Thank You Starbucks

This past Tuesday I made my regular stop at my Starbucks. Every once in awhile the manager will rearrange the layout of the tables, chairs and display stuff. I like change, so I don't ever mind it. Except one time, last year. For whatever reason the four round tables were all replaced with square tables. Ugh! I did not like that change at all. Not that sharing my opinion mattered much. Despite my protest, the square tables stayed. For a little bit. Much to my joy, the square tables kept falling apart (and no, I did not sabotage any of them...). So back out came the beloved round tables. I just think that the round tables are more welcoming and relaxing. The square tables come across as serious and boring.

Thus it was with much angst I entered my Starbucks this past Tuesday and the square tables had returned. No round tables in sight anywhere. I went to a table, set my bookbag down, went through my little routine of getting my studyspace ready, and then went up to order my drink. Erin the manager asked how I liked the new square tables. I then made my displeasure known, and expressed my fondness for the round tables. And then the gloriously surprising question from Erin: do you want the tables? What? You can give them to me? Erin said that if the church wanted them, we could have them. And wouldn't you know I just happened to have the minivan with me that afternoon. It's like I was destined to receive those rejected round tables. I tried not to smile too big - what a delightful gift. I also tried not to be too obnoxious in my gratitude. What luck!

Later that afternoon, after Erin and I loaded up the four round tables into the van, I got a little too nostalgic about all the memories I have with these tables. I know that in the past five years many other people have sat at these tables. But in those years that I have been coming to my Starbucks to read and study and write and pray and think and reflect and learn and make friends - a lot has happened in my life while sitting at those round coffee tables. I've always looked forward to walking into my Starbucks, shouting out a hello to the baristas working, catching up on how a weekend went, how the day is going, or getting into longer conversations about life. I've also always looked forward to settling down at one of those round coffeetables by a window, a cup of steaming Americano underneath my nose, a book, and a pen. And then the thoughts, the pondering, the wondering, the floundering, the finding. And then seeing a friend, or making a new friend.

Now that some of the round coffeetables are in my office, they seem out of place. I look at those tables and I remember the books I read, the decisions I made, the moments when something made sense in a new way, when I caught onto an idea that had been floating around in my soul, when I admitted something to be true, when I accepted reality on God's terms. The tables seem out of place in my office, but they are round reminders of my friends at Starbucks, of my many many many hours spent there, of my spot by the window.

So, thank you Erin for the gift. Thank you to all the baristas at my Starbucks for your kindness, your friendliness, your warm-heartedness, your generosity, your skill, and your diligence. You work hard, and you've created a great store with a great atmosphere. Thanks.

FYI: My wife likes to talk about the different times she has called my Starbucks to ask if I'm there. It's nice to be known on a first name basis with a coffeeshop. We also like to remember the time my Starbucks called my house to make sure I was coming in that day in order for them to give me some free product. That, my friends, is some of what makes my Starbucks so great!

Kierkegaard & Doubt, Faith and Character,

It's come to my attention that I make life more difficult than it ought to be. I can be harder on myself than is necessary. And I guess this means I can be harder than I need to be on the people in my life (sooo... "Sorry" to Tara, Emma, Levi, Isaac, Eli, Dad, Mum, etc.). What are all the factors that drive me to be so hard on myself and others? That, my friends, is the kind of question which fuels my problem. I seek to understand to the point that I suck the fun out of the search. It's like I'm driven by a paranoia, a fear, an insatiable curiosity that requires boundaries.

This is where Kierkegaard comes in. You know how you find some writers/thinkers out there that can put into words what is churning within your depths? That's what Soren does for me.

Here's some stuff I read this morning that helped me, maybe it will help you too.

Faith's conflict with the world is not a battle of thought with doubt, thought with thought. It is a battle of character. The person of faith is a person of character who does not insist upon comprehending everything.

Now comes the conflict. The world insists that to believe what you cannot comprehend is not only blind obeisance but obscurantism, stupidity, and so on. The world wants to alarm the believer against such foolishness. This is precisely why faith is a task for the person of such a character. p258

Teach me, Lord, that the fight of faith is not a fight with doubt, thought against though, but a fight for character. Enable me to see that human vanity consists in having to understand. Save me from the vanity of not being willing to obey like a child, and of wanting to be like a grown man who has to understand.

Help me to realize that he who will not obey when he cannot understand does not, in any essential sense, obey you at all. Make me a believer, a "character man," who, unreservedly obedient, sees it as necessary for his character's sake that he must not always understand. Make me willing to believe even when I cannot understand. p258

If you suffer because you do good, because you are in the right, because you are loving; if it is because you are for a good cause that you live despised, persecuted, ridiculed, in poverty, then you will find that you do not doubt Christ's resurrection.

Why? Because you need it. pg 256

~ Soren Kierkegaard, Provocations

Digging Deeper

I suppose one of the key reasons why I'm a pastor is due to the enjoyment I get out of studying the Scriptures. Call me a geek or a religious nut, but I've always had a knack for remembering the Bible stories I learned as a kid. My dad was a pastor, so we were always in church on Sundays. They weren't mega-churches with crazy awesome kids programs. They were smallish churches with devoted folks who took time to teach Bible stories to a handful of squirrely kids. And I liked it.

And as I grew up I kept on reading the Bible in order to be more familiar with the stories. And the older I got, the more questions I had about what I was reading. The more I was able to link ideas and stories together, the more questions came up in my head - not only about what the stuff meant, but also about who wrote this stuff, why did they write it, what's the history and culture behind it.

This is one of the reasons why I went back to school in 2003 - to dig even deeper into the original languages of the Scriptures (in college my Greek professor said that you could get 20% more out of the text if you read it in the original language); to dig deeper into the culture of the original stories - what was ancient Israel like, what was the Roman Empire like, what was the Mediterranean culture like in the first century. I also wanted to dig deeper into church history - how did the 21st century church get here, what was the road we traveled, and what does that mean for where we are headed. All of this to help me improve my ability to read and understand what was written in the Scriptures.

Here's a problem that many pastors face though, after they've finished all this schooling. Where do you find the time to "use" this knowledge? At school I learned to read the Scriptures in Greek and Hebrew - a totally enlightening experience. Except in order for it to have long term effect, I have to keep working to develop my skill in these languages otherwise I will lose them. And since I'm not very apt at the languages, it takes extra energy and time to stay up on it. And I really liked the experience, paid a bunch of money for the experience, and have seen good things come from it. But the pace of a pastor's life and ministry quickly rules out even a couple of hours a week working on Greek and Hebrew texts.

One of my classes I chose at TEDS, having completed my Greek language courses, was to study the book of Romans; this included translating the whole thing from Greek to English. A very time consuming task but very very rewarding. So a year or two later I shared with my Greek language professor that I had appreciated his class, that he had been very helpful to me, and that I had gone on to translate the book of Romans. Without missing a step (he always walked briskly wherever he was going...) he told me that I should translate the book of Acts next.

Since then, I've been thinking about the challenge. It's about the only way I can really stay in the original texts. I've tried to just do random verses for translation work, but it's too hard to stay with that kind of plan. Since I'm going to be preaching through the book of Acts later in 2010, I'm going to start working on translation now and see how far I can get. Whenever I do some Greek translation work for my sermon prep, it is always rewarding. So now my plan is to spend one very early morning a week to translate at least one chapter every two weeks or so. Though I'll have to go faster than that if I really want to get it done by the time I start my series. We'll see...

Kierkegaard & Gospel for the Poor

Christ was not making a historical observation when he declared: The gospel is preached to the poor. The accent is on the gospel, that the gospel is for the poor. Here the word "poor" does not simply mean poverty but all who suffer, are unfortunate, wretched, wronged, oppressed, crippled, lame, leprous, demonic.

The gospel is preached to them, that is, the gospel is for them. The gospel is good news for them. What good news? Not: money, health, status, and so on - no, this is not Christianity.

No, for the poor the gospel is the good news because to be unfortunate in this world is a sign of God's nearness. So it was originally; this is the gospel of the New Testament. It is preached for the "poor," and it is preached by the poor who, if they in other respects were not suffering, would eventually suffer by proclaiming the gospel; since suffering is inseparable from following Christ, from telling the truth.

But soon there came a change. When preaching the gospel became a livelihood, even a lush livelihood, then the gospel became good news for the rich and for the mighty. For how else was the preacher to acquire and secure rank and dignity unless Christianity secured the best for all? Christianity thus ceased to be glad tidings for those who suffer, a message of hope that transfigures suffering into joy, but a guarantee for the enjoyment of life intensified and secured by the hope of eternity.

