Holy Heathens

Nothing to Say

2010-04-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

While I enjoy the irony of using a blog to say it, this seems the best way to communicate the following: I'm taking a hiatus from blogging. I'm doing this for several reasons and here's two of them.

1. I have nothing to say. It's a harsh self-judgment, but lately listening has worked much better for me. I'm leaving up the blog and the list of blogs I'm following. Check them out for some good reads. I especially enjoy Britt's blog (Drunken Mystic), Stuff Christians Like and the Church of No People. They have a great way of communicating ideas better than I ever could.

2. I care too much. I don't worry too much about comments on Facebook or Twitter, but blogs for some reason feed a concern for validation that is unnecessary. I'll be in touch using Facebook or Twitter (reeseseater), so check it out if you wish. Either way, I wish you all the best. God bless.

Ponderings on Persecution

2010-04-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

I don't say this to dig up any dirt on anyone or attack the Catholic Church in any way. In case you haven't heard, they're going through another mess with abuse scandals. Beyond hoping the individuals directly involved in the abuses will be put away for a long time so no one is attacked by them again, I don't have much to add. But a recent headline about a sermon seemed worth pondering. Something about it seemed so-for lack of a better term-modern. I'll mention it later, and when I do try to imagine someone saying it without a cellphone or iphone in hand, or at least in pocket, ready to surf the web and update facebook and/or twitter. Try it. (double dog dare implied)

Here's the deal. A friar said the way the Catholic church leadership is being attacked for cover ups is comparable to Antisemitism. People on the side of abuse victims and victims of Antisemitism were a little peeved. I'd say understandably so, but that point leads me to my next thought on persecution and modern thought. Did anyone drag the pope and his family to a camp to kill them? I'm not even going to mention any more than that, but needless to say, the comparison is weak at best.

I'm not saying this to single out a Catholic church leader. His answer reminds me of a typical modern response in the age of entitlement. I'm not sure I'm old enough to know when the bar for persecution was lowered, but I know this isn't it. We are at the point when someone could get too much blame for making an unwise decision and get compared to Job for suffering all the consequences and then some. Unfair? Possibly, especially if guilt hasn't been completely proven. Persecution? That's a steaming load, and we should know it.

Actually, all of this is in the realm of words. There have been no arrests or physical attacks, and even if there were, it's not for doing right or for merely existing. This seems common sense, but nowadays everyone who gets caught in a lie is a martyr. It takes so much less effort than it used to--now you just need to screw up and have someone say something mean about you. (Note: I'm not still talking about the Catholic Church, but privileged people in general. And yes, most of us Westerners still count as privileged.) Innocence is optional.

Maybe Google could help. (Did anyone notice their April Fool's joke by the way? Topeka? What was that about?) I doubt most people would have a copy of Foxe's Book of Martyrs or Jesus Freaks on hand, but many read Night in school or at least watched a movie about the Holocaust. And no, Life is Beautiful, while a good movie, doesn't count. For those of us who study the Bible, Jesus' own words say we are blessed if we are persecuted for following Him. Not for being disagreeable jerks (guilty as charged) or any other wrongdoing on our part, but for doing the right thing. And no, being called names is not persecution. Most of us have enough material to reference the real thing, or talk to those who don't have it as most of them could tell us firsthand. Maybe we should.

I'm Going to Allow This

2010-03-05T18:02:00.000-08:00

My favorite courtroom scenes are when someone does something unconventional and the judge says "I'm going to allow this." This often builds up to a joke involving people brawling or setting stuff on fire and the judge calmly repeating "I'm going to allow this." I mention this because it's how I feel right now.

I could explain, but I'd rather keep the fun going by adding more confusion. Did you know God didn't directly ask Solomon to build the temple? I've been reading I Kings, and He doesn't say a whole lot of anything for the first few chapters of the book. It stirs the pot a little more when you read about the forced laborers the king used to help build. I console myself by thinking if he mistreated them God would have condemned it, but let's face it, he used forced labor. The temple project wasn't exactly a Habitat for Humanity.

In the midst of all this I asked, did God even say he wanted a temple? At least in I Kings, he didn't. He doesn't speak up until the middle of building, and then basically says, "Yeah, I can use this building. Just keep my statutes and you'll be fine." In so many words, "I'm going to allow this."

My argument here is that if whips were cracking, that sort of thing definitely goes against His commands, so it would have stopped at that point. And if the forced labor was somehow humane, no worries. But whatever the case, God knows how to pick His battles. Don't cross the line.

This relates to me because that's where my wife and I are right now. We've thought and prayed about where to go, how and where to worship, etc. and whatever choice we make we've felt the tension of "was that right?" Should either one of us teach at a fairly well-to-do Christian school when there's so much need for people who care in the inner cities and third world countries? Should we go to a big church when they waste money on frivolous things like power points and golden hymnals? (No, I don't believe there is such a thing as hymnals made of gold and yes, my criticisms of church spending if unchecked could get that ridiculous.) Should I teach ESL in the US when I could teach it overseas? What if I'm being disobedient and didn't know it?

Sometimes I think we (humans) hate simple answers more than no answers at all. We throw these questions back at God (who's to say Solomon didn't ask? The author doesn't state it outright) and He comes back at us with "Worship me." Can I worship Him by doing what He has gifted me to do wherever it is needed? Yes. Provided He doesn't warn me about some secret crack house going on where I'm applying or something of that nature, I'd say we're good. Every workplace needs people who are there to glorify Him. Every church, local and so on, needs the same. There is that place where you do something absurd because you know not doing it would be disobedience. Then there are those moments where the vital parts are in place, and after that you take a step forward and God says "I'm going to allow this." Make sure your heart follows His, and then enjoy the ride. I'm looking forward to it.

More Unoriginal Stuffs

2010-02-26T17:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a shout out to all those preacher's/ministry daughters out there. Change a word here or there, and it applies to MKs in general. Or maybe I shouldn't say "in general" in a post that discourages stereotypes. Oh, well.

http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/02/pigeonholing-the-preachers-daughter/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+stuffchristianslikeblog+(Stuff+Christians+Like+-+Jon+Acuff)

Going Where?

2010-02-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

The joys of teaching in a Christian school, as evidenced in a class with elementary students:

"Mr. Miles! She told me I'm going to hell!"
"Don't say that. It's not nice."
(Later that day on a bus, a different student from the same grade approaches) "You're going to hell!"
"Excuse me?"
"You're going to hell."
"Is that a nice thing to say?"
"No."
"Please don't say that."

Twice in one day. Have they been reading my blog lately?

The Gospel According to Mr. Edwards

2010-02-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

Out of Ur started a series on hell this month, appropriately enough, as with all the money we're spending on chocolates and being lovey dovey and all I'm sure it's on the brain. They showed video clips of different pastors' takes on eternal judgment. So far I'm intrigued, but not necessarily impressed. There must be better clips out there. If nothing else, Bill and Ted 2 would work. Yet, I'm getting ahead of myself. First, selling the point.

The first clip was of NT Wright, already well-known for arguing current concepts of heaven and hell aren't Biblical. Fair enough, we have rights to our own opinions, but as I tell my students we're better off backing them up. But as many do when they say something is or isn't in the Bible, he just leaves it there. Examples? Not needed. Just read the Bible, as Rev. Lovejoy of Simpsons fame would say, all of it. It's all good.

I wanted to see a good counterpoint, so I waited. And waited. Finally, Piper's sermon clip was up to bat. Knowing he's respected as a theologian, I figured this has to be good. He opened, and...it wasn't. His argument? Jonathan Edwards would be appalled. Or to quote him directly, "JONATHAN EDWARDS WOULD BE APPALLED!" He believed hell was real, after all.

Right. I forgot we all have to give account to Jonathan Edwards someday. And even though I know better I still can't hear his name without thinking "Wasn't that Mr. Ingal's friend on Little House on the Prarie? What did he believe? I don't remember." Wherever I heard the name, I don't think it matters. I know where I didn't hear it. And that's the point, isn't it?

I think it's fresh on my brain because I'm teaching about logical flaws and supporting your points. The saddest thing is, those of us who should be best at it don't. When did we forget how to debate?

Note: I know this includes a hot topic (no pun or boycotting reference intended) but I'm not arguing one way or the other about hell in this. If you're interested in that debate, look up Out of Ur, Christianity Today's blog site. The comments are okay, but better than the videos so far.

Thirteen Dollar Sermons

2010-01-20T02:09:00.000-08:00

If you're ever short on thoughts about faith and religion, movies could help. Lately a semi-obscure movie and a significantly less than obscure one got me thinking. Some movies, no matter how well made, are downright preachy. And who are they preaching to, anyway? But I'm getting ahead of myself. The point is, for all the complaining some of us do about tithes and offerings, thirteen bucks for a two-hour sermon isn't exactly a bargain. Yeah, I think that was more time appropriate.

In case you haven't figured out one of the movies by now, here are a few more clues. Giant blue people. Only worth seeing in 3D. Ridiculous names for minerals. (Seriously. Was "hard to getium" already taken?) And last but not least, lastest sermon from the church of James Cameron (the first being the director's cut of The Abyss).

I enjoyed Terminator 2, and season 1 of Dark Angel was cool, but beyond that, Cameron's movies don't impress me in the long run. The latest is worth seeing for the visuals, but the message sets the foundation for a religion based entirely on guilt. And I don't mean the "repent" or "go and sin no more" type, either. I mean, what good does it do to be reminded of how horrible I am (apparently the way we treat nature is comparable to 9/11) if there's nothing to be done about it? There might be solutions for intents and purposes of the movie, but they wouldn't work. Or would they? (looks suspiciously over shoulder) (pause)

No, probably not.

This religion has its own set of questions and problems, but most of us suspend disbelief because the lights are pretty, and well, we know it's just a movie. But after enough of these self-deprecating screeds I have to ask, does the director? Which brings me to faith.

I also saw The Men Who Stare at Goats, a movie claiming to be more factual than we would believe. It's satire, even though other than that small group of stoner would-be-psychics, I'm not sure who it's trying to mock. I expected a few laughs, and it delivered, keeping in mind a lot of the language and some situations will offend some viewers. But what surprised me was the handling of faith.

Whether or not psychic power was real, the central characters have faith that it is. Some move past the question of whether it's real and try to use it for evil. And so we have a plot.

Being a ridiculous comedy, it didn't go much farther on the faith issue. But it did remind me of certain unimaginatively named planets inhabited by giant smurfs as I was reminded of a fundamental truth. "Have faith", but consider the difference it makes based on what you put your faith in.

On Doubts and Months

2010-01-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

The blog site I listed below has some great thoughts on faith and doubt well worth sharing. If someone puts something way better than I ever could, I admit defeat and sometimes cry a little, then shrug and do the copy and paste thing. All of the doubt month posts are worth a read, so enjoy.

http://www.thechurchofnopeople.com/2010/01/doubt-month-right-to-life.html#more

The Decade in American Christianity

2010-01-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

This was interesting and worth sharing. The first page is especially troubling.

http://burnsidewriters.com/2009/12/31/the-decade-in-american-christianity/

The Gift of Shameless Plugs

2009-12-22T23:01:00.000-08:00

I don't do this a lot, but I'd like to shamelessly plug some blogs I follow. Okay, I guess that's what I'm doing when I post links, but no one likes a know it all. Enough already. Anyway, what I was trying to say was, I've read a lot of interesting material on Christmas lately and would like to share. And none of it's directly from me, so that's kind of like two presents in one. Yeah.

