The Attraction of Being an Idiot

A few years ago God's favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, made an unlikely comeback in the playoffs and went on the win the World Series. The exciting thing about that team was the way they won and interacted with one another. It was that year that they dubbed themselves, "The Idiots".  Their reasoning was that they were just a bunch of idiots out having fun and no one could stop them.

Yesterday two different baseball playoff games ended in dramatic fashion with "walk-off" hits for the home team. If you ignore the fact that it takes 2 1/2 hours of rather uneventful plays to reach the drama of a final inning of a baseball playoff game, you will be pressed to argue that any other sport brings such a concentrated moment of excitement. But this is not the point.

The two separate teams that won yesterday demonstrated a contrast in style. On one hand we saw the New York Yankees come from behind and win the game with a home run in the 12th. The fact that Raul Ibanez also hit a home run in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game made this moment unbelievable but it was for a team that has seen its share of drama and is no stranger to "playoff magic". The players are experienced and most expect this sort of thing to happen for them.

The other team was the Oakland A's. A team of misfits in the sense that there are no superstars or big named players. They are always a bit loose and look like little kids playing a game they love. One might say they were a bunch of "idiots" having fun.

They were losing by 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth and a loss would end their season. Somehow they managed to tie the game and then win it with a hit by, not surprising, a former Red Sox named Cocoa Crisp (yes, his real name).

Watch these two plays here

In watching the ends of these two games you will see excitement from fans and tons of emotion from the players. The difference is that the Yankees' response was joyous, yet measured. They know they have more work to do and for them this is business as usual. For the idiot A's, the filter was off. The players raced onto the field as if they were already the champions. In the dugout after the game, the A's were blaring music and dancing around the clubhouse... idiots.

For me. the A's and the Red Sox of 2004, we see the attraction of reckless abandonment. We see the value of being passionate without concern for appearing dignified. In life we are attracted to those who's convictions cause them to live passionately and sometimes recklessly.

I believe it is the image of God in us that still remembers the spark inside that is fueled by passion and adventure. It is a spark that glows when staring down a giant, walking through a parted sea, or beginning a revolution in the name of Jesus. This is a spark that we too often stomp out and leave dormant in us but one that flares when we experience a life of faith that God intends.

I am not an A's fan but I am a fan of passionate people. I will pull for these idiots and hope to see more magic, but even more, I pray that I can sense the wonder and passion in my faith. 

#Spiritual, But Not Religious

In CNN's recent post on their religion blog, Alan Miller discusses the popular idea of being, "Spiritual, but not religious". In the article he presents the idea that "spiritual but not religious" is a convenient way of reaping the potential benefits  of faith in the Divine without having to commit to any form of structure and accountability.


He writes, 

"Moreover, the spiritual but not religious reflect the "me" generation of self-obsessed, truth-is-whatever-you-feel-it-to-be thinking, where big, historic, demanding institutions that have expectations about behavior, attitudes and observance and rules are jettisoned yet nothing positive is put in replacement.

The idea of sin has always been accompanied by the sense of what one could do to improve oneself and impact the world.

Yet the spiritual-but-not-religious outlook sees the human as one that simply wants to experience "nice things" and "feel better." There is little of transformation here and nothing that points to any kind of project that can inspire or transform us."

In our culture where so many claim to "hate religion but love Jesus", are we just looking for ways to eat our spiritual cake and have it too?

#Facebook Fix For Private Messages

In a world of instant access and social media, we sometimes have to sift through messages to determine what is true and what is a hoax. 

The latest (that proves to be true) is that Facebook messages for the years 2010 and earlier appear on your public timeline. That means if you have messages sent to you privately, they can be found on your timeline. 

To fix the situation look at this blog. 

Thanks Kristen for the info. 

Dragon Feet

My wife Sara said to me, "Instagram makes everything better".  I've heard the same said of whipped cream, margaritas, and Betty White, but giving such prominence to a computer app seems a bit of a stretch.

To understand Sara's statement you should know that she places the value of photos just below the actual experience to which the photos represent. Read this previous post for a full description of this philosophy. 

I love this about my wife and have learned to accept the fact that she needs the photo for the experience to count. As I look around our home I see photos from all over the world that "prove" blissful moments captured in time. The images satisfy Sara's thirst for nostalgia and they serve as check marks in my selfish and never-ending "to do list" for life. But this is not the point. 

Today Sara used her new best-friend, Instagram, to document her day. My favorite is the photo of our five year old wearing his new dragon feet that they made out of old tissue boxes. Though my wife loves the photo because it give evidence of their experience, I was struck by the fact that my son had dragon feet. 

His dragon feet are in honor of the letter "D" which is the letter Sara and Ben are studying this week. As a mother, she is doing a brilliant job at making learning fun and in helping Ben see the usefulness of letters but something much better is happening. 

What excites me about the dragon feet is that it teaches so much more to our kids. It reminds them that in an instant a kleenex box may transform into dragon feet which is useful because just as quickly the carpet may become lava. The berries on the bushes in the backyard might just make a potion strong enough to transform our dog into a lion and with just one drop, we could be invisible. If he can have dragon feet then it is reasonable when my boys tell me the trampoline is the surface of the moon and that carefully stacked couch cushions make the perfect hiding place for the "tickle" monster. 