The gospel no longer benefits the poor essentially. In fact, Christianity has now even become a downright injustice to those who suffer (although we are not always conscious of this, and certainly unwilling to admit it). Today the gospel is preached to the rich, the powerful, who have discovered it to be advantageous. We are right back again to the very state original Christianity wanted to oppose!

The rich and powerful not only get to keep everything, but their success becomes the mark of their piety, the sign of their relationship with God. And this prompts the old atrocity again - namely, the idea that the unfortunate, the poor are to blame for their condition; that it is because they are not pious enough, are not true Christians, that they are poor, whereas the rich have not only pleasure but piety as well. This is supposed to be Christianity. Compare it with the New Testament, and you will see that this is as far from that as possible.

~ Soren Kierkegaard, Provocations, ed. by C. Moore

Note: Kierkegaard was a Christian in Denmark, writing and railing against the entrenched national religion of Christianity during the 1840's and 50's. He was (is) a brilliant thinker, theologian, philosopher, and agitator. Here we are in America an ocean and a century and a half away, and yet the provocations are still convicting.

The Way Out of Poverty

"Productivity growth and, hence, the way out of poverty, is not simply a matter of throwing resources at the problem. More important, it is a matter of using resources well."

In other words, countries grow out of poverty not only when they manage their fiscal and monetary policies responsibly from above, i.e., reform wholesale. In recent years, a lot of attention and moral concern has been devoted to the roblem of persistent poverty, particularly in Africa. That is a good thing. But persistent poverty is a practical problem as well as a moral one, and we do ourelves no good to focus on our moral failings and not the practical shortcomings of the countries and governments involved.

Poor people grow out of poverty when their governments create an envioronment in which educated workers and capitalists have the physical and legal infrastructure that makes it easy to start businesses, raise capital, and become entrepreneurs, and when they subject their people to at least some competition from beyond - because companies and countries with competitors always innovate more, better, and faster. pg 402

...if you change the regulatory and business environment for the poor, and give them the tools to collaborate, the will do the rest. pg 403

~ Thomas L. Friedman, The World is Flat

In my work to better understand the causes of poverty as well as the way out of poverty, most of my research has been done using religious-based sources. It's also helpful to read and discover what non-religious sources have to say about the reality of poverty. If a church is going to help lift its neighborhood out of poverty, we need to understand some of the bigger forces at work. If a church is going to bring a full-orbed Good News to the poor, it had better understand how to be realistically helpful, intentional, resourceful, creative, and persistent.

The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody

So you think you know all there is to know about people like Nero and Cleopatra, Lady Godiva and Lucrezia Borgia?

How terribly, terribly wrong you are.

For here are the immortals of history in a delightful new light, irreverently stripped of the aura of time and revealed (in none of their glory) as the human beings they really were - the foolish, fallible, fascinating, famous, so very much our own common ancestors. (from the back cover...)

Interested in history as I am, this book immediately caught my attention. My Mum said I could borrow it, she was quite pleased that I had discovered it on her bookshelf, and she was eager for me to read it. What a Mum!

Now that I'm finished with it (regrettably), I'm afraid that I will never look at a famous person the same again. And that may be a good thing. Below are some quotes from some of the different characters that get roasted by this smart-alec author Will Cuppy.

Queen Elizabeth had a quick temper because her endocrine balance was all upset. She hated dentists, long sermons, Lettice Knollys, and the Countess of Shrewsbury. She liked presents, flattery, dancing, swearing, prevaricating, bear-baiting, succory pottage, ale, beer, and the Masters of the Horse. p168

Henry VIII was married six times and was called the Defender of the Faith or Old Pudding-Face. He was passionately fond of sweets. He would also eat roast bustard, barbecued porpoises, quince preserves, and boiled carp.

Either you like Henry VIII or you don't. He has been much criticized for beheading two of his wives. In a way, he has only himself to blame. Any man who beheads two of his wives must expect a little talk. He shouldn't have done it, but you know how things are. As a matter of fact, Henry merely let the law take its course, but some people feel that a really thoughtful husband would have done something about it.Besides, he let some of them live, for those were the days of chivalry, when knighthood was in flower. p 161

William [the Conqueror] was born in 1027 or 1028 and showed early signs of his future greatness. He was a manly little fellow, always fighting and wrangling and knocking the other children down. After his father died near Jerusalem, he became more independent and took to putting out people's eyes. He also spread a little poison around where it would do the most good. p154-155

Frederick the Great was the founder of what used to be modern Germany. When he was a little old man he had a hook nose. He wore old uniforms covered with snuff and said very funny but very nasty things to his neighbors.

Frederick the Great died in 1786, at the age of seventy-four, alone but for a single servant and his faithful dogs, whom he loved better than human beings, because, as he said, "they were never ungrateful, and remained true to their friends." Besides, they couldn't see through him. pg 151, 152

Catherine the Great had been in Russia eighteen years and was getting into a rut. But look what happened. The Empress Elizabeth died of her cherry brandy, and Peter succeeded her as Peter III. Six months later Catherine dethroned and imprisoned him and had herself proclaimed Empress, with the aid of Gregory Orlov and his brothers. In the excitement the Russians forgot that she was a total outsider with no rights to the crown, so there they were with a German lady ruling them, somewhat to their surprise.

It was pretty sad about Peter. A few days after his arrest he died suddenly at Ropsha while Alexis Orlov and some friends of the Empress were with him. Catherine announced that he died of hemorrhoidal colic, and people who went to the funeral wondered why, in taht case, the large bandage was tied around his neck. And that, gentle reader, is what comes of playing with dolls at the wrong time. At first glance the pastime may seem as safe as the next one. It just doesn't work out in actual practice. pg 141-143

Peter [the Great] became Tsar in 1682, when he was only ten. He spent the next few years playing practical jokes. He was very fond of wit and humor, such as knocking out people's teeth with a pickax and blowing their heads off with fireworks. He knew what the public wanted.

Meanwhile, Russia was run by Peter's half-sister, Sophia. Sophia was very homely and believed in the women's rights movement. She tried to have Peter murdered, and he imprisoned her so that she could think it over.

One Thursday morning Peter suddenly decided to reform Russia and give it all the advantages of Western civilization. This was afterwards called Black Thursday. He thought that the more morons talked to about this the more he would know, so he went abroad. pg 131-132

Louis XIV was born rather suddenly in 1638. His parents... were married for twenty-two years without having a baby. Because of the long delay, the infant was called Louis Dieu-Donne, or Louis the God-Given. He was afterwards known as Louis le Roi Soleil, or Louis the Show-Off. Extremely dull as a child, he gradually developed this characteristic into a system. In later life he knew a good deal about a wide range of subjects but nothing definite about any one subject.

Some scholars explain Louis's dullness by his royal position, kings being more or less out of touch, but this would hardly account for the symptoms. Others say he was deliberately kept in a state of ignorance by his teachers when he was a boy. No professors, however, could have turned out so perfect a job unless the pupil showed a natural aptitude of no mean order. They would have slipped up somewhere. Sometimes Louis showed a brief glimmer of intelligence. Then everything would return to normal again. pg 112-113

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 8

If you are interested in learning more about how the forces of a metropolis affect the ministry of local churches, let me know and I'll take you out for coffee at my Starbucks to talk. And if you really want to learn more, I suggest Gibson Winter's book. Very illuminating and disturbing.

The churches have had notable successes in the growing suburbs; they have suffered dismal failures in the central areas of the metropolis.

Religiousness or irreligiousness in the United States will depend upon the development of ministries in the metropolitan areas. This is where the masses of the population of the United States will work out their destinies in the coming generation; this is where the destiny of the nation will be decided for better or worse.

-- The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, pg 15

A whole new vista has opened up to me concerning the cultural context of Anchor's facility location in the central area of Fort Wayne. Does the location of a church facility affect the capacity of your ministry, of who will be part of that ministry? Yes. What is the significance of thriving suburban churches and struggling urban churches? A matter of leadership and maturity? God's blessing and wise moral choices? What are the dangers of being a prosperous suburban church? What are the riptides tearing away at urban churches?

These are all significant questions that have surfaced for me as I worked my way through Winters immensely insightful book on the "trenchant dilemma of American Protestantism - its severance from the urgent needs and challenges of the metropolis - and a program for its revitalization."

Sunday marks eleven years as pastor of Anchor; our facility is located about ten blocks from Main Street Fort Wayne. It's a deteriorating neighborhood. How does a church be for the neighborhood while also resisting the deteriorating trend of its location? What are the forces at work in our neighborhood (and throughout the city) that shape the lives of its citizens? And what are churches to do about it?

Winters contends that the core ministry of the church is one of reconciliation (taking a cue from St. Paul in a letter of his to the Christ-followers in the totally fractured city of Corinth). I resonate with that theme of reconciliation as being a crucial element of what constitutes the worth of a church in its neighborhood. But how deep and how far does the reconciliation need to go? Reconciliation not only with God and other Christians, but reconciliation with other races, with those in a different class of society, with those of a different colored collar?

