A Letter to the Church in the United States

Here is a letter, apparently written by a group of leaders from the southern part of the world to9 American church. What do you think? (HT Brian McLaren)


August, 2008

TO THE CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES

As the Church of the Lord in what is known as the "Southern" part of the world, moved by the Holy Spirit to fight for the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers, we address our Christian family in the United States, a Church of the same covenant, faith and love. Grace and Peace to all of our brothers and sisters.

We know your works of love; these works have allowed millions of human beings for many generations in our countries in the South to receive the gospel, the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of His Salvation. The U.S. church's untiring missionary effort planted in our lands Hope in Him who came to reconcile EVERYTHING.

Nevertheless, the political, social and economic situation in the places where this hope has been announced is increasingly distressing. Millions of people in the global South are dying of hunger, violence and injustice. These situations of poverty and pain are not simply the product of the internal functions of our countries; rather they are the results of the international policies of the governments that wield global power.

Therefore, we have this against you, brothers and sisters, that along with this powerful announcing of the Gospel, the Church from the United States has not also raised its voice in protest against the injustices that powerful governments and institutions are inflicting on the global South - injustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread.

The worsening inequality and poverty in the South is alarming. Seven years since the United States and 191 other nations publicly promised to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), your country has made only a little progress towards fulfilling its commitments.

The MDGs should stir us to action because they echo the calls of the biblical prophets for justice and equity. Further, they are achievable and measurable markers on the roadmap to end extreme global poverty.

And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest most powerful nation on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders - now and after the elections are over - to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015. If you who know the Truth will not speak for us who will?

The Church in the United States has the opportunity today to be faithful to the Hope that it preaches. We urge you to remember that the Hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God's justice.

Out of love for us, the global Church, in holiness, use your citizenship responsibly for the benefit of the entire world; it is for this very reason that the Lord poured out His life on the Cross.

All who have ears, let them hear what the Lord says to His Church.

Donald Miller: Biking for Justice

This is a video where Donald Miller explains a project he is doing this summer to raise money for Blood:Water Mission called the Ride:Well Bike Tour.



I have been a fan and financial supporter of Blood:Water mission for a few years, a group who focuses on providing clean water for African villages by digging wells. I encourage you to check out the ministry and the bike tour.

Brian McLaren on Justice and Power

Here is another of the insightful videos filled with thoughtful wisdom from Brian McLaren.



Thoughts?

Brian McLaren on the Kingdom of God

Here is another great video of Brian McLaren offering a different perspective on the faith.



Thoughts?

Jesus For President

Shane Claiborne is out with his 2nd book. You may have read his first called The Irresistible Revolution. If you haven't, you should. His new one is called Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals.

The book is divided into four parts, with a number of headings and subsections in each part. Let me give you a quick overview before I get into my thoughts.

Part 1 (called "Before there were kings and presidents") is a retelling of the story of the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible. From Genesis 1 through the prophets, Shane offers his telling of the story and traces the work of God throughout (with his commentary thrown in), and the original plan to not have a king, but God giving in and allowing it based on the continued grumbling of the people.

Part 2 (called "A new kind of commander-in-chief") is a deeply contextual look at Palestine in the time right before, during, and after Jesus. The politics. Rome. The oppression etc. One of the neatest things in this section is a look at many of the terms that Jesus used or were applied to him, like kingdom, gospel, savior etc. and compares them to what the terms meant from the perspective of the Roman Empire. The result is a really cool chart on pages 67-69.

Part 3 (called "when the empire got baptized") is where Shane hits his stride. If you were not offended by the first two parts, this one will probably get you (particularly if you have connections to the military or are rich). It is in part 3 where I think you see Shane in the role that fits him, calling out injustice, national sins and the like. I think Shane is most closely identified with the prophets in the Old Testament (though not in the prediction way). He is living a very radical, alternative life. He is a prophetic voice calling out to the followers of Jesus. That is his role. But, he does it in love. He is not into guilt, he is into truth. He doesn't play games or coerce, he tells stories and mimics Jesus and loves.

Part 4 (called "A peculiar party") is mostly a collection of stories from the community Shane is a part of, or from letters he gets from soldiers etc. A good chunk of these stories appeared in his first book.

Here are some overall thoughts.