We live in naturally pessimistic and cynical world that has no time for dragons. But this is not the world that God created. When we help our kids know that this world is still filled with wonder and it is a place flooded with beautiful places, interesting people, and exciting adventure we invite them into the adventure that God places before us. All of creation declares the glory of God and pleads with us to join in the chorus of praise as we live with expectation that God is in this place. 

When I look at these dragon feet (which do look amazing courtesy of Instagram) I know that Sara is helping our kids develop hearts open to faith. Their worlds are expanding and the belief that there is a God who can create is not so far fetched. The call to join with this God to represent His image to the rest of creation is not regarded as a tiresome act of futility but rather an interesting endeavor. And the freedom to truly live with our hearts wide open is perfectly natural because there is clearly more than what meets the eye.

So thank you Instagram for making the Dragon Feet truly look amazing. Thank you Sara for reminding us that the God of adventures, and dragons, is the most real thing of all. 

Am I Missing Something?

This week the world is blessed once again to have President Ahmadinejad visit the U.N to provide entertainment. Usually he gets the world stage to spout off hateful statements towards Israel and the United States but with very little consequence. 

In an interview this week he said that Israel has no roots in the Middle East and would be "eliminated". He went on to say, 

"We don't even count them as any part of any equation for Iran. During a historical phase, they (the Israelis) represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated."

This sounds like an insult to Israel and the Jewish people but that is impossible because he later said no one has the right to express their opinions about Islam if those opinions are negative. He says that freedom of speech does not apply if the speech is insulting. 

"Freedoms must not interfere with the freedoms of others," Ahmadinejad said. "If someone insults, what would you do? ... Is insulting other people not a form of crime?"

Yahoo News reports that, "Since the controversy over the video erupted this month, some Muslim leaders have reiterated calls for a U.N. measure outlawing insults to Islam and blasphemy in general."

So let me get this straight. You can say that the Israeli people are "tumors" that should be wiped off of the face of the earth. You can say that they are small disturbances that will be eliminated. You are able to say anything negative against the United States and its people. You can also degrade Jesus Christ with blasphemous movies and rhetoric against Christianity. But the world is up in arms and demands that an international law is passed that prevents negative comments towards Islam. 

I think I must be missing something. 

You Didn't Build that on Your Own

Today our church launches a ten week small group experience designed to allow people who have not yet connected, to find a place to freely express doubts, fears, and struggles on their journey of faith. One of the best things about these groups is the fact that these are about "community". We believe the radical concept that faith is not simply an individual thing.  Check out Mark 2:1-5. 

Today I wanted to share an excerpt about what it means to be shaped through a collective effort. The original post is from a great writer and pastor from the Seattle area. Sara worked for him during the college years and we both appreciate his thoughts. You can find the whole post  here.

Your faith is never yours alone – My aunt invested in my dad.  My dad invested in me.  I invest in my children.  And so it goes.  Of course, the circle’s of influence are actually much more complex than that, as my dad’s faith was formed by hundreds of people and a long family tree with roots clear back in Sweden, among the Lutherans.  So too for me; I’m shaped by pastors, parents, my sister, a very good friend or two, the house church family in the mountains, the Bethany family in Seattle, peers in ministry around the world, and more.

This, I believe, is what Paul is talking about when Paul tells Timothy to “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you” because Paul’s rationale for such kindling is the faith which dwelt in his mom and grandma.  Paul’s telling Timothy, in other words, to be mindful of the inheritance he has in the faith and not to squander it.  The book of Hebrews talks about the “cloud of witnesses” which is basically the same thing.

When I’m tempted to toss my calling in the ditch and enjoy the indulgence of total irresponsibility, an entire host of faces pass before me, including my dad, but o so many more, including seminary professors, people who invite me to speak here and there, friends in the Torchbearer community, and the whole Bethany family.  It’s tough to ponder trashing the investment these people made in me.  Sure, if I were convinced that the faith was a lie, but mostly, my temptations aren’t intellectual.   Being mindful of the clan, knowing that they don’t expect perfection of me, but are cheering me on, helps me choose obedience more often.

I’m pausing to note this here, because when I talk about this, people sometimes say, “cultures that have high conformity demands also have high suicide rates” as if they think I’m advocating a North Korean model of discipleship.  All the while, the people building this straw man seem utterly blind to the hyper individualism of our culture and the “it’s my life and I’ll do what I want” mentality that’s so destructive for everyone.  Our real mentors, and those who love us and have invested in us don’t expect perfection from us; they just want us to keep on the journey, including getting up after we fall.

The other complaint I sometimes here is this: “You’re fortunate!  Nobody invested in me.”  Really?  If you’re reading this, I’m investing in you.  Maybe other authors have too, or a pastor or two along the way, or a young life leader, or coach.  Were there bad eggs in there?  Perhaps.  Were they all bad eggs?  I doubt it.  Look for those who represented Christ in some measure, give thanks for them, and live in the light of their investment in you.  Your faith is just another example of what you didn’t build alone.

Of course, by the time you’re twenty, you should probably start thinking about WHO you’re investing in.  I put that in all caps because we’re tempted think about WHAT we’re investing in.  But clean water is not a person.  Neither is ending malaria or human trafficking.  All of us are invited to be a blessing to other people, and this requires investments, large and small, over and over again.

