Meeting Jan at Keith's Kettle

Once I arrived in Clearwater, my destination for Day 1 of my bicycle tour to international falls,  I headed for the local cafe.  Keith's Kettle looked to be the spot.  Sure enough,  it was packed.  I happened to walk in at the same time as an older woman.  She sat across from me and overheard me talking to my server. We started talking and she quickly observed that I was married and had been biking.  She was impressed that I had ridden 55 miles this morning.  She asked where I was staying and I told her "Clearwater."  She smiled and said,  "welcome to Clearwater. " She proceeded to tell me all about the town and her life.  She lost her husband two years ago just short of their 50th wedding anniversary.  Then said,  "we only have one motel. " I told her I didn't need one.  All I need is a patch of green grass for my tent, "  to which she offered,  "you can stay at my place of you'd like. " She gave me her address and directions. Would have loved to take her up on it but with thunderstorms coming in the morning I may not be going anywhere,  so decided to spend the night at an RV park, where there's shelter,  food,  and the freedom to get a late start,  should I need it.

Thank you Jan,  nevertheless.  I really appreciate your hospitality.  Had I not been so hot and tired from the 70 degree dewpoint this morning I would have had more energy to talk.  As it was, as soon as I finished my meal I headed out to find a place to pitch my tent and take a nap.  After two hours of sleep I felt like a new man!

Heading to Canada... by bike.



Twelve weeks of bicycle training is complete.  I've ridden over 1,000 miles since April.  Rode 230 miles two weeks ago to prepare for 350 miles this coming week.  Riding from Plymouth to border of Canada at International Falls.  It's a leap into uncertainty with some known quantities, which is what makes it a challenge. 

This will be a solo trip--no sag wagon or support.  I'm bringing everything I need with me--tent, mat, pillow (I need a little home comfort), one set of clothes and plenty of water.  I hope to find a place to stay each night and some good cafes in small towns.

My new Randonee touring bike is fantastic.  It's comfortable and handles a full load with ease.  A little slower than without a load, but perfect for a solo trip.  REI folks in Maple Grove have been a great help.  Love that store.

The Last Laugh on Good Friday

Out of the corner of my eye I saw an older woman quickly stand to reach up and touch the cross as it came crowd-surfing overhead. Everyone wanted a piece of it. To touch it. To do our part, if even for a moment, to keep it lifted, and then pass it forward to the worshippers who stood directly in front of us.  It was the least we could do—dare we say, for Jesus?—who 2000 years ago had carried a much rougher and heavier tree-like cross all the way through the crowd-lined streets of Jerusalem, for heaven’s sake. 

None of us wanted to let the others down.  So we each stood tall, reached up and grabbed the cross as it came surfing overhead, and did our part to keep it surfing on ahead.  I couldn’t help but notice the old woman again, now that I had turned around to receive the cross as it swiftly advanced from the back. I didn’t think she would make it before the cross had passed us by.  But she twisted and strained to quickly move a body that clearly preferred slower movements. And in one last burst of desperation she helped to carry one of the cross-arms for a split second on the tips of her three longest fingers.  Success! 

I stood in awe as I turned back around and watched the cross continue to sail overhead all the way to the front, held up and passed on only by the hands of ordinary people.  People for whom the Jesus who had carried it originally had been later put to death.  For their sake.  To give them a 2^nd chance, and a new lease on life.

The cross was gently laid to rest upon pillows, placed carefully on the marble stone steps of the altar area as if the cross was the body of Jesus himself.  The last three candles were extinguished, except for one.  Then even that one soon disappeared with its bearer down the aisle with the great hall growing darker with each step.  An “earthquake” quickly filled the whole cathedral with a loud, chaotic roar, punctuated by timpani and cymbals.  On and on it rumbled and roared and thundered and crashed until those assembled just wished it would stop!

When the candle was finally returned, the air was filled with the feel of death.  Stuffy.  Quiet.  Dark.  Like the funeral home where I went at age five to visit my grandmother, the first dead person I had ever seen.

