Monday, January 31, 2005

Just a couple of random thoughts tonight:

First, from Mission Frontiers led by Ralph Winter, "Every year, Christian churches spend over $1 billion to collect detailed information on their membership." What every happened to old-fashioned relationship building?

Second, I came upon the question again today, "Why do we place so much emphasis on overseas missions in the church and neglect our own neighbors?" I get sick of this question, I really do. For one, it's not a matter of either/or, but both. We need to focus both on local and global missions. But second, no one is forcing these churches to choose one or the other, they do it on their own for their own reasons. And third, overseas is where the harvest is. As I quoted last week in this space, over 60% of the Church (and growing) is in non-Western, non white communities. Why not put the resources there as that is where the people are responding. Finally, fourth, we just think about missions in a totally wrong atmosphere. And I'm going to leave you hanging there and move on to another topic.

Finally, I put some words on paper today that express the yearnings of my heart of late. Feedback is appreciated.

Mission:
To bring a group of like-minded and mission-minded followers of Christ together to encourage and support one another, meet the needs of the local community, and spread the Kingdom of God throughout the world.

Practical Application:
This will be played out in 3 simple steps:

1) Step 1 will include weekly gathering of the believers to encourage one another and support each other in their walk with the Lord.
- Gatherings will consist of sharing what God has put on our hearts, study of His Word, and a time of fellowship and prayer
- “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25
- “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…All the believers were together and had everything in common... Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42,44,46-47

2) Step 2 will consist of meeting the physical and spiritual needs of believers both locally and around the world
- A 501c3 organization will be formed to provide the opportunity for tax deductions for all funds donated
- The members of the Board of Directors of this organization will bring the needs of the community and world to the weekly meetings and funds will be distributed accordingly
- With few exceptions, only grass-roots organizations (i.e. Gospel for Asia) and individual people will receive the funds or the goods. Funds will not be used for the purposes of building buildings nor will they go to existing, large-scale organizations (i.e. World Vision, Campus Crusade, etc.)
- There will be no overhead for the organization initially, and if there is ever a need in that area it will be raised or covered separately. 100% of funds donated will go to their intended cause.

3) Step 3 will include the organization of trips to visit the people/places we support. Relationships with native missionaries via letter writing or personal visits will be greatly encouraged and developed as this process evolves.


Obviously, this needs to be further developed but it expresses where I believe the Lord is leading me in my journey with Him.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Over the weekend I read this book called "Facing the Congo" by Jeffrey Tayler. Quite an interesting read. It's basically about Tayler's existential journey into the Congo, seeking to ride a pirogue (a long and narrow canoe) with no motor down the Congo River from Kisangani to Kinshasha. There seemed to have been only around 4 people who tried it previously and none made it, two falling victim to cannibal tribes along the way and two miraculously being rescued on some deserted island after their pirogue capsized. I won't tell you if he made it or not just in case you want to read the book.

Anyway, he used the word "existential" quite often during the book and although I had been familiar with the word and used it in my daily language, I admit I had to look it up for the exact meaning. Dictionary.com defines it as "derived from experience or the experience of existence" or basically gaining meaning from life based on experience. That got me thinking...

Isn't our entire culture existential? Hasn't this movement overtaken the Church? Isn't everything we do basically revolve around the experience? Maybe not in the modern setting but I believe this totally prevails in the postmodern movement. Now my question, is this bad? It has affected our culture, but does that make it wrong? I'm split on this one, part of me says that we shouldn't have to base everything on experience, that faith in Christ and the teaching of His Word should be enough. But the other part of me says that my life is basically an existential journey, much like Tayler's, and that I grow closer to the Lord through experiencing Him and His people around the world. I think many people are similar to me.

As always, and I've said this before in this space, it comes down to balance. We must rely on Christ and His sacrifice and the promises of God while at the same time growing closer to Him through His Word and the experiences of our lives.

Barikwa sana!

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

The following is an excerpt from a book that I received this weekend from an amazing lady, Betty Wagner, remind me to tell you more about her! The quotes are a little old (the book was published in 1999 but the spirit is there.

It was theologian Reinhold Niebuhr who wrote the original Serenity Prayer, back in 1943:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Contemporary believers might add another phrase when referring to the mission of the church: Give us the grace to recognize that change is often the work of the Spirit of God in building Christ's church by redeeming lost person's from every tribe and tongue and nation. And as Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, wrote, "This redemption is experienced in a rich variety of cultural contexts."