1. Shane's second book is not nearly as good as his first.

That isn't really a slam on this one as much as it is a testament to the first. His first included a lot of his own personal story and testimony, which is one of a kind. That is hard to beat. Make sure you read The Irresistible Revolution before reading this one.

2. The book is an experience.

This is one of the most visually unique books I've ever read. It is filled with art, marginal notes, creatively written quotes, pictures, and other stuff you just have to see. It is a great feature. It makes the book come alive a bit more. you experience it, rather than just read it. If nothing else, next time you are at a book store, page through it briefly and you will see what I'm talking about.

3. The book pulls from a myriad of other sources in compiling the book.

I think this is a great feature. Shane has placed countless quotes, blockquotes, excerpts, etc. in the text. It goes a long way in showing that his ideas, though revolutionary, are not new. It also creates a great opportunity for readers to continue research on the subjects covered.

Is it worth reading? Definitely. It is the kind of book that each of us should read every so often to stir us up about things that stir God up. Will you agree with every word? No, but do you ever agree with every word in any book? (If so, you need to expand your reading horizons and stretch yourself).

Pick it up. You'll be glad you did.

Here are some quotes from JFP as I leave you:

"Jesus taught a third way. Here we see a Jesus who abhors both passivity and violence, who carves out a third way that is neither submission nor assault, neither fight nor flight." pg 94

"The young church lived within the messy collision of kingdoms. The more the early Christians reflected on the life and message of their rabbi-messiah, and the more they tried to live the way of the way of the gospel, the harder they collided with the state and its hopes and dreams, militaries and markets." pg 141

"The history of the church has been largely a history of "believers" refusing to believe in the way of the crucified Nazerine and instead giving in to the very temptations he resisted--power, relevancy, spectacle." pg 166

"The bloodstained pages of history are filled with people doing terrible wrong out of a deep sense of right." pg 203

"Perhaps there is no more dangerous place for a Christian to be than in safety and comfort, detached from the suffering of others." pg 292

Sexual Sin vs Injustice, Part 2

The only kinds of sin we want to focus on as modern Christians are the isolated individual sins committed by isolated individual monads: lying, having an abortion, indulging in pornography, taking drugs, saying naughty words. Not to minimize those things in any way, but that is far short of a fully biblical understanding of sin, and it leads to dangerous truncations of justice and compassion.

Brian McLaren in A New Kind of Christian

Sexual Sin vs Injustice

I am troubled that Christians have been known more for being against people who are divorced than injustice in the world. And I think it's a problem when we're more angry about homosexuality than we are about starvation and AIDS in the world. There's something wrong with us when we have such little value for the life of a human being.

Erwin McManus speaking at Mosaic

Brian McLaren Interview

You should definitely check out this interview that the Charlotte Observer does with Brian McLaren. He talks about his new book Everything Must Change, but also a host of other topics, including...

Poverty and Justice...

It's interesting that you mention both Mother Teresa and Dr. King because they represent to me two very important but very different models. Mother Teresa represents the model of caring for the poor, being with them as they die and, in a very personal and compassionate way, showing the love of God to poor people. Dr. King represents a very different approach, which says that we also have to deal with the unjust systems that keep causing people to suffer.

So I would hate to have Dr. King without Mother Teresa or Mother Teresa without Dr. King. But when we have the two of them, that's a great balance. It's the balance of mercy and justice.

Evangelicals and Politics...

The assumption that we could make for the last 20 years really, that evangelical Christians care about two issues -- abortion and homosexuality -- is in fragments. It's still true for a large sector of evangelicals. Those are the two issues they've been told to care about and they're faithfully staying with the program.

But younger evangelicals and a lot of older ones, too, are reading their Bibles. And they're seeing that the environment is really a concern. They're reading the Gospels and they're seeing that Jesus was not hawkish on war. Jesus had a lot to say about peacemaking.

Islam...

I believe that there is something like a form of racism going on right now among well-meaning, but misguided and misinformed evangelical Christians. It's becoming acceptable to create stereotypes of Muslims that are inaccurate.

The problem is, Muslims are just like the rest of us. They're like Christians in this regard. There are wonderful, kind-hearted Christians and there are mean-spirited Christians. There are sincere Christians who live with integrity. And there are hypocritical Christians who are just out for a buck. We'll find that kind of diversity among every group of people.

