More Light!

We changed the clocks in America last Saturday. It was the "Spring ahead" time of year, and that marks a number of things for me. It also refocuses and motivates me.
       The clock change reminds me that I need to stand in front of a mirror and practice my "strike out" call for umpiring baseball. We were supposed to work our first tournament last weekend, but we got snowed out! Next weekend it is suppose to be 60 degrees though. Play Ball!
       Spring reminds me that God creates and re-creates His creation. God is doing something great in our time. The writer of Lamentations tells us that God's compassions never fail, "they are new every morning." (Lamentations 3:22-23) In the Springtime it feels like those compassions area even newer!
       The additional light brings me to two staggering things that Jesus said about light.
First, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Second, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:13)
       The change of time on the clock points me to the source of the light. When the sun sets later this evening, and I am able to sit in my backyard and watch it go down, I remember that Jesus is THE light, and in his odd economy he calls his followers to also be the light of world.
       I take this calling seriously. "Let your light shine" is not only an encouragement by Jesus but a command. May it be so this Springtime.
       Enjoy the longer days and the sunlight. Remember the source of the light too.

Ah, My "Little" Girl in the Middle East!

Carly, our 21-year-old university senior, is spending the semester in Jordan, Israel, and Egypt on a 4-month study abroad.

       I just saw this picture of Car with a a woman somewhere on her travels. I love this photo - it captures so much of who Carly is and how God has wired her.
       Carly lives among cultures so well, and looks so ALIVE with this woman. (by the way, this lady must be quite small, because Carly is not exactly a giant!)
      Next month Susy and I will be in Israel for a couple of weeks. We are so looking forward to spending a bit of time with Carly and the 25 other students she is with this semester.

Brokenness, Sadness, Transition, and Hope

I woke early this morning, having tossed and turned much of the night. Yesterday evening I finished writing a memo to church elders of a congregation I am beginning to help walk through major transition. It probably would have been wiser to write the memo in the morning rather than late at night! 
       This current church situation brings back painful memories of other church transitions I have observed, been a leader in, and been a consultant. I rarely feel as sad as I do in these contexts.
       This morning I was encouraged by a video slide show that my wife Susy put together a few years ago depicting the process of making pit-fired pottery. More than any other image or video, this captures SO MUCH of the realities the church I am consulting with is going through.

The Potter and "Beautiful Things" from Susy Newman on Vimeo.

30 Years Ago Today ...

It was 30 years ago today - March 6, 1983 - that I said these words, "What the hell, I'm going to become a Christian."
       And so began the adventure of my lifetime, as unpolished a beginning as it was!
       I was a 20-year-old kid from Long Island, a third-year university student at Cortland State in upstate New York.
       At the time I knew very, very little about Jesus, about the gospel, about what it meant to be a Christian. It did not really register either that I was Jewish and choosing to following Jesus.
       I was just desperate - I needed a Savior and I knew that Jesus was him.
       Never in my wildest imagination could I have anticipated the wild journey God has had for me these three decades! The phrase that comes to mind is, ALL IS GRACE.
       Today I am grateful for so many things -
   for my brother, Randy, who patiently and steadfastly shared his new faith with me;
   for two college friends, Dave and Bill, who shared their faith with me after I first believed;
   for Tom Fraser, who first discipled me;
   for Glenn Gunderson and the people of Homer Baptist Church, who were the first community of faith I knew.
   And to many others who were part of my early days of faith back in 1983.
Here's to the coming days and years, and all that God has for me.

Loving the "Former" Enough to Let it Grow

This is a follow up to my previous post regarding being a "former leader" of a church or organization. I love the people, churches, and organizations where I have served in leadership.
     I love Christian Associates. I love Crossroads Church in Amsterdam. I love Lookout Mountain Church. Love them all!
     It is also true that we tend to hurt the ones we love the most, and get hurt by the ones we love the most! Ouch.
     What this means is that it is exceedingly challenging and rare for a leader to leave his or her ministry context without some tearing, splitting, or fraying of the congregation. In fact, some leaders sub-consciously want the church or organization to stumble and struggle when they leave - as if to say to the world, "See, they really needed me!"
     But for those of us who are "former" to a church or organization, and if we believe in the mission and vision of that group, should we not pray for and desire its success and growth? I am astonished at many pastors who seem to care little that their former church is suffering through an ordeal. Most grievous, it is an affront to God, who has declared that His Church is the bride of Christ.
     I have a few present contexts where I serve now. Some day I will have the label of "former." The legacy that I want with all of these contexts is that they grow and thrive after I leave. When that happens I hope to have left a God-honoring legacy.