We all stood, hesitating… waiting for the next movement in this world drama.  Yes—there would be one final scene.  A subtle moment of joy, and perhaps… humor.  At least I interpreted it that way.  Out of the heavens, above where the cross had been gently laid, tumbled down a waterfall of bright red rose petals.  Dozens of them.  Hundreds of them.  Fluttering down like red butterflies.  A sight to behold!  Like one “last smile” out of  the corner of the Father’s mouth, as a Final Statement to the scene that had just unfolded. A Final Statement that was revealing the deeper truth about what we had just witnessed.  A  foreshadowing of the magnanimous love that was about to awaken the world.  A Final Word by the One who really had the Final Word about this whole ignominy.  In another three days time. 

Call from God on my Samsung Galaxy, part 2

Every morning God calls me on my smartphone.  At 8:00 a.m. to be exact.  And He’s always on time.  It doesn’t matter if I’m traveling or in the middle of eating breakfast or fast at work catching up on emails.  He always calls.  For that I'm deeply grateful.

Sometimes if I’m in another room when God Calls, my wife calls out to me, “Steeeaaave…God’s calling.”  I’m not sure I’m totally comfortable with this however.  I mean, think about it.  If I happen to be missing God’s Call, that’s bad enough, but now I’ve also got my wife reminding me that I’m missing God’s Call!  See what I mean?

So how does it work?  My daughter’s pastor, Tammy Melchien, gave me the idea in her sermon one Sunday when she was talking about how Scott Peck (author of The Road Less Traveled) learned the difference between “praying” and “being available to God.”  You can read Scott Peck’s story in my previous post, below. 

 

After hearing and seeing that there IS a difference I decided to test it out.  So in my Quiet Time the next week, I worked it out with the Spirit, asking “when would be the best time to be available to God every day?”  We chose 8:00 a.m.  So I set a reminder on my phone to go off every morning at 8:00 a.m. and labeled it, “Time with God.” 

 

Now you might say, “wait a minute, that’s not God calling… it’s just you setting an alarm to remind yourself to pray.”  In the beginning, that’s what came across my mind sometimes too.  But after doing this for several months I’ve come to see that God is actually at work through this system.  Even though it’s a human creation, God can and does work through it.  Just like He works through all of the ideas, technology, discoveries, culture and structures that we create.  Even the printing up of a Bible on pieces of paper, using ink, and binding the pages together between two pieces of leather—is a relatively new invented technology.  And God has no trouble working through this new technology—speaking through it, even.

 

It’s reassuring to hear God Calling each morning, without fail.  It reminds me of the character of God:  God’s faithfulness, for example.  Unlike a friend who may quickly give up after a minute or two, God’s Ring never stops until I turn it off.  Or, His unfaltering love for me—He calls me just the same the very next day even after I have traveled to a breakfast meeting the previous morning and had to hit the “Dismiss” button while in the car.  (It’s unnerving to hit the “Dismiss” button when the phone message reads, “Time with God.”)

 

Read more about how to be available to God on my blog, "Call From God on my Samsung Galaxy, part 1."

Call From God on my Samsung Galaxy, part 1

M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled, one of the best-selling books of all-time, tells a story about after he became a Christ-follower. He started going to a local convent for spiritual guidance.  A sister there asked him about time for praying – personal celebration.  

Peck said, "Oh, I pray.  I pray when I'm out walking, when I'm going to sleep at night, when I'm listening to a patient and when I don't know what else to do. I pray a lot.” 

She pressed him gently, "Do you set aside any specific times to pray?" 

"Well, no," he said, "that seems unnecessarily rigid and un-spontaneous."

She pushed back again, "Maybe so, but what I hear you saying is that you simply pray to God when you feel like it, whenever it's convenient to you.  That sounds a lot like a one-way relationship to me; as if you are willing to relate to God only on your terms.  If you love God as much as you say you do - and I suspect you do - then I think you owe it to Him to set aside some times to be available to Him whether you feel like it or not, some time that will be His and not just yours."

Peck says he found that difficult to argue with and so he set about carving time out of his life every day when he says he does “'nothing' in the world's terms other than attempt in my own inadequate way to be available to God.”   

My daughter’s pastor, Tammy Melchien, (Community Christian Church/Lincoln Square) shared this story from Scott Peck as part of her sermon one Sunday when she was talking about the difference between “praying” and “being available to God.”  Putting this into action has been a turning point in my own daily prayer life.  You can read about it in part 2 of this blog, “Call from God on my Samsung Galaxy.”