Evangelism...

I love to help every person I can to become a follower of Jesus Christ.

A lot of people don't want to become followers of Jesus Christ. And when they don't want to, they are not disqualified from being my neighbor. In fact, they still are my neighbor.

And so, everything Jesus teaches me about loving my neighbor applies to a person who has no interest in being a Christian. This idea that because some people don't want to become Christians, we should ignore them or treat them as enemies, I just don't get it.

And much more. Be sure to check it out.

Honoring Dr. King

If anyone should have a day that America sets aside in their honor, it is Dr. Martin Luther King. I have been thinking about how to properly honor him on this day here at Nick's Musings, and I think I'm going to do it a la carte style. Several of the other blogs I read have posted tributes, so I am simply going to link to them here.

May we never forget the awesome message of peace, love, and nonviolence as modeled first by Jesus, then so wonderfully copied by Dr. King.

Enjoy!



Think Christian has posted this video of the Dr. King's famous speech (17:28).

Greg Boyd has written some good thoughts on how we should remember Dr. King.

Scot McKnight offers the transcript of the famous I Have a Dream Speech, posted above.

An American Prayer from Dr. Ben Witherington

If you have not checked out the blog of Ben Witherington, you probably should. His most recent gem is this masterpiece he aptly titles An American's Prayer for the New Year. He also includes movie reviews, book reviews, and ongoing commentary on culture. You know, normal blog stuff. Suffice it to say, his blog is definately worth the regular glance.

Here is his prayer (which connects nicely with our series on Myth...). May we take heed to its message.

Lord God:


I am almighty tired of all that is tawdry and cheap about Christianity in America. I am tired of the chest thumping assumptions about God being on ‘our side’. I weary of those who equate their brand of American politics with the will of God for the world, or worse, those who think being a Christian means I should not be involved IN the great causes of the age or the major decisions made in our land. Lord help us not to mistake apathy for true spirituality, or abstinence for action.


Lord is there not a way to help American Christians understand that they are called to be global Christians, not merely American ones? Is there not a way to help us understand that the true patriots are those who will what is best for all humankind, and not just our kind? Is there not a way to make clear that when Jesus said we must ‘love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us’ he was not kidding? Could we not take to heart the words of your servant John Donne when he said ‘any man’s death diminishes me, for I am a part of mankind. Therefore do not think to ask for whom the bell tolls….’


Lord this is an election year, and there is much fervor and ferment. Doubtless much hangs in the balance in regard to the war in Iraq, our relationship with Pakistan, and many other large matters, and yet we seem much more concerned about our own standard of living, and whether our houses will sell or not. Could we not please get a glimpse of a larger world vision and world view that would help us see that our near total preoccupation with ourselves is a reflection of human sin, of human fallenness, of ‘the heart turned in upon itself’? Could we not realize that real family values amounts to realizing that the worldwide family of faith, the family of Christ is the primary family, not our nuclear families?


Lord I do not understand the blindness I encounter repeatedly in church after church. We rant and rave about sexual sin, and yet ignore racism, sexism, and in general the entire social gospel. Is this because we have reduced sin to the private and personal spheres in our lives? Is this because we have forgotten about the body of Christ and how there are both corporate and national as well as personal sins? Why do we strain over gnats but swallow camels when it comes to sin? Why do we repeatedly put the emphasis in the wrong place?


Lord there is much that is good and generous about the American spirit. Yet so often it is myopic, and amounts to helping ourselves, or our near kin. Lord, I would pray that more Christians in America would take on the challenge of cross cultural missions and let it expand their world view, and reshape their mentality about your human creatures. Forgive us Lord for forgetting and letting the Great Commission become the great Omission as we build bigger barns here in America to house ourselves, or for treating the great Commission as if it were only the job of missionaries.


Lord forgive us for our Biblical illiteracy, and for whittling off the hard edges of Scripture because they rub us the wrong way. Forgive us for our arrogance and ignorance which is always a lethal combination. Forgive us Lord for treating our cultural preferences as if they were Biblical absolutes, and forgive us for perverting your Gospel which is Good News for the poor into empowerment for those who long to be richer, wealthier, scratching the itch of a greedy soul. Lord forgive us our sense of entitlement and for treating you as if you were the great Santa Claus in the sky whose mission in life is to fulfill all our worldly longings and desires.