For thoughts on Santa (been pondering that one) and the consolation that I'm actually stronger than the Hulk read www.brittmooney.com, aptly titled, "Some thoughts on Christmas." You won't regret it, if only for the picture.

For thoughts on stress (and my wife had fun laughing at me as I stressed after I read this) head over to falsani.blogspot.com for "...the Present of Presence". Yes, I still stressed, but that's human nature for you. The post is still good.

What does Burger King have in common with Christmas? Check out www.outofur.com if you really want to know.

Comments are welcome, as I enjoy good discussion. Whatever the case, enjoy the holidays.

Meanwhile, Back in the Rest of the World...

2009-12-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

I was visiting with a friend who teaches in a haukwan a while back, and he recommended a place for pizza. The food was cheap, and not too hard to swallow. I couldn't argue with that, so we stopped in for dinner. Also, he added as we chose a table, the owner is a Christian.

The owner saw us pray over our pizza and smiled. She ran to the back and returned holding a book. She gave us a thumbs up as I read the author's name. Benny Hinn. We politely nodded our understanding as I felt an uneasiness in my gut. Really? Him?

My friend noted Korean friends claiming to be blessed by his ministry. He also related a story of going to two church services. The first sermon argued from Scripture against the Prosperity Gospel, and the second argued for it. I would guess my friend's notes from the first came in handy for the second.

Stories abound of the damage this false gospel is doing. It may be at least partially responsible for the current financial mess. It gives the middle class a hope that's misleading and the poor one that's false. It may be a blessing to those who have and want more, but what happens to the least of these?

All that to say, I don't use the term false gospel often or lightly. Let's call it what it is.

The Prosperity Gospel

2009-11-05T00:52:00.000-08:00

I saw this excellent video on out of Ur's site and I had to share it. It's a 9 minute short film on the prosperity gospel and its impact on third world countries. It's sad, but worth seeing.

The Prosperity Gospel from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

Favorite Reads

2009-10-30T00:53:00.000-07:00

I recently read a post on the Out of Ur blog about favorite books on leadership. Many were classics, and more than a few were actually (gasp) works of fiction. This inspired me to reflect on some of my favorites. They all have a quality that inspires towards something greater. As is often the case, the order is random and not a ranking.

1. Cry the Beloved Country. I realized there was more to this than just poetic writing and sympathetic characters when I went against policy after I finished it. Often I will alternate between novel and inspirational nonfiction work, but when I put this one down, I did not feel the need. There is something sad and beautiful about this book and its triumph of truth over cynicism, and I get a sense of divine sorrow and divine love from reading it. It has a slow storyline, but that it definitely not the point. Highly recommended.

2. Seedfolks, by Paul Fleishman. This is a book all ages from middle school until old age can read and enjoy. It is written like a series of short stories, yet together they give a sense of community. It also adds to the theme and style (like Cry the Beloved Country) of being honest without being cynical. Because honestly, there is hope.

3. Notes from Underground, by Fodor Dostoyevsky. I heard he wrote some other books, some obscure legal documents or what-have-you, but this novel captured my attention immediately. It is written as a series of notes from a man who withdraws from society and claims to live underground. This perspective, of thinking he is above and below everyone, is fitting to the story. The first part is one long-winded, contradicting monologue after another. It makes good satire, but slows it down in places. Once I finished the second part, where he details events of his life, I realized the purpose. He has everything and nothing figured out. He has moments of clarity in which he seems to find hope--then scolds himself for sounding too "bookish". The most poignant and tragically funny part is when he continually pushes a woman of ill repute away for being too much like him. I cannot picture anyone who is exactly like this character, but parts throw the mirror on my own ugly cynicism. Sometimes we become so jaded, we, like the character, are speaking truth and we fail to realize it. And that is the tragedy.

Fun with Hero Worship

2009-10-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

The reading continues. I'll probably have a reading list soon, but there's at least one or two books I need to finish first. In the meantime, here's some quotable goodness from a book I haven't read yet.

"Never attach yourself to any (person) as a parasite. Adopt no man as a guru. Apart from the inspired writers of Holy Scriptures no man is worthy of such confidence. The sweetest saint can be mistaken." (AW Tozer)

Warren Wiersbe and Chuck Swindoll approve of Tozer, so it must be a good quote.

Fun with Worship

2009-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

So, here I am without a gripe or deep question. Not even a smart comment. All I have is an amusing story. How embarrassing.

In church the other day, we sang a song or two in a row, the last of which ended abruptly. Just before transition, we heard a tiny voice.

"That was fun. Can we do it again?"

Not too long after, the child received her wish.

Is the Era of Age Segmentation Over? | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders

2009-09-24T21:53:00.001-07:00

I had to share this, because I had an opinion (surprise surprise) that I felt worth adding.

Is the Era of Age Segmentation Over? | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders

Posted using ShareThis

One thing I observed about youth groups, especially the past couple of years, is how they feed compartmentalization. Let's watch a movie for two hours, read the Bible for ten minutes, then play a game for five minutes. There's no apparent connection between them. (That's the inherent attitude, not my personal opinion.) Actually, we never outgrow that and guess what? The "falling away" isn't just among the youth. Is this really about the "kid's table", or are more people just deciding a faith that has no practical value (makes no difference) isn't worth having?

What do you think?

Christianizing Scripture

2009-09-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

I either haven't made this disclaimer or it's been a while since I have, so here goes. This blog is NOT about criticism of individuals. I'll take issue with or shots at philosophies I find dangerous, but that's where it ends. For whatever reason I feel the ideas (and just the ideas) deserve a good kick to the curb, and maybe a sucker punch or two when the ref isn't looking. This brings me to this post's topic.

I recently attended a Bible Study exploring the first chapter of Ecclesiastes. As I've mentioned before, this is one of my favorite books. Yes, I'm that weird.

The leader of our study read from chapter one (____ is meaningless, _____ meaning pretty much anything) then used an excerpt from an author and some NT verses to say the exact opposite. Basically, it was using Scripture to argue with Scripture. I found this a bit disturbing, but it happens quite a bit. We don't like what something says, so we proof text our way out of it. There's a dangerous pattern to this.

I guess what surprises me the most is people who do this are the same who argue for taking other difficult passages literally, like "wives, submit to your husbands" and "if a man doesn't work, neither should he eat." I guess as long as it's not uncomfortable for you personally it's okay.

Ecclesiastes, like other OT books, has a lot of uncertainty at times. This makes the reader uncomfortable, which I'll argue is good. Sometimes people need that, or we'll feel too sure of ourselves. Try most of the time.

In these passages, the authors always come to a point of faith. Not certainty, such as "I can argue my way out of this" or really "I can" anything for that matter (unless it's through God). It ends with faith in One who is greater, One we could never fully understand. We can know Him, but we won't figure Him out. May He forgive us for suggesting we can.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

There's no way I could have put this better. Happy Labor Day.

http://falsani.blogspot.com/

To quote Shrek, "Stop singing!"

2009-09-02T23:11:00.000-07:00

I went and listened to some of them pod casts again. One in particular came, in my opinion, one year too late. Better late than never, I guess.

Some of my earlier posts on this blog concerned my frustrations with music. Singing "church songs" for me just didn't feel like worship. I compromised and decided to silently focus on the words if I wasn't going to sing out of sincerity. It evened out to fifty percent of the time.

Earlier this year, I learned that was having a negative affect on those closest to me. So, like it or not, I decided that I'd sing. And to be honest, it hadn't felt obligatory since.

Obligatory. That's what I'm struggling with nowadays, the flawed assumption that following Christ is one uncomfortable obligation after another. What about the freedom of becoming more of who you were meant to be? Shouldn't you be, in a sense, more yourself? This is the struggle, and I'm slowly coming through it. This brings me to the podcast.

The message, a summary of which I'm pasting a link to below, springboards off of some Psalms and articulates what I needed to hear. I appreciate most what it has to say about being reminded of More and the subversive act of submission. If done right, it's not about performance.

http://www.marshill.org/userfiles/Why%20To%20Sing.pdf

A couple of important points were not covered in the summary.

1. Music used to be about participation, but in recent years, it became a product. Now it's all about performance and recognizing the one on stage. "Maybe singing feels weird to us because we are out of practice."
2. The band leading the music takes a back seat. It should sound incomplete until the entire congregation joins in. The worship experience isn't mine, it's ours.

I'm not saying I agree with everything preached in Mars Hill messages, even though I find something good in them ninety percent of the time. Still, this is the first time I heard more than just "do it because you have to". I'm just glad I know that now. Besides, if the word "subversive" is attached, I'm so in.

On Books

2009-08-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing to alternate between novels and Christian works. I finished a novel called the White Tiger, with an intentionally ugly sense of humor, then followed it up with my trademark outrage that gets all dressed up with no place to go. So, I moved on and read God's Pursuit of Man by AW Tozer. If you haven't read The Pursuit of God, I'd suggest it first. He touches on a lot of the same points in this one, but focuses on the lack of and need for the Holy Spirit in the modern Christian life. I'm still chewing on some of it, but a lot of it challenged, comforted, and inspired me.

At one point Tozer discussed the Holy Spirit's affect on the intellect. He goes on to mention classic Christian authors and the depth and richness of their writings. I believe that Augustine, Tozer, CS Lewis and others who died long ago fall into this category. But who else? It makes me sad.

Thinking back, that's what I enjoyed the most about Letters from a Skeptic. It was a well-told story, which made for some rich, enjoyable reading. That's rare among modern Christian authors.

In short, I enjoyed God's Pursuit of Man. The sad part is, I finished it. If I read and finish another novel, what's next?

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

Laughing at Worldviews

2009-08-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Over this summer we stumbled across this song and liked it so much, we got the album. I included the lyrics, but I'll warn you the video is weird. Lyrics.com likes to include videos now. Sometimes that's a blessing, but others I'm not so sure. Anyway, here it is.

http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/regina-spektor/laughing-with.html

I know it's far from Christian, and the ending arguably sounds nihilistic, but the body of it (the chorus especially) helps take apart flawed perceptions of Him. As more Christians are talking about the need for a Biblical worldview, this provides a good starting point conversation-wise. How do people get these impressions, anyway?

Book Review: Letters From a Skeptic

2009-08-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Speaking of trends (I'm sure someone somewhere was), I'm aware of the current one in this blog. I've still been speaking about Christians and faith in general, but more posts of late have been personal. This wasn't intentional, but currently it seems the best place to go. Not that it's all about me, but if I'm talking about conviction and all I might as well be consistent.

That brings me to a book I read lately. I usually read novels of a secular sort, and I enjoy (and yes, even learn something) from them. But good ol' conviction has hit me lately, that if this is all I read, it tends to feed my cynicism. It's kind of like Jack Black at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Not a pretty picture. Which brings me to the book review.

I didn't realize it when I chose it, but Letters From a Skeptic is a story. It's a series of letters between a father and a son (the father being the skeptic) in which major objections to the Christian faith are addressed. It doesn't negate faith, but it also addresses questions honestly (no turning off of the brain required). In the end, and this is not a spoiler as the introduction and blurb state it clearly, the father believes in Christ. The story itself isn't about how slick and convincing the arguments are, but of a son's love for his father. I like the fact that the letters remain mostly unchanged, so tidbits of family news and expressions of family love are left intact. Because in the end, it's not about theology, but a real relationship with Christ. The love in this helps point towards His love for us.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. I had a hard time with my own brand of skepticism, and (in addition to prayer and Bible study of course) this has helped me through it a lot, especially with my balance between heart and mind, between "it's all just a mystery" and "I have all the answers right here." I'm still chewing on some of Dr. Gregory Boyd's theories, but I like how he kept them Biblically-based and Christ-centered. Dr. Boyd doesn't explain the Holy Spirit out of it, but he uses the brain God gave him as well. And he may be a seminary professor, but the conversational style and relationship between the writers literally keep it real. I'm down with that. Yo.

