Jason Locke's Blog

Taking the "Long View" in Church Growth

2012-01-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

You know it's a wonderful January day in Fresno when you have to roll down your car window to cool off. Too nice!

For some very specific reasons, I've been reflecting on the nature of church growth. I'm fortunate to be in a situation where my leaders are not focused on short-term growth or on immediate results. Still, it's only human to measure things like attendance, giving and involvement. From there, it's natural to look for the easiest path to increase those metrics. Does the easiest path, however, really help us in the long run?

Church leaders ought to think more than six months down the road. While there's nothing wrong with short-term growth, they need to occasionally step back and see the big picture. They need to ask themselves, "Are we laying a good foundation for those who come after us? Are we taking the long view? Or are we just focused on our immediate success?"

What would it look like to take the"long view" in church? Those who are deeply invested want to believethat their hard work makes a difference. Church leaders may say, "Godgives the increase," but we still feel the pressure to produce results.

In aquest for ready-made growth (or whatever desired result), churches sometimesaccidentally damage their long-term prospects. Christians occasionally fallinto the trap of wanting their church to be more attractive to their neighbors(who already attend a "nicer" church) or to their former members whoslipped off the radar screen. At times, some individuals instinctively pushfor programs that personally make them feel good. These may bring some instantgratification, but they tend to delay the tough choices. These hard choices arerarely about worship style or ministry reconfiguration. They involverealizing that the world (our real target) has changed.

Takingthe "long view" means to stop and reconsider the mission of God. Itmeans to reevaluate what our mission field and how we understand our role asmissionaries to the world in which we find ourselves. In Psalm 46:10, thepsalmist speaks for God. "Stop," he says, "and know that I amGod! I am exalted among the nations. I am exalted in the earth."

I'm excited about our Renew weekend, because it offers a chance to stop and reflect. It will us the chance to evaluate our actions and our direction. And it will help us better hear the voice of the Lord as we seek to be God's people shaped by God's mission.

Harry Potter, Witchcraft & Christianity, part 2

2012-01-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

The rainhas come to Fresno. It’s time to hit the “reset” button. May the Lord continueto water and sustain His creation!

To begin,I owe apologies to the person who (long ago) posted a question about HarryPotter that I subsequently deleted. I interpreted it as an inflammatoryresponse from an unknown visitor to my blog and therefore deleted the comment. Uponfurther clarification, this person clarified that the intent was to inquire ratherthan accuse. It’s an excellent issue to address. So with apologies, I now launcha few posts spurred by that excellent line of questioning.

I’llstart with a glance at magic in the Old Testament world. The definition of “magic”is a source of much discussion among Old Testament scholars. Differingdefinitions are what often get people mad at each other. While theOld Testament seems to clearly prohibit magic, some important figures in the OTpracticed magic or did things that looked like magic. Let’s look at a fewexamples:

Deut 18clearly banned the use of magic. This passage references a host of activities androles. Many involve what may be described as animistic practices such astelling fortunes and communicating with the spirit world. King Saul followedthis prohibition by banning all “mediums and wizards” from the land of Israel(1 Sam 28:3).

No one wouldhave bothered to ban a practice that was already obsolete. I know this is acommon-sense deduction, but think about it. If Saul banned witchcraft, thissuggests that sorcery was actively being practiced in Israel prior Saul’s ban.So between the wilderness setting envisioned by Deut 18 and the establishmentof the monarchy in 1 Sam, witchcraft was practiced in some form in Israel.

Thisbrings up multiple questions that we can’t answer. Was witchcraft practiced byHebrews? Or did non-Hebrews practice magic? Was this practice tolerated byHebrews? Did the descendants of Abraham keep these practitioners in business?

A commoninterpretation is that the use of magic in the Old Testament world represents aprimitive form of religion prior to Yahwism or a perversion of it. Another line of thought, however, is that magic underlies the thought world for all people in the Old Testament time period. According toan article in the Anchor Bible Dictionaryby Joanne K. Kuemmerlin-McLean, many scholars of the Ancient Near East suggestthat a belief in magic permeates all religious thought in Old Testament times. Bymagic, they seem to suggest a superstitious worldview that sees spirits as theprimary causes of good and evil. In otherwords, the world out of which Israel emerged was heavily shaped not just bypolytheism but also by deep superstitions. This often led to efforts to manipulateor control the spirit world in hopes of either reversing “curses” or stavingthem off, ergo magic.

The Old Testament indicates a clear desire to break fromthe world of magic, but Saul’s own behavior demonstrates the difficulty of sucha major change. Although 1 Sam 28:3 indicates that Saul had expelled "mediums and spiritists" (NIV), he went to see the witch of Endor. Why? Saul was desperate to control the chaos in his life and in his kingdom, and his earlier arrogance had shut off God as possible source of help. So Saul turned to the default mechanism of magic revealing that a ban on witchcraft was hardly equal to its eradication.

Potential Auditorium Change

2011-12-30T11:08:00.001-08:00

I’m lookingfor feedback on a potential update to the College Church auditorium. A few color-savvypeople have looked at some different options proposed by a local interiordesigner. Leadership has chimed in as well. We all like the basic aspects ofthis option the best.

What do you think?How might this paint color (walls & beams) change the feel of our worshipspace? How does this artist's rendering accentuate (or damage) our building'sarchitectural features?

Your thoughtfulreflection would be most appreciated. Peace!

Lasagna in Monterey

2011-12-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

Last week, I sampled the lasagna at Gianni's Pizza in Monterey. We had family in from Texas, and they were all busy touring the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I passed on fish in favor of working on Sunday's Christmas sermon.

The lasagna was good. But I can't figure out if Gianni's is actually still a place that locals like or if it is a place that locals used to like. The place has an air about it that says, "We think we're good, so we really don't care about your opinion." The result is that the interior decor is less than ideal. One of the wooden benches snagged my jeans with an exposed nail. Ugh!

But if you can ignore the musty feel, it probably is still a pretty good place. Most of the reviews are positive, though some are clearly for sentimental reasons. Regardless, it was a nice quiet spot to eat lunch and do some work. The family was actually done with their tour before I had finished.

Merry Christmas.

The Future of the Pepperdine Bible Lectures

2011-11-14T11:19:00.001-08:00

Starting mid-May 2012, Mike Cope will be the new director of the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. See his post on this at preachermike.com. Mike's a great choice to follow the irreplaceable Dr. Jerry Rushford. Mike will carry the torch well, but he will undoubtedly do some new things.

Mike's asking people for their thoughts about the Bible Lectures. He's a collaborator, and this quality is awesome. Some have attended the Lectures for decades and can offer more insight than I can. I've maybe been to six: three since I moved here to Fresno and three while I was doing campus ministry in West Virginia.

Here's what I wrote in response to Mike's request for input:

I appreciate the geographical diversity of the Bible Lectures. Niches exist for almost every segment. When I was ministering in West Virginia, I would go to Pepperdine and see like-minded people from my region. It was in Malibu of all places where I was able to develop and deepen relationships with people who shared in my unique ministry challenges and opportunities. That’s such an amazing and unique aspect of the Bible Lectures.

The other side of the coin is that the rise of the Pepperdine Bible Lectures is in direct contrast to the decline of West Coast Churches of Christ. There are all kinds of reasons for this of course. Perhaps the biggest factor was the fact that many California churches were actually transplanted Oklahoma churches. They never made the leap of contextualization. A couple churches here still seem to thrive with that model, but most are dying. Others have painfully or unsuccessfully tried to make the leap to becoming a California church. Good things are happening in some churches, but there are many sad stories. Some great people are here out West trying to make a difference, but the obstacles are huge.

Mike makes the great comment that Pepperdine allowed a freedom of thought & experience that blessed so many people. It’s almost as if the Bible Lectures have been a think-tank, an experimentation lab where we could see new things. I’m not sure, though, how much this has directly helped West Coast churches up to this point.

But what if the Bible Lectures took it up a notch? The West Coast needs more than good worship and entertaining speakers. In truth, all Churches of Christ need more than that. If Baby Boomers don’t figure that out soon, they’ll be fewer and fewer young people in churches everywhere.

I’m personally optimistic about the future, but the time for deconstructing our heritage is over. We have to think and act strategically. In this regard, California provides the fertile breeding grounds for “experimental” work. Many of us here in California have moved way beyond the battles of the 80s and 90s. We need leaders who partner more broadly with folks outside our own “denominational walls” to construct something that will last more than another generation or two. So why not bring in a major speaker or two each year from outside our flock? Not just to tickle our fancy but to help us see God’s unveiling future and to inspire us to work toward it. The West Coast needs it. And I’m guessing that all our churches ultimately need it.

Good luck & God bless.

Crazy Attack on Biker

2011-10-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this crazy video from South Africa? This is why I haven't taken up biking!

Harry Potter, Witchcraft & Christianity, part 1

2011-07-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Someone posted a question last week. They wondered how I as a Christian preacher could justify going to see Harry Potter, a movie ostensibly about witchcraft. That person's mind may (or may not) be open to a conversation about this issue. Regardless, I view this as a good question.

Many people may wonder about this, and a few of them might actually read this blog. By the way, thanks to the two of you who do read it! ;-> I welcome the chance to think about it out loud. More than once in my life have I changed my mind on a subject just by talking it through. I welcome your thoughts on this, too.

I plan to tackle this in several pieces, although the conversation may evolve as it gets rolling.

1. A discussion of witchcraft in biblical times -- or what I know of it
2. The Book of Acts and its condemnation of witchcraft and two other "ungodly forces"
3. Missional questions -- i.e., Are we in the world but not of the world? What does that mean?
4. Should Harry Potter be off limits to Christians?

A quick word of caution. I like the sharing of ideas. I don't like the shoving of ideas down others' throats. Paul STRONGLY warns against this in Romans 14. Some things that are an abomination to one person are not to another person. Some things that are acceptable to one person are not to another person. Paul says very clearly, "The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God" (Rom 14:22).

In other words, you are entitled to your opinion -- just keep it to yourself. The goal of Paul's admonition is to prevent us from condemning or injuring people who actually share our faith in God and our hope in the resurrection. Nothing is a greater abomination to God than when people of faith turn their guns on one another, metaphorically speaking. It destroys our witness to the world and injures many within the family of faith.

So these posts are only good if this is a conversation for the sake of mutual learning and sharing. But if this is not a conversation for you, then please abstain from reading the following posts. To put it more clearly, if your faith depends on Harry Potter being evil and ungodly, then you won't want to participate beyond today's post. Or if you are absolutely certain that every person, no matter their convictions, should read or watch Harry Potter, then you would be best served by refraining from any comments.

If however you are at all open to listening and learning, then maybe we can all gain a better understanding of the above issues. I certainly hope to learn as I clarify my own thinking with you.

Potter Mania Hits Fresno

2011-07-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

According to an AP story, Fresno's excitement over the final Potter movie is second only to that of New York City. Advance ticket sales in both places were statistically through the roof. A July 1 article in the Fresno Bee says this: "Robbie Arrington, marketing manager for the western region of Regal Cinemas, owners of four theater complexes in Fresno, says only the New York market has sold more tickets for the midnight screenings on July 14."

I might have scoffed at such talk if I hadn't wandered down today near the region's premier theater. Edwards 22, located at trendy River Park Shopping Center, is the newest and most popular movie theater in Fresno. When I went to get our tickets for one of tomorrow afternoon's 25 shows, I saw this incredible sight outside the movie theater.

At first, I thought Fresno's homeless community had suddenly moved north. Then it dawned on me! These folks are waiting at 2:00 p.m. for the midnight showing. They already have tickets. They're in line so they can dress up like characters, hang out with fellow Potter fans and get the best seats. Wow!

Farewell, Harry Potter.

The Scavengers Are Out

2011-07-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

It's neighborhood clean-up time in northeast Fresno. This annual event is Fresno's way to help folks dispose of larger items. Weekly trash collection only allows us to dump things that fit in our bins. The clean-up lets people get rid of tree limbs, couches, lumber, furniture, scrap metal and just about anything that isn't electronic or hazardous.

Folks pile their waste and garbage on the street just in front of their houses. Most of the piles contain trimmings from pine trees & miscellaneous junk. But when the trucks arrive tomorrow to haul it all away, the junk will be almost all gone leaving just the branches behind.

Most items get scavenged within a few hours. Need to get rid of some old junk metal? Someone will drive by to turn it in to recycling. Trading out your toilets for new ones? Someone will grab them and try to sell your old ones. That broken dresser no longer has a place in your garage? A scavenger will find something to do with it.

Monday night, I had forgotten this annual scavenging ritual. When I saw the beat-up pickups circling through our neighborhood with old dressers and scrap metal in the beds, I wondered what was happening. Then I recalled that it is scavenging time. This really is a great opportunity to find some hidden treasure or make a couple extra bucks. Even Julie scavenged a couple things last year -- one of which is now a beautiful bench on our front porch.

On the spiritual side of things, we all need the occasional clean-up. If you could take out the metaphorical garbage in your life, what would be sitting out in front of your curb? Getting rid of unneeded items is a good thing. I just hope no one would come along, though, and take our metaphorical trash home with them!

Fresno's No 1 in Auto Theft

2011-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today's edition of the Fresno Bee announced a special distinction for the city of Fresno. Fresno is #1 in the nation in car theft. Our rate of theft is well ahead of #2 Modesto, CA. Eight of the "top ten" cities are in California. The other two are in Washington state. Eight car were stolen per on thousand residents.

Our local law enforcement officials blame the state's budget woes. They say the majority of cars are being stolen by only a handful of thieves. The cops know who they are and are able to catch them in the act. They arrest them, only to have them released hours later because there is no money to house prisoners who are waiting for arraignment and trial. So they go right back out and steal more cars. Then they skip their court dates. And it never ends.

At least no one has stolen my Subaru yet. Not sure why.

Jim Wallis & Social Justice

2011-06-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

On a recent episode of Travel with Rick Steves, Rick interviewed pastor and publisher Jim Wallis. Jim is perhaps best known for his recent as editor and publisher of Sojourners magazine. Jim calls himself as "progressive evangelical."

I deeply appreciate the fact that Rick Steves is a Christian who doesn't hide his faith. Rick has occasional shows that highlight the relationship between travel and faith. These are usually fantastic conversations.

The radio show on April 16, 2011, was especially good because of an interview with Jim Wallis and a discussion about "travel as a spiritual act." Click on the link below to hear the show. You can also get the podcast through iTunes or on the Rick Steves website.

Rick Steves' interview with Jim Wallis

The interview with Jim Wallis begins at 33:25 in the show.

The Kingdom

2011-06-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a great new song from Belgium.You may know that Belgium is a tragically fractured nation. The French-speaking south and the Flemish-speaking north can't seem to cooperate on anything. They had national elections one year ago, but the political parties have not been able to collaborate enough to form a government.

Many ordinary Belgians are disgusted with their country's leaders. The Kingdom of Belgium is far cry from the once proud empire. This song is a beautiful and sad commentary on the author's kingdom. I think it's a stunning song. It captures both our longing for a meaningful kingdom and a true commentary about the divided and fallen kingdoms in which we live.

Disaster Relief in Alabama

2011-06-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

The news of last week's devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri splashed across the nation. Its destruction was among the worst disaster ever caused by a single tornado. The vibrant city of Joplin will never again be the same.

The tornadoes that struck central Alabama in early May already seem a distant memory, but the wreckage and rebuilding will take years. For those who want to give money to those disaster relief and rebuilding efforts, I encourage you to look over the following information. I've reprinted this list from The Christian Chronicle. To visit their websites, just click on the name of the organization.

Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort shipped semi-truck loads full of supplies to hard-hit communities in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.

In keeping with its practice after wildfires, floods, hurricanes and other tornadoes, the Nashville, Tenn.-based ministry worked with local churches, including the Hackleburg Church of Christ in Alabama, to distribute bottled water, canned goods, cleaning materials and other essential items to victims — church members or not.

“We’re just thrilled about the response of our brethren,” Hackleburg minister Mike Lane said. “Our phone has just rung constantly. … I cannot express enough our love and appreciation for our brethren.”

The Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team, sponsored by the Melbourne Church of Christ in West Melbourne, Fla., made plans to set up a command center in Tuscaloosa.

WFR Relief, a ministry of the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, La., sent money, members and equipment and planned to “do more as the Lord provides,” church member Royce Ogle said.

In Tuscaloosa, Ala., the Central Church of Christ is a major hub of relief efforts.

Bethel Church of Christ, 25815 U.S. Highway 72 East, Athens, AL 35613, (earmark funds for church building or disaster relief).

Hackleburg Church of Christ, P.O. Box 176, Hackleburg, AL 35564.

Spanish Dominate Champions League Final

2011-05-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the championship match of the European Champions League. FC Barcelona dominated Manchester United on the way to a 3-1 victory in London. "Barca" reaffirmed their position as the best club in the world.

Barcelona is basically an extension of the Spanish national team with the addition of a couple Brazilians and Lionel Messi from Argentina -- as if they weren't good enough already. Watching Barcelona is like watching the Spanish national team, and vice versa. They control the ball with amazing grace and accuracy. Against Man U, the ball was in Barca's possession for literally two-thirds of the match. That's an unbelievable statistic for a match of this caliber.

Of course ball possession matters not if one can't score. But Barca dominated in scoring chances, too, with nearly 20 shots to Man U's feeble 6 or 7. Manchester United is no small or feeble team. It's an all-star team with internationals from all over the globe. But against Barcelona, they looked outpaced, outmatched and outclassed. If you didn't know this was the championship game, you might have mistaken it for a preliminary match in group stage -- Barcelona vs Trondheim or Maribor or some other hopeless squad. This was no Trondheim, however, who were destroyed by Barcelona. If not for Edwin van der Sar's saves, the match could have been even worse. A 5-1 final score was not unthinkable.

How long will Spanish domination continue? Spain owns the European Cup, the World Cup, and now Barcelona is champion of the Champions League.

Czech Republic played Spain in Malaga back in March. Much like Manchester today, their goal was basically a lone chance that went in. But they scored before Spain did. They next 50 minutes were an anxious display of nerves as the Czech defense packed it in, cut down on Spanish passing lanes, and everyone waited to see how long they could hold out. Czechs lost 2-1 on two late goals, despite playing a nearly flawless game. The Czechs certainly aren't Spain's strongest competition at the moment, but I don't know if anyone can stop the Spaniards.

Of course, we could talk about the Spanish economy. That would lead us down a less glorious path and Spain would appear much less successful. But who wants to talk economics when sports are what most people really care about anyway?! ;-)

Rapture Forecast a Dud

2011-05-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

So the much ballyhooed rapture did not occur on Saturday. Surprise! You'd love to see a little remorse from the false prophet who predicted this thing. But no. He simply says that it is actually October 21.

You know what they say: "Fool me once--shame on you. Fool me twice--shame on me." Of course, I didn't buy it from the very start.