Renewed at Noon

I made an exception on Ash Wednesday this year because two of my dear Chinese kids invited me to a basketball game as their guests. But I felt strange on the morning of—. Something in my Spirit hungered for the familiar but unsettling words when the ashes are drawn across my forehead, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Is that weird or what?

 

So I searched for a noon service.  Of course--who better to turn to than my Catholic brothers and sisters?  I jumped in my truck and took off for the Basilica, downtown.

 

Already streams of people were flowing in from everywhere—just like going to a game at Target Field.  Lots of young people.  For the next hour I sat among hundreds—at noon!  In a Church.  On a Wednesday.  In the middle of downtown Minneapolis.  Surrounded by rich smells of incense and monastic-like music, dawdling along in an un-hurried pace, in an other-worldly setting.  It was a “perfect storm” that recharged my spiritual batteries.

 

The enormous heights of the ceiling kept drawing my eyes and mind... up.  And there, all around us, were brothers and sisters from centuries gone by looking down on us from their painted faces in the stained glassed windows perched high above our earthly worship. The sweet haunting verses that were chanted from somewhere unseen floated out upon the Assembly and imbued our collective spirit with a touch of the heavenly realm.  Sweet.

 

Words were spoken and read and preached and sung and prayed. Words were used to confess wrongs… things that we wish we could have back to do over again, but can’t.  But then, sweet life – giving words were issued to wash clean those areas where the enemy had once again infiltrated our spirit and stained the spiritual garment in which we had been “clothed with Christ.”

 

Something in my body and spirit becomes aligned when I kneel for prayer and confession rather than sitting or standing. Kneelers invite that posture before God. It’s really something to behold, when you look out and see hundreds of people kneeling in a posture of humility, even in our Madison Avenue 21^st century world of suits and skirts and jeans and sweatshirts. No matter what your stature in the world, all are the same before Christ.  Hmmm.  If only….

 

I remember the young woman who could not kneel on her left leg – a sports injury?  She sat on the aisle so that when it was time, she could kneel on her right leg with her left leg extended out into the aisle.  No excuses I guess.  This was important to her.

 

I faded into one of the human rivers that streamed out of all eight doors in all directions back into the world, feeling full and fed with the Word and the Word-made-flesh that was given up in death—even for my sake.  Amazing… that the God of the ever-expanding, 9 – billion – year – old universe would notice me, hear me when I speak, speak into my life when I hurt or am lost, and even die for me in my place.  Really?  

 

It’s still hard to grasp the reality of that Act on the cross. But … now I’m getting ahead of myself. That Act is still ahead, on Good Friday, still another 39 days ahead on this year’s 40 day journey.

A Post-Modern Look at Jan 6

One look at the calendar this morning—it’s January 6—and I’m aware that the deep traditions of my seminary training still shape my daily perspective.  On the church calendar today is “The Epiphany of Our Lord,” one of only a handful of key dates each year like Christmas and Easter.

“Epiphany” means “to manifest,” or “to show forth.”  So January 6 has traditionally been the day when the true identity of Jesus begins to “show forth” in the world.  The traditional scripture for this day is the visit of the Magi, recorded in Matthew 2:1-12, who represent the people, cultures and nations of the world who are awakened to the fact that something new has broken in upon the world and is about to change the course of history and humankind forever.

This could be just a quaint story unless we ask “What does it mean for a 21^st century Christian to observe the Season of Epiphany in their everyday, post-modern life?”

First off, if epiphany means the “showing forth” of the nature and person of who Jesus is, then it makes sense that his followers would be doing the same.  How?  In the same way that Jesus showed himself to the world… through his good works, his kindness, his mercy, his teaching and healing and his befriending of those who have been cast aside by society.  Some examples…

·        Re-structuring your life so that you can actually interact meaningfully with the people around you… family, co-workers, neighbors.

·        Making room in your schedule for an ongoing “good work” as a Christian (otherwise, how if your life any different from anyone else around you?  In fact, even many non-Christians are engaging in “good works” these days.)

·        Learning from the lips of Jesus himself by engaging in some kind of daily quiet time, just you and God and a Bible and a paper and pen.

·        Taking time to have coffee with a friend… just to catch up on life.  Or ice-fishing (plenty of opportunity in Minnesota for that these days).  Or cook dinner together as a family.

