I've been thinking a lot lately. A lot about how we live, how living works, why we live, how we interact with God...
Like prayer.
I'm totally befuddled with prayer. I see the way the church prays (in America), and I see some references to prayer in scripture, but I don't see how we got from one to the other. I also know what kind of prayer feels right, and what kind feels wrong. Of course that's just my subconscious accessing all of my memories and then releasing chemicals to cause emotion based on previous results.
I've been dismantling of late, breaking down the old thoughts, and creating new ones. Deconstruction, they call it. I call it dismantling, my coworker calls it throwing rocks at the church, and he is too often right, in my case. There isn't anything wrong with throwing rocks at the church, but there is a problem when I don't rebuild what I destroy.
Prayer is one of these issues I haven't been able to reconstruct. In the end it all comes down to the way we interact with God, and the way He interacts in the world.
Let me get to the point. I'm tired of the 'It's in God's hands's and the 'God has someone perfect out there for you's and the 'God will open a door's, because frankly, its not (literally), and he doesn't, and he might not.
God created me, but indirectly. FIrst understand that I am in no way trying to limit God's power. The existence that I know through experience was entirely created by him. I believe in evolution. I'm not sure how it all worked out, I don't have gene maps plotted. But I believe in science... as much as science can be believed in. I believe science can tell us a lot, maybe nothing definitively, but a lot at least partially.
Some people think evolution takes away power from God, takes away from what He has done. I think evolution is intensely creative. I think that its more beautiful this way. I believe in redemption. And if God created us as static beings, then redemption doesn't really have space to happen. If we aren't static beings, and we change and grow over time (which is central in the message of Christ), then the amalgamation of all of the little redemptions in our life, plus the knowledge we gain from the generations before us, is evolution.
Back to the point, I absolutely do not see christianity as the memorization of Jesus' magic incantations. I think I've written before about how I hate the acronym Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. But there is some (albeit little) truth there. First and foremost scripture is the telling of man's part in God's story. (A brief side note: narrative is pretty interesting when God is involved because he both is writing/narrating, and taking part in the narrative) But scripture also is our prime resource for information about the meshiach, Jesus.
Now I do think Jesus came with instructions. This is the important paragraph in this post, if you just mindlessly skim my posts (which is more than I would do myself) take a moment and read this paragraph slowly.
Jesus was present at the creation of the world (thanks beloved disciple!) therefore he would know how the world was made, and how it works. Jesus had insider knowledge to how life works. Then the word became flesh and joined our miserable existance. But Jesus lived life the way that the system of this world is set up for. He wasn't magical (though he did possess great powers), but was connected with God. I'm not trying to say we can live just as Christ did, that would be impossible, after all, the man was God.
The point is (if there is one) that Christianity seems to have turned into a religion that just believes. And even that belief exists in something that takes any burden of action away from us. We are conditioned to leave things to God, when we should be seeking correct action. When we don't view the world as being God's supernatural playground, it doesn't allow us to place the burden of action somewhere else, it falls squarely on us.
Then as God's hands and feet we will affect the world. We will expand the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not some far off distant other-worldly place (the commercialized heaven), it is wherever God reigns. A kingdom is as large as it's king's reign.
I want to be the kingdom of God. I want everthing I touch to be the kingdom of God. I want my neighborhood, the city of Houston, my faith community, my friends to all be a part of the kingdom of God.
May love, God's love, infect you entirely. May you infect your community, and then the world. Live and love in this world, knowing that it can (and will) be a better place.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The Washing of Feet
Maundy thursday. An excellent part of holy week liturgy. The day we celebrate the last feast that the Liberating King shared with his disciples. In my faith community we have a service to celebrate this day, today.
The service revolves around two things, communion, in which we remember the last supper and looming crucifixion, and the washing of feet, when we remember how our Lord's authority system is the opposite of the worlds.
See my faith community is going through transformation right now, which I am grateful for. Transformation is a part of being redeemed. We are learning to buck the system. See, Christ preached a way of life that was very counter-cultural. It flipped the economic system on its head. It flipped the social norms. It flipped the definition of authority on its head.
Christ came himself as a servant, even stooping to wash the feet of his very disciples. The men who traditionally were underneath him. The men whom Jesus would have taught. The men who would have lovingly followed Christ around like dogs. The Liberating King flipped the reigning definition of authority over by doing something as dirty as washing the feet of his students. Feet which would have been caked with mud and smelled of wet leather.
Christ assumed the role of slave. He taught the disciples saying
"Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
I guess the question here is, "Is Christ just flip flopping the role of authority?"
Our elders in my faith community wash the feet of the members present at the Maundy Thursday service.
I clipped my toe nails, washed my feet up nice, wore the socks without the holes.
But I didn't have my feet washed. Was Christ setting up a system of authority where those in authority serve others? It sure seems so, and maybe he does. If that is what he meant, then I didn't have my feet washed because I'm not sure if our elders know what that means.
See, it seems that the elders in my community view themselves as the decision makers. They are freed from responsibility of action because they are wise.
This is a problem for me, see... I don't separate action and wisdom, they go hand-in-hand for me. And how can you make decisions for a group of people that you are not involved in action with.
I don't want someone to wash my feet and not understand that from that point on I will be holding them accountable to serve me. I don't want them to be puffed up with false humility, washing the purposefully perfumed feet of those they do not know. I don't want my elders to wash my feet, and not follow through by serving me forever.
Christ isn't creating a new kind of authority, he is abolishing the system of authority. He doesn't say go and wash the feet of those below you. He says wash each other's feet. He says, stop the arrogance of hierarchy. He says know each other, care for each other, serve each other, love each other, be the body.
What we have is the abolition of hierarchical systems, and the creation of true community.
Community where we complete each other's weaknesses with each other's strengths. Where we each take the lead sometimes. Where none is above the other. Where we are all wise, and all active. Where we as a body we approach true Shalom.
May you love truly, living not above others, but with them.
Note: Since writing this post I realized that my lack of understanding of the elders in my community was because of a lack of effort on my part to know them as people. I want to leave this post as it is because that is honestly where I was at this point. I may still find most of this post to be true, but it will not be unfounded.
The service revolves around two things, communion, in which we remember the last supper and looming crucifixion, and the washing of feet, when we remember how our Lord's authority system is the opposite of the worlds.
See my faith community is going through transformation right now, which I am grateful for. Transformation is a part of being redeemed. We are learning to buck the system. See, Christ preached a way of life that was very counter-cultural. It flipped the economic system on its head. It flipped the social norms. It flipped the definition of authority on its head.
Christ came himself as a servant, even stooping to wash the feet of his very disciples. The men who traditionally were underneath him. The men whom Jesus would have taught. The men who would have lovingly followed Christ around like dogs. The Liberating King flipped the reigning definition of authority over by doing something as dirty as washing the feet of his students. Feet which would have been caked with mud and smelled of wet leather.
Christ assumed the role of slave. He taught the disciples saying
"Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
I guess the question here is, "Is Christ just flip flopping the role of authority?"
Our elders in my faith community wash the feet of the members present at the Maundy Thursday service.
I clipped my toe nails, washed my feet up nice, wore the socks without the holes.
But I didn't have my feet washed. Was Christ setting up a system of authority where those in authority serve others? It sure seems so, and maybe he does. If that is what he meant, then I didn't have my feet washed because I'm not sure if our elders know what that means.
See, it seems that the elders in my community view themselves as the decision makers. They are freed from responsibility of action because they are wise.
This is a problem for me, see... I don't separate action and wisdom, they go hand-in-hand for me. And how can you make decisions for a group of people that you are not involved in action with.
I don't want someone to wash my feet and not understand that from that point on I will be holding them accountable to serve me. I don't want them to be puffed up with false humility, washing the purposefully perfumed feet of those they do not know. I don't want my elders to wash my feet, and not follow through by serving me forever.
Christ isn't creating a new kind of authority, he is abolishing the system of authority. He doesn't say go and wash the feet of those below you. He says wash each other's feet. He says, stop the arrogance of hierarchy. He says know each other, care for each other, serve each other, love each other, be the body.
What we have is the abolition of hierarchical systems, and the creation of true community.
Community where we complete each other's weaknesses with each other's strengths. Where we each take the lead sometimes. Where none is above the other. Where we are all wise, and all active. Where we as a body we approach true Shalom.
May you love truly, living not above others, but with them.
Note: Since writing this post I realized that my lack of understanding of the elders in my community was because of a lack of effort on my part to know them as people. I want to leave this post as it is because that is honestly where I was at this point. I may still find most of this post to be true, but it will not be unfounded.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The death (and hopefully rebirth) of a blog
Well, its been nine weeks since my last entry. Much has happened, much is the same.
The most entertaining thing so far about this experiment has been reading old posts, and being sick with myself for the emotions I expressed and my writing style, just as I will look back on this post in three months and say, you can't talk about your own posts in your own blog!!!!
I think the blog might be headed for a shift. I started about two months after I quit my job as Middle School Youth Director for a moderately large suburban church in Houston. The blog started as a discussion starter for a group of friends I had been conversing with over the internet (real friends, just in different places now). The blog was a terrible failure at its first purpose, so I switched gears, and in my usual self-absorbed fashion made it into something all about me.
The chronicles of a guy, who at first struggled with all of his might to avoid postmodernism, love, and truth. He of course failed. Well, somewhat... you get the point (is there a point?).
So, now to the present. I have accepted a job working vocationally for my faith community. It was really a struggle for me to decide when I was offered. It was very much a dream job for me, which made me think twice about it. Was I ready to serve vocationally again? Was my hiring reinforcing poor church staff decisions? and awful church staff models?
See, I have a problem with the model of, "this person volunteers a lot around here, so lets hire them." I was worried that I myself was falling into this group. I have had some amazing friends, far more learned in living life as Christ would have us who did not vocationally work for churches. That was counterintuitive at the time. If you were good at God, then you should work for a church...
After careful deliberation I accepted the job. I start in two weeks. I am very excited, and very scared...
Because I know myself. I know its hard for me to say no. I know I get too busy. I know sometimes I deny myself a little too much. I don't know if its even because I love people that much, I think a lot of it is that I think that is an irreversible part of my personality.
See, I've been doing a lot of thinking about personality redemption. About the way God moves in the world in general. Can personalities be redeemed, or do we just try to deal the best with what we are dealt?