The only people I feel badly for are those gullible individuals who actually believed the false prophet, Harold Camping. There was the family from Maryland who cashed out everything, took the high school kids out of school, spent their money on advertising, and then traveled the country. Or there was the guy from Connecticut who spent a bunch of money to rig up his car with a giant billboard on it. He drove it back and forth to New York City every day so that he could promote the rapture. I do feel somewhat badly for those folks--even though they should have known better.

I'm just sorry to admit that Harold Camping the false prophet is from California. Yes, we are a state of "fruit and nuts," but I hate for these kinds to get any kind of publicity. When you have 40 million people in your state, you're bound to have your fair share of nut jobs. Unfortunately, too many people do not have the good sense to ignore garbage when they hear it.

Rapture Forecast?

2011-05-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hm, how to dress on the 21st?

Short-Term Missions #1

2011-05-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

Various explanations abound about why to go on a short-term mission trip. Some reasons are emotionally charged. Others stem from a basic desire to help people.

I am a proponent of short-term missions, but I think churches need to carefully consider the purpose of these trips. Churches need to be good stewards, and the cost of some short-term work necessitates a thoughtful evaluation of goals, needs and resources. Also, poorly identified goals cause a church to miss opportunities for the deep transformation of lives both at home and abroad.

For example, let's say that a church group wants wants to build a house in Mexico. The folks who help raise and administer missions funding need to ask what the #1 priority is. If the goal is only to build a house, then can we say that the best and most effective approach is to send a team of 25 teens with chaperones to build that house? My answer is "no." If house-building is the primary goal, then more houses could be built more effectively and efficiently by local builders rather than by a team of amateur hammer-swingers from the US. Plus, this would give work to local construction crews. Money should simply be sent to some local organization that will build the house, perhaps delivered by a team of two or three who create and report on a sense of partnership with those who will conduct the charitable work of house-building.

But I doubt this is what most folks have in mind. Why? Because in truth, house-building is not the main goal of their short-term trips. When viewed through the lens of effectiveness and efficiency, folks might begin to admit that the purpose of a house-building trip is about more than building houses. A mission group's leadership might hone its goals and recognize that the primary work of the trip is something else. Instead, the spiritual transformation of American Christians is likely the main goal--even though this may often be unspoken and unrecognized. As American Christians go and do manual labor in a cross-cultural setting, they learn about God and the world. And when properly fostered and guided by church leaders, this trip possibly enriches their Christian walk back in the States.

I'll say more about this later.

Pics from Baja

2011-04-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

My wife Julie posted some great pics from our church trip to Chapultepec, Mexico. Check out her blog at post at http://julkalocke.blogspot.com/2011/04/mexico.html.

Why Do We Do Short-Term Mission Trips?

2011-04-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Picture from a Navigators short-term mission trip

Changes in our world have dramatically altered the landscape of international missions. Those who embarked on missionary trips used to be people who packed up their entire lives and moved across the world. Their contact with their home cultures was limited by the slow pace of ships carrying the mail.

The world is not the same anymore. The ease and speed of travel coupled with the relative wealth of Western Christians have allowed many more individuals to experience cross-cultural church work. Most of these are short-term workers who spend mere days or weeks on the mission field. The reality of short-term mission trips affects the way we think of the global missionary enterprise. I believe that short-term trips are here to stay.

So given this reality, why should we embark on short-term trips? What theological pillars should support short-term missions? And what should be their realistic goals?

In the next couple posts, I want to explore this topic. I write as a person who has experienced all sides of short-term missions. I have organized short-term trips. I have participated in them. When I was a missionary, I was also on the receiving end of short-term trips. I have worked with groups of college students. I have participated with groups composed primarily of teens. And I've experienced groups of older church members--some from a work's partnering church, others from churches that simply wanted to send their people to interesting places. Perhaps my thoughts may be helpful for those who wish to participate in, organize or receive short-term mission groups.

A Week in Baja California

2011-04-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

A large group from the College Church has been going to Ensenada, Mexico for years. Decades, actually. I'm not sure when the first group went or when. I know that our folks worked with the City of Children in many of those early trips. Our people built, painted, cooked, and did all sorts of various jobs to help that work.

City of Children grew increasingly crowded as church groups from across the US showed up to serve and learn. In the process of looking for new ways to serve, some of our folks came across YUGO ministries. They have outreach centers in several communities including Ensenada. Their primary mission is to work with local evangelical churches & pastors to strengthen their ministries. One of their primary tools is house-building.

For 8 or 9 years, the College Church has sent teams to build houses for families. The houses are incredibly modest by our standards. The YUGO folks at the Ensenada Outreach Center have this down to a science. They assign a local foreman to each team. Each house is built over a 4-day period. A 20'x16' house is their most common model. We have built as many as 3 houses in one year.

This year, we took 50 people -- many of them teens -- to learn about service and about the mission of God by building houses. We divided into two teams. Each team built a single house. Jericho worked with the high school group. Julie, Jacob & I worked on a second house, this one for the Guendolay Moralez family. You can see a glimpse of the family in the youtube video below. Imagine a family of 6 in a 320 sq ft house! They couldn't have been more thrilled because it was such an upgrade over their previous living conditions. You can see pics of our work on EOC-YUGO facebook page.

Train Travel in India

2011-03-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you thought they were joking on the TV show "Outsourced" about how people ride on the outside of Indian trains, check out this photo from India. By the way, India's population has now passed 1.2 billion. India's population will be the largest on the planet within the next two decades.

"The Professionals" Returns to the Big Screen

2011-03-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Word has it that work will soon start on a movie version of the 1970s TV show "The Professionals." This BBC hit show starred Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins. The producers of this new film are Callum McDougall, producer of 007 films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, Richard Whelan, producer of Captain America.

Click here for a story on this from London's Daily Mail.

I've seen many episodes of the series. As long as this film doesn't go the direction of Starsky & Hutch or Miami Vice remakes, it might be okay. The production team is certainly a promising sign.

Mountain Lakes

2011-03-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Our nearby mountains are currently covered with snow. Some areas got nearly 2 feet just in the past couple days! This is beautiful to behold from the Valley floor where we get no snow but can see the snowy peaks on clear days.

Here are a few pics of the family & friends back in late summer up at gorgeous Huntington Lake. The lake is around 7,000 ft in elevation and sits at the base of our closest ski resort, China Peak. The last picture was actually taken at Shaver Lake, elevation 5,000.

Fresno Seminar with Larry Osborne: Advocate vs Attendee

2011-03-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

In a recent post, I referenced a seminar with Larry Osborne. Several of us from the College Church spent most a of day with 250 of our closest "friends" at a workshop. This was on the campus of Fresno's major Christian university, Fresno Pacific.

If you want to dig into what Osborne really thinks and believes, you should read a couple of his books. He's a great communicator and organizer. I wouldn't describe him as revolutionary or avant garde. He seems pragmatic, intelligent and a stickler for details.

One interesting thought was his comparison of Advocate versus Attendee. He described an Attendee as someone who attends your church. This may be a person who is deeply involved and really feels that this is their church. On the surface, most churches try to make people into Attendees. We as church leaders usually view ourselves as successful if we get a new person to commit and become an Attendee.

Osborne encouraged us to set a different target. He suggested that we want people who are Advocates, not just Attendees. What's the difference? An Advocate is someone who will spread the word about their church rather than just attending. They feel such a sense of excitement and ownership that they naturally say, "You should check out my church."

He compared it to an individual who has an insurance agent. Let's say the agent is your acquaintance or has had your business for years. You feel some loyalty to that agent, even though their phone manners aren't that great or they don't always get back to you very quickly. That kind of person is like an Attendee in Osborne's example. If anyone asks you about insurance, you won't recommend your agent or will give only faint (read "damning") praise.

Most church members are actually Attendees, Osborne argued. They attend but only out of sense of duty or obligation or because it's the only church they know. They are not excited enough about their church to invite anyone, even the most genuine seeker.

He went on to say that North Coast Church, where he is the senior pastor, has grown from 200 to 8,000 because most of their folks became Advocates. He wasn't satisfied getting people to attend. He wanted new members to feel a genuine sense of belonging, participation and ownership, and the Lord blessed them in this. He claims they have not grown through the typical "attractional" strategies employed by some churches. Osborne says that the members of North Coast are truly Advocates and naturally bring people with them. Some of these were transfers from other churches. Some didn't previously attend any church.

I'll try to react to this in a coming post. Needless to say, I find it a simple but intriguing distinction. I have a question or two, but for now I'll leave it at that.

Christian Response to Japan's Disaster

2011-03-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Several reactions: First, I can't believe the horror of what has happened to northeast Japan. This is beyond tragic. It's unspeakable. Tens of thousands dead. A sophisticated society reduced to the remnants of pre-modern existence. The universe contains more power than any of us can fathom.

Second, most news programs disappoint me. I wish the major news channels were less concerned with the "drama" of the events and more concerned with just giving us real interviews and analysis. The reporting of this tragedy is perhaps just another sign of the "dumbing down" of most American media sources and (tragically) of our broader society.

Third, debt restricts one's ability to respond in an emergency. This applies to individuals, corporations and countries. Japan's national debt is one of the highest in the world. The government owes 200% of their annual GDP. This is huge. The Japanese national government has been living beyond its means for more than a decade. They are going to have to find lenders who will loan money for massive reconstruction projects. Think that will be cheap?

Finally, I want to project that the Christian response to the Japanese catastrophe will be led by Korean Christians. Over the past century, God's Spirit has raised up a nation of believing people. About 50% of all South Koreans are followers of Jesus. Korean churches have been active in international missions and ministries of compassion for a couple decades now. Even though a great historical animosity exists between Japan and Korea, I believe that the peace of Christ Jesus will be visible in the Christian response of believers--many Korean--to this tragedy.

For a list of some organizations that are accepting donations and that will head up some form of humanitarian response, click here.

Recovery of Sight for the Blind

2011-03-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

This passage from Luke 4 is no throwaway text. It is crucial for understanding the entire message of Luke-Acts. The gospel writer has taken this story and given it extra emphasis by moving it to the forefront of Jesus' ministry. Verse 23 references happenings in Capernaum, but the text doesn't move to Capernaum until the next section. Plus, Matthew and Mark place this story much later in Jesus' ministry.

Luke also fleshes out this story more than in Matthew or Mark. Something about this story defines Jesus and the early church. The prophets had long hoped for a reversal of fortunes, but Jesus declares that the long-awaited day has now come.

What does it look like to live out this message from Luke 4? What would a church look like if it was truly shaped by Luke's gospel? What might people do if they were following in the footsteps of Jesus as described by Luke?

Interestingly, churches and believers occasionally have moments when they experience the reversal of fortunes spoken of in this passage. We most often see this on a small scale where an individual's life finds new meaning and direction. Rarely do we see a massive reversal of fortunes for a group of unfortunate individuals.

Sometimes, folks outside the church are the ones who do the work of God's people. When this happens, we shouldn't feel angry or jealous. We should praise God that people are finding freedom from sickness, oppression, sin, systemic poverty, dysfunctional families and whatever else weighs them down and prevents them from experiencing the love of God. If possible, we should join them in these good works.

One such example is an organization providing the skills to carry out corneal transplants in the developing world. This actually allows a growing number of blind individuals to see again! Isn't that amazing?! The story is of a former Starbucks executive who took his entrepreneurial know-how into an aid organization called SightLife. Click here for the story as reported by NPR's Wendy Kaufman on today's program "Morning Edition." At the top of the story, you can press an audio link to hear the story.

Colonel Gadhafi, the Hip Hop Artist

2011-03-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you know a good bit about the uprising in Libya and Colonel Gadhafi's hard-line response. For 42 years, he has ruled this nation in Northern Africa. Most people think of him as a madman, a perception perhaps validated by his bizarre behavior in recent days. He went on national TV to rant about his enemies and promised to root out all "enemies of the state" alley by alley.

An Israeli musician and DJ named Noy Alooshe heard Gadhafi's speech and thought it was entertaining -- in the sense that it belonged to the theater of the absurd. He took some of Gadhafi's speech and mixed it to produce a song that has gone viral. Many across the Arab love it. Of course, some changed their minds when they discovered that a Jewish man has mixed the song. Others have decided to like the song in spite of that fact. Still others simply appreciate the parody for what it is. (FYI: There is a 2nd video version that features inset video of dancing girls. That version has had 6 times as many views as has this no-girl one.)

If you want to hear an interview with the Israeli DJ who made the song, click on this link to hear the 4-minute clip.

What If It Snowed in Fresno?

2011-02-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

Before living in Fresno, I had never before found myself in a locale where snow was all but impossible. Fresnans, please admit that it never really snows here. Oh sure, folks talk about "the great snow of 1967" when a couple inches of white stuff hit the ground. People actually tried to make snowmen out of it. Others tell me that there was a white dusting several years back. "Everything was white," they tell me.

I'm sure it looked nice. Perhaps it tickled the imagination of all, young and old. But that's a far cry from a real snowfall.

I spent more than a decade in the southeastern part of the US. It rarely snowed any significant amounts there, but an occasional snow storm did occasionally pass through. I remember below-freezing temps continuing for days as we pulled out sleds. I even built a snow fort in the yard. That was real snow.

I've spent two decades in northern places that had significant winters. Temps would sometimes hover below 32 F for weeks as we watched inches of snowfall turn a crusty gray, still glistening perhaps on the hills but clotting up the walkways and driveways. We once had a single snowfall of 20+ inches that practically shut down our community for a week.

Fresno has no such weather, neither the former nor the latter. Snow here, even if it does blow in the wind, is little more than a frozen morning fog. It's a mere distraction from the otherwise normal onset of spring.

In all honesty, the weather does carry a significant threat to our economy. Almond trees are in fragile blossom mode, and a freezing temperature could threaten this year's profitable almond crop. Each place has its own weather hazards, I suppose.

Snow isn't far from us. An hour's drive can bring one up to 6,000 feet above sea level and the major snow of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. The ski resort of China peak is 75 miles northeast of Fresno. Although I may scoff at the forecast of snow tomorrow here in Fresno, the weather around here is still no laughing matter. But I nonetheless scoff at "snow" in the prediction for tomorrow.

Fresno Seminar with Larry Osborne

2011-02-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

A group of us from College Church attended a seminar yesterday. This was a ministry forum hosted and planned by Fresno Pacific University. Approximately 300 pastors, ministers, leaders and ministry students were there.

I'm grateful to have a Christian institution like Fresno Pacific here in our community. Although I'm not in their network and not yet very connected among Fresno area pastors, I can't fathom a city and region as big as this without a seminary and ministry resource like Fresno Pacific. Thankfully, the folks at FPU seem to recognize their role and work across denominational lines.

The focal point of yesterday's gathering was Larry Osborne, pastor at North Coast Church in San Diego County. His story in a compelling one. When he became the pastor there 25 years ago, North Coast was a storefront church with about 250 members. Today, they have 8500 members spread among several satellite congregations.

Larry's written several books like Sticky Church and Sticky Teams. I have not read any of them. My uncle Amos Allen, who works with a church planting organization called Kairos, had previously shared with me his notes from Sticky Church. That's the extent of my exposure.

Larry seems to have a great spirit. I appreciate his candor in admitting that North Coast has no model to copy. Every church must go its own path and play to its own unique context and God-given passions. He is undoubtedly a skilled leader who has demonstrated not just a steady vision but personal integrity.

Without retelling the contents of his seminar, I will react to some of his main concepts in coming posts. For now though, suffice it to say that our ministry team was blessed and enriched by the day. These events create great opportunities for conversation and vision-casting.

Spontaneous Reaction from Egypt

2011-02-11T10:36:00.001-08:00

Check out this stunning footage of the crowd in Tahrir Square in Cairo. No matter what you feel about the developments, you have to admit that energy and excitement is real. Many ordinary Egyptians really think this is a change for the better. And remember that many Egyptians are not strongly religious. Christians are also a sizeable minority. Keep praying for the people of Egypt!

Has Big Ben Really Changed?

2011-02-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

To follow up on the post about Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, I thought I would share this excellent story about Ben Roethlisberger. Elizabeth Merrill is an ESPN.com writer. Her article gives an up-close look at the star quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers and his journey toward redemption.

PITTSBURGH -- The barkeeps along Carson Street say they haven't seen Ben Roethlisberger around in a while. They'd know if he were here. Pittsburgh, at its core, is one big little city. And people talk.

Steel mills used to drive the South Side, but sweat and grit have been replaced by Abercrombie & Fitch. It's a trendy area now, loaded with yuppies, college kids and watering holes. This used to be Roethlisberger's stomping grounds -- well, one of them -- and stories flow like Iron City beer from a tap.

There was a time, back in the boozy, pre-scandal days, when Roethlisberger could triple a bar's foot traffic within an hour. He'd show up at Jack's Rose Bar, a couple of patrons would grab their cell phones and text BIG BEN'S HERE, and the party would begin.

Ben Roethlisberger reads a statement in the team's locker room April 12, saying he is "happy" to put sexual assault allegations in Georgia behind him and knows he must work to regain the trust of his teammates and the team's large fan base.

"He frequented our place a lot," said Chris Dawso, who owns Jack's. "We used to call him the Pied Piper.

"But he hasn't been around at all this year."

Roethlisberger, his supporters say, has grown up. He had to. The face of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise stood in front of an angry and disappointed city this past spring, at the precipice of losing everything. In April, prosecutors had decided not to charge him with sexually assaulting a woman in Georgia, but he was facing a six-game suspension by the NFL. (It was later reduced to four.) He had two Super Bowl rings, and a locker room many suspected he had lost. Team president Art Rooney II said Roethlisberger had to work hard to earn back trust.

On the field, it's clear the 28-year-old quarterback has done that. He has hobbled around on an injured foot, toughed out a broken nose and led the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game, which will be played Sunday night at Heinz Field against the New York Jets.

Off the field, Roethlisberger has spent the past nine months lying low. He's rumored to be engaged, a claim his camp will not confirm, and no longer travels with bodyguards or entourages. He eschews the bar scene, which has been the root of just about every one of his problems.

Has he changed? On the north side of Pittsburgh, the jury's still out. Mark Baranowski is watching Roethlisberger's progress with skepticism and hope. Baranowski is known as sort of the Norma Rae of bar owners in Pittsburgh, the man who stood up to Roethlisberger a few years back when the quarterback, according to Baranowski, showed up at his Cabana Bar and acted immature and entitled, and refused to pay a $5 cover charge.

It wasn't about five bucks, Baranowski says. It was about being a Pittsburgher.

"The town was really fed up with him," Baranowski said. "They were really down on him, and there were a lot of people who just didn't want him to be our quarterback.

"But it seems like he's trying to turn it around. I haven't heard one bad story. I hope he keeps it up. He's got everything going for him. He's big and strong and tough, and people just idolize him. I mean, he could own this city."

Eventually, they'll forget. If No. 7 leads the Steelers to their seventh Super Bowl title, the anger will subside and Roethlisberger's misdeeds will ultimately be a distant memory.