Let me give you a statistic that is profoundly affecting our methods at Wayfarer's Ministries. I quote Paul Hiebert, verteran missionary in India, who at this writing is chair of the department of Mission and Evangelism at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School:

In 1900, 95% of the church was in the West, and white. By the year 2000 it is estimated that 60% of the world's Christians will be in non-Western countries, a testimony to God who worked (during the traditional missionary movement) despite the flaws of his messengers and the flaws of their methods.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

We lost a basketball game tonight. BAD! Played terrible...we are not a team, we are a collection of individuals and right now, even though we are 10-2, we are not a good team. Anyway, after the game I was livid, angry, frustrated, hot-tempered, not fun to be around...

Then I came home and Maiya was sitting on the couch being her normal goofy self. When she was putting her pajamas on she was being silly so I grabbed her and cradled her like a baby, tickled her ribs, etc. She then asked me to snuggle with her when she went to be and was just the cutest little thing.

My point is this, I lost perspective tonight. I came home and was in a terrible mood and am glad that I got things right quick. Was that game important, sure it was. We didn't play together, we didn't execute a game plan, we lost focus, etc. But it wasn't THAT big. There are people starving around the world, dying without the knowledge of Christ, being forced into slavery, and my daughter wanted me to be her daddy and play with her. We just lost a basketball game... nothing more, nothing less. Shame on me for losing focus and losing sight of the big picture.

Thursday, January 20, 2005

This quote from Joshua Whippos appeared on the Evangelical Outpost this morning:

The way you can make a difference, is by conversing with non-Christians, and changing YOUR paradigm. We can talk about theories, and models, and ideas all we want. Here is where the rubber meets the road, though. WE HAVE TO ENGAGE. Not “watch someone else engage, and comment on it.” You can give someone their kudos, and such - but, don’t use “blogging for the sake of blogging” as an excuse to get out of your Biblical mandate to “make disciples of all nations", and to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth.
Today's sign that the Apocalypse is upon us: Don "Majik Man" Majkowski will be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame this summer. It is official, they now let anyone in. I will be expecting my call next year.

From the annals of "There is a God": Alicia Keys announced her Spring tour yesterday and will be playing in Chicago on April 1 & 2. I feel like Bodie in "Point Break" when they were talking about the "hundred year storm" and he said "Next year it's going to hit Bells Beach in Australia and I will be there!" Alicia Keys is on tour and "I WILL BE THERE!"

On a more serious note, Maiya's new thing is that I have to cuddle or "snuggle" (in her words) with her for ten minutes before she goes to bed at night. Am I the luckiest guy in the world or what? Anyway, last night she was telling me about all of her friends (basically every child under the age of 7 that she can remember). It got me thinking that one of my biggest fears of being a father is having a child that doesn't have any friends. I don't want Maiya to be that child that is not accepted, that does not get invited to other people's houses (being that child that another kid will ask his mom, "Do I really have to invite Maiya?") or other children thinking of excuses why they can't come to our house when invited. This also makes me think back with remorse to when I was young and would be that person who didn't accept other kids my age. It's can be a tough life, especially as a young person. In additiona, I know that as a Christian, which I hope Maiya will be, she will not always be totally accepted if her faith is true, yet I still hope there are friends for her and a good life ahead of her. What else does any parent want?

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Matthew 16:5-12 really nails what I have been thinking about a lot lately. I have included the text below:

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn't bring any bread.”
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.


Like I wrote previously in this space, I am completely fed up with the "modern" (again I am going to say I hate that word and label but it does a service here) church and those who still follow that paradigm. Yet I never could place a finger on where my issues with them centered. This Scripture points it out to me.

Like the disciples in the above text, moderns are asking the wrong questions. Jesus told the disciples to "watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees" and they thought he was mad that they didn't bring any bread. Jesus could care less that they didn't bring any bread! Didn't they remember just a short time ago when he fed the five thousand with just a few fish and loaves of bread!