The metropolis, where the masses of Americans now live, dominates the life and culture of the United States. Dr. Winter's analysis shows that Protestantism has not shaped itself to meet the challenges. The inner city, deserted by the churches, grows more desperate under pressure of poverty, crime, and racial discrimination. Suburban churches, preoccupied by the concerns of middle-class domesticity, fail to deal with the total context of their constiuents' lives.

"The choice confronting the churches today is whether to continue ministering to fragments of a society or to reform their ministry in order to participate in the whole life of the metropolis."

This new knowledge is going to take a while to work its way through me, but already there are some important implications that come to mind for Anchor's future ministry:

* first - connect with as many other churches as possible within our neighborhood and in the suburbs.

* second - push the work of reconciliation further, not just for marriages and in parenting, but between races, between classes of people, for criminals, for the impoverished, the mentally disabled, the elderly.

* third - daily trust God as we walk in the Same Spirit as Jesus to do and be good news to the deteriorating city - both downtown and in the suburbs.

* fourth - research, research, research; get wisdom; deal with reality of situation for people, individuals, churches, cities, economic forces, cultural powers, metropolitan currents.

Ireland: A Story...

Ireland holds a certain kind of fascination for me. Like a lot of my friends, it's one of those countries on my list I want to journey through someday. Plus, it's the homeland of U2! With an interest in the nation, I read the novel Trinity by Leon Uris about Ireland's struggle for freedom in the years leading up to 1916.

It's not a short novel - 894 pages; and it doesn't read quickly - because it so thought-provoking and disturbing. It's taken about nine months to work my way through the story. I doubt I'll look at politics, religion, economics, war, and poverty in the same way again.

Some thoughts:

The British disdain for the Irish is indefensible.

The hatred fueled by the religious fervor of Protestants and Catholics was disillusioning.

The capitulation of Catholic hierarchy to the unjust policies of the Protestant British politicians was disgraceful.

The poverty of Ireland - a situation sustained by the calculating policies of entrenched British Protestant industrialists was demeaning.

With the failure of peaceful political process, with the irrelevance of religious authority, with the lack of profitable labor, what other recourse was there than violence?

Conservative politics was leveraged to protect the interests of those already in power, of the industrialists, those with land and titles, those with military and government authority.

Liberal politics was resistance to the abuse of conservative politics, it was insistence on justice and freedom for all people - especially the poor, the disenfranchised, the abused, the neglected, the oppressed.

And the Church was often a defender of conservative politics.

Without the Church insisting and working to work out a way for peace to prevail, the myth of redemptive violence gains strength.

U2's yearning for peace in Ireland, so hauntingly captured in Sunday Bloody Sunday came to my mind many times as I worked my way through this story of Ireland. And "40".

What is the Greatest Threat to Christianity?

You would think that atheism is the greatest threat to Christianity. It's not a threat at all.

What about secular humanism? No threat whatsoever.

Agnosticism? Nope.

A materialistic/scientific worldview? Not a threat to Christianity.

Surely socialism is the greatest threat to Christianity! No it is not.

How about Communism? No.

Capitalism? No...

How about evil dictators? No.

Not even corrupt constitutional republican democracies are a threat to Christianity.

If you think that any of these are grave threats to Christianity, then you may have too-low view of Christ's creative capabilities to further his redemptive work in the world.

However, as one observes the world, particularly America, there are two things that currently seem to be the greatest global threat to Christianity. Political power and material wealth. Christ was regularly rejected the most by those with vested interest in either maintaining or gaining political power. Actually, they ended up killing him because he wouldn't shut up. And Jesus went out of his way to point out the obstacle that material wealth would become to those who wanted to follow his Way.

World history will usually show that where there are great centers of political power, Christianity will quickly be co-opted and become a force for oppression and reinforcement elitist rules. And where Christianity becomes a tool for accumulating material wealth, that kind of Christianity will become impotent and useless to resist injustice towards widows and mercy towards sinners.

In light of what Jesus says about himself, about his Way, about his Work in his world, he kind of goes out of his way to emphasize the role of servanthood and salvation, blessing and binding up the wounds.

Jesus knew all about hardwork, being a craftsman he was familiar with the daily exertion of shaping stone, of carving wood, of chiseling marble, of drawing the plumb line. He worked in collaboration with his family to care for each other and their neighbors. And when he walked away from his life as a craftsman to fulfill his role as a prophet - he drew around him people of wealth who were inspired to become generous to the poor, the widow, the crippled, the prisoner. At one point gives assurance: you'll know heaven is your home, you'll know you trust me for salvation if you're giving fresh water to the weary.

So, for all the Christians in America who live in fear of indoctrination, of fear that socialism will ruin our country, in fear of what gay-marriage will do to the institution of marriage, in fear of how we are losing our way morally. I say this: Fear Not. God is still with us.

Jesus is present - the Same Spirit that came upon Him in his day is the Same Spirit that is upon us in our day. It matters not how politically corrupt our country is - it is no obstacle for Christianity unless Christianity has wedded itself to political power as a means to further its work. Material wealth is no obstacle for Christianity unless Christianity has become a means to attain more material wealth at the expense of being a servant of God like Jesus, a healer like Jesus, a rescuer like Jesus, a wisdom-teacher like Jesus, a rebel like Jesus, a kingdom-come kind of believer like Jesus.

Sunday Sermon Notes 9.27.09

What weighs down your heart?

It doesn't take long for us to realize how hard life can be, how harsh it can be. There's not much we can do about it - it's just the way the world is. And our response to this hardness, this harshness is what often contributes to a weighed-down heart.

How do people typically deal with the hard harshness of life? Some people are partyers, they live for the weekends. Wild-living is their way of reacting to a hard life. Some people become drunks and addicts - they seek to escape the harshness of life through a bottle or a needle or porn. And others become anxious, depressed, worried, listless - life's hardness prompts all sorts of fears in them. And maybe you can add to this general list - there are lots of ways for life's harshness to break people down, to weigh down their hearts, to bury their souls.

Jesus is very much aware of how hard and harsh life can be. And in this instruction to his disciples, he's trying to prepare them for coming events - preparing them to respond to harsh hardness in a way that elevates the heart, not way it down.

Here's the scenario: Jesus has come to Jerusalem as it's rightful king; he's spent the last year or so traveling to the city - healing people, feeding them, instructing them, caring for them. He's done nothing but good, spoke truth to power, empowered the marginalized, infused dignity into the down-and-out. He's poured out into his people only love.

But being wise, brilliant, discerning, etc. he also can see where political, economic, religious forces are sweeping his city. Despite Jesus' work in Israel, he can forsee the day - within a generation - when Rome will send in the siege-works to demolish Jerusalem. The people Jesus sought to save will pick up the sword against Rome, will rebel against the Empire, will call for blood - and it will be their doom. It is breaks the heart of Jesus - these are his people, his kingdom, and they are headed for desolation.

However - many people have listened to Jesus, they have come to trust him, they believe what he says about reality, and they are willing to follow his way of living in this hard and harsh world. So Jesus gives them instructions on how to endure the next generation, and how to survive the siege of Jerusalem when it happens. Jesus' followers will have to deal with persecution because of their allegiance to Jesus and their compassion for others. And when Rome comes to strike down the rebels, Jesus tells his followers to flee - head for the hills.

But Jesus cautions his followers - the next decades will not be easy; be careful or your hearts will get weighed down with the hard reality of life. Beware of dissipation - of debauchary, of wild living. Beware of drunkeness. Beware of anxiety. When life is harsh, respond in love. When life is hard, respond in trust. Love your enemies. Trust the way of God.

For us - we have maybe confessed trust in God, received forgiveness of our sins through Jesus, but still have a weighed down heart. We maybe deal with the harshness of life through occasional partying, or with some kind of addiction, or with anxiety. When we become aware of how we are responding destructively to the hardness of life - instead of condemning ourselves, it can be a wake up call.

Do you want to give up the party life? Do you want to give up the addictions? Do you want to give up the anxiety and depression? Then take your weighed-down heart and give more of it to God. Talk through with Him what is making your heart heavy - and be as honest and probing as you can. Do everything in your power to get wisdom on what is really going on. Do what it takes to get help and strength to keep hoping and trusting the way of Jesus.

There is nothing wrong with having a weighed-down heart; it's what you do with it that can either force you further along the path of desolation or open up a new opportunity for redemption and restoration.

It's your choice... everyday it's your choice. Choose the way of Jesus everyday.

Sunday Sermon Notes 9.20.09

Would you rule the world any different?