"The thing about life is that if you're a winner, people will forgive a little bit easier," said Jim Coen, the owner of Yinzers, a popular novelty store in the Strip District. "As long as you're heading in the right direction and not doing anything stupid, the city will forgive."

Roethlisberger played with a broken nose in the Steelers' game Dec. 5 -- a testament to his toughness.

It was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Strip was bustling with lunchtime shoppers buying black-and-gold gear. Nine months ago, when the Big Ben news hit the fan, Yinzers marked down Roethlisberger jerseys to $10. But now they're back at full price and selling at a steady clip.

Sixty-four thousand fans screamed for him Saturday night, after the Steelers' 31-24 win against Baltimore, and he lingered on the field to take it all in. Trust, in late-game situations, was never an issue with Roethlisberger. He plays on the edge, without fear, and is one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the league. Saturday night was no exception. The Steelers were down by two touchdowns to start the third quarter. Roethlisberger couldn't be rattled.

On third-and-19, late in the game, he uncorked a 58-yard pass to rookie receiver Antonio Brown. It set up the winning touchdown and put the Steelers in their fourth conference championship game in Roethlisberger's seven years with the franchise.

"I'm very pleased," team owner Dan Rooney said as he made the rounds in the locker room late Saturday. "He's worked at it. He's doing what he has to do on the field and off."

Roethlisberger won't say it -- he has declined interview requests for stories that focus on him -- but it's clear that the whispers of his demise in Pittsburgh motivated him. He came to training camp slimmer and in possibly the best shape he's been in his career. He seemed to approach every game as a proving ground.

Roethlisberger was required to go through offseason counseling for what commissioner Roger Goodell called a "pattern of behavior" that damaged the integrity of the game. A year before the allegations of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga., a woman in Lake Tahoe filed a lawsuit claiming Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her at a hotel-casino in 2008.

People close to Roethlisberger call the Georgia incident an intense reality check. He knew, then, that he had to make changes. So he surrounded himself with a group of advisers, a team that included Art Rooney, Bill Cowher and former Pittsburgh running back Merril Hoge, now an NFL analyst for ESPN.

"He's human," said Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner. "He reached the point where he said to me, 'I'm OK if I never play another down of football so long as people perceive me to be a good person.'"

Maybe, Coen says, Roethlisberger underestimated Pittsburgh. It's true that the city measures success with playoff victories and Super Bowls. But it's about more than that.

People rarely leave here. Men hold doors open for women and check on their neighbors. People, Coen says, are nice to each other. They love their Steelers, worship them, and are heartsick if their quarterback isn't someone they can like. It should be noted that the most popular Steeler is Troy Polamalu, a game-changing safety who frequents a local children's hospital each week and gives his phone number to sick kids.

"The fans of Pittsburgh, they feel like the team is part of their family," Coen said. "When you walk down the street, someone looks you in the eye and says hello to you. That's the way this city is."

The first time Willie Colon met Roethlisberger, they didn't really hit it off. Colon was a rookie offensive lineman in 2006, drafted to move mountains. Roethlisberger was a 24-year-old with a Super Bowl trophy, a truckload of endorsements and a bit of an attitude.

Teammate Willie Colon says Roethlisberger is a better person now.

"He kind of had an arrogance to him," Colon said. "I'm a Bronx New York kid. We don't get star-struck. I wasn't impressed. I wasn't sold on the whole Big Ben thing."

But when Colon spent some time with him, he realized how much they were alike. How they were both from small colleges, both intensely competitive (they competed over who had the longest toenails) and both tied closely to their families. How their personalities were so alike that they had become good friends.

Colon was there that night in Milledgeville. He says the incident changed Roethlisberger's life.

"It's weird and maybe awkward to say this," Colon said, "but everything that happened was a blessing in disguise. He saw the kind of person he was, and he was able to change his ways.

"I think, flat out, he's a better person now."

Roethlisberger is an intensely private person, and he has been known to irk fans by refusing to sign autographs in restaurants and bars. According to several bar owners around Pittsburgh, he has, on occasion, walked into an establishment, flanked by bodyguards, and retreated to a private room without conversing with patrons.

Some of his teammates saw a similar detachment. At times, he came across as aloof or uninterested in them.

"I'd be a liar if I said he was open and forthcoming to everybody in the locker room before this," Colon said. "He wasn't. But nevertheless, he's changed his ways. He talks to everybody now. He's more open; he's more vocal. He gets it. He's becoming a great leader."

Just before 2 p.m. Monday, the late lunch crowd filtered out of Primanti Bros., a local dining institution. The restaurant takes cash only; the walls are painted with the faces of Pittsburgh's biggest legends.

Jerome Bettis graces the back wall, with a bus painted beside him. Hines Ward is there, too. Roethlisberger's giant mug is bigger than the rest of them. It's covered with graffiti scribbled in black marker.

Steelers owner Dan Rooney, left, says Roethlisberger has worked on the things he needs to, on and off the field.

"It takes time to earn that trust back," said a middle-aged woman named Karen who was walking nearby with her sister Monday afternoon. "He did some stupid stuff, and hopefully he can go forward from that and focus on what he is, a quarterback."

Tollner says his client has an amazing ability to compartmentalize and block out distractions, but that doesn't mean he's oblivious to what people think about him. Although various PR consultants suggested that he pour his heart out in 20-minute national TV increments this past summer, Roethlisberger decided that wouldn't be sincere.

He wanted to prove himself through his actions. He's just an average guy, Tollner says. He cuts his own grass, scoops snow out of his own driveway and shops for his own groceries. Maybe he didn't realize it at first: the importance of every interaction, his significance in the city. Roethlisberger gets it now, his agent says.

With his bar-hopping days apparently behind him, Roethlisberger retreats to his parents' home in his down time. They moved last year from their house in Ohio to a ranch just outside Pittsburgh, and Ben spends a lot of his time outdoors with his dad, Ken.

Roethlisberger was raised in a fairly strict, religious environment, people close to him say, and has turned back to those roots.

"I think his main focus was getting a better connection with the Lord and getting a better connection with his own family," Colon said.

"One part of his life right now is sitting at home, relaxing with his family. He watches TV and lets his body rest. You see the transition. I love the guy to death. Sometimes, in the past, he didn't let the outside world get to know him because he didn't trust them. He didn't feel comfortable with his world outside. But now you can tell he's open and he's willing."

The call came in late May, at the start of Roethlisberger's season of discontent. And Scott Challis was surprised. In the couple of years since his son's death, The John Challis Courage for Life Foundation has held a charity golf event in memory of John. Celebrities are encouraged to come.

The phone rang one day in Freedom, Pa., and Roethlisberger was on the other end. At the time, he was one of the most vilified athletes in Pittsburgh. But he came to the event, played 18 holes, smiled for pictures and signed autographs.

Roethlisberger met John Challis years ago, when cancer was draining the life from the teenager's frail body. They watched a hockey game together, sat in Mario Lemieux's suite.

John, a high school baseball player who had the maturity of a 40-year-old, was considered an old soul. He connected with the quarterback many in Pittsburgh wished would grow up. They spent time together one summer during the Steelers' training camp, riding around on a golf cart. At one point in their interactions, John and Roethlisberger joked around about the quarterback's motorcycle accident. Then John turned serious.

He reminded Roethlisberger that everything can be taken away from you at any time.

"Maybe Ben remembered that," Scott Challis said. "I don't know.

"Do I think he was doing it for the PR? I don't think so. There were no TV cameras there. He wasn't proving anything to anybody. He was just trying to be respectful of my son. He was very gracious. And that made us feel good."

Reporting on the Middle East Affects Our Prayers

2011-02-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Whether we admit it or not, Christians are normally influenced by their national media. We are not as objective as we think because our sources of information are not as objective as we realize. On PRI's "The World," journalist Alex Gallafent reports on the reporting of the Egyptian uprising.

I recommend that you either read or listen to this report at The World's website.

Our stream of information affects the way we pray. Without realizing it, our prayers can be co-opted by our national interests rather than Kingdom interests. Listening to a broader range of sources might actually change the way we view & pray about world events.

Peace!

A Different Side of the Pack's Aaron Rodgers

2011-02-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Jen Lada of Fox 6 News in Milwaukee posted this about Green Bay's star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. She wrote it last May. I thought it was a touching piece.

This job affords me some incredible opportunities. Being a member of the FOX6 Sports team means I've been able to witness and report on events and people that many can only admire from a distance. I never take these situations for granted and sincerely appreciate being involved in whatever capacity each permits.

Monday marked just the most recent case as I had the unparalleled privilege to be a part of Aaron Rodgers charity event to benefit the MACC Fund.The MACC Fund is one of those incomparable organizations that has the curse of being perpetually under-appreciated. This is by no fault of the dedicated individuals involved with this amazing organization. Simply put, the MACC Fund can never be appreciated enough for the tireless efforts its employees and associates are making to help eradicate childhood cancer and blood disorders.

Scattered throughout the crowd of rabid Packers aficionados were the people who I consider the event's real MVPs. They are the families who've been forced to deal with one of life's toughest sentences - the loss of a child. My interactions with these folks have always been touching, fulfilling and enlightening. Once, a family friend and the father of a teenage girl who passed away after a lengthy battle with the disease told me something that really resonated. Yes, his daughter's death was hard - an excruciating pain that can not be completely comprehended by anyone who's never been in that situation. But he also revealed that his daughter's memory didn't have to be the tragic tale of another countless cancer victim. Instead her legacy was much more joyful - as she was represented by all of the MACC Fund's survivors. The hundreds of thousands of other children who benefited from the research and findings his daughter's passing allowed. It was an unbelievably considerate and profound perspective in the midst of an otherwise heart-wrenching ordeal.

Those who sprung for the tickets were not disappointed. In a world where many athletes regurgitate canned and rehearsed responses, the Packers quarterback was refreshingly candid. Aaron addressed a number of topics with in-depth, honest reaction - even some that if reprinted and mass distributed might raise some eyebrows. Personally, I think a lot of the comments made should remain exclusive to those who made the effort to attend and support the MACC Fund's incredible cause but here are a few highlights/revelations:

Aaron stressed the importance of availability and accountability. In his opinion, it is a player's responsibility to attend all of the team activities as they are all intended to better the team as a whole. And then, similarly, he addressed the importance of taking the heat/criticism when one falls short of expectations and duties.

He is never nervous to take the field. Aaron is supremely confident in the preparation he's put in during the week leading up to Sunday's match up. The way the 2009 season ended was disappointing but his self-confidence was not affected by the outcome. One of the toughest realizations was that that combination of players would never take the field together again. He likened the team to a family and admitted that conflict can and does occasionally exist but they try to handle such situations with maturity and civility.

He talked music and his love for tunes at a young age revealing that his mom used to sing and play lullabies and country music when he was a child. Aaron's record label Suspended Sunrise is a product of this passion but also a contingency plan for life after football. His favorite song is Ben Harper's 'Forever' and he's envious of John Mayer's guitar skills though not his tabloid reputation. He appreciated my affinity for Keith Urban but gave the audience a thumbs-down when I mentioned fellow country crooner Kenny Chesney.

He commented on his recent foray into the Twittersphere (@AaronRodgers12) - how he originally thought the social networking site was "stupid" but now he appreciates its role in communicating with his fans - where the message is less likely to be misconstrued or misquoted.

His favorite book is The Bible and he tries to read it every day not just when life's challenges and struggles surface. His favorite movie is The Princess Bride which he admits he's caught flack for but says he and his childhood friends can recite every line from the film and it is simply a great story.

Rodgers' answers and poise on this night were certainly admirable. And I honestly didn't think I could respect Aaron more than I did when we wrapped our hour-long question and answer segment. But I was wrong.

My friend, the father of that young girl who passed, was there that night - enjoying the opportunity to reconnect with many of his MACC Fund family members and revel in the charity's big night. He was one of several attendees brought up on stage where he caught a football thrown by the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. The evening was already a smashing success for him and his grateful family.

And then he asked Aaron to sign the football he'd caught. He wondered if he'd make it out to his daughter. It isn't shocking that Rodgers obliged. What caught me off guard was the dedication he made. It wasn't until after Aaron left that I first saw the autograph... and the simple yet sweet message that brought tears to this father's eyes:

"To Cheri the angel. Save me a spot. - Aaron Rodgers"

I hope that Packers fans realize how lucky they are to have such an upstanding young man leading their team on the field every weekend. I hope they acknowledge the challenges that were thrust upon him and appreciate the maturity with which he handled them. I hope they stand behind the kid and respect him not only for his incredible talent but for his intelligence and honesty, poise and compassion.

My job has afforded me the chance to watch Aaron Rodgers play football for the last few seasons. But I am truly thankful for the opportunity to see the other side of this impressive young man. And pass on some of what I witnessed to you.

A Christian Response to Protests in the Arab World, part 2

2011-02-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

The wave of protests in Egypt goes on and on. The seemingly peaceful protest turned bloody last week as thug-supporters of President Mubarak started to attack the protesters. A family friendly revolution suddenly became a bloody battle for control of Cairo's main Freedom Square.

We can easily get swept away by the excitement of popular uprisings. Our own American revolution was a rebellion against tyranny, and we seem to feel sympathy for what we perceive to be similar revolutions. The revolutions in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989 fascinated us. The so-called Orange revolution in Ukraine got lots of press in the US, as did the Rose Revolution in Georgia.

We need to remember, however, that not all popular uprisings lead to governments of our liking. The Iranian revolution resulted in a theocratic dictatorship that has been hostile to the US. African revolutions have tended to be guerrilla movements that simply traded one authoritarian ruler for a different one -- even some that initially had broad public support.

So how do we as Christians respond to the events in Egypt? What do we pray for? Should we get excited or fearful?

I would suggest that we learn to pray the basic items of the Lord's Prayer when it comes to world events like this. Particularly, we should pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." We should pray that whatever happens would allow God to reign in the hearts of more and more people.

It's tempting to view things purely the lens of our national interests. We might hear our politicians talk about allies or foreign who protect our national interests. This may or may not coincide with God's will.

It's also tempting to view world events through the lens of sentimentality.We can read the paper or watch the news and get caught up in the excitement of a popular uprising. But it's awfully difficult for us to know what the real situation is on the ground and what would really be best for the future of a given group of people.

When Mao Zedong came to power in China, the West was horrified -- and with good reason. His "popular uprising" led to an unbelievably repressive communist regime. From a human perspective, we would never wish that on any country.

But think of it from a kingdom perspective. The irony is that Christianity has exploded in communist China. Official stats from the Chinese government project that 20% of all Chinese are Christians today. Christian leaders quietly guess that the numbers are more like 40%. Isn't it unbelievable that there are hundreds of millions of Christians in a country that was almost 100% Confuscionist or Buddhist just a century ago?!

So when we pray for the Arab revolts in the Middle East, I would recommend that we pray for God's will to be done and for His kingdom to come more fully here on earth as it will one day be in heaven. And then we wait and watch.

Bono's Prayer Breakfast Speech

2011-02-01T10:01:00.001-08:00

Bono was asked to speak at a recent interfaith prayer breakfast in DC. Some extremely powerful people were there. This is quite a sermon, and I encourage you to listen & register your thoughts.

A Christian Response to Protests in the Arab World, part 1

2011-01-28T21:03:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days, we have seen massive protests in North Africa. The Arab countries of northern Africa have dictators and pseudo-dictators who have ruled their countries for decades. The economies of these countries have been improving in recent years, but most people still live a hardscrabble existence. Young people feel especially despondent. Even those who are fortunate enough to study often graduate to a stagnant job market that favors cronies rather than the talented and well trained. Anger against these regimes has been simmering below the surface for a long time.

A self-immolation in Tunisia started this wave of protests. A fruit vendor in Tunis, the capital city, had his goods seized by police because he did not have the proper permit to sell fruit. This man, frustrated and angry that he had no way to provide for his family, set himself on fire in protest. Remember this man's name, Mohamed Bouazizi, because he will likely be in the history books one day.

If you don't believe me, then you don't know the story of Jan Palach. In 1968, the Soviets and Warsaw Pact troops occupied Czechoslovakia and ended the Prague Spring. The Czechoslovak state had inched away from Communism and was rejoining Europe by opening its borders and restoring human rights. The communist bloc countries of Eastern Europe, led by the USSR, were fearful that this type of freedom might empower their own peoples, so they decided to clamp down on the Czechs and Slovaks.

Jan Palach, a university student, decided to protest the occupation of his country. On Jan 16, 1969, he doused himself with gasoline on Prague's Wenceslas Square and lit himself. He died three days later in a Prague hospital.

Now let me make one thing clear. I do not hold self-immolation to be a valid form of protest. It does, however, capture the attention of people. Although Czechoslovakia remained communist for two more decades, Palach's death was a constant rallying cry for opposition groups, especially students.

Mohamed Bouazizi's final act was certainly a bold one, and it seems to have lit the tinder box of Arab discontent. Our Christian faith promotes the sanctity of human life and therefore cannot condone such an act of self-destruction. At the same time, we recognize that certain individuals sometimes suffer so that entire nations can be set free.

And so we wait and watch. More to come...

Fresno's Renew Conference 2011

2011-01-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

Our second annual Renew conference is February 18-20 here at the College Church building. Information is online at www.collegecofc.com/renew. Registration is also online. The cost is just $25 for the whole weekend, and the includes the Saturday night banquet. You can pay with Paypal.

There are several HIGH points of this upcoming conference. One of the neatest aspects is Saturday afternoon's program. Instead of piecemeal classes we have created to high caliber tracks. Each participant can choose one track. Each track will be like an in-depth workshop lasting four hours and will provide meat for people of all walks of life.

The track for church leaders will probe questions of our church's identity in a changing world. Leaders need to discuss and think these things through. Mark Love will lead a 4-hour session to help you and your church leadership team learn about "missional churches" and how to take steps toward the world around your faith community. Mark will be sensitive to your church's unique situation and either (a) help you deepen the missional conversation among your leaders, or (b) move your church further along the missional continuum.

Most church members will enjoy the "Popular Track." It will have three parts and will be an excellent mix of dynamic speakers with encouraging and enlightening messages. Part 1 will be Woody Square, the youth & family minister from San Leandro whose chance meeting with Oprah made him an instant celebrity. Part 2 will be Dr. Robert Watts, the former Oakland Raider & current consultant/author. He will talk about how people are never the problem. Finally, Part 3 will be a 2-hour session led by Drs. John York and Arthur Wint on conflict resolution.

European PGA golfer breaks clay pigeon with golf shot

2011-01-12T11:43:00.001-08:00

Is this real? See for yourself.

2011 New Year's Resolution, Part 3

2011-01-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I could think up random possibilities for New Year's resolutions ad nauseum. Perhaps you'd love to think up some New Year's resolutions for me! At any rate, I will offer one more idea for thinking Christians who might still be looking for an idea to implement this year.

Idea #3 -- Embrace a Bit More Suffering than Usual

The American dream has been driven by a success-driven mentality. The myths of American "individualism" and the "self-made person" reject suffering and poverty as curses to be avoided.