You get the idea.

It’s interesting that each of the Gospels are written with this same flow.  Right after the birth of Jesus they jump right into his young adult years with story after story of good works, healing, teaching and befriending “sinners” as it were, i.e., the “cast offs.”  No doctrine.  No high theological treatises.  Not even much conflict with the authorities.  (That comes later.)  Just plain good works.  And lots of them.

Does the Church Thrive Under Persecution?

"Does the Church Thrive Under Persecution?"  Unfortunately, "no" says theology professor and Dean of Western Seminary in Portland, OR, Marc Cortez. 

Take a look--a well thought out and written article: http://www.christianity.com/Home/Christian%20Living%20Features/11674936/

You might have to check some of your assumtions at the door as you read this.  Takes 5 min. 

I pray for the persecuted church, and for pastors and Christian leaders facing persecution much more frequently than I did even a few years ago.  Maybe because my world perspective has grown wider.  Or, because communication is much better than it was even five years ago, so we know what is going on in nearly every part of the world, almost instantaneously.

My heart goes out to them.   And I'll continue to pray for them, almost all of whom remain nameless to me, except for the few of whom I read about.

Leadership and Self Deception

You know how you sometimes finish watching a movie or reading a book and you have to take a minute to remember where you are… because you were so caught up in the story?  That was my experience in reading this book.  I highly recommend it.

My behavior—and attitude—toward others has already changed during this past week since reading the book, Leadership and Self-Deception, Getting Out of the Box, by the Arbinger Institute. 

It’s a simple read, written in story form, similar to “The One Minute Manager.” Yet for all its simplicity it packs a powerful punch with profound implications, much like the parables of Jesus.  Through the story of an employee who faces the fresh challenge of a new job, a new company, a “tired” marriage and a less-than-ideal relationship with his son, the authors reveal the way “we can blind ourselves to our true motivations and unwittingly sabotage the effectiveness of our own efforts to achieve success” in our work, and joy in our most important relationships.

Truth be told, I found it to be a modern parable of Romans 12.  Really.  In how we regard, work with, tolerate and treat others, but written in the context and language of business.  Which puts a fresh twist on a concept many of us are familiar with but have a hard time carrying out—and don’t know why.  This book helps reveal “the why,” which is why I found it so compelling and why I believe its message is so profound.

There’s something about stories that invite us into their action quickly, lowers our defenses, and excites something inside of us.  Before we know it the story compels us to consider a perspective of truth that we might otherwise have dismissed or ignored. 

This kind of truth, which has to do with the heart, cannot easily be taught as a piece of knowledge, to be learned, stored for future reference, and then used at a later time when the moment calls for it.  No, this is a more profound, character-shaping truth, that is best communicated in story.  That’s why Jesus so often used parables, instead of a didactic teaching of the Law, like the other religious leaders of his day.  Parables draw you in and before you know it, you recognize yourself, your family, and your friends in the characters of the parable.  It’s self-discovery rather than didactic.  Which always bears deeper personal ownership.  And leads to genuine change.

Sky is the Limit for Christianity in China

Hardly a week goes by anymore that the exponetial growth of Christianity in China doesn't seep into the news somehow. 

In 1949 when Chairman Mao took over and soon chased out or put to death the leaders and clergy of the church it seemed like the end of an era.  Maybe the end of time for Chinese Christians.  Yet today, millions and millions of new Chinese are embracing the Christian faith like never before, says the World Council of Churches (WCC). 

Three days ago Christian Today  reported that Mathews George Chunakara, Director of WCC's International Affairs and Public Witness, said there had been a "unique and explosive growth" of Christianity among the Chinese people.

"I have been visiting China for the last 15 years. I am astounded to see the tremendous growth there. Their worship places are now overflowing," Chunakara told Christian Today.

"It is not just the poor you see in churches, even the rich and educated are embracing Christianity. Beijing and Shanghai are the proof,” he added.

The ecumenical leader compared freedom of religion in the country now to a decade ago, when the church kept a tight grip on the goings on in churches. He said the situation had "much improved" and that the government was now starting to "favour" religious people.

"The Chinese government will not raid unless provoked. Now being the fastest growing economy, they know the importance of a harmonious society. To promote such a society, they are giving religion a special role," says Chunakara.