My dad’s Bible is sitting here next to me as I write this, and I pause to express gratitude to God for a man who, having received gifts from others, passed them on so freely to me.  Now it’s your turn:  Stay in the game – give thanks for those who’ve gone before you, for those who’ve invested in you, and invest in blessing others.

Polar Bears Storm Wall Street

On the anniversary of the movement that's goal is to avoid going to work or class  thwart the ability for corporations to enjoy record profits without paying a larger share to the masses, protesters attempted to block all access to Wall Street.

Reports from New York say that protesters aimed to shut down wall street in order to begin the deconstruction of American Capitalism. Never mind the fact Osama Bin Laden and Al Qeada also wanted to strike a blow to wall street and bring down American capitalism, it seems like this plan is not well constructed.

Surely these protesters felt the global effects of faltering economies in Greece and Portugal but for some reason they still think destabilization in the U.S. is a good thing.

At least they have convictions and they have passion, not to mention some cool outfits. This morning they dressed in polar bear suits (presumably to go unnoticed in Lower Manhattan), they crafted colorful signs with catchy phrases such as, "Banks suck", and they attempted to prevent anyone from going to work.

Before you criticize this plan, don't forget that this is the same group that blocked our shipping ports in protest of our rising debt. If you ignore the fact that this prevented millions of dollars of exports to leave the country and it actually contributed to more debt and loss of pay for the middle class workers waiting to move these products, then the plan seems revolutionary.

I sense you are becoming condemnatory of this group so I will remind you that they are fighting for the small business owners who are not part of the 1%. I will also ask you to ignore the fact that the protesters in Oakland were so disruptive to the flow of customers near their "revolution" that several small businesses went bankrupt and had to close their doors. At least the large corporations were strong enough to continue on despite the lack of customers in that area. Oops. Disregard the previous statement about large corporations not being affected by the revolution. That is not the point.

Okay, so the planning and execution of this movement are struggling but at least they have enthusiasm.

So the next time you see someone wearing a cow costume while chanting "Death to American business", take a moment to admire their zeal and their courage for making a difference in our country. 

Saturday Morning Conversation

The following is the conversation I overheard from my kids this morning. 

The oldest to the youngest, "Did you wipe after using the bathroom?"

Youngest, "Yes".

Oldest, "Did you wash your hands when you were done?"

Youngest to oldest, "Yes, smell my hands". 

Not much to say about this. 

The Ethics of Modern Day Robin Hood

Today four bank robbers were pursued by police as they drove through neighborhoods in South Los Angeles. During the pursuit, the bank robbers threw piles of money out of their car creating a huge scene while people flooded the streets the get a chance at attaining some money.

Some are saying these robbers are the modern day "Robin Hood" stealing from the rich and giving to the poor and others say that they were simply getting rid of the evidence of their crime.

The police are hoping that people will return the cash in acts of good will but I have a suspicion that they won't see much "good will" on this one.

I do not endorse robbing banks but I found this even as extremely amusing. Something about the fact that these men knew they were caught so they might as well distribute their wealth made me laugh and I secretly (secretly before I wrote this) wish I was on the side of the road catching a glimpse of this event and maybe even catching a few hundred dollars in the process.

I wonder if I would have the courage and will power to turn in any money that I found during this chase. How would you respond? 

How Much do You Pay for Baggage?

Many people have given up on churches because of some event in the past. Some keep attending services and/or keep leading in some capacity but with an incredible amount of bitterness or hurt from some past event. Anytime humans are involved there will be moments of disappointment and conflict but there is hope. 

I love the following from Louie Giglio as he speaks about his perspective on dealing with past conflict. 

"the truth is we all have baggage. We all lead out of disappointment in some way. There is something in the bent part of our humanness to prove something: “Well, I was hurt and disappointed, so I’m going to prove this.” Fill in the blank. 

I have some of that, but there was a point in those early days at First Baptist where it all became about Jesus for me. And when it did, everything was OK. I placed whatever baggage I carried through my Jesus filter. I settled it early on in my life that Jesus is perfect; the church is imperfect. And I still believe that. I still believe the church is jacked-up. But I have more passion for Jesus than I have baggage about the church and all its shortcomings.That’s the well I want to pull from. "

So is your understanding of Jesus bigger than your need to carry your baggage? 

America's Problem with Food

Today I read a news article that suggests we skip certain foods if we want to avoid necessary weight gain. Maybe I am ahead of the times, but for some reason I was not surprised when the article said, "Some of the best-tasting foods are actually some of the worst in terms of fat and calories". 

Really? Could it be true that an ice cream sundae might be worse than a bowl of fresh green beans? I am shocked to hear the news that a Big Mac and fries might have more fat and calories than an apple but again, I do pride myself with being on the leading edge of scientific research. 

Perhaps this is why America leads the way as the world's most obese country. The fact that this article presumes the information given is news to someone reveals that we still have have a problem with our food intake. 

Maybe the other problem with our country's weight problem is the fact that these foods are really good. Of the 25 foods mentioned as foods we "must avoid", 19 of them made my mouth water. 

 Who could resist this? It is a hot dog (or a sausage for my non-American friends) wrapped in a pretzel. Is this why we are obese? We have high sodium and fatty meat and then make it better by wrapping it in buttery, fat filled bread. Just don't add a cheese filling or I will not contain my lust for this creation. 

How about this beauty. This basket full of fried onions and jalapenos can't be all that bad. Sure, it is 2100 calories, but these are vegetables we are talking about. We don't really have to avoid eating vegetables do we? 