Funny, isn't it? The generation of my grandparents knew poverty and tended to suffer a lot -- at least in their youth. My grandmother was the next-to-youngest of 9 kids. She never had a moment of leisure. They had a farm that required all hands on deck all the time. Although they never went without, their life was anything but luxurious. My grandfather grew up in physical depravity. His father deserted them before be was born. One Christmas he and his two siblings had to choose between Christmas presents and a Christmas tree. They didn't have money for both.

After they married, they lived in small houses and worked hard. With a life of frugality and modesty, they were able to help others in need and bless their own family. But this did not come without suffering. Many American Christians hold on to the idea of blessing while forgetting the price of suffering that must be paid to get there.

Jesus can tell us how expensive grace is. The immense blessing of God's redemption is only available through the suffering of Jesus.

But the suffering doesn't stop with Jesus. You see, if we just accept grace and try to live in the blessing of God's provision, we miss the call to discipleship and to mission. God doesn't just want to save us. He wants to save the entire world. And saving others does not come cheap. Extending grace to others requires sacrifice. (For a reminder of this, see the preceding paragraph.)

Jesus does not simply call us to blessing. He calls us to share his sufferings. If you don't believe me, read Paul. Read the Book of Romans. Listen to the suffering Christians endure as they await the resurrection.

Some Christians in North America think that suffering is persecution and that, since we live in a "Christian nation," we get a free ride, and exemption from suffering. They seem to think we can go straight to glory while skipping the sacrifice. In other words, they think that Jesus sacrificed so that we don't have to.

Ahem. Excuse me. That is ridiculous. And a gross misunderstanding of scripture.

Jesus suffered and calls us to suffer with him as we save others. If you enter into the lives of messy, messed-up people, you will suffer. As you hear the pain of others, you will bear some of that yourself. When you experience the reality of human life, you will come face to face with despondency and despair.

But if your faith can stand the test, you will say, "Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." You will learn that redemption comes through suffering -- and not just through Jesus' pain. We suffer so that others can know the love of God.

Try that one on this year. I'm not asking you to move into an impoverished barrio in Mexico City or to adopt 3 HIV orphans from Africa. I honestly don't know what this might mean in your life. But please consider this as a resolution. Try opening yourself just a bit to suffering -- not because we like suffering, but because we realize that this is the only way to save the world.

2011 New Year's Resolution, Part 2

2011-01-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so if you're still in the market for an idea or two in 2011, perhaps you might like to try one of my suggestions. My proposed resolutions are not generic thoughts for anyone. They are for people of faith. Here's my second installment in this series.

Idea #2 -- Give up One Thing for the Kingdom

Most of us have habits, hobbies and interests that consume large amounts of our time, money and energy. We all need ways of relaxing, burning off steam and channeling our passions. If all we did was eat, work and sleep, I think we would have a miserable existence.

When do our interests consume too much of our time? How can we know if we have crossed the line from hobby into obsession? Can our habits actually inhibit our dedication to the Kingdom of God?

I'm not trying to suggest that your life is out of whack. No one thing or one person is in my sights. I'm just wondering what would happen if we briefly cut out something in order to make room for something Kingdom oriented.

Here's an idea. Try living without one of your hobbies or passions for 30 days. Let's say that you love playing video games. See what would happen if you dedicate a 30-day, video-game-free period to the Lord. Or maybe a smart phone is your greatest friend. Try using your phone for nothing more than calls and texts for 30 days. What about shopping ... perhaps you love to shop. Try to buy nothing but groceries and essential HBA items for 30 days. Nothing else. Make do with what you have and don't be sucked in by sales.

But here's the catch. Don't just eliminate something for 30 days. Replace it with something that is oriented on the Kingdom of God. Let's say that you spend on average 5 hours per week on video games. For that 30-day period, try volunteering 5 hours per week at some charitable organization. Or if you are going to live without accessing the internet via your phone, try keeping a Bible nearby and reading at least one chapter every time you have the urge to look something up. If you're sacrificing shopping, try setting a goal of some crazy amount of money that you want to donate to your church at the end of that period. By not spending over that 30-day period, see if God provides enough to meet your goal.

"But strive first for the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt 6:33).

2011 New Year's Resolution, Part 1

2011-01-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

Need a resolution for the new year? Are you the type of person who likes to have goals each year? Perhaps you like to challenge yourself. If so, you might have already set your New Year's goals. If you're still looking for a resolution or two, I have an idea or two for you. (There's nothing better than making resolutions for others!) Over the next couple posts, I will share a few ideas.

Idea #1 -- Get Control of Your Money

Money is a deeply spiritual issue. Paul writes that "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6:10). Notice that money is not the root of all evil, but the LOVE of money is. Money can clearly "get into our heads" and distract us from more important priorities in life.

One doesn't need to have lots of money to be distracted. Debt can eat us up and occupy our thoughts and energy. One of the ancient proverbs reads, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender" (Prov 22:7). Borrowing money literally enslaves us to those who lend us that money. Try not paying that credit card company back and see how it goes!

One of the church's greatest problems is a lack of resources. A large number of people are overrun by financial problems, and many Christians are no different. Sometimes, these struggles stem from our national economy. I am acquainted with many folks who have lost jobs or had their salaries cut through no fault of their own. Even those who are financially stable can struggle under the weight of lost, long-term income.

Others, however, struggle because they have not gotten control of their money and are not ready for life's common problems. When people live life with no margin for error, the slightest malfunction can become a major emergency. Debt becomes an easy option for those who have nothing in reserve. This lack of preparation hurts the church, too, because many church members stop giving when they find themselves torn between debts and "emergencies" that must be repaid.

Much of this is avoidable, however, when individuals learn to manage their money. One path to financial freedom is Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We're offering this class here at College Church. There are other good tools available.

It's never too early to start using your money wisely. I know many young people who exit college with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. This will handicap their lives & church involvement for years. Imagine how much better our churches would be if we all gained better control of our money. God will be glorified if we are free to serve Him rather than money.

Latest News about baby Caleb Rodriguez

2010-12-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

The Rodriguez family posted an update on baby Caleb's situation. In case you missed it, Caleb was born in early November to a missionary couple supported by the College Church of Christ in Fresno. Caleb's grandfather, Dan Rodriguez, grew up in Fresno at the College Church. I've posted about Caleb's situation several times.

They are in a quandary as to what they need to do next. Should they go back to China? Should they stay in the U.S.? Caleb's full situation probably won't be known until he begins to develop more, but that could be many months down the road. Then they will be able to monitor his development to see what damage he may have received due to his condition at birth. They covet your prayers.

The following note was posted on Christmas day.

Dearest friends and family,

Our family continues to be blessed by your constant prayers and loving support. We have been comforted knowing that you are with us throughout this difficult journey.

On Friday December 17th, Caleb was discharged from the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. All his tests for genetic disorders came back negative! We praise God for this news for many reasons (one of them being that Caleb’s insurance does not cover any genetic disorders.) According to the LA Children’s Hospital technician, Caleb’s twenty-four-hour EEG revealed that Caleb was no longer having seizures. Marcus and Julia had their doubts. Despite our uneasiness, doctors released Caleb saying that because he’s been stable, he doesn’t need to be in the hospital. They warned however, that if Caleb’s blood sugar dropped again or he began showing signs of hypoglycemia (e.g. extreme fatigue, lethargy, seizures), he should be immediately hospitalized.

Soon after being discharged, Marcus, Julia, Caleb and Jeanette drove to Fresno to be with our friend Dr. Hutchison, a pediatric neurologist. After observing Caleb, Dr. Hutchison concurred with the hospital technician that Caleb was indeed seizure-free. The fact that Caleb is not having seizures gives all of us a lot more peace.

Dr. Hutchison showed Caleb’s MRIs to his neurology team at UCSF. They theorized that Caleb’s brain injury was caused by hypoglycemia (due to hyperinsulinism) rather than by a genetic disorder. They also believe that the insults to his brain are not ongoing, which gives all of us, especially Marcus and Julia, a great deal of peace.

We thank God that since he was discharged a week ago, Caleb has been stable and has maintained healthy glucose levels. At this point, he’s doing everything that a healthy seven-week-old baby should be doing. Last week he even started smiling. (My Mom claims to be the first to receive the honor of being smiled at.) Marcus and Julia are checking his glucose levels every day and will be taking him to the hospital for weekly check-ups.

Marcus, Julia and Caleb will be spending Christmas and New Year’s with our family in Fresno. After that, Marcus and Julia will begin counseling to process the challenges of the past two months and to begin preparing for the challenges ahead. Please keep their counseling in your prayers.

Despite our delight over Caleb’s current stable condition, we are still anxious that he could relapse. There are still many unanswered questions. Doctors say that Caleb is still at great risk for seizures. Please keep Caleb in your prayers.

We have so much to be thankful for this Christmas. Near the top of our list is you! Thank you for your love and prayers.

Merry Christmas! We love you!

-- The Rodriguez Family

Luke's Gospel & the Spirit of Christmas, part 2

2010-12-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem and likely come to the home of some relatives. Our translations make it sound like “there was no room at inn.” The married women here in the room think of trips when their husbands said, “Don’t worry, honey. There’s no reason to make a reservation. We’ll drive up and see which hotel looks best.”

It’s like the time we drove from Prague up through Berlin into northern Germany to the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the North Sea. We were going to catch a ferry the next morning to a Danish island. With our two kids in the backseat, one still an infant, we set off. “We’ll just grab any old hotel,” I said. We got there late in the evening. No vacancy. No vacancy. No vacancy. Someone finally said that every hotel on the peninsula was occupied – it was a German holiday weekend. We were toast. In desperation I finally begged the owner of a guesthouse. He spoke no English. I knew a few German words. Luckily, I said “zwei kleinen kindern.” He looked at me with horror in his eyes and came out to our car. Upon seeing the already sleeping kids in the backseat, he made space in a lounge for us. The kids were the sign! We slept great that night. My wife has been gracious, but she hasn’t forgotten.

This was not Joseph’s fault. There was no hotel in Bethlehem, just the ancient obligations of hospitality. Other family members had already arrived, and the guest room over the stable was not available. Perhaps someone higher in the family pecking order was already there.

The young couple happily accepts the warm and safe confines of the stable. We don’t know how long they have to stay or exactly why, but the time comes and Mary has her baby. It’s a boy. They tightly wrap the baby in strips of cloth to keep it from moving and lay it in the feeding trough to sleep. They are totally unaware of anything but this baby. The halls of power could not seem farther away from this quiet, humble scene. There is no miracle, no delivery of gifts, no star in the sky, no royal proclamation. Just a young couple and their tiny infant in a small, cozy stable. This child is all the proof they need that God’s power is real.

Nearby are shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks. An angel appeared to them. The shepherds were terrified. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

It’s fascinating that God gives amazing signs to the people. All throughout the Old Testament, there are the most phenomenal signs meant to build and sustain faith. Think of how the people of Israel witnessed the ten plagues. Or how they crossed through the Red Sea on dry land. Or imagine witnessing the triumph over the city of Jericho—the people just had to march around and blow their trumpets while God brought down the walls. Would you have believed in the power of God if you could have seen one of those great signs? Would doubt and unbelief be destroyed if the world could witness something like that?

This may surprise you, but those signs failed to produce lasting faith. The very same people who crossed the Red Sea immediately doubted God’s ability to provide. People in Jesus’ day ask for a sign, something that would rattle their cages and let them know that the Savior is near and that God’s power is real. To these folks, Jesus replies that no sign like that would be given. God is no longer interested in flashy signs. There had been enough of those, and they don’t work. Instead, God cares about repentance and about living life in ways that are right and just.

But let’s not rush off too quickly. There is a sign. God gives the shepherds a sign. The birth of the Messiah should be announced with great fanfare. There should be parades and holidays and free drinks for all. Sure enough, a host of angels sing about the greatness of God and bring glad tidings of peace. Their song does not reach the ears of the powerful rulers. The angels announce this to but a few lowly shepherds—half asleep, terrified to death, knees buckling beneath the news.

The angelic host, however, is not the sign. The angel tells them that there is indeed a sign. “What sign?” you might ask. “What is the sign that the king is born?” The sign … the sign is that you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feed trough. That’s the confirmation. An ordinary baby born to a common, working-class family.

This is clearly not the stuff of empires. That’s why Luke is so ambivalent toward the decrees of Rome or the workings of government. For Luke, empire is nothing but a canvas upon which to sketch a far more beautiful and more important picture. What is that picture? It’s the simple birth of a baby born in quiet, humble circumstances.

This, this is the sign. It’s the sign that God welcomes everyone. God is not the God of exclusive clubs. He is not the God of one nation or of the religious elite. He is the not the property of one socioeconomic level or one group of radicals. The birth of this child is good news of great joy for all people. ALL PEOPLE! God accepts all people. The preacher Luke will tell us that God accepts all, but that the divine invitation should result in human repentance. Sadly, however, the preacher will make it clear that those most likely to repent are the poor, the blind, the lame and even those outside the nation of Israel. God invites all to the banquet, but those who have first dibs unfortunately tend to find excuses not to attend.

Why? I don’t know. I don’t why those who grow up knowing God become hardened and refuse to repent. I don’t know why.

But I know the sign by which we can know God’s love. It’s a sign that lets us know of God’s acceptance of ALL people. Perhaps the sign is a problem for those who are proud or puffed up or too sure of themselves. Because the sign is not found in the halls of power. You can’t find the sign where the emperor resides. It’s not in Rome or Beijing or Vienna or Washington, DC. The sign is a child, wrapped in simple, lying on a modest bed.

Do you need a sign today that God loves you? Do you need to know that God’s salvation is for you? It’s night. There’s a flock of sheep nearby. WAKE UP! Good news! A Savior! Go with your trembling knees and behold a simple child. And you will know that God’s power is for real. If you need a reminder, get out of your home. Break the monotony of your routines. Go to the Ukraine and look into the eyes of an orphan. Go to an impoverished Mexican village and play with the children there in the dirt. Go to Africa and touch a child born with the HIV virus. Go and behold a child, God’s greatest gift to the world. Look at THIS baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Repent and change your life, because God has come to dwell among in the flesh.

This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

Luke's Gospel & the Spirit of Christmas, part 1

2010-12-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

Luke's gospel envisions the world of a vast empire. We might expect Luke, our narrator, to engage in schmaltzy flattery of the exalted emperor or gush about the enormity and dominion of the Roman kingdom. He introduces us to the great emperor, Augustus – also known as Octavius – and our minds might flash to the seat of splendor in Rome. If I were writing the movie script, I would flash to Caesar in his palace, signing a decree that all his subjects should be registered. Caesar would say, "I want to know the exact size of my empire." One of his minions would exclaim, "Yes, very good, my lord. Why, my lord?" And the emperor would reply with a scowl, "So you can calculate our tax revenue and so I can know how many men can fight in my armies."

But I'm not writing the story. Our gospel account doesn't linger in places of power. Luke's story will eventually lead to Rome, but for now we are as far as possible from the halls of sovereignty. In a quiet, remote corner of the empire, the emperor's commands trickle down to the common folk. Luke is a preacher, not a historian. Historians usually tell the stories of formidable kings and powerful benefactors. They don't bring their readers to forgotten and neglected backwaters.

People sometimes get sucked into the belief that the empire is everything, that it is what matters. Because empires of this world are so important to some folks, they get extremely uptight about what happens in the worldly places of power. So when they dislike the empire's direction, many feel threatened. They rant, they rage and they write against the empire.

Not so with Luke. And for the people of God shaped by Luke's gospel, not so with us. Luke strangely weaves his two-volume story in the shadow of the empire, but he seems oddly unconcerned by it. Rome is not the threat. The main menaces, according to Luke, are magic, love of money and the failure to repent. The great emperor is nothing but a historical reference, a footnote to explain why Jesus of Nazareth is actually Jesus of Bethlehem. For Luke, empire is nothing but a canvas upon which to sketch a far more beautiful and more important picture. What matters to Luke is not what Caesar thinks. He doesn't even care about the opinions of local rulers and leaders.

The story begins not on the Appian Way but on a small road from Galilee to Judea. There we home in on a young man named Joseph. He's traveling to his ancestral home, Bethlehem, because of the census. He's not alone, though. He has a traveling companion, a young girl. She's engaged to him – which is as good as married in those days. Luke adds an innocent but curious statement. The young fiancée Mary is pregnant. If the story started here, we might wonder how this happened. Well, not that we don't know how those kinds of things happen. I mean, we might wonder what led to this development and whether or not they were deeply embarrassed by this. After all, it's a culture that could stone women to death for less.

But Luke already told us how an angel appeared to Mary and told her of the special child she would carry. Her cousin Elizabeth had also miraculously given birth. Not only was Elizabeth barren and too old for having kids, her husband Zechariah lost his voice when an angel told him she would become pregnant. His voice was publicly restored only when the baby John was born. Zechariah's tongue was loosened and he spoke, praising God. And he prophesied about a mighty Savior who would redeem God's people.

More on Caleb

2010-12-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

I don't know when or if they will receive some kind of definititive diagnosis about Caleb's condition. I have the latest news for you, this from Caleb's paternal grandparents.

Caleb has been at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) since Saturday, November 27th. Thankfully, Marcus and Julia have been blessed to be able to stay nearby at the Ronald McDonald House, allowing them to take turns watching Caleb day and night. They have also been blessed to have a few very special friends and family members stay with Caleb when they needed to catch up on their sleep.

Since his arrival at CHLA, Caleb has surprised doctors and visitors by how healthy he looks. But as they say, things aren't always what they appear. So doctors quickly began running tests on Caleb which were not available in Shanghai. They have been trying to find out why his glucose levels were so low in the first place as well as trying to determine what long-term side-effects, if any, the low glucose levels have had on Caleb’s overall health. Shortly after he arrived at CHLA the doctors discontinued giving Caleb glucose. Thankfully, he was able to maintain "low to normal" levels of glucose on his own. While this was very encouraging, Marcus and Julia soon noticed that Caleb was becoming very lethargic and unresponsive. They convinced doctors to put him back on a glucose IV which promptly re-energized Caleb. This led doctors to run additional tests.

This past week has been very difficult for Marcus and Julia. They received results from two important tests that were especially disturbing. One revealed that Caleb may have what is called a Glucose Transfer Disorder. This means that although his glucose levels appear “near normal” from his hands to his feet, for some (still unknown) reason, his little body is failing to transport (send) normal levels of glucose to his brain. This may explain why he was so lethargic even when his body appeared to have a normal levels of glucose.

Understandably, Marcus and Julia are very concerned about any possible long-term side-effects of this disorder. They are also anxiously awaiting the results of several genetics tests which they hope and pray will shed light on the source of Caleb’s very serious health issues. Unfortunately, the results of these tests won’t become available until after Christmas. In the meantime, they must patiently and prayerfully keep watch and wait. As you can imagine, it is a physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausting task for which they covet your prayers. Please join us in praying for Marcus, Julia and Caleb.