If all of a sudden you were bumped up another notch in the management chain of where you work - now you're given more authority and more responsibilities - would you be any different (any better?) than the person you just replaced?

It comes pretty natural to us to complain about whoever is the "boss" of us at work. It's easy to point out the things we'd do different if we were in charge. But what if you actually were given the chance to be in charge - would you do a better job at spending the money, making the schedule, handling conflict, giving promotions, handing out discipline, hiring and firing, etc?

Sometimes we like to think that if just given a chance, if just given some more authority, some more responsibilities, we could really make a difference in our workplace (or church, or whatever organization you are part of). We like to think that we could do a better job than "those" already in charge, and if we just had a shot at it, we could really make a difference.

But what about right now? What about the authority and responsibilities you do have now? What are you doing with the power and influence you do have for good and for God? Maybe the real issue is not what you would do with more power and influence, authority and power, but what you are doing right now with what you do have. If you're not doing much with what you have right now, what makes you think you'd do a better job with more?

You have authority over you - and you are responsible for yourself. How are you doing with that authority and responsibility - are you using yourself for good and for God now in a purposeful, meaningful way? You have power and influence over members of your family, over your friends, over your coworkers, over your neighbors, etc. How are you using that power and influence for good and for God? Are you working to be a blessing to them, or are you usually trying to find a way to use them for your own gain?

Jesus, in the three stories recorded back to back to back in Luke, are attempts by Jesus to point out how the religious and economic leaders of the nation were misusing their authority and responsibilities, their power and influence. He then makes a point to reveal how he uses his authority and responsibility, his power and influence. Who do you want to emulate?

The religious authorities use the Scriptures to support their nationalistic and violent desires for independence from Rome. Jesus undermines both their interpretation and their authority (and thus their power and influence). The religious leaders are also very much involved in the economy of the nation. They also seek honor, to climb the social-status ladder, and to gain prestige. Jesus reveals these arrogant and greedy motives for what they are - that is not how leaders are to use their authority and responsibilities.

And then Jesus points out the contrast between what the wealthy give to God and what a poor widow gives to God. The rich give out of their abundance - a strategic move, calculated to not hurt their bottomline. The widow gave everything she had, revealing her trust in God's willingness to provide for her. God wants leaders to use their authority and responsibility to lift up the widows, not devour their houses. God wants everyone to use their power and influence for the good of their neighbors and for God.

Whatever you have - give it all over for the work of God in this world. Don't make everything about you. Make a difference for good and for God in your world with the authority and responsibilities you currently have. It's more than enough.

The Word Alone

Impatience and self-reproach only foster our complacency and entangle us ever more deeply in the net of self-centered introspection.

But there is no more time to observe ourselves in meditation than there is in the Christian life as a whole. We should pay attention to the Word alone and leave it to the Word to deal effectively with everything.

For may it not be the case that it is none other than God who sends us these hours of emptiness and dryness, so that we might once again expect everything from God's Word?

"Seek God, not happiness" - that is the fundamental rule of all meditation. If you seek God alone, you will gain happiness - that is the promise of all meditation.

- from Life Together 88-89

Dwelling On God's Word

It is not necessary for us to find new ideas in our meditation. Often that only distracts us and satisfies our vanity.

It is perfectly sufficient if the Word enters in and dwells within us as we read and understand it.

As Mary "pondered...in her heart" what the shepherds told her (Luke 2v19), as a person's words often stick in our mind for a long time - as they dwell and work within us, preoccupy us, disturb us, or make us happy without our being able to do anything about it - so as we meditate, God's Word desires to enter in and stay with us. It desires to move us, to work in us, and to make such an impression on us that the whole day long we will not get away from it.

Then it will do its work in us, often without our being aware of it.

~ from Life Together 88

U2 TnT Chicago Friends

Saturday morning Reena and Phil drove over to our place around 10amish, Tara and I said goodbyes to the boys (and a tearful farewell from Emma...), and we were off for Chicago! We checked into our Hyatt hotel and admired our view of the Chicago lakeside.

Here you can see Soldier Field - the orange pointy thing sticking up is part of the stage for the concert. From this perspective it's hard to imagine what kind of stage we're looking at.

After we finished admiring our view, the four of us headed out for a loooooooong walk down Michigan Avenue. It was a beautiful day...we decided to not let it get away!. Our hotel was by the McCormick Center, and our goal was to walk to the Hancock Tower.

We had miles to go in our sandals. Tara - God bless her - wanted to find a Starbucks. Somehow I got photographed in front of the store!

Reena, Tara and me - Phil is the photographer!

We were getting very hungry - and we wanted to find a local restaurant. No national-chain restaurants. Being adventurous, we wanted to find something interesting. We saw a sign for some Louisiana fare - and went for it.

Always cool when you have to ride an escalator up to the restaurant.

Phil and Reena are famous for their affection of habaneros. Here's one stuffed with cheese, deep fried and served with a dare: no customer has ever finished one! Not being ones to pass on a dare, our neighbors carefully dived in. Alas, the habanero won! Reena explained about the membranes of the pepper being the source of their evilness (I mean hotness...). Tara and I stuck to something safe - crabcakes. Not picture worthy, but yummy.

After our fantastic bayou-feast, we waddled over to a shopping center. Then a tour of the John Hancock Building - what a view...of the Lake! Stupid clouds hovered right around the windows facing the city and all the cool stuff. What a gip. Oh well, it was neat being 91 stories up above the earth! After our descent we stuffed ourselves into a taxi - no way we were walking back to the hotel. We relaxed for a bit, put our feet up, watched some football, and then walked over to the stadium. My oh my - what a place! Soldier Field is impressive. And so were the U2 wares being hawked. Of course I had to get a program, both Tara and I got some sweet shirts!

Snow Patrol opened for U2. They were okay. For whatever reason, we sat around for almost an hour (or so it seemed...) for the stage to get resent. Lots of time to be over-awed by the stage. And to take pictures of ourselves waiting. And smiling!

The show is finally getting ready to start! First smoke, then the showmen, and then the music! Interestingly, they started off with Breathe. No Line on the Horizon followed. What great stuff!

Tara and I were particularly thrilled by their rousing concert version

of Get On Your Boots and Magnificent.

For the song Unknown Caller, they were nice enough to put words up on the screen to sing along with. Of course this was overkill, since most people were singing along to all the songs anyway. But it was a nice touch. Except for me - I've listened to U2's songs hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times...and I still don't know many of their lyrics. I'm terrible at remembering those kinds of things.

Bono insisted I shout, which I enthusiastically complied. Oh the joy...

By my face I'm guessing we were singing It's a Beautiful Day (I know part of the chorus...), or we were singing Elevation (again, a bit more of the chorus on that one), or maybe it was Vertigo (ummm...no ability to sing along on that song...). However, I can sing along to almost all the words to I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - my favorite one of them all.

Adam Clayton driving the songs forward with his brilliant bass playing.

Larry Mullen Jr on the big screen.

Bono.

The Edge.

Did you notice the screen - the impression is that it's not that good of the screen 'cause you can see all these lines throughout the images. Well, later on they do something amazing with the screen... these guys are so impressive!

The expanding screen.

Look at that screen all stretched out! How cool is that?

The concert is winding down - I have no idea what song is being performed here - maybe it was With or Without You - which he ended by tagging on a few lines of 40. Or maybe this was the acoustic set of Stuck in a Moment (a beautiful song done live acoustic).

What? All done? Already? Please...keep singing...

No? Alas, I guess I'll just have to come back another time!

Hanging out after the concert - enjoying the moment.

Phil and me marveling at how amazing these Irishmen are when it comes to performance and music and inspiring...

Reena and Tara were movin' and a groovin' to the music all night! And why not, U2 music was made to get your hands up and your feet jumping!

Four very happy friends. One joy-full show!

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 7

The central concern is ministry and mission: in metropolitan terms today, this means participation in the whole and breaking through the mosaic of insulated enclaves which shatter the public life of the metropolis. This is the only valid criterion for testing any reformation in Protestantism; its formative power will be tested by its assumption of responsibility for the whole.

Church planning, which has emerged in recent decades as a way of allocating new missions in efficient and co-operative ways, has been extremely useful as far as it has gone. Unfortunately, church planning has been preoccupied with extending the organization church in suburban and satellite areas.

Church planning, however, will fulfill its promise only when it regards participation in the whole metropolitan area as its essential principle, its first task is the breakthrough of insulated enclaves within Protestant religious life.

The metropolis is a mission field not because there are unchurched people but because there is no public ministry. By treating the metropolis as a Christian culture in need of supplementary church construction on the periphery, we are seeking to escape from the missionary task.