Just when I thought that this ground-breaking, informative article could not divulge anymore shocking health news, it turns out that eating pre-packaged, preservative laden breakfast bread that is fried and then stuffed with brown sugar is not actually the best way to begin the day. With just 420 calories, 16g of fat, 26g of sugar, and 66g of carbs, this article suggests I may have to take these pop tarts out of my daily routine. 

So please excuse me as I take a break from writing. I am feeling hungry and my Velveeta cheese is all melted and ready to be poured over some broccoli. 

The Importance of Dragon Feet

My wife Sara said to me, "Instagram makes everything better".  I've heard the same said of whipped cream, margaritas, and Betty White, but giving such prominence to a computer app seems a bit of a stretch.

To understand Sara's statement you should know that she places the value of photos just below the actual experience to which the photos represent. Read this previous post for a full description of this philosophy. 

I love this about my wife and have learned to accept the fact that she needs the photo for the experience to count. As I look around our home I see photos from all over the world that "prove" blissful moments captured in time. The images satisfy Sara's thirst for nostalgia and they serve as check marks in my selfish and never-ending "to do list" for life. But this is not the point. 

Today Sara used her new best-friend, Instagram, to document her day. My favorite is the photo of our five year old wearing his new dragon feet that they made out of old tissue boxes. Though my wife loves the photo because it give evidence of their experience, I was struck by the fact that my son had dragon feet. 

His dragon feet are in honor of the letter "D" which is the letter Sara and Ben are studying this week. As a mother, she is doing a brilliant job at making learning fun and in helping Ben see the usefulness of letters but something much better is happening. 

What excites me about the dragon feet is that it teaches so much more to our kids. It reminds them that in an instant a kleenex box may transform into dragon feet which is useful because just as quickly the carpet may become lava. The berries on the bushes in the backyard might just make a potion strong enough to transform our dog into a lion and with just one drop, we could be invisible. If he can have dragon feet then it is reasonable when my boys tell me the trampoline is the surface of the moon and that carefully stacked couch cushions make the perfect hiding place for the "tickle" monster. 

We live in naturally pessimistic and cynical world that has no time for dragons. But this is not the world that God created. When we help our kids know that this world is still filled with wonder and it is a place flooded with beautiful places, interesting people, and exciting adventure we invite them into the adventure that God places before us. All of creation declares the glory of God and pleads with us to join in the chorus of praise as we live with expectation that God is in this place. 

When I look at these dragon feet (which do look amazing courtesy of Instagram) I know that Sara is helping our kids develop hearts open to faith. Their worlds are expanding and the belief that there is a God who can create is not so far fetched. The call to join with this God to represent His image to the rest of creation is not regarded as a tiresome act of futility but rather an interesting endeavor. And the freedom to truly live with our hearts wide open is perfectly natural because there is clearly more than what meets the eye.

So thank you Instagram for making the Dragon Feet truly look amazing. Thank you Sara for reminding us that the God of adventures, and dragons, is the most real thing of all. 

Time for Lent

If you observe Lent this year will it be a meaningful time where you will make a sacrifice and draw closer to God? Will it be an opportunity for you to remember your weaknesses and your utter need for a God who loves you despite yourself? Or, are you using this season as an opportunity to lose some weight, break a bad habit, or simply to impress those around you?
The reality is that many of us end up using this season to show devotion to God and to get something in return. This is the core of who we are as people. Even in our moments of well intentioned devotion we somehow find ways to make sure it benefits us. I know this is the pattern in my life. When I act humbly I hope to reap the respect of others. When I give of myself to benefit another, I hope God writes it down or at least someone mentions how great I am. When I sacrifice something for God, I secretly hope God repays me for being such a great guy.
I believe Lent is a great season and comes with many benefits that are holy and pure and I believe there is value in participating in this discipline. My hope this year is that I and all who observe Lent can truly find a time of re-connecting with God because He is good and worthy of our devotion. I pray this season is about our Creator and not about what we get from it. 

Can Christians be Religious?

A viral video clip is tearing up the Internet right now proclaiming a hatred of religion but a love of Jesus. The premise of this clip is trying to emphasize that religion without life change is meaningless and that only a transformative lifestyle of following Jesus matters. I get that and I like it but that is not really what the clip says.
What I don’t like is the other side of this clip which is naive, arrogant, and simply false. If we were to take heart the idea of hating religion what would the result be? Consider the following; Would anyone continue to gather together in buildings that we call church to learn and worship together? If not, then a huge part of our own faith journey would be missing and the very fabric of Biblical life (communities meeting together, learning together, and worshipping together) would be ignored.
 If we took this video to heart would there be any standard beliefs or practices or would it be an “anything goes” attitude because we don’t want to be religious? If a group of people who follow Jesus agree that they believe baptism is important that is religion. If no one has the right to come to consensus on beliefs than views generally accepted as heretical would be okay as long as it is considered following Jesus.
 If we hated religion then the very act of worship would go away. The very heart of religion, in fact the definition is, "the belief in and worship of a supernatural controlling power”. If you ever gather in an organized way to proclaim an agreement in the greatness of God and encourage one another with positive input rather than the negative things we hear all week, then you are involved in religion. Furthermore, this video says, “Jesus hated religion”. False. Jesus hated the thought that practicing religion made you better than others, and he hated people thinking that religion makes one clean, but he never hated religion. The Hebrew scriptures are packed full of instructions for religious worship. Jesus himself made religious pilgrimages and went through religious ritual cleansing. Did he think that made him better? No, but he did think the religious practices were important.
 Religion in and of itself does nothing to increase our spiritual status before God, but it is huge in our journey of living with one another and proclaiming the greatness of God. Religion helps us stay on the same page of what is truth and it serves as a balance to keep us from creating our own truth. Religion helps us journey with other like-minded people for encouragement. All week long we are inundated with negative ads, with foul messages, and with false promises. Religion gives us a framework to war against those lies and to see that we might not be crazy after all for believing what we believe. The bottom line is this. God encouraged religion, Jesus was religious, and our religious expression as followers of God does not make us better than others, but it does make us better than we are without it.