Former Leaders and Their Former Flocks

Pope Benedict XVI flew off into the sunset of Rome a few days ago to begin his life as "former pope."
       For many leaders, being "former" is foreign territory and scares the hieby-giebies out of many of us (that's a technical term!).
       The news media has asked whether Benedict will stay out of church business, or if he might meddle. That is a very good question.
       I am the "former" of three situations - former Europe Director of Christian Associates, former senior pastor of Crossroads Amsterdam, and former executive pastor of Lookout Mountain Church in Denver.
       My self-assessment is that I did two out of the three of these well, the other one not so great. The poor transition was when I left the role of Europe Director in 2000. I handed off the role to a very gifted person who I had mentored for three years.
       But there was at least two problems: I did not move off the scene. I became pastor of the flagship church of the ministry, in the same city where he was. That made things messy. The other issue was that he was a bit of a junior leader and I did not prepare the way for him well enough.
       The other two (church) situations went well - in part because of me and in part despite me! I have learned a few key things from those transitions, and from leaders (especially pastors) who do not become "former" very well.
   * You have to leave and get out of the way entirely. When we left Amsterdam in 2005 I was determined to "disappear" from things at Crossroads for at least a year. I did that, by God's grace. We leaders can so easily meddle in the affairs of our former groups.
   * Never question or second guess the new leader, especially in public! (by the way, it's a very good idea for the new leader not to take swipes at the previous leader as well)
   * Don't fund-raise in your previous ministry context, at least for quite a while. This is difficult for people like me, who raises his financial support. When I was leaving Crossroads the elders asked that I not speak with people about supporting our ministry. Quite honestly, I was ticked off (and those elders were and are some of my closest friends). But their judgement was right. It is simply too difficult for people for whom I have been their pastor to sift through the complexity of the relationship with me.
       It has been challenging for me to live with the title "former." It's humbling. I remember when I returned for a visit to Amsterdam 2 or 3 years after I had left. Someone who was in the church when I pastored saw me on a Sunday morning before the worship service. She was surprised to see me. The first thing she said to me was, "Hi Brian. Crossroads is doing so GREAT without you!"
     I just had to laugh at the comment! It made me feel so ... human.

The Problem with "Twitter Theology"

When one "tweets" (i.e. writes something on Twitter), they only get 140 characters to do so.
       The other day I read a Facebook update (which I assume was a feed from Twitter or Buffer) which said, "'Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves.' Luke 16:9. Jesus said it...not me!"
       This is pithy, and provocative, and gets people to your website or blog. But it is woefully incomplete and even confusing. And such is the problem with what I call, "Twitter Theology."
       The problem is magnified by the fact that the person who tweeted this small section of Luke 16:9 labels himself as "an international expert on the Middle East." I know this person and I do not doubt that he is an "expert." But should not experts be more complete or clear when quoting a verse of Scripture this this?
       The entirety of Luke 16:9 says, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." Well that puts a slightly different spin on things, rather than only saying, "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves." So the verse is telling us to use money to gain friends and that's how a person gets into heaven?? Really?
        In reality only looking at verse 9 is not fair either. This verse is found in a 14-verse parable known as The Parable of the Shrewd Manager. The last thing you ever want to do is pull out a part of one verse from a parable. Context is extremely important in such passages.
       The "problem" is that Luke 16:1-14 is far more than 140 characters, so you cannot tweet it. And reading 14 verses is not nearly as pithy or provocative as half of one verse.

"You are everything that is good in me"

"You are everything that is good in me." ~ Detective Mac Taylor to his girlfriend Christine in last night's episode of CSI New York.
       The line was poignant, and struck a nerve deep in my soul. It got me asking this question, "Who is it in my life that I can make that statement to?"
       Nobody really.
       Except Jesus. Only Jesus. Always Jesus.
       Jesus is everything that is good in me.
       If there is any good in the human heart (which I believe there is) it is the gift of God.
       If there is shalom in me it is Jesus' shalom which he imparts to me.
       If I love it is because Jesus first loved me (1 John 5).
       If I forgive it is because Jesus has forgiven me.
Mac Taylor is almost right. He is missing the source - Jesus. HE is everything that is good in me.