Stewards and Stewards

2009-08-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

A line from a book I read recently has a quote that still resonates with me, "There are Christians and there are Christians". The context was Christians focusing on the spiritual and neglecting physical needs. That is not the point of this post, as I discussed it plenty on this blog. However, a recent visit to a Bible Study in the US brought to mind a similar phrase. There are stewards and there are stewards.

We joined a Bible study discussing the parable of the unjust steward, found in Luke 16. If you ever read this one, it is a classic head scratcher. A boss man type accuses his manager of being dishonest and otherwise doing a crappy job all around. The manager knows he is about to get canned, so he gives discounts to people who owe debts to the master. This helps them and partially helps the boss man. Some scholars argue it did not help the manager, because the extra money would normally be his profit. But it helped him make friends, so it was an investment of sorts. The point is, he dealt shrewdly and was commended.

Later on, Christ advises we serve God before money, and before that He says to use filthy lucre (paraphrase but accurate) to make friends. All should point towards spiritual value, what is truly important. I get the gist, but that steward, he was, well, shrewd and also known as unjust. What do we make of that?

The leader of our group was sharing his discoveries, which reinforced the general message. What struck me was his story. As he struggled through the meaning of this, he went about his day job at a car dealership. A potential buyer was about to put himself seriously in debt by making a purchase. The Bible Study leader gave him reasonable advice which included not buying the car at that time. Business wise, his honesty made no sense, but in light of eternity, he had to do what was right. Make friends in light of eternity.

I enjoy pouring through these difficult passages, but in the meantime, we hold fast to what we already know to be true. I personally think the point He was making (his audience included Pharisees and others who loved money) was "here is a guy who helped others when it benefited him somehow. Kingdom living means the same, without the looking out for self part." Whatever the case, His point was made, as the greedy ones were not happy.

I enjoyed what I found in commentaries online and so on, but what impacted me the most was the example of a student of the Scriptures holding fast to what he already knew, no matter the cost. And to him I say thanks.

Podcast Adventures: Afterthoughts

2009-07-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

In the intro I mentioned I'm not a big podcast person. I can still say I prefer music and a good book to the casts in question, but I can't say I didn't enjoy the expereience or I wouldn't try it again. Actually, I haven't listened to all of them, and I'm the kind of kid who will stuff himself silly to finish everything on his plate, even if he's not hungry anymore. That even applies to podcasts. Except the Bible dramatizations we picked up by accident. Those are just silly.

I can say the most enjoyable messages were those that touched on history, psychology and science while teaching the Bible as well. I like to learn, so the combination made for an enjoyable experience.

At the end, I have to ask myself, would I of enjoyed just one speaker? Probably not. The "conversation" between speakers helped me to focus on the whole picture, rather than latching on to the petty disagreements which is easy to do with just one speaker. Dialogue good.

Podcast Adventure 3

2009-07-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

So far, there's been a pattern in my podcast comparisons. This is good, but...and this is good, but... and so forth. Okay, you get the point. There's good and bad in both. This last exercise in dialogue will be a bit different. I hope.

I'm back to Providence and Lamentations, as some good conversations came from those series. Also, they made up a big percentage of what I had on my iPod. Some things are just meant to be.

Anyway, I'll start with Providence and say, I especially enjoyed the two messages I'm using as an example. One was on the writing on the wall and the other was on Moses' escape from being killed as a baby. This speaker has a lot to say about history (Babylon's fortitude and capture) and actually science (the butterfly effect without Ashton Cutcher). I like to learn, and I enjoy the fact that these messages provided an opportunity to do so.

In the case of Babylon, the points were:

a) the wall outside and the city itself was inpenetrable

and

b) By doing what he did the king was basically giving God the finger (my paraphrase).

The point is, God used what happened next to show He was in control and He deserves the glory. In the end, putting confidence in anything less is a bit worse than problematic.

During the time of Lamentations, Israel was in a similar situation, being reminded of who God is. Still, the speakers in Lamentations go from "you deserved it" to showing compassion and later, even frustration and grief at what is happening. The speaker touched on grief and added that change, even good, can have grief. I'm still chewing on that one, but agree or disagree, it's food for thought. In the end, we need to acknowledge and deal with the grief, as well as speak up against injustice. Be the one to address it.

The second message on Providence involved how even the tiniest events have significance. God used Moses, and he used Moses' mom, sister, and even the river itself to ensure his survival.

Another speaker, in his introduction to a message on 2 Peter, mentioned how Christ never rose to a position of political power, yet as the Providence speaker would say, He's the King of Kings.
God loves using the seemingly insignificant, and that will never cease to make me smile.

Podcast Adventure 2

2009-07-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

My next two subjects are a sermon on Lamentations and a topical message on God's providence. More so than the first time, both left me a bit unsettled. Together, well, I'll get to that later. The point is blah blah blah, I was unsettled. Twice.

The message on Lamentations had my hopes up as I'm always up for digging into the Old Testament books, especially the difficult passages. Lamentations is definitely one of those.

The speaker introduces the narator, a warrior, and a woman of ill repute (Israel personafied). While this is a book about asking "how could this happen" with the answer that Israel was unfaithful to God, He is mentioned briefly in the book. Like in Ecclesiastes, there seem to be more questions than answers.

The speaker makes interesting points, like where the woman's name changes for the better, and the other two even weep with her. It's true that followers of Christ need to abandon negative labels and weep with those who weep, especially those who need compassion more than reminders of how bad they are. But there is more hope than that, and books like Lamentations point toward the need for it. It's not specifically mentioned in that passage, so fair enough. Still, leaving it with "there's something divine in listening to others and showing compassion" and leaving it there is true but only partially so. I can't throw this out, but I can't accept it fully either.

The second message was on God's providence, which I believe is true. God is in control, even when we can't see it. However, this message seemed to say "You can see it, and if you think you can't you're wrong." For a moment I wondered, okay, did you even read Lamentations?

The speaker shared about a train wreck he experienced. He was awakened and even flew through the air and hit a wall. He ended up wandering his way out and finding his way with many others to a hospital named (wait for it) Providence. He almost giggled at that point, which is strange in such a heavy story. Still, it's a good point.

People later asked him if this affected his theology any. No, he insisted, it only confirmed what I already know. I have no doubt, and that's great, but isn't something missing from that as well? When he was flying through the air, was he thinking "God is so in control. And by the way, wheee!" Is it so wrong to be honest and say "I panicked (or even [gasp] questioned) for a moment, but in the end God is even greater than our emotions?"

Lack of complete truth is, as I said before, unsettling.

This brings me to a third message, also on Lamentations about what angers God. There's a reason the actions God took leading up to the book had to happen. So what is it? Injustice in word and deed. How we treat others, no matter who they are.

There's a sense of hope in asking God about our role in all of this as well. Yes, He is in control, even when we can't see it. But we can't forget, He has steps for us to follow in obedience as well.

Podcast Adventure 1

2009-06-20T03:40:00.000-07:00

First, some clarification. I wasn't blasting podcasts, just talking about personal preference. This is an adventure for me, since I'm going from nothing to a marathon. Lecture is not always the best way for me, so by combining them, well, we'll see. And how do I feel about podcasts, so far? For me it helps to hear more than one speaker. Speaking of segwaying nicely into my topic, here's the first two messages.

I'm not a fan of older theologians, so I gave one a shot. Actually he had nine shots due to the wonders of technology. Thanks for the extra blessings, iTunes.

The message I wanted to hear was about the book of James and being a respector of persons. I liked what he had to say about dignity, but there was that aforementioned comment about dressing your best to show repsect to God. Yeah, that one never sat well with me. However, this is a minor issue as the rest of the message was good. Do Christians still pay more attention to the church members with deep pockets and try to impress them? Why yes, we do. Is it wrong? Of course.

I like how he uses stories to make his point. Several people he knew, including himself, were looked down upon for doing dirty jobs. Using personal experience is a nice touch.

Okay, my issues. It breaks my heart to hear a great message tainted by a lack of humility. This had compassion, but where did he go with it? He lamented about donars in churches controlling the churches, but quickly dismissed it as an illustration rather than a problem to solve. What can we do about it? Idunno.

I've talked about ministry and how it has overlooked physical needs in the past. We're seeing this change these days, and that's great. But why don't people make a mention of it? The speaker ends with "just treat the poor like everyone else" and leaves us there. You could argue that's in another passage in James, so maybe he'll talk about that later. So give an aside, a quick shout-out. Even at the beginning of a message. Acknowledge there was a problem, and we're actually doing something about it. Silence on the issue ignores a real problem that we've only begun to address.

I listened to another sermon given by two speakers. One was in slow-motion, and the other sounded more caffeinated than me somehow, which gave an interesting affect. Their source material was the Acts early church passage about breaking bread together and giving to those in need.

I learned something I hadn't thought about before about why so many pirates came out of Somalia. Starvation can do that to a person. I'm reading a book about missionaries living in a poor African country, so thoughts like this are on the brain.

I guess that was a nice fun fact, and it makes you think, but what difference does it make?

The speakers went on to discuss those in their congregation who were "leaping for joy", that is, finacially well off, and those who were "limping." The discussion ended with buckets being brought to the front of the room. Those who were blessed were encouraged to share money with those who were not. When the audience caught on to the fact that they'd be giving to those in need, they cheered.

In the end, people gave and others came forward to receive. The latter is harder than the former, I can tell you that. Still, we can be thankful for those who give.

So, which message did I like better? Yes. We need to be reminded to treat people as people, and to respect their dignity, so don't think I was blasting that sermon. It was a good reminder that stuck with me. But we can't end there. Needs are still there, and have been ignored.

Also, it's awesome to see a need and go about meeting it. But more often than not the emphasis is on giving. That's good, but we can't forget the other part either. These are people, not just opportunities to show generosity. I'm not saying they were saying that, but unchecked, we could be going there. A quick shout out, like I said, and the confusion is cleared.

Adventures with Podcasts: Intro

2009-06-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

I don't do podcasts. When we decided it was reasonable to get iPods, I obtained it with several sacred truths in mind. One of these being, iPods, CD players, etc, are for music. If I wanted to listen to someone talk, I'd, well, usually I don't, so I don't know what I'd do. Anyway, you get the idea.

We were getting ready for our long flight to the US for summer break, so we decided to load some videos and other goodies on our iPods for the journey. Out of curiosity, we browsed and loaded a handful of podcasts from different sermons and Christian radio broadcasts. I figured if I had trouble sleeping, this would do the trick. If not, maybe I'd learn a thing or two.

A handful turned out to be more than I originally thought, and one or two casts turned out to be videos. By the way, the Nano (or iPod slim, as I like to call it, as it makes it sounds like a woman's cigarrette, the thought of me with a woman's cigarrette is funny and we need laughter in the world) doesn't like video especially. The batteries don't, anyway. Yet, the handful of casts I managed to hear/see gave me an idea. Good or bad, I'll leave to you to decide.