Why our schools still don't get it.

Four students are suspended from school for stopping in the hallway to imitate Tim Tebow's prayer stance. School officials said the kids could have started a riot by bowing to their knees in the hallway. Students can say hateful things to others, they can be bullies, they mock kids who have a visible religious faith without so much as a getting a warning. But if students bend a knee and bow their heads they get a day off from school. Once again, school administration and teachers focus on the wrong problems.... maybe they can become politicians.

Marathons and Giving Birth

Carol Burnette once said, "If you want to understand the pain of giving birth, grab your bottom lip and pull it over your head". These words of wisdom came to Bill Cosby during the birth of his first child when he recalled being supportive and encouraging to his wife. As his words of encouragement only caused agitation to his dear wife he says, "She stood up in the stirrups, grabbed my bottom lip, and waited for one final contraction...."

I guess misery loves company sometimes more than it loves empathy.

There are just some things that you have to experience to truly appreciate and if the best you can do is observe from afar, your best efforts to empathize will fall flat.

In just a week my wife will run in her first marathon. She has been extremely diligent in her training, she has improved in her ability to run long distances, and has even been able to improve her time per mile. Last week she asked me to join her as she completed a 20 mile run. By join her, that meant to hop on my bike and ride while she ran. Do you know how hard it is to ride 20 miles at runner's pace? After 10 miles I began feeling the pain in my back side, 15 miles led to sore wrists, and by the time my wife casually ran 18 miles, the sun was beating down on me and was causing great discomfort. Throughout the process I tried to keep encouraging my wife as she ran but for some reason, each mile she ran she was less interested in hearing me talk and even less interested in hearing me say something encouraging like, "You only have 5 more miles to go" or, "That first 19 miles went by like a breeze." No matter how much I tried to be encouraging, it was met with indifference. This made me recall the process of sitting with my wife while giving birth (while she gave birth). No amount of, "you are doing great", or "just a little more" can help the situation. The best I could do was to sit there in silence knowing that this is not the time for empathy, it is the time for silence. Without ever experiencing the process of giving birth, one cannot relate unless he pulls his bottom lip over his head. Running a marathon is very similar and that is why when WE completed OUR 20 mile training run I told my wife how great she did, she leaned over to me bringing her lips close to mine, and then she gently put her hands on my face, grabbed my bottom lip and pulled.

Occupy Movement on Wrong Street

They "occupy" movement that gained ground over the past month is an interesting study in human psyche. This movement contains thousands of people gathering in locations across the country (and the globe) protesting something. I use the word "something" because it is unclear what that "something" is. Some say it is about the distribution of wealth, some say it is against corrupt government, others are protesting jobless rates, and many are just looking for something to do.

The slogan used is 99% vs the 1%. At its core, the protest seems to be about the inequality of the wealthiest 1% of people vs the 99% of everyone else. The reality is that this is just fancy jargon that ignores many other percentages that, in the end, will accomplish nothing to help distribute wealth among all people.

This use of fancy jargon puts the emphasis in the wrong places. Sure it is hard to believe that some people make so much money but how many of these protesters are using their wealth to distribute to the biggest percentage of the 99%? Over 64% of the world has wealth less than $10,000. 92% of the world possesses wealth less than $100,000. This is not income, this is the entire value of assets. So if you own a car, have a little equity in a home, and an annual income that adds up to more than $100,000 you are in the elite 7% of the wealthiest people on earth.

In my family, we are in the middle of the pack for American income but we are in the elite 7% of the world's wealthiest people.

Because of this fact, we share some of our wealth to support kids in poverty, to build wells in countries with no access to safe and clean water, and to feed the hungry in our community. We never say things like, "we are broke" or , "we are poor". We do not have much compared to the rest of our community in Orange County, but we are wealthy.

I am a strong supporter of taking care of "orphans and widows", of feeding the hungry, and of defending the oppressed. I believe that those who are blessed with more should be willing to take care of those who do not have enough. If the occupy movement wants to make a difference, the protest needs to move from Wall Street to Main Street. We need to create a culture where we are content with what we have and do something good within our abilities. If we want to protest, we can tell congress to get to work or we will vote them out , we can take our business away from organizations that are greedy and unethical, and we can bring our business to those who do positive things with their wealth. (Ironically some of the most charitable companies such as Wells Fargo Bank are being protested by the occupy movement).

Created in the Image

According to the Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian Old Testament, mankind was created in the image of God. This is a unique idea to the Ancient Near East where the gods typically were thought to be completely separate from humans. In fact, in the ANE culture, humans were created so they could serve the gods. They would harvest food and offer sacrifices so the gods could be nourished without having to do the work themselves. For the Hebrews and Christians, God created humans to represent His name and His character to the rest of creation.