Much the same, today we are asking questions about what type of music to play, the order of the service, whether to be seeker-sensitive or seeker-friendly, whether we take the Saddleback approach, the cell approach, home church, etc. We ask if we should have a brat fry outreach or just a pizza party, what do we do if someone brings a six pack of beer to the picnic (heaven forbid!). We are functioning around these questions, and they are all wrong. Rather, the questions need to be how can we glorify God? How can we spead His message to the ends of the earth? How can we portray His grace and rescue people from the depths of sin and depravity? How can we use our God-given gifts (time, talents, and treasures) to bring the hope of Christ to those in despair? In other words, how can we live the Kingdom and bring the Kingdom to the world, just as Jesus told us to do. These questions are much harder but much more fulfilling in the large picture and the greater scheme of things.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

More and more I am finding myself to be a very materialistic person. There are a lot of material things that I desire. Some are simple, some more extravagant, all unneccessary to my survival. Part of the problem is our culture, which continues to throw those items and gadgets at us and tell us that successful people wear and use these, the other part of me sees it simply as my flesh desiring things of this world rather than things of eternity.

Fortunately, the Spirit is also at work in me providing a necessary balance. I continue to get this picture of Oscar Schindler at the end of Schindler's list looking at all of his possessions and realizing that his watch could have saved 100 more Jews, his cuff links ten more, and so on. I don't want to get to the end of my road and realize that more families could have been rescued from slavery or reached with the Gospel or been prevented from having to prostitute themselves to put food on the table for their children.

God has given me and all people time, talents, and treasures that are meant to be used for His glory by bringing people to a love and knowledge of Him, may we all continue to use all that He has given us to serve Him.

Friday, January 14, 2005

The following is an exchange between Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss, who had just been fined $10,000 by the NFL for his mooning incident in Sunday's game, and a reporter from KARE-TV in Minneapolis:

Reporter: "Write the check yet, Randy?"
Moss: "When you're rich you don't write checks."
Reporter: "If you don't write checks how to you pay these guys?"
Moss: "Straight cash, homey."
Reporter: "Randy, are you upset about the fine?"
Moss: "No. It ain't [expletive]. Ain't nothing but ten grand. What's ten grand to me? Ain't [expletive]. ..Next time I might shake my [expletive]."

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing...Thanks Randy!

In other news and views, I have many thoughts on the continued disunity I see in Christian groups. We are becoming more and more separated in the body as time continues. Some of this is of course good, as separation needs to happen for growth to occur. But I am talking more on what we may refer to the fringe groups in the body, those doing the crazy and totally into the supernatural in an unbalanced way. God tells one of these groups one thing and the next group something totally different, who are we to believe? I had a good conversation about this last night with a friend and what we seemed to deduce was that the group that is closest to Scripture is the one that is probably closest to the truth. What God told the early Church through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Paul, Luke, Peter and John, He probably would say the same thing to us today. Now He is sovereign and can do as He pleases, but I would tend to use this as a good principle.

BTW - my reference for this is a new ministry by a lady whom I know and I was perusing her web site the other night. We can discuss this in greater detail in person if any of you would like.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Most of you have probably seen this, but I find this interesting:

Wisconsin
The fight in the town of Grantsburg, Wisconsin (population 1,008) continues over the School Board's decision to encourage the critical evaluation of evolutionary theory in the science classroom. While the new policy rules out explicitly teaching creationism or Intelligent Design theory, it does seek to have students understand both the strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory. The school board has been flooded with letters, including one signed by 188 pastors arguing "that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth" and that to question evolutionary theory is "to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children."
Joni Burgin, superintendent in Grantsburg, responded to the letters by saying, "The amount of letters and the number of signatures does not matter... The school board feels that they must do what is right for Grantsburg students and the Grantsburg community."


Finally a school board takes a stand for truth and its the pastors who write the letters to condemn the decision. Another sign that the apocalypse is upon us! The full article is linked below:

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/10435565.htm
The thought occurred to me last Sunday in our house church discussion that we have maturity all wrong in our church culture. My premise was that maturity is really not at all about obedience, rather knowing right from wrong and knowing where to go when we are wrong. I still believe that we have maturity all wrong, but the obedience thing I was wrong on. Let me briefly explain.

In the "modern" church, similar to the Pharisaic movement in Jesus' time, maturity is about obedience to an external code of conduct, such as the law or whatever culturally-imposed regulations we place on our fellow church members. Of course Jesus came and put this to rest, emphasizing time and again that inner purity or morality was more important that outer obedience (Matthew 15).