Lord you have said that not many of us should wish to be teachers of your Word, and yet you have made me one. Lord, it is a heavy responsibility, and yet your yoke is lighter than being in bondage to sin. I hear every day the words ‘to whom more is given, more is required’, and sometimes I fear the reckoning, as I fall short, and am not infrequently wrong about things.


Lord I understand that Christ is the model of true humility, and that it involves knowing both who and whose I am. I know it has nothing to do either with false humility or false pride, nor anything to do with feelings of low self worth or self-denigration. I know I am not God or even an angel, and yet Lord I know I am not nothing either. I know I am created in your image and recreated in Christ for good works.


Help me to not mistake my busy-ness for your business in all respects. Help me not mistake my convictions for your truths in all respects. Help me say more often--- ‘I do not know’. Help me to continue to learn before I teach, to love before I critically evaluate, to praise before I blame, to help before I hinder, to listen before I speak.


Lord in your Mercy, and in the name of the Blessed Trinity, hear my prayer,



BW3

Jesus: The Opponent of the American Way

I was listening to a great sermon from Greg Boyd of Woodland Hills Church here in St. Paul and it inspired some interesting thoughts. I am stealing from him the outline (framework), but the title, thoughts, and analysis are mine.

I think we would all agree that Jesus was radical. If you disagree with that, you probably don't know Him. We embrace the radical Jesus when it comes to him talking of the status quo of his day: the hand washing rituals of the Pharisees, capital punishment, authority. But we tend to be less intuitive when it comes to applying these critiques to our present day. What would Jesus say to us, middle class Americans, about out status quo? What would Jesus critique?

Perhaps we should start, as Boyd does, with the essence of what it is to be American. We need to ask some very serious questions about what we see as our role as "a good American" and whether that clashes with our life as a Christian. So here is the framework Boyd used as a critique, the triple pointed basic rights that we owe to all in America and all owe to us. How does this fit with Jesus?

Life

We believe, politically, that we have the right to live, to seek life, to safety, to not be killed. Others are not free to infringe on my right to be alive. this is perhaps the most basic of all human rights. It makes a great deal of political sense.

Jesus, however, asks that we lay down this right. He asks us to take up our cross, certainly a symbol for death, and follow him. We are not even allowed to follow Jesus unless we are willing to die! Certainly this has been the literal reality for many people throughout history, from the Twelve who followed Jesus to out present day faithful ones who are laying down their lives every day. We, as followers of Christ no longer have this basic right to life. Radical, and a bit scary.

Liberty

We also affirm the right to liberty, that I have the right to live my life however I want, as long as I don't infringe on the rights of others. In addition, I have the right to vote and have a say in who governs me. This, too, makes a great deal of political sense. This is perhaps the most fundamental thing that is somewhat unique to America of these three. It is a form of government that we have both died and killed for en masse.

If we are followers of Jesus, however, we have also given up the right to live however we want. Jesus defines for us certain way in which we have to live. I no longer have a choice on whether I should help the poor, Jesus has declared that I must. i no longer have the option of hating or holding a grudge against my neighbor. Jesus says I must love and forgive. I can't even spend my money however I want. Jesus tells stories that show how all that I have belongs to God, and I am required to be a good steward with what he gives me. Once again, very radical, and uncomfortable.

(The Pursuit of) Happiness

Lastly, we see the right to pursue happiness as a fundamental right. Whatever you want to strive to be as an American you can, you have that right. You can buy what you want, make your own decisions on how to live, what gives you pleasure, and with whom you spend your time. Happiness becomes your goal.

We again find that being a follower of Jesus conflicts with this American dream. Happiness is not our goal if we are disciples of Jesus: we would never strive for something so shallow. We realize that happiness is often a byproduct of our journey towards God as we live out his call to love him, love people, and build community, but it is not the goal. Joy and contentment with what we have are preferred over the empty pit of happiness and pleasure. In fact, we are called to revolt against materialism and endless consumption in our culture and fight for the joy and happiness of all. It is no longer the individual's or the family's quest for happiness, but the communal striving towards the needs being met of everyone, that we might all have enough, and in our enough, find contentment and joy. Quite radical, and even offensive.