Remembering the "Big Bear Principles"

On the outskirts of Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Mountains, sits the pristine town of Big Bear. It is now known as the location where a murderer was hold up in a cabin in recent weeks.
       Big Bear has a very special place in my heart. Throughout much of the 1990s and into the 2000s, when are kids were young and we were missionaries in Europe, our family would venture to Big Bear just about every summer. Susy's aunt and uncle had built a rustic A-frame cabin and they graciously allowed us to use it for a few weeks to a month in the summer.

       One summer, July 1998 to be exact, we went to Big Bear and I was FRIED! I had hit a major wall in ministry, I was burned out.
       I had been Europe Director for Christian Associates for 3 years. The ministry was growing rapidly, with new projects springing up around Europe. New staff were coming on board.
       And I was spiritually, emotionally, and physically wiped out! I got a hernia in June of that year, which was the "straw that broke the camel's back."
       I retreated to Big Bear for a more extended stay. I collapsed really.
  - I slept in every day.
  - I went to the local "greasy spoon" in the small town and talked about nothing with people I did not know.
  - We visited a local church - Calvary Chapel - and sat in the back row and stared into space.
  - I brought Steven fishing, we rented a boat and went on the lake, we barbecued a lot, I read books to the kids at night.
       Somewhere in that month God began to point some things out to me. Painful realities of my life. I started to understand that my life was not sustainable at the pace I had been living.
       Toward the end of our time in Big Bear I took out a pad and paper and wrote on the top, "Big Bear Principles." There were 5 that I wrote down, and I added a 6th in the summer of 2000 when I was in Big Bear again.
       Herewith are my Big Bear Principles, which I still try to hold to and accept as best as I can.

Principle 1: There is no moderation in slowing down. God requires nothing less than radical surgery.

Principle 2: When I work I work hard and when I play I play hard.

Principle 3: I must maximize being with people I love to be with, I must minimize being with people who drain me.

Principle 4: Mentoring is in the eye of the beholder. I must creatively cultivate new mentors all the time.

Principle 5: Retreat is a prerequisite for the next attack.

Principle 6: I retreat in order to reassess my calling and to cultivate the virtues that make that calling sure and "complete."

The Life and Times of Howard Hendricks

I first heard Howard Hendricks speak at a Campus Crusade for Christ conference called, "KC83." I had come to faith in Christ a mere two months earlier.
       I do not remember what Professor Hendricks spoke on at the conference, but I remember thinking to myself, "This is a man of God." I was right.
       This Giant of the Faith died peacefully today.
       Here are some statements by "the prof," as he was called by his students.
       In an interview in 2003 with the Dallas Morning News: “You’re looking at a completely fulfilled human being. If I died today having produced some of the people God has given me the privilege of shaping, it will have been worth showing up on the planet.”

*****

"You never graduate from the school of discipleship."

*****

"How big is your God? The size of the your God determines everything."

*****

"Spend the rest of your life doing what God has prepared you to do."

*****

And here is Professor Hendricks speaking at his last chapel service at Dallas Theological Seminary. His talk was titled, "The Ultimate Final Exam."

The Community of the Pit

Last night a bunch of guys gathered around the fire pit in my backyard. It is sacred space.
       In an unconventional way it is Acts 2:42-47 lived out on a micro level, for a moment in time, with guys finding their way through life.
       This is the text of the email I sent out to a bunch of guys inviting them out last night:

" Thanks to the creativity of Jim Maynard and the sweat of a bunch of guys, we put a fire pit in my backyard a few years back. There has been many a beer drunk and stogie smoked around that fire - in the dead of winter and in the heat of summer.

       We have been labeled in a variety of ways:

   * Boyz AT the Pit

      * Boyz OF the Pit

         * Boyz IN the Pit

I suppose is depends on the state of your heart and mind at the time.

Many a conversation has been had around the pit -

  * Job promotions, job losses, pay cuts

  * Marital bliss and marital strife

  * We have celebrated new life, we have cursed the loss of life

  * We have talked sports rivalries

  * We have debated the politics of gun ownership and gun control (and we are still talking to each other!)