 For instance, the Communist Government amended the Constitution two years ago to accommodate the role of religion.

 "You could not expect such a thing to happen 15 years ago," Chunakara said.

When you read about the explosive growth of Christianity in China, do you ever wonder... why?  What is it about the Christian faith that is so attractive to Chinese?  What do so many Chinese "see" in Jesus that they don't see in Budhism, or Shintoism, or Hinduism? 

The answers may be a no-brainers for Christians, but it's still a cultural phenonmenon that one can't help but sit up and take notice, no matter what your religious views or background.

The People of Medicine Lake

Toast and I decided last night to walk around Medicine Lake. To see if we could do it. Around the whole lake—all 7.8 miles of it. I’ve never walked around a whole lake before, at least one that is of any decent size. We made it just fine in about two hours with just a short stop for Toast to take a swimming break (her favorite thing!). My hips are sore this morning and I’m a little tired, but otherwise, feeling great. Toast is conked out on the floor—sleeping.

Tons of people were out last night… walking, riding bikes, sitting by the lake talking, walking their dogs, kids swimming at the beaches.

I feel funny meeting people on the walking path, pretending we don’t notice each other as we pass within 24 inches of each other. So I usually greet people. Most people try not to make eye contact as we approach each other, I notice. But when I greet them they almost always seem happy to greet me back. (Why wouldn’t they? We’re all come from the same species after all.)

It probably helps to have a dog walking with me. “You can trust people with dogs.” (That’s what one woman told me recently.) Especially if they’re holding a filled poop bag (which I did for about 1.5 miles until I could find a garbage). I mean, who walks around with a filled poop bag except only the very conscientious, responsible type? So, what’s not to trust?

I passed a herd of women. Walking—or getting in shape—for a breast cancer walk. They had official-looking tags around their necks. Two groups of them—probably 6 in the first group and 3 in the second. The second group was especially friendly (maybe because they were less “driven,” since they were the slower group). They got all cutesy about Toast and smiled a lot.

Women are especially enamored with Toast, I’ve noticed. They’ll smile and say things like “pretty dog.” Or, “what a beautiful dog.” Sometimes a guy will say something similar, but it’s rare, and it’s always an older guy who’s usually walking a dog himself.

There were not as many guys walking and biking as women. And they were usually with a gal, biking or running. Guys usually are riding a bike rather than walking. They seem more intense—riding for a workout. Whereas most of the women seem to be walking… usually with another gal, and fully engaged in conversation. One guy who was stopped on his bike, looking at the map of the lake, obliged me and took the shot of me and Toast on my cell phone.

One big German Shepherd was especially jealous of Toast when she got to go swimming. The Shepherd wanted to go too, but was constrained to just sit and watch as Toast jumped in and played fetch with a stick from the shore.

We passed one group of women who were sitting at the park at a picnic table planning out their next Bible study, or book study. I overheard them debating whether they should begin with a prayer or not and trying to figure out how “spiritual” to make it.

I think you could easily walk around the same lake, meet the same people, and conclude that “people are just not very friendly.” Maybe they aren’t, really. But maybe they are. Maybe it just depends on your own demeanor and perspective. I find that most strangers on the walking path are happy to greet others, and are usually very friendly, but they usually don’t initiate it. But since I like to greet people… I’ve found that people around Medicine Lake are usually a pretty friendly bunch. (Toast agrees.)

Burn a Quaran Day?

A group of Christians in Florida needs the corrective insight of other Christians. Immediately. Maybe you can help.

Dove World Outreach Center, a non-denominational church in Gainesville, Fla., currently plans an "International Burn A Quran Day" on September 11. Senior Pastor Dr. Terry Jones explained, "We only did it because we felt there needed to be an outcry against Islam, because Islam is presenting itself as a religion of peace."

I’m left scratching my head thinking, “How is this a biblical action rooted in Christian love?”
This action doesn’t exactly square with my reading of the First Letter of the Apostle Peter, (2:12) "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Or when he says a few verses later in 2:17: "Show proper respect to everyone.”