Pray that Marcus and Julia will continue to trust in the unfailing love, compassion and mercy of the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

Pray that in the next several days, Marcus and Julia receive some long-overdue good news concerning Caleb's condition.

>Pray that the Lord miraculously heals Caleb's Glucose Transfer Disorder, bringing glory and honor to himself.
>Pray that the long-term effects of this disorder do not inhibit Caleb from being a faithful servant of his Lord Jesus Christ in anyway.
>Pray that as a result of this painful trial, our entire family to grow stronger, more united and faithful to our Savior Jesus.
>Pray for God's will to be done in all things related to Caleb's health and overall well being.

For more information and photos, please visit the CaringBridge.com site and check out Marcus' Facebook page.

Thank you very much for your concern and faithfulness.

Daniel and Jeanette Rodriguez

Latest on Baby Caleb Rodriguez

2010-12-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest information on baby Caleb, as posted on their Caring Bridge account.

Caleb is growing well at Los Angeles Children’s hospital since his Med-evac flight from across the world. He is now huge and fat! Marcus reports that he looks like a bouncer—no neck just a roll at his shoulders and then his head.

You can view new, higher-quality photos of Caleb on Marcus' Facebook account:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=244205&id=716698509&1=c6f9cd01ea
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=247854&id=716698509&1=3b46c6959c

Roller coaster recovery

After just two-and-a-half days in the U.S., the American doctors successfully weaned Caleb off of his IV and transferred him out of the ICU. This surprised Marcus and Julia because the Chinese doctors had tried to take Caleb off the IV twice, and both times, Caleb’s glucose immediately dropped to scary lows. His parents remained cautiously optimistic during Caleb’s first few days off the IV while the doctors monitored him closely.

Unfortunately after the 4th day, Caleb once again became very lethargic. First his parents, and then nurses couldn’t wake him up at one point.

Back on the IV

Caleb's severe lethargy scared Marcus and Julia, so Marcus spent a whole afternoon trying to convince doctors to put him back on the IV. Doctors knew Caleb’s symptoms weren’t normal, but they resisted returning him to the IV because the numbers showed his blood glucose levels were normal. Marcus reasoned that he has only seen Caleb show symptoms when he is off the IV, and until they can find out what’s wrong, they don’t want to risk any damage. The doctors finally agreed, and after he returned to the IV, Caleb started acting like a normal baby again. Aside from throwing up once a day, thankfully Caleb has not shown any abnormal symptoms since that one episode.

But then that brings everyone back to the where they were in China more than a month ago—waiting on an IV for test results.

No diagnosis yet

The U.S. doctors re-did most of the basic tests performed on Caleb in China, and once again, they all came back normal. Once again, Caleb doesn’t have a diagnosis, and so doctors can’t start on any treatment.

The doctors sent away samples for a couple of new, advanced genetic tests, but those results won’t come back until December 26th—earliest.

Doctors also did another EEG, which did indicate that Caleb continues to have seizures. Some of the nurses witnessed these seizures, which most people wouldn’t know to identify as seizures at all. They’re more like eye deviations. Caleb’s eyeballs turn to the side for a few seconds and then come back. Nurses only noticed the seizures when Caleb was off the IV.

Marcus and Julia want to keep Caleb on the IV until Caleb can be diagnosed and treated, but doctors are reluctant to do that. Caleb would have to have a surgically inserted pick-line that drips glucose directly at the mouth of his heart, but doctors don’t see the need for that if his glucose levels seem normal.

Los Angeles Children’s Hospital

Despite tensions over the IV, Marcus and Julia are very happy with their new hospital. Every time a nurse or doctor reports to them or does something to Caleb, they introduce themselves and their title and say why they are there. Then they freely answer questions from Caleb’s parents. It’s a huge change from China. The only new challenge is that they are in a four person room now, which means that it's always loud and active.

Thankfully, Marcus and Julia landed a peaceful room a the Ronald McDonald house, which is only a three-minute walk away from the hospital. Halfway between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald house is a Vons…and that pretty much sums up the places that Marcus and Julia have been during their 10 day stay in the U.S.

Helpers

Marcus and Julia have received a lot of encouragement from friends and family—particularly Chanille Scroggins, Meredith McCollum and Caleb’s Aunt Monica. They are especially thankful for people who have agreed to spend the night at the hospital with Caleb recently. Marcus at first tried to spend every night at Caleb's bedside, until he started losing his mind for lack of sleep.

Marcus’ good friend and China missionary partner, Marcus Riley, was one of the people who stayed one night with Caleb. Marcus Riley’s Chinese wife, Alexandra, also stayed with Caleb and cooked two Chinese meals for Julia. The food was much needed therapy for Julia’s stomach and soul!

Marcus and Julia also will be looking for a Chinese church near their home so that Julia can have a taste of home on Sundays.

**Marcus and Julia gladly welcome occasional low-key visitors. Anyone who wants to visit is asked to write them first to see when would be a good time: **marcusandjulia@gmail.com**

They especially ask for continued prayers....

Prayer requests
-That Caleb will no longer become frighteningly lethargic
-That doctors will be able to find a diagnosis soon
-That an upcoming MRI will show healing to any damage to Caleb's brain
-That Marcus and Julia can start to get some real rest
-That Marcus and Julia will be alert and sensitive to Caleb's symptoms but not oversensitive or anxious.

Almost Done & Water Update

2010-12-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

I love a follow-up comment to yesterday's blog post. The story is different for California communities like Kettleman City -- major birth defects in that small town & the coincidence of a nearby toxic waste dump -- and Hinkley -- the town featured in the movie Erin Brockovich. In towns like those, you'd better be drinking bottled water!

On a separate note, my doctoral thesis is almost done. Hallelujah. Just a few final touches. And then off to be slaughtered by the powers that be. But at least I'm that much closer. Glory!

How Far Does Your Water Travel

2010-12-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

The environmental price of drinking bottled water is more than the plastic in the bottles. Another contributor to the cost is the transportation involved. If your bottle of water comes from Maine, that bottle has to travel across multiple state lines to get to you unless you live in New England. That requires interstate commerce for something you could have obtained by simply turning on the tap.

An Italian grocery company has decided to start promoting local water over bottled water that must travel long distances. Their campaign is running into heavy resistance from the water companies -- because water is big business. Fiji water, for example, is the #1 industry in all of Fiji, and it just involves bottling water from Fiji and putting it on ships to sell in the US.

In the YouTube clip below (sadly only available in Italian), the actor is a well-known Italian comedian. She demonstrates how "crazy" it is to get a glass full of water from a distant mountain spring when good quality water is available out of the tap. Do you agree with this perspective? Let me know.

World Health & Wealth over the Past 200 Years

2010-12-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

On a whim, I just glanced at Mike Cope's blog. Yesterday, he posted a most fascinating video that I want to share. It's an amazing use of statistics. Bravo, Hans Rosling. And thanks!

Mysterious Oarfish Washes up in Malibu

2010-12-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

The LA Times reports that a 12-foot-long oarfish washed up on a Malibu beach. The creature is an amazing specimen, and these things are legendary. The paper says this deep-sea fish looks more like the Loch Ness monster than a tuna or halibut.

See LA Times article for picture info.

According to the article, "oarfish are largely a mystery to scientists, but they are typically found 700 to 3,000 feet beneath the surface in tropical and temperate waters, where they feed on small squid and krill." They can grow up to thirty feet long!

For more on the story go this LA Times link.

Xmas Wish List: Toilet Paper Dispenser / iPod Player

2010-11-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

Here's one for your Christmas wish list. All your loved ones will want one.

It's available for only $59.95 from dutchguard.com and other reputable (or not-so-reputable) sellers. It communicates the very essence of Christmas and says, "I care about you!"

Update on Baby Caleb Rodriguez, part 3

2010-11-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest update on baby Caleb Rodriguez, as reported by Marcus' sister Monica:

Marcus, Julia, and baby Caleb arrived in Los Angeles safely. Julia and Caleb arrived at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital at 4:30 this morning (3 hrs earlier than expected) after completing a smooth ride on the Medivac. I was able to run by and meet my handsome nephew and Julia before picking Marcus up at LAX (his flight was 2 hrs delayed from Tokyo). I teared up when I first saw Julia coming out of the hospital room. We just held each other in tears and in relief. Caleb looks great. Even though he had an IV coming out of his head, he still looked good - it must be in the blood! :)

After being reunited in California, we checked into the Ronald McDonald house, located literally around the corner from the hospital. Parking at the hospital is quite expensive so having a home base to walk from is super convenient. The staff at the Ronald McDonald (RMH) house is friendly and eager to help. I’m impressed by how clean and “homey” it feels. It is going to be a great place to rest and to rejuvenate. Marcus and Julia have two queen sized beds and their own bathroom with a shower. Everyone staying at the RMH shares a communal kitchen, dining room, and living room. They also are allowing me to stay over any time!

Caleb is in great care. He is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in a room with about two other little babies. When I visited Julia and Caleb this morning, I met Dr. Wong, the hormone specialist, and Caleb’s friendly nurse, Tania. I overheard them also speaking about bringing in a metabolic specialist. I’m not aware of any tests or procedures they are planning, but I’m sure they will happen soon. The hospital only allows two people with the patient at any time. So if both Marcus and Julia are up in the NICU, anyone else visiting must stay in the lobby downstairs. Also, only one person can stay over night with Caleb.

How are Marcus and Julia?

They are tired, naturally--after dealing with the emotional and physical stress this past month on top of a 15 hour flight and jet lag. Marcus and I had lunch before going to the hospital, and he was in great spirits. We talked and got plenty of needed laughter! After pumping for a little while, Julia’s head hit the pillow and she was out. They where both asleep when I left the RMC at 5 pm. Thank God for a safe transfer.

All of this is quite surreal for me. Just yesterday I was talking on Skype to my family about Caleb and now they are right here in my home town! They definitely belong here right now and I trust that God was, is, and will continue to work in Caleb’s little body.

Update on Baby Caleb Rodriguez, part 2

2010-11-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

Marcus and Julia Rodriguez are experiencing every parent's worst nightmare. Three weeks ago, they celebrated the birth of their firstborn child in a Shanghai hospital. Within a short time, however, Caleb exhibited some major struggles, and they didn't know if he would survive. Praise be to God that the acute concerns now seem to be diminished, and they are more focused on the long-term developmental issues that may lie ahead.

Caleb had been in the NICU unit of Shanghai's leading pediatric hospital, Children's Hospital of Fudan University. God has provided for them. Parental contact is almost always limited in NICU units, and they were initially desperate for more contact. This was especially traumatic when Caleb was transported from the birth hospital to this advanced facility, even though his mother was still recuperating at the birth hospital. God has since opened the way for them to spend massive amounts of time with Caleb.

They are surrounded by our prayers and by their family. Julia's mom is there. Marcus' parents are there, along with Marcus' brother and his wife.

The Lord is answering prayers. Now that the seizures are apparently under control, they are able to have more contact. They have even tried to allow baby Caleb to transition from IV feeding to breast feeding, though this has not been a smooth switch. The family praises God for these hopeful developments. Although he is receiving good care and have been able to counsel with the best endocrinologists and neurologists available, some levels of advanced testing and treatment are unavailable at Chinese facilities.

The Rodriguezes are fortunate to have international health insurance, a type that many expatriates have to provide for medical evacuation in exactly these types of rare circumstances. Their insurance company has agreed to med-evac Caleb to California. Dr. Terry "Hutch" Hutchison, one of the elders here at the College Church, is a world respected pediatric neurologist at UC-San Francisco Children's Hospital. Julia and Marcus have spoken with Hutch, and they were hoping to have Caleb transported to San Francisco. The insurance company, however, has decided to take Caleb to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles.

Please pray that both Marcus & Julia will be able to fly with Caleb. At present, they have only promised room for one of them. We also praise God that Marcus & Julia have gotten Caleb's passport already. Our kids were both born overseas, and I can testify that this is a miracle to have a foreign-born baby's American passport so quickly -- especially in this situation where one parent in not an American citizen. This is a miracle, and we should praise God!

Currently they are waiting on news about the med-evac. If you want to read more about baby Caleb, you can visit their Caring Bridge account at http://www.caringbridge.org/. You will need to set up a free account to access their info. Then you can enter the name calebrodriguez to go to his specific page.

Update on Baby Caleb Rodriguez

2010-11-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

The College Church of Christ in Fresno has a rich history of supporting overseas missionary efforts. From the College Church's earliest days, it has supported missionary families like the Boltons in Australia, the Reeves in Germany and the Jacobos in Colombia. In more recent years, the College Church has provided oversight and support for the Repperts in Kenya, the Rodriguezes in Mexico and the Smiths in French-speaking Switzerland.

Marcus and Martin Rodriguez are two brothers who grew up with a strong connection to the College Church. Their father, Daniel, grew up at College. Their mother, Janette, also grew up here. When Marcus & Martin finished university, they felt called into overseas missions work -- specifically to China. For several years, they taught English in Beijing and worked as part of a group of American Christians. Their goal was to introduce Chinese young professionals to Jesus. God blessed their efforts, and some of their Chinese friends have formed Christian congregations as a result.

Marcus met a young Chinese woman, Julia. She had joined their Christian community in Beijing. They fell in love and eventually got married. Fast forward a couple years ... they are expecting their first child and they decide to move to Shanghai in hopes of reproducing their Beijing work there. We are grateful for Marcus & Julia and for their commitment to the Lord.

Shanghai is a world-class city with a population of 19 million. One would be wrong to think of this city as a third-world backwater. Shanghai has incredible wealth and practically anything you would expect to find in a major metropolis. I'm sure there are plenty of impoverished pockets in Shanghai, but isn't that true of all big cities? Shanghai also has a huge expatriate community, mostly Japanese, Americans and Koreans who are able to benefit from China's booming economy.

We need to pray for the Rodriguezes. Two weeks ago, they gave birth to their first child, a beautiful boy named Caleb. Health concerns became immediately apparent, first manifesting themselves in seizures. Doctors have discovered that Caleb has some abnormalities in his brain. The part that controls vision, the occipital lobe, appears to be damaged.

Everyone is still assessing the situation. They're receiving first-rate care from doctors who highly skilled and trained. But they have many decisions and questions to weigh. I'll share more details in a later post. Please join us all in praying for Caleb.

A Review of Megamind

2010-11-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

We watched the movie Megamind last Thursday. I have to admit it wasn't the family's first choice. The boys seem to frown upon animated movies -- or more accurately, our high-schooler frowns upon, and younger brother hates to contradict these "grown-up" impulses. So Megamind wasn't the plan when we left for the movie theater.

Since we arrived 15 minutes late for our first choice, I unilaterally chose tickets for Megamind which happened to be starting just as we walked up. I had heard a favorable review by Bob Mandela of the LA Times, and Julie was likewise interested in it. The sons were trapped with their parents.

The film is a sort-of good vs evil saga, but with some interesting nuances. First, we see the making of the prototypical hero, Metroman, versus the making of the prototypical villain, Megamind. Both arrive on our planet as babies. Fate (if you will) casts the baby hero into the arms of wealthy, intelligent parents. Fate casts the child villain into the arms of convicts -- literally.

Both are incredibly talented young people with supernatural abilities. Both want to succeed and be popular. Only the hero, however, knows how to sway the crowd. The villain always inadvertently pushes people away -- once again, as if by fate. Here's the trailer:

I don't want to spoil it for you. This is a great family film. Megamind has plenty of humor that only adults will get and lots of fun action that kids will love.

The story's not new, but it poses some interesting questions. Here are a few that come to my mind:

1. Can evil become good?
2. Does anyone have the makings of a hero, or does fate eliminate some from contention?
3. Does victory bring happiness?

A closing sentence or two about the last question. The movie has a few undisguised attempts at being philosophical. Believe it or not, this seems to work for the film Megamind. One of the best moments is when Megamind has won. He has everything he could possibly hope for -- or so it seems. But he is utterly miserable.

Just something to think about in a society where many of us already have every material thing that we want. Does this bring happiness? For Megamind the villain, the answer was no. I'm guessing you don't have to be evil to figure that one out.

3-Year-Old Jonathan conducts Beethoven's 5th

2010-11-08T22:33:00.001-08:00

This is so good, I just have to share. Some works of art truly are inspired. Others are inspiring. See for yourself.

A New "Pray for Obama" T-Shirt

2010-11-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Regardless of your personal preference for President Obama, he is our president. And the New Testament tells us to pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2:1-2). We certainly have plenty to pray for.

Someone forwarded a picture of the following t-shirt:

It looks like a wonderful thing to wear, right? If you saw a random person wearing this shirt, you might think this is a godly person who is reminding Christians of their duty. You would be wrong.

Psalm 109:8 reads, "May his days be few; may another seize his position." Is that funny? Perhaps at first blush, it is a bit comical. It may seem even harmless. If it were just a bit of PhotoShop humor, I might just smile at it. My fear, however, is that some are actually wearing this shirt out of a desire to "obey scripture" but in a perverted sense.

I think this kind of thing is an affront to our faith. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see this as a ungodly interpretation of Paul's command in 1 Timothy. Just goes to show you that what Peter said is still true today, "There are some things in [Paul's writings] hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures" (2 Pet 3:16).

Christians should be those who do the right thing in the godly manner, not in the manner of twisted minds who spew hate and cynicism. Isn't there already enough of that to go around? "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity" (1 Tim 2:1-2).

Keys for Church Planting?

2010-10-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a little sarcastic look at the "model" for planting a new church. A "coach" for church-planters forwarded this to me, so I'd say it's a bit of in-house humor rather than a sideswipe by someone opposed to new churches.

Why Math Is Important

2010-10-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

Let's say your kid comes up to you one day and tells you this little nugget: "I don't need math, Dad. I can always use a calculator." Hm. Bad choice.

If your child seriously decides to stop learning mathematics, you had better hope they never end up working at the deli. I can personally testify to the disaster that awaits your child if they work behind the deli counter without a mind for math.

Sunday evening, I dropped off Jacob at the teen group devo. On the way home, I stopped by our local Vons grocery store to pick up some french bread and sandwich meat for a light supper with Julie. I didn't want a lot of meat, but I wanted to have enough extra for a sandwich later in the week. The following conversation with the deli clerk ensued. I jest not.

Me: "I'd like some of this black forest ham."

Deli-Man (DM): "Okay, how much?"

Me: "Let's see. I'll take four tenths of a pound."

DM: "Four tenths? How much is that?"

Me: "That would be four tenths. Point four."

DM: "Four tenths?!"

Deli-Man puts some ham in a bag on the scale. It registers at 0.23 lbs.

DM: "Is that good?"

Me: "No, that's not four tenths."

DM turns to deli-supervisor woman behind him: "How much is four tenths?"

Deli-Supervisor-Woman (DSW): "Four tenths. Point four."

DM now takes all the ham out of the bag, leaving only one slice in my bag on the scale. The scale registers 0.05 lbs.