As an outsider to the podcast trend, I decided to run a marathon and post a series on it. Each post will have thoughts on at least two different speakers' takes on a topic. For example, one considerably aged speaker addressed the importance of dressing your best for church, while the video I watched right after that showed another pastor in jeans, cowboy boots and a sensibly casual shirt preaching about Biblical truth. There is no doubt in my mind this second fellow dresses up in a suit every morning, looks in the mirror and smiles as it transforms istelf into a sensibly casual shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. Then he grabs his Bible, ready to go.

There will be no name-dropping, as that's not the point. In the end, maybe we'll learn something. At the very least, we'll learn how to turn suits into jeans. That's just too cool.

Texting the Bible

2009-06-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

I've thought a lot lately about technology and the dumbing down of... what do you call them again? People? Oh, right, humanity. I read a good blog post about how it affects our attention span, and I posted it on Facebook. It was funny, but a bit long. I've got quizzes to take, people!

I wanted to write about this issue, whatever it was, but it seems other people already have in a much better way than I could. Here's another piece that made me laugh, sorry, I mean, LOL. It's much shorter than whatever I was talking about, too, so I liked it.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2009/6/3quatro.html

It's Not You It's Me, 2: Culture Wars and You

2009-06-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

If you are past this stage and have moved on to a new issue, please bear with me. I'm still trudging through and trying to find a gracious way to deal with it. To be honest, I'm tired.

The culture war issue disturbs me. Often it's a matter of a preacher ranting about the ultimate evils of homosexuality and such. Those are apparently bigger issues these days than dishonesty and greed, which never seem to make the list. The rant continues with a lament that Christians can't tell non-Christians how to live. Whyever would some one have a problem with that?

If someone takes away your freedom to live in obedience to Christ and to encourage fellow Christians to do the same, by all means resist by continuing to do the right thing. Commit your lives of integrity to Him. No whining required.

The cross and lives of obedience to Christ should be the offense. Shouting down others to create enemies is not the way. Unfortunately, I've lived in this world and I've only learned to argue. I've become offensive before the message could even come out.

I apologize to any who read this who may not share my faith. I've shouted out the need to teach creation while living out survival of the fittest. I've talked about morality while my mind has been anything but. I've said, "You need to deal with the speck, too," when the log is nowhere close to chipped away. And most unfortunately, I neglected to pray for wisdom regarding when to speak and when to shut up. Lord, help me to listen and serve, then the boldness. In Your Name.

It's Not You, It's Me

2009-06-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a post on the danger of being driven by fear, and how it's an immature act many of us Christians never overcome. Scripture speaks against being driven by fear, unless it's fear of God which isn't anywhere near the same thing. But when fear of _______ takes that place, hatred gets a foot in the door and it gets worse from there. Throw in some clever and/or gently snarky comments (can those two words go together?), leave with a good line or some sort of question, and that would be that. Or so I thought.

I don't worry. Tell me my house is on fire, and I'll mentally work through replacing everything as I grab buckets of water to put it out. Tell me a burglar is in the house, and I'll calmly nod as I try to remember where I left the closest blunt object. It may end up being my head, but that's another story. The point is, I thought I was a reasonably fearless guy. Reality is a funny thing.

Tensions in the North recently got to the point they actually made South Koreans a bit nervous. Since I know God will continue to protect us, and I still think the Republic of Korea is the safest place to be right now, fears of physical danger aren't what get to me. The thought of a reality outside of this country does. I'm so used to living here, it feels like a part of me. It's hard to explain, but after five years of living here I really had to struggle with the fact that this may not be it.

I guess there could be worse fear idols, but that's not the point. It's like saying armed robbery isn't so bad as long as you don't kill anyone. Wrong is wrong.

Insecurity and too much interest in others' opinions of me? Those are still present and accounted for as well. Never think you've already attained.

In my last post, I mentioned struggling with impatience as people aren't where (I think) they need to be. I need these little reminders every now and then to keep myself honest. I have my idols too, and they need to go.

Something Biblical for a Change (Wink,Wink)

2009-05-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

I don't often share things I learned in Bible study, but I don't often feel as challenged and inspired as I did this past Sunday. I learn, but it's been a while since something hit me right in the gut. So here goes.

We're reading through Genesis when Lot fled Sodom. Skipping other tricky topics, we dwelt on the fact that he offered his daughters to a mob. Back up a bit, and we see Abraham and God referring to him as "righteous." Hmmm.

Later, we read how Abraham lied to a king (for the second time) about Sarah being his wife and not his sister. God appears to the king in a dream and basically says You stole a prophet's wife. You're screwed. The guy stammers I didn't know, then lets her go.

We talked about how Lot could possibly be righteous, and how could Abraham be a prophet. We judged based on the dirt in their lives, because that's what we do.

Yet, in this passage and in Hebrews, God sees these people not where they are in those moments, but where He will bring them. He's quite tenacious like that.

I don't see this as a justification of mistakes. We do that to often with our list of Biblical characters' flaws. Well, Peter was a piece of work so I can be, too. Yeah, but Peter grew up eventually. Don't forget that part.

It may take a while, but God has that point in mind for us. Others may see us in the moment, but He won't settle for that, and neither should we. We may have more entertaining names for those around us, but in the end His is better.

Taking God's Name in Vain Part 2: Why Are You Yelling at Me?

2009-05-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

I recently watched a top ten list of popular videos on the internet. Somewhere on the list was a message by a well-known preacher on abortion. The video showed text corresponding with his message. As he began to increase in volume, the text got bigger. By the end the whole video was pretty much screaming.

Since the list site was secular, I scrolled curiously through the comments. Some were uncalled for, but one jumped out at me. The gist was, yeah, the "shrill yelling" approach should work.

Snarkey commenter had a point. Am I pro-life? Yes. Do I think yelling is a good way to make a point? Less than ever.

I'm searching through convictions and scripture and finding that many of the preachers I railed against had some good points. Why did I argue in the first place? Because they were yelling at me.

Another comment said, "Preachers like him are the reason I stopped going to church." Why does this turn off so many people, including me? It's all in the tone.

"Why are you mad at me? I'm just telling the truth." I've said this to my wife in moments of spectacular foolishness. The moment I "speak the truth" by blurting it out like machine gun bullets, I'm wrong. As a friend likes to say, "You can be right but be wrong at the top of your voice." Am I making this some sort of competion to see who's right? Then I'm wrong.

Some would argue that's just a style of effective speaking. Don't get me started on that one. In interest of keeping on topic, I'll just say style aside, shrill yelling may not be the best approach. It tends to drown out the truth when you bellow it out.

Let's stand up for what's right. Speak up on life-and-death issues, but let's do it the right way. Support adoption as able. Sign petitions that back up your convictions. Speak up when appropriate. But don't yell at people, especially when they're not present to answer. That's cowardice.

Songs for a Rainy Day

2009-05-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

There's something about a rainy day that makes you want to crawl back into your blankets and die for a day. Saturday's a good day for that, but this particular one was booked. It was on my calendar, on the announcement board, and on Facebook. We were going to the Grandma House, rain or shine.

There's a strange correlation between weather and moods. Why does it affect us so much?

We went, and I later decided cleaning windows was the best way to spend that morning. If you went with us and you happen to be reading this, thank you. You were a big help.

After cleaning, we sang a few songs for the residents. Thank you to those who helped with this as well. We sang songs in English that we knew would be familiar to the ladies there. When we sang "Come Thou Fount", I could see eyes light up in the audience. There's something about that song. Every time I sing it, I feel changed. I can never get past the last two lines without something welling up.

Let Thy Goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering soul to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O , take and seal it
Seal it for thy Courts above

The imagery of the fetter gets me every time. If it doesn't until then, that last part always becomes a prayer.

We finished with a Korean hymn. Everyone should try singing in a foreign language at least once. You end up latching onto one word you understand and singing that part loudly. It helped that the one word was Hananim, God. Some of us half-hummed, but the words were clear nonetheless.

By the time we left, the rain had lessened to a drizzle. We broke for burgers, then headed home to continue enjoying our day.

Inventory of Values

2009-05-07T21:16:00.001-07:00

This seems a logical conclusion to my Q&A series on what followers of Christ are for. It's logical, yet I'm doing it anyway. It can happen.

I'm including a list of things I am for. It's not meant to brag or self-inflict, just to be honest. From it, I hope I can measure where I am and where I need to be.

Things I am for:

1. Strong Coffee.
2. Ordering aforementioned coffee in Korean.
3. Praying over world news.
4. Using the same expression to say "cute" and "no ears".
5. Rock, Paper, Scissors.
6. The poor, downtrodden, and overlooked. Sharing Christ with them through word and deed.
7. Learning another person's definition of "a good sense of humor" before making a joke (learned that one the hard way).
8. Sippy cups. If I spill one more cup of coffee...
9. Taking care of stuff.
10. A well-made sandwich.

Q&A Round 2

2009-05-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Last post I asked what believers in Christ are for. I got a couple of great comments, both with the gist that followers of Christ are for following Christ. This is my wording of course, but that's basically it, right?

We're not following Him as one would follow Ghandi, so don't confuse what I'm saying. No one (I know of) would argue Ghandi is equal to God in any way. Those who follow Jesus believes what the Bible says about Him.

This brings me to the next part of my question. We strive to be for what Christ is for. This is where Christians tend to diverge. Christ's name gets attached to pacifism and torture ("when it's necessary", of course), and to refuting the lie of global warming and environmentalism. The list goes on, but the arguments continue.

Now the question. Again, I have my convictions, but I would rather listen to others. What did Christ show us He was for? And, are we truly for that?

Q&A

2009-04-23T17:16:00.001-07:00

It's time to bring back the dialogue, because that's the way I like it. It's kind of an expansion from my last post about profanity. Christians are often portrayed as people who are against things, often in the form of a list of words. I've found myself saying at least a zillion times "People should see what we are for." This is also described as "the life abundant." It should be evident. The frustrating part is, many Christians don't seem to agree on what it is.

Here's the chance to put it up there in the good ol' comments box. What characterizes the life abundant? I have convictions on the subject, but I'd rather hear from others.

I guess what I'm asking is, what are we for?

Redefining Profanity

2009-04-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

"You shall not take the Lord's name in vain". When I hear that command I don't picture frustrated individuals yelling out certain words in a struggle with a Deity they claim not to believe in. He has business with them, and He knows their hearts.

I think of televangelists, faith healers and way too many politicians who use His Name for their own gain at the expense of others. Praising God with your lips and showing total disregard for all life He created, that's obscene. Yet we continue our fear-driven agenda against words. It's better to be dishonest about frustration than to express it. If it whitewashes your true self and trains you to cut down others without a single swear word, fine. It happens all the time.

Which do we really think God cares more about? Swear words, or how we treat people created in His image?

Once again, I'm declaring war on semantics. Let's redefine profanity and call it what is. That being the case, maybe we (myself included) are not as clean as we thought we were.

i just Like GOING

2009-03-25T03:10:00.000-07:00

I recently found an idea worth stealing from another blog.
I should be more creative, but we all
have our moments, right?

Someone smarter than me found a site called wordle.net.*
It takes any text and makes it into
a word cloud. The biggest words are the ones used most
frequently. Below is a link to
the Holy Heathens word cloud. I was surprised, but not too
disappointed. Except for "like". Gross.
Enjoy.





*On the bright side, someone smarter than both of us
actually put the site together.
Ha.
No one wins.

All Work and Some Play

2009-03-21T00:29:00.000-07:00

Part of my goal to become a better neighbor involves learning Korean. So I dusted off my brain, liguistically speaking, got out my calendar, and decided to take up Korean classes with one of our teachers again. She teaches Korean and calculus at our school. I think she was teaching me Korean, but since they're both foreign to me, I can never be too sure.