Can mental disease be cured through relationships? medicine? I know there is therapy that works, but where is the line? When is a condition too severe for redemption? I have two friends (well actually a heckuva lot more, come on, thousands read my blog). One is a diagnosed bi-polar (not sure what type, though I would think type II) with a Scott-diagnosed case of histrionic personality disorder, the other is a homeless, crack addicted late thirties man, who is also caught up in the sex trade.
How much can either of these men's personalities be redeemed. We can talk about dopamine receptors, we can talk about homosexuality... but what can we hope for? what can we strive for? Do we just "wait for God to change them"? I don't know how much I believe in that. People are changed by concrete experiences (or misperceptions of them). If I repeatedly tell someone that they are worthless, and act like it as well, it will affect them.
So what is the hope for my friends? I am not content with waiting for change, I am content with patiently being change. Love is healing. I can see it. Love is redeeming both of these men. The only problem is, I only have so much love before I am exhausted. I cannot do it on my own. And others don't seem to love these men. (which is probably why I do). I'm not saying its easy, loving these guys can be downright depressing... I am saying its necessary, and not just for me to do it, but for me to raise up others to do it as well.
So now that I have learned, how do I teach others? Is it even my place to assume I'm supposed to? I have long known that experience and relationships lead to knowledge much more true than knowledge learned through study (not that study is bad). So I guess I start with teaching my friends, and then they teach theirs.
Before you know it, the alternative lifestyle of love will be redeeming the whole world!
For now, I'm just hoping I can get my act together, and learn to rest. If I am truly learning how to best live, then my personality is changing, hopefully constantly. If it isn't, if I am the same person two years from now, or even two months from now, then I am not living as a disciple. The beauty of community is that we grow together, our personalities are changing together.
A few notes of business, the reborn blog will hopefully follow my journey back into vocational ministry (with a twist). Next week I'll explain more about the job. Finally, I think I'm going to start ending every post with a benediction, if it isn't attributed, then its my own creation.
This weeks is from a church in Clear Lake
“May this great God who called you…
Keep you broken enough to mend others. Keep you hungry enough to feed others. Keep you wandering enough to find the lost. Keep you secure enough to present the truth. Keep you out enough to see the broken. Keep you real enough to be touched by the hurting. Keep you sensitive enough to feel the others pain. Keep you weak enough to reach out to the strong. Keep you strong enough to reach the weak."
The most entertaining thing so far about this experiment has been reading old posts, and being sick with myself for the emotions I expressed and my writing style, just as I will look back on this post in three months and say, you can't talk about your own posts in your own blog!!!!
I think the blog might be headed for a shift. I started about two months after I quit my job as Middle School Youth Director for a moderately large suburban church in Houston. The blog started as a discussion starter for a group of friends I had been conversing with over the internet (real friends, just in different places now). The blog was a terrible failure at its first purpose, so I switched gears, and in my usual self-absorbed fashion made it into something all about me.
The chronicles of a guy, who at first struggled with all of his might to avoid postmodernism, love, and truth. He of course failed. Well, somewhat... you get the point (is there a point?).
So, now to the present. I have accepted a job working vocationally for my faith community. It was really a struggle for me to decide when I was offered. It was very much a dream job for me, which made me think twice about it. Was I ready to serve vocationally again? Was my hiring reinforcing poor church staff decisions? and awful church staff models?
See, I have a problem with the model of, "this person volunteers a lot around here, so lets hire them." I was worried that I myself was falling into this group. I have had some amazing friends, far more learned in living life as Christ would have us who did not vocationally work for churches. That was counterintuitive at the time. If you were good at God, then you should work for a church...
After careful deliberation I accepted the job. I start in two weeks. I am very excited, and very scared...
Because I know myself. I know its hard for me to say no. I know I get too busy. I know sometimes I deny myself a little too much. I don't know if its even because I love people that much, I think a lot of it is that I think that is an irreversible part of my personality.
See, I've been doing a lot of thinking about personality redemption. About the way God moves in the world in general. Can personalities be redeemed, or do we just try to deal the best with what we are dealt?
Can mental disease be cured through relationships? medicine? I know there is therapy that works, but where is the line? When is a condition too severe for redemption? I have two friends (well actually a heckuva lot more, come on, thousands read my blog). One is a diagnosed bi-polar (not sure what type, though I would think type II) with a Scott-diagnosed case of histrionic personality disorder, the other is a homeless, crack addicted late thirties man, who is also caught up in the sex trade.
How much can either of these men's personalities be redeemed. We can talk about dopamine receptors, we can talk about homosexuality... but what can we hope for? what can we strive for? Do we just "wait for God to change them"? I don't know how much I believe in that. People are changed by concrete experiences (or misperceptions of them). If I repeatedly tell someone that they are worthless, and act like it as well, it will affect them.
So what is the hope for my friends? I am not content with waiting for change, I am content with patiently being change. Love is healing. I can see it. Love is redeeming both of these men. The only problem is, I only have so much love before I am exhausted. I cannot do it on my own. And others don't seem to love these men. (which is probably why I do). I'm not saying its easy, loving these guys can be downright depressing... I am saying its necessary, and not just for me to do it, but for me to raise up others to do it as well.
So now that I have learned, how do I teach others? Is it even my place to assume I'm supposed to? I have long known that experience and relationships lead to knowledge much more true than knowledge learned through study (not that study is bad). So I guess I start with teaching my friends, and then they teach theirs.
Before you know it, the alternative lifestyle of love will be redeeming the whole world!
For now, I'm just hoping I can get my act together, and learn to rest. If I am truly learning how to best live, then my personality is changing, hopefully constantly. If it isn't, if I am the same person two years from now, or even two months from now, then I am not living as a disciple. The beauty of community is that we grow together, our personalities are changing together.
A few notes of business, the reborn blog will hopefully follow my journey back into vocational ministry (with a twist). Next week I'll explain more about the job. Finally, I think I'm going to start ending every post with a benediction, if it isn't attributed, then its my own creation.
This weeks is from a church in Clear Lake
“May this great God who called you…
Keep you broken enough to mend others. Keep you hungry enough to feed others. Keep you wandering enough to find the lost. Keep you secure enough to present the truth. Keep you out enough to see the broken. Keep you real enough to be touched by the hurting. Keep you sensitive enough to feel the others pain. Keep you weak enough to reach out to the strong. Keep you strong enough to reach the weak."
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The Dangerous Duvet
Why are we so obsessed with our own comfort?
I guess in order to be comfortable you have to have some money. Or at least some power. Maybe comfort is just another status symbol?
Or maybe discomfort just sucks. I like my bed. Its not some uber space shuttle bed, but its a heck of a lot more comfy than the floor. But it would be nice to have a sweet down comforter.
I hate being hot. My electric bills are ridiculous because my local climate doesn't allow for much in the way of cold.
I don't like awkward situations, unless I create them on purpose. I usually don't like meeting new people. Its not that I won't like the people, its just that getting to know someone takes effort, and I'm not willing to give up time to do it.
I like lots of square feet in my house. Not because its a status symbol (directly at least) but because it gives me plenty of room to move around.
I hate airplane seats.
I hate gymnasium and stadium bleachers.
I am certainly not calling for any form of extreme asceticism. But I am calling for sacrifice when it benefits others. I am calling for the abandonment of comfort, when our search for comfort oppresses others.
When my love of taco bell oppresses migrant produce workers, its time to abandon my love of double decker taco supremes (why God why?!?).
Again, there is no line. When we start drawing lines is when we get ourselves in trouble. This all must be born out of community. And that isn't easy in a world where technology has created a very weak "global community' that has replaced any sense of true community that still existed.
I sat for hours with a couple that is in my community group. We talked about community, and specifically the churches role in community. I live about half an hour away from them, however, the husband knew that he could call me at 4 o'clock and ask for a ride home from the airport (which I currently live near) and that I would be more than willing to do it. I also knew that when we got home (after stopping at the local pub and grille) that I would be invited in for some more food and good conversation. This couple has opened up their home for our community group every monday night. Not just even that, but they also cook a meal for us (us being up to 25 people sometimes).
They have only been married for maybe 6 months now. That is community, when newlyweds are still willing to spend time with others. Its community when the walls break down, when what we want becomes less important. Its community when love supercedes comfort and convenience.
So how does community happen?
If its intentional, is it really community? Does community just happen on its own?
I think maybe its a little of both. It sure is easy to love people who love us. What about those that don't?
It has something to do with identification, with empathy. I guess we really don't know other people. And now I'm getting all philosophical but really, we don't.
All we can know is our own experiences. So we don't understand other people when we can't link their behavior with some feeling we've had in the past. I can't understand a persons life when the are on crack. I can empathize some because I've had my addictions that I could not/did not control. But I haven't ever lived on the street. I haven't ever really been hungry. My friend explained hunger well yesterday. He said we don't really know hunger, because any hunger we feel, we know we can end with our abundance of food. Real hunger is when our stomach aches, and we know there is no hope of food.
I have never felt that, real hunger.
So how do we identify and empathize with those who aren't like us at all? I guess for me, a huge part of community is sharing life. We share victories and struggles. We share joy and mourning. We share emotions and exeriences. Then we can empathize. So when I say I can't empathize with a homeless guy, I'm saying I haven't spent time with him, I haven't cared about him. I'm saying I am not willing to leave my comfort to love him.
How terrible is that? Yet I say it daily.
I finally understand the scriptures about struggling and giving up your life and about love.
How can I have lived so long, and so poorly with such a backwards view of this?
I guess in order to be comfortable you have to have some money. Or at least some power. Maybe comfort is just another status symbol?
Or maybe discomfort just sucks. I like my bed. Its not some uber space shuttle bed, but its a heck of a lot more comfy than the floor. But it would be nice to have a sweet down comforter.
I hate being hot. My electric bills are ridiculous because my local climate doesn't allow for much in the way of cold.
I don't like awkward situations, unless I create them on purpose. I usually don't like meeting new people. Its not that I won't like the people, its just that getting to know someone takes effort, and I'm not willing to give up time to do it.
I like lots of square feet in my house. Not because its a status symbol (directly at least) but because it gives me plenty of room to move around.
I hate airplane seats.
I hate gymnasium and stadium bleachers.
I am certainly not calling for any form of extreme asceticism. But I am calling for sacrifice when it benefits others. I am calling for the abandonment of comfort, when our search for comfort oppresses others.
When my love of taco bell oppresses migrant produce workers, its time to abandon my love of double decker taco supremes (why God why?!?).
