream of a restored and redeemed world but are actually taking steps to see that come about.
And that's what faith is really about, isn't it? Isn't it about taking a step of action in partnership with God to see change come about in one's own life as well as in the lives of those we encounter? So we overcome addictions and leave behind a destructive part of our life, only to find ourselves wanting to help others do the same thing. In this way, I think we pray with more than our words, but with our lives to see heaven come to earth, which is the very thing Jesus prayed for (that the Father's will would "be done on earth as it is in heaven").
So what's the next step for you?
The hope that was established and is now offered by the resurrection of Jesus is increasingly prevalent in the lives of those who call themselves followers of Jesus. These are the people who are quite literally offering food and water to a hungry and thirsty world. These are the people who are adopting whole villages of kids for whom their parents have either died or are dying of AIDS. These are the people who are stepping into some of the most church-forsaken places on earth and proclaiming a message of hope with their words, but more importantly, with their lives. These are people who not only dream of a restored and redeemed world but are actually taking steps to see that come about.
And that's what faith is really about, isn't it? Isn't it about taking a step of action in partnership with God to see change come about in one's own life as well as in the lives of those we encounter? So we overcome addictions and leave behind a destructive part of our life, only to find ourselves wanting to help others do the same thing. In this way, I think we pray with more than our words, but with our lives to see heaven come to earth, which is the very thing Jesus prayed for (that the Father's will would "be done on earth as it is in heaven").
So what's the next step for you?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Identity theft
Have you ever had your identity stolen? I haven't, but I've heard enough stories from people who have to know that it's not a pleasant experience. In fact, it's quite horrible. I mean, imagine having to change all those numbers with which you are identified. Your Social Security number, your credit card number, your phone number. All these numbers hold the key to your identity. Think about it. If someone presses the right sequence of the numbers 1-9 on their phone, they could end up having a personal conversation with YOU!
I can't imagine having to change all those numbers, and then having to re-establish relationships with those people who connect with me using those numbers. It would be much easier just to continue using the same old numbers and let the thieves have their way, but it would probably be much more costly.
While the practice of identity theft is not something explicitly mentioned in the Scriptures, I think it is a concept Jesus introduces to those he encounters. In John 5:1-18, we find the story of Jesus healing a man who had been ill for 38 years. While that demonstration of the healing power of God would be enough for me, the point John wants to make is that Jesus healed the man on the sabbath, and the reaction of the Jewish religious leaders reveals that their identity has been stolen.
Now the sabbath was (and still is) incredibly important to the Jewish people. It was a sacred practice that identified them as God's redeemed people, so God commanded them to keep it (Deut. 5:12-15). The religious leaders of Jesus' day had analyzed this commandment "to keep the sabbath" to such a degree that they had developed over 30 different nuances of the commandment, essentially creating a list of things you could or could not do on the sabbath. The religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, loved the law of Moses and they had given their lives to following the law down to the letter for it was in following the law that they found their identity.
So Jesus enters the scene and heals a man for whom death was not imminent on the sabbath--a BIG no-no in the Pharisees' book. And not only does Jesus heal this man on the sabbath, but then he goes on answer their criticism by saying that just as his Father is still working, so is he still working, essentially saying that he, himself was equal to God.
These two things--the healing of the man and the claim of Jesus to be equal to God--were what upset the Jewish leaders the most (John 5:18), and I think I partly understand why. Now if I were a Jewish leader, I too would be upset with Jesus because his actions and words are a threat to my identity. My zealous obedience to the law of Moses is the very thing that sets me apart as holy, as one who belongs to God, but then Jesus comes along claiming to be equal to the God of my people, the one who gave us the law in the first place. "Jesus, stop messing with my identity!" is something I would shout at Jesus. If I don't have my strict adherence to the law, then what do I have to identify myself?
If we believe Jesus to be the one who in fact IS equal to God, then his presence on the earth is a sign of the ushering in of the reign of God and with it, the true way of living. The Jewish religious leaders thought that true obedience to the law was performed one way--in continually discovering ways to separate themselves from others--but Jesus demonstrates that true obedience is in bringing salvation to the world--salvation in its most holistic sense. For Jesus, this means that instead of fighting and waging war, we love our enemies; instead of distancing ourselves from those who are "unclean", we get close enough to touch and heal them, even if it means breaking the rules established by community leaders.
Jesus healing this man on the sabbath confronts something deep within the Jewish leaders, namely the source of their identity. They had established a system of rules in which they found their worth and identity, and they didn't want to lose that because it meant losing themselves. And just as the identity of the Jewish leaders was confronted, so too are we today confronted by this act of Jesus.
I think this healing act of Jesus is particularly difficult for those of us in Western society where success and achievement are so highly valued. The primary mindset of Western society leads many to base their identities on what they do and how well they do it. Perhaps this explains why not getting through the first round of American Idol--i.e. not getting to go to Hollywood--is such a crushing experience for so many people. It isn't surprising then that when all the young aspiring singers are told their performance aren't that good (or as Simon would say, "it was rotten") they seem to go off the deep end because the three judges are not only commenting on their singing ability, but it feels as if they are evaluating the singer as a person!