Missionary strategy must concern itself with the whole. In other other way can it adequately express the Gospel of God's reconciling work for man.

This analysis has offered up incontrovertible evidence that the metropolis is a religiously broken, fragmented cluster of insular pockets estranged from one another. Its religious life is split through the middle by the schism - a truly satanic division - and its religious organization upholds social class identities rather than the universal identity of those who are interdependent in Christ.

We have, in fact, the strategy of an established church in a missionary situation.

The church proclaims a universal identity largely by involving its membership in experiences of obligation toward other people in the congregation. For many people today, church membership means the opportunity to see the same people they meet at Kiwanis or the country club.

The church will guide the metropolitan community toward the meaning of community when church members transcend the social, racial, and economic barriers that inhibit communication.

These members may represent different local fellowships, since housing in the metropolis is more and more confined in particular neighborhoods to single social class levels, and no local fellowship can be all-inclusive. Their church membership, nevertheless, will be proof of their determination to disregard social barriers; it will mean willingness to assume responsibility for financial and personal ministry in areas of radically different social and cultural background.

The church communicates essentially by what it is rather than what it says.

The Church speaks, as does Her Lord, from the reality of Her life rather than the imagination of Her heart.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 202-204

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 6

The renewal of public responsibility and the creation of metropolitan community are two sides of the same coin. Each is essential to the other.

When the churches suffered a breakdown of community as Christian people, the metropolitan area was deprived of the sustaining power of a faith that embraced the concerns of the whole. The collapse of the public sphere was almost inevitable without a community to represent the whole, for the free play of economic interests fragmented the metropolis, and no countervailing power represented the common good.

What are these issues and problems?

1) Slums are growing and they are increasingly the habitat of minority groups who are isolated and discriminated against, both in terms of housing and in terms of economic opportunities.

2) Social tensions are reaching the explosive states and we continue, doggedly, to ignore causes in favor of treating the results (e.g., juvenille delinquency).

3) Social and political communication is almost at a standstill as the idea of responsibility is lost midst the welter of consumer -oriented propaganda.

4) The concentration of urban populations is raising sever problems of water supply and disposal of wastes.

5) Open spaces are increasingly difficult to preserve, and the implications of this for food supply, standards (material) of living, economics of land development, and aesthetics are keeping many people awake at nights.

There is a grim physical reality to the metropolis. From time to time we make pitiful token gestures toward its "problems." But no one guides us toward a meaning of community which comprehends more than profit taking and congeniality. Will the Church fill this emptiness in our society?

To provide guidance toward metropolitan community the Church can:

1) affirm community by forming a ministry to the whole metropolis.

2) offer a vision and experience of metropolitan community by exemplifying a community.

3) inform the metropolitan struggle for community with its own prophetic concern for the common good of the metropolitan area.

The deformation of Protestantism came about by the severing of its ministry from participation in the whole of metropolitan life; the reformation of Protestantism will come about through the participation of its ministry in the whole and representation of the whole community in the communities of Protestant faith.

The renewal in Protestantism will be tested by the extent of its formative power - whether it can generate inclusive ministries to the whole metropolis. Many pastors and laymen are ready to participate in the whole life of the metropolitan area. Having tasted the emptiness of an insular congregation, they are searching for opportunities to share responsibility with other pastors and congregations.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 200-201

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 5

The signs of renewal in Protestantism are striking.

The insights of developmental psychology and group processes are being successfully applied to the teaching task of the Church. Pastoral care has benefited from the perspective of depth psychology, enabling churches to respond magnificently to the infinite problems created by industrial development.

The most striking fact about contemporary Protestantism is the re-emergence of lay responsibility. The lay movement is a strong attempt to counteract the shallow activism of the organization church and to search for meaning and direction in a mass society. Many clergy have shied away from this lay movement for fear that it would disrupt the smooth pattern of church life, but those who have nurtured it have found new support for their ministries in sharing their task with laymen.

Two other signs of renewal can be noted in Protestant life. New ministries to the nonresidential structures of society are emerging: ministries to hospitals, universities, industries, and, more recently, to political organizations; furthermore, a ministry to the communal organizations of the cities has appeared in the form of church planning.

The significance of these ministries, at present, is their concern with the structural problems of a mass society. Their potential power for renewal is considerable, since they signify the formation of a public ministry.

The organization of faith expresses or denies the Word to the world. When it expresses the Word, it channels the ministry into mission and servantship.

Renewal of mind is essential to the creation of a ministry to the whole metropolis; renewal of mind through the Spirit is the essence of life in the churches and ministry is the vehicle of that life in the world.

When the forces of renewal now present in the churches begin to shape the ministry, Protestantism will become the central force for renewal in metropolitan life.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 198-200

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 4

The deformation of the ministry is a religious symptom of the sickness of industrial society.

Many successful pastorates exist under these circumstances, many faithful and devoted lives emerge from them; but the saints of the organization church are apt to appear despite the program rather than because of it.

Notwithstanding the piety of individual pastors and laymen, Protestantism as a whole was vulnerable to the centrifugal forces of metropolitan life. The emphasis on voluntary congregations and individual piety made Protestantism a prey to the distorting forces.

Each new stage of metropolitan disorder will manifest itself within religious institutions unless the churches assume a formative role in their ministry to the metropolis.

This analysis of Protestantism could be summarized as a loss of contact between the churches and the community as a whole.

The choice confronting the churches today is whether to continue ministering to fragments of society or to reform their ministry in order to participate in the whole of life of the metropolis.

It is a difficult choice, since the losses will be great in either direction; ministry to parts means continued frustration and the neglect of the genuinely religious concerns; participation in the whole means organizing a new form of the Protestant ministry.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 196-197

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 3

Industrial life drives the lower classes into apathy, making them a prey to psychosis and religious escape; competition on the economic ladder drives the middle classes into frenetic attempts to demonstrate their adequacy, which leads to despairing emptiness.

The apathy of the lower classes renders them inaccessible to the ministries of organization churches, for the manipulation of words and people in the organization churches is alien to lower-class life.

This organizational style of religious life, on the other hand, is deadeningly familiar to the manipulated middle classes. Thus, the cleavage within industrial society is mirrored in the styles of Protestant religious life.

Pastors experience the deformation of religious life most acutely in their sense of alienation from the significant spheres of contemporary life. Their ministries certainly touch the sufferings of private life - illness, death, familial estrangement - but they seldom intersect with the collective structures that shape the lives of their congregations.

The pastor runs an ambulance service, so to speak - an important and indispensable aspect of the Church's ministry; but his services in this respect are performed without ever contacting the powers that shape the destiny of the metropolis and the world.

Religion is now relegated to the sphere of personal emotional adjustment.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 195-196

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 2

This preoccupation with [the role of churches in the renewal of the metropolis] arises... because of the seeming helplessness before the forces of metropolitan blight.

The churches are essential at this juncture in metropolitan development, for they can best represent the interests of the whole in the midst of conflicting economic interests, and can speak out most strongly for life and human values. The churches will fail to bring about a renewal of the metropolis, however, unless they first put their own house in order.

We have been concerned with the renewal of human life in the metropolis - the struggle of the immigrants and newcomers, the alienation of the Negro population, and the frantic search for traditions and security among the middle classes. Such concerns may seem nonreligious or irrelevant to the main stream of American Protestantism, which holds the object of religious concern to the individual piety and spirituality. This religious tradition assumes that preaching the Gospel leads directly to the reconciliation of society; the Church's work, therefore, is to spread the Gospel and let social problems take care of themselves.

The only answer to this pietistic tradition is that the Gospel embraces the whole of human life and society. Man's life in society is an interdependent web. Personal immorality is no more nor less accessible to spiritual renewal than racial discrimination in housing.

A narrow spirituality refuses to recognize the interdependence and wholeness of life; its concern rejects involvement, and its preoccupation with individual piety derives from the false assumption that the individual soul is more open to change than the social institutions.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 192-193

The Suburban Captivity of the Churches - 1

Citizens of the metropolis realize that their future and the lives of their children depend upon the creation of a safe, healthy, environment in the metropolitan area. The exodus to suburbia has failed to check the spread of blight. There is no retreat from the disorder and deterioration which plague metropolitan society.

The metropolis is an interdependent community, even though it attempts to conduct its private life in independent enclaves.

Somehow, and before too long, the metropolitan areas must face the task of rebuilding their local communities and integrating these communities in a public sphere; this means the creation of a community in the metropolis in which respect for all citizens is expressed through access to housing and interclass associations.

The churches bear a heavy burden of responsibility for the failure of the metropolis to become a community.

This interpretation of religious responsibility extends to all phases of metropolitan development - the ghettos, housing inequities, school deficiencies in slum areas, exploitation of newcomers by real estate and business interests, the disregard for life that permits residential areas to become highways, and the inadequate fire inspections in slum areas.