Again, there is no line. When we start drawing lines is when we get ourselves in trouble. This all must be born out of community. And that isn't easy in a world where technology has created a very weak "global community' that has replaced any sense of true community that still existed.
I sat for hours with a couple that is in my community group. We talked about community, and specifically the churches role in community. I live about half an hour away from them, however, the husband knew that he could call me at 4 o'clock and ask for a ride home from the airport (which I currently live near) and that I would be more than willing to do it. I also knew that when we got home (after stopping at the local pub and grille) that I would be invited in for some more food and good conversation. This couple has opened up their home for our community group every monday night. Not just even that, but they also cook a meal for us (us being up to 25 people sometimes).
They have only been married for maybe 6 months now. That is community, when newlyweds are still willing to spend time with others. Its community when the walls break down, when what we want becomes less important. Its community when love supercedes comfort and convenience.
So how does community happen?
If its intentional, is it really community? Does community just happen on its own?
I think maybe its a little of both. It sure is easy to love people who love us. What about those that don't?
It has something to do with identification, with empathy. I guess we really don't know other people. And now I'm getting all philosophical but really, we don't.
All we can know is our own experiences. So we don't understand other people when we can't link their behavior with some feeling we've had in the past. I can't understand a persons life when the are on crack. I can empathize some because I've had my addictions that I could not/did not control. But I haven't ever lived on the street. I haven't ever really been hungry. My friend explained hunger well yesterday. He said we don't really know hunger, because any hunger we feel, we know we can end with our abundance of food. Real hunger is when our stomach aches, and we know there is no hope of food.
I have never felt that, real hunger.
So how do we identify and empathize with those who aren't like us at all? I guess for me, a huge part of community is sharing life. We share victories and struggles. We share joy and mourning. We share emotions and exeriences. Then we can empathize. So when I say I can't empathize with a homeless guy, I'm saying I haven't spent time with him, I haven't cared about him. I'm saying I am not willing to leave my comfort to love him.
How terrible is that? Yet I say it daily.
I finally understand the scriptures about struggling and giving up your life and about love.
How can I have lived so long, and so poorly with such a backwards view of this?
Saturday, January 20, 2007
The Gentleman
My faith community is struggling right now. If your faith community isn't, I suggest you look into it. Struggle is an important part of faith. Without struggle we do not grow.
My community is struggling over love. And we are a community based around love, so I guess that is to be expected.
We are good at loving some people. Of course its easy to love the suburbanite/post-suburbanite-urbanite, and our church does a pretty good job of loving them. But our facilities are purposefully (i thought) located in an area of town that has a good number of homeless people and people who live alternative lifestyles. Part of the thought process was that churches typically dont reach out to these people.
So our struggle is the struggle of loving the less lovely. We are early in this discussion but we have already shared some great words.
One of the early great questions in our discussion has been very challenging. The community recently asked a homeless gentleman who is involved in the worlds oldest profession not to come back to the facilities. He was gentle whenever I was around him, but he had a history of theft and drug use at our facilities. He even used aggressive language with one of the staffers once.
This gentleman was removed from our community. How would the community respond if I started using? If I took the tip jar on my way out of the coffee shop? If I used aggressive, demeaning language with one of the baristas? I sincerely doubt I would be asked not to return to the building.
How can we break down the walls the we have built, only “providing Christ” to those who are appealing. Our community has reached out to the alternative lifestylers in our community through the coffee shop, art, and being available for rental.
But then there are the “dregs.”
How can we love the less lovely? How can we love this gentleman?
My faith community would still love me if I became the gentleman. They would spend the time, they would make the extra effort to help me redeem the areas of my life that needed redemption.
So why do we act differently towards the gentleman?
Because my faith community is just what it says it is, a community. A wise deacon, and good friend of mine, said this,
“the first step is humanization, the second step is equalization. What I mean by that is we take a gentleman like (the gentleman) and we treat him as if he just drove down from (the local affluent suburb) in his SUV.”
We have built walls that we must tear down. When Christ talked about turning the other cheek and giving up the clothes on your back and carrying the roman soldiers pack he wasn’t saying let people walk all over you. He was describing a beautiful and strong revolution. We are not succumbing to other’s wills, we are aligning our will with God’s. And God’s will is for us to love, and love means sacrifice. It means sacrificing safety and comfort. I don’t want someone at the facility to get hurt, but I honestly think I’m willing to sacrifice that safety in order to bring the gentleman into our community.
When does the line of safety become the line of comfort?
When do we build our walls close enough that we may be injured? When do we stop building walls all together?
Community, true community, involves an abandonment of our love of comfort and a genuine risk of our safety.
My community is struggling over love. And we are a community based around love, so I guess that is to be expected.
We are good at loving some people. Of course its easy to love the suburbanite/post-suburbanite-urbanite, and our church does a pretty good job of loving them. But our facilities are purposefully (i thought) located in an area of town that has a good number of homeless people and people who live alternative lifestyles. Part of the thought process was that churches typically dont reach out to these people.
So our struggle is the struggle of loving the less lovely. We are early in this discussion but we have already shared some great words.
One of the early great questions in our discussion has been very challenging. The community recently asked a homeless gentleman who is involved in the worlds oldest profession not to come back to the facilities. He was gentle whenever I was around him, but he had a history of theft and drug use at our facilities. He even used aggressive language with one of the staffers once.
This gentleman was removed from our community. How would the community respond if I started using? If I took the tip jar on my way out of the coffee shop? If I used aggressive, demeaning language with one of the baristas? I sincerely doubt I would be asked not to return to the building.
How can we break down the walls the we have built, only “providing Christ” to those who are appealing. Our community has reached out to the alternative lifestylers in our community through the coffee shop, art, and being available for rental.
But then there are the “dregs.”
How can we love the less lovely? How can we love this gentleman?
My faith community would still love me if I became the gentleman. They would spend the time, they would make the extra effort to help me redeem the areas of my life that needed redemption.
So why do we act differently towards the gentleman?
Because my faith community is just what it says it is, a community. A wise deacon, and good friend of mine, said this,
“the first step is humanization, the second step is equalization. What I mean by that is we take a gentleman like (the gentleman) and we treat him as if he just drove down from (the local affluent suburb) in his SUV.”
We have built walls that we must tear down. When Christ talked about turning the other cheek and giving up the clothes on your back and carrying the roman soldiers pack he wasn’t saying let people walk all over you. He was describing a beautiful and strong revolution. We are not succumbing to other’s wills, we are aligning our will with God’s. And God’s will is for us to love, and love means sacrifice. It means sacrificing safety and comfort. I don’t want someone at the facility to get hurt, but I honestly think I’m willing to sacrifice that safety in order to bring the gentleman into our community.
When does the line of safety become the line of comfort?
When do we build our walls close enough that we may be injured? When do we stop building walls all together?
Community, true community, involves an abandonment of our love of comfort and a genuine risk of our safety.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The Classical Guitarist
His hands moved beautifully: his left dancing like a tarantula on the fretboard, his right picking and strumming intricate patterns without looking like he was working at all.
It was beautiful... the whole situation.
I must have sat there for a good hour while he played. He held his head awkwardly turned to his left, it seemed he was avoiding eye contact with his fans. He was playing on the small stage in the lobby bar. There was usually some sort of jazz/classical musician playing in the evenings and I had the pleasure of seeing him again later in the week.
I couldn't really decide what was so beautiful about it at first. I had imbibed 2 or 3 white russians by the time he closed up shop when it hit me. The music, of course, was enjoyable, but the real beauty lied in the ability of a man to create. The classical guitarist (along with the bartender) created an experience for me that didn't just make me smile, but impacted my soul. I felt like the world was ok for a while, that things were good, right in the midst (and being myself a part of) ridiculous affluence and consumerism.
It was costing my parents multiple thousands of dollars for me to be there. What was I thinking by condoning this? While I spoke openly against it I was willing to taste its sweet fruits. I had to be there for my cousin's wedding right? I mean, it would be rude not to go... right?
At the same time I was happy, content, I had hope, I believed in beauty. Something about his creativity and skill helped me realize that I didn't always have to focus on the darkness. In fact my focus shouldn't be at all on the darkness, or even ridding the world of darkness. My focus should be on creating light. The light itself will eradicate the darkness.
So much of my life for the past year (really all of my life) has been focused on darkness. I think the guitarist's "tarantula hand," yes, something that ridiculous, has brought real and lasting change to my life.
When we create beauty we are beautiful ourselves. Its crazy to think that in the midst of the beauty of the rainforest, and the beauty of hispanic culture I found myself most captivated by something as simple as a hand on a fretboard.
On that day that guitarist was beautiful. It wasn't his strong spanish-looking face, or his awesome facial hair, it was his hand dancing between strings. It was the sounds that he so fluidly coaxed from his collection of wire and wood. It was the fact that he was created in the image of the beautiful creator, and therefore created beauty himself.
The world needs a few more dancing tarantulas, or at least it needs some of us beautiful creators to wake up from our unimaginative sleep and start creating beauty, and use our creativity to redeem the world.
It was beautiful... the whole situation.
I must have sat there for a good hour while he played. He held his head awkwardly turned to his left, it seemed he was avoiding eye contact with his fans. He was playing on the small stage in the lobby bar. There was usually some sort of jazz/classical musician playing in the evenings and I had the pleasure of seeing him again later in the week.
I couldn't really decide what was so beautiful about it at first. I had imbibed 2 or 3 white russians by the time he closed up shop when it hit me. The music, of course, was enjoyable, but the real beauty lied in the ability of a man to create. The classical guitarist (along with the bartender) created an experience for me that didn't just make me smile, but impacted my soul. I felt like the world was ok for a while, that things were good, right in the midst (and being myself a part of) ridiculous affluence and consumerism.
It was costing my parents multiple thousands of dollars for me to be there. What was I thinking by condoning this? While I spoke openly against it I was willing to taste its sweet fruits. I had to be there for my cousin's wedding right? I mean, it would be rude not to go... right?
At the same time I was happy, content, I had hope, I believed in beauty. Something about his creativity and skill helped me realize that I didn't always have to focus on the darkness. In fact my focus shouldn't be at all on the darkness, or even ridding the world of darkness. My focus should be on creating light. The light itself will eradicate the darkness.
So much of my life for the past year (really all of my life) has been focused on darkness. I think the guitarist's "tarantula hand," yes, something that ridiculous, has brought real and lasting change to my life.