True maturity, I then surmised, was not about this external obedience but about the inner things, the thoughts of a man's heart. I'm sticking with that. However, my thoughts on the disregard for obedience is totally unfounded. I had thought obedience was unneccessary due to the fact that it is impossible, no one can be totally obedient, so why try, and I thought a few Scriptures supported that. I don't know that I follow the commands of the Lord any better today than I did the week before I got saved. I do less external things that are wrong, but the thoughtso my heart remain impure. Why then focus on obedience? However, the NT writers continue to encourage us toward obedience, just one example being 2 John 1:6, "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." Seeking to be obedient to the ways of the Lord is of utmost importance, balanced with knowing what to do when we do sin, as 1 John 2:1-2 states, "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." When we sin, we need to go to the Father who is there with open arms offering forgiveness and grace.

My conclusion then is that the definition of maturity has to change from external obedience to inner obedience to the ways of the Lord. The heart is more important than the actions. Furthermore, obedience is necessary, but we must also understand what to do when, not if but when, we are disobedient. We need to go to the Father, and be thankful for the atoning death of Christ which allows us this opportunity at grace.

Friday, January 07, 2005

Today's sign that the apocalypse is upon us: Lambeau Field needs "volunteers" (they are paid $8 an hour) to shovel the bleachers before Sunday's game. Last time they asked for this, they had to turn 300-400 people away. I'd like to know how many of these people called in sick to go and shovel Lambeau.

On a personal note, I believe I am narrowing down my personal vision and philosophy on my purpose in life. I have mentioned in this space before my heart for abused and neglected children. I also am seeing more the burden I feel for what we could call "21st Century Slaves." Finally, there are those in need around the world that I feel the need to support spiritually by spreading the Gospel and helping them grow in their faith.

I say this because I have always felt the need to be very strategic in my support and missionary travels. I feel it a travesty when money is wasted on various ministries that do nothing more than support their workers' incomes. More and more, my entire support and missionary travels are going to funnel to the three areas above that the Lord has given me a heart for rather than wasted on someone sitting on a college campus having brat fry's to bring people to a group and get them to say a prayer, or supporting the building of their own personal kingdom's. May the Lord guide me in this process.

Finally, I came up on the following web site and was impressed. Check it out:
http://freetheslaves.net/home.php

Thursday, January 06, 2005

A couple of random thoughts tonight:

First, regarding the US being "stingy" in the aid effort, something that perterbed me greatly, the following quote is relevant:

Last year, American government provided 35 percent of worldwide relief aid. In private contributions, American individuals, estates, foundations and corporations gave over $240 billion to charitable causes in 2003, according to Giving USA Foundation. Privately, Americans give at least $34 billion overseas. Besides, these numbers overlook Americans' private contributions, which equal 2.2 percent of our GDP. Add the value of volunteer time contributed, and – even when calculated at minimum wage – that gives you another $100 billion.

One percent of GDP is supposed to be the golden number. American more than doubles it. Stingy? For more information, take a look at the link that I have attached.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42266


Second, I feel like I have been hit over the head by a sledgehammer in the past two days. A good friend of mine opened up that his wife left him and he considered suicide. Right now it appears there is no hope. Prayer seems to be the only thing. I just can't fathom this or what he is going through.

Third...

On June 20, 2001, Yates drowned her five children one by one, then called police to her Houston home and showed them the bodies of Noah, 7, John, 5, Paul, 3, Luke, 2, and 6-month-old Mary.

I'm sure by now you have seen that Andrea Yates. Within the past year I saw a TV documentary on her and it was SCARY! Seriously, this woman was possessed, she said the devil told her to kill her children and I believe her. On the special they showed the bed and the tub, and I just can't get out of my mind what it must have been like for her oldest son, 7, to walk into the bedroom, see three of his brothers dead in the bed, walk into the bathroom, see his youngest brother lying dead in the water, and have his mom turn on him. It's nothing more than pure evil. Nothing more than pure evil...

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

I am an overly paranoid person and it really bothers me. I am constantly worried about losing my job, being sued and losing everything I have, thinking something bad is going to happen to me physically, and so on. As I was going through one of these phases this evening, thinkingof all the bad things that were going to happen to me, I felt that this is really due to a lack of trust or faith. A few Scriptures came to mind:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life...Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? - Mt. 7:25a,27
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Mt. 7:33-34
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of thd body, has the power to throw you into hell. - Luke 12:5

Of course there are many others. But the point is that these feelings are due to lack of faith. I worry about these things because I don't trust in the Lord as I should. Whom should I fear, not the things of this earth but the things of eternity. My focus needs to be there. Your prayers are appreciated.