  * We have shared homemade brew and smoked finely rolled cigars from around the world

For me the Firepit is Sacred Space. A place of respite, of safety, of laughter and weeping, of no BS at times and lots of BS at other times! :o)

_____________________
       Last night was all this and more - a dozen of us huddled around the fire and caught up on life after a number of months apart.
       There were newcomers and old-timers, drinkers and a non-drinker, smokers and non-smokers, younger and older (Steven even came out for a while with the guys!).
       I am deeply grateful for this ad hoc group of guys who sporadically gathers around the pit and shares life together, as we all stare into the flames.
       It is holy and profane, the mundane and absolute core stuff of life, it's community.

Deeply Personal Very Public Information

Preface:
My friend Lizzy asked several of us if we would write something for her blog of a personal nature and that which is very public. I was going to blow off the request, but then I read Lizzy's incredibly brave and sensitive post of her own. And I was convicted. So I wrote the following for her blog.

My Last Best Year: Deeply Personal Very Public Information

I arrived at a very successful church in 2006 to be the #2 guy (or maybe #3) in the shadow of a dynamite preacher/senior pastor. Within a year he was removed and the church was spiraling into a church split. And I was spiraling into depression.

       For the first three months after the pastor left, another pastor and I preached most Sundays. It was like speaking at a funeral every week, except people in the congregation came back periodically to see if the person was really dead. Every Sunday felt like a sucker punch to the kidneys for me. Each successive Sunday became more and more painful as people left.

       I vacillated between a few perspectives on this church mess. Perhaps reality is somewhere in the midst of these thoughts:

* Thought #1 : Everyone wants a "rock star" for a pastor and the star will eventually crash, either due to self-inflicted wound or other circumstances;

* Thought #2: God orchestrated the whole thing to show the folly of human empire-building;

* Thought #3: The emotional pain caused by this church split was and is staggering to me!

       In the midst of all of this I struggled deeply: WHERE IS GOD'S GRACE IN THIS MESS?

Trite answers from well-meaning people did not help.

Spiritualizing the mess did not help.

Blame shifting certainly did not help.
       The question haunted me. I got depressed, probably clinically so. For quite some time. I lost faith in the institution of the Church. At points I thought I might lose my faith, and almost did.

       But as the old hymn says, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back." It is in that following (dare I say obedience) that I began to rediscover grace - in the form of spiritual brothers and sisters who sat with me in the mess, who did not have simple answers to hard questions, and who challenged me to forgive (myself, others, God).

       I hope that my wounds are turning to scars. Scars remind us of past hurts but they are now healed wounds. That is my hope.

"Always in the Process of Staying Together..."

The difference between good leaders and great leaders is found in one word: PERSPECTIVE.
       I learned this lesson in the mid-1990s when I was first part of Crossroads Church of Amsterdam. It was a very rough time in the life of the church. The senior pastor had resigned, the church was in a weird interim place without much direction, people were hurt and stunned.
       I was quite sure that after only 8 years of existence Crossroads Church was imploding and would be no more. One day a former elder who had moved abroad was visiting the church. I said to him (these are my exact words), "That's it. Crossroads is falling apart. It's over."
       He responded, "You have it all wrong Brian. Crossroads is not falling apart, it's in the process of staying together!"
       At first I thought he had lost his marbles, that the elevator was one floor short of the top! But then I realized that I did not have good perspective, I was too close to the mess to see the good and great things God continued to do at Crossroads.
       My friend was right and I was wrong. Thankfully! Crossroads was and is in the process of staying together. It is now almost 18 years since that conversation - Crossroads is still there, still touching people's lives. God is always faithful, even when we are not quite so much!

A Word About My Lovely Wife

My wife Susy is a fairly private person; she is quite content being behind the scenes and quietly and gracefully going about touching people's lives.
       She is one of the most subtle people I know.
       And she does not necessarily like being the subject of my blog! But it's Valentine's Day and I want to write about Susy - she will just have to live with it this one time.