Perhaps this picture of Jesus does not sit quite right with you. Good. The message of Jesus is never meant to go down easy. It is revolutionary and uncomfortable. It is radical and offensive. It is a hard journey. But, it is also a full life that leads to true joy. A life that offers grace and salvation. May we resist the urge to make Jesus palatable, but also the temptation to add our intricacies to him. The gospel is offensive enough without us adding to it. May our identity be as followers of Jesus before it is as Americans. And may we live out Christ's dream of the Church rather than the American dream.

Fake Interview Hints at Truth

Christian Charity Raising Money To Feed Non-Gay Famine Victims

This is a fake article/interview courtesy of the Onion. My jaw dropped open for about the 30 seconds that I thought this was real. This is good satire: well done, funny, and has one foot on the side of truth and one in fiction. The sad truth is that some (many?) Christians are so homophobic that this may be only a step or two away from the truth. And then we Christians have the audacity to say things like "Christians are being persecuted in America." What a joke, especially when you consider that suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death among homosexual males. What does that say about our society? And here is another one: why is homosexuality such a hot issue, when issues like divorce, greed, and lying are so prevalent in our society? The Bible certainly has more to say on these issues than it does on homosexuality, yet we have dicided to major in our opposition to this one issue.

I could say more, but before I do (in future articles), let me turn your attention to a cutting edge message by Dr. Tony Campolo called "Struggling with the Gay Issue." Campolo is gaining a reputation for his views on homosexuality, that are certainly progressive, but he makes some amazing points. This would be a fun issue to have a discussion about, so post and dialogue with me if you feel so inclined.

Until next time,
-NF

Some Pros and Cons of the Emergent Movement

We are getting to the point where the Emergent Church movement is no longer a new trend. It has been around long enough now that it has established itself, in some sense, in the Church universe. There is still the sense that when we use the term Emergent that people don't know what we are talking about, because people mean different things when they use the term. Mark Driscoll has this great soundbite where he separates out four streams within the Emergent Church movement. The characteristics I am listing below tend to be in place at the core of the whole group that Driscoll talks about, though perhaps not each specific congregation that would deem themselves Emergent.

That being said, I was very positive on the Emergent Church when I first learned about it a few years ago (and still am), but I hesitated to write much about it because it was still working out its kinks. At this point, I think I am ready to offer a look at some of the best things about the movement as well as some pitfalls. Let's start with the good stuff; those things that, from my perspective, the EC does very well. It is important to note that the EC is a reaction against the church as it existed in the 80's and 90's, the church the EC leaders would have grown up with. That is to say that they are reacting against a largely ineffective, dying, and out of touch institution. Most of their pros (and cons) are reactions against this form of doing church from the past 20 years. Here we go.


Pros

1. Relevance

The Emergent churches tend to greatly value relevance and they do a very good job of being relevant. In many cases the churches emerged from culture, so it was born relevant, if you will. The days of organs, pews, shirt/tie etc. are over for the emergents, because that is not what the target group is about. In addition, impractical messages on the theological significance of the Nephilim of Genesis 6 are scarce, whereas messages on social justice, love, peace, and losing a loved one are in, because those are the issues we see and hear about every day. Every part of the Emergent church is much more relevant than than you might find in other churches.

2. Conversational rather than Dogmatic

The tone of the church in the past was "We have the truth, you should (must!) listen to us." The tone in the Emergent Movement is "Let's have a conversation about death. You tell me what you think and I will tell you what I think and we can ask each other questions and stretch one another with our differing perspectives." Why the different approach? Because people felt abused and brow beaten by the church for so long. It is the old adage that "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" put into practice. The Emergents put a good deal of stock into listening to science, the media, the world, in order to learn and gain credibility. Emergents earn the right to be heard, and it is working very well.

3. Emphasis on Community

In the past fifty years, the church has seen salvation and spiritual growth as a very individual thing. The Bible, on the other hand, was written to communities. God created us to live and experience life (the highs and lows, the good and bad)in community. The EC has latched onto this and places a high value on community. The church has been bad at this in the last 50 years, but the EC is living this out in a very real, alive way. Emergent authors such as Joseph Myers and others have written profoundly on this topic.