When we create beauty we are beautiful ourselves. Its crazy to think that in the midst of the beauty of the rainforest, and the beauty of hispanic culture I found myself most captivated by something as simple as a hand on a fretboard.
On that day that guitarist was beautiful. It wasn't his strong spanish-looking face, or his awesome facial hair, it was his hand dancing between strings. It was the sounds that he so fluidly coaxed from his collection of wire and wood. It was the fact that he was created in the image of the beautiful creator, and therefore created beauty himself.
The world needs a few more dancing tarantulas, or at least it needs some of us beautiful creators to wake up from our unimaginative sleep and start creating beauty, and use our creativity to redeem the world.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Riviera Maya
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Playacar, Mexico. My cousin's wedding was beautiful, on the beach, just a touch windy, not too warm, but not cool at all. Made for some great pictures. Unfotunately I forgot my camera, so I didn't take many (just when I could steal my parents camera).
The highlights of the trip (in no particular order) were: spending time with my aging grandparents, seeing my immediate family, chilling with my two male cousin's who were there,
swimming in the ocean, playing basketball in 5 feet of water, interacting with the people who worked at the resort, enjoying the beauty of the jungle, almost getting peed on by a monkey from a tree over my head (I swear it was on purpose!), smoking fine cigars and drinking about ten thousand mojitos (seriously I probably had 20 mojitos in 6 days).There were two highlights that stood out above the rest.
The first was the trip I convinced my immediate family to go on. We went with a tour guide and some other tourists to the ancient Mayan city of Coba. It was amazing walking through the jungle (having to carefully avoid a certain type of poisonous tree) where the Maya had walked two thousand plus years ago. We saw the ball courts
where the winning team had the honor of being killed and then eaten by the spectators (only after the "big" games). It was thought that you got to go to heaven if you won the game and were sacrificed. The captain of the team even became a god! Not a bad deal.We also climbed the second highest Mayan pyramid which is in Coba.
It rises over 120 feet, well over the level of the jungle, allowing a grand view of the crater lakes and the salt pyramid about a quarter mile away. There was something majestic about being on top of the pyramid. Our guide was half Mayan and taught us a lot about Mayan culture. He explained how the ruling class of the Mayan world (the priests) used their knowledge to convice the common people that they were connected to the Gods and had special powers. They made it appear as if they sun set and rose from the pyramid as the high priest stood on top. They also knew how to use acoustics and from the top of the pyramid voices could be heard for 5 kilometers before the site became overgrown.As he told us about the deception of the priests and we discussed the barbarism of the culture I couldn't help but draw parallels to the church. First off the connection of cannibalism with the Eucharist is strong. Early Christians were often arrested under charge of cannibalism because of the Eucharist language. Martyrdom was also a huge problem for the early church (though it might not have realized it). Martyrdom was so worshiped that it was almost intentional sometimes, people wanted to be sacrificed for God to prove they loved him and to ensure a good spot in heaven.
I also really feel like our church leadership often holds their position over the heads of their flocks, or at least pretends to be the purveyor of truth and God's word in his region. As a youth minister I was guilty of this, if you needed a question answered, and wanted to know "God's will" then you came to me to ask for it, and I pointed you in the right direction.
We criticize the "barbaric" Mayan culture while we have just taken their physical violence and turned it into other forms of oppression. The church still refuses to touch certain topics, and certain people groups that are somehow a part of the hot issues. Mayan civilizatoin disappeared rapidly, in the cities at least, am I being overly cynical to wonder if the church is on the same road to irrelevance? Or are we already there?
Monday, January 01, 2007
God Goes Bankrupt
Extra, Extra, read all about it!
In shocking news this week God has gone bankrupt after spending all of his resources on a failed media campaign.
In the past 5 years God has been spending billions on a billboard and Christian Radio Station advertising campaign.
If you haven't seen the black billboards with white, witty, sayings attributed to God on them, then you are missing out.
Something about me wants to love this campaign. The Americanized Church is finally responding to the criticisms that it is no fun. Many of the sayings are clever, the campaign reaches people in their cars, which are our last bastions of thought (other than the commode). Most of the sayings refer to a loving God who just wants to be connected with his creation.
What a beautiful vision!
Unfortunately some of them revert to the hellfire and brimstone Christianity that ran so many people away from the church (myself included).
You can see the billboards from the God Speaks campaign here. http://www.godspeaks.com/AboutTheBillboards.asp
In the end though, as much as I would like to like witty billboards, they are just the new millenium's bumper sticker. The churches refusal to get down and dirty and live life with people. Their stretch to "save" as many people as they can before the rapture! The encouragement of "nominal Christianity."
This "let's get you saved and then worry about the rest" mentality has not worked. Because the church never does worry about the rest, or when they do, it all boils down to a simple moral code they have placed upon their members.
When Jesus came, he so passionately dialogued with the Pharisees for this very reason. The Pharisees loved God dearly, they really did, and they thought they were pleasing him by trying to cleanse Israel. And honestly, what did the prophets call for over and over again before the Pharisees came along? The Cleansing of Israel.
So these Pharisees said, "well God's laws need to be followed, and its so important that we are going to extend them even further, so that we never even come close to breaking them." They imposed a moral code on the people that was not of God. Jesus came along, so conveniently at this point in God's love story with his creation and told the Pharisees they had it all wrong. And the Good news he came to share was LOVE. Over and over his messages overflow with love. Where the Pharisees had imposed rules, Jesus said that Love would suffice.
Yes, don't kill your brother, but even more than that, don't even hate him.
That is wh I love the billboards that preach a God in love with his creation. If only the church was willing to be God in that way to the world, and love them personally, in community, rather than just "reach out" to them.
I am involved in a wonderful faith community that even struggles with this very thing.
How do we not "reach out" but rather "bring in."
In shocking news this week God has gone bankrupt after spending all of his resources on a failed media campaign.
In the past 5 years God has been spending billions on a billboard and Christian Radio Station advertising campaign.
If you haven't seen the black billboards with white, witty, sayings attributed to God on them, then you are missing out.
Something about me wants to love this campaign. The Americanized Church is finally responding to the criticisms that it is no fun. Many of the sayings are clever, the campaign reaches people in their cars, which are our last bastions of thought (other than the commode). Most of the sayings refer to a loving God who just wants to be connected with his creation.
What a beautiful vision!
Unfortunately some of them revert to the hellfire and brimstone Christianity that ran so many people away from the church (myself included).
You can see the billboards from the God Speaks campaign here. http://www.godspeaks.com/AboutTheBillboards.asp
In the end though, as much as I would like to like witty billboards, they are just the new millenium's bumper sticker. The churches refusal to get down and dirty and live life with people. Their stretch to "save" as many people as they can before the rapture! The encouragement of "nominal Christianity."
This "let's get you saved and then worry about the rest" mentality has not worked. Because the church never does worry about the rest, or when they do, it all boils down to a simple moral code they have placed upon their members.
When Jesus came, he so passionately dialogued with the Pharisees for this very reason. The Pharisees loved God dearly, they really did, and they thought they were pleasing him by trying to cleanse Israel. And honestly, what did the prophets call for over and over again before the Pharisees came along? The Cleansing of Israel.
So these Pharisees said, "well God's laws need to be followed, and its so important that we are going to extend them even further, so that we never even come close to breaking them." They imposed a moral code on the people that was not of God. Jesus came along, so conveniently at this point in God's love story with his creation and told the Pharisees they had it all wrong. And the Good news he came to share was LOVE. Over and over his messages overflow with love. Where the Pharisees had imposed rules, Jesus said that Love would suffice.
Yes, don't kill your brother, but even more than that, don't even hate him.
That is wh I love the billboards that preach a God in love with his creation. If only the church was willing to be God in that way to the world, and love them personally, in community, rather than just "reach out" to them.
I am involved in a wonderful faith community that even struggles with this very thing.
How do we not "reach out" but rather "bring in."
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Playa del Carmen
As I leave today and allow my parents to spend entirely too much money for me to spend a week in the Mayan Riviera for my cousins wedding I am reminded of my own hypocrisy.
As it is I look forward to spending the traveling and the week reading as much as my brain can handle, hiking some Mayan ruins, spending time with family, and taking a faith journey while high on peyote (I'm still trying to decide on that last part).
Hopefully I will have plenty to talk about when I return. Also the library will be open and I can finally research Prayer and Baptism.
As it is I look forward to spending the traveling and the week reading as much as my brain can handle, hiking some Mayan ruins, spending time with family, and taking a faith journey while high on peyote (I'm still trying to decide on that last part).
Hopefully I will have plenty to talk about when I return. Also the library will be open and I can finally research Prayer and Baptism.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Home(less) for the Holydays
I know among the many terrible things Christmas can be, that it is often a wonderful (yet stressful) time with family and friends. I ask that in the coming week you would not forget our homeless friends. The holydays are a terrible time for the homeless. Many homeless people have no family, or have been disowned. Those who do still have family have most of the time at least lost contact with them.
While we enjoy time with family, or phone calls with family, we should remember our friends. It is cold out, and most shelters only allow visitors to stay for 7 days a month. Take some time to gather some of your abundance, some clothes that are going to waste, some of God's goodness that we hoard to ourselves. Take the time to gather it, and give it to those who don't have. Take some time away from your family (or with it) and go be the family of a homeless person. Don't use ignorance as your excuse, call any homeless ministry in your area and they will give you some advice.
If you are reading this blog, chances are you have been economically blessed amazingly by God (as I have). God doesn't give us wealth so we can enjoy it. (now don't get me wrong, there is nothing inherently wrong with money, or possesions) God gives to us, that we may be his hands and feet and bless others. Israel always viewed her role as God's redemptive hand on earth, and while she often fell (as we do) and while she often failed in her job (as we do) she did, in the end, produce the redeemer.
Too often the church sees Christ as only saviour, when we attempt to be his hands and feet we try only to save. When the church views Christ as redeemer, friend, lover, teacher, God and saviour she can become the manifestation of God on earth, being his hands and feet, serving those who God has given us to serve.
Think about ways you can be God's hands and feet to the world in the coming week. And then act on it.
While we enjoy time with family, or phone calls with family, we should remember our friends. It is cold out, and most shelters only allow visitors to stay for 7 days a month. Take some time to gather some of your abundance, some clothes that are going to waste, some of God's goodness that we hoard to ourselves. Take the time to gather it, and give it to those who don't have. Take some time away from your family (or with it) and go be the family of a homeless person. Don't use ignorance as your excuse, call any homeless ministry in your area and they will give you some advice.