Fortunately the President of the National Association of Evangelicals, Leith Anderson, has responded quickly. He said the book burning would "exacerbate tensions" between the religions. In a statement the NAE said, "It sounds like the proposed Quran burning is rooted in revenge. Yet the Bible says that Christians should 'make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else' (I Thessalonians 5:15)."

Muslims worldwide would be “profoundly” offended by the burning of Qurans, just as Christians would be deeply insulted if another faith group burned Bibles, the NAE stressed.

Orlando-based Pastor Joel Hunter of Northland, A Church Distributed, who is a member of the NAE Board of Directors, commented, “We have to recognize that fighting fire with fire only builds a bigger fire.”

“Love is the water that will eventually quench the destruction,” he said.

I have my own issues with Islam but the way to lead Muslims to the truth is not through vengeful acts, making incendiary pronouncements, or encouraging emotions of fear, distrust and violence on the part of fellow Christians. It’s through love and respect. At least, that was Jesus’ way. Since I’m a follower of Jesus, it’s my way too. By default.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, it’s your way too.

Our brothers and sisters at Dove—well-intentioned, I’m sure, but misguided nevertheless—need to hear from other Christians. Before they do something stupid, of which, all of us who follow Jesus, will bear the shame and grief. And it’s not like we (Christians) have a huge supply of goodwill in the eyes of the world in the first place.

More info at: The Christian Post. Send an email to Dove at: http://www.doveworld.org/contact. Make your voice heard.

Interview With A Vampire--Anne Rice

Well, another one bites the dust… a Christian, that is, who has “had enough” of the church, and organized religion. "The church is just too different from Jesus." That’s their experience, personally, and it’s tough to reconcile that with the Jesus they read about in the Gospels, and with the Jesus they experience personally in prayer.

Anne Rice, author of “Interview with a Vampire,” is the most recent example. In her own words she writes on her blog in the last two days:

For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.  

As I said … I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.

My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, not matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.hristianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.
Anne is not the first person to “leave the church.” She won’t be the last. But she’s part of a growing wave of folks whose numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. I understand—even sympathize with—her experience. I’m praying and thinking... intensely … what’s the answer?...

The Reason for God, part 4

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

What’s really unique about Christianity? Is Christianity just another religion? Is one just as good or helpful as another? If we were born into another culture, wouldn’t we have been brought up in a different religion, and felt faithful to that?

Kellor believes there is a tremendous difference between Christianity, and other “religions.” He writes:

There is a profound and fundamental difference between the way that other religions tell us to seek salvation and the way described in the gospel of Jesus. All other major faiths have founders who are teachers that show the way to salvation. Only Jesus claimed to actually BE the way of salvation himself. The difference is so great that, even though Christianity can certainly be called a religion in the broader sense… we will use the term “religion” … to refer to “salvation through moral effort” and “gospel” to refer to “salvation through grace.”

Religion operates on the principle “I obey—therefore I am accepted by God.” But the operating principle of the gospel is “I am accepted by God through what Christ has done—therefore I obey.”

In Christ I could know I was accepted by grace not only despite my flaws, but because I was willing to admit them. The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself or less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less. I don’t need to notice myself—how I’m doing, how I’m being regarded—so often.

This means that I cannot despise those who do not believe as I do. Since I am not saved by my correct doctrine or practice, then this person before me, even with his or her wrong beliefs, might be morally superior to me in many ways. It also means I do not have to be intimidated by anyone. I am not so insecure that I fear the power of success or talent of people who are different from me. The gospel makes it possible for a person to escape oversensitivity, defensiveness, and the need to criticize others. The Christian’s identity is not based on the need to be perceived as a good person, but on God’s valuing of you in Christ.

What's your take on religion? Worthwhile? Or waste of time?

The Reason for God, part 3

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

Many who are leaving the church have found that they cannot tolerate an institutional culture which comes off as "judgmental, exclusive, homophobic, too political and hypocritical" (Kinnaman, 2007).

Unfortunately, the church has not reflected well the teachings of its Lord, Jesus Christ, in this regard. In fact, Jesus taught and lived (and died) a life that reflected just the opposite. Kellor writes:

One of the paradoxes of history is the relationship between the beliefs and the practices of the early Christians as compared to those of the culture around them

The Greco-Roman world’s religious views were open and seemingly tolerant—everyone had his or her own God. The practices of the culture were quite brutal, however. The Greco-Roman world was highly stratified economically, with a huge distance between the rich and poor. By contract, Christians insisted that there was only one true God, the dying Savior Jesus Christ. Their lives and practices were, however, remarkably welcoming to those that the culture marginalized. The early Christians mixed people from different races and classes in ways that seemed scandalous to those around them. The Greco-Roman world tended to despise the poor, but Christians gave generously not only to their own poor but to those of other faiths.