After establishing I don't retain past lessons well, we settled on verbs and using them to make sentences. I did okay enough with past and present, but it soon became apparent I hadn't learned the future tense and we decided to work on that.

I hate the future tense. Passionately.

That weekend, a group of teachers and students went to In Su Won Grandma House for more cleaning and singing. We made good time, so we were able to clean and visit without that pesky rushing thing. Students surprised us by explaining the songs we sang in Korean, and helping us communicate what we should do in the future. There's plenty to look forward to.

At some point that week I saw a video online talking about how kids and teens will do kingdom work not now, but someday when they're all grown up. I respectfully disagreed and went back to my online quiz or whatever I was doing. I must be going senile in my old age.

Sunday, twenty adults, children and teens met together in a church parking lot to help with a BBQ at a local orphanage. Our pastor said we expected to visit with between sixty to eighty of the one hundred kids. No one ran away after he said that, so that was a good sign we were somewhat ready.

The number turned out to be twenty, while food was brought to the rest of the kids. We played a variation of Simon Says, and then Hot Potato before we munched burgers and hot dogs. Thanks to all the adults and teens who translated and kept repeating "you're out, please sit down" or"circle" as needed. You helped put the "organized" in "organized chaos."

At the end we broke into small groups, and practiced simple English conversation. I was surpised when we translated "What do you like to do" and didn't hear the usual student answers I get of "play computer games." "Skating" and "playing catch" were two answers we got. Others were no less active. Of course, active was the best word to describe this group.

Again, we relied heavily on translation, so thank you. You know who you are.

In the end, we told the kids why we were there, to share His love. We said goodbye a dozen times, played around some more, and then left.

Before we went I asked several kids if they had fun. They looked puzzled. I asked again in Korean. "Yes", they grinned as they answered in English.

I'm glad the lessons went as well as they did. Thankfully, I kept the conversations in the present tense. I'll save the future for later. Much later.

Word Ban

2009-03-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

I talked to a friend the other day who's listening to a book on his ipod. He said the word "excrutiating" was invented to describe the pain Christ felt on the cross.

We have no idea what that means.

I'm officially cutting it from my vocabulary.

Why I Like Elementary

2009-03-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

There's something about teaching elementary students that goes to the root of human nature. Greed, selfishness, finger pointing, it's there. Generosity, forgiveness, unique moments of wisdom, also accounted for. It's like a sermon without the pulpit or barrage of singing. Well, in my classroom anyway.

I never realized until I seriously looked at the life of Christ how Biblical "mind your own business" truly is. Don't worry about them. What are you doing?

It's a good thing we outgrow the selfishness and tattletaling and not the generosity or forgiveness. Then we'd be totally lame.

Taking a Break

2009-03-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

I'm slamming the brakes again for a couple of weeks or so, giving people a chance to catch up on any posts they might have missed. More is on the way, just not yet. If you missed any of the last few, such as fallen warrior, and have any thoughts please feel free to comment.

Later.

Closing Thoughts on India

2009-03-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

I wish I had found out about the trip being cancelled before I sent out our visa applications, but it turns out the timing could have been worse. We were able to cancel our flights and applications with refunds and minimal penalties. Not a big deal in the whole scheme of things, but it's at least a nice little happy thought.

Call me or visit me if you want to know more about what happened there, but I don't have a lot more to share. The VBS we were going to help with kept expanding every year, and locals in the area didn't like that. As it was explained to me, "The situation is not good."

I'm dissappointed we can't go, but I feel worse for the people there. I have never felt close to actual opposition before, not "you're stupid", but "I don't like what you're doing and I'm going to stop you." It was a sobering phone conversation.

I was impressed by the maturity of our team. Teachers and students took the news well.

Our school's missions trips to the Philippines in the spring and summer are still going strong, and may even expand if members of our team decide to join.

I can look for reasons in all this, but that will only make my head hurt. I'll end up with more questions than answers.

I want to thank my wife for encouraging me as I saw this trip through from beginning to end. She helped me feel like a leader even when I felt like there was nothing left to lead. Thanks, honey.

I don't want to end with my feelings, however. I'm just a tourist. Please pray for India, Burma, China...

...the list goes on.

About India...

2009-03-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

I'll have more to say on the subject, but for now I should just cut to the chase. Our school's Spring Break Trip to India is a no go. The ministry where we'd be going is facing opposition, specifically the VBS we planned to help teach. Mix that with an election going on in April, and you have less than desirable conditions for bringing a group of foreigners. The man in charge of the ministry and I grieved, and agreed:

1. God has a plan, even in this.
2. We should cancel the trip.

I don't know how much information I should share at this time. Please pray for them.

You're Pretty Dumb

2009-03-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we just need a good laugh.

There are these Christians in Hollywood (see,you're laughing already) who made a movie called Jesus People. It's a Christopher Guest style mocumentary about a fictional Christian dance group. I looked up the show it's based on, and I laughed a lot. A standout character is Zack, the judgmental one. Here's a "reply" he did to the first episode.

The Whole Truth

2009-03-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

A couple of Sundays ago our pastor was preaching on Galatians 2. His main point was about legalism and adding to the Gospel. So far, so good. But while he read verses touching on different topics, he didn't mention them. I'm not saying you should dwell on every single topic every time you read, but these two topics seemed worth an aside or two.

In one verse Paul basically said "I don't care who said that, because titles don't mean much." In this American Idol generation, being a respecter of persons is kind of relevant. Even in Christian circles, we seek the spotlight and have our favorite preachers. God in His Scripture kind of frowns on that.

The comment in church? Crickets.

In another verse Paul mentions taking care of the poor as something he was already eager to do. It's worth mentioning that Nebuchadnezzar was advised through Daniel's counsel to show mercy to the poor before the former was humbled by eating grass. God sees this taking care of the poor thing as pretty important.

Again, crickets.

If you think I'm criticizing the pastor, you're wrong. I know him well, and have no doubt these issues are close to his heart as well. There's nothing unique about the omission of these topics from preaching, however. I've never heard it addressed, even when it's there in black and white print.

I blame myself, and all of the other "selves" who only support moral issues if they require no effort on our part. I'll pray sing and speak, but God forbid there's a command to obey. That's legalism, anyway.

If a decision or prayer produces no change in me, if I'll love the Lord but not my neighbor, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, I might as well die on the spot.

The following week the pastor mentioned reaching out to people we wouldn't normally, and keeping each other accountable for our actions in love. I hope we do exactly that.

fallen warrior

2009-02-28T23:00:00.000-08:00

My email can really bum me out sometimes. I was deleting spam from an old account when I came across a message from Liberty alumni updates, or something like that. I scan them every now and then to see what's new. That's when I got a bit bummed.

Before the commercial for some insurance company (you actually could guess which one) the message announced some alumni news. A recent alumni is returning for a concert. She had majored in child development or something along those lines, and originally wanted to work with orphans and disadvantaged children. Then God told her she should sing instead.
Here's where I have issues.

I'll leave the "God told me" can of worms for another time, but I will say He tends to "want" things that cater to our whims a suspicious amount of times. Who knows? Maybe God wanted me to be a Hollywood actor, or a Lottery Winner. You never know.

Back to the singer. I can't help but think about the two options, and how much greater the need is in one than the other. There is no shortage of people clambering for the spotlight, or even those using singing and speaking talents to encourage and strengthen others. But servants are in short supply, as there are no immediate signs of glory (or even success sometimes) there. Our children are being shot at, bombed, orphaned, and starved to death. Even in developed countries such as the US and Korea, many are outright ignored. They don't need governments, they need loving individuals willing to share love, knowledge, food, time, etc., and ultimately, Christ. The laborers are few.

I never met this person, but I can't avoid sorrow. We gained another performer, and lost another warrior.

I feel strongly on the subject, so I may be wrong. If so, feel free to comment.

The Entitlement Generation

2009-02-26T01:30:00.000-08:00

Every now and then, I'll brew myself a pot of coffee and reminisce to a couple of years ago when I didn't have a coffee pot. I couldn't find one in Korea until I started working with Americans. I'll jokingly refer to the "instant coffee" days as the time I really sacrificed. At least I hope I'm joking.

I was reminded of this as I read an article about Lent, and why it's good for Protestants to practice. It had some good points, but one statement made me laugh a bit. The author said when she went through coffee withdrawal she would be reminded of Christ's suffering. Yes, it was stated like that. Now, I quit drinking coffee before, and it's given me nasty headaches, but I'm pretty sure scourging, crucifixion and the weight of the sins of mankind would hurt, oh, let's say a gazillion times more. Just a hunch.

Why do we equate willpower to actual suffering? It's because we are used to a few nice things, even the "poor" among us. We equate "have" to "deserve". We love to demand our rights.

Expats, even those in ministry, can be the worst. I've heard people groan like starving POWs because while they have fast food and coke here, "it's just not the same." Forget Tibet; free the whiny white people who CHOSE TO LIVE HERE. They're the real martyrs.

We have no idea what persecution means. This is more than a rant, it's a lament.

I feel a coffee headache coming on. I'd better go lie down.

Random Acts of Kindness Month

2009-02-20T17:01:00.000-08:00

Our school decided to make February Random Acts of Kindness month. Some teachers and TA s made three large hearts, one for each floor, and numerous smaller hearts for individuals to use each day of the following two weeks. Teachers, and later students, "caught" students acting kind in a random manner and wrote about it on small hearts. Those were later taped to respective larger hearts for all to see. It took a few days to catch on, but once students started realizing we were writing nice things about them they warmed up to the idea. It made for some worthwhile reading.

I had a student ask me to help her write. I asked her who was kind to her that day. We went through a list of the class' activities, and finally decided that a classmate played fairly and was a good Simon for "Simon Says." She finally wrote, "_______ played Simon Says well with me."

Week three took our kindness outward. On Tuesday a group of teachers and students went to a Grandma House after school for some cleaning and singing. Some sixth graders joined a couple of teachers and high school students this time. Before we left, one of the sixth graders asked me, "Are you going to give us candy?" I said no.

Later on they grabbed rags and went to work on the floors. By the end of the day, I had no doubt they knew why they were doing this. Still, asking for candy is funny.

I wasn't prepared for the singing part this time, as I thought we would just go to clean. Do'h!
Thankfully, we were able to improv. Memo to me, plan plan plan.

The sixth graders also joined us on Wednesday after school for a trip to the orphanage. We sat in a room with a group of three and four year olds, reading stories in English, coloring with them and teaching the hokie pokie. The latter was a noble attempt, and one of the kids joined in. The rest listened and watched the strange giants dance.

At one point, we were intent on helping our respective kids color and write letters of the alphabet, while some of our students read to others. Seemingly out of nowhere, one adult started singing the alphabet song. Others joined in, and before long, we were all singing together. It was rather magical.

On Thursday we grabbed some trash bags and gloves and set out to pick up trash on the property near our school. Teachers and students, grades K-12, discovered just how much litter is out there. I followed with a camera and enjoyed a chuckle when one student said, "Wait! I have to fix my hair!" before I took a picture. You're picking up trash. I think hair issues would be understandable.

The elementary students almost moved me to tears. They could see there was something they could do now, and they did it. Later I asked some students if they knew why we did this. Love for others and God was the main answer.