The churches are not alone in this responsibility, of course, but they bear a large share of the burden. And the responsibility remains theirs whether they concentrate their ministry in the satellites or remain in the central city.

~ The Suburban Captivity of the Churches, Gibson Winter, 1962, Chapter 7 "The Renewal of the Metropolis", pgs 190-191

Sunday Sermon Notes 9.06.09

Ever wonder what is wrong with the world?

Ever wonder what is wrong with your family?
Ever wonder what is wrong with you?

Usually the more simple the answer, the closer you are to the truth. Even for very complex situations, it is always most helpful to look for the simple line of cause and effect. So, here's my attempt to give a simple answer to a very complex crisis: the world is the way it is because we reap what we sow.

It won't take long to come up with exceptions to this simple explanation, but that doesn't undermine the credibility of the answer. The idea isn't necessarily a negative one either, but rather a source of hope for when we make the sacrifice day in and out to do the right thing.

When you look at the lives of the people around you, or when you take a long hard look within yourself, and seek to find answers to how you got to where you are, I think that the idea of "you reap what you sow" will provide the most helpful truth.

Think about it like this: the better you can connect the dots between your current circumstances and your previous choices, the better position you have for determining your future circumstances. If you like where you are, then with your new knowledge gained through reflection, you can keep on making the same wise choices. If you don't like where you are in life, then you can start making different, better choices.

But how do you convince people of this? How do you convince yourself of this? We know from experience that most people don't want to change. They want their circumstances to change without changing or improving their choices and actions. They want to reap something better without sowing anything different.

Let's imagine you're a very smart person. You're also skilled, people-savvy, been around the block so to speak, and you have a good grasp on history. And you're very wealthy as well as ethical. And you're a king. Or queen. And you care about your people. And it so happens that your people are heading towards dark path. With all your resources, how do you convince your people to change what they are sowing, lest they reap the dark rewards of rebellion?

This is the position Jesus finds himself in on that last Sunday before he is crucified. He has entered Jerusalem as their king, and yet he stops to weep over the city. He has spent the past few years teaching, healing, pleading, training, helping hundreds and thousands of men and women - trying to help them sow something different in order to reap something better. And yet the city will reject him and his way. Jesus came to save Israel from political suicide and military devastation. Yet with all of his resources, he was unable to save the nation. His efforts led to his execution by the people in power. Kind of a discouraging story...

But note Jesus' attitude towards those who rejected him: he wept for them. He knew that the seeds of their rebellion against God and their hardness towards the poor and oppressed would lead to a harvest of destruction at the hands of the Roman army. Jesus wept for all those who refused to sow something different. He wept for all of those who would get caught up in a hailstorm of swords because they refused to believe the truth about their coming consequences.

And also note that Jesus never gave up on trying to help his fellow citizens sow something different.

So for you: if you know that you need to start sowing something better because you want to reap something different, do it! It'll be hard, and you'll have to press on, but don't give up on yourself. And if you have people in your life whom you know need to sow something different, plunge yourself into that task. Of course it will be difficult, but like Jesus we ought not to give up on our fellow citizens.

Here's a line from Jesus' cry over Jerusalem: "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace..."

If you knew what would bring you peace today, would you do it?

If you knew what you needed to do today in order to reap peace tomorrow, would you do it?

Would you? Do it.

3 Days Until U2 in Chicago!

Only three more days! U2 in their first concert on American soil for the 360 tour!!! I'm listening to only U2 songs for the next couple of days...oh wait, that's what I do anyway.

Here's a list of songs that they've been including in the concerts. Everyone is wondering which songs they'll include Saturday night... will they pick some new ones? If I could pick a song for them to do that's not on the list, I'd suggest: All Along the Watchtower OR All Because of You.

Angel Of Harlem
Bad
Breathe
Beautiful Day
City Of Blinding Lights
Desire
Electrical Storm
Elevation
Get On Your Boots
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
In A Little While
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Magnificent
MLK
Moment Of Surrender
Mysterious Ways
No Line On The Horizon
New Year's Day
One
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
Party Girl
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out of
Stay (Far Away so Close)
The Unforgettable Fire
Unknown Caller
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Until The End of the World
Vertigo
Walk On
Where The Streets Have No Name
With Or Without You

Don't Read This Boring Post on History and Politics

Would you agree that our ideas of government are greatly influenced by the history and politics of the Irish and the British? Would you agree that the modern ideas for what constitutes conservatism and liberalism stemmed from their roots in Ireland and England? And even if our modern experiences of conservatism and liberalism have gone through adaptions in the past fifteen to thirty decades, it's worth remembering the past, right?

Okay, so I'm still reading Trinity by Leon Uris, covering the Irish-British struggle (a mild term...) from 1885ish to 1915ish. The storyteller weaves together themes of industrialism, religion, politics, racism, and violence (military and terrorist). A very modern story.

And in these themes there emerges examples of who are conservatives and who are liberals, and what they stand for. Here is my summary from this novel (well researched as it is, it's still a novel) on general characteristics (not well researched on my part...yet).

Conservatives were those with power - either industrial, religious, or political. They were often the landed gentry, landowners who rented out parcels of property to hundreds or thousands of farmers. The Conservatives were the bishops and priests of the Catholic and Anglican parishes, and the pastors of the Protestant churches. They were the Lords and Counts who ambitiously joined the Industrial Revolution, reaping the fruits of capitalism for themselves. And these Conservatives used violence to protect their way of life, to ensure that their families would stay in power, and to keep the status quo as much as possible. A Conservative was interested in conserving thing the way they were as much as possible - and if they did "permit" change, it was only going to be in such a way that it induced a profit.

Liberals were those that sought to undermine the power of the Conservatives in an effort to bring reform to industrial crimes against humanity. It was Liberal reformers like William Gladstone that fought hard to enact labor laws which protected the masses against the entrenched industrial elite. It was Liberal ideals that sought to stem the flow of industrial pollution into the waters and the air of the bloated cities - infants, children, parents living in squalor. It was Liberal ideals that promoted education, that protected children, that tried to promote democratic ideals to the masses as a way to undermine the power of the few. Liberals also included people with power, those who forsook their family fortunes, who reformed their industries from within, who as pastors and priests joined the masses in inspiring reform.

I think that a hundred years later one can still find these strains of Conservatism and Liberalism at work in our country (heavily populated by Irish and British...). Conservatism and Liberalism was a more complex then what I outlined above, and it has become more complex now. But even the evolutionary complexity of these political ideals doesn't betray its roots.

So, for those of you who know your history better than I do, what am I glossing over or misrepresenting in my general characterization of Conservatism and Liberalism? If my summary is generally close to being reasonably accurate, should the Church step out of both categories? Have these two strands become intertwined so that modern Conservatism and modern Liberalism actually mean something very different today?

I write this in the spirit of one who is searching very hard to understand the times I live in. Any help you can offer up is greatly appreciated.

After Fifteen Years It's Become A Lot of Fun!

Yes, we have fun when we stop by to visit the graves of Ben and Matt. The kids don't know enough to be sad, and enough time has passed for us that we smile when we remember Ben - and as the kids act silly, like their uncles.

One of the ways we celebrate the life of Ben and Matt is to drink green stuff, toast in their honor, and then gulp it down till the bottle is empty!

Emma spent some time kneeling at Ben's gravestone, looking at his picture and looking at the fish symbol...

After a bit Eva joined Emma, and we overheard them praying... very sweet.

Lydia captured in a Ben moment!

Johnson Christmas in August!

Craig and Cheryl have been fantastic host/hostess to the Johnson family! They throw a big party, everyone brings super-delicious food, Jim brings plenty of ice cream, and we play, play, play. And of course, the kids gotta start on the jumpy thingy.

Oh - what's a summer party without a big pool with sun-warmed water! Emma wanted everyone to watch her jump into the pool.

For the fourteenth time.

Jumping off the steps got stale, so we took it to a new level - leaping off my shoulders as I pushed her high into the air. My little girl is so daring!

I'll have to admit I was pretty impressed with Levi. I wasn't sure how confident he'd be in the big pool. Apparently watching Emma jump in several dozen times was enough to inspire him.

Isaac never really got inspired...

Finally, near the end of the day, Eli insisted that I throw him up in the air and let him drop deep into the water. I was a little nervous about this idea, HIS idea... but up he'd go, and then way down he'd go, and then up he'd pop all smiles!

Cousin Jamie is a very popular person - she's the life of the party! The kids enjoyed hanging on her very much! I think she had fun too!

Jamie teaching Emma how to flip the flag around... a dangerous form of art!

Our First TinCaps Game!