Monday, January 03, 2005

I watch two movies in the past week that have really stuck with me. The first is "Garden State," which I have already referenced here. The second is "Beautiful Girls," an older movie which I had wanted to see again for some time. Two things stick out in my mind:

First, these movies were about real life. So many current flicks are about nothing but garbage, we watch them but really they just numb our minds. Movies like "Maid in Manhattan," "Men in Black," and even a recent favorite such as "The Bourne Supremacy" stick out in my mind. They just aren't real!

Second, what I took from these movies is the ability to love and how it's tough for us (me) to do. Whether is be just loving life, loving friends, or loving family, it's not always easy. For me it seems there is this hesitation at times to let love just go. Part of it is the male in me, part of it is sin, part of it is just me being me. But if these movies encouraged me in anything, it was to love, love those close to me, family, friends, co-workers, etc. God calls us to love, and love we must do. That is something I'm going to focus on more and see where it takes me. It may hurt at times but I think in the end it will be very edifying.
I continue to be amazed at the blame God has received for the death toll in the recent tsunamai. For a society that really doesn't believe in God (you're right, 92% of us do, but in reality we don't believe in the God of the Bible) we are quick to put the blame on Him any time something bad happens.

If the Book of Job teaches us anything, and it does teach us a lot, it's that the old notion of retribution theology, where goodness results in prosperity and wickedness leads to suffering, is not valid. A popular doctrine in ancient Mesopotamian culture, God eliminated this way of thinking and application of retribution theology, where the blame was placed on the sufferer and they could only accept the fate hurled on them by the "unfathomable gods." Job was clearly an example of where this was of thinking is wrong, as we the reader get a sneak peak behind the scenes at the beginning of the book and note that Satan was the cause of the hardships. God is not to blame, Satan is the menace and the root of all evil.

Of course, balance does come into effect here, as the covenant between God and the Israelites did set forward this retribution theology, and Dt. 28 wrote of the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. This can be seen as a governing principles of the workd, but not an absolute, as the story of Job attests to.

I see so many like Job in the world today, they enter our churches and workplaces every day. We (I) judge them immediately, accusing them of some wrongdoing, leading to their plot in life. We (I) need to get deeper into the situation before casting judgment of wrongdoing on such modern-day Jobs, lest we (I) fall to the same judgment as Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.

Of course, Satan and sin are the cause of the death toll in the Indian Ocean and other places around the world. After the sin in Genesis 3, the world was thrown into chaos, and we are now experiencing the labor pains Jesus told us would come. Amen, Come Lord Jesus, Come!

Saturday, January 01, 2005

I just finished the movie "Garden State." I enjoyed it, although I'm not sure what the point was. What I got out of it was to live and enjoy life, to let yourself love, and to laugh off the bad in life.

This falls in line with one of my main goals for the New Year, which continues to be that of living the Kingdom life. Although I am still trying to figure out what that means, one of the things that has popped into my mind lately was not to take life too seriously. Obviously, there are things in life to be taken seriously, relationships, family, life with Christ, etc. But then there are things that we can take too seriously that we get off track on our journey. Work is one. People are another. People are people, some are good, some are bad, we must take the good with the bad. Enjoy the good, laugh off the bad. I think one of my themes is going to be to laugh more and enjoy the good more while not worrying so much about the bad. Does that make sense?
I've always had a deep heart for parents in such areas as the Sudan and other third world countries as they seek to provide for their children. We hear the stories of their children getting sick and the family leaving everything and embarking on a three or four day journey to the nearest clinic with the hope that maybe something can be done to help their child. More often than not, the child is dead or beyond help by the time they arrive.

My heart for these parents has grown even more over the past day and a half as my daughter has become very sick and has thrown up almost a dozen times and just lies around sleeping. While I do not fear for her life, I feel for her spirit and her body as she seeks to fight this sickness and recover to her old self. I also feel so thankful that I am surrounded by wonderful health care that is a three or four minute drive from my house where she will receive the proper treatment she needs.

I am thankful that we are blessed with the society we live in and my prayers go out to those parents not as fortunate as I. What have I done to deserve these blessings from the Lord?