Friday was our fashionably late Valentine's Day Banquet, a fundraiser for our Spring Break missions trips to the Philippines and India. As we shared with parents and friends where we are going and why, I was reminded of a Nietze quote made by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Ethics. "...your love for your neighbor is ... love for yourselves. I say shun your neighbor, and love those farthest from you!" In our case, hopefully it starts with our neighbor and continues outward.

Forgive Our Debts (?)

2009-02-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

This issue may skew more to the political than the moral side. I do, however, enjoy the prospect of debts being forgiven along with an alternative to rewarding greed. Now that you're wondering what I'm babbling about, check out the story below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-chattman/forgiving-student-loan-de_b_164103.html

It's been a shamefully long time since I've done this, but I've got more questions than answers. Any thoughts?

Don't Try This at Home

2009-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

Quite a few posts back, I vented my frustrations at the new trend of churches making movies. My conviction behind that is there are better ways for the church to show the gospel to those who need to see it. I try to share ideas for such ways whenever they are revealed to me. My conviction stands, but I have other reasons as well.

I'm a movie snob. I've seen a few, and I'm a sucker for good storytelling, whether it be literary, cinematic, or both. All that to say I have strong feelings on the subject.

These strong feelings make me fidget often in Christian circles. I hold my tongue because many friends are excited about this great new movie with little to no production quality, and they strongly recommend it. I don't like popping people's balloons, so to speak, as it's frowned upon and may cause them to cry. Or me, or both. When in doubt, smile and nod.

I recently saw a popular Christian movie, and as with all movies I watch, I looked for the good. The best I came up with was potential.

A story should reflect effort put into it. It's good to have a message, but if that's the only point there are other (and better) methods for that. Movies are about storytelling.

Part of telling the story is being aware of cliches. An online entertainment magazine brought my attention to the "magical black man" cliche in movies such as the Green Mile. Rather than portray African Americans as human, they are given powers. A friend noted the sassy black friend cliche in other movies. Or maybe being sassy is another power, I'm not quite sure. It could be.

Back to the Christian movie. It had both of the cliches. One wasn't enough, I guess.

Why is this an issue? It disturbs me to see Christians chasing after trends, especially when there's something wrong with them. There was potential to show the difference in Christian and worldly perspectives, yet we got sucked in.

It doesn't help that women are shown in this movie as better seen than heard. Or hilariously sassy.

Shouldn't we identify and strive to correct cliches with a flawed basis? Why not give the supporting characters some depth, or even make the story about them instead of the leads? I think the latter would have worked better in this film as striving to keep a marriage together after one has already failed makes a better story than the one used.

This could show a deeper respect for the characters than we are used to in most movies, Christian or secular. It doesn't take tons of money but good writing, and people who enjoy what they do. I know there are screenplay writers out there who can do it, and if any of them read this post by some miracle or another I encourage them to do so. It can be made by people who know how and really want to.

Filmakers make films. Meanwhile, the local church is doing what it does best-- loving the Lord God with all its heart, soul and mind, and its neighbor as itself. We are one body, but when a hand tries to be a foot, things get messy.

Non-Partisan Observations (We can all Agree on)

2009-01-29T17:03:00.000-08:00

It's a strange and wonderful age we live in. Growing up, I thought that if you were a Christian, you voted a certain way and that was it. Except for the South, for some reason. I really don't remember why. Now, however, you can follow Christ and vote (dare I say it?) for the party of your choice (I couldn't say it).

This can cause many red-faced arguments and frequent cases of spirited arm waving* during times of fellowship**. That being the case, I came up with some great common ground topics for the sake of health and harmony. Feel free to steal them as needed.

1.George W. Bush is younger than his father.
Am I wrong?
2.Celebrities have a lot of money.
3. One bratwurst is plenty for one person per serving.
If you disagree, your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you will soon be proven wrong. Don't test wisdom and experience.
4.The environment has a lot of green in it.
5.Canned soup somehow tastes much better when cooked on a stove top than in a microwave. How is that possible? It's a mystery for the ages.
6. Batman would totally win against Superman in a fight.
I had to sneak that one in there.
7.Having just six items in a list looks evil. Seven looks much better.
That was a close one.

* Why do we do that, anyway? Do we think that will help us make our point? Are we waving magical "I will convince you" wands? Another mystery for the ages.
** "Fellowship" is Christianeze for "pizza party".

Warming Shmorming

2009-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to talk about the global warming issue, and whether or not it matters to followers of Christ. What if it's not as world-threatening as scientists say? Should we care?

Some thoughts:

I just found out second-hand smoke can't kill you, so I started blowing smoke in everyone's face.

Dumping all of our food waste and human waste in landfills is a good idea. Stewardship, baby!

Trees are over-rated. God won't allow us to cut them all down anyway, so we might as well go crazy with the chainsaws.

If you take care of God's creation you must be worshipping it. Shame on you.

Some guy told me the church could use an opportunity for witness by taking care of the earth God has entrusted to it. He was obviously a Druid.

P.S. This isn't directed at anyone in particular, just a general attitude I've seen growing up in an evangelical community. I hope it's the exception, not the rule.

Randomly Acting Kind

2009-01-24T04:40:00.000-08:00

One of our teachers shared the following website with us recently, as February will be our school's random acts of kindness month. It has some great ideas, and I'm currently looking up verses to help share the why. I hope this site proves useful to others as well.

http://www.actsofkindness.org/

Fun with Monologue

2009-01-21T04:08:00.000-08:00

Our third grade teacher took advantage of a historic event and showed the inauguration ceremony to his class. After it was over, a couple of his students came to my classroom for ESL. We were waiting for the rest of the students, so I asked how they liked the video.

"Chaemi opso!" one young man exclaimed.

I explained what he said meant "It was boring."

"What's the opposite of boring?" the other student asked.

Interesting, I replied, then asked what he thought. Was it interesting?

"No. It was boring!"

He proceeded to give an impression of the speech. "Blah blah blah, yay!" , then he'd clap. He repeated a couple of times for emphasis.

Funny, I listen to speeches and hear the same thing.

A Day of Service

2009-01-17T22:54:00.000-08:00

This is a sort of open letter to the church. Tomorrow, Martin Luther King Day, is set aside as one of service to our community. I pray we as followers of Christ seek to extend this service, beyond one day, with purpose. I pray we offer the cup of cold water in His Name.

Serve as He leads.

Defending Marriage

2009-01-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this post by saying this will be a tough one, and if I offend anyone I'm sorry. Unlike the topic in the previous post, I take this very seriously. I also request that you read the entire post before jumping to any conclusions. Finally, any criticims I make on this blog include myself and then some. If I ever come out as the hero in any stories or illustrations, it's purely unintentional. I'm often the anti-hero at best.

The linchpin of the culture wars seems to be supporting legislation that reflects our religious beliefs. The government is called upon to "define marriage."

I do find it funny that while the wording of said proposition could be seen as an attack on religions that practice polygamy, that's not where the brunt of ungodly aggression goes. And yes, there's ungodly aggression on both sides of the issue, which show anger, fear and hate towards each other. Not exactly the fruits of the spirit.

Now that I said that, I want to move on. My point isn't about politics, or demanding laws reflect a Christian standard. I want to dismiss that right away and cut to the heart of the matter. The responsibility for defending marriage as God intended it falls on married couples who follow Christ. I'll personalize it: as far as I'm concerned, it falls on Beka and me. We have a responsibility to show what God intended marriage to look like. If only He wanted us to protest gay marriage instead, because as anyone who's been married knows, carrying a cardboard sign around would be easier. But one thing the Christian life doesn't display is convenience.

Marriage is hard work. Probably goes without saying, but you never know. Back when Beka and I were dating, we had cutesy arguments and couldn't talk about problems for too long before making some kind of joke. We never yelled. I was convinced we would be the coolest couple ever.
One recent evening we sat down on our bed after a good lungbuster of a disagreement. For those of you who are stateside, maybe you heard us. Anyway, we did enjoy a good laugh after we ironed out the communication difficulties and I recalled our dating years. "We were dirty stinking liers!"

Also worth mentioning: the vocal stylings of note followed a group for married couples. We were watching Love and Respect, a series I recommend. It did, however, bring up some unique issues for us, and to be honest, guys can be the most defensive and insecure creatures on the planet. I probably could of handled the discussion with my wife better, but that's part of the "hard work" deal.

Between then and the next group our communication improved at least somewhat. During the discussion after our video, one of the couples brought up God's intention of marriage--to reflect His character. That's a tall order, and I hope we're taking steps towards it.

A reoccuring theme when I think of Christlikeness is salt and light. Are we (my wife and I) striving together to preserve our own integrity and show what a Christlike marriage should look like? That would do more for His glory than any proposition ever could.

Prayer: The Soundtrack!

2009-01-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

This isn't a big issue, as it's more of a pet peeve. As some of you have heard me say before, one of my biggest irritations is that we can't think of a better name for things that annoy us than "pet peeves". Curse you, inventor of idioms.

Anyway, one of the things that annoy me the most tends to be background music for prayer. It's hard to pray with a soundtrack. I first noticed this in church, as the tradition is for someone to play music while the pastor prays. It isn't soft and in the background, either. It's dramatic, inspirational-sounding stuff. The natural reaction of the pray-er is to raise his voice a bit dramatically. It's unavoidable, as I later discovered.

The other day I was joining silent prayer in a group while the leader was playing the guitar. It sounded nice, but the result in my head was a more dramatic prayer in my mind. I don't know how silent prayer can be dramatic, but that's what happened. And dramatic does not = heartfelt, so I had to pray away the resultant guilt according to custom. And that's such a bother.

Like I said, this is a minor irritation. I just hope it doesn't become too popular, or we'll be seeing CD sets in Christian bookstores entitled "Soundtracks for Prayer", or something like that. Then we'd be talking a major issue.

White Jesus

2009-01-05T01:03:00.000-08:00

Shane Claiborne recalls the time he was approached to play Jesus for a skit. The reason given? "We need a white guy." I was initially shocked at this, but not too surprised. After all, some people live in a pretty small world.

Lately, I've thought about skits, movies, and all other medium requiring the role of Christ being played. More often than not the choices for the role are white. I'm a benefit-of-a-doubt kind of guy so I won't call it intentional. But do many of us have that picture in our head? Do we realize how ridiculous that is?

More Adventures in Tourism

2008-12-31T23:47:00.000-08:00

I was talking to some friends about mega churches and how big they have to be. He went into detail about youth group size needing to be at least a thousand, then he proceeded to describe the churches' Skating Rinks or Bowling Alleys. I don't remember which, but does that part really matter?

I voiced my displeasure at such an emphasis on entertainment to the extent of having these in a place of worship.

In its defense, he helpfully added, "It's for the youth."

Sometimes, you just can't reason.

Corean Christmas

2008-12-24T04:22:00.000-08:00

For me, Christmas week started on Saturday the twentieth. That afternoon I met a small group from our church to help deliver presents to a couple of orphanages. I waited with a Korean mom with three English-speaking kids in front of a van full of presents. The driver would be along shortly.

As we waited, some neighborhood kids strolled by playing with a plastic squeaky hammer and using bad language in Korean. The mother in our group promptly scolded the kids, who apologized. Her kids asked what they said, and naturally she refused to tell them.

Soon the driver arrived, and we were off. Within minutes we drove to the first orphanage, parked, and unloaded presents in a large dining area. I did some detective work by looking at the clock and reading the word "Jesus" and decided this must be a Christian orphanage. A better detective might have noticed the big pulpit behind me, but what can you do.