4. The use of Story

The church of the past did its spiritual formation around certain propositional truths. "Here is the list of things you need to believe. Now change your beliefs to these and go live them." The EC communicates far differently, primarily in the form of stories. That is not to say that they don't communicate truth. Much is communicated when telling a story. The vast majority of the Bible, and specifically, the teachings of Jesus, is story. There is not one bullet point in scripture, as Donald Miller says. The EC has done a great job of effectively using this method.

5. Emphasis on Social Justice

The Evangelical church of the past has been pretty bad at making an impact on the world in the avenue of social justice, and they have certainly paid a price for it not the least of which is the perception to the world. The EC, on the other hand, takes God's call on His people throughout Scripture to care for the poor and to fight for justice for the weak seriously. The Emergent Churches have been the pioneers in the last few years on making social justice issues a big deal again, and the rest of the churches out there would do the right thing to join them.

Cons

Remember, most of what makes up the EC characteristically is a reaction to mainline denominationalism in the last 20 years. These following "cons", in my opinion, are areas where they have reacted too far and over corrected. That does not mean that the swing in the polar opposite direction is correct, but usually that a balance of the two extremes is needed.

1. Culture Supersedes Truth

One of the dangerous pitfalls of the Emergent Movement is that at times it seems that culture can take a precedent over God's truth. This certainly isn't true in all churches that label themselves this way or in all areas, but it can be true. In the attempt to be culturally relevant, they sometimes take it too far and find themselves in error. This is a question that some Emergent Churches still need to answer: when it comes down to matters of doctrine (i.e truth), will Scripture or culture dictate what is right and wrong?

2. Potentially Misleading as to Motives

This is a weird one, because it is a bit contradictory within the movement. What I mean by this is that in some cases Emergent ministries have some sort of a front, be it a coffee shop, bowling alley, whatever, that is there face to the community. Behind the scenes, however, are Christians looking to do ministry without telling you so up front. This seems to contradict the EC's value of authenticity, which I could have put above in the pros. I would say that this is certainly the minority of cases but again, in the attempt to be relevant, the EC can become misleading.

3. Can be Anti-Authority

Lastly, in a reaction against the horrific failure of leaders in the past 20 years in men like Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Bakker, not to mention the countless others who didn't make such lofty headlines, the EC has really downplayed leadership and authority. It has come to the point in some places to seem as if there is no real , or at least no real power in the authority that exists. Again, this is extreme, and in my humble opinion, error. God established authority and did so for very good reasons. Certainly the failures of the past can be taken into account and accountability can be in place, but to over react and make authority almost meaningless is equally as bad.

There you have it: my amateur thoughts and critiques of a movement that I am certainly no expert on. Disagree as much as you wish. If you feel led to say "Hey! I'm in the Emergent Movement and my church isn't like that at all!" it is okay. I am not pointing to a specific body, and I think we could agree that there is enough variety within the EC that one does not represent them all.

I have a lot of respect for the Emergent Church Movement and see it to be a great thing that God is doing. Despite some flaws, it is certainly a net gain and is reaching a whole sector of people for the Kingdom that the church of 10 years ago never would have.

My Thoughts on Global Warming

The Global Warming debate has hit the fan. Now we are at what appears to be the apex of the issue, pre-election and all, when dialogue seems to have never been higher. I know that I run the risk of adding to an already saturated topic, but it seems that despite all of the talk, few people know much about it. I'll admit that I am one of them. I have not done all of the reading and studying that I need to do to rightly weigh in on this matter.

That being said, Kim over at Think Christian has written a great article about the effects of global warming from a Christian perspective. This is refreshing, because it seems that Christians only punch holes in the theory and don't really listen. Still, and I don't want to be a hole puncher, I have a few questions about this issue that I would appreciate commentary on. They are things I think we should keep in mind as we encounter the info on global warming.

1. It seems to me that the plan to stop Global Warming is to basically take better care of the planet, right? I would argue, though, that as Christians we need to be doing that anyway, and we need to be better stewards of the resources God gave us. How is the plan different than this?

2. With over a billion people still so poor and deprived that they daily sit on death's doorstep, and another billion or so that do not have access to clean water, and about half the deaths in the world occurring of diseases we already have cures for, but the medicine has not made it to that part of the world, is spending billions to clean up the planet the best use of resources? Would we not be better served to focus our funds on ending "stupid poverty" and worry about global warming once each person has the food and water he or she needs?