If you are reading this blog, chances are you have been economically blessed amazingly by God (as I have). God doesn't give us wealth so we can enjoy it. (now don't get me wrong, there is nothing inherently wrong with money, or possesions) God gives to us, that we may be his hands and feet and bless others. Israel always viewed her role as God's redemptive hand on earth, and while she often fell (as we do) and while she often failed in her job (as we do) she did, in the end, produce the redeemer.
Too often the church sees Christ as only saviour, when we attempt to be his hands and feet we try only to save. When the church views Christ as redeemer, friend, lover, teacher, God and saviour she can become the manifestation of God on earth, being his hands and feet, serving those who God has given us to serve.
Think about ways you can be God's hands and feet to the world in the coming week. And then act on it.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
I don't hustle, I just turn tricks for money.
he said as he couldn't even bear to make eye contact with me.
If you want to see Jesus, if you want to meet him, in the flesh, go tomorrow night, go to a certain corner in Montrose, and look for the people with the little white name placards on. And meet Jesus.
My friends at Emmaus Ministries are God's hands and feet on earth. They are reaching out to redeem the parts of society that nobody else reaches out to. If you don't want your heart broken, I suggest you skip over this post.
Emmaus Ministries reaches out to male prostitutes in the Montrose area of Houston. These gentlemen (though often hard to tell which sex they are) are referred to as hustlers. Tonight I got to step into the realm of the hustler and just catch a glimpse into his world. I walked the streets tonight with my good friend Dan from Emmaus. We wandered from 1030 until 230, spending some time on busy street corners, and some time at a bar.
The scene is unreal. The first person we encountered was walking alone. Dan said hi and the gent was willing to talk a bit. Dan lovingly asked some questions to show him that he cared for him. The thing that struck me was that every answer was ended with the phrase, "I'm just depressed, I just get depressed." I felt more pain coming from this person than I have ever felt from another human being before.
We arrived at the corner of Stanford and Hyde Park and it is unlike anything I have ever scene before. Dan immediately sees multiple people that he knows.There are plenty of gentleman (dressed as either sex) standing around talking, or walking to and fro. There is also a strong police presence. An undercover car sits at one corner while multiple police patrol the area regularly.
The intersection is out of the way, yet sees more traffic than most at this time of night. I had seen plenty of cars drive by slowly looking around when one came to a complete stop just next to us, and an agitated and frenetic man entered the car. I had seen him walking around and something was definitely not working well in his head. His movements were jerky, almost palsied and he seemed nervous. As he entered the car I got a good look at the driver. He was in his early 30s driving a nice truck, looked fairly clean cut. As I glanced his direction he put his hand to his face and looked the other way.
The car couldn't have been gone more than 5 minutes when I saw the frenetic hustler again on the corner. I also noticed the same truck drive by twice more. I was amazed at how quickly a trick could be tuvrned here. But the sadness continued to grow. I started noticing this older (late 50's) little white man with a white goatee driving by over and over staring at the hustlers. He looked like a philosophy professor. I even saw him try to pick up a hustler directly in front of the undercover police officer.
Then I met Anthony.
He couldn't have been more than 30, and I suppose being on the street makes you look even older. He wanted to sell me his watch (it was a nice watch!) for 15 dollars, needed a place to stay for the night because he heard it was going to rain. He didn't want to turn a trick for the 12 dollars he needed for a bed at a shelter because as he said "I don't hustle, I just turn tricks for money when I have to." He told me his story, how is only relative was his mother, who is in the state pen in Alabama. He said he lost everything in Katrina (he was from new orleans). Without an ID or a relative to vouch for you, you cannot get a birth certificate, Social Card, or a job. He didn't want to be on the street, and surely didn't want to be turning tricks for food.
It just breaks your heart. I have much more to write, but am pooped. I'll do an edit friday.
If you want to see Jesus, if you want to meet him, in the flesh, go tomorrow night, go to a certain corner in Montrose, and look for the people with the little white name placards on. And meet Jesus.
My friends at Emmaus Ministries are God's hands and feet on earth. They are reaching out to redeem the parts of society that nobody else reaches out to. If you don't want your heart broken, I suggest you skip over this post.
Emmaus Ministries reaches out to male prostitutes in the Montrose area of Houston. These gentlemen (though often hard to tell which sex they are) are referred to as hustlers. Tonight I got to step into the realm of the hustler and just catch a glimpse into his world. I walked the streets tonight with my good friend Dan from Emmaus. We wandered from 1030 until 230, spending some time on busy street corners, and some time at a bar.
The scene is unreal. The first person we encountered was walking alone. Dan said hi and the gent was willing to talk a bit. Dan lovingly asked some questions to show him that he cared for him. The thing that struck me was that every answer was ended with the phrase, "I'm just depressed, I just get depressed." I felt more pain coming from this person than I have ever felt from another human being before.
We arrived at the corner of Stanford and Hyde Park and it is unlike anything I have ever scene before. Dan immediately sees multiple people that he knows.There are plenty of gentleman (dressed as either sex) standing around talking, or walking to and fro. There is also a strong police presence. An undercover car sits at one corner while multiple police patrol the area regularly.
The intersection is out of the way, yet sees more traffic than most at this time of night. I had seen plenty of cars drive by slowly looking around when one came to a complete stop just next to us, and an agitated and frenetic man entered the car. I had seen him walking around and something was definitely not working well in his head. His movements were jerky, almost palsied and he seemed nervous. As he entered the car I got a good look at the driver. He was in his early 30s driving a nice truck, looked fairly clean cut. As I glanced his direction he put his hand to his face and looked the other way.
The car couldn't have been gone more than 5 minutes when I saw the frenetic hustler again on the corner. I also noticed the same truck drive by twice more. I was amazed at how quickly a trick could be tuvrned here. But the sadness continued to grow. I started noticing this older (late 50's) little white man with a white goatee driving by over and over staring at the hustlers. He looked like a philosophy professor. I even saw him try to pick up a hustler directly in front of the undercover police officer.
Then I met Anthony.
He couldn't have been more than 30, and I suppose being on the street makes you look even older. He wanted to sell me his watch (it was a nice watch!) for 15 dollars, needed a place to stay for the night because he heard it was going to rain. He didn't want to turn a trick for the 12 dollars he needed for a bed at a shelter because as he said "I don't hustle, I just turn tricks for money when I have to." He told me his story, how is only relative was his mother, who is in the state pen in Alabama. He said he lost everything in Katrina (he was from new orleans). Without an ID or a relative to vouch for you, you cannot get a birth certificate, Social Card, or a job. He didn't want to be on the street, and surely didn't want to be turning tricks for food.
It just breaks your heart. I have much more to write, but am pooped. I'll do an edit friday.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The Diary of Snod
I've probably posted this before.
I love my church. And by church, I mean gathering of local christ-followers.
For those of you in blogland who don't know me, after I graduated from college I went to work for some dear friends at a church I had been involved with in high school. I was brought on staff as a wide-eyed kid (like I'm much older now) to run the middle school ministries. I enjoyed my time at the church. I really did. Eventually however, my eyes truly began to open. To a number of things: the consumerism of the church, hyperspiritualization, denominationalism.
As I started to see how I had lost track of the world, my spirituality, and life in general, the weight of my disappointment and disgust of myself started to bring me down.
The last three months at the church were not pleasant, and looking back, I should have left earlier. What few positive effects I had been having on the kingdom began to disappear as I sunk lower into sheol.
Finally, through some dramatic and unfortunate experiences at the church I realized I had better just go.
All of this is just to explain where I am coming from.
I was really depressed with the state of the church, and even embarrassed to face God because I knew I had been a leading proponent of much of what was depressing.
It was time to change. I knew it was time to leave ministry for a while. And I promised myself I would never work for a church I wouldn't attend.
That made me think about what kind of church I wanted to attend.
I was searching for truth, I wanted a church that was doing that as well. I desparately needed people to love, and people to love me. I was starting to care for the world, it would be nice to find others who do.
Well, I started looking, and I got lucky on my first try. The church I am attending doesn't like to be called "a church." In fact, they call themselves a community of christians. They are also passionately seeking truth, sometimes that means breaking down old walls. They care deeply about the world around us, they have more passion than I in this area, and constantly drive me to see the world with different eyes. They also immediately loved me. And I had found my group of people love as well.
Here is my new "christian gathering's" mission statement (if you even want to call it that).
Holistic Missional Christian Community
Holistic: We believe that the Gospel impacts every area of a person's life and culture. We reject unfounded categories that divide the world into uniquely sacred or purely secular. God is redeeming all of creation through Jesus.
Missional: We believe that the church exists for the world and not for herself - she is to introduce and usher in the Kingdom of God into every part of this world.
Christian: We embrace the teachings and divinity of Jesus Christ as well as His unique role as the means of salvation from sin for all who believe. We embrace the Scripture as God's primary instrument by which He introduces this message to the world.
Community: We believe that salvation brings people together as a reflection of a triune God: Father, Son and Spirit. Saved from sin by faith through grace, the people of God are able to live in unity as was intended by God in the beginning.
Here is some more beliefs of the community that are beautiful.
Struggle
A worldview that does not see culture as sacred or secular, but redeemed or in need of redemption.
Community
We value other churches.
Justice
We are the voice for the helpless, understanding that God's Word says, "pyre religion is to care for the widow and the orphan."
Hope
The next generation of leaders are called out now.
History
The ancient story of God is retold and lived out.
Mission
Culture is met, transformed, and embraced.
Beauty
Beauty, art, and creativity, are valued, utilized, and understood as coming from our Creator.
I have found my place of healing and rest. And at the same time it stretches me and challenges me and pushes me to higher heights. It is a place I can feel comfort, but not complacency. Love but not apathy. Justice but not vengeance. Tradition but not religiousity.
I love my church. And by church, I mean gathering of local christ-followers.
For those of you in blogland who don't know me, after I graduated from college I went to work for some dear friends at a church I had been involved with in high school. I was brought on staff as a wide-eyed kid (like I'm much older now) to run the middle school ministries. I enjoyed my time at the church. I really did. Eventually however, my eyes truly began to open. To a number of things: the consumerism of the church, hyperspiritualization, denominationalism.
As I started to see how I had lost track of the world, my spirituality, and life in general, the weight of my disappointment and disgust of myself started to bring me down.