We shared snacks and called out names as the children ate. As a name was called, we gave out the respective gift. The lady in charge seemed to be asking the kids not to open their presents until Christmas. Some took the advice, but others couldn't wait. All were pleased.

We moved on to the second orphanage, where our church's pastor and his wife met us. We gathered the dozen or so kids, sat in a circle, and the mother in our group read the Christmas story from the book of Luke in Korean. Our pastor punctuated the reading with "this is why we celebrate."

After the reading, we sang a Christmas carol or two, played some games in Korean and English, then exchanged gifts with the children. They'll open them on Christmas day.

The following Monday Beka and I headed to a local church ministry to help bind quiet time diaries. They had "kyu tee" spelled out in Korean, which either meant Q.T., or cutie. I guess quiet times can be adorable.

That afternoon some missionary kids joined us and compared the work to destroying walls with a jackhammer. This was better by their estimation. I proceeded to debate how that was possible.
In the end, they won, as my point of view was vastly outnumbered.

Several hours and books later, we called it a day and made our way home.

Wednesday the twenty-fourth, I started the day as Santa. I half-walked, half-slid down icy steps to the subway, then met one of our school's former secretaries to impersonate the aforementioned Clause at a kindergarten.

I was ushered into a storeroom and shown my Santa suit, then asked to stay there until further notice. Great pains were taken to hide me, costume or no. Our friend later told me the reasons behind this covert op. Apparently, when she was young she asked her parents why Santa looked like her principal at school and her pastor at church. She wanted these kids to avoid such trauma.

The costume fit well enough, but Santa's coat kept slipping open revealing the Batman T-shirt underneath. This really was my plan when I got dressed that morning. The coat would fly open, and I'd be forced to admit "I'm not Santa. Santa's not real. I'm Batman."

The Batman shirt went unnoticed, as Santa's flying hat stole the show. It refused to stay on his head, and many six to eight year olds were amused, not to mention the four or five snickering adults. Oh, yes, I remember you, whoever you are.

I had several bags of presents and a list of names, written beforehand by their parents. I called a name, read good qualities and areas for improvement, then evened out the constructive criticism by forking over the loot. Santa did use his better judgment however, and refused to read "stop picking your nose" off one boy's list. There are some things that Santa needn't mention.

One girl looked like she was about to cry. Thankfully there were only positive notes on the list, but she still refused to smile, even with a present. The Santa hat continued to fly off my head. After the third or fourth time, she gave in and started laughing.

I managed a few more ho ho hos, a "Merry Christmas" or two, and hid until it was time to go home.

Later that afternoon I met some students, teachers and missionaries to sing some Christmas carols at a haukwan (tutoring school) ministry. We sang a few Christmas carols with explanations of what these Christmas carols mean and why they are important to us.

We were pleasantly surprised when we sang Silent Night and Joy to the World. The students joined in, and we learned they were practicing the words in English before they knew we would sing them.

We confirmed that many of them don't celebrate Christmas at home, so we explained what it means to us.

A few minutes later, we said our goodbyes, collected candy canes, and trudged back through the labyrinthine subway tunnels to work our ways to our respective homes.

He'll Be Back

2008-12-23T03:56:00.000-08:00

This old Mad TV sketch still cracks me up and yet remains mostly reverent. Either way, it's appropriate for Christmas, so enjoy.

Culture Wars and... Coffee?

2008-12-20T15:35:00.001-08:00

This Burnside blog post gets some good points across on some major culture war issues. And it's funny. Enjoy.

Proposition 9 Passes; Coffee Banned in Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah. After passing by less than 3,000 votes, Proposition 9, which outlaws the sale of all caffeinated beverages, roasted coffee beans, and teas, has sharply divided the Salt Lake community. Coffee drinkers and Starbucks employees have twice staged marches and demonstrations at the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple in protest of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ efforts in support of the Proposition.

Herb Heffernander, an employee of the local coffee shop, Awesome Beans says more protests are planned. “We’re just so mad that they would take this away from us,” says Heffernander. “It’s only motivated by religion and it’s splitting families apart.”

However, the strife is not limited to LDS church members and coffee drinkers; divisions are surfacing among the Mormon faithful.

“Doctrine and Covenants 89 simply states that ‘hot drinks are not for the body or belly’ and doesn’t clearly identify coffee or caffeine,” says Mormon Bishop Franklin Plopshelf. He also suggests that tea should be viewed in light of Joseph Smith’s revelation about herbs, which are for the use of man.

Many Mormons who supported Proposition 9 say it’s about the spirit of D&C 89. “Coffee is destroying this nation,” states Linda Low, a Salt Lake resident who worked on the Yes on 9 campaign. “It’s an abomination.” Low argues that Bishop Plopshelf is more concerned with the image of the church and it’s ability to reach out to the younger generation rather than a strict adherence to scripture.

The Local Coffee Roasters Association of Main Street has vowed to challenge the Proposition in court and more protests are expected. A claim of election law violations against the LDS church as also been filed by the Association, claiming that the church overstepped it’s tax exempt status by entering the political arena. The church has made no comment.

Those Damned Missionaries

2008-12-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

My wife was teaching The Good Earth in one of her classes and pointed out an interesting passage. The main character, a struggling Chinese farmer, encounters missionaries. They hand him a piece of paper with Jesus on the cross and nothing else. This has extra meaning when we realize the author was a missionaries' kid who later turned her back on the faith.

Wes Anderson, author of Too Small to Ignore and head of Compassion International, was also an MK. He recalls an incident when his father took him to African villages with the hope of preaching from the Bible. One village was pretty much on the brink of death. Dr. Anderson's dad figured out their water supply was poisoned and took care of it. The people recovered and asked why he took so much interest in them. He told them, and it wasn't long before a church got started.

Later, the dad wrote an update letter to supporting churches telling what happened. To his son's chagrin, he left out the parts about helping people. Sheepishly, he explained the churches in the U.S. wouldn't understand. Young Wes Anderson walked away in tears.

It seems like I'm always having this conversation and always will until the day I die, but doesn't scripture point these things out? It does, and many of us are catching up, but why does it take us so long?

Physical and spiritual needs are both important, and the minute we ignore one we damn ourselves to disobedience. I hope we seek the least of these, but with purpose.

Culture Wars and Myvalues

2008-12-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

I'll have a bit to say on culture wars in future posts as it's a pretty big topic, but the Christmas season and social networks such as Myspace and Facebook serve as a good intro.

Social networks are great. You can start a group or join a cause and invite others to join them. You can also (secretly of course) look down on them when they don't join your cause. Shame.

Some causes have immediate purpose and are fairly personal. My wife recently joined a group explaining her uniquely-named friend is in fact a real person and should be allowed to have an account. It also had an immediate effect as it worked.

Beyond that we get into the tricky part. My "end poverty" out ranks your "keep prayer in the school" and so on. And what shall we call Christmas? Simply put, who has the best cause?

I do think that drawing awareness to things we care about is good, especially when we're strongly convicted about them. I also believe (as I'll discuss in later posts) culture wars tend to lose sight of individual and church wide responsibilities. But the moment I turn the whole thing into a competition I lose sight of the point.

I can click and show my support for feeding the poor, but if I don't show love to people outside of my comfort zone and spend time with them it means nothing.

What's the best way to keep Christ in Christmas? Followers who reflect Him by giving meaningful gifts to each other and to others in need, with purpose. (By the way, I see this happen a lot during the holidays and it encourages me. The church is hungry for opportunities to serve and give.)

It seems common sense, but in an age of point and click, easy entertainment, easy service, easy evangelism, it's worth a shout-out at least.

In the meantime, I have to remember where values need to be. In ending poverty.

No, seriously. My causes are better.

Wimpy Theology

2008-12-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

I was raised in a Christian home with certain notions of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Point number one was "don't water down the Gospel". So, as long as everything included sin and the death burial and resurrection of Christ, our basic Christian-ness remains unscathed. For many years, I agreed. Lately, however, I've begun to not edit but rather expand my definition of what that means. And that's where things get scary.

I've heard of a "wimpy theology", referring to any teaching on God that isn't soundly based on the Bible. But let's go beyond that. Wouldn't a weak theology be one that seems to require nothing of us? One that says "Pray this prayer, then read the Bible, pray, and continue your life as you normaly would"? Don't get me wrong, sin, a need for a Savior, and faith in Him are vital to the Gospel, but isn't leaving out Christ's teachings on people who hear the words and don't do them or those who see others in need and say "be fed" or "be clothed" and keep on walking at least a bit wimpy? Shouldn't all that reading and praying make a difference?

I'm not talking about works based salvation, as that would be a hopeless black hole (see "Adventures in Dogooding" a few posts back for one example). I'm just talking about common sense, sort of. If we have faith, it should make a difference in more than just our heads. But what gets stressed more? Or am I just overreacting? That's always a possibility, so I'm not ruling it out.

Please feel free to comment. A strong theology might include more than I even mentioned. What do you think?

Ball Pits and Christmas Cards

2008-12-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

Thursday I had the opportunity to tag along with a group taking snacks and diapers to an orphanage. Part of its name actually refers to it as a town, and it has the size to match. We parked near the building where the children were and brought the supplies in it. Then it was time for a tour.

The children range from ages zero to four. A separate building houses unwed mothers. The building we entered kept children, some sensible toys, and the ultimate ball pit on the first floor. Most of the kids kept pretty busy.

One four year old found me and decided to give me a tour of the place. He led me by the pinky until a Poo Bear bicycle caught his eye. Then he decided to ride that instead.

Later he wanted to be held. Every time I'd start to let go, he would get more footing and wrap his arms around my neck. Thankfully, it was time to eat when we had to go, or he might not have let me leave. He has a good sense of priorities.

We promised to return, then made our way to our respective homes.

Friday I joined a meeting with students interested in going on a short-term missions trip to India or the Philippines. I assured those interested in India that India is not on the restrictive travel list. Another teacher added the fact that Mumbai is far and in the opposite direction from where we are going. Of course there were problems nearby, but thankfully those blew over.

Later that day I had some students make Christmas cards for elderly ladies in the Grandma House. I explained I would visit with some students and teachers the following day. Everyone used Korean, some used English, two used Japanese and one used Russian.

The next day a student would remind me the Japanese might not be a good idea, and I remembered some of the ladies were probably alive during the occupation. But I finally decided my students can't help who they are. And they did use Korean as well.

Saturday our PE teacher graciously drove our group to the grandma house, where we brought the cards and some towels as requested, then drank coffee and waited to be put to work. We didn't have to wait long.

We cleaned the floors, and I noted that some of our students consider work punishment. I was impressed as they seemed to enjoy themselves.

An hour later, we rinsed out our cleaning rags, ate some pears, then gathered up our list of Christmas carols. We spent the twenty minute ride teaching the songs to the students, as many didn't know them. This was not a good week for me to have a cold. Regardless, we sang without hurting anyone. That's always a plus.

Three songs passed, and it was time for the residents to eat. That seems to be our exit cue.

We said our goodbyes, then drove off to find a lunch of our own.

Feedback, or Death to the Monologue

2008-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

After a refreshing vacation from blogging on this site I afforded the opportunity to have a thought or two. My default is, when in doubt, listen. I can blabber about my opinions all day, but I would learn nothing. So, I'll add a new format to the mix and see what happens.

I'll ask a question rather than just say what I think. If you're reading this, please comment and let me know your convictions, thoughts and interpretations on the matter. Thinking will ensue. I hope.