I always loved this unusual action by God to allow humans to represent His name but I have also always questioned it. Frankly, I think God could've chosen something more reliable than humans to represent Himself on earth but that is just me. Now, the question we have to face is "Because we represent God's image to creation, what image are we projecting?"

Do you project an image of God as a disinterested, self centered being? Do you show the world that God's image is one that is a jerk to others and unwilling to forgive? Perhaps you reflect an image that is gracious, that is loving, and that builds others up. Whatever image you project, as a follower of God you are representing His name so lets be lead lives that are mindful of the true character of the Creator.

The Aroma of Adventure

When we returned to the country less than 3 years ago, we re-entered life in our former town and in our former neighborhood. I had a new job, actually two new jobs, a new dog, and an altered view of the world. A sense of adventure encompassed me as excitement and uncertainly filled the path as far as I could see. I would be in the same town I had grown to love, but everything would be different. My schedule was different, our friends were different, even many of our neighbors were different.

One new routine I had to create was walking our dog. As many dog owners realize, this daily ritual leads to some great time of reflection, maybe some prayer, and of course some exercise. For me, I found an open space at the end of my street were the cold damp air from the ocean could creep along this valley towards the mountains. (Yes, we have mountains over 6,000 feet and cold air here in Orange County). The great thing about this open space other than the fact that it borders my backyard and that it contains a host of bunnies for my dog to chase, is that the cold moist air would mix with the pine trees and tall birches creating a refreshing scent. In fact, in the early morning if you closed your eyes you would be convinced that you were somewhere high in the mountains away from the 4 million people who live in a 20 mile radius.

This aroma of fresh air and the sense of adventure that greeted me each day created a deep impression somewhere inside that God was doing something in my midst and I did not want to be unaware. Now, less than three years have passed and my boys are on "a kick" where they like to go to this open space to dig for fossils, crystals, and artifacts. When I meet them there, the aroma of adventure fills my lungs and I am brought back to that place where much was unknown but where much was expected. It is appropriate because once again, I am at a crossroads awaiting the next step in life. I am not sure what that step will be but for now you will find me slipping away to catch some fresh scented air and a glimpse of the adventure that God has mapped out ahead.

Scattering

After less than 3 years our local gathering of followers and seekers of Christ has decided to "scatter" into the community and into other congregations. We did this at a time when our gathering was not "dying" off but at a time that seemed to be right. Due to our mix of gifts in the leadership that prevented us from accomplishing some things we deemed essential for our style of church and the fact that many of our people were moving from the area and traveling long distances to remain involved, we knew the time was now to change focus.
From the beginning our desire was to engage in scriptures in a way that was challenging and life changing. We wanted to hear the call of discipleship and to never be a gathering of people who became ingrown and useless. As Francis Chan puts it, "Christians are like manure. [When they scatter and bless others they are useful, when they all pile together they just stink]".
We never want to be people who "stink" so we worked to engage in our community and to be an organization that benefited our neighborhoods. We hoped that we would one day "multiply" into new local gatherings but this year we decided that our best plan was simply to scatter into already established places. We want to take what we have learned and the new habits we developed and influence others in the ways of Jesus.
Some would look at our church and say that we failed. We did fail at establishing a large, well funded organization but we did not fail at being a church for nearly 3 years. We worshipped our creator, we engaged in each others lives and walked beside each other when needed, and we blessed others locally and throughout the globe.
As a seed must die in order to "scatter" and bring new life to infinitely more plants, our small local gather had to "die" in order to spread life. We are launching online teachings and discussions next month and will continue to encourage the body (Soma) of Christ to live out the ways of Jesus everywhere, all of the time and we will stand beside other local gatherings in the process.

Fish and Loaves

Today the church I have been a part of held our once per month food distribution to families need. Because our church recently decided to discontinue our weekly gatherings (more on this in the next post), we are also ending our regular food distribution.

As I left the neighborhood where we distributed food the past 2 years, the finality of the event stirred unexpected emotions within me. As I drove the streets of this community I recalled the first months of this ministry when we walked the streets and knocked on every door informing people that we would be there if they ever needed help. We were a a new church community taking a step with very few resources and with little knowledge of what would come of this adventure.

I remember our first food distribution when no one came out to receive food. I told our members, "Don't worry, these things take time. God can still use us". Inside I thought, "This is a huge failure. What are we doing here?"

The next month, much to my delight and surprise, we had a line 40 families long. People needed food and heard that we were there for them!

Over the next 2 years a young couple in our church coordinated a monthly distribution and fed hundreds of people in the process. Most months our food ministry fed twice as many families than who attended our gatherings. Somehow our small experimental community found the means to do something positive and God always used the few "fish and loaves" that we could provide and multiplied them to feed a hungry community.

As we move to a purely online presence as a church we will still offer help to anyone who is in need but I must say that I am sad to see this chapter close. We set out with the mindset that "church should exist for the benefit of its non-members" and today I can look back and say we fulfilled this desire. The people of Soma Church of Orange County were able to join in a movement of living the ways of Jesus everywhere, everyday. When Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is at hand", he was telling us the time is now to join in the order of the King and His kingdom. It is a Kingdom that gives food to the hungry even if it is just a few fish and a few loaves. The King always has, and always will, take care of the rest.