       This is my newest favorite photograph of Susy. I know, that's a little strange. This is Susy doing what she really loves to do - throwing a pot, shaping a blob into something beautiful.
       That's a great description of Susy's life (maybe even calling) - she helps shape blobs into beautiful things!
       She is a counselor/therapist who journeys with people week after week in their pain and brokenness as they become whole again. She patiently helps people take their next baby step.
       She creates amazing pottery - goblets, angels, mugs, platters, vases, candle holders, and other items - each one is a unique expression of her creativity. Her work is more and more mesmerizing to me, and to others.
       And she has helped shape this blob (me!) for 25 years of marriage this year. Yes, I know, I MARRIED UP! A lot of guys marry up - some know it and some don't. People who spend time with Susy and me in a friendship are certainly very glad Susy is in the picture, and they know I have married up! I have strengths, but CHARM is not one of them.
       Susy is, in a word, charming.
       And so today on this Valentine's Day (which in general stresses me out with unrealistic romantic overtones), I am simply grateful for my wife Susy.

Abraham Heschel on ... Religion

"A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair."

Abraham Heschel on ... the Self

"The focus of prayer is not the self ... It is the momentary disregard of our personal concerns, the absence of self-centered thoughts, which constitute the art of prayer ... Thus, in beseeching Him for bread, there is one instant, at least, in which our mind is directed neither to our hunger nor to food, but to His mercy. This instant is prayer.
       "We start with a personal concern and live to feel the utmost."

It is Finished!

I just sent the second edition of the Passover Seder Haggadah to the printer. It is a totally new lay out and design, with some added pages.
       If you are interested in a copy I will have them available and for sale beginning February 25th. Passover this year is Monday, March 25th. Plan ahead for a great Seder!

Abraham Heschel on ...Lifting the Veil

Lifting the Veil

"God is not always silent, and man is not always blind. In every man's life there are moments when there is a lifting of the veil at the horizon of the known, opening a sight of the eternal. Each of us has at least once in his life experienced the momentous reality of God. Each of us has once caught a glimpse of the beauty, peace, and power that flow through the souls of those who are devoted to Him."

Abraham Heschel on ... Awe

"Awe is an intuition for the dignity of all things, a realization that things not only are what they are but also stand, however remotely, for something supreme.

       "Awe is a sense for transcendence, for the reference everywhere to mystery beyond all things. It enables us to perceive in the world intimations of the divine, ... to sense the ultimate in the common and the simple; to feel in the rush of the passing the stillness of the eternal. What we cannot comprehend by analysis, we become aware of in awe."

Rabbi Abraham Heschel Quotes

I will post a series of statements made by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. His perspectives on religion, peace, sabbath, land, God, grace and a host of other themes are nothing less than brilliant and life-giving.

       Rabbi Heschel died in 1972. Ten days before his death he gave an interview with NBC TV. Heschel was asked if he had a special comment for young people. "Remember that there is meaning beyond absurdity. Know that every deed counts, that every word is power ...Above all, remember that you must build your life as if it were a work of art."

I am CHRISTIAN ... there, I said it.

It is not fashionable in some circles to label yourself a "Christian," due to the presumed baggage that comes along with the word in today's society.
       I am a Christian, and I would prefer to live with the misconceptions (real and imagined) rather than run away from the word. Why? For good reason:
* "Christian" is a biblical word. In Acts 11 we are told that the believers were first called Christians in Antioch. There is no commentary or indication that this was a bad thing; it is simply stated as a fact.
* "Christian" comes from the Greek "en christus," which means to be "in Christ." It is a favorite expression of the Apostle Paul - he uses it more than 80 times in his letters. "In Christ" is not just an occasional phrase, it is central to the Gospel in the New Testament. If the word Christian is derived from being "in Christ," why would we stay away from the word?
       But language is a tricky and messy thing. A word which was meant so positively can become corrupted. Words such as Christian, and Muslim, and Jew have ALL been corrupted in a variety of ways by a wide swath of people. I don't hear anyone telling Muslims to stop calling themselves "Muslim!" Certainly there are examples of the word Muslim having negative connotations. But, please, let's not pick a fight with a Jew to stop saying he or she is a Jew! Same for a Muslim. Same for a Christian.

       I want to advocate taking back the word "Christian," in the way that it is used of the main character in Bunyon's Pilgrim's Progress. Young Christian is full of burdens and is wandering in many ways. He attempts to obey and live by the letter of the law, but the burden is too great.
       It is only when Christian comes to the end of himself and finds God's grace that he is set free - free from sin and brokenness and from the burdens he has carried. I want to be associated with the word "Christian" if that is what it looks like.