3. Can we really make that big of a difference? I mean can we get enough people and funds on board to change environmental factors that are this large? Even of we get every single American behind it, that is only 270 million of the 6 billion people in the world. Is that enough to get a movement going and make a change?

Thoughts? Impressions? Concerns? Remember, I am no expert, just a question asker who wants to learn more and understand how to best serve God in all aspects of life.

More Shane...

This is Shane Claiborne talking about who he is and giving you some of what he believes. It is a good insight to the man and the ministry. I will be writing more about nuggets I drew from Shane's talk soo, but I thought this would be another good intro. He is all over YouTube by the way, so if this interests you, check him out. I also added the Another World Is Possible web site on the right. Enjoy!

Meeting Shane Claiborne

Tonight Angela and I went to see Shane Claiborne speak and chatted with him for a few minutes afterwards. If you don't know who Shane Claiborne is, he is the author of The Irrisistable Revolution and founder of the Simple Way, a ministry to the poor in North Philadelphia. His book is a must read. Really, it is.

Shane's talk was primarily what he talks about in his book. He is a little crazy, which you know if you have read his book. He started out by leading us in a blue grass song that the people in his community wrote. Here are the words:

Come now and join the feast,
From the greatest to the very least,
All are welcome at the feast,
here now in the belly of the beast.

To be honest, that pretty much sums up what he is all about. The words of the song are a snapshot of what his ministry is. There is a feast going on that he is inviting everyone to be a part of, and it is now. We are not holding out for heaven, but expect justice and victory now, on this earth, the enemy's territory.

He, of course went on to tell about his upbringing, how he was saved, how he befriended some homeless people in college who captured his heart, how he went to Calcutta India to work with Mother Theresa, how he traveled to Iraq in the wake of 9/11 to minister to the Iraqi people, and lots of other riveting stuff. I will write about that in the weeks to come. But ultimately, Shane is a normal guy who is living out the message of Jesus. It is amazing how he is the quintessential combination of a normal guy and the completely polar opposite of normal. It is what he calls an "ordinary radical."

Oh, how we need more people like him, being the hands and feet of Jesus in our world. May we reach out to the Calcuttas that are all around us, and may we be great lovers of people, "from the greatest to the very least." It is what God is calling us to do.

Misrepresenting God

Here is some more from Donald Miller in Searching for God Knows What. Here he talks about media heads who claim to represent God, but in actuality, are misrepresenting him. He tells the sad story of the conman Robert Tilton (you may recognize as the "farting preacher") who was outed for collecting money from sweet (yet stupid) little old ladies to fund his greed. He goes on to say this:

The real thing that made me sad that day was that God, who I think is quite good, was being misrepresented so terribly in the media. I realize it isn't popular to say such things, that as a Christian writer I should keep my mouth shut and kiss everybody's butt, but it is difficult to do so when there are so many media-savvy idiots pretending to represent Jesus. just this morning I watched a fellow on his Christian talk show talk about what we should be doing in Iraq, how we should be starving out clerics and sending more troops to shoot more bullets and drop more bombs. He's a preacher, for crying out loud. Why doesn't he just tell people about Jesus?

If I weren't a Christian, and I kept seeing Christian leaders on television more concerned with money, fame, and power than with grace, love, and social justice, I woulodn't want to believe in God at all.

This could not come at a better time, with 'ol Pat Robertson again making all Christians look like idiots and predicting a major terrorist attack this year. Thanks for the kind words, Pat. Way to stay positive.

Seriously, though, why isn't the Christian message in the media balanced? We seemed to have somewhat balanced political banter, why can't we have balanced Christian banter? Why are the Christians you see on TV all the time the weirdos?

I have a theory, of course. The Christians you see on TV tend to be in the prosperity class of ministers (i.e. those who believe that God wants you to be healthy and wealthy). That message preaches much better to Americans, sadly, than the true Gospel, where Jesus basically says, "Come, follow me. Everyone will hate you, and you will have to give up everything, even your own life, but you will get fulfillment through me, and your life will not be boring." As Donald shares when he speaks, take Peter for an example. He owns a successful fishing business. Jesus calls him out of that to follow him around confused for a few of years. Then Peter denies him and generations read about it. Finally, he and his wife get crucified upside down (according to church tradition). come on and sign up, y'all. That won't sell as many prayer shawls on TBN.