All things New

Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus lives and that his life means all things can be made new. For our church community, we remember Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and the fact that Jesus gives us second chances and hope for a new life. We commit to bringing this message of offering hope for new beginnings to all we encounter. The message of Easter is hope. Hope that says "nothing is beyond the reach of God" and comfort knowing all things are made new in Jesus.

My family enters a new chapter today and we are grateful for the work of Christ in our own lives and we celebrate knowing that new beginnings bring many great surprises and exciting things down the road.

Stand by....

New work coming soon.

New Beginnings

As cliche' as it may be to use the beginning of the year to consider the opportunities and changes we hope for, or expect, in the year to come, I find myself at a point of unknown and great expectation.
Changes are once again coming to the life of my family with new horizons and opportunities. The full extent of those changes are yet to be seen and will unfold in the weeks to come.
As for the little things:
2011 will hopefully bring.... A 6th grader, 3rd grader, and 4 yr old. A trip to Greece so my wife can run a marathon (and hopefully a quick jump over to Turkey so I can be a nerd and study some history). Yosemite and some cabin in the mountains somewhere. Different job. Wine and food nights at the house. Continue to progress with German and Hebrew. Finish cleaning my garage.... oh yeah, and win the Lotto.
What about you?

Struck By Grace

To be struck by grace does not mean that we are simply making progress in our moral self-control, in our fight against special faults, and in our relationships to others. Moral progess may be a fruit of grace, but it is not grace itself.

Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness. It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life... grace strikes us when our disgust for our own being, our indifference, our weakness, our hostility, and our lack of direction and composure have become intolerable to us.

Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness and it is as though a voice were saying, "You are accepted. You are accepted by that which is greater than you... Do not seek for anything; do not perform anything; do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted."

If that happens to us, we experience grace. After such an experience we may not be better than before, and we may not believe more than before. But everything is transformed.

- Paul Tillich "The Shaking of the Foundations"

Veterans Day

Take time today to say "Thank You" to the men and women who serve their county and to pray for those in danger and who have lost their lives in war. You don't have to believe in war to care for our soldiers.

Some Things are Just Plain Stupid

I try to keep a pretty open mind about things and I have learned not to be overly critical of people and some of the things people do. I may hear a terrible song on the radio and want to say how awful it is but then I realize some mother has this song hanging on her refrigerator door (figuratively of course). In other words, one man's junk may be another man's (or mother's) treasure.

There are a few things however, that can't be accepted even by a mother. No matter how you explain it, some things are just stupid. I mean extreme things like turtleneck sweaters, Steven Segall Movies, non-fat sour cream, and Hulk Hogan. If it weren't for it's recent resurgence, I would include 1980's fashion on this list but too many may have an issue with that one.

One thing I heard today fits this category above and beyond the rest. It is an advertisement that regularly plays on sports radio. It is an ad that say's "don't let drinking and driving ruin your life.... call our law offices and we will get your conviction dropped". The ad ends with a tag phrase that says, "Friends don't let friends plead guilty to drinking and driving".

Seriously? Enough people actually think driving drunk shouldn't be a big deal? Over 40,000 people die each year in traffic accidents involving a driver with a BAC over .08%. In fact, 47% of all driving fatalities are caused from drunk driving. Somehow this ad was made in the first place and then accepted by the marketing department of the radio station and apparently not offensive to anyone. This add basically says, "It isn't fair if your state enforces the law and punishes you for breaking it. It is not right that you might face jail time, a suspended license, and even pay a fine just because you only care about yourself. Let us help you be even more self-centered and help you not learn from your mistakes."

This is just stupid.

(The photo on the top is of a DUI lawyer)

The Cost of Growth

Statistics say that new churches (or church plants) see nearly 100% turnover in the first three years of existence. Normally most of the key people who are not paid move on to new locations in this timeframe.

Several factors likely contribute to this turnover but the root of all of it comes down to a reality of any new church or business organization. In order to move from inception to a self sustaining existence, a great deal of sacrifice must be made.

In the case of new churches, the sacrifice comes in the form of hundreds of hours of volunteered time and above and beyond levels of financial commitments. Due to small sizes, those who are a part of something from the beginning are usually asked and sometimes demanded to give more and more in order to contribute to overall success. A dilemma exists that says, “if you don’t give more of yourself now, we can’t grow to the place where you won’t have to give as much”.

The question that arises is, “Should a church be built on the sacrifice of its people?” By sacrifice I do not mean a commitment to God that may lead to uncomfortable choices, but I do mean a sacrifice that is in the name of service but that comes at a price to relational and sometimes physical well-being.

We are now 2 years into our new church in Orange County and we have fought against the notion of demanding more and more from our people but we do have things that get left undone. We are committed to Christ and want our whole lives to be in service of God (and others) but we believe that God ultimately will build (or not build) our local church. I personally fight against the notion of sacrificing “workers” to build the organization but wonder if we will ever attain a self-sustaining existence with this attitude. Is it worth abandoning some of our ideals in hopes of attracting more people?

Theology of Estrangement

I've noticed a troubling trend this past year that has finally reached a point in which I must comment. It is a trend that causes relationships between people of the same faith (Christians) to part ways. Little explanation is given and one side of the the equation is usually left alone wondering what went wrong.