I Really DON'T Want to Comment on This!

The cover of Christianity Today caught my eye in December. There was a series of articles about "Worshipping Jesus in the Mosque." This is a tremendously thorny issue in some circles of Christianity, and I have struggled whether or not to have a voice in this debate.
       I have decided to make a few preliminary points now, and then to possibly go into more depth in a future post.
       First and foremost, we have to decide if God loves Muslims or not! A small number of Christians might argue that Muslims are "damned" for all eternity. Most of this narrow thinking is due to fear more than anything else. I believe that God loves Muslims. I don't think He loves Islam though.
       Second, some very well-meaning folks want to discard the word "Christian" because there is too much baggage associated with it. But that is just silly. I don't hear anyone advocating to drop the word "Muslim," even though it also is associated with bad things. I believe we need to embrace being "Christian," which after all simply means "in Christ."
       Third, I am concerned at the very public nature of these articles, in a magazine that is circulated around the world. There certainly are secret believers in Christ who have been Muslims. I have meant a few of them. The last thing they need is publicity. We should pray for them, not write about them so much.
       Perhaps in the days ahead I will dive into the content of these articles and give my perspective. For now I think I will leave it with these preliminary comments.

The Haunting, Hopeful Words of Fantine

Anne Hathaway re-captured the heart and soul of the character of Fantine in the most recent musical version of Les Miserables.
       But it is the essence of the character herself that has awakened me on a number of nights wondering, how many of us live lives of similar tragedy and hopelessness?
       I have listened to the song over again and am haunted by the true-life drama that it portrays for so many people.
       Fantine reminds us that the world was created fundamentally GOOD -
"There was a time when men were kind,
when their voices were soft
And their words inviting."
"...the word was a song and the song was excited."
      And then it went all WRONG, and lives became broken and undone just as Fantine recounts in the closing lines of the song:
"But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living."
      Perhaps Fantine and her song are so haunting because she tasted GRACE but could not fully receive it. Perhaps on some level we all have a bit of Fantine in us. I know I do.
      A friend and colleague quotes John 10:10 frequently: "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
      But elsewhere Jesus also says, "whoever wants to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25) Perhaps the character Fantine lives and dies in the midst of these giant words of Jesus. I hope I do.

The Great Does Not Happen by Impulse...

This quote is from Vincent van Gogh in the recent exhibit, "Becoming van Gogh" at the Denver Art Museum.
       It has stuck with me for a number of reasons, but primarily because of the work I do seeking to influence Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
       I believe that God is up to something great and marvelous in and through the three monotheistic faiths. I believe the Jewish people - as few as they are - have a unique calling as a light to the nations. I believe that Muslims - as numerous and widespread as they are - will become a force for God's Kingdom. And I believe Christians are to build bridges for the gospel to both Jews and Muslims.
       Over many years people have prophesied, guessed, surmised, and dreamed about how God is going to work out His plan for His creation. Systematic theologies have been created, books have been written, some have had "air tight" arguments about the end of the world. All of them have been wrong thus far.
       In God's timing and plan, He does great things a little bit at a time and brings the pieces together. Just like an artist who works at his craft for hours and days and months. Van Gogh was right - greatness happens as a succession of little things brought together."
       This is my hope as I seek to do little things - with Christians, Jews, and Muslims - so that the peace of Christ might be in people's hearts. One step at a time.

Older Still ... with Perks!

I turned 50 years old in October. Among other things, it meant that I could get my AARP card (American Association of Retired People). I have no idea why one can be classified with "retired people" at age 50, but I nonetheless jumped at the opportunity to be an AARP member.
       Why? you may ask? DISCOUNTS!

       I know, some of you are rolling your eyes wondering why I would spend $16 per year for am membership to label myself "old," or on the downslope of life, or over the hill.
       That's a good question. Here's why.
The AARP reminds me that I am mortal. In the infamous words of Robin Williams in "Dead Poet's Society," some day I will be fertilizing daffodils! It is a good thing to remember that our days on earth are numbered (see Psalm 90 for Moses' words on this). Consequently we must "carpe diem," as Williams exhorted his students. We must SEIZE THE DAY!
       Back to the discounts for a moment. I proudly used my AARP card for the first time the other day at the movie theater. I got a popcorn and soda for $6.50 instead of $11.75! That is quite the savings. Now I go into stores and quickly ask if there is an AARP discount - a practice that will surely embarrass the people I am with at the time!