DM: "That's all your gonna get for point four. You still only want four tenths?"

Me: "That's not four tenths."

DSW: "That's point zero four! You're supposed to do point four zero!"

DM: "Well, how am I supposed to know?"

DSW: "You need to go back to school!"

Deli-Man now fills the bag with a half pound of ham: "Is that good?"

Me: "Whatever. That's fine."

I grab my bag and escape from the deli area as fast as possible, and I thank the Lord that my kids seem to do well in math. Let's just hope that other deli-clerks are more capable in math than this one. If not, then this country is in for some serious trouble when we go to the deli in the years to come. I'm guessing this guy won't win the world championship in deli weighing. He probably wasn't too good at math either. Just guessing.

Crafting a Congregational Narrative, part 2

2010-10-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

This narrative project finds resonance in the writing of many church consultants and church renewal experts. A number of leading individuals write about the need for something similar to our project here at the College Church. Here's a sampling:

Robert Dale speaks about tapping into the “theological roots” of a congregation in order to restore the church’s dream for the future (To Dream Again: How to Help Your Church Come Alive, Nashville: Broadman, 1981).

James Hopewell writes that “narrative can be a means by which a congregation apprehends its vocation” (Congregations: Stories and Structures, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987).

Diana Butler Bass builds on Hopewell’s work by stating that congregations can embody the stories they tell (The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church, Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2004).

Gil Rendle discusses the need to move a congregation out of the safe, weak stories in which many are allowed to operate. The goal is to move from shared monologue to shared dialogue out of which a new story emerges (“Narrative Leadership and Renewed Congregational Identity,” in Finding Our Story: Narrative Leadership and Congregational Change, ed. Larry A Goleman, Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2010).

George Hunsberger writes about a congregation’s need to discern its “missional vocation,” a calling that is unique to each particular church in its context. The process he describes has some similarities to the task of forming a congregational narrative (“Discerning Missional Vocation,” in Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness, ed. Lois Y. Barrett, 33-58, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004).

George Bullard describes the need to write a congregation’s “future story” based on what God has done in the past and what a church’s leaders perceive about their future (Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation, St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2005).

Mary Clark Moschella describes this intervention’s process as a way of “co-authoring the future” and subsequently finding new ways for a congregation to think and act together (Ethnography as a Pastoral Practice: An Introduction, Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2008).

Crafting a Congregational Narrative

2010-10-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

People keep asking me, "Why are you so busy?" Truth is, I'm not THAT busy. Yes, life is hectic and stressful at the moment. But I have time for life's little pleasures -- like watching a few football games, riding my bike to the store with a son, or having dinner with friends. How can I complain? Answer: I don't.

But this is a busy season. Why? My doctoral work is coming to a close. My project is nearing completion. My thesis is due in early December. (By the way, this is a Doctor of Ministry or DMin degree, NOT a PhD -- hence the "thesis" rather than a dissertation.)

What is my project? The joy and blessing of a DMin is that it helps the researcher (me) go deeper into ministry rather than being pulled away from ministry. I am being forced/helped into a becoming a better minister -- though I'll let my congregation be the true judge of that! =) At any rate, the DMin helps me ask questions about my church, and the project helps us improve an area that is vital to our congregation.

With the guidance of our church elders, we chose a project that fits our church's current needs. My project involves the crafting of a congregational narrative. The intent of crafting such a narrative is to move the congregation toward a clearer sense of its identity and over time subsequently increase its capacity for partnering in the mission of God.

The need for crafting a congregational narrative stems from the unique situation of the College Church. The congregation began with a seemingly clear understanding of its story. This previous story funded a clear sense of identity and mission as the College Church grew to become the largest Church of Christ on the West Coast. The church’s original narrative eventually began to erode. With this loss, the College Church began to fragment and decentralize, and a numerical decline eventually ensued and continues to this day. God was still active in the congregation, however, and this project seeks to draw out those things we all appreciate about God's work in this body of believers.

The title of our project is "Crafting a Congregational Narrative for the College Church of Christ in Fresno, California." Story functions not only as a tool for comprehending one’s past. Story also creates capacity for future action. In an "aging" congregation like the College Church, reclaiming identity and reshaping a new future are not ancillary pursuits but are rather crucial to the effectiveness and health of the congregation. As God calls the church to join in his ongoing and continually unfolding story, my aim in this project is to help the College Church gain some appreciation for the scope of their ongoing work and shared life in Fresno, California.

David Bosch & Christian Mission in North America, revisited

2010-10-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

I've been rereading David Bosch's little tome, Believing in the Future. His book is one in a series on Christian Mission and Modern Culture. Bosch was the South African missiologist who died tragically in the early '90s. At the time of his death, he was starting to think through the implications of postmodernism and how the gospel might reach the postmodern world.

I wrote a number of posts on this subject a year or so ago, but I'm beginning to have second thoughts about some of what I wrote. Bosch's little book is about a missiology for the Western world. In layman's terms, he wants to point church leaders toward a construct that will help them become missionaries in their own contexts -- at home, not just abroad. Certainly that is a great exercise.

I have serious doubts, however, about the pursuit of A SINGLE missiological construct for the Western world or even just for North America or even for Fresno. I don't think it's possible. No one really knows if we actually are in a new era called "postmodernity." Even if that term describes the worldview of many who live in our contexts, there are many others who live among us with different understandings of the world -- or who are just trying to put bread on the table or find enough cash for their next high.

If anything, we live in a world of fracturing worldviews. There is no monolithic worldview, not even here in Fresno. Instead, we have worldviews! People, even neighbors, who live in close proximity to one another can have totally incompatible views of life and its attendant values.

So whither the gospel? For one thing, we need to reaffirm the uniqueness of each worshiping community. Every church can have a unique role to play. The goal is not to copy or borrow another church's mission as if our contexts were interchangeable or similar. Even neighboring churches with theological similarity can have different contexts that they reach out to and connect with. God needs us all in our uniqueness.

I am increasingly convinced that each church needs to learn its own special calling and learn to be content with that. Forget about postmodernism or major trends within our society. Just learn the context to which God has called you. And pray that God's Spirit would empower you for God's mission. That on its own should be hard enough!

Harry Potter

2010-09-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so what do you think about Harry Potter? We've had believing (as in Christian) friends who thought they were evil books because of the witchcraft. We've had many other believing (as in Christian) friends who had no trouble reading them or allowing their children to read them. I can certainly understand both perspectives, though I have personally come down on the latter side.

The upcoming movie will undoubtedly make tons of money for the producers and for J.K. Rowling. Not that she needs any more. She is already fabulously wealthy.

I just discovered that the finale will be in two parts. The first comes out at Thanksgiving. The second will be in cinemas next July. The movie trailer is below.

When Harry Potter first became popular, I remember thinking of it as nothing more than a glorified kids book series. I didn't understand the rage. My wife was the first in our family to read one of them. I probably started paying attention to them about halfway through the series. From my perspective, the first couple of books are lighter and almost more childish. But the latter books are not children's books. They are serious stories that provoke deep thought. They have a tremendous power to engage the reader in a way that few books do.

Certain elements of these stories probably should give Christians pause. As a whole, however, there is much good in the Harry Potter saga. Should churches dialogue about major cultural phenomena like this upcoming movie? Or should we ignore them?

The Kind of Change that Produces Character

2010-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Do you know what it feels like to live in misery? Specifically, I am asking about the pain of mental and spiritual anguish. Do you know the pain of living a life that is falling apart? Here are some scenarios that you might have experienced:

Do you know what it feels like to live in the midst of major financial insecurity? Have you seen debts piling up so high and so fast that you just knew there was no way out?

Or do you know what it feels like to be in a marriage that seems to be falling apart? Have you replayed ongoing arguments in your mind and in your life with your spouse? Have you felt the pain in your heart just grow and grow until you went practically numb

Or have you felt the pain of being maligned and slandered by others? Or have you had a dark secret come to the surface that brought intense humiliation and rejection? Have you been caught in a web of bitterness, believing that everyone is out to get you?

If you stop and think about life, you realize that people are not able to change many things. You can’t change who your parents are. You can’t change your spouse (though some people foolishly think that a “change of spouses” is what they need). You can’t change how people act and think. You can’t change the world economy.

Yet you do have power to change one thing – YOUR ATTITUDE! If there are many problems and conflicts in your life, have you ever stopped to think about the one thing that is common to all of those problems and conflicts? Again, it’s you!

I’m not suggesting that you are at fault for all of your struggles. But do you learn from your struggles? Or do you simply become embittered and wait for everything around you to change?

Do you remember Helen Keller? She was a healthy young girl until a prolonged high fever left her blind and deaf. Listen to what she said later in life:

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.

Rather than looking at adversity as something meant to bring you down, what if you viewed it as an invitation to embrace the most important change of all? Embracing change in our own lives is a good thing. All of us have deficiencies that need to be corrected. But if you're like most people, you will tend to be complacent until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change. Embrace the kind of change that produces character.

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Rom 5:3-5).

Beware of Koran Burning

2010-09-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

A tiny group of (Christian?) radicals on the outskirts of Gainesville, Florida, has grabbed the world's attention. Should they go ahead with their plan to burn copies of the Koran on Saturday? Their act is supposedly to mark the anniversary of the Twin Tower bombings. They portray their actions as a prophetic act against a false religion (Islam).

Sadly, this 50-member church fails to realize that its own actions reveal it to be a false church. A great posting on this subject comes from Michael Gorman. He has hit the nail on the head. I encourage you to read his post by clicking here.

Such attention-grabbing groups do not have the mind of Christ. By seeking out glory, this church cannot expect more than this desired attention as its reward. In the process, however, these extremist groups drag down the name of Jesus and soil the reputation of legitimate churches. Even good churches are far from perfect. But this Florida group is not an imperfect church. It's a false church that has already been called out by the Christian community in Gainesville. It's just too bad that their pastor succeeded in finding the right trigger to grab the headlines.

Digital Grounding Takes Hold

2010-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Remember these words, "You're grounded! No going out with your friends for a week!" Those used to be killer words when I was growing up. (Not that I heard them, mind you.)

Today, those words would be applauded or even laughed at. Kids don't want to or need to go out. They "hang out" with their friends in the virtual world of online and texting. Home is the domain where social networking and virtual reality takes hold. Many kids actually WANT to stay home.

So a new form of grounding is here. It's called digital grounding. This modern form of grounding involves taking away kids' cell phones or computer access. And for most kids, it's a far more potent punishment than the old style.

For more on this subject, see the following excellent article in Sunday's Washington Post. Click http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/05/AR2010090503836.html to read it.

Football Preview

2010-09-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

A brief homemade clip from Mountaineer Field in December 2008, my last time to attend a WVU game. I think they played South Florida and won in an ugly, low-scoring game. I do love college football. Need I say more?

The Welsh LOVE Their Dormice

2010-09-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Freeways make transportation easier for us humans. They are signs of progress that most of us welcome. They tend to increase commerce and decrease travel time.

Freeways seem to have their downsides, too. First, they are very expensive. Second, they seem to increase automobile travel & some think this leads to increased pollution.

A third critique of freeways is that they make changes to ecosystems, sometimes making it difficult for species to move freely. If you need proof of this, just drive the interstates in Pennsylvania in a couple months. You'll see dead deer (as in roadkill) EVERYWHERE. It's kind of disgusting, not to mention dangerous.

In Wales, highway developers have come up with a unique solution to this ecosystem problem. Their beloved dormice are already an endangered species, and a new freeway threatened to further decimate the critters. These dormice apparently live entirely in trees. So when they chopped down the trees and laid asphalt, they knew they had subdivided the species. To keep them attached, they spent $250,000 to build a dormice suspension bridge. I heard about it today on The World, a radio program. You can see some photos of the bridge & the mice above. And you can learn much more about this story & see a short video on the BBC website by clicking here.

Can't Wait for Football

2010-08-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

We're glad it's fall. The days are getting cooler and shorter. The routines of life settle in. It's a beautiful season.

To top it all off, it's time for some football! We really enjoy football. College football is great. And the NFL is almost as much fun for us. This year, we'll get to experience to California high school football, too. Jericho is playing in the Clovis West band, and they have a great Queen halftime show. I feel fairly confident that we'll catch a couple games.

We enjoyed 8 great football seasons in Morgantown, West Virginia. It's one of America's great college football towns. Morgantown is small enough that everything grinds to a halt when 65,000 pull into the stadium for home games. On game days, Mountaineer Field temporarily becomes the largest "city" in the whole state.

Our first two years, WVU was rebuilding with new coach Rich Rodriguez. After that, the Mountaineers started a great streak when they competed not only for the Big East championship but also the national championship. I was present on a cold, December evening when WVU only had to win their last game to seal a spot in the national championship game. A 3-7 Pitt team came in and stymied the Mountaineer offense. A normally reliable kicker missed two field goals, and WVU lost a stunner 13-9. Despite that heartache, being in the hunt for a national championship was incredibly fun.

We also lived through two Super Bowl wins with the Steelers. Being close to Pittsburgh, we got to feel the excitement of being in a winning fan base. Very intoxicating.

So I'm ready for another football season. I have my tickets for one of this weekend's best games: Fresno State vs. Cincinnati. Talk about a big game with major implications for both teams! I hope it's a good one. Go Bulldogs!

And I'm pulling for a great year for the Mountaineers. With 17/18 returning starters, they should be primed for a run at the Big East championship & maybe even a top ten finish. If they can beat LSU on the road, watch out!

The Steelers will be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Too much uncertainly in the quarterback role and still no reliable running game. We'll see.

Finally Time for Fiscal Conservatism?

2010-08-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not obsessed by politics. Some people can't seem to think about much else. My personal belief is that our politicians (at least in our context) don't have as much wiggle room as we think. They make big promises, and we bite. Truth is, certain realities make major policy shifts difficult if not impossible. Think Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman can come straight in and fix California's economy? Think again! I'd prefer just to pray for the leaders we have rather than fixate on what they should or shouldn't do.

I do know that our national leaders have a noticeable effect in at least two areas. First, they affect foreign policy. The decisions made in the White House clearly leave an impact on relations between the US and other countries. Even in this area, however, certain realities are scripted from elsewhere and can't be changed no matter who is in the White House.

A second area affected by national leaders is monetary policy. They clearly don't control every dollar that's spent since some expenses are mandated by past decisions. Still, they control the trajectory of our spending. Our leader in the White House either opens the purse strings or keeps a tight rein on them.

Frankly, it's hard not to be concerned with our national debt. Isn't it something like $12 trillion? That's unbelievable. I know that some of our national leaders felt that we had to prevent another Great Depression by going into deeper debt to create more spending. But our national debt is so staggering. We've built an economy dependent more on spending than on production. And we've financed that spending with easy money from elsewhere. Scripture says, "The borrower is slave to the lender" (Prov 22:7).

Interestingly, Germany chose a different path out of this global recession. It followed a path of fiscal austerity instead of the US model of deficit spending. The result? Germany recently announced a quarter of unbelievable growth. (Click here for a recent NY Times article about the German economy.) We can't know yet if that growth is sustainable, but it should give our national leaders pause to hopefully realize that our deficit spending & focus on consumption as a way of life have not fixed and cannot fix our economic woes.

What Is the "Harvest" for a North American Church? (part 4)

2010-08-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

I'm finally returning to my series on "harvest" for the North American church. To read previous posts, you can click here, here or here. Churches in the US have largely grown through proselytizing (definition: the effort to convert someone of another religion to your own religion). I'm sure someone who knows more about this subject might scream at my gross oversimplification. But that's what preachers too often do --we oversimplify. It's not intentional. It's just our natural tendency to make things understandable. Sorry about that.

At any rate, most churches in our environs had to steal sheep (sometimes, lapsed sheep) from other churches in order to grow. Granted, churches often justified such actions by saying things like this, "Their church isn't a good church;" or "They don't practice the truth;" or "We're simply better, so they want to be with us."

Living in Europe as I did, I was surprised at how much animosity Czechs had toward proselytizing. They tended to see it as manipulation. And you didn't want to be friends with someone who manipulated you. Of course, Europe has experienced unbelievable bloodshed over religion. Catholics killed Protestants. Protestants killed Catholics. Protestants killed Protestants. I suppose they should have welcomed our less lethal form of conversion. Still, they generally thought you should leave people alone & let them change on their own.

My point? We often don't know how to let people be without trying to manipulate them toward our way of understanding things. We are fairly inept at having meaningful, open-ended conversations with people about spiritual things. We know how to steer people to our version of truth. We know how to tell people that they should attend our church. But we rarely know how to help people explore the deepest questions of life. And we rarely know how to commit to a relationship with a person without trying to "convert" them to our faith in the process.

In the parable of the Sower (or the Four Soils), it is notable that the Sower sows indiscriminately. He does not seem to judge the soil. Rather, the sower consistently does one thing. What is this one thing? The sower puts the word of God into people -- all people, regardless of the "potential" for conversion -- and then lets God do the rest. The sower does not cajole, does not threaten, does not beg, does not pressure. The sower sows. And then lets people be. "Let those with ears to hear, listen."

Five Guys Burgers in Fresno

2010-08-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Fresno Bee announced the start of the Burger Wars today. With the arrival of Five Guys in River Park and next week's opening of Eureka!Burgers at Palm/Nees, Fresno now has a great mix of burger places. In n Out is the classic, of course. Then there is Colorado Grill -- my favorite of their two locations is at Barstow/Willow. Another newcomer is The Habit over in Fig Garden Village.

I've already grown to like The Habit. I discovered it less than a month ago and enjoy their fresh ingredients and great fries. They should have asked for help in designing their space, however, since the line & beverage station are awkwardly placed. Their location is good, though, and the place has been packed. I also like the fact that it's a California chain -- originating in Santa Barbara.

I know Five Guys fairly well. They seem to be expanding like crazy. It's a mid-Atlantic burger chain that has excellent, greasy burgers and the best fries ever. I first ate at a hole-in-the-wall location that is one of their first stores. (The original is in Arlington, VA.) It's a real dive in DC near the Georgetown campus. John Mark Smith and I first ate there several years ago. I had driven him from Morgantown to DC for the day so he could take care of some business at the Japanese embassy. We then wandered the Georgetown campus & ate at this burger joint that didn't even seem like a chain. Boy was it good! They have since spread like wildfire all over Virginia & now even farther afield. Great place. I'll wait a few days to go to Fresno's new one -- let the crowds die down first.

A Rare Celebration at PNC Park

2010-08-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

On his morning radio show, Dan Patrick highlighted a recent broadcast of the Pittsburgh Pirates radio network. He sometimes plays memorable home run broadcasts, but Patrick says this one may be the most memorable of them all. How often do you hear broadcasters whistle?!

The following broadcast comes from an Aug 7 game between the Pirates and the Colorado Rockies. Pirates relievers blew the lead & let the game go into extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, the Rockies scored twice to take a 2-run lead. The Pirates got two men on base for their promising rookie 3rd-baseman, Pedro Alvarez. Here's the call by veteran broadcasters Greg Brown and Steve Blass.