Here we are at our first Fort Wayne TinCaps game! The kids (Emma, Alia, Levi, Isaac, Hannah, Eli) won tickets through the library reading program. We went for the lawn seating section - a unique, slanted way to relax and enjoy the game!

The highlight of the game, for the kids, was eating food.

Surprise, surprise...

I'm not really sure why Levi is sitting under the table...

At some point around the eighth inning the kids kind of lost interest in the game. And of rolling down the lawn. So we all agreed it be a good idea if they sit next to the railing. Jamil insisted he insert his sexy legs into the panoramic pic!

After the game we went over to a local ice cream shop a few blocks away. It was nice to lounge in the shade, chat about the game, and to watch and see how messy Hannah could get...

Emma and the First Day of First Grade

Wednesday was Emma's first day of first grade at her new school.

She is more than ready to head out that door!

Of course before we get in the van to head to the bus stop we've got to get a flower picture

- isn't she beautiful?

Emma and her neighbor-friend Illyana waiting at the bus stop!


Emma - where's my hug? Get back here and at least let me give you a kiss goodbye!

Tara and Emma - so adorable together!

Getting on the bus... one of the highlights of Emma's morning!

Lovin' her new locker!

In her new classroom ready to go for a great new year of learning!

Conspiracy, Half-Truths, or Reality?

I'd like to think that I am interested in reality. I'd like to think that when presented with things as they really are, I will seek to accept it, though I may not fully understand it. I also know myself well enough - I'm easily intrigued by contrarian ideas and "conspiracy" theories. I have learned what you have learned - there are always two sides to a story. So when Glenn Beck comes off as very believable in his expose of Van Jones, I find myself getting sucked in to his side of the story. But, is there another way to "spin" the story? Did Beck present half-truths? Did Beck take a morsel of truth and twist it?

I did some simple research via Google on Van Jones after watching the YouTube clip from August 24th in order to get another side of the story.

Below is the YouTube expose, and below that are some links to similar information about Jones.



Google search for Van Jones

Google search for Van Jones revolutionary

Huffington Post link to a column by David Roberts who reviews Beck's bashing of Jones

A lengthy, informative New Yorker article on Van Jones

The Wikipedia site for Van Jones

An interview with Van Jones by the Collage Foundation

And here is the link to the document that Glenn Beck pulled quotes from... Van Jones and “Reclaiming Revolution: History, Summation, and Lessons from the Work of Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement (STORM)

Here's a simple observation on Jones' interest in Marxist/Communist theory: what should oppressed people do when they have insufficient power to escape their oppression? How do the poor working class resist oppression - how do they foment a non-violent revolution that brings about liberation from harsh rulers? Maybe Beck should focus on the passion Jones had for seeking to bring life, liberty and pursuit of happiness to oppressed people. Maybe there should be respect for Jones for his radicalism - he really cared about freedom. And maybe we should respect Jones for renouncing Marxist/Communist ideals as the way to bring good change to America.

And God forbid somebody take what I just wrote out of context...

Which Cable News Personality Do You Watch?

CABLE NEWS RACE - as of MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2009 (as listed on Drudge Report.com)

1. FOXNEWS - O'REILLY 3,440,000

2. FOXNEWS - HANNITY 2,937,000

3. FOXNEWS - BECK 2,810,000

4. FOXNEWS - GRETA 2,450,000

5. FOXNEWS - BAIER 2,066,000

6. FOXNEWS - SHEP 1,860,000

7. MSNBC - OLBERMANN 1,114,000

8. CNN - KING 1,063,000

9. MSNBC - MADDOW 885,000

10. CNN - COOPER 827,000

11. MSNBC - HARDBALL 640,000

I didn't realize how popular FoxNews is... makes me wonder how much their "spin" on things is affecting the current political discourse right now. Is FoxNews closer to the truth on things, and that is why so many people spend so much time watching them broadcast?

Having watched FoxNews and CNN, and noting the obvious difference in how they present the news, I wonder what is appealing about FoxNews. I never get the sense from watching CNN that Americans should be afraid of "XYZ" politician or "MNO" policy. Rather, there is an emphasis on presenting both sides of an issue in balanced way, without the hint of "conspiracy" or "suspicion". But maybe I'm missing something, or misinterpreting the insights presented by FoxNews.

I'm not a Republican or a Democrat, I don't care about particular politicians. When I watch the news, I want the truth, or the facts - not opinions. But alas, no matter how "fair and balanced" a newsbroadcast corporation is, the broadcast corporation is still a "for-profit" entity that pre-judges what will be shown (or not shown) and how it will be presented. Everything is spun before it gets spoken.

Why must it be so hard to know the truth?

Straight from the President's mouth...

So if Obama is not lying, if he is not trying to spin or deceive, what is objectionable to his plan?

Some Stuff I've Been Reading This Spring and Summer...

What have you been reading lately? Here's some of the stuff I've been reading this Spring and Summer.

I've enjoyed discovering classic literature - and Frankenstein was not disappointing. I was intrigued to read this book mostly because I wanted to find out what the original story was really about. Dennis Miller introduced me to Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein a decade ago; when I was a kid there was a cereal with Frankenstein monster shaped marshmallow pieces; and Frankenstein these days comes across as either goofy or weird. So it was with great interest I delved into a "modern" story of fringe science, amoral ambition, unintended consequences, gut-wrenching heartache, and deep insight into human development.

A quick read - because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next as soon as I could. The story created a helpless feeling inside - what can be done about massively corrupt and grossly wealthy people who pollute and abuse and destroy. And this is done while putting up a slick image of success, glamour, and importance. Ugh. I have a new respect for trial lawyers (beware those people who lump them into a bland category of "parasite"). I also have a new respect for how politics tends to work these days. It's useless to hold on to idealism; deal with reality and hold onto your ethics as tightly as you can. Apparently it can be done...

Still working my way through this massive yet easy-to-read account of how globalization has changed/is changing our world. Fascinating stories of how corporations and governments have adapted, failed, and blossomed in this new world that both causes and flows from our choices. The world will never be the same - we live in a radically transformed era that apparently too many people under-appreciate or refuse to acknowledge. In order to better understand what to do next, it's wise to better understand how we got to where we are now. It's a massive task, but for leaders in our world, what other task is there?

A great read - slowly absorbing the chapters and letting the ideas reshape my understanding of politics in America. Maybe I'll finish the book next year - it's too good to rush through. And dense. And thoroughly enlightening. Where did "liberals" come from? Where did "conservatives" come from? Why are they so opposed to each other? Why is the "battle" between the two so seemingly infantile and nonproductive? Is there any better choice or way forward for American politics? I'm sure Dionne has some suggestion, I just haven't gotten there yet. But considering the kind of political discourse I grew up with, I definitely enjoy the thoughtful, informed, articulate insights piled into this book.

Started this book a few years ago - it is been a plodding experience. Immensely insightful, unveiling big picture developments of where America's constitutional democracy came from - where did democracy come from, and how to understand the significance and value of this experience. This isn't a primer on the issue (ie. democracy came from Greece, our Founding Fathers invented the constitution, etc) but a deep analysis of where we are in history politically, how we got here, and what that means for the future of the world. Not sure what I'll do with what I'm learning... but it's helping rethink how I think about our current political, cultural, and historical experiences.

What's so fascinating about Ireland? Uris captures that magnetism, the book keeps me glued to the pages for hours at a time. Over a thousand pages, and I have hundreds to go before I finish it. But already I'm gaining a more nuanced understanding of the strife between the Protestants and Catholics of Ireland. It's a sad, enraging, inspiring yet devastating story of colonialism, greed, prejudice, and abuse, on a massive scale. How many million individuals throughout history have been swept up and discarded in the large powerplays between nations, corporations, and armies? How many citizens have been used up, chewed up, abandoned because of "greater" interests? And yet there are people who resist empire, who won't accept oppression, who push back against corporate evil. What a complex world each generation gives to the next.

Discovered this little book at my Mum's house. An historian with an attitude, a realistic recounting of the foibles and feats of some of history's most famous individuals. Cuppy gives no respect to these "great" people, but puts them in their place, recasting them as merely individuals who got remembered by historians. It's real history that makes you chuckle, ponder, and re-adjust how you evaluate the "greatness" of people past and present.

With a gift-card to spend at Barnes & Nobles, and an interest to discover an interesting story, I discovered this gem. A history of prostitution in Chicago - which includes the formation of the FBI, the emergence of the WCTU, and the role of ministers battling vice in our society. Being a pastor who just graduated from a school in Chicago, and also constantly thinking of ways that churches can do good in society, I was glad to find this story. It's a short read with helpful insights into the reality of prostitution rings, corrupt politics, motivated ministers, and naive citizens. For pastors who want to undermine or subvert institutional corruption, read this book and then ponder. And then act.