Learning Restraint from Mark Driscoll

I want to thank Pastor Mark Driscoll for his comment regarding President Obama on Inauguration Day. Mark tweeted:

"Praying for our President, who today will place his hand on a Bible he does not believe in to take an oath to a God he likely does not know."

       I thank Mark Driscoll for a number of reasons:

       First, he demonstrates arrogance and haughtiness so that other Christians know how not to respond to people of other belief systems or opinions. Thank you, Mark.

       Second, he shows the working out of Matthew 7:1-2, where Jesus said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." For a very good comment on Pastor Driscoll and judging, read Michael Hidalgo's blog HERE.

     Third, Mark has taught the rest of us in ministry (pastors and other leaders) the power of restraint, learning to remain quiet and reflective in moments of intense emotion, pressure and turmoil. Thank you, Mark, for your example of the opposite of this.

     I am curious what feedback is given to Mark Driscoll from some of his mentors - Tim Keller, Donald Carson, and John Piper to name a few. I wonder what their input they would have.

Like Attracts Like ... and Repels the "Other"

It's an age-old reality: Like attracts like. We are most comfortable with people who believe similar to us, talk similar, wear similar clothes (Yea Kohls!), have the same pastimes.
     * Gun-toters with gun-toters...
     * Pro-gay with pro-gay...
     * Calvinists with Calvinists...
     * White with white, black with black...
     * Democrat with Democrat...
This gives us: A) a false sense that we are "right" and that we possess the "truth;" B) identifiable adversaries and enemies, those who are allegedly WRONG.
       I submit that while "like attracts like" it also repels the "other." And thus we see an increasing breakdown of civility in Western culture. And this saddens me deeply.
       In my little corner of the world, however, I have recently had wonderful discussions and debates with some of my more conservative friends about issues around guns. We have actually listened to each other (!), challenged each other at places, asked pointed questions, and mostly wanted to understand the "other" perspective.
       We are not alike in many ways - Ray, Roger, others own a bunch of guns and have strong convictions about the Second Amendment in ways very different from me. But, we have chosen to be in COMMUNITY.
       That is, comm - unity. We have something in COMMON which brings us into UNITY (that something is faith in Jesus). We are united but we are not uniform. We believe very differently about some things. We debate, argue, struggle to understand the other. And it is in and through this struggle that we must choose to continue in comm - unity.
       Oddly enough, these "others" enrich my life, broaden my perspective, force me out of my single story into other stories. They stretch me, challenge me to know why I believe as I do, and humble me with the realization that my views and understanding of the world is limited.
       To my comm - unity who believes differently than I do, THANK YOU.

Martin Luther King: The Best Extremist

"The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be ... The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

"Strangers in the World"

I am comforted and challenged by the opening words of 1 Peter in the New Testament:
"To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered..."
       For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we have a unique calling: To be "resident aliens" in our world. This is very personal and existential to me.

       I am more of a nomad than a settler - always have been, probably always will be. So the idea of a temporary location as a sojourner fits me well.
       The challenge that 1 Peter communicates is a close-knit community of Christians who, together, are aliens in the world. Peter is speaking of the Body of Christ living on earth in a way that is thoroughly different than the rest of the world.
       The community that Peter is speaking to is spread all over Asia Minor. They are culturally diverse, politically and socially diverse, rich and poor. The unifying factor is their allegiance to Jesus Christ and the common persecution they experience because of that allegiance.
       No doubt this community of "aliens and strangers" had its internal differences - Republicans and Democrats both following Jesus perhaps! But they were bound together "in Christ" (a favorite phrase of the Apostle Paul). This allows us to differ greatly over issues such as gun control, taxation, and a slew of otherwise divisive issues.
       Tax collectors and zealots learning to love each other and be resident aliens in community together! 

P.S. To read an outstanding reflection by my friend Brian Rice on being in the world, against the world, for the world, and witnesses to the world, click here.

The Text Message said, "Leaving Amman, Jordan Now!"

