Reso7utions

I'll spare you the theatrics, but just wanted to say that in retrospect '06 was a pretty good year. Though I moved, you blog fans out there seem closer than ever. Ah, the fresh breeze of the blogosphere blows mightily upon my keyboard. I learned about trusting God in all the ups and downs of life. I grew in love for my wife and friends. And I have come to see my prior miscalculations of my spiritual maturity.

This week I've set aside a great deal of time to think about the upcoming year. I guess it is one thing to say that we should "be intentional" with our lives and live lives of purpose and another thing to actually do it. I'm a pretty "chill" person and am okay with winging things and taking most things as they come, with some exceptions, of course. After I scribbled out some notes, desires, and have-tos I sighed, "Boy, God sure does have a lot to do in me this year." That's true.

So anyway, here's a link to a superb list of resolutions set out by a 19 year old. I'm not setting out on that large of a scale yet, but perhaps I should! May you end the year and begin the new one in joy and peace! Happy Holidays.

Church & Culture Pt. 3

Catalyst just posted a link to the article I blogged on last week. There are some other pretty good articles as well. Here's the link.

ISG--the 80th Recommendation

Barb and I spent the weekend recovering from some kind of stomach bug. God was gracious in that when she was sick the first two days I was well and could take care of her. And when I was sick the last two she was able to help me. Robert and Mandy were good enough to call and drive by the house to see if we were still alive--yes, but barely it seemed. Two are better than one--and four are better than two.

There's a lot of t.v. watched during illnesses like that, for better or worse. I must say that this time it was for the better. I watch a very limited about of news every day (about 30 minutes) because much is repeated. Yesterday I watched a Sunday morning interview with the chair and co-chair of the Iraq Study Group--Baker and Hamilton, who, along with others, offered 79 recommendations concerning the current situations in Iraq. I continued to listen to a panel of foreign diplomacy experts and analysts. It was quite eye-opening. Each, as you know, have grave concerns over what's happening in Iraq. It was quite alarming to hear someone I respect say, "It's on the verge of a meltdown." Every word and every paragraph struck me with dread--10-15 more years in Iraq? A divided country? Bad and Worse options? 300 Iraqis die a week? Almost 3,000 U.S. forces killed? And this is what struck me the most as I lay recovering--my lack of prayer over the whole matter.

How is it that I, a follower of Jesus, could pray so little for such a great matter? I don't believe that it is hopeless and that such a thing is out of the realm of prayer. So what is it? I can't really say that I know, but I do know I'm ashamed.

And as I was writing this my mind was called back to a familiar passage, Luke 18:1: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." The text assumes at least 2 things: his followers prayed and that they had given up.

So, today I ask the Lord to help me not give up on praying for peace in Iraq, for his intervention in our troubles as a nation, and to give wisdom and courage to our President as he is currently making strategic decisions in relationship to the war this week. The Study Group offered 79, but I think I'll just add 1 more--prayer, which should be moved to the top of the list. You'd have to be sick and secluded with the flu not to know that!

Teen suicide

Occasionally I hear a statistic that blows me away. Last Monday's Commercial Appeal contained an article titled "Schools get serious about suicide." Here are the first two lines of the article:

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death from age 15 to 19.

Nearly 14 teens kill themselves every day in the United States.

Fast Company's 2007 Social Capitalist Awards

Fast Company recognizes entrepreneurs who are changing the world. They make their decisions based on the following criteria:

Social Impact, Aspiration & Growth, Entrepreneurship (the ability to do a lot with a little), Innovation, Sustainability, and a Customized Approach.

Link

Church & Culture Pt. 2

"...over the next decade, the two most effective expressions of the Gospel will be through social justice and environmental justice."

This statement was made by Clint Kemp, the pastor of New Providence Community Church. Yesterday Jason and I were talking about both of these issues. As I've said before, there was a time when neither of these issues were even on my radar. I'm thankful to God for changing that.

I've often wondered what it would be like to gather a group of friends together and imagine what it would be like to begin, as a community, making a difference, both here in our neighborhood, as well as throughout the world.

In today's paper, there was an article in the Life Magazine pullout section called "What I Prayed For." A fourth grader wrote this: "I'm praying for Darfur. For the people there to get clothes and food and beds. I learned about Darfur on Oprah, and I read books about Africa." Yeah Oprah, and yeah fourth grader. As a side note, I don't remember what kinds of things I prayed for when I was in fourth grade, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't for anything like this.

Church & Culture Pt. 1

I recently read an article about a church in the Bahamas (the island of New Providence) . A few years ago this church, New Providence Community Church, decided to get involved in their community. Before this time they had spent most of their time, energy and money on designing an excellent Sunday morning service that people could bring their friends to. After a few years of doing this, though, they realized that it "was not creating the kind of Christ-followers that could revolutionize the island." They first opened their building up to the community, and began offering Taekwando classes, gymnastics, art lessons, etc. They then decided that they needed to begin doing something about the AIDS crisis on the island. (Nassau has one of the highest concentrated areas of AIDS cases in the first world).

Next, they adopted a section of beach that had been turned into the island's dump. "They believed that as followers of Christ, they had a responsibility to redeem this hideous, corrupted area of the island." They spent two years cleaning it up, then invited local artists from the island to come and help transform this space into something beautiful. They call it Sacred Space. (You can see pictures, along with a five minute video, here). "The breathtaking sunset views create an amazing spiritual experience - but more than that, it's a testimony to the leaders of the Island of how a community can be a significant part of th restoration of all things within their society."

This article was written by Gabe Lyons. It's not currently online, but hopefully will be soon.

Here's one final quote from the article:

"New Providence Community Church is shaping the culture of the Bahamas because they have approached their mission with the belief that they are called to be the Gospel in the context of their community. By deciding not to make their church a place for people to come and see, they have pushed their people to go and do. And they clearly illustrate the influence one church can have when it takes this mission seriously."

A Divine Mystery

The leaves are lying on the ground like a bunch of dead pancakes and the trees are pointing their boney fingers in my direction as if to suggest I'm the one who is responsible. The air is chilly, lights are going up on the sides of houses, and yesterday Barb and I bought our first Christmas tree together. Though we've been together for 5 years we usually spent Christmas away from our place visiting family in either Missouri or Mississippi. I did the burly work of lugging it into the house and she did the decorating, which is fantasitc. We starred at it all night and over breakfast this morning.

Better yet is the fact that we are hosting a Christmas party later this week. We've invited several people who live around us in an effort to simply know them. As we have made our rounds each one of them has opened their home to us, given us the tour and history of their house. We truly live around some great people. I hope that we are able to build some relationships here, decrease personal isolation and increase community and safety. I'm not saying that one day you'll see in the parade a float named, "The Pride of Felix Avenue."

But even better than that is the very fact of this holiday, that God, who is good and merciful, has taken great lengths to reconcile us, his wayward creation, to himself. He did not desire that we be separated from him, living a life that makes no sense. No, he longed to include us into his own family, so that we may enjoy his grace and benevolent mercy. Therefore, he reconciled us through the giving over of his son, Jesus, to death. He lived a sinless life and in his death he took the punishment and separation from God that should have been eternally ours. Three days later he triumphed over every mortal's foe--death. God credited and still credits to those who would believe, Jesus' perfect deeds. And because of gracious reversal we can live in relationship with our Creator and Redeemer, both in the here and now and in the ever after. This is what the ancients have called the divinum mysterium--a divine mystery.

I find it difficult to articulate such a beautiful and profound truth, so please forgive my short-comings. However, my sincere hope is that during this season would move us all a bit closer to himself and help us understand more of that mystery. Merry Christmas.