The great minds at MLB have since pulled the YouTube recording from circulation. Something about ownership rights to all broadcasts.

The broadcasters went absolutely beserk. I don't recall ever hearing a similar outburst. I am sympathetic to the Pirates, but they left themselves open for some ridicule as well. Steve Blass, for example, said this may have been the greatest victory in the history of this ballpark. Hmmm, that doesn't say much given that the Pirates are mired in a 17-year-losing streak, and the ballpark is only 10 years old. I say that we should let them have their fun. There hasn't been much for them to cheer about lately anyway.

Would You Pay More for T-Shirts Not from Sweat Shops?

2010-07-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

Would you be willing to pay a few bucks extra for a t-shirt for your favorite sports teams? Of course not, right. You'd want to pay the lowest possible price.

If you own a store, would you want to find the cheapest manufacturer or one that charges a few dollars more for the same product? I would assume that you would want the cheapest possible price for that particular product. If the quality of two identical products is the same, why would you willingly pay more for it?

One sports garment manufacturer is gambling that you will pay more. The higher price apparently goes to pay a living wage, not to line the pockets of the owners. They pay their employees more than other, similar companies in the region.

The company is Knights Apparel, and it operates in the Dominican Republic. Here are the first few lines of an article by Steven Greenhouse. It appeared in the July 16, 2010, edition of the New York Times. Click here to read the full article online.

SITTING in her tiny living room here, Santa Castillo beams about the new house that she and her husband are building directly behind the wooden shack where they now live.

The new home will be four times bigger, with two bedrooms and an indoor bathroom; the couple and their three children now share a windowless bedroom and rely on an outhouse two doors away.

Ms. Castillo had long dreamed of a bigger, sturdier house, but three months ago something happened that finally made it possible: she landed a job at one of the world’s most unusual garment factories. Industry experts say it is a pioneer in the developing world because it pays a “living wage” — in this case, three times the average pay of the country’s apparel workers — and allows workers to join a union without a fight.

“We never had the opportunity to make wages like this before,” says Ms. Castillo, a soft-spoken woman who earns $500 a month. “I feel blessed.”

The factory is a high-minded experiment, a response to appeals from myriad university officials and student activists that the garment industry stop using poverty-wage sweatshops. It has 120 employees and is owned by Knights Apparel, a privately held company based in Spartanburg, S.C., that is the leading supplier of college-logo apparel to American universities, according to the Collegiate Licensing Company.

Perhaps this is a naive concept. Maybe it flies in the face of free market enterprise. But will it work? Are Americans increasingly sensitive to the need for social justice around the globe? And if so, are they willing to put their money where their mouth is? It's not easy to determine the answers to such questions.

The ultimate test, I suppose, is quite simple. Will Knights Apparel succeed? Or will low-cost alternatives destroy their bottom line? In the U.S., this is the ultimate question.

Back to Normal Life

2010-07-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, I survived the last week of doing normal work AND the groundwork for my doctoral thesis. Hopefully, I can just slide back into the swing of normalcy now. I will still have more work to do, but the hardest part is behind me for now.

Is anyone still there? My apologies for the long absence.

Julie and the boys seem to have survived church camp. It was a week full of blessings. I only went up one evening to do the camp devo for all 160 or so people. It just so happened that my evening there was when ten of the kids had decided to get baptized. Parents & guardians had been called in advance, so there were plenty of extra faces there for the great events of the evening. Yosemite Bible Camp is turning into a major boost for our young people and families. This is undoubtedly a key building block for our church.

Blessings!

Battling the Heat

2010-07-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know we were spoiled in May and June. Our air conditioner spent very little time in operation, and our PG&E bills reflected that. But now, the fun is over. The real Valley summer is here. It's 107 on our back porch. That's better than the 112 we experienced last summer when moving into our new house. But it's still brutal.

Speaking of heat, I hear that Europe is battling intense heat. Unlike Fresnans, they aren't used to temps in the 90s -- at least not sustained temps. Very few people have AC. I'm sure people are wearing as few clothes as possible.

When we used to live in Prague, many Czech women didn't need much of an excuse to wear as few clothes as possible. Sometimes that was good -- or at least good to the eyes. Sometimes that was painful to see. The guys sometimes didn't wear the most flattering clothing either, while others knew how to dress sharply.

Needless to say, I'm glad to have AC.

This will be a brutal week as I try to finish my doctoral prospectus. It lays the theoretical and methodological groundwork for my project, a project that I think will be a solid building block for us here at the College Church. The nice thing about a doctorate of ministry is that it is a degree for practitioners not researchers. Like an Ed.D., a D.Min. should ideally help a minister go deeper into his ministry setting rather than pull him off into the academy. I can attest that this program has made a huge difference for me. Next week, though, is about survival, not about making a difference.

First Famous Sports Streaker Is Embarrassed by Past Actions

2010-07-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

The year was 1974. The setting was Twickenham Stadium in London, the 82,000-seat home of English rugby. It was cold, and Australian accountant Michael O'Brien had no real reason to do something crazy. Except that he couldn't say no to a dare.

His Aussie friends told an English colleague, "Don't ever bet O'Brien. He's so crazy that he can never turn down a challenge." The Englishman couldn't believe it, so he bet O'Brien ten pounds that he wouldn't run across the field naked at half time. O'Brien, who couldn't say no, took the bet, and the game was on.

To win the bet, he had to reach the fencing at the far end of the playing field. He stripped down and flew across the field. The police tackled him just before he reached his goal. Although the TV broadcast was in commercials, photographer Ian Bradshaw captured the shots that went round the world.

O'Brien was taken off the field and fined ten pounds -- the amount he won in the bet. Even worse, he lost his job because of the incident. Today, he is incredibly embarrassed by his actions.

Pictures in the Sunday Mirror became a huge sensation. Bradshaw's photos were eventually published in newspapers in 35 countries across the globe. The famous police helmet, used to cover O'Brien's midsection, was later auctioned off to raise money for charity. The helmet was recently donated back to the streaker in exchange for an interview.

World Cup Picks Revisited

2010-07-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

As the second semifinal kicks off between Germany and Spain, I admit that I feel somewhat vindicated in most of my picks. I picked Germany to beat Spain in the finals. That obviously can't happen now since Germany & Spain wound up in the same half of the knock-out brackets. But I think I nailed the two most dominant teams in the tournament. This semi would be better as the finals in my opinion.

I nailed it when I said South Africa would be the first host not to escape their group. And I predicted Italy and France's quick demise. And Mexico choked as always.

I picked the wrong African team to go far -- Cameroon instead of Ghana.

One team I completely overlooked was Netherlands. I knew they were on a roll coming into the tournament, but I messed up by not even mentioning them. I view that as the one major mistake in my picks. But it's been a fun World Cup. Too bad it's almost over.

Screamin' Mimi's Ice Cream in Sebastopol

2010-07-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

After a couple days in San Francisco, one realizes how important food is to our economy. I enjoy food as much as the next person, but I've never been in a position to visit any Michelin 3-star establishments. Me? Because of economics, I'm one who tries to find a hidden gem or a quality meal for a reasonable price. In my mind, it's a huge splurge to pay more than $50 for our family to eat out. Yeah, it happens on occasion, but this kind of a meal is a big treat for us.

So after smelling great food odors in San Fran, we were primed for some quality food at a reasonable price. (By the way, we did eat some good food in the Bay City.) So when I asked the hotel clerk about his favorite ice cream spot, he didn't hesitate, "Screamin' Mimi's in Sebastopol! It's a little out of the way, but it's the best."

We headed over to check out the redwoods at Armstrong Redwoods State Park. On the way, we just happened to swing through the bohemian town of Sebastopol. Next to the "green" architect and the yen-yang clothing store, we happened to find the ice cream store called Screamin' Mimi's. We all had our fill of amazingly fresh homemade ice cream for just $12. They actually had two kinds of vanilla. One was made with Tahitian vanilla and the other with Filipino. The colors were even slightly different.

We've had great ice cream over the years. Some of my favorites include Tichy's in Vienna and Cow's on Prince Edward Island and McConnell's of Santa Barbara.

But I'd give Screamin' Mimi's 5 stars. If you're ever in Sebastopol west of Santa Rosa, check out Mimi's Mud or any flavor you please!

Watching Soccer with Vuvuzelas

2010-07-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

I just saw this video on a Czech news site. The video shows fans watching a live broadcast of the World Cup on Prague's Old Town Square. I think this makes it extremely clear why many European soccer clubs are already posting regulations that ban vuvuzelas at matches this coming season.

I read somewhere that these lovely devices produce the same decibel level as a chain saw. What a nuisance!

Ukraine's President & the Wreath that must not be shown!

2010-06-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

Since the recent election of Viktor Yanukovich to the Ukrainian presidency, he has shifted the direction of Ukraine's politics. First, he is turning Ukraine's foreign policy more toward Russia. Second, he is gradually trying to move away from a free market economy.

Third, he is clamping down on the media. He does not want opposing voices on the air. He seems to be following the Russian model for government control of the media.

Below is a clip where Yanukovich is laying a memorial wreath along with Russian president Dmitri Medvedev. When the wind blew the wreath on his head, he quickly moved to prevent news channels from showing the incident. One channel, however, refused. The incident is now on YouTube thanks to Ukrajinska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth).

Thankfully, journalists in Ukraine are organizing against Yanukovich's censorship. We take a free press for granted here in the US, but many people around the world don't enjoy that blessing.

Supreme Court Ruling May Affect Campus Works

2010-06-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the Supreme Court ruling we were all waiting for. This ruling did not come out in favor of the Christian Legal Society. Because the CLS refused membership to openly gay members, the group was banned as an official group at Cal's Hastings School of Law. CLS asked all members to sign a statement of faith that committed them to avoiding immoral sexual behavior.

Here's how the New York Times reports it:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An ideologically split Supreme Court ruled Monday that a law school can legally deny recognition to a Christian student group that won't let gays join, with one justice saying that the First Amendment does not require a public university to validate or support the group's ''discriminatory practices.''

The court turned away an appeal from the Christian Legal Society, which sued to get funding and recognition from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. The CLS requires that voting members sign a statement of faith and regards ''unrepentant participation in or advocacy of a sexually immoral lifestyle'' as being inconsistent with that faith.

But Hastings, which is in San Francisco, said no recognized campus groups may exclude people due to religious belief or sexual orientation.

The court on a 5-4 judgment upheld the lower court rulings saying the Christian group's First Amendment rights of association, free speech and free exercise were not violated by the college's nondiscrimination policy.

''In requiring CLS -- in common with all other student organizations -- to choose between welcoming all students and forgoing the benefits of official recognition, we hold, Hastings did not transgress constitutional limitations,'' said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who wrote the 5-4 majority opinion for the court's liberals and moderate Anthony Kennedy. ''CLS, it bears emphasis, seeks not parity with other organizations, but a preferential exemption from Hastings' policy.''

Justice Samuel Alito wrote a strong dissent for the court's conservatives, saying the opinion was ''a serious setback for freedom of expression in this country.''

''Our proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express 'the thought that we hate,''' Alito said, quoting a previous court decision. ''Today's decision rests on a very different principle: no freedom for expression that offends prevailing standards of political correctness in our country's institutions of higher learning.''

The decision is a large setback for the Christian Legal Society, which has chapters at universities nationwide and has won similar lawsuits in other courts.

For the full article click here.

I'm personally unhappy with this ruling, but I don't think this is an "Armageddon" scenario for Christian campus ministries. Let's not be too quick to judge since CLS may have been looking for this fight.

Today's ruling should serve, however, as a shot across the bow. If campus ministries want to reap the benefits of "official" status at university campuses, then they forfeit the right to set their own rules. And that is something we just can't tolerate.

What Is the "Harvest" for a North American Church? (part 3)

2010-06-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

In my previous posts on this subject (click here and here to read), I began to unpack the concept of "harvest" from a church perspective. I'll tie onto the closing comments of my last post.

Picture the following scenario. A person stands up in a crowd and shouts out, "We're expecting a great harvest!" Aside from the possibility that this person might be crazy, what other thoughts might go through your mind? What kind of harvest would you think about?

This is the dilemma I'm talking about in these posts. The Bible talks about a "harvest," but what do we mean when we talk about a harvest? Are we talking about the same thing as the Bible talks about? Do we even know what we mean?

As I said in my last post, the onset of "Constantinian Christianity" created a mindset that the harvest (if there was one) was in faraway, pagan lands. Since everyone in the Western world was theoretically Christian, the only possible harvest had to be understood as foreign missions.

From the vantage point of Western Christians like ourselves, this changed with the start of Protestantism. Christianity was now fractured into different churches with differing structures, practices and beliefs. Harvest could now become the "conversion" of other Christians.

If you fast-forward to the "melting pot" of Christianity in the US, you find a context where churches compete for Christians. Harvest now becomes the "conversion" of people from one set of Christian beliefs to another set of beliefs. Of course there were conversions of people from darkness to light, but much of the North American harvest was in truth a form of sheep-stealing rather than conversion.

In our own Restoration Movement, we learned to effectively steal sheep. We justified it with the belief that we were saving people from false teachings and false practices and converting them to the truth. We rebaptized thousands of people who had been baptized "for the wrong reasons" or "in the wrong church" or "by a false preacher" and on and on it goes. Harvest was less about converting people to Jesus than about convincing people that our specific set of Christian beliefs and practices was the ONLY right set. Added to that, many people still think of harvest as something far away in pagan, 3rd-world countries.

This kind of "conversion" is not always bad. People certainly shift from one set of beliefs to another within their lifetimes. We all grow and mature in our understandings. Sometimes, this causes us to leave one group and migrate elsewhere.

The problem for us is not that people shifted from other churches to ours. The problem is that we confused this with the harvest. For the most part, this was the only kind of harvest we knew. Conversion from absolute paganism was equated with conversion from being a Baptist. We didn't seem to know the difference between harvest growth and transfer growth.

As I will discuss in my next post, the concept of "harvest" has become embarrassing or unclear to many Christians who no longer view our church through sectarian lenses. I think this is part of the reason why our churches no longer grow. I'll ask if we can reclaim a healthy concept of harvest.

Touching Story from Haiti

2010-06-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

I thought this story was gut-wrenching. The LA Times journalist who pieced this together did a nice job of trying to frame the story for us. I can't imagine the difficult decisions parents like this have before them. It reframes decisions that seem hard for me.

The video is about 5 minutes long. Click this to view it.

Apple's Secret Product Development Plans

2010-06-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you were surprised by Apple's new iPad. If you don't want to be surprised by their next products, I have some news for you. I came across a stash of top-secret photos that reveal Steve Jobs' plans for future developments of the iPod product line.

Here's where we are so far:

Here are the secret plans for future products:

Here is how the beta version of the iPad looked.

As you can see from this picture, printing is no problem with the iPad -- even though there is no USB port:

And here is a chart comparing the features of iPads and watermelons:

And here's the video promo for the iPad that Apple trashed before they released it:

In Trouble for Wearing Orange Dresses to Dutch Soccer Match

2010-06-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

An odd story out of South Africa. A group of Dutch women are in trouble with South African police. Why? Because they wore orange dresses to the Dutch game against Denmark. Mind you, orange is the national color for Dutch soccer.

Apparently, these women were all outfitted and sent to attend the match en masse by a beer company. This act constitutes the horrific crime of "ambush advertising." They were attempting to gain free publicity for a corporate enterprise without the rights to do so. You can read an article by clicking here or here or here (this last one has the most pictures).

Never mind the fact that violent street crime is awful in parts of South Africa. The police had more important things to do. Namely, arrest these women who were out of line! In a sign of the true reason for this raucous, FIFA said that the women SHOULD be prosecuted. The offending beer company is NOT an official World Cup sponsor. In other words, FIFA is protecting their sponsors, and the South African police are helping them.

The Dutch government has filed an official protest. Here are "the girls" being ejected by a stadium official.

Addendum to Comment on Willimon

2010-06-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Someone asked for clarification about my last post. I referenced William Willimon's comments made to the annual gathering of CofC youth ministers. Willimon is a United Methodist bishop. For many years, he was pastor of the Duke Chapel and taught at Duke University. Now, he serves in Alabama as bishop.

I wasn't present when he made those comments. My information comes second hand. I would love to hear from someone who was present.

As it was conveyed to me, he told them not to leave Churches of Christ because we have something special. By that, I think he was referencing the counter-cultural heritage from which we have sprung. He may have also been touched by the a cappella singing as happens with many speakers from outside who hear us sing. Thoughtful non-CofCers are almost always blown away by the depth of our worship because of the voices we raise.

So, that's as much as I know. It would be interesting to hear more...

"Cutting-Edge" Worship

2010-06-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

A friend who is a pastor in a Southern Baptist church shared this video with me. It's a bit of tongue-in-cheek self-ridicule produced by the video arts team at North Point church in Atlanta. That's Andy Stanley's church. They are satirizing the radical, cutting-edge worship that so many churches (including theirs) like to use. The question is, "If everyone is really doing it, is it actually so cutting edge?"

On a related note, I was recently reminded of Will Willimon's words to a gathering of CofC youth ministers. Invited to speak to their annual gathering in Colorado, Willimon told these youth ministers not to leave the Churches of Christ. He said that we have something worth preserving, that we practice a form of Christianity crucial in the days ahead. He bemoans churches who just want to be like everyone else. Willimon and many others suggest that diversity will be a crucial tool as we seek to reach a post-Christian world.

Pancakes better than Cracker Barrel? Try Fran's in Austin

2010-06-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

It's the favorite breakfast place of my in-laws. Fran's in Austin looks like one of those neighborhood greasy-spoon establishments. They advertise themselves as "Hamurgers." They have no web site. No slick sign out front. It's in a declining part of town. Nothing about it looks all that remarkable.

Then there are the stories about the owners. It used to be Dan's until a divorce. I guess Dan lost the place and Fran now runs the show.

Kind of like the barbecue divorce in Abilene, Texas. One of the most famous barbecue dives there was a place called Joe Allen's. It was less than a hole in the wall. But it was famous. Ranchers would show up in the evenings to eat steak. People of all kinds would order their brisket, burgers, ribs, turkey -- you name it. All of it was smoked or grilled over mesquite. Great stuff. Until Joe's wife Sharon caught him cheating on her. After the divorce, Sharon opened up Sharon's in a new location. Joe built a new place and closed the old dive. Sharon's didn't take off right away. Today, however, Sharon's is thriving and Joe's isn't doing as well. Nasty stuff, these restaurant divorces.

Another friend of mine was talking about the owners of a luxury country club in Ontario. They went through a terrible divorce that divided all the property in half. Today, there are two 9-hole golf courses where there used to be one 18-hole private course. Bizarre!

At any rate, Fran's might seem unassuming from the outside, but the food is fantastic. The pancakes are seriously better than Cracker Barrel's. It's the standard by which I measure pancakes since I used to live where CB started. But Fran's -- yum! Great atmosphere. Great food. And a stone's throw from my wife's old high school. Who could ask for more!?