The text message from my 21-year-old daughter Carly arrived on my iphone at midnight. It simply said, "Leaving Amman, Jordan now. Love you guys! I'll check in in a few days. :)"
       A flood of emotions and thoughts came over me.
       My first thought was, "Carly, you are not in Kansas anymore!" She and a group of students from her university are spending the next four months in the Middle East. Today they left Amman and headed north. Yes, toward Syria.
       Carly takes after her mom in a lot of ways - approachable, hospitable, empathetic. She takes after me in one primary way - she is an explorer, a nomad of sorts.
       And so part of me is envious of my daughter traipzing around the Middle East for months on end. And part of me is a tad nervous about the unknowns of that part of the world. But mostly I am incredibly proud of who Carly is becoming as a young adult and I am hopeful that she and her generation will make a great impact on the world.

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       Last month the four of us were camping in California together. I snapped this photo of Carly and Steven as we sat around a campfire on the beach one night.
       I remember thinking of myself, "Enjoy the moment. It is fleeting." And so it is. Carly is in the Middle East, Steven is back at university beginning his second term.
       It is all very, very good.
       Life is full.
       And it's a bit quiet around the house.

The Dream of the Beautiful

Last weekend we went to a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit of Vincent van Gogh works at the Denver Art Museum. It was nothing short of amazing.
       As you enter the exhibit there is a video which shows quotes from van Gogh. Along the way in the exhibit there are number of other statements made by van Gogh over his lifetime.
       In the last room is the quote I have posted here - it captures so much of what we had just experienced. And it captures so much of life in general. Anything that is to be beautiful, and good, and true, and wholesome requires energy and effort and work. And it requires endurance, perseverance, and disappointment along the way.

YES! Guns for Groceries

Each year the city of Los Angeles sponsors a "Gun Buyback" program. This year people received a $100 giftcard to a grocery store for giving up a handgun and a $200 gift card for handing over an assault weapons.
       Last May the annual gun buyback brought in 1,673 guns. I am not sure of the number this time around.
       Well done, city of Los Angeles! I applaud this effort at seeking to make your city safer for people.

Sometimes It's Good to be Quiet

I am (slowly) learning that sometimes it is best to be quiet. Keeping my mouth closed is a habit that does not come easily for me!
       Nonetheless, for the past 10 days I have been fairly quiet in the blogosphere, on Facebook, and generally in cyberspace. Why?
       Largely because I have been NUMB! On an emotional level it feels like I have been sleeping on my arm and I have that strange tingling sensation.
       I have been numbed because of three events or situations:
     1. Newtown, Connecticut massacre - I cannot begin to put to cohesive sentences what I am feeling about this tragedy. Before 1999 the word "Columbine" was not in the English vernacular much, unless you lived in the Denver area. Now it stands for so much that is horribly wrong with society in the U.S. What is even worse is that the most demeaning comments and even threats that I receive on this blog come when I say that our culture must holistically address the issues related to gun control.
     2. Fiscal Cliff - I feel embarrassed by the political leaders of the United States, but also by we Americans who are simply unwilling to share sacrifice and live within our means. Everyone wants to cut deficits, but I don't know very many people who are willing to pay more in taxes, or not get some pork project in their district arranged by their congressman. Those of us who consider ourselves the "middle class" want the wealthy to pay more (a Democratic favorite), others want capitalism and economic growth to solve our problems (A Republican favorite). Everyone wants to cut spending, except when it personally impacts us. Then we don't want cuts -
     * Non-profit agencies say that it will be TRAGIC is the charitable contribution deduction is limited or eliminated. We can't do that!
     * The many finance and mortgage companies and lobbyists say that limiting the amount deducted for mortgage interest will send America into Recession. We can't do that!
     * Groups such as the AARP say that it is morally wrong to make changes or even cuts to Medicare or Social Security because it will put seniors out on the street. We can't do that!
     * Some well-meaning people feel that we cannot limit Defense spending and that the military-industrial complex should continue to grow unrestrained.
       It feels like America is a country of pre-adolescents trying to figure out how to live through the awkwardness of growing up! And at the moment America has a bad case of ACNE!
     3. Incarnation - AND ... I have been quieted by the stunning proposition of God entering the world in the person of Jesus. He must have been absolutely crazy! Especially with the numbing realities of the American culture in the past month. Advent was a sober time for me, with more gravitas than in previous years. It has ben humbling for me, bringing a silence to me for these days.