Why would such an exclusive belief system lead to behavior that was so open to others? It was because Christians had within their belief system the strongest possible resources for practicing sacrificial service, generosity, and peace-making. At the very heart of their view of reality was a man who died for his enemies, praying for their forgiveness. Reflection on this could only lead to a radically different way of dealing with those who were different from them. It meant they could not act in violence and oppression toward their opponents.

If this sounds refreshing to you… welcome to the Christian faith, and to the Jesus who established this New Life and turned upside down the established norms of human culture.

If this sounds foreign to you, or even objectionable… let’s go back and read the Gospels again and discover the roots our church.

Tell us what you think...

The Reason for God, part 2

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

Question: Does the evidence point to a gradual dying out of religion in the West, or it on the rise? Not sure? Seeing signs of both? Kellor writes:

Is skepticism or faith on the ascendancy in the world today? The answer is Yes… Skepticism, fear, and anger toward traditional religion are growing in power and influence. But at the same time, robust, orthodox belief in the traditional faiths is growing as well….

In short, the world is polarizing over religion. It is getting both more religious and less religious at the same time. There was once a confident belief that secular European countries were the harbingers for the rest of the world. Religion, it was thought, would thin out from its more robust, supernaturalist forms or die out altogether. But the theory that technological advancement brings inevitable secularization is now being scrapped or radically rethought….

People are opting instead for a nonreligious life, for a non-institutional, personally constructed spirituality, or for orthodox, high-commitment religious groups that expect members to have a conversion experience.

For those of us in the Church, this has one of two effects: it’s a terribly frightening prospect that threatens our current church-culture.

On the other hand, it’s a terribly liberating prospect that paves a clear way for us to adapt the Christian faith to a new emerging culture that has different needs, different values, different perspectives on the world and new forms of mistrust of institutions, technology, government and “religion.” In other words, it gives the church (if she takes advantage of it) a way “in” to speak the language of this new culture. And learning to speak the language of the culture is always the first and most important task of any missionary that is newly arrived in a foreign culture.

What's your take?

The Reason for God, part 1

Just finished reading Tim Kellor’s book, The Reason for God.

Very well written. Provocative. Well-reasoned. Challenging. Convincing. Inclusive. Thorough.

Kellor asks and addresses such common questions as,

• “Why does God allow suffering in the world?”
• “How could a loving God send people to Hell?”
• “Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive?”
• “Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?”
• “Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?”
• “Can you really take the Bible literally?”

Pastor Tim Kellor is a friend of skeptics, unbelievers, and doubters, who form the core of his Manhattan congregation, and writes as a best friend would write to his friend… with compassion, respect, reason, and conviction. His primary audience has been New Yorkers for the past 20+ years. A tough crowd to convince, much less to have a reasonable conversation with about God and religion. But his experience imbues his writing and he succeeds in addressing each common objection or question that people have with sensitivity, and with all the nuanced complexity that each issue demands.

I highly recommend it as an engaging primer for non-believers or new believers to understand the why’s, what’s, how’s and therefore’s of the Christian faith. I’m planning to buy several copies and give them away. It's that good.

I also highly recommend it for Christians. It will challenge you to rethink why you believe what you believe and will make you the stronger for it. It will give you much deeper insight into the breathtaking brilliance of your faith that will leave you coming away saying, “wow, what an amazing faith.”

Those of you running an Alpha course... this is a great companion!

Sad Commentary on Islam

Compass Direct News reports that Islamic militants in Somalia tracked down an underground [Christian] church leader and killed him last week. Islamic extremist al Shabaab rebels shot Madobe Abdi to death on March 15. He had escaped a previous attempt to kidnap him on March 2. Abdi's death adds to a growing number of Christians murdered by Islamic militants.