What is it about these old-school places that is so good? In a world where most eating establishments have corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, San Jose or Louisville, it's nice to find a local eatery with real local ownership. Not all local places know how to cook. I don't have to be a chef to recognize bad food when I get it. But when you do get quality food from a local restaurant, why not patronize it as much as possible?

The place sort of reminds me of Country Fare in Fresno. I've never had breakfast there, but I hear people rave about their pre-lunch menu. Now I'm wondering if it would be in the same league. Gotta check it out.

Sunday Thoughts

2010-06-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

Things you wouldn't want to hear at the airport:

"Nick, where's my red bag?" (words spoken by a young woman at LAX)

A look of panic came across her face as her boyfriend paid for a big stack of magazines. I'd guess they were boarding a long flight, and Nick had misplaced the aforementioned red bag. Let's hope Nick found the bag.

Also seen on a flight from LAX to Austin: a very large (as in muscular) Armenian-looking guy with enormous, Popeye-like biceps. He was beside a striking, olive-skinned, 40-year-old woman wearing an expensive-looking dress with a plunging neck line. They were in business class and had a look about them that said: "Stay away." At the baggage claim in Austin, he lugged at least 6 gigantic suitcases off the luggage belt to the cart. I could see a tattoo on his arm with Armenian letters. She was acting like she was helping, but he clearly knew it was his role to collect and assemble the luggage. He was literally shoving people out of the way to get to their red-tagged suitcases whenever he saw one.

My question: Were they a couple? Or was he there to "take care" of her? Perhaps I'd rather not find out the answer to that question.

Did you know that a latte at Starbucks costs more in Texas than in California? What's up with that? In Fresno, I can buy a latte for $2.60 tax free. In Texas, it's $2.65 plus tax. Can someone explain this me? Are Texans wealthier? Does it cost more to import coffee to Texas? Is my sampling of California Starbucks too small? Or do Texans just have no idea they're paying more than elsewhere since so many of them never leave the Lone State Nation? IMWTK.

What Is the "Harvest" for a North American Church? (part 2)

2010-06-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

In my previous post about "harvest," I suggested that we don't much know how to handle this concept in our contemporary churches. Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers into his harvest." What exactly does this mean for a North American church?

I need to qualify this question. This is a question primarily directed to people who are embarrassed by our old ways of evangelism. Admittedly, some are not tired of the old ways. I am one of the many who think change is needed. But many who have left the old ways no longer know what way to go.

How are we to understand "harvest" in North American in 2010? Here is the first of several thoughts on the subject.

(1) Blame our confusion on Constantine. It's all Constantine's fault.

You know Constantine, right? He was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Some doubt the authenticity of his conversion since it was connected to victory in a battle. You may question his motives, but there's little doubting that he became an advocate for Christianity.

Constantine himself did not make drastic changes in the church. He is symbol, however, of a major shift in the history of Christianity. The followers of Jesus, at least in the Mediterranean world, were no longer a frowned-upon minority. The ways of the church become increasingly entwined with the ways of the government. To be a citizen of the Roman Empire would eventually equal being a Christian.

It's common practice today to blame the church's problems on Constantine. I first became aware of Constantine's symbolic impact from my mentor and friend Leonard Allen. I would eventually read "Resident Aliens" and many other books that clarified the inherent problem caused by Christianity's linkage to the halls of power.

Certain nations began to think of themselves as "Christian" nations. When everyone in your nation is already Christian, where is the harvest field? For most people, nowhere. The harvest has already been reaped. For others, though, harvest becomes something you do among foreign, pagan peoples. This mentality -- symbolically call it Constantine's legacy -- causes us today to think of harvest as something done by missionaries.

Quite a pickle you've made for us, Constantine. Thanks a bunch! But in my next post, we'll see how some found a "harvest" even in Christian lands.

Siphiwo Ntshebe

2010-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

I was listening to "The World" produced by WPGH in Boston, PRI & the BBC. It's a daily recap of the world's events. One story that caught my attention was about Siphiwo Ntshebe. I had never heard of him, but the story mentioned him as one of the most talented young tenors.

Nelson Mandela hand-picked him to perform at the opening ceremonies of the World Cup in just a few days. You can hear him sing by going to this link. This was to be his "coming out" party. Everything he had ever worked for and dreamed about was near reality.

Ntshebe died suddenly last week at age 35. He came down with acute meningitis and died in hospital in South Africa. The following is written at his web site:

Siphiwo (known to many as Sip or Dez) had a giant personality and a giant voice. The voice, an unique and exceptional voice, profoundly touched everyone who heard it. With his voice Siphiwo brought inspiration and comfort to all who heard him. Siphiwo's voice has often been compared to other great opera singers, but the reality is that his voice was unique. The power of his high notes was incomparable, his vocal range was extraordinary and he achieved a technical vocal mastery that was a wonder to all.

Siphiwo was devoted to his family and no matter where he was in the world, he would be in constant contact with them. Siphiwo was very proud to be an African, and especially a South African. He wanted to show what was possible even, as he was, born into a very disadvantaged environment. But Siphiwo always felt so rich because of the unequivocal love of his parents - even though they had no material wealth and knew that being a musician could be very difficult, when Siphiwo declared that he wanted to be an opera singer, they supported his decision wholeheartedly.

Nelson Mandela was his hero and to have the opportunity to sing for Madiba was the highlight of Siphiwo's life.

Siphiwo's other passion was for opera - he would continually listen to the great masters of the past on old LP's. He knew the plots of the operas in every detail and he would love to recount the stories in a way that would transfix his audience. Siphiwo's life was an opera. He had the great operatic voice too.

Just at the point in his life when all Siphiwo's dreams were about to be realised, tragedy struck and a light in the world has now gone out.

Fresno State football ranked 81st?!?

2010-05-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Sporting News released its preseason Top 100 rankings for the 2010 college football season. What are they thinking putting Fresno State at only 81st?! Excuse me, but that seems strange for a squad that's returning 17 starters. At least they're ranked higher than Vanderbilt. Of course preseason polls are pure speculation and hype, so I wouldn't get too worked up about the disrespect.

What Is the "Harvest" for a North American Church? (part 1)

2010-05-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus looks at the great crowds following him. He has been teaching, proclaiming good news, and healing every disease and sickness. When he looks at the crowds, he has compassion and views them as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus then calls his disciples and says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers into his harvest."

As time permits, I want to explore the nature of the harvest over the next few posts. Right or wrong, we used to have a clear picture of the Christian harvest. We used to talk about the need to harvest. Christians were "exhorted" to sow the seeds of the Kingdom!

I recall singing songs about planting and reaping. They didn't mean much to me. I never lived on a farm, never killed an animal for food, never sowed, and never really reaped.

We sang songs like this one: "Are you sowing the seeds of the kingdom, brother, in the morning bright and fair? Are you sowing the seed of the kingdom, brother, in the heat of the noonday’s glare?" To a kid's ears that song sounds bizarre if not downright funny. To my ears it sounded as if we were all singing, "Are you sowing the seeds of the king, dumb brother?"

Metaphors of harvest and planting still leak into cultural awareness and conversation. Do you remember the Tears for Fears hit song, "Sowing the Seeds of Love"? This youtube video should take you back a couple years!

In order to discuss a North American harvest, we have to unpack this concept a bit. In between my moments of preparation for this summer's doc classes, I will try to follow this thread. Please share any relevant information that may help as we talk about this. Blessings!

Update from Thailand

2010-05-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest word from David Allen, a missionary in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I know and respect David. We definitely need to pray that the Lord might use these horrible events to further the growth of His Kingdom.
Dear friends,

We want to say thank you for your thoughts, prayers, emails, and messages since we wrote you a few days ago. While there is still a lot of tension and sadness for what has taken place in Thailand, the government has reasserted control and it is now quiet.

To be cautious, the "State of Emergency" is still in effect and there has been a curfew for Bangkok and most of the northern provinces the last few days. Many schools, banks, malls, and government offices have been closed or had shorter hours. Therefore, we have been laying low for the most part & enjoying time with the kids (they were excited about having school canceled for two days) and other friends nearby.

With government control over the press, it is hard to get a good idea on what is happening and why. We read a good article that is more fair and unbiased than we’ve seen explaining what has happened here in Thailand. Click on the following link to read it:

What the Heck Is Going on in Thailand? - By Joshua Kurlantzick

The idea of Bangkok spiraling into total chaos -- as it has over the past week, with 40 people killed so far in street battles between anti-government protesters and the military -- is shocking to foreigners.
Please continue praying for the nation and people of Thailand, that they may look to the Prince of Peace for answers.

Shalom,
David and Michelle Allen

P.S. One correction from our last update: The city hall in Chiang Mai was not burning; rather a pile of tires out front.

Thailand's Unrest & Our Churches

2010-05-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

The violence in Thailand is causing concern on many fronts. Churches of Christ have growing churches in Thailand, especially in the north. Some excellent work flows out of Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city. While most of the rioting is in Bangkok, unrest is spreading throughout the country.

Here is an update from David Allen, one of our missionaries in Chiang Mai:

Dear Friends,

The situation in Bangkok has further deteriorated as the army has routed the protestors out from their main camp in the center of the city. As of Wednesday evening, there are scattered riots and burning buildings throughout Bangkok. The army continues to shoot at protesters, resulting in more injuries and fatalities. At least three foreign news reporters have been injured and one killed in the crossfire.

The army’s heavy hand has inflamed tensions in the northern provinces and violent protests are occurring in at least 3 northern cities this evening- including Chiang Mai. There are reports of small groups rioting in Chiang Mai in front of the governor’s house, which has been set on fire, and a nearby major bridge has been taken over by approximately 1,000 protestors. There are unconfirmed reports of gunfire from this area.

The city hall is also on fire. We have heard that the malls and nearby shopping centers have been closed as well as most public services, and Grace International School is temporarily closed for tomorrow at least.

A curfew is imposed from 8 PM to 6 AM in Bangkok and a "State of Emergency" declared in the many provinces. I am in close contact with the director of the Christian Missionary Alliance and the director of Northern Thailand Christian Missions. Should they issue notices for emergency evacuation in their organizations, I would also be informed immediately.

The churches with whom we work are experiencing much tension within as political opinions are testing brotherly love. These events are really putting to test each person's allegiance to Christ vs. their allegiance to country and political party.

The area in which we live has been quiet. Nevertheless, we are preparing ourselves should civil war break out or the safety of our family clearly be threatened. We have extra cash on hand, stocked our pantry, gathered our valuables, and are ready for a quick trip to the airport, should we deem that necessary. Fortunately, we live only 15 minutes from the international airport.

There are many who have expressed their concern for us. Of course, we greatly appreciate all your prayers for our safety and for peace in Thailand.

Shalom,
David Allen

College Ministries Might Benefit from a Ban

2010-05-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

In a previous post I briefly talked about a Supreme Court case that may affect campus ministry. Because public institutions frown upon any form of discrimination, they are unsure what to do with officially sanctioned religious groups. Why? Because many religious groups only want leaders who have a particular religious view. Believe it or not, the Christian Legal Society only wants leaders who are Christians. Sounds strange, I know, but this is the essence of the Supreme Court case.

Why is this a problem? It's only an issue because groups like the aforementioned CLS exist as an officially sanctioned university club. This status as a university club allows the group to meet for free in university space, advertise on campus and be listed on the university's website. Here, for example, is the student org page for the University of California's Hastings College of Law -- this is the school that recently banned the Christian Legal Society due to "discrimination" against non-Christians.

This has been an ongoing debate on state university campuses. West Virginia University, where I served as campus minister for 8 years, already looks askance at Christian groups. Some felt that Muslim and other non-Christian religious groups got preferential treatment -- a type of reverse discrimination practiced in order to highlight "tolerance," a key word for most social justice offices.

Most campus ministries take advantage of club status. By submitting a constitution, electing officers and agreeing to meet regularly, almost any group of students can form a club on their campus. You can have a BBQ Club, a Ballroom Dance Club, a club for students from Southeast Asia, or a Flat Earth club. Basically, anything goes as long as it isn't offensive.

This same principle applies in the organization of campus ministries. Of course, most universities & colleges rarely have a single Christian student association or club. Most schools have multiple Christian organizations. Some of these include Baptist Student Fellowship, Chi Alpha, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Newman Club, Campus Crusade, etc. Here, for example, is a listing of all student orgs at West Virginia University. Just note how many Christian groups there are!

In many cases there is a cozy relationship between religious organizations and the university. Major schools like the Univ of Maryland even built campus chapels to house these groups. Some of this country's most prestigious schools were originally Christian institutions. Campus ministries depend on the university newspaper for free advertising and upon university facilities for free meeting space. Campus ministers have often enjoyed the benefits of faculty/staff status, even though they don't draw a salary from the school.

In return campus ministries typically provide a huge benefit to their students and schools. They give a sense of belonging and help students cope with the challenges of university life. There is evidence, anecdotal and statistical, that students involved in campus ministries are psychologically healthy and perform better academically than others.

Having said that, some campus ministries may have grown overly reliant on the academic institutions where they minister. Campus ministry in some places is one of the few vestiges of Christendom in our country. In a country marked by increasing secularism, materialism and pluralism, Christians should no longer expect the protection or sponsorship of the state. I'm not arguing for or against the current state of affairs. I'm merely stating the obvious. We used to live in a world where everything reinforced our particular Western-Christian worldview. But that world has dramatically changed.

Unfortunately, some campus pastors are still grasping onto the old world. I believe that this can result in unfortunate compromise. Instead of Christians who radically follow the ethical and moral demands of Jesus, you can end up with a campus program that gives lip service to God while following the gods of tolerance, respectability and the sports arena. In order to officially belong to the campus community, one has to play by the rules. And the rules in some places are increasingly hostile to the types of exclusive demands Jesus makes upon his followers.

I'm not suggesting that campus ministries follow the examples of extreme groups that were thrown off campus because of overly aggressive evangelistic techniques that bordered on stalking and extortion. But I mean that a group committed to Jesus has to have the ability to follow Jesus. Duh! For example, what about disciplining a student who refuses to follow the moral standards of the Kingdom? Or what about a leader who suddenly starts to teach that Mohammad and Jesus are equals? Is an official student organization allowed to throw out a student who actively pushes a non-orthodox view? Would such action be considered discriminatory by the university?

The truth is that we have to learn how to follow Jesus, university sanctioned or not. And I believe many campus pastors sincerely want to do this. They would be willing to sacrifice their football season tickets for more meaningful discipleship. They would gladly work in unofficial means if it meant staying true to their calling.

This generation of campus ministers will truly set the standards for years to come. I thank God that many of them know the meaning of the word "sacrifice" and are willing to live that out. While I pray it doesn't happen, a ban from the student org list might actually benefit campus ministries if it causes them to radically depend on God more than on their universities.

A Tribute to WVU's Basketball Season

2010-05-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

For all who are sympathetic to West Virginia University basketball (or had to put up with me), here is a video tribute to their 2009-10 season. This was put together by Pikewood Video for the annual WVU basketball banquet. Someone has kindly put it on YouTube in 3 parts. The following segment is part 1 -- my favorite of the parts. Thanks for watching!

Herding Cats

2010-05-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

It seems to be a popular metaphor. The idea of "herding cats" is an idiom that seems to communicate the difficult task leading people (or groups) who don't tend to follow direction. This is one of the major reasons why I have never liked cats. They seem to think they rule the roost. They're sneaky and difficult to figure. And they always come up to me and rub against my leg. Now what's that all about?

I found this cute commercial for some IT company. I suppose they claim to be able to help you "herd cats" if you just purchase their expertise.

There are all kinds of books with "Herding Cats" in the title. I recall hearing Jeff Krajeski speak at one of our campus ministry conferences. He co-authored a book about leading a congregation in the "postmodern world." He clearly thinks of this as "herding cats" since he titled his book accordingly.

I wonder in what sense ministry is like herding cats. It seems a sympathetic metaphor, especially in an established congregation. Right? Churches that are new tend to have strong, centralized leadership. Decision-making is theoretically streamlined in a newer church.

But in an established church, people develop areas that they feel responsibility for. They learn to protect their particular niche and get defensive if other leaders try to alter it or shift responsibility to someone new. If you get multiple situations like that, church leaders really can feel like they are herding cats. Trying to get everyone to relinquish their individual agendas -- as important as they may seem -- for a common agenda is crucial.

I don't know. Sounds strange, but I guess there's something to it. Let's herd some cats!

Pepperdine Bible Lectures 2010: Hope Rekindled, part 2

2010-05-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

If I am counting correctly, this was my fifth visit to the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. Pepperdine University truly is a flagship institution for our churches -- in every sense of the word. They have enjoyed great leadership over the years, and Andy Benton as the 6th president is no exception. He is a great leader for this era.

Equally important in maintaining Pepperdine's status is their director of church relations. Dr. Jerry Rushford has cemented his place as one of the most influential people in Churches of Christ at the end of the 20th and start of the 21st century. He does many things in addition to the Bible Lectures, but that annual gathering is clearly the most visible part of his legacy.

It must be a massive undertaking to plan a program like that one. Not only does one carefully have to choose what is IN the program. One must also carefully weigh what is NOT IN the program. These seemingly "simple" choices can have a major effect on our churches.

Jerry is not the only person shepherding Churches of Christ through the dangerous waters of change. His role is not one without a cost. There are always critical voices ringing out against those in leadership, but those voices are often wrought with jealousy.

"By their fruit you shall know them." Clearly, the fruit of Pepperdine's direction is beginning to show up. What is this fruit? I see at least 3 major trends in the progressive "wing" of our churches, and Jerry's Pepperdine legacy is at least partly responsible for this.

Fruit #1 -- Less Sectarianism
    We needed the years of laughing and crying at our heritage. Those who have known tyranny need humor to survive. We experienced a tyranny of rationalism and legalism, and God has been good enough to lead us partly through it. The reasoned & sometimes humorous critiques of teachers and speakers at Pepperdine helped us move beyond the sectarianism of our past.

Fruit #2 -- More Global
     Our church has moved beyond the traditional confines of the American Bible Belt. We truly are a global movement. The largest and wealthiest churches are still in Texas and Tennessee, but there are major churches and church institutions in Africa along with some respectable growth in Latin America, Asia and Europe. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures have emphasized and lauded the global nature of our churches -- not just by ethnocentrically rewarding the "white, North American" missionaries but by inviting national church leaders to share the pulpit. Truly, one cannot attend Pepperdine without sensing this global reach.

Fruit #3 -- More Missional & Outward-Focused
     Jerry has by and large embraced cutting-edge topics on the program, allowing space for conversation about postmodernism, science, technology and other contemporary concerns.  He has also given ample space to church planting and forums led by groups like Kairos that talk about the need for new churches. It would have been sad to make it past sectarianism and end up with a navel-gazing movement. That would have led to certain death. But the direction clearly seems to be outward focused, and I praise God for this.