Two scenarios illustrate what I am speaking about:
1) A person or group of people are shunned by other Christians because of decisions they have made. These decisions are usually (but not always) poor decisions that are evidence of sin in the lives of the offending party. These sinners are then shunned for "discipline" and/ or because they are simply no longer worthy of Christian company.

We have a friend who was actually abandoned by all of her close Christian friends because she was dating a "non-Christian". She lost all touch in the church world and eventually married her boyfriend. Instead of being a source of encouragement and a picture of Jesus to her new boyfriend, her church modeled, "members only, dress code required". As a result, she never reconnected in a church community and the hurt continues to this day.

2) The second trend I see is Christian friendships ending because of different views about God. Since the differences that have been disputed over the past 2000 years do not have a clear and undisputed winner, it is strange to me that friendships should dramatically weaken and even end when these differing views are considered. Clearly our thoughts about God may cause us to find deeper connection and friendship with others who are like-minded, but should this mean other relationships end?

I personally experienced this year with one person who was close to me. We enjoyed conversations about life and God and in the past few years our views about God drifted further apart. We both believe in the Bible, we both believe that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is found by God's grace, through faith. Our differences are small and in my mind non-essentials, but that sentiment is not reciprocated.

At the end of a healthy conversation filled with questions, encouragement, and some debate, I mentioned that I would love to meet again soon. My friend said, "Well, maybe not". This "maybe not" was because of differences in our views about God and mainly how the mystery of salvation works.

Later I discovered that I was not alone in this treatment from others with similar views to my friend. Somehow the deep rooted conviction about how God works (which we will never really know until we die) is strong enough to result in estranged friendships and, at times, even estranged family relationships. This is a theology that takes lightly Jesus' ministry of reconciliation. It is a lifestyle that longs to know mysterious ways of God's grace, but does not long to extend this scandalous grace to others.

I encourage everyone on any side of theology (or lack there of) to consider the entire consequence of actions. If you believe your theology is worth more than relationships, then your theology says God is not concerned with harmonious relationships. If you do not freely offer grace, then your theology says your God does not freely offer grace. If you don't want to love those who are adverse to the message of Jesus, than your theology says Jesus does not love those who opposed him. If this fires you up and even makes you angry, I want to hear your thoughts. I truly want a better understanding of the basis for this theology of estrangement.

***** Please note that there are many who still hold to the same theological views I question in this post who DO still love, offer grace, and maintain friendships. I deeply appreciate those friends and respect their convictions and will love them and support them in their own journeys with Christ. ****

Paradox of Faith

Everyone who was great in this world will be remembered.. but everyone was great in his own way, and everyone in proportion to the greatness of what he loved. He who loved himself became great in himself, and he who loved others became great through his devotion; but he who loved God became greater than all.

They shall all be remembered, but everyone became great in proportion to his expectancy. One became great through expecting the possible, another by expecting the eternal; but he who expected the impossible became greater than all.

They shall all be remembered, but everyone was great in proportion to the magnitude of what he strove with. For he who strove with the world became great by conquering the world, he who strove with himself became greater by conquering himself; but he who strove with God became greater than all.

...There was one who relied upon himself and gained everything, and one who, secure in his own strength, sacrificed everything; but greater than all was the one who believed God. There was one who was great in his strength, and one who was great in his wisdom, and one who was great in hope, and one who was great in love; but greater than all was Abraham, great with the power whose strength is powerlessness, great in that wisdom whose secret is folly, great in that hope whose outward form is insanity, great in love which is (hatred) of self. - Soren Kierkegaard

Enemy at the Gated Community

com-fort- n. 1. State of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.

Recently I have been thinking about all of the things that led to my leaving my previous job and moving across the world. Although I could list a whole series of events that contributed to the eventual upheaval of my whole life, it all really came down to a simple need for change.
Change is often the solution when life becomes so comfortable that the sense of purpose gets lost in routine. In Orange County, the challenge is that life is designed to be comfortable. One could argue that the very goal of life here is comfort. Planned communities, man-made lakes, manicured landscaping and perpetually updated shopping centers are the norm. The weather fluctuates between a frigid 65 and a balmy 85 degrees.
Churches contribute to this environment of comfort by striving to offer “something for everyone”. The pressure to provide “the best” drives many pastors away from ministry or away from the very reasons they begin ministry in the first place. If pastors are unable to lead a church that makes people comfortable then they are often driven away or criticized to the point of insanity.
In my previous role I did not directly face the challenge to provide comfort for everyone, but I certainly fell into the trap of being content with a comfortable setting. I was in a place that seemed unwilling to break out of the norm and to ask the question, “What if God wants more from us?” In time, I fell victim to the culture of comfort in my own church and my own level of ennui reached a climax. It was then that I realized that the only thing that could help me break free was a major change.
It has now been over 3 years since I quit my job and moved away and I am grateful for the changes that came as a result of that move. But today I must stand on guard against the enemy of comfort in my own faith and now in my new church. I must keep watch that my marriage and relationships do not suffer from comfort (in this case, comfort because we settle for things as they are and not how they could be). As Donald Miller says, “a good story is about a character who knows what he wants and overcomes obstacles to get it”. In order to overcome obstacles we must fight the urge to remain comfortable and we must seek a life of adventure and wonder. Beware, because the biggest obstacle that may stand between you and something great could be a sense of comfort.