In another incident, alleged members of the government-aligned Islamic Courts Union last month set fire to the house of an underground church member they suspected of having left Islam. After learning that a Bible and Christian pamphlets were inside, the militants stormed the house in Hamarwien district of Mogadishu as a warning to those who dare possess any Christian literature, sources said. The assailants looted the home before setting it afire.

It’s a pretty sad commentary on Islam when its followers have to resort to persecution, violence, threats, and murder to keep fellow Muslims from reading or owning Christian literature, and to keep any non-Muslim influence out of their territory, and to prevent the free flow of other religious thought, speech and ideas from “infecting” Islamic culture.

It reminds me of the tactics of the old Soviet Union where rule by fear and intimidation was the only way to preserve a weak and ineffective system of government. And we all know how that story turned out with the out-of-the-blue smashing of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent quiet implosion of a nation. My take is that if Islam can’t stand up and offer the world something more valuable than fear, intimidation and violence (something we already have enough of anyway) … it’s only a matter of time before the pages of history preserve more of the Islamic faith than the hearts of living human beings.

Made in China

What made this Chinese dinner particularly delicious was Yuan's own words when we asked him how it tasted: "Ummm, just like home."

After 7,000 miles of travel by jet, four days of living in an unfamiliar country, in an unfamiliar culture, with an unfamiliar host-family, eating unfamiliar food, on a 13-hour time-difference schedule, breathing unfamiliar cooler air, walking among unfamiliar Anglo people, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed... it was time for something familiar. It was time for a little bit of "home."

Yuan and Youkang asked if they could cook FOR US, since we had been cooking for them these last four days after arriving from China. “Sure!” (A night off, we naively thought.)

MJ took them to Cub—first grocery store they had seen in the U.S. It was HUGE. But they loved the “Asian Aisle.” It was filled with just what they needed. MJ thought she should buy more pork—10 oz. would not nearly be enough! But Yuan was insistent. So, she bought only what they needed… some mushrooms, cabbage, pork slices, tomatoes, and "Chinese soy sauce"--none of that U.S.--type stuff.

“The secret to Chinese cooking” Youkang told us “is high heat and plenty of oil.” MJ and I watched. “Hovered” I suppose you could say. But they did just fine, electric heat and all (electric burners are hard to control). We laughed and learned in the kitchen that night (sounds like Alpha!) as they prepared and cooked the food. Fried eggs and stewed tomatoes mixed together, fried cabbage (uummm!), fried pork in a special flour batter (uummm!), and, of course, rice.

It was delicious. No matter how hard we had tried to cook food that would be familiar to them with our best “Chinese” touches and knowledge, it just wasn’t quite the genuine thing. THIS meal was definitely MADE IN CHINA.

I asked if I could pray for them… “bless them,” as we sat down to eat. This was our gift to them each evening over dinner. We are growing fond of our new friends. And we want them to experience the fullness of God’s love.

Lawn-Mowing 101

The things you take for granted. Like lawn-mowing, for example.

As our two Chinese students were getting in my truck to go get cell phones Merlajean was rolling the lawnmower out of the garage. As exciting as “finally getting connected” would be, AND making their first purchase in the USA… the little four-wheel machine with “HONDA” stamped on its side caught their eye and wouldn’t let go.

There they stood, frozen mid-step in the driveway, insatiably curious as my wife pulled on the starter rope. (Yup, it started on the first pull. Always does.) As the roar of the machine drowned out any further conversation, they inched closer to watch as my wife flipped the transmission to “drive” and took off across the lawn, shaving a nice clean path down the middle of the shaggy lawn!

Forget the cell phones. They wanted in on the action! So my wife proceeded to teach them how to run the lawnmower across the lawn… which levers to push and which ones to pull. Yuan went first. Away it went! A little faster than he expected. He ended up doing a wheelie up the hillside! Youkang was next. He too bordered on doing wheelies and running level. Up and down they went.

I snuck inside to get my camera and snapped a few pics. (For their mama’s, of course.)

Then they stood and watched Merlajean for a while. Funny. The things you take for granted. It never occurred to me that neither one had never cut the grass before. But then, why would they have? There’s very little private lawn to mow where they live.

As we hopped in the truck and headed for the cell phone store, I realized the joke was really on me: I just passed up the opportunity to give them a “free gift” of operating our mower as they mowed our lawn!