The last three months at the church were not pleasant, and looking back, I should have left earlier. What few positive effects I had been having on the kingdom began to disappear as I sunk lower into sheol.
Finally, through some dramatic and unfortunate experiences at the church I realized I had better just go.
All of this is just to explain where I am coming from.
I was really depressed with the state of the church, and even embarrassed to face God because I knew I had been a leading proponent of much of what was depressing.
It was time to change. I knew it was time to leave ministry for a while. And I promised myself I would never work for a church I wouldn't attend.
That made me think about what kind of church I wanted to attend.
I was searching for truth, I wanted a church that was doing that as well. I desparately needed people to love, and people to love me. I was starting to care for the world, it would be nice to find others who do.
Well, I started looking, and I got lucky on my first try. The church I am attending doesn't like to be called "a church." In fact, they call themselves a community of christians. They are also passionately seeking truth, sometimes that means breaking down old walls. They care deeply about the world around us, they have more passion than I in this area, and constantly drive me to see the world with different eyes. They also immediately loved me. And I had found my group of people love as well.
Here is my new "christian gathering's" mission statement (if you even want to call it that).
Holistic Missional Christian Community
Holistic: We believe that the Gospel impacts every area of a person's life and culture. We reject unfounded categories that divide the world into uniquely sacred or purely secular. God is redeeming all of creation through Jesus.
Missional: We believe that the church exists for the world and not for herself - she is to introduce and usher in the Kingdom of God into every part of this world.
Christian: We embrace the teachings and divinity of Jesus Christ as well as His unique role as the means of salvation from sin for all who believe. We embrace the Scripture as God's primary instrument by which He introduces this message to the world.
Community: We believe that salvation brings people together as a reflection of a triune God: Father, Son and Spirit. Saved from sin by faith through grace, the people of God are able to live in unity as was intended by God in the beginning.
Here is some more beliefs of the community that are beautiful.
Struggle
A worldview that does not see culture as sacred or secular, but redeemed or in need of redemption.
Community
We value other churches.
Justice
We are the voice for the helpless, understanding that God's Word says, "pyre religion is to care for the widow and the orphan."
Hope
The next generation of leaders are called out now.
History
The ancient story of God is retold and lived out.
Mission
Culture is met, transformed, and embraced.
Beauty
Beauty, art, and creativity, are valued, utilized, and understood as coming from our Creator.
I have found my place of healing and rest. And at the same time it stretches me and challenges me and pushes me to higher heights. It is a place I can feel comfort, but not complacency. Love but not apathy. Justice but not vengeance. Tradition but not religiousity.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Prayer and Baptism
So I'm finding myself in need of much more study than I had originally thought. (I guess it makes sense when after two thousand years intelligent minds still disagree)
I'll try to have prayer at least approached messily by week's end. These days I find myself enjoying reading very much and also enjoying the near silence of a library.
It's also weird that I wonder if I should be praying about my study of prayer.
As we get deeper into advent remember that the holydays can be a lonely time for any of us, especially those in need of love. Forget "goodwill" (the idea not the organization) and start loving. Spend some time with a homeless person this week.
I'll try to have prayer at least approached messily by week's end. These days I find myself enjoying reading very much and also enjoying the near silence of a library.
It's also weird that I wonder if I should be praying about my study of prayer.
As we get deeper into advent remember that the holydays can be a lonely time for any of us, especially those in need of love. Forget "goodwill" (the idea not the organization) and start loving. Spend some time with a homeless person this week.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Suburban Myopia
If you have any thoughts on this I really want to hear them.
As many of you (should) have gathered I am a bit frustrated with the consumer church and the suburban psyche. This has led me to start living missionally (the belief, and lifestyle that represents that I know I exist, as a part of the church, not for myself, but to usher in the kingdom of God into this world) and part of that means leaving the suburbs (not that moving is always required).
I remember talking to people about how frustrated I am with the self-centeredness and lack of community in the suburbs. How the idea of a suburb in the first place was moving out of the city and away from the poor and minorities. The thought process that living in a community of only white upper class people will keep the land values high and family values intact makes me sick. We have allowed finances and comfort to dominate our lives, and have removed compassion and diversity. As a part of these conversations I often mentioned that I knew that my frustration meant I ultimately would be back in the suburbs ministering to suburbanites, trying to open their eyes to some of these problems.
Well the time has come sooner than I anticipated (God has a funny way of doing that doesn't he?).
Here enters my new brainchild, Suburban Myopia.
I will define the term (I haven't coined it, and do not know who did, but as it is not commonly used, I will take the liberty to put my own spin on the definition) simply as "the purposeful inability of suburbanites to see problems in their city because they sequester themselves from them."
The definition needs to be tightened up, I know.
So SM is my idea for a ministry, which might in fact begin to exist next weekend. The ministry would exist to bring awareness about the plights of the poor and oppressed in the very cities which the suburbanites have fled. As awareness is raised, opportunities will be created for suburbanites to do something to help as well (giving money alone will probably not be an encouraged option).
SM will strive to put a face to poverty and challenge inaction and unconcern.
So for the first "mission" of SM I want to get together a group of 40 or so people together, all dress up like homeless people (making sure not to belittle the homeless or reinforce harmful stereotypes) and hold signs on the streets of a suburb.
Here are a few ideas for some of the signs.
If Christmas is Jesus' birthday how come you get more presents than him?
'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Just because you don't see me doesn't mean I don't exist.
There are 14,999 more of me in Houston.
Why is it illegal to be homeless?
These are just some thoughts. More will need to be brainstormed. If 40 "homeless" people showed up at a busy intersection in a suburb it would make some noise.
To help you get a feel for the ministry I want you to think of the brilliant anti-smoking campaign, the truth. If you haven't seen their commercials go here and click on the white tv button just above the center of the page. There are three commercials available to view, but they have had many more. The campaign is pure brilliance. Doing public service announcements in public. Drawing as much attention as possible in busy areas. This is the feel I would like to have only for poverty and oppression awareness.
Of course I would like the ministry to have a more practical side as well. It would be necessary to connect the ministry with trustworthy organizations that aide the poor an oppressed.
Again, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. As well, if you are in the Houston area (there goes my semi-anonymity) and are interested in taking part in the homeless street corner gig on December 23 please email me here.
As many of you (should) have gathered I am a bit frustrated with the consumer church and the suburban psyche. This has led me to start living missionally (the belief, and lifestyle that represents that I know I exist, as a part of the church, not for myself, but to usher in the kingdom of God into this world) and part of that means leaving the suburbs (not that moving is always required).
I remember talking to people about how frustrated I am with the self-centeredness and lack of community in the suburbs. How the idea of a suburb in the first place was moving out of the city and away from the poor and minorities. The thought process that living in a community of only white upper class people will keep the land values high and family values intact makes me sick. We have allowed finances and comfort to dominate our lives, and have removed compassion and diversity. As a part of these conversations I often mentioned that I knew that my frustration meant I ultimately would be back in the suburbs ministering to suburbanites, trying to open their eyes to some of these problems.
Well the time has come sooner than I anticipated (God has a funny way of doing that doesn't he?).
Here enters my new brainchild, Suburban Myopia.
I will define the term (I haven't coined it, and do not know who did, but as it is not commonly used, I will take the liberty to put my own spin on the definition) simply as "the purposeful inability of suburbanites to see problems in their city because they sequester themselves from them."
The definition needs to be tightened up, I know.
So SM is my idea for a ministry, which might in fact begin to exist next weekend. The ministry would exist to bring awareness about the plights of the poor and oppressed in the very cities which the suburbanites have fled. As awareness is raised, opportunities will be created for suburbanites to do something to help as well (giving money alone will probably not be an encouraged option).
SM will strive to put a face to poverty and challenge inaction and unconcern.
So for the first "mission" of SM I want to get together a group of 40 or so people together, all dress up like homeless people (making sure not to belittle the homeless or reinforce harmful stereotypes) and hold signs on the streets of a suburb.
Here are a few ideas for some of the signs.
If Christmas is Jesus' birthday how come you get more presents than him?
'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Just because you don't see me doesn't mean I don't exist.
There are 14,999 more of me in Houston.
Why is it illegal to be homeless?
These are just some thoughts. More will need to be brainstormed. If 40 "homeless" people showed up at a busy intersection in a suburb it would make some noise.
To help you get a feel for the ministry I want you to think of the brilliant anti-smoking campaign, the truth. If you haven't seen their commercials go here and click on the white tv button just above the center of the page. There are three commercials available to view, but they have had many more. The campaign is pure brilliance. Doing public service announcements in public. Drawing as much attention as possible in busy areas. This is the feel I would like to have only for poverty and oppression awareness.
Of course I would like the ministry to have a more practical side as well. It would be necessary to connect the ministry with trustworthy organizations that aide the poor an oppressed.
Again, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. As well, if you are in the Houston area (there goes my semi-anonymity) and are interested in taking part in the homeless street corner gig on December 23 please email me here.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Hit the road jack
If I haven't lost my 6 faithful readers by now (because I have nothing worthwhile to say, and its been 8 days since my last blog) then I'm sure I will this week.
I want to touch on a few hot topics this week. The first is baptism, everyone likes to talk about it, but nobody really has a clue what is going on (myself included). I want to look at baptism from a very scripturally and historically grounded point of view. This means I will be trying to study more in my free time, which dwindles as we near the holydays.
Secondly, I have for years now had a serious problem with prayer. Every book on prayer I've read (including the popular disciplines books by foster) has seemed vapid and has done nothing but make me feel like a spiritual failure. Again I would like to take a very scriptural and somewhat traditional look at prayer. I'm not sure how I feel about public prayer at all, much less the way we pray in church today. We also have lost so much of the meaning of prayer as our consumeristic society has taken it and made it into the thing that separates us from secular society.
Things might get a bit heated, as they often do, but I hope we can tear down some old, modern, american, self-centered, consumeristic, divisive walls and reconstruct a beautiful portrait of how these ideas fit into God's plan for creation.
I want to touch on a few hot topics this week. The first is baptism, everyone likes to talk about it, but nobody really has a clue what is going on (myself included). I want to look at baptism from a very scripturally and historically grounded point of view. This means I will be trying to study more in my free time, which dwindles as we near the holydays.