What? Jesus was a human? A man who grew up in a society where marriage was expected? Jesus was thoroughly shaped by his culture? He was immersed in the Torah, Psalms and Prophets? At some point he realized he was the Christ? Something about the water-to-wine miracle was pivotal, scintillating remarkable and politically charged? Jesus the God-man is inspiring in his interactions with fellow neighbors and enemies? Yes.

Always expect the unexpected. Makes it hard to read a book and get lots out of it when one is constantly looking for cleverness, layers, and attitude. And yet a reflective walk through this text will prompt a fresh perspective on life and suffering and creativity and overcoming and joy. Rooted in a deep understanding of the Scriptures, written with a constant eye on the reality we live in everyday, this book seeks to help people like you and me immerse and transcend our suffering. Immerse ourselves in the pain we cannot avoid, transcend the suffering that would normally crush us. For those of us that are willing to let the worst of times bring out the best in us, Rob Bell gifts us with fuel for the journey.

What Amount of "Suffering" is Tolerable for Fellow Citizens?

Scot McKnight highlighted an article by Thomas Sowell called Utopia Versus Freedom. Interesting stuff.

In President Obama's desire (and that of the liberal mindset) to help alleviate suffering and extend assistance to the needy, are they crossing the line when it comes to our individual life, liberty and pursuit of happiness? As a Christian and a pastor, I'm motivated to help alleviate suffering and extend assistance to the needy - and I'm glad to have the government be part of that work. The church and the government, as well as corporations and restaurants and neighborhood associations and local business entities should all be part of the work to help those in need.

But to what degree should the government mandate change that results in more taxes, more bureaucracy, more national debt, more inefficiency, more restrictions, more problems for those who will bear the burden of "helping" those in need. I want every American to have adequate health insurance coverage every day of their life. But is it realistic? Is it feasible? Is it viable? Can it be done without a heavy dose of government oversight and government management? I would hope so.

I think it is good of President Obama to push the conversation out into the open about affordable, adequate health care for every American - especially for children. But the answer does not lie in more government bureaucracy. The answer ought to be centered on politicians (both the fear-mongering right and the liberty-reducing left) to work hard to influence all their big fat corporate donors to change how they do business. Politicians ought to actually lead (aka influence) the ones who paid for their political career and leverage their position to get certain industries moving in a better direction.

It's a big problem - our health coverage situation. But the answer lies in many small solutions. The government ought to be a small solution, not a big one in this crisis. Or else they'll make the crisis worse. And we'll have even less options for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Good Times at Lake Pleasant

The month of July was pretty much spent up at the lake. Not a bad way to spend July!

The first week centered on Independence Day celebrations and a birthday. This means that we played in the sun, ate Papa Jim's famous homemade ice cream, and watched lots of fireworks late into the night (while sitting around a roaring campfire at the edge of the lake...ahhhh...a perfect evening).

Tara and Amy pulled together - with the help of the kids of course - a gift for Jim...65 gifts! And then as a special surprise Tara presented a key lime cake to her dad with sparklers in it. Old sparklers. Dirty sulfur infused sparklers that left nasty ash all over the delicious creamy smooth rich yummy icing. It was a nice thought, but....

The kids are still a little leery about fireworks, so for comfort they cuddle during the loud booms. All around the lake different people set off fireworks - even Papa Jim had some to share! Some of the displays were quite amazing - plenty of oooooohs and aaaaahhhhs coming from our little party!

The second week included a couple of days in Grand Rapids for Tara and I while the kids stayed back at the lake. We stayed in a beautiful JW Marriott - Tara scrapbooked and I attended a preaching conference. We were both very happy with our "getaway"! The week ended back up at the lake...we needed more time to dig in the sand and float on the pontoon.

While home getting stuff packed for the lake again, the kids went upstairs and put on their dress up stuff. Which, sadly, includes dresses. Unfortunately Levi looks cute in the pink princess dress.... Since Eli requested help with an outfit, I talked him out of the Disney dress and insisted on a little indian outfit along with a Dr. Seuss tophat. And then the dancing began!

Once at the lake it was time to play. Which included throwing big bouncy balls up into tall trees. And then getting more balls stuck up there in an attempt to get the other ones unstuck.

As we sat around our campfire eating s'mores, we decided that it was time for Emma to get serious about riding her bike. Papa Ger had an extra one at the lake with NO training wheels on it. We began to give a very nervous Emma help in riding her bike - but it was to no avail. She just couldn't (or wouldn't) do it. After receiving help from three former gym teachers, her two parents, and even her brothers, she gave up. After brainstorming, we adults decided to bribe her with candy. We told Emma that if she could ride her bike from the firepit to the driveway (maybe about forty yards or so...) she could have a whole Hershey Chocolate candy bar. Wouldn't you know that little girl hopped off her chair onto the bike and worked and worked till she got it!

The third week included lots of time with friends up at the lake. Brett and Annie Sauder were up at the lake, Pat Minch was up at the lake, and my friends Jeremy and Amy Kratz were up from Arizona and visited us up at the lake.

Tara had fun taking the kids on a canoe ride. I think there's some extra kids in this one...

Emma and Salma being pals!

The Gang!

It was great to have my brother Jerm drive us around on the boat!

Here's our smiling face: that's Charlie sitting on Kratz's lap - he's a cutie! Charlie, that is...

It was also nice to have Jeremy's mom join him and Amy for our visit.

We had a good time hanging out...with all the kids...eating a picnic outside...!

Getting a tan...oh yeah!

Craft time with Mommy. Painting rocks they found on the shoreline. Levi's idea...

Me and Eli on our first WetJet ride together! He liked it really fast the first time, but then all the other rides he wanted slow. Wait till next year!

The fourth week was the best - our very own week in one of the cottages up at the lake. As much as we love staying with Dad and Mum in their house for the summer, nothing beats being in one of the cottages. Emma and Eli shared a bedroom, Levi and Isaac shared one. Tara had her scrapbooking corner, and we had plenty of space to play and relax.

Emma beating me in the card game War. Again.

The kids got some craft stuff from Faye one day to play with. Bendaroos. The kids decided to make all sorts of designs, and then sell them to people in the other cottages. Ingenious!

Levi and Isaac are manning the table, waiting for customers to show up!

Faye was a very generous customer. At one point my Mum was dumping her change purse upside down to get it empty! Dorothy and Phyllis ponied up some coins, as did Connie and Katie. The kids made a lot of money. And got Faye's Bendaroos back at the end of the week too!

Don't they look cool in their new sunglasses?

Pics of the sleeping arrangments...Tara got very creative!

Tom's Donuts is a tradition! One morning during the week we make a donut run...mmmmm!

The kids woke up kind of early for the donut run...

they are ready and waiting!

We did some fishing during our week at the lake - and Eli caught his first fish of the year!

Levi's pretty proud of his fish!

Playing in the sand and getting very dirty is a very important part of the week!

Hanging out with Phyllis and Dorothy - major investors in the Bendaroo sales event!

The fifth week was great too - Tara's mom Karen rented a different cottage for that week. We moved back into my folks home, but the kids took turns sleeping with Grandma Karen. Amy and the girls were up for most of the week to, which means all the cousins had a grand time playing together.

We always have lots of desserts during Grandma Karen's week. Amy brought a boys cake and a girls cake. Personally, I thought the girls pink cake was more delicious!

On our way pontooning around the lake one evening, we say this remarkable rainbow.

What's a week at the lake without Tug of War?

Tara and Emma inspired their teammates to let go of the rope...very sneaky! I fell for the trick!

Just relaxin'...

Oh yeah Hannah! You look great!

Ha ha Eli, you look funny!

Remember that money the kids made with the Bendaroo sale? They were saving it up for the ice cream truck. Which came just a few minutes before Alia and Hannah had to leave. Oh the joy of eating ice cream purchased with your own hard earned money!

Alia loved her ice cream treat so much she spread it all over herself!

Ready to Relax

It's finally time for a week at the lake cottage! We're packed, just about ready to go.

I'm looking forward to a bunch of days of doing nothing except sleeping, eating, reading, playing, napping, fishing with the kids, making fires for s'mores, watching Tara scrapbook, skiing, digging big holes in the sand, getting even more tan, more sleep, maybe more reading, and even more playing. So, I doubt I'll come back from vacation full of energy, but I will be energized from spending time with the family and having lots of fun.

So now Tara is in from talking with our neighbor Heather, the kids need to be torn away from the TV and loaded in the van. Then we pack more stuff around them and off we go!

Now I just need the weather to cooperate: sunny days in the 80's, slight breeze, a few clouds, and then evenings in the cool 60's. Yep, that would be perfect!

Here we go....!