Here's the question. Is service a means to an end, or is it a way of showing the Gospel? I've heard people say that doing acts of service such as helping the fatherless and the widow, etc, is "a great way to tell them about the Gospel." But isn't the act a witness, a means of showing the Gospel? The question is, should the service be used only as a lead-in to a sermon, or can it be a witness as well?

Discuss.

Yet More Thoughts on Christmas

2008-11-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

Update to Bah Humbug

2008-11-20T21:24:00.000-08:00

http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

It's nice to know you're not alone.

More to Come

2008-11-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

I'm slamming on the brakes awhile to allow readers to catch up. I have at least a few more sacred cows to make holy hamburgers for the next few weeks. That should sustain us, providing they're not too rare. In the meantime, read, rehash and ponder away.

Enjoy.

Bah, Humbug

2008-11-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, and I'm sick of Christmas already. Earlier each year, our heads get filled with obligations and lists of things to buy. As Michael Scott from the Office would say, it's a time to measure your value of others by how much you spend on them. Franken what? Myrrh? It's all about the gold.

Maybe Christmas and I got started on the wrong foot. I was an angel in the school play one year and the lights were too warm or my halo was too tight. Whatever the case, we all hit a long note at the end of a song and I dropped like a stinky little snowflake.

I don't remember what I got for Christmas that year.

It's probably the only Christmas I don't equate with what I got. I mean, Nerf fencing swords and diskmen are cool, but should those mark the defining points of a life?

Last year I looked up the origins of Christmas. A long time ago it was pretty wild. It was all about partying hard and getting others to do the same. Eventually it got out of hand and it was discouraged to celebrate it.

In the time of Dickens and like minded writers the "spirit of Christmas" was renewed with a sense of generosity. Remember scrooge? He gave to the poor in the end. He gave according to needs, not whims. At this point in history it seems so un American. I mean, where are the wonderful toys?

Somewhere between then and now the wires got crossed concerning generosity and indulgence. It's hard to tell the difference at times.

I stressed when I shouldn't have. Our school has door decorating contests, and a theme for decorating our doors. My Grinch reflexes kicked in, and I grumbled "something something wasting class time". I overlooked the positive.

Our theme is the twelve days of Christmas, but with a biblical perspective. We get to focus on the basics of why we are celebrating. It's like shaking the etch-a-sketch and starting over. I like it.

I seriously wonder how many times Jesus was tempted to return to earth just to say "Take my name off this holiday."

Maybe I need to go back, and see what needs to be done to focus on the basics. Maybe we all do.

Fun with Balloons

2008-11-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

The story I pasted a link to below made me smile this morning, and it took me all day to figure out why.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7719755.stm

Post after post, I talk about what the church isn't doing, what it's doing wrong, and what it should be doing instead. I'm sure it seems to some that I'm whining. But as part of the church, I see it as a positive thing. Hey! We could be doing this instead of this. I truly believe, for example, we as the church could do more to support single-parent homes and adoption efforts. But that's only one example. What else can we do, and how could we even start?

I like what these activists did for several reasons.

1. They saw a need. North Koreans are starving for actual news. If only there was something they could do.
2. They thought it through and did something about it. They accurately assessed a need and followed through with meeting it. And best of all,
3. They saw resistance as a good thing. "People are pissed. We must be doing something right." So they keep on doing what they feel they need to.

It's so foreign to me to see people act this way. That's not how you respond to opposition. Aren't you supposed to draw further in to yourself and make movies?

As a spiritual tourist, I find examples like this very encouraging. It's not a complete answer, but it's a good start.

Adventures in Do-gooding

2008-11-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Lately I've felt a pull to pursue living simply. This happened as I could see more examples of materialism hurting others. This summer was the most vivid example, as well as the most effective conundrum.

I was practicing my multi-tasking one afternoon by watching a video while surfing the net. My plans were to play some Playstation later that day. I found a headline on yahoo news and my heart sank. I clicked on the headline to read the story and it sank deeper, if that's possible. How far can your heart sink? Who knows.

Anyway, it turns out that all video game violence isn't fake. A metal used in Playstations, as well as in cellphones and other technological wonders, was mined in the Congo by children. It's even been referred to as the "new blood diamond."

I decided not to play Playstation that day.

The conundrum is what to do with the thing. We haven't used it since, but would it be wrong if we did? The damage is already done. But what's the alternative? Sell it? How would that help anyone?

In the end, all is said and done and I still don't know what to do. Try to do right and you still might have a bizarre Butterfly Effect without Ashton Kutcher (thankfully). You follow conviction, and hope and pray for the best.

My happy medium is moderation. If I don't go out of my way for toys to entertain, I can hope and pray that I am not oppressing others through my actions. Live simply and hope for the best.

It seems logical (in a way) and reasonable. It follows my convictions and God-given concern for others. But it still doesn't resolve the feeling in my gut.

Maybe I just need to take antacid.

Does anyone want a used Playstation? Cheap?

No Discernment

2008-11-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Censorship reeks of fear. Everything I read or watch has to be "safe", that is, to agree with what I already think. It's impossible to look at opposing views with a balanced perspective. I must spend a lifetime constructing a protective bubble. I must forever remain a tourist.

How can we learn anything if we don't listen?

Media Frenzy or The Problem with Tourism Part 2

2008-10-29T15:22:00.001-07:00

There's a new craze in churches these days. Let's raise money and invest in them moving pictures. After all, more people are influenced by movies these days than anything else.

Here's my issue. The church tends to be out of touch, so much so that it misunderstands what being out of touch really means. It doesn't mean we need more technology and trendier music and "Christian entertainment" to counter "all the liberal garbage out there." It means we ignore those who are in need while we are spending more money on ourselves. Do you want to be relevant? Use the funds to meet the needs of others (see "the big fat 'A'" a few posts back for one example). Do you want to be trendy so people will like you? Watch more TV and ditch a life of faith altogether. One choice is actually an investment.

The Problem with Tourism

2008-10-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

This may upset many people, and to be honest, I hope it does so, in the right way. Lately I've had musings on church, racism and irrelevance. It all brought me to thoughts on tourism.

I like to travel, but I hate being a tourist. I don't mean I hate taking pictures or seeing great sites, as those help create memories and prompt unforgetable adventures. I just don't like the distance it seems to require from people.

When you're a tourist, you don't connect with the people who live in that place. You see many as obstacles, or means to an end. At best, they are in the background and don't factor much into your stories. I say "you", but I'm included here as well. It's reducing people to resources, and I hate it.

Recently a staff member at our school was talking about racism, and how many of us teachers couldn't understand because we are American. She was right. No matter where I go, I may even be the minority, but I'll get special treatment. I hate that as well.

I try to speak the language of people I come into contact with. I listen, try to learn from what I hear, and respond. I mess up a lot, but as Radall P. MacMurphy from One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest would say, at least I try.

Christians remind me of tourists, again, myself included. I recently watched a Tyler Perry movie and almost applauded myself for enjoying it. Wouldn't it be better to actually interract with people who aren't as WASP-ish as myself? Movies would tell you all whites are stupid or gun-crazed. Yeah, let's leave that one alone. Still, you see my point.

We'll never make a difference if we insist on keeping a safe distance from those who are different from us.

Every Sunday we choose who to sit next to. Every Sunday we find people who are very similar to ourselves and sit by them. This inherant discrimination is shared by all. I'm guilty too, and I hate it.

the big fat "A"

2008-10-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

The most polarizing issue nowadays for Christians as well as many non-Christians would have to be abortion. It's caused argument, or at least lively discussion, and rightly so, as life and death can be some emotional issues. I'd be worried if they were not. I've thought and prayed about this and recently I felt a burden to share some ideas of my own on this topic. And as it would upset many conservatives and liberals alike, it seems to ring true.

I believe strongly that a baby, born or not, is a life. I also believe that it is wrong to take life or ask others to do so. But many Christian churches do that when they demand someone have a baby they can't afford to take care of. It sounds a bit dramatic, but that can be the case. We excell at telling people what not to do, even if it starves them out.

I've been reminded lately of the nature of God. He is compassionate, and He never asks people to "put off" without "putting on". He gives us positive replacements for the things we need to avoid, such as murder. He gives so much more than what He asks for. And we as followers of Christ claim the desire to become more like Him.

These thoughts led me to the idea. How many churches raise funds to support adoption, or single-parent homes? That seems more important than a new flat screen TV or new songbooks. If no one is doing this, we are all judgment without the compassion. It does not seem very pro-life.

Lessons from the Dark Knight (Spoilers and all)

2008-10-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

Warning! I'm going to discuss the plot of the Dark Knight. I tried to wait patiently so I could discuss it, so I believe most of the world has reached the statute of limitations on spoilers by now. In case I'm wrong, I'll do some extra butt-covering for good measure.

WARNING! SPOILER AHEAD!

That being settled, I'll move on.

The Dark Knight is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. One of the reasons for this is the deeper issues of morality and human nature. The explosions are cool, too, but that's beside the point.

The scene with the two boats, or the result of Joker's "social experiment", gets me every time. I can never get over who acts first, and what he says and does. I don't cry, but I get pretty close.

Recently my wife and I re-watched the Dark Knight. I explained how I love that scene, and on the second viewing she had a question. Does that scene suggest man is basically good?

I had wrestled with that one as well, so I thought about it.

Not really, I eventually replied. Just that there's hope.

I'll add now that Batman (or the Batman if you prefer) would never suggest people are basically good. He wouldn't do what he does if he thought so. (In the movies and comics, of course. I do acknowledge he's not real.) But there is hope of making the right decision as well.

I recently realized why that scene moves me. It has to be the most convincing and powerful conversion scene I've seen in a movie. No one prays a prayer or anything, but you can see a change of heart.

I'm not saying the character(s) "got saved." But the humility and honesty involved show a true change, a repentance I don't remember seeing done convincingly in any movie, including evangelistic ones. Knowing who you are and taking steps to change it may not be the end all, but it's a good start.

I also like the part about the people in the other boat following suit. It reminds me of the "rest of us", those who think we're not so bad. We have potential to do at least as much damage with our dismissive judgmental whims such as "They had their chance." In the end, we could (and many have) destroy lives. But the end of this tense scene reminds me that there's even hope for us.

Sunday Mornings

2008-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

I've got nothing against musicals, if they're good enough. I just never asked to live in one. But every Sunday, that seems to be the case. This particular Sunday was no exception.

We started with the usual barage of praise choruses. They seemed introspective or just plain shallow, or I was just in a crotchety mood. Either way, I decided the most honest way to worship was choosing not to sing.

One song in particular made this choice interesting. The verses were from Amazing Grace, a song I could never have a problem singing. But the chorus was added on by some contemporary Christian singer, as if adding a chorus made it his song now. Did it add meaning? Not really, so I just sang the verses.

We were done singing, and then we were ready for...more singing! But before that, we had to listen to someone else play special music. She played the piano well, but beyond acknowledging that I had nothing major to reflect on. So I watched members of the audience for a clue. Women were watching the fingers move, to see if they could do that. Men seemed impressed, because many of them couldn't do that. One dude was doing a sort of restrained "holy head-banging" nod thing. It was distinct from the sleep nod, so I gathered he enjoyed it. No one else looked bored.

We sang a couple of hymns. I knew or at least hoped the message would be good, as it usually is. But the excessive singing makes it hard for me to focus. I mean, it's exactly like living in a musical. No one sings this much in real life.

The message was good, then we sang our closing song. "They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love." I thought they'd know by our excessive singing, but I hope the other is true as well.