But getting back to Jesus, I think the most challenging part of his healing is that he is essentially asking people to surrender those things on which we have established their identities and to embrace the simplest, yet most profound identity as a deeply loved child of God.
For so long I have based my identity on my accomplishments, but according to Jesus, having that as my source of identity will not lead to the true way of living. So in a sense my identity has been stolen by my accomplishments. This leads me to ask, by what or by whom has your identity been stolen? What consumes you? What things/people/tasks falsely give you value and worth?
My identity has been held ransom for a long time and I'm learning that the best thing I can do is to die to those things that really shouldn't determine who I am anyway. This means I have to first identify what or who it is that has stolen my identity, and then I have to spend time reflecting on why I allowed that thing/person to steal it in the first place. This includes moments of confession and repentance, which finally allow me to experience the grace and love of God, who calls me his kid.
I can't imagine having to change all those numbers, and then having to re-establish relationships with those people who connect with me using those numbers. It would be much easier just to continue using the same old numbers and let the thieves have their way, but it would probably be much more costly.
While the practice of identity theft is not something explicitly mentioned in the Scriptures, I think it is a concept Jesus introduces to those he encounters. In John 5:1-18, we find the story of Jesus healing a man who had been ill for 38 years. While that demonstration of the healing power of God would be enough for me, the point John wants to make is that Jesus healed the man on the sabbath, and the reaction of the Jewish religious leaders reveals that their identity has been stolen.
Now the sabbath was (and still is) incredibly important to the Jewish people. It was a sacred practice that identified them as God's redeemed people, so God commanded them to keep it (Deut. 5:12-15). The religious leaders of Jesus' day had analyzed this commandment "to keep the sabbath" to such a degree that they had developed over 30 different nuances of the commandment, essentially creating a list of things you could or could not do on the sabbath. The religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, loved the law of Moses and they had given their lives to following the law down to the letter for it was in following the law that they found their identity.
So Jesus enters the scene and heals a man for whom death was not imminent on the sabbath--a BIG no-no in the Pharisees' book. And not only does Jesus heal this man on the sabbath, but then he goes on answer their criticism by saying that just as his Father is still working, so is he still working, essentially saying that he, himself was equal to God.
These two things--the healing of the man and the claim of Jesus to be equal to God--were what upset the Jewish leaders the most (John 5:18), and I think I partly understand why. Now if I were a Jewish leader, I too would be upset with Jesus because his actions and words are a threat to my identity. My zealous obedience to the law of Moses is the very thing that sets me apart as holy, as one who belongs to God, but then Jesus comes along claiming to be equal to the God of my people, the one who gave us the law in the first place. "Jesus, stop messing with my identity!" is something I would shout at Jesus. If I don't have my strict adherence to the law, then what do I have to identify myself?
If we believe Jesus to be the one who in fact IS equal to God, then his presence on the earth is a sign of the ushering in of the reign of God and with it, the true way of living. The Jewish religious leaders thought that true obedience to the law was performed one way--in continually discovering ways to separate themselves from others--but Jesus demonstrates that true obedience is in bringing salvation to the world--salvation in its most holistic sense. For Jesus, this means that instead of fighting and waging war, we love our enemies; instead of distancing ourselves from those who are "unclean", we get close enough to touch and heal them, even if it means breaking the rules established by community leaders.
Jesus healing this man on the sabbath confronts something deep within the Jewish leaders, namely the source of their identity. They had established a system of rules in which they found their worth and identity, and they didn't want to lose that because it meant losing themselves. And just as the identity of the Jewish leaders was confronted, so too are we today confronted by this act of Jesus.
I think this healing act of Jesus is particularly difficult for those of us in Western society where success and achievement are so highly valued. The primary mindset of Western society leads many to base their identities on what they do and how well they do it. Perhaps this explains why not getting through the first round of American Idol--i.e. not getting to go to Hollywood--is such a crushing experience for so many people. It isn't surprising then that when all the young aspiring singers are told their performance aren't that good (or as Simon would say, "it was rotten") they seem to go off the deep end because the three judges are not only commenting on their singing ability, but it feels as if they are evaluating the singer as a person!
But getting back to Jesus, I think the most challenging part of his healing is that he is essentially asking people to surrender those things on which we have established their identities and to embrace the simplest, yet most profound identity as a deeply loved child of God.
For so long I have based my identity on my accomplishments, but according to Jesus, having that as my source of identity will not lead to the true way of living. So in a sense my identity has been stolen by my accomplishments. This leads me to ask, by what or by whom has your identity been stolen? What consumes you? What things/people/tasks falsely give you value and worth?