I understand that my thoughts on this are all over the place. I am basically just ranting. In the end, the point I want to make is that Christians in the media have been misrepresenting God for years, and I, for one, am sick of it. May we never give into pop Christianity. May we never comprimise the message to what is easy and comfortable. I choose to follow Jesus, for He is my reward.

Saddam Sentenced to Hang

News came out today that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein will face the gallows, along with 2 of his subordinates. After a 9 month trial, one in which 3 defense attourneys and 1 witness was murdered, some manner of justice is finally served, and Saddam will hang. Seems appropriate (doesn't it?) a country so far behind in the political and social worlds would resort to one of the oldest styles of execution to forever down this director of evil.There is now an appeals process, which could take awhile. But, if the death sentences are upheld, they must be carried out in 30 days. So, in a little over a month, Saddam may be no more. By Christmas, this world may be short 1 evil dictator.

The question I am pondering is “What do I think about this?” I am about 80/20 against the death penalty (a recent change) and am still wrestling with that reality. The reason is because I believe that God can change even the evilest of hearts…and since escape is never an issue, why execute? However, if there has ever been a time to utilize the death penalty, I would suspect this is it. So, I go back to “What do I think about this?” I ask myself what many of the feelings of the Shiites and Kurds might be. I suspect relief. Relief to know that the man who slaughtered countless numbers of their brothers and sisters will not longer be able to do so. Relief to know that, despite the apparant power that still seems to exist, no escape will be possible after Saddam is dead. Relief to know that it is possible for justice, or some sense of it, to be served in their homeland. As our President said, "Today, the victims of this regime have received a measure of the justice which many thought would never come." In addition, though, I suspect their is some uneasiness as well. What waits around the corner? War? Death? Peace? Who knows? The future remains very uncertain. However, I have to think that with such a powerful and evil person about to be dead, things have improved.

So, as I continue to suspend judgment on this issue, I am tempted to waive my position on the death penalty, and think that this is probably the right thing. May we continue to lift up and support our fellow humans in this war torn land. May God show his face in a land that is still so dark.

Derek Webb, Part II

I continue to be moved by the music of Derek Webb. I thought I would post the lyrics to another song (for lyrics are the meat of the song. If the music is the wrapping, the lyrics are the package). In this song, entitled Rich Young Ruler, a very intreaging title, to say the least, Webb talks about poverty and how it is all around us. His heart for the poor is unmatched, and he shares a similar concern that I do: that Christians do not care for the poor, the oppressed, and the outcasts like they should. He cuts through the red tape and makes a point about American christians. May we continually get better at loving everyone.


Poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
I want your time, I want your voice
I want the things you just can’t give me

So what must we do?
Here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your SUV
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
I don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
I want the things you just can’t give me

Because what you do to the least of these
my brother’s, you have done it to me
because I want the things you just can’t give me

It makes you check yourself as to the things you are and aren't willing to give God. Thanks Derek.

My Enemies Are Men Like Me

As I continue to ponder this idea of war and what my stance on it is (or is becoming), I feel compelled to offer some insite from Derek Webb. By the way, if you haven't yet heard, you can download Derek's new album for free. It is very worth it ;). It has been out for a very long time now. Derek offers deep thoughts set to music about our world, a lot of them related to injustice. This one really got me thinking. I am not saying that I agree whole heartedly with him, but I think we have to agree that he makes a good point. Here are the lyrics to "My enemies Are Men Like Me."

I have come to give you life
and to show you how to live it
I have come to make things right
to heal their ears and show you how to forgive them


Because i would rather die
I would rather die
I would rather die
than to take your life

How can i kill the ones i’m supposed to love?
My enemies are men like me
So I will protest the sword if it’s not wielded well
My enemies are men like me


Peace by way of war
is like purity by way of fornication
It’s like telling someone murder is wrong
and then showing them by way of execution


Quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

"Non-violence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time...the need for men to overcome oppression and violence with out resorting to violence and oppression."


When justice is bought and sold
just like weapons of war
the ones who always pay
are the poorest of the poor