Secondly, I have for years now had a serious problem with prayer. Every book on prayer I've read (including the popular disciplines books by foster) has seemed vapid and has done nothing but make me feel like a spiritual failure. Again I would like to take a very scriptural and somewhat traditional look at prayer. I'm not sure how I feel about public prayer at all, much less the way we pray in church today. We also have lost so much of the meaning of prayer as our consumeristic society has taken it and made it into the thing that separates us from secular society.
Things might get a bit heated, as they often do, but I hope we can tear down some old, modern, american, self-centered, consumeristic, divisive walls and reconstruct a beautiful portrait of how these ideas fit into God's plan for creation.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Chasing Daylight
I just want to share the gist of the book and pass some good quotes along. I was chatting about the book a bit over dinner last night and it made me think more about it.
McManus basically says that we are continually presented with "divine moments" (moments where God presses us to act) and that we must learn to seize them to fully be a part of God's will.
I think that is a fair assessment of the book.
Anywho, it was one of those books that has tons of little gems buried in it, but the gems really didn't amount to anything life changing. However, it was probably what I needed in answer to my post about "do"ing last month.
He challenges us to recognize and take advantage of these moments to keep bringing the kingdom of God to earth.
Here are some great quotes from the book. Some are long, but I hate short quotes that give no context.
"Has it ever been in your power to do good, but you chose in stead to do nothing? You didn't choose to do evil; you just chose not to get involved- you chose to be neutral, to be a nonparticipant, to do nothing. For years the dominant focus of Christianity has been on the elimination of sin from our lives. Yet on the whole, I find the choices between good and evil to be pretty clear in the minds and hearts of those in relationship with Christ. It is not here that we become paralyzed. Once I am willing to turn from my sin and live a life that honors Gods, what do I do next? How do I distinguish between all the good choices in the world?
You would think that having unlimited options would be the platform for freedom, but that is often not he case. We have put so much emphasis on avoiding evil that we have become virtually blind to the endless opportunities for doing good. We have defined holiness through what we separate ourselves from rather than what we give ourselves to. I am convinced that the great tragedy is not the sins we commit, but the life that we fail to life. You cannot follow God in neutral. God has created you to do something. It is not enough to stop the wrong and then be paralyzed when it comes to the right,. God created you to do good. And doing this requires initiative. There is a subtle danger of hiding apathy behind piety. Getting rid of the sin in your life? Great. Now its time to do something."
"One of the most asked questions among sincere followers of Jesus Christ is, 'What is God's will for my life?' We want a detailed map or plan. We want God to spell it out so we can follow the instructions. Too often we want it clear and uncomplicated, but God simply does not work like that. For a lot of us the most spiritual thing we can do is to do something- to turn right when we want to turn left."
I think I missed the quote in the book on my way back through to get the good quotes, or maybe it is another book and author altogether. There is a quote somewhere that says that we always seek God's will for us. And thats the problem, God doesn't look at it like that. God has a will. That will dominates the very particles that create matter (hello string theory!). We don't need to be asking what God's will for our lives is, rather what God's will is and how we fit into it.
"I am convinced God longs to put His fingerprint in our lives, to act on our behalf and surprise us with His magnificence. I am equally convinced that most of the time we do not give God a context in which to do this."
"The information given us in the Scripture is there for the purpose of formation. God never intended to give us a Book with every detail needed to live our lives. He gave us a Book with everything necessary to shape our lives. He was trying not to download heaven's database, but to make us user-compatible. The fuel for a life of faith is more inspiration than information."
(Talking about a failing church plant system)
"If I were Cinderella, I could finish this story by telling you that the handsome prince showed up and made all my dreams come true. If I were Snow White, I could finish the story by telling you I finally woke up from my horrible nightmare. But in between 'once upon a time' and ' they lived happily ever after' is called now. And in the now there are all kinds of failures we have to live with. Failure can change us, shape us, teach us, and motivate us. Failure can be our friend. Failure is closely related to risk, which is closely related to success."
"Prayer is not about informing God of your needs, nor is it even about trying to convince God to helped you. Prayer is about connecting to God. It is about experiencing His presence and moving with Him in intimate communion."
"For some people being on the right side is about what is right, but for others being on the right side means making sure you win. We certainly live in a culture that glamorizes whoever wins regardless of character. You can have a criminal record and live an unsavory and notorious life, but if you win the Super Bowl, you're the hero. We've convinced ourselves that the content of a person's character has nothing to do with his effectiveness or stature."
McManus basically says that we are continually presented with "divine moments" (moments where God presses us to act) and that we must learn to seize them to fully be a part of God's will.
I think that is a fair assessment of the book.
Anywho, it was one of those books that has tons of little gems buried in it, but the gems really didn't amount to anything life changing. However, it was probably what I needed in answer to my post about "do"ing last month.
He challenges us to recognize and take advantage of these moments to keep bringing the kingdom of God to earth.
Here are some great quotes from the book. Some are long, but I hate short quotes that give no context.
"Has it ever been in your power to do good, but you chose in stead to do nothing? You didn't choose to do evil; you just chose not to get involved- you chose to be neutral, to be a nonparticipant, to do nothing. For years the dominant focus of Christianity has been on the elimination of sin from our lives. Yet on the whole, I find the choices between good and evil to be pretty clear in the minds and hearts of those in relationship with Christ. It is not here that we become paralyzed. Once I am willing to turn from my sin and live a life that honors Gods, what do I do next? How do I distinguish between all the good choices in the world?
You would think that having unlimited options would be the platform for freedom, but that is often not he case. We have put so much emphasis on avoiding evil that we have become virtually blind to the endless opportunities for doing good. We have defined holiness through what we separate ourselves from rather than what we give ourselves to. I am convinced that the great tragedy is not the sins we commit, but the life that we fail to life. You cannot follow God in neutral. God has created you to do something. It is not enough to stop the wrong and then be paralyzed when it comes to the right,. God created you to do good. And doing this requires initiative. There is a subtle danger of hiding apathy behind piety. Getting rid of the sin in your life? Great. Now its time to do something."
"One of the most asked questions among sincere followers of Jesus Christ is, 'What is God's will for my life?' We want a detailed map or plan. We want God to spell it out so we can follow the instructions. Too often we want it clear and uncomplicated, but God simply does not work like that. For a lot of us the most spiritual thing we can do is to do something- to turn right when we want to turn left."
I think I missed the quote in the book on my way back through to get the good quotes, or maybe it is another book and author altogether. There is a quote somewhere that says that we always seek God's will for us. And thats the problem, God doesn't look at it like that. God has a will. That will dominates the very particles that create matter (hello string theory!). We don't need to be asking what God's will for our lives is, rather what God's will is and how we fit into it.
"I am convinced God longs to put His fingerprint in our lives, to act on our behalf and surprise us with His magnificence. I am equally convinced that most of the time we do not give God a context in which to do this."
"The information given us in the Scripture is there for the purpose of formation. God never intended to give us a Book with every detail needed to live our lives. He gave us a Book with everything necessary to shape our lives. He was trying not to download heaven's database, but to make us user-compatible. The fuel for a life of faith is more inspiration than information."
(Talking about a failing church plant system)
"If I were Cinderella, I could finish this story by telling you that the handsome prince showed up and made all my dreams come true. If I were Snow White, I could finish the story by telling you I finally woke up from my horrible nightmare. But in between 'once upon a time' and ' they lived happily ever after' is called now. And in the now there are all kinds of failures we have to live with. Failure can change us, shape us, teach us, and motivate us. Failure can be our friend. Failure is closely related to risk, which is closely related to success."
"Prayer is not about informing God of your needs, nor is it even about trying to convince God to helped you. Prayer is about connecting to God. It is about experiencing His presence and moving with Him in intimate communion."
"For some people being on the right side is about what is right, but for others being on the right side means making sure you win. We certainly live in a culture that glamorizes whoever wins regardless of character. You can have a criminal record and live an unsavory and notorious life, but if you win the Super Bowl, you're the hero. We've convinced ourselves that the content of a person's character has nothing to do with his effectiveness or stature."
Crumbs from your Table
Bono's latest and greatest. A wonderful picture of the shortcomings of the American church from the view of the underprivileged.
Comes the blackest hole
You had so much to offer
Why did you offer your soul?
I was there for you baby
When you needed my help
Would you deny for others
What you demand for yourself?
Cool down mama, cool off
Cool down mama, cool off
You speak of signs and wonders
I need something other
I would believe if I was able
But I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
You were pretty as a picture
It was all there to see
Then your face caught up with your psychology
With a mouth full of teeth
You ate all your friends
And you broke every heart thinking every heart mends
You speak of signs and wonders
But I need something other
I would believe if I was able
But I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
Where you live should not decide
Whether you live or whether you die
Three to a bed
Sister Ann, she said
Dignity passes by
And you speak of signs and wonders
But I need something other
I would believe if I was able
I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
U2 Lyrics - Crumbs From Your Table
From the brightest starComes the blackest hole
You had so much to offer
Why did you offer your soul?
I was there for you baby
When you needed my help
Would you deny for others
What you demand for yourself?
Cool down mama, cool off
Cool down mama, cool off
You speak of signs and wonders
I need something other
I would believe if I was able
But I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
You were pretty as a picture
It was all there to see
Then your face caught up with your psychology
With a mouth full of teeth
You ate all your friends
And you broke every heart thinking every heart mends
You speak of signs and wonders
But I need something other
I would believe if I was able
But I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
Where you live should not decide
Whether you live or whether you die
Three to a bed
Sister Ann, she said
Dignity passes by
And you speak of signs and wonders
But I need something other
I would believe if I was able
I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table
Friday, December 01, 2006
Cold
Its cold out. Bitter. Just about as bad as it gets in these parts in the average year. I used to love winter, the cold, and I guess I still do. But I can't forget about my friend Curtis. He told me to leave stuff for him at the gas station if he wasn't there. I left him a few jackets and some gloves. I hope he got them.
I am very conscious of the cold weather now, how it affects the homeless, or even families that can't pay their gas bills.
But really, the fact is, I know little of their pain.
I left the thermostat on cool last night on accident. The stupid thing doesn't have an auto switch.
Needless to say (unless you aren't from Houston, then I do need to say it) it was 58 degrees inside when I woke up this morning. I was wrapped up in 3 blankets so I was fine.
I started thinking how tough it must be to sleep outside on nights like these. Cold, maybe damp concrete. Nothing but your jacket to keep you warm. Trying to find the most windless place in the city. At the same time avoiding the cops. I think I need to sleep downtown soon.