My identity has been held ransom for a long time and I'm learning that the best thing I can do is to die to those things that really shouldn't determine who I am anyway. This means I have to first identify what or who it is that has stolen my identity, and then I have to spend time reflecting on why I allowed that thing/person to steal it in the first place. This includes moments of confession and repentance, which finally allow me to experience the grace and love of God, who calls me his kid.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Promoting Change
Here's a link I came across that will enliven your spirit and hopefully prompt you to join in the restoration of God's creation. It's a website committed to connecting those with resources (many Americans) with those who need those resources (many in the two-thirds world). Enjoy!
www.tradeasone.com
www.tradeasone.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Life of Suffering
Jesus never ceases to amaze me. About two-thirds of the way through his Gospel, John shares an interesting conversation between Jesus and his disciples; the topic of conversation is essentially about reaching God or being near to God, which I think is the deepest desire of humanity.
Anyway, after Thomas asks Jesus about how to get near to God, Jesus replies, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Now this verse has been taken out of context by much of Western Christianity and has basically been used as an evangelistic tool to convert others to Christianity. But I don't think this is Jesus' intention for two reasons. First, Jesus is speaking with his disciples, who already trust him and who are already following him. They have already been converted, so there's no need for them to be convinced again about who he is!
The second reason is a bit more academic, but I think it helps demonstrate my point. John, who we believe wrote this Gospel account, is writing from a post-resurrection/ascension vantage point. He already knows how the story ends up: Jesus gets arrested, is beaten, is eventually crucified, then is resurrected, appears again to his followers, and finally ascends to the right hand of the Father. John knows this is the path Jesus travels through the rest of his time on earth, which is a path of suffering, pain, and even death, eventually ending is his resurrection and heavenly fellowship with the Father. So John is writing his Gospel knowing that the life of Jesus ends this way--in fellowship with the Father.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life" is an invitation to deeper discipleship.
Now let's jump back into the story. The greatest desire of the disciples--and of humanity's I would argue--is to be in fellowship with God, and Jesus essentially says that to enjoy fellowship with God is to place one foot in front of the other on a path that may not always be easy and free of pain. In fact, if what we see in Gospels is any indication, the path of Jesus toward fellowship with the Father will probably include more pain, more suffering, and even more death than we would like. This path may even cause us to doubt God at times. Yet, John insists that this, the suffering life of Jesus, is the path to God.
To be a disciple of Jesus then is to place ourselves on this path of suffering (not in a sadistic sort of way). To be a disciple of Jesus means that we expect suffering, pain, and death to be part of life's journey; it means that we embrace suffering and wrestle with it, not sliding it under the rug as a way to suppress it, all the while knowing that this path, this suffering, leads toward resurrection and fellowship with the Father--this is our hope.
"The last word, and the word after that" (thanks Brian McLaren) is that there is hope in the midst of suffering. There is "light" at the end of the tunnel, even if you cannot see it. Death, pain, and suffering do not win out in the end. So whatever junk you are going through right now in your life, know that you are not alone, because Jesus has traveled this path before, and he made it through to the Father.
Anyway, after Thomas asks Jesus about how to get near to God, Jesus replies, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Now this verse has been taken out of context by much of Western Christianity and has basically been used as an evangelistic tool to convert others to Christianity. But I don't think this is Jesus' intention for two reasons. First, Jesus is speaking with his disciples, who already trust him and who are already following him. They have already been converted, so there's no need for them to be convinced again about who he is!
The second reason is a bit more academic, but I think it helps demonstrate my point. John, who we believe wrote this Gospel account, is writing from a post-resurrection/ascension vantage point. He already knows how the story ends up: Jesus gets arrested, is beaten, is eventually crucified, then is resurrected, appears again to his followers, and finally ascends to the right hand of the Father. John knows this is the path Jesus travels through the rest of his time on earth, which is a path of suffering, pain, and even death, eventually ending is his resurrection and heavenly fellowship with the Father. So John is writing his Gospel knowing that the life of Jesus ends this way--in fellowship with the Father.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life" is an invitation to deeper discipleship.
Now let's jump back into the story. The greatest desire of the disciples--and of humanity's I would argue--is to be in fellowship with God, and Jesus essentially says that to enjoy fellowship with God is to place one foot in front of the other on a path that may not always be easy and free of pain. In fact, if what we see in Gospels is any indication, the path of Jesus toward fellowship with the Father will probably include more pain, more suffering, and even more death than we would like. This path may even cause us to doubt God at times. Yet, John insists that this, the suffering life of Jesus, is the path to God.
To be a disciple of Jesus then is to place ourselves on this path of suffering (not in a sadistic sort of way). To be a disciple of Jesus means that we expect suffering, pain, and death to be part of life's journey; it means that we embrace suffering and wrestle with it, not sliding it under the rug as a way to suppress it, all the while knowing that this path, this suffering, leads toward resurrection and fellowship with the Father--this is our hope.
"The last word, and the word after that" (thanks Brian McLaren) is that there is hope in the midst of suffering. There is "light" at the end of the tunnel, even if you cannot see it. Death, pain, and suffering do not win out in the end. So whatever junk you are going through right now in your life, know that you are not alone, because Jesus has traveled this path before, and he made it through to the Father.
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