Isn't it funny how we won't help the homeless, but then we take it a step further and make it illegal for them to live the way they live, when most of them don't have other options.
I hope Curtis got his jackets, it was 45 out last time I saw him and his heaviest clothing was a flannel shirt.
Its getting cold enough to die. Not just misery, but death. I wonder how cold it has to be before the human body can't survive 12 hours in the elements.
So what, people are freezing, what can I do about it?
I can help Curtis sure, and some others. But in the end how much am I doing?
I got to thinking yesterday, reports guess that around 1% of the US population will experience homelessness in a year. Thats crazy. 3 million people will experience homelessness this year?
Seems like a a lot.
Then you realize that 20% of America makes more than 75k a year as a family. I don't even make it into that category and I know I could live off of half of my income easily.
So what if those 20% started helping out the 1%. That means 20 of the upper classers help out each homeless person.
20-1 So if each of those 20 could find just a thousand dollars a year to give...
That would mean that the lower class would be eliminated as far as the government defines it.
One of my favorite stats I think I heard from Tony Campolo, a brilliant and controversial sociologist from Eastern University.
He first defines extreme poverty. It is considered poverty in which a person has a chance of dying because of a lack of access to necessary resources due to poverty.
Then he quotes some number. This number he says, is the amount of money it would take every year to end extreme poverty. The number seems huge, I want to say 300 billion or something.
Then he goes on to explain that between the US and Europe, nearly the same amount of money was spent on ice cream last year...
Ouch...
I can't do too much for the big scheme of things by myself.
I can make a huge impact on a few peoples lives. Which is all I'm called to do. If we would all start realizing this we could end hunger, we could end water related disease, we could end AIDS.
But we find comfort in knowing that we never have to try to help out and we take the humanity out of homelessness. Its easy to ignore when I can't attach a face to it.
After all, how much of an impact can I make?
I am very conscious of the cold weather now, how it affects the homeless, or even families that can't pay their gas bills.
But really, the fact is, I know little of their pain.
I left the thermostat on cool last night on accident. The stupid thing doesn't have an auto switch.
Needless to say (unless you aren't from Houston, then I do need to say it) it was 58 degrees inside when I woke up this morning. I was wrapped up in 3 blankets so I was fine.
I started thinking how tough it must be to sleep outside on nights like these. Cold, maybe damp concrete. Nothing but your jacket to keep you warm. Trying to find the most windless place in the city. At the same time avoiding the cops. I think I need to sleep downtown soon.
Isn't it funny how we won't help the homeless, but then we take it a step further and make it illegal for them to live the way they live, when most of them don't have other options.
I hope Curtis got his jackets, it was 45 out last time I saw him and his heaviest clothing was a flannel shirt.
Its getting cold enough to die. Not just misery, but death. I wonder how cold it has to be before the human body can't survive 12 hours in the elements.
So what, people are freezing, what can I do about it?
I can help Curtis sure, and some others. But in the end how much am I doing?
I got to thinking yesterday, reports guess that around 1% of the US population will experience homelessness in a year. Thats crazy. 3 million people will experience homelessness this year?
Seems like a a lot.
Then you realize that 20% of America makes more than 75k a year as a family. I don't even make it into that category and I know I could live off of half of my income easily.
So what if those 20% started helping out the 1%. That means 20 of the upper classers help out each homeless person.
20-1 So if each of those 20 could find just a thousand dollars a year to give...
That would mean that the lower class would be eliminated as far as the government defines it.
One of my favorite stats I think I heard from Tony Campolo, a brilliant and controversial sociologist from Eastern University.
He first defines extreme poverty. It is considered poverty in which a person has a chance of dying because of a lack of access to necessary resources due to poverty.
Then he quotes some number. This number he says, is the amount of money it would take every year to end extreme poverty. The number seems huge, I want to say 300 billion or something.
Then he goes on to explain that between the US and Europe, nearly the same amount of money was spent on ice cream last year...
Ouch...
I can't do too much for the big scheme of things by myself.
I can make a huge impact on a few peoples lives. Which is all I'm called to do. If we would all start realizing this we could end hunger, we could end water related disease, we could end AIDS.
But we find comfort in knowing that we never have to try to help out and we take the humanity out of homelessness. Its easy to ignore when I can't attach a face to it.
After all, how much of an impact can I make?
Thursday, November 30, 2006
I think I'll let this quote from my friend ministering in India speak for itself.
so i was hanging out with Babai and we had a great conversation comparing our cultures. His mother greeted me with a cup of coffee as soon as i arrived, they catch on quick here ;). i drank my coffee and told babai that in my country (again, texas) that folks pay up to $5.00 for a cup of coffee. We then converted that to rupees and babai was shocked! I then said, that's nothing! Some people spent thousands of dollars on coffee a year, and that's just coffee.
so i was hanging out with Babai and we had a great conversation comparing our cultures. His mother greeted me with a cup of coffee as soon as i arrived, they catch on quick here ;). i drank my coffee and told babai that in my country (again, texas) that folks pay up to $5.00 for a cup of coffee. We then converted that to rupees and babai was shocked! I then said, that's nothing! Some people spent thousands of dollars on coffee a year, and that's just coffee.
this then lead to other things that americans spend thousands of dollars on. i told him my car cost 15,000 and he converted that and could not even believe it!!! He told me that i must be soooo rich. I smiled and said, "that's just it babai, my car is probably one of the cheapest cars you can buy in america" then i told him about SUV's and how much they cost, and then BMW's and other cars that really people get as a sign of status. he couldn't believe it.
he said, " blossom, you move here and you will be most richest person in all INDIA" I smiled on the outside but was crying on the inside. So sweet. So...
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Transsubstitution
Let me clear up a few things here first. This has nothing to do with the Eucharist (well it might end up there some crazy way), and it does not mean I teach in the drag.
It does mean that I like to think I cross(thus the trans) the boundaries of substituting (not in an inappropriate way).
I thoroughly enjoy it. It also makes me enough cash to pay most of my bills until i find full time work (which couldn't be soon enough for my dad :)
Where I cross the lines of subbing is when I make an impact on the students.
Today two amazing, independent conversations about poverty and the affluence of Kingwood happened without my instigation. I of course took part in them. And managed to indoctrinate the youth of Kingwood with my communist, hippie gospel.
Teaching has become a sacred, holy thing to me lately. I look forward to having a great impact on a group of youth on a daily basis. Youth ministry was ok, I got to influence students, but the one thing you will never change is the fact that you only have students who want to be there. School seems like more of a challenge. I can show why faith is important. Why the way Christ teaches us to live is the best way to live life. And it has nothing to do about competing religions, rather the completion of the circle to bring us back to Shalom.
I am not sure if I have addressed the topic of Shalom here yet.
Basically Shalom is the idea of completeness. Its a little bit hard to explain in english. (not that i speak any other language) essentially it means a peaceful completeness. It is something you would wish upon your friends and family. It is still a common greeting to say Peace be upon you (Shalom Aleichem). Using this greeting is wishing upon someone that they might be complete (often complete with God).
When Christ uses this greeting as he sends of the bleeding woman whom he has just healed (Mk 5) he is not just saying goodbye. The statement is loaded with theological concepts.
Levitical purity laws required the separation of a menstruating woman from society. There were all sorts of rules about it. The woman was not considered to be bad, or evil, she was just ritually unclean during this time, and any contact with her would defile you. Because of this the women were forced to live outside of the city while menstruating.
So now imagine yourself as this woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. She would have been removed from society except some limited contact with doctors. Forced to live alone. Every day she probably sat within sight of the village, and watched as people lived their lives. She sneaks up behind Christ in a crowd and touches the fringe of his garment (remember contact with this woman would have made Jesus ritually unclean). She eventually comes forward to admit to touching him and he sends her off wishing her Shalom. On that day he told her that her faith had saved her. There we have Shalom with God. At the same time she was healed from her bleeding and was able to be a part of society again. He was wishing her a completeness with community again as well.
Shalom is such a beautiful concept. If more of us were seeking Shalom, and wishing it upon other people, you have to wonder if Christianity might look a little less judgemental.
It does mean that I like to think I cross(thus the trans) the boundaries of substituting (not in an inappropriate way).
I thoroughly enjoy it. It also makes me enough cash to pay most of my bills until i find full time work (which couldn't be soon enough for my dad :)
Where I cross the lines of subbing is when I make an impact on the students.
Today two amazing, independent conversations about poverty and the affluence of Kingwood happened without my instigation. I of course took part in them. And managed to indoctrinate the youth of Kingwood with my communist, hippie gospel.
Teaching has become a sacred, holy thing to me lately. I look forward to having a great impact on a group of youth on a daily basis. Youth ministry was ok, I got to influence students, but the one thing you will never change is the fact that you only have students who want to be there. School seems like more of a challenge. I can show why faith is important. Why the way Christ teaches us to live is the best way to live life. And it has nothing to do about competing religions, rather the completion of the circle to bring us back to Shalom.
I am not sure if I have addressed the topic of Shalom here yet.
Basically Shalom is the idea of completeness. Its a little bit hard to explain in english. (not that i speak any other language) essentially it means a peaceful completeness. It is something you would wish upon your friends and family. It is still a common greeting to say Peace be upon you (Shalom Aleichem). Using this greeting is wishing upon someone that they might be complete (often complete with God).
When Christ uses this greeting as he sends of the bleeding woman whom he has just healed (Mk 5) he is not just saying goodbye. The statement is loaded with theological concepts.
Levitical purity laws required the separation of a menstruating woman from society. There were all sorts of rules about it. The woman was not considered to be bad, or evil, she was just ritually unclean during this time, and any contact with her would defile you. Because of this the women were forced to live outside of the city while menstruating.
So now imagine yourself as this woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. She would have been removed from society except some limited contact with doctors. Forced to live alone. Every day she probably sat within sight of the village, and watched as people lived their lives. She sneaks up behind Christ in a crowd and touches the fringe of his garment (remember contact with this woman would have made Jesus ritually unclean). She eventually comes forward to admit to touching him and he sends her off wishing her Shalom. On that day he told her that her faith had saved her. There we have Shalom with God. At the same time she was healed from her bleeding and was able to be a part of society again. He was wishing her a completeness with community again as well.
Shalom is such a beautiful concept. If more of us were seeking Shalom, and wishing it upon other people, you have to wonder if Christianity might look